Former NY Giant great and NFL Hall of Famer Harry Carson was the recipient of the Humanitarian of the Year Award for Chiropractic in New York State for 2009.

Carson along with Brad Circone received this distinguished honor at the NY Chiropractic Council's annual convention in Tarrytown, NY.

Carson with the NY Chiropractic Council was instrumental in leading H.O.P.E. Day, which stands for Helping Other People Eat. The NY Chiropractic Council's members in conjunction with The NY Giants Foundation held a statewide benefit for area food banks which help to raise over $16,000.

The NY Chiropractic Council also held an auction to benefit the Harry Carson Scholarship Foundation at this event and over $8,800 was raised for his foundation.

Carson has been working closely with The Council for the past 2 years. He was instrumental in launching the Council's groundbreaking WellCare Revolution campaign. The WellCare Revolution is a program of everyday vested health care. Council doctors and their practice members throughout New York State are engaged in a process of authentic health care delivery. In a time where health care has been a hot button topic in our country, Chiropractic offers cutting edge delivery of true wellness. The studies on Chiropractic effectiveness prove that patients that visit Chiropractors beyond simple acute pain complaints have amazing results. Chiropractic is the number one sought out form of alternative health care in the U.S. and second in overall visits after traditional medical care. Most major league sports teams currently have staff Chiropractors.

To locate a Council H.O.P.E. doctor near you call 1-800-426-6922 or log onto www.nycouncil.com

SOURCE New York Chiropractic Council

RELATED LINKS
http://www.nycouncil.com

Tickets to the 2010 World Cup are already sold out, but soccer lovers can still see the U.S. team in action, live in South Africa, by becoming a sponsor of the LAFC Foundation, the charitable umbrella for one of America's largest and best youth soccer organizations.

Through the LAFC Foundation website, https://www.lafcfoundation.org/docs/sponsorships/FollowTheUSATours.php, 48 corporate "Follow the USA Ticket & Tour Packages" are available exclusively to sponsors.

These packages include:

• June 11: World Cup Opening Game: South Africa vs. Mexico
• Three USA pool games:
• June 12: U.S. vs. England
• June 18: U.S. vs. Slovenia
• June 23: U.S. vs. Algeria
• June 21: Portugal vs. North Korea

The LAFC Foundation is a 501(c)(3), nonprofit organization that evolved from LAFC Chelsea, which has become one of America's largest and most prominent club soccer organizations. For more information, please visit www.lafcfoundation.org.

SOURCE LAFC Foundation

RELATED LINKS
http://www.lafcfoundation.org

Hundreds of volunteers and designers will decorate the Bayer Advanced We Are The Champions 2010 Rose Parade float with thousands of dried and live flowers as they prepare the 32-foot-tall, 55-foot-long float for the January 1, 2010 Rose Parade.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20091224/AT30336 )

The Bayer Advanced We Are The Champions Rose Parade float celebrates the beauty of roses and the history of the Rose Bowl Game--the oldest post-season collegiate bowl game in the United States. The Rose Bowl Game will celebrate its 96th anniversary on New Year's Day.

"We wanted to honor the tradition of the Rose Bowl Game because it truly represents the Rose Parade theme of being A Cut Above The Rest," said Bayer Advanced Rose Care Expert Lance Walheim, who wrote the book Roses for Dummies. "The Rose Bowl Game began the tradition of New Year's Day bowl games. The football teams who play in the Rose Bowl represent true champions--players, coaches and fans who have gone through a grueling year on the gridiron to be able to play in the Rose Bowl Game on January 1."

This year is especially significant because the Rose Bowl Stadium will be the site of the Citi BCS National Championship Game on January 7, 2010. That game will determine the true champions of this football season.

"The thousands of roses on top of the float represent the roses in the Rose Parade, as well as the beautiful roses that Bayer Advanced products can help gardeners grow in their own backyard," said Walheim. "We created a float that makes a strong visual statement."

This is the 10th year that Phoenix Decorating's (phxdeco.com) Michelle Lofthouse has designed the Bayer Advanced float. Bayer Advanced has won a Rose Parade trophy every year.

Key Facts

Float Position: The Bayer Advanced We Are The Champions float will be the 27th unit and the 11th float in the 2010 Rose Parade on January 1, 2010. Look for it on TV between 8:30 a.m. and 8:45 a.m. PT.

Float Description: A stylized presentation of the Rose Bowl Stadium, depicted as a "Championship Cup," brimming with roses. The float features thousands of real roses, as well as 21 of the largest roses in the Rose Parade--sculpted roses that are three feet in diameter.

World Debut of New Rose: The front of the float features the debut of the best rose in the country, the All-America Rose Selections' winning rose for 2010 called Easy Does It.

Historic Floragraphic Images

Seen From Right to Left on the Float

As part of its salute to the Rose Bowl Game, the Bayer Advanced float features four large floragraphic images that celebrate the history of the Granddaddy of Them All. The images were taken from historic posters, as well as Rose Parade and Rose Bowl programs. See them at www.bayeradvanced.com.

1911 Chariot Races: In 1902, the Tournament of Roses added a football game following the Rose Parade. The University of Michigan beat Stanford 49-0. The lopsided score prompted the Tournament to give up football in favor of Roman-style chariot races from 1903-1915 to end each parade.

1916 Washington State vs. Brown University: This image represents the rebirth of the Rose Bowl Game. Washington State beat Brown University 14-0. The game marked the first time an African-American (Brown University's Fritz Pollard) played in the Rose Bowl Game. In addition, Pollard's teammate was Wallace Wade. Wade would go on to coach five Rose Bowl Game teams for the University of Alabama and Duke, win three Rose Bowl Games, as well as three national championships as a coach for the University of Alabama (1925, 1926 and 1930 seasons).

1923 USC vs. Penn State: That was the year the Rose Bowl Game actually took place in the current stadium. That year also marked USC's first Rose Bowl Game victory. USC has appeared in more Rose Bowl Games (33) and won more Rose Bowl Games (24) than any other team.

1931 Alabama vs. Washington State: The Rose Bowl Stadium was enlarged from a "U" shape to a larger 81,000-seat oval shape for this game. The Alabama Crimson Tide posted a 24-0 win over Washington State. Alabama's coach was Wallace Wade. He is credited with promoting Southern football nationwide by building powerhouses at the University of Alabama and Duke University. Wade led Alabama teams to their first three national championships (1925, 1926 and 1930 seasons) and took three Alabama teams (1926, 1927, 1931) and two Duke teams (1939 and 1942) to the Rose Bowl Game.

About Bayer Advanced

Bayer Advanced(TM) rose care products have been helping backyard gardeners grow Rose Parade-quality roses for 10 years. Bayer Advanced rose care products are the Exclusive Rose Care Products of the Pasadena Tournament of Roses Association. Bayer Advanced is the Presenting Sponsor of the Rose Parade float decorating centers and the Presenting Sponsor of the Post Parade Showcase of Floats in Pasadena. In addition, Bayer Advanced rose care products are used on the 2,000 rose bushes in the Wrigley Gardens near the Tournament of Roses Association headquarters.

Bayer Advanced products feature innovative delivery methods that conserve water and ensure our highly effective active ingredients reach targeted plants. Bayer Advanced is introducing a new line of alternative gardening products in 2010 called Natria(TM). Look for the organic gardening symbol on many of the Bayer Advanced Natria products. When using Bayer Advanced(TM) products, always read and follow label instructions. You can learn more by visiting bayeradvanced.com or by calling 1-877-BAYERAG.

Bayer Advanced is a business group of Bayer CropScience LP, one of the world's top research-based crop protection companies, with more than 100 years of experience. Bayer Advanced and Bayer CropScience LP are part of the Bayer AG family, a FORTUNE Global 500 company.

Bayer (reg'd), the Bayer Cross (reg'd), Bayer Advanced(TM) and Natria(TM) are trademarks of Bayer. Rose Parade and Tournament of Roses are registered trademarks of the Pasadena Tournament of Roses Association

SOURCE Bayer Advanced

RELATED LINKS
http://www.bayeradvanced.com

Football fans will have the rare chance to touch a piece of a moon rock at the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl in Glendale, Ariz., Monday, Jan. 4 at NASA's Driven to Explore traveling exhibit. Driven to Explore offers a look at America's program to return humans to the moon and travel beyond.

(logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20081007/38461LOGO)

The exhibit will be located at the Glendale Youth Sports Complex from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. MST.

The centerpiece of Driven to Explore is the opportunity to touch a lunar rock sample picked up on the moon and brought to Earth by the astronauts of Apollo 17 in 1972, America's last human mission to the moon. The nearly 4-billion-year-old rock is one of only seven lunar samples in the world made available for the public to touch and feel.

Driven to Explore allows visitors to see models of the new Constellation Program's Ares rockets and Orion crew exploration vehicle NASA is developing and to learn how and why America will return to the moon.

A local Glendale company, Honeywell, has been involved in the Orion vehicle's development by delivering avionics, integrated system health management, crew interface and mission ground operations support products, systems and services.

The exhibit also details the accomplishments of the space shuttle and the International Space Station.

For more information about NASA, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/home

SOURCE NASA

The Bobby Bowden family, Charlie Ward, Corey Simon, Nick Maddox, The Florida State University College of Business, Dr. Thom Park, Steve Evans and trustees of the Elizabeth and Mark Scott Foundation are proud to announce the launch of the Bowden Foundation for Ethical Leadership.

The Foundation will fund and guide such initiatives as the Bowden Leadership Center and The American Dream Team, leveraging the wisdom, character and teaching of one of America's most successful leaders. The Bowden Foundation aspires to cultivate leaders grounding both their professional and personal practices with integrity, following Coach Bowden's own example that lead to decades of high achievement. Programs funded by the center will target current and future business leaders, and include a special initiative for low-income families and at-risk youth.

The Bowden Leadership Center at Florida State University

The Florida State University College of Business and The Bowden Foundation for Ethical Leadership have jointly signed a letter of intent to establish The Bowden Leadership Center. The leadership center will focus on training students and executives in ethical leadership principles, providing a unique opportunity to positively influence generations of America's future leaders. The Bowden Foundation's current focus is on raising $5 million though additional personal and corporate gifts.

The American Dream Team

The American Dream Team was created to measurably improve America's economic and social outlook by reintroducing the American Dream to low income neighborhoods, families and at-risk kids. The Foundation will build a team of former celebrity college and professional athletes that will receive leadership, business, and entrepreneurial training through our Center and partners. We intend to inspire a million people to pursue their American Dream. We expect to measurably increase their average income as well as empower them to believe in their ability to improve and impact their own destiny. Our goal is to raise $2.5 million to launch the American Dream Team initiative.

A diverse group of successful leaders has weighed in on the significance of the Foundation, including Coach Bowden. "I'm honored that this group felt strongly enough to create this foundation to allow me to share my principles of life, leadership and success with such a broad audience."

Another leader, General Frank Hagenbeck, Superintendent United States Military Academy Westpoint, NY, discusses the significance of Coach Bowden's influence. "Coach Bowden is a leader of character. His personal example of living an honorable life inspired me daily when I was one of his graduate assistants. He epitomizes the moral-ethical dimension of leading "the right way," a trait that I've attempted to emulate throughout my career. The Bowden Center is a fitting tribute to ensure that his legacy will continue into the future to motivate young people to lead with integrity and selflessness."

Warrick Dunn, former NFL Man of the Year and founder of Warrick Dunn Foundation, expresses a similar affinity for the legendary coach. "For me, Coach Bowden is a walking, talking human example that formed the beginning of my understanding of how ethics work in real life. He is a principled and authentic person. This Center is a fitting legacy and tribute for the unique position he holds in the lives of so many young men and I am intrigued about the significant benefit for future generations who are also deserving of the same ethical leadership opportunity."

According to President and founder of the Bowden Foundation Mark Scott, "I initially learned of Coach Bowden's management principles focusing largely on integrity, character, hard work, and personal responsibility while interviewing him for a business class over 30 years ago. Our companies experienced considerable success and longevity using his principles while we saw many larger formidable competitors falter due to a lack of integrity. We are looking for corporate partners, foundations, and individuals who share our mission to teach integrity based leadership principles to our leaders and reintroduce the American Dream to important segments of our society."

About the Bowden Foundation for Ethical Leadership

The Bowden Foundation for Ethical Leadership, Inc. a non-profit corporation, was incorporated in Tallahassee, Florida in May of 2006, and was approved as a 501C3 in 2009. Please visit our website, www.BowdenFoundation.org which launches today, December 23, 2009.

About the FSU College of Business

Founded in 1950, the FSU College of Business is one of the nation's youngest business schools, yet it has become one of the 10 largest in the United States. It is the second largest academic unit on FSU's campus with an enrollment of 6,107 students and boasts a distinguished full-time faculty of 100, including one Francis Eppes professor, eight eminent scholar chairs, three university-named professorships and 26 endowed professorships. For more information, please visit www.cob.fsu.edu.

    Contacts:
    Mark Scott                                Nick Maddox
    President                                 V.P. Development
    mscott@bowdenfoundation.org               nmaddox@bowdenfoundation.org
    Bowden Foundation                         Bowden Foundation
    for Ethical Leadership                    for Ethical Leadership
    Phone 850 363 2905                        Phone (850) 694-1582
    Fax 775 942-1684                          Fax 775 942-1684

SOURCE Bowden Foundation for Ethical Leadership

Tickets to the 2010 World Cup are already sold out, but soccer lovers can still see the U.S. team in action, live in South Africa, by becoming a sponsor of the LAFC Foundation, the charitable umbrella for one of America's largest and best youth soccer organizations.

Through the LAFC Foundation website, https://www.lafcfoundation.org/docs/sponsorships/FollowTheUSATours.php, 48 corporate "Follow the USA Ticket & Tour Packages" are available exclusively to sponsors.

These packages include:

• June 11: World Cup Opening Game: South Africa vs. Mexico
• Three USA pool games:
• June 12: U.S. vs. England
• June 18: U.S. vs. Slovenia
• June 23: U.S. vs. Algeria
• June 21: Portugal vs. North Korea

The LAFC Foundation is a 501(c)(3), nonprofit organization that evolved from LAFC Chelsea, which has become one of America's largest and most prominent club soccer organizations. For more information, please visit www.lafcfoundation.org.

SOURCE LAFC Foundation

This year when the world-famous Budweiser Clydesdales march down Orange Grove and Colorado Boulevard for the Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, Calif., they'll be joined by American icons of another sort. The famed float will feature U.S. Olympic legends Bonnie Blair, Dan Jansen and Michelle Kwan along with six U.S. Olympic hopefuls as the nation counts down to the 2010 Olympic Winter Games.

"Anheuser-Busch has been a tremendous supporter of the U.S. Olympic Team and the Olympic Movement for a quarter of a century," said United States Olympic Committee (USOC) Chief Marketing Officer Lisa Baird. "We're thrilled U.S. Olympic team members were asked to participate in the Parade of Roses. The long-term commitment from Budweiser benefits America's athletes, helping them train hard, pursue their dreams and represent our country with pride at the Olympic Winter Games."

Designed by Michelle Lofthouse, the Anheuser-Busch float "Quest for the Best," will feature U.S. winter Olympic legends and hopefuls who, through their talent, passion and dedication, embody the 2010 Rose Parade theme of being "A Cut Above the Rest." These Olympic hopefuls are Shannon Bahrke (Freestyle skiing - Tahoe City, Calif.), Steve Fisher (Snowboarding - St. Louis Park, Minn.), Steve Holcomb (Bobsled - Park City, Utah), Katherine Reutter (Short track speed skating - Champaign, Ill.), Rebecca Sorensen (Skeleton - Fort Collins, Colo.) and Marco Sullivan (Alpine skiing - Tahoe City, Calif.).

"Anheuser-Busch is proud to bring together two American icons - the Budweiser Clydesdales and U.S. Olympic athletes - for one of the country's most popular New Year's Day traditions," said Rob McCarthy, senior director of Budweiser. "U.S. Olympians represent strength and determination and bring joy to millions of spectators nationwide."

The Budweiser Clydesdales have been a part of the Rose Parade since 1953. This year, the eight Clydesdales to pull the Anheuser-Busch float are Dick (wheel horse), Fez (wheel horse), Tim (wheel-body horse), Bernie (wheel-body horse), Alan (body horse), Scooby (swing horse), Mike (swing-lead horse) and Dave (swing-lead horse).

These particular Clydesdales were chosen based on their beauty, strength, temperament and size. To qualify for a hitch, a Budweiser Clydesdale must be a gelding at least four years of age, stand 72 inches at the shoulder when fully mature, weigh between 1,800 and 2,300 pounds, have a bay coat, a blaze of white on the face, four white stocking feet, and a black mane and tail.

The float will feature thousands of fresh-cut flowers, including white chrysanthemums and fine cut statice, to create snow banks and ice rinks. Six 12-foot real pine trees will be dusted with white dendrobium and gypsophila to give the appearance of snow. The Olympic gold the athletes will be seeking at the Olympic Winter Games will be represented by gold, orange and light yellow roses.

About the U.S. Olympic Committee

The United States Olympic Committee (USOC) is recognized by the International Olympic Committee as the sole entity in the United States whose mission involves training, entering and underwriting the full expenses for the U.S. teams in the Olympic, Paralympic, Pan American and Parapan American Games. In addition to being the steward of the U.S. Olympic Movement, the USOC is the moving force for support of sports in the United States that are on the program of the Olympic, Paralympic, Pan American and Parapan American Games. For more information, please visit www.teamusa.org.

About Anheuser-Busch

Based in St. Louis, Anheuser-Busch is the leading American brewer, holding a 49.2 percent share of U.S. beer sales. The company brews the world's largest-selling beers, Budweiser and Bud Light. Anheuser-Busch also owns a 50 percent share in Grupo Modelo, Mexico's leading brewer. Anheuser-Busch ranked No. 1 among beverage companies in FORTUNE Magazine's Most Admired Global Companies list in 2009. Anheuser-Busch is a major manufacturer of aluminum cans and one of the world's largest recyclers of aluminum cans. The company is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Anheuser-Busch InBev, the leading global brewer, and continues to operate under the Anheuser-Busch name and logo. For more information, visit www.anheuser-busch.com.

SOURCE Anheuser-Busch

VZillion Drafts Mark Jackson to Serve as Company's 'Point Guard' and Advisory Board Member

NBA All-Star and ABC/ESPN Analyst to Unite the Sports and Entertainment Business Using Virtual Environment Model

MIAMI, Dec. 23 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- VZillion, Inc. (Pink Sheets: VZIL), innovator of the virtual Internet, has signed Mark Jackson, one of the NBA's most acclaimed point guards and sports analysts as VZillion's Sports Innovations Agent -- a go-to source for sports figures, entertainers and other high profile individuals searching to expand their brand as well as their revenue stream.

In this role, Jackson will develop corporate and celebrity sports relationships and be an advisor to the sports innovations division of VZillion. Jackson will also be ushered in to serve on VZillion's advisory board.

VZillion has in place several on-and-offline strategies to accomplish its goals, launching Virtu-Real apartments (real entity with virtual representation) to entrepreneurs seeking to create marketing and advertising opportunities that will allow their brand partners to reach their target audience in truly unique ways.

"As we enter 2010 and beyond, we look forward to having Mark Jackson champion this new role," said Antonio Collier, founder and president of VZillion. "Mr. Jackson will be a vital part of bridging the virtual and real sports world and will provide new cooperative resources and lead strategies for not only the celebrities involved but to introduce general audiences to the power virtual environments have on everything from Madison Avenue to Wall Street."

VZillion utilizes 3D Virtu-Real apartment concept to deliver exclusive content in the form of live concerts, virtual shopping networks, sports & television programming and many other engaging and immersive experiences. VZillion will offer freemium services and collaborative environments and provide content and the monetization strategies needed to succeed on the Web.

About VZillion, Inc.
VZillion, Inc. (Pink Sheets: VZIL) is the new way to internet. From The Apartment, the disruptive consumer virtual environment, to their innovative Virtu-Real applications VZillion aims to transform the internet experience. A pioneer in the New Virtual Internet space VZillion utilizes virtual platforms, new media technologies and the power of the crowd to offer a truly immersive experience for their users. From VZillion's revolutionary architecture (I.C.O.R.E.) to their entertainment & shopping application (Virtually There) the company is developing a more personalized and dynamic internet experience.

Safe Harbor Statement

Under The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: Except for historical information contained herein, the statements in this news release are forward-looking statements that are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Act of 1995. Forward looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties, which may cause a company's actual results, performance and achievement in the future to differ materially from forecasted results, performance, and achievement. These risks and uncertainties are described in the Company's periodic filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly release the results of any revisions to these forward-looking statements that may be made to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof, or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events or changes in the Company's plans or expectation.

SOURCE VZillion, Inc.

Starting today, professional hockey fans can buy lottery tickets that show their team loyalty, as the Pennsylvania Lottery and the National Hockey League(R) partnered to offer a new $2 instant game featuring the Philadelphia Flyers(R) and Pittsburgh Penguins(R).

"This is another great collaboration between the Lottery and Pennsylvania's professional sports teams," Lottery Executive Director Ed Trees said. "In addition to getting a chance at winning one of the $20,000 top prizes, players can also enter promotional drawings for the opportunity to win second-chance prizes like an authentic Philadelphia Flyers or Pittsburgh Penguins player jersey."

The Lottery launched instant games with the Philadelphia Eagles and Pittsburgh Steelers football teams in August 2009 and with the Philadelphia Phillies and Pittsburgh Pirates baseball teams in April 2008.

The NHL(R)-themed instant game offers 10 top prizes of $20,000, more than 32,000 prizes from $40 to $400, and more than $7 million in total cash prizes. Players have 10 chances to win on each ticket. On the instant game, if the "home team" beats the "away team" the player wins the prize to the right of that game. A player who finds a "stick" symbol wins the prize shown for that game. A player who finds a "puck" symbol wins 10 times the prize shown for that game. The overall odds of winning a prize are 1-in-4.54.

The Philadelphia Flyers/Pittsburgh Penguins instant game features second-chance promotional drawing opportunities to win hundreds of prizes, including winners' choices of authentic player jerseys. Four separate drawings will be held throughout the hockey season; Jan. 28 is the entry deadline for the first drawing, which will be held the week of Feb. 1. Entry requirements and all deadlines are detailed on the back of every instant ticket and at www.palottery.com.

About the Pennsylvania Lottery: The Pennsylvania Lottery remains the only state lottery that designates all its proceeds to programs that benefit older residents. Since its inception 37 years ago, the Pennsylvania Lottery has contributed more than $19.2 billion to programs that include property tax and rent rebates; free and reduced-fare transit; the low-cost prescription drug programs PACE and PACENET; long-term living services; and the 52 Area Agencies on Aging, including more than 600 full- and part-time senior centers throughout the state. The Pennsylvania Lottery reminds its players to play responsibly. Players must be 18 or older.

For more information on the Pennsylvania Lottery, visit www.palottery.com.

Media contact: Kirstin Alvanitakis, 717-702-8008

Editor's Note: To view and download images of the Flyers and Penguins instant tickets, go to www.palottery.state.pa.us/instant-games.aspx.

SOURCE Pennsylvania Lottery

Adding 30 minutes of daily physical activity should top your list of New Year's resolutions for a healthier 2010, says Peter Brubaker, professor of health and exercise science at Wake Forest University. Regular daily exercise is the most important step toward a healthier lifestyle, Brubaker says.

"People don't realize you can get tremendous benefit from regular physical activity even if you never lose a pound," he says. The benefits of increased physical activity include a reduced risk for heart disease, stroke, diabetes, colorectal cancer, breast cancer, bone and joint conditions, and sleep apnea.

Brubaker, who is the director of the healthy exercise and lifestyle programs (HELPS) at Wake Forest, offers several tips for how to increase daily physical activity:

• Set a goal of 30 minutes a day of physical activity. It doesn't need to be all at once. Five minutes here, 10 minutes there is fine. As long as it is done at moderate intensity, you will get sufficient health benefits.
• Walk. For most people, the easiest and most efficient activity is simply walking.
• Wear a pedometer. Recent studies have shown that people wearing pedometers increase their activity level by 25 percent.
• Build activity into your daily routine. Get up from your desk to deliver a message. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Add some extra steps when you are doing household chores. Find small ways to get moving.
• Record daily physical activity in a journal. Self-monitoring is important when making a lifestyle change and journaling activity levels can be good reinforcement.
• Don't worry so much about weight loss. Realize if you are regularly active you can get significant health benefits even if you never lose a pound. People serious about weight loss should build in 60 minutes per day of physical activity.
• Find activities you enjoy and feel good about doing. Try a variety of activities. Variety is good for the body - and the mind.
• Get the support of friends and family. Challenge them to add 30 minutes of physical activity to their daily routine and you can hold each other accountable.
• Set realistic expectations. There is a risk in building up expectations that you'll make a change Jan. 1. The biggest obstacle to successful lifestyle change is expectation. People are unrealistic about what they can achieve and how quickly they can achieve it. Any time is a good time to make a commitment to change your life style.

This news release was issued on behalf of Newswise(TM). For more information, visit http://www.newswise.com.

SOURCE Wake Forest University

The Bobby Bowden family, Charlie Ward, Corey Simon, Nick Maddox, The Florida State University College of Business, Dr. Thom Park, Steve Evans and trustees of the Elizabeth and Mark Scott Foundation are proud to announce the launch of the Bowden Foundation for Ethical Leadership.

The Foundation will fund and guide such initiatives as the Bowden Leadership Center and The American Dream Team, leveraging the wisdom, character and teaching of one of America's most successful leaders. The Bowden Foundation aspires to cultivate leaders grounding both their professional and personal practices with integrity, following Coach Bowden's own example that lead to decades of high achievement. Programs funded by the center will target current and future business leaders, and include a special initiative for low-income families and at-risk youth.

The Bowden Leadership Center at Florida State University

The Florida State University College of Business and The Bowden Foundation for Ethical Leadership have jointly signed a letter of intent to establish The Bowden Leadership Center. The leadership center will focus on training students and executives in ethical leadership principles, providing a unique opportunity to positively influence generations of America's future leaders. The Bowden Foundation's current focus is on raising $5 million though additional personal and corporate gifts.

The American Dream Team

The American Dream Team was created to measurably improve America's economic and social outlook by reintroducing the American Dream to low income neighborhoods, families and at-risk kids. The Foundation will build a team of former celebrity college and professional athletes that will receive leadership, business, and entrepreneurial training through our Center and partners. We intend to inspire a million people to pursue their American Dream. We expect to measurably increase their average income as well as empower them to believe in their ability to improve and impact their own destiny. Our goal is to raise $2.5 million to launch the American Dream Team initiative.

A diverse group of successful leaders has weighed in on the significance of the Foundation, including Coach Bowden. "I'm honored that this group felt strongly enough to create this foundation to allow me to share my principles of life, leadership and success with such a broad audience."

Another leader, General Frank Hagenbeck, Superintendent United States Military Academy Westpoint, NY, discusses the significance of Coach Bowden's influence. "Coach Bowden is a leader of character. His personal example of living an honorable life inspired me daily when I was one of his graduate assistants. He epitomizes the moral-ethical dimension of leading "the right way," a trait that I've attempted to emulate throughout my career. The Bowden Center is a fitting tribute to ensure that his legacy will continue into the future to motivate young people to lead with integrity and selflessness."

Warrick Dunn, former NFL Man of the Year and founder of Warrick Dunn Foundation, expresses a similar affinity for the legendary coach. "For me, Coach Bowden is a walking, talking human example that formed the beginning of my understanding of how ethics work in real life. He is a principled and authentic person. This Center is a fitting legacy and tribute for the unique position he holds in the lives of so many young men and I am intrigued about the significant benefit for future generations who are also deserving of the same ethical leadership opportunity."

According to President and founder of the Bowden Foundation Mark Scott, "I initially learned of Coach Bowden's management principles focusing largely on integrity, character, hard work, and personal responsibility while interviewing him for a business class over 30 years ago. Our companies experienced considerable success and longevity using his principles while we saw many larger formidable competitors falter due to a lack of integrity. We are looking for corporate partners, foundations, and individuals who share our mission to teach integrity based leadership principles to our leaders and reintroduce the American Dream to important segments of our society."

About the Bowden Foundation for Ethical Leadership

The Bowden Foundation for Ethical Leadership, Inc. a non-profit corporation, was incorporated in Tallahassee, Florida in May of 2006, and was approved as a 501C3 in 2009. Please visit our website, www.BowdenFoundation.org which launches today, December 23, 2009.

About the FSU College of Business

Founded in 1950, the FSU College of Business is one of the nation's youngest business schools, yet it has become one of the 10 largest in the United States. It is the second largest academic unit on FSU's campus with an enrollment of 6,107 students and boasts a distinguished full-time faculty of 100, including one Francis Eppes professor, eight eminent scholar chairs, three university-named professorships and 26 endowed professorships. For more information, please visit www.cob.fsu.edu.

    Contacts:
    Mark Scott                                Nick Maddox
    President                                 V.P. Development
    mscott@bowdenfoundation.org               nmaddox@bowdenfoundation.org
    Bowden Foundation                         Bowden Foundation
    for Ethical Leadership                    for Ethical Leadership
    Phone 850 363 2905                        Phone (850) 694-1582
    Fax 775 942-1684                          Fax 775 942-1684

SOURCE Bowden Foundation for Ethical Leadership

WHAT: Subaru and the Denver Broncos Boys & Girls Club will be hosting a holiday toy drive and party. Toys collected from the toy drive will be given out at the party to over one-hundred and forty youths from the Boys & Girls Club.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080325/SUBARULOGO )

Subaru will be participating as part of its second-annual Share the Love Event. The event will run from November 21, 2009 - January 4, 2010 with Subaru donating $250 for every new Subaru vehicle sold or leased to the customer's choice of one of the following five charities: The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), Meals On Wheels Association of America, Habitat for Humanity, National Wildlife Federation® (NWF) and Boys & Girls Clubs of America.

WHO: Subaru of America, Inc. and Denver Broncos Boys & Girls Club of America

WHEN:

December 23, 2009

2:00 PM - 5:00 PM

WHERE:

Denver Broncos Boys & Girls Club

4397 Crown Boulevard

Denver, Colo. 80239

About Subaru of America, Inc.

Subaru of America, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd. of Japan. Headquartered in Cherry Hill, N.J., the company markets and distributes Subaru Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive vehicles, parts and accessories through a network of approximately 600 dealers across the United States. In addition, Subaru boasts the most fuel efficient line-up of all-wheel drive products sold in the market today based on Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) fuel economy standards. All Subaru products are manufactured in zero- landfill production plants and Subaru of Indiana Automotive Inc. is the only U.S. automobile production plant to be designated a backyard wildlife Habitat by the National Wildlife Federation. For additional information visit www.subaru.com.

About Boys & Girls Clubs of America

Since 1906, Boys & Girls Clubs of America has provided youth with programs and services which promote and enhance the development of boys and girls by instilling a sense of competence, usefulness, belonging and influence. Today Boys & Girls Clubs throughout the country are serving 4.5 million young people through membership and community outreach.

For more information contact: Heather Ward (856) 488-5093 or hward@subaru.com

Ryan Johnson (856) 488-3439 or rjoh@subaru.com

SOURCE Subaru of America, Inc.

Football fans will have the rare chance to touch a piece of a moon rock at the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl in Glendale, Ariz., Monday, Jan. 4 at NASA's Driven to Explore traveling exhibit. Driven to Explore offers a look at America's program to return humans to the moon and travel beyond.

(logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20081007/38461LOGO)

The exhibit will be located at the Glendale Youth Sports Complex from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. MST.

The centerpiece of Driven to Explore is the opportunity to touch a lunar rock sample picked up on the moon and brought to Earth by the astronauts of Apollo 17 in 1972, America's last human mission to the moon. The nearly 4-billion-year-old rock is one of only seven lunar samples in the world made available for the public to touch and feel.

Driven to Explore allows visitors to see models of the new Constellation Program's Ares rockets and Orion crew exploration vehicle NASA is developing and to learn how and why America will return to the moon.

A local Glendale company, Honeywell, has been involved in the Orion vehicle's development by delivering avionics, integrated system health management, crew interface and mission ground operations support products, systems and services.

The exhibit also details the accomplishments of the space shuttle and the International Space Station.

For more information about NASA, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/home

SOURCE NASA

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following products. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20030904/USCSCLOGO)

Name of Product: Cressi Ellipse Black MC5 Regulator

Units: About 200

Distributor: Cressi-sub USA, of Westwood, N.J.

Hazard: Partial obstruction of the High Pressure (HP) port can produce an inaccurate reading on the pressure gauge, resulting in a slow descent of the needle in the pressure gauge. The inaccurate reading on the gauge poses a drowning hazard to divers.

Incidents/Injuries: The firm has received three reports of inaccurate pressure readings while the scuba regulators were in use. No injuries have been reported.

Description: This recall involves regulators used to control the flow of air while scuba diving, making it possible for divers to breathe under water. The recalled regulators have model name Ellipse Black MC5. "Cressi MC5" and "Cressi Black" are printed on the regulator.

Sold at: Authorized dive shops nationwide and on the Internet from March 2009 through August 2009 for between $280 and $309.

Manufactured in: Italy

Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the regulators and return them to a Cressi authorized dive shop for a free repair. Consumers can also return the product to Cressi at One Charles Street, Westwood, N.J. 07675.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact Cressi at (800) 338-9143 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, or visit the firm's Web site at www.cressi.com.

Photos at www.cpsc.gov.

CPSC is still interested in receiving incident or injury reports that are either directly related to this product recall or involve a different hazard with the same product. Please tell us about it by visiting https://www.cpsc.gov/cgibin/incident.aspx.

    Firm's Recall Hotline: (800) 338-9143
    CPSC Recall Hotline: (800) 638-2772
    CPSC Media Contact: (301) 504-7908
    HC Media Contact: (613) 957-2983

SOURCE U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission

VZillion Drafts Mark Jackson to Serve as Company's 'Point Guard' and Advisory Board Member

NBA All-Star and ABC/ESPN Analyst to Unite the Sports and Entertainment Business Using Virtual Environment Model

MIAMI, Dec. 23 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- VZillion, Inc. (Pink Sheets: VZIL), innovator of the virtual Internet, has signed Mark Jackson, one of the NBA's most acclaimed point guards and sports analysts as VZillion's Sports Innovations Agent -- a go-to source for sports figures, entertainers and other high profile individuals searching to expand their brand as well as their revenue stream.

In this role, Jackson will develop corporate and celebrity sports relationships and be an advisor to the sports innovations division of VZillion. Jackson will also be ushered in to serve on VZillion's advisory board.

VZillion has in place several on-and-offline strategies to accomplish its goals, launching Virtu-Real apartments (real entity with virtual representation) to entrepreneurs seeking to create marketing and advertising opportunities that will allow their brand partners to reach their target audience in truly unique ways.

"As we enter 2010 and beyond, we look forward to having Mark Jackson champion this new role," said Antonio Collier, founder and president of VZillion. "Mr. Jackson will be a vital part of bridging the virtual and real sports world and will provide new cooperative resources and lead strategies for not only the celebrities involved but to introduce general audiences to the power virtual environments have on everything from Madison Avenue to Wall Street."

VZillion utilizes 3D Virtu-Real apartment concept to deliver exclusive content in the form of live concerts, virtual shopping networks, sports & television programming and many other engaging and immersive experiences. VZillion will offer freemium services and collaborative environments and provide content and the monetization strategies needed to succeed on the Web.

About VZillion, Inc.
VZillion, Inc. (Pink Sheets: VZIL) is the new way to internet. From The Apartment, the disruptive consumer virtual environment, to their innovative Virtu-Real applications VZillion aims to transform the internet experience. A pioneer in the New Virtual Internet space VZillion utilizes virtual platforms, new media technologies and the power of the crowd to offer a truly immersive experience for their users. From VZillion's revolutionary architecture (I.C.O.R.E.) to their entertainment & shopping application (Virtually There) the company is developing a more personalized and dynamic internet experience.

Safe Harbor Statement

Under The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: Except for historical information contained herein, the statements in this news release are forward-looking statements that are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Act of 1995. Forward looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties, which may cause a company's actual results, performance and achievement in the future to differ materially from forecasted results, performance, and achievement. These risks and uncertainties are described in the Company's periodic filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly release the results of any revisions to these forward-looking statements that may be made to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof, or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events or changes in the Company's plans or expectation.

SOURCE VZillion, Inc.

This year when the world-famous Budweiser Clydesdales march down Orange Grove and Colorado Boulevard for the Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, Calif., they'll be joined by American icons of another sort. The famed float will feature U.S. Olympic legends Bonnie Blair, Dan Jansen and Michelle Kwan along with six U.S. Olympic hopefuls as the nation counts down to the 2010 Olympic Winter Games.

"Anheuser-Busch has been a tremendous supporter of the U.S. Olympic Team and the Olympic Movement for a quarter of a century," said United States Olympic Committee (USOC) Chief Marketing Officer Lisa Baird. "We're thrilled U.S. Olympic team members were asked to participate in the Parade of Roses. The long-term commitment from Budweiser benefits America's athletes, helping them train hard, pursue their dreams and represent our country with pride at the Olympic Winter Games."

Designed by Michelle Lofthouse, the Anheuser-Busch float "Quest for the Best," will feature U.S. winter Olympic legends and hopefuls who, through their talent, passion and dedication, embody the 2010 Rose Parade theme of being "A Cut Above the Rest." These Olympic hopefuls are Shannon Bahrke (Freestyle skiing - Tahoe City, Calif.), Steve Fisher (Snowboarding - St. Louis Park, Minn.), Steve Holcomb (Bobsled - Park City, Utah), Katherine Reutter (Short track speed skating - Champaign, Ill.), Rebecca Sorensen (Skeleton - Fort Collins, Colo.) and Marco Sullivan (Alpine skiing - Tahoe City, Calif.).

"Anheuser-Busch is proud to bring together two American icons - the Budweiser Clydesdales and U.S. Olympic athletes - for one of the country's most popular New Year's Day traditions," said Rob McCarthy, senior director of Budweiser. "U.S. Olympians represent strength and determination and bring joy to millions of spectators nationwide."

The Budweiser Clydesdales have been a part of the Rose Parade since 1953. This year, the eight Clydesdales to pull the Anheuser-Busch float are Dick (wheel horse), Fez (wheel horse), Tim (wheel-body horse), Bernie (wheel-body horse), Alan (body horse), Scooby (swing horse), Mike (swing-lead horse) and Dave (swing-lead horse).

These particular Clydesdales were chosen based on their beauty, strength, temperament and size. To qualify for a hitch, a Budweiser Clydesdale must be a gelding at least four years of age, stand 72 inches at the shoulder when fully mature, weigh between 1,800 and 2,300 pounds, have a bay coat, a blaze of white on the face, four white stocking feet, and a black mane and tail.

The float will feature thousands of fresh-cut flowers, including white chrysanthemums and fine cut statice, to create snow banks and ice rinks. Six 12-foot real pine trees will be dusted with white dendrobium and gypsophila to give the appearance of snow. The Olympic gold the athletes will be seeking at the Olympic Winter Games will be represented by gold, orange and light yellow roses.

About the U.S. Olympic Committee

The United States Olympic Committee (USOC) is recognized by the International Olympic Committee as the sole entity in the United States whose mission involves training, entering and underwriting the full expenses for the U.S. teams in the Olympic, Paralympic, Pan American and Parapan American Games. In addition to being the steward of the U.S. Olympic Movement, the USOC is the moving force for support of sports in the United States that are on the program of the Olympic, Paralympic, Pan American and Parapan American Games. For more information, please visit www.teamusa.org.

About Anheuser-Busch

Based in St. Louis, Anheuser-Busch is the leading American brewer, holding a 49.2 percent share of U.S. beer sales. The company brews the world's largest-selling beers, Budweiser and Bud Light. Anheuser-Busch also owns a 50 percent share in Grupo Modelo, Mexico's leading brewer. Anheuser-Busch ranked No. 1 among beverage companies in FORTUNE Magazine's Most Admired Global Companies list in 2009. Anheuser-Busch is a major manufacturer of aluminum cans and one of the world's largest recyclers of aluminum cans. The company is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Anheuser-Busch InBev, the leading global brewer, and continues to operate under the Anheuser-Busch name and logo. For more information, visit www.anheuser-busch.com.

SOURCE Anheuser-Busch

Maurice Jones-Drew is used to winning on the football field, but now the star Jacksonville Jaguars running back is taking on some tougher competition.

Listen to this report from Activision at:

http://inr.mediaseed.tv/oneClip_C/?feed=OumX9MkcTL10JqCXfRXmq17T7o6fhoHI

Medialink is a division of The NewsMarket. Registered journalists can access video, audio, text, graphics and photos at http://www.thenewsmarket.com.

12NY09-0765

SOURCE Medialink; Activision

Hundreds of volunteers and designers will decorate the Bayer Advanced We Are The Champions 2010 Rose Parade float with thousands of dried and live flowers as they prepare the 32-foot-tall, 55-foot-long float for the January 1, 2010 Rose Parade.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20091224/AT30336 )

The Bayer Advanced We Are The Champions Rose Parade float celebrates the beauty of roses and the history of the Rose Bowl Game--the oldest post-season collegiate bowl game in the United States. The Rose Bowl Game will celebrate its 96th anniversary on New Year's Day.

"We wanted to honor the tradition of the Rose Bowl Game because it truly represents the Rose Parade theme of being A Cut Above The Rest," said Bayer Advanced Rose Care Expert Lance Walheim, who wrote the book Roses for Dummies. "The Rose Bowl Game began the tradition of New Year's Day bowl games. The football teams who play in the Rose Bowl represent true champions--players, coaches and fans who have gone through a grueling year on the gridiron to be able to play in the Rose Bowl Game on January 1."

This year is especially significant because the Rose Bowl Stadium will be the site of the Citi BCS National Championship Game on January 7, 2010. That game will determine the true champions of this football season.

"The thousands of roses on top of the float represent the roses in the Rose Parade, as well as the beautiful roses that Bayer Advanced products can help gardeners grow in their own backyard," said Walheim. "We created a float that makes a strong visual statement."

This is the 10th year that Phoenix Decorating's (phxdeco.com) Michelle Lofthouse has designed the Bayer Advanced float. Bayer Advanced has won a Rose Parade trophy every year.

Key Facts

Float Position: The Bayer Advanced We Are The Champions float will be the 27th unit and the 11th float in the 2010 Rose Parade on January 1, 2010. Look for it on TV between 8:30 a.m. and 8:45 a.m. PT.

Float Description: A stylized presentation of the Rose Bowl Stadium, depicted as a "Championship Cup," brimming with roses. The float features thousands of real roses, as well as 21 of the largest roses in the Rose Parade--sculpted roses that are three feet in diameter.

World Debut of New Rose: The front of the float features the debut of the best rose in the country, the All-America Rose Selections' winning rose for 2010 called Easy Does It.

Historic Floragraphic Images

Seen From Right to Left on the Float

As part of its salute to the Rose Bowl Game, the Bayer Advanced float features four large floragraphic images that celebrate the history of the Granddaddy of Them All. The images were taken from historic posters, as well as Rose Parade and Rose Bowl programs. See them at www.bayeradvanced.com.

1911 Chariot Races: In 1902, the Tournament of Roses added a football game following the Rose Parade. The University of Michigan beat Stanford 49-0. The lopsided score prompted the Tournament to give up football in favor of Roman-style chariot races from 1903-1915 to end each parade.

1916 Washington State vs. Brown University: This image represents the rebirth of the Rose Bowl Game. Washington State beat Brown University 14-0. The game marked the first time an African-American (Brown University's Fritz Pollard) played in the Rose Bowl Game. In addition, Pollard's teammate was Wallace Wade. Wade would go on to coach five Rose Bowl Game teams for the University of Alabama and Duke, win three Rose Bowl Games, as well as three national championships as a coach for the University of Alabama (1925, 1926 and 1930 seasons).

1923 USC vs. Penn State: That was the year the Rose Bowl Game actually took place in the current stadium. That year also marked USC's first Rose Bowl Game victory. USC has appeared in more Rose Bowl Games (33) and won more Rose Bowl Games (24) than any other team.

1931 Alabama vs. Washington State: The Rose Bowl Stadium was enlarged from a "U" shape to a larger 81,000-seat oval shape for this game. The Alabama Crimson Tide posted a 24-0 win over Washington State. Alabama's coach was Wallace Wade. He is credited with promoting Southern football nationwide by building powerhouses at the University of Alabama and Duke University. Wade led Alabama teams to their first three national championships (1925, 1926 and 1930 seasons) and took three Alabama teams (1926, 1927, 1931) and two Duke teams (1939 and 1942) to the Rose Bowl Game.

About Bayer Advanced

Bayer Advanced(TM) rose care products have been helping backyard gardeners grow Rose Parade-quality roses for 10 years. Bayer Advanced rose care products are the Exclusive Rose Care Products of the Pasadena Tournament of Roses Association. Bayer Advanced is the Presenting Sponsor of the Rose Parade float decorating centers and the Presenting Sponsor of the Post Parade Showcase of Floats in Pasadena. In addition, Bayer Advanced rose care products are used on the 2,000 rose bushes in the Wrigley Gardens near the Tournament of Roses Association headquarters.

Bayer Advanced products feature innovative delivery methods that conserve water and ensure our highly effective active ingredients reach targeted plants. Bayer Advanced is introducing a new line of alternative gardening products in 2010 called Natria(TM). Look for the organic gardening symbol on many of the Bayer Advanced Natria products. When using Bayer Advanced(TM) products, always read and follow label instructions. You can learn more by visiting bayeradvanced.com or by calling 1-877-BAYERAG.

Bayer Advanced is a business group of Bayer CropScience LP, one of the world's top research-based crop protection companies, with more than 100 years of experience. Bayer Advanced and Bayer CropScience LP are part of the Bayer AG family, a FORTUNE Global 500 company.

Bayer (reg'd), the Bayer Cross (reg'd), Bayer Advanced(TM) and Natria(TM) are trademarks of Bayer. Rose Parade and Tournament of Roses are registered trademarks of the Pasadena Tournament of Roses Association

SOURCE Bayer Advanced

Publix, Procter & Gamble, and Special Olympics have partnered together for 30 years to help people with intellectual disabilities achieve their dreams. Now they're offering you three easy ways to "Be a fan" of Special Olympics.

1. On December 27, 2009, clip the P&G brandSAVER(TM) coupons featuring Special Olympics in your local newspaper.

2. Support Special Olympics while you shop at your neighborhood Publix by purchasing your favorite P&G products like Charmin, Pantene, and Downey and many other well-known brands during the month of January and Procter and Gamble will donate three cents from every coupon redeemed to Special Olympics. The exciting part is that there is no limit to the gift that Procter and Gamble will make to Special Olympics, so the more coupons redeemed, the more money raised for Special Olympics!

3. While you're at Publix between December 31 and January 21, show you're a fan of Special Olympics by purchasing your very own paper torch at the check-out register for $1, $3, or $5 to support Special Olympics and your local athletes! The torches include $6 in coupons on select Procter and Gamble products. These coupons are good above and beyond the brandSAVER(TM) coupons, so purchase a torch and you'll find out just how rewarding it is to "Be a fan"!

Special Olympics Georgia provides year-round sports training and competition to over 22,000 children and adults with intellectual disabilities, at no cost to the athlete or their caregiver, as a means to achieve physical fitness, self-esteem and the life skills necessary to be productive, respected and contributing members of their communities. Visit www.SpecialOlympicsGA.org to learn more.

SOURCE Special Olympics Georgia

Starting today, professional hockey fans can buy lottery tickets that show their team loyalty, as the Pennsylvania Lottery and the National Hockey League(R) partnered to offer a new $2 instant game featuring the Philadelphia Flyers(R) and Pittsburgh Penguins(R).

"This is another great collaboration between the Lottery and Pennsylvania's professional sports teams," Lottery Executive Director Ed Trees said. "In addition to getting a chance at winning one of the $20,000 top prizes, players can also enter promotional drawings for the opportunity to win second-chance prizes like an authentic Philadelphia Flyers or Pittsburgh Penguins player jersey."

The Lottery launched instant games with the Philadelphia Eagles and Pittsburgh Steelers football teams in August 2009 and with the Philadelphia Phillies and Pittsburgh Pirates baseball teams in April 2008.

The NHL(R)-themed instant game offers 10 top prizes of $20,000, more than 32,000 prizes from $40 to $400, and more than $7 million in total cash prizes. Players have 10 chances to win on each ticket. On the instant game, if the "home team" beats the "away team" the player wins the prize to the right of that game. A player who finds a "stick" symbol wins the prize shown for that game. A player who finds a "puck" symbol wins 10 times the prize shown for that game. The overall odds of winning a prize are 1-in-4.54.

The Philadelphia Flyers/Pittsburgh Penguins instant game features second-chance promotional drawing opportunities to win hundreds of prizes, including winners' choices of authentic player jerseys. Four separate drawings will be held throughout the hockey season; Jan. 28 is the entry deadline for the first drawing, which will be held the week of Feb. 1. Entry requirements and all deadlines are detailed on the back of every instant ticket and at www.palottery.com.

About the Pennsylvania Lottery: The Pennsylvania Lottery remains the only state lottery that designates all its proceeds to programs that benefit older residents. Since its inception 37 years ago, the Pennsylvania Lottery has contributed more than $19.2 billion to programs that include property tax and rent rebates; free and reduced-fare transit; the low-cost prescription drug programs PACE and PACENET; long-term living services; and the 52 Area Agencies on Aging, including more than 600 full- and part-time senior centers throughout the state. The Pennsylvania Lottery reminds its players to play responsibly. Players must be 18 or older.

For more information on the Pennsylvania Lottery, visit www.palottery.com.

Media contact: Kirstin Alvanitakis, 717-702-8008

Editor's Note: To view and download images of the Flyers and Penguins instant tickets, go to www.palottery.state.pa.us/instant-games.aspx.

SOURCE Pennsylvania Lottery

A new competitive format, the "Reverse Scramble," will make its national television debut when the 2009 ADT Skills Challenge airs on NBC Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 26 and 27, 4-6 p.m. (check local listings). It is the only golf on network television that final weekend of the year.

Four teams -- Fred Couples/Hunter Mahan, Kenny Perry/J.B. Holmes, Brandt Snedeker/Boo Weekley and Nick Price/Fred Funk -- will square off in the situational shot-making competition with $800,000 at stake. For the first time, the 18th annual event will include a culminating, single-hole competition played as a "Reverse Scramble."

Contrary to the traditional "Scramble" format, the rules of the "Reverse Scramble" call for the opposing team to select which shot its rival twosome must play, adding a new dimension to the competition. The format is especially conducive to the ADT Skills Challenge TV production approach, which showcases the personalities of the players, all of whom wear microphones. It was taped in October at The Breakers in Palm Beach.

The six mainstay skills -- Long Drive, Mid-Iron, Bunker Shot, Chip Shot, Trouble Shot and Short Iron -- will be followed by the "Reverse Scramble," representing the seventh and eighth skills. The four teams will be seeded according to prize money won in those first six skills and the weighted sum of $200,000 will be at stake.

"'The Reverse Scramble' is a terrific format," said Snedeker. "If you don't hit a good shot, you let yourself down and you really let your partner down, because then he has to deal with it. It's funny because, this way, playing the worse shot, it's like we're handicap golfers again."

"The structure of our event allows for an innovative addition like the 'Reverse Scramble,'" said Jon Miller, executive vice president of NBC Sports, which owns the event. "The home TV audience will be in on the golfers' strategy banter and then be able to see the results."

"Every year the ADT Skills Challenge is full of surprises and this year is no different," noted John Koch, president of ADT, North America. "The ingredients are all there combining an interesting format with a roster of talented players for an entertaining and exciting event."

SOURCE ADT Skills Challenge

Outdoor Channel (Nasdaq: OUTD), America's leader in Outdoor TV, today unveiled its action-packed programming schedule for the first quarter of 2010. Seven brand new shows will debut this winter on the network, covering a broad range of popular outdoor themes and featuring expert talent. The new shows are "Drop Zone TV," "Nosler's Magnum TV," "S.W.A.T. Magazine TV," "Top Truck Challenge," "World Class Bowhunting," "Backroads with Ron & Raven" and "Alaskan."

Demonstrating its commitment to presenting unique, first-class content, Outdoor Channel's seven new original series highlight the network's appeal to outdoor enthusiasts, taking audiences on exciting and adventurous journeys into the outdoors. For the full Q1 programming schedule, please visit: http://outdoorchannel.com/Schedule.aspx.

"Outdoor Channel continues to invest heavily in quality programming and innovative formats, like high definition, and this season's spectrum of shows speaks volumes about our commitment to giving viewers an authentic outdoor experience," said Tom Hornish, COO, Outdoor Channel. "Simply put, we are home to the best outdoor producers, expert talent and top conservation and membership organizations in the traditional outdoor genre. Our latest schedule is intended to give our loyal viewers more of what they've come to expect from Outdoor Channel."

Show Descriptions:

Drop Zone TV - Debuts Sunday, January 3rd at 11:00 a.m. ET

Get ready, you're about to enter the "Drop Zone!" Hosted by Hal Shaffer of Outdoor Channel's "Huntin' the World...Southern Style" and NASCAR's Greg Zipadelli, "Drop Zone TV" is a fast paced show with a modern twist, and is bound to keep viewers on the edge of their seats. The list of celebrity guests is long and diverse, including some of NASCAR's greats, along with the best of the NFL, country music and Major League Baseball. This season, former WWE World Champion, Stone Cold Steve Austin, will be in pursuit of his biggest whitetail ever, while comedian Killer Beaz adds his unique brand of comedy by making side-splitting commentary throughout many episodes of the show.

Nosler's Magnum TV - Debuts Thursday, December 31st at 9:00 p.m. ET

Join Team Magnum as they travel the world, searching for the biggest and most majestic game on the planet. Hosted by NRA-ILA Executive Director Chris Cox, "Nosler's Magnum TV" delivers hunts with sophisticated, award- winning videography. Follow the dynamic team of professional hunters and Magnum Hunt Club members from the wind-blown plains of Nebraska to the wild plains of Africa.

S.W.A.T. Magazine TV - Debuts Wednesday, December 30th at 7:30 p.m. ET

"S.W.A.T. Magazine TV," featuring Rob Pincus as host, brings an inside look at the training and law enforcement industry as it takes viewers behind the scenes of law enforcement and military training, in addition to examining some the best education available in the private sector. Best of all, the training is broken down in a way that allows viewers to learn important aspects of home or self defense. "S.W.A.T. Magazine TV" will also feature in-depth instructor profiles and useful product insight. Brent Wheat's "Street Smarts" segment will round out this most progressive 30 minutes of training-oriented programming on television.

Top Truck Challenge - Debuts Monday, December 28th at 7:30 p.m. ET

Seventeen years ago, the editors of Four Wheeler magazine decided to test the engineering capabilities of America's most dynamic off-road rigs. They called it: "Top Truck Challenge." Since then, the event has evolved into one of the most demanding and unique off-road motorsport competitions in the world. This season, "Top Truck Challenge" will take viewers back to some of the best moments at the 2009 Top Truck Challenge. Buckle up as drivers compete against the clock in seven stages of various, unique obstacles. Each driver/co-driver combo will push themselves, and their vehicles, to the limit. It's bound to be a wild ride!

World Class Bowhunting -Debuts Sunday, January 3rd at 6:30 p.m. ET

Expert trapper and bowhunter Tom Miranda takes bowhunting to a whole new level in the documentary-style Mathews' "World Class Bowhunting". Hunting the dangerous big six of Africa, or taking on the North American Super Slam, viewers won't want to miss a second of these heart-pounding hunts. Witness up-close and personal big game encounters and over the shoulder impacts. "World Class Bowhunting" features superior quality and comprehensive coverage of the challenges of bowhunting.

Backroads with Ron and Raven - Debuts Tuesday, December 29th at 3:00 p.m. ET

"Backroads with Ron and Raven" celebrates the outdoor lifestyle with an emphasis on unique characters. Ron and his black lab Raven tour the country, taking the back roads, searching for well-known and yet-to-be discovered outdoor enthusiasts. A hallmark of Ron Schara Productions, the show is driven by Emmy-award winning writing and storytelling.

Alaskan - Debuts in late January 2009

There's no place like Nome! And, in 2010, Outdoor Channel and the Gold Prospectors Association of America take you on an adventure set in a city of gold - Nome, Alaska (population: 3,500) - in Outdoor Channel's brand new documentary series, "Alaskan." Filmed in stunning high definition, the half-hour weekly documentary gives Outdoor Channel viewers a good feel for life in Nome, coupled with the spectacular natural beauty of the region - a place where musk ox, moose, grizzly bears and birds roam free.

In addition to its compelling cable network, Outdoor Channel programming is also available across multiple media platforms including high definition, video-on-demand, and on its dynamic broadband Web site, www.outdoorchannel.com, which includes an extensive video library and an interactive community section.

Check local listings or log on to www.outdoorchannel.com to find Outdoor Channel in your area.

About Outdoor Channel Holdings, Inc.

Outdoor Channel Holdings, Inc. (Nasdaq: OUTD) owns and operates Outdoor Channel, America's leader in outdoor TV, and Winnercomm Inc., an Emmy Award winning production and interactive company. Outdoor Channel offers programming that captures the excitement of hunting, fishing, shooting, off-road motorsports, adventure and the Western lifestyle and can be viewed on multiple platforms including high definition, video-on-demand, as well as on a dynamic broadband website. Winnercomm Inc. is one of America's largest and highest quality producers of live sporting events and sports series for cable and broadcast television. Winnercomm also owns and operates the patented Skycam and CableCam aerial camera systems which provide dramatic overhead camera angles for major sports events, including college and NFL football. For more information please visit www.outdoorchannel.com.

SOURCE Outdoor Channel

The Bobby Bowden family, Charlie Ward, Corey Simon, Nick Maddox, The Florida State University College of Business, Dr. Thom Park, Steve Evans and trustees of the Elizabeth and Mark Scott Foundation are proud to announce the launch of the Bowden Foundation for Ethical Leadership.

The Foundation will fund and guide such initiatives as the Bowden Leadership Center and The American Dream Team, leveraging the wisdom, character and teaching of one of America's most successful leaders. The Bowden Foundation aspires to cultivate leaders grounding both their professional and personal practices with integrity, following Coach Bowden's own example that lead to decades of high achievement. Programs funded by the center will target current and future business leaders, and include a special initiative for low-income families and at-risk youth.

The Bowden Leadership Center at Florida State University

The Florida State University College of Business and The Bowden Foundation for Ethical Leadership have jointly signed a letter of intent to establish The Bowden Leadership Center. The leadership center will focus on training students and executives in ethical leadership principles, providing a unique opportunity to positively influence generations of America's future leaders. The Bowden Foundation's current focus is on raising $5 million though additional personal and corporate gifts.

The American Dream Team

The American Dream Team was created to measurably improve America's economic and social outlook by reintroducing the American Dream to low income neighborhoods, families and at-risk kids. The Foundation will build a team of former celebrity college and professional athletes that will receive leadership, business, and entrepreneurial training through our Center and partners. We intend to inspire a million people to pursue their American Dream. We expect to measurably increase their average income as well as empower them to believe in their ability to improve and impact their own destiny. Our goal is to raise $2.5 million to launch the American Dream Team initiative.

A diverse group of successful leaders has weighed in on the significance of the Foundation, including Coach Bowden. "I'm honored that this group felt strongly enough to create this foundation to allow me to share my principles of life, leadership and success with such a broad audience."

Another leader, General Frank Hagenbeck, Superintendent United States Military Academy Westpoint, NY, discusses the significance of Coach Bowden's influence. "Coach Bowden is a leader of character. His personal example of living an honorable life inspired me daily when I was one of his graduate assistants. He epitomizes the moral-ethical dimension of leading "the right way," a trait that I've attempted to emulate throughout my career. The Bowden Center is a fitting tribute to ensure that his legacy will continue into the future to motivate young people to lead with integrity and selflessness."

Warrick Dunn, former NFL Man of the Year and founder of Warrick Dunn Foundation, expresses a similar affinity for the legendary coach. "For me, Coach Bowden is a walking, talking human example that formed the beginning of my understanding of how ethics work in real life. He is a principled and authentic person. This Center is a fitting legacy and tribute for the unique position he holds in the lives of so many young men and I am intrigued about the significant benefit for future generations who are also deserving of the same ethical leadership opportunity."

According to President and founder of the Bowden Foundation Mark Scott, "I initially learned of Coach Bowden's management principles focusing largely on integrity, character, hard work, and personal responsibility while interviewing him for a business class over 30 years ago. Our companies experienced considerable success and longevity using his principles while we saw many larger formidable competitors falter due to a lack of integrity. We are looking for corporate partners, foundations, and individuals who share our mission to teach integrity based leadership principles to our leaders and reintroduce the American Dream to important segments of our society."

About the Bowden Foundation for Ethical Leadership

The Bowden Foundation for Ethical Leadership, Inc. a non-profit corporation, was incorporated in Tallahassee, Florida in May of 2006, and was approved as a 501C3 in 2009. Please visit our website, www.BowdenFoundation.org which launches today, December 23, 2009.

About the FSU College of Business

Founded in 1950, the FSU College of Business is one of the nation's youngest business schools, yet it has become one of the 10 largest in the United States. It is the second largest academic unit on FSU's campus with an enrollment of 6,107 students and boasts a distinguished full-time faculty of 100, including one Francis Eppes professor, eight eminent scholar chairs, three university-named professorships and 26 endowed professorships. For more information, please visit www.cob.fsu.edu.

    Contacts:
    Mark Scott                                Nick Maddox
    President                                 V.P. Development
    mscott@bowdenfoundation.org               nmaddox@bowdenfoundation.org
    Bowden Foundation                         Bowden Foundation
    for Ethical Leadership                    for Ethical Leadership
    Phone 850 363 2905                        Phone (850) 694-1582
    Fax 775 942-1684                          Fax 775 942-1684

SOURCE Bowden Foundation for Ethical Leadership

Now that Ohio State and Oregon have won berths in the 2010 Rose Bowl Game presented by Citi in Pasadena, what are they going to do next? They're going to Disneyland!

The No. 8 BCS-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes and No. 7 BCS-ranked Oregon Ducks will make their first official appearances of the Rose Bowl Game week at 2 p.m. Saturday, December 26, in a ceremony at the holiday-themed Sleeping Beauty's Winter Castle at Disneyland.

Ohio State Head Coach Jim Tressel, Oregon Head Coach Chip Kelly and members of both teams will appear in the Castle ceremony with Disneyland Resort President George Kalogridis, Mickey Mouse and the Disneyland Band. Among the Ohio State players will be Buckeyes defensive back Kurt Coleman, linebacker Austin Spitler, defensive lineman Doug Worthington and center Jimmy Cordle. Featured Oregon players in the ceremony will be Ducks quarterback Jeremiah Masoli, offensive lineman Jordan Holmes, defensive end Will Tukuafu and cornerback Walter Thurmond III.

Following the ceremony, coaches and key players will be available for media interviews in front of the Castle, and then will experience popular Disneyland attractions such as Matterhorn Bobsleds.

The 96th Rose Bowl Game presented by Citi, played in Pasadena on Friday, January 1, 2010, will mark the 14th Rose Bowl Game appearance for the Buckeyes (10-2 in 2009). The Ducks (also 10-2 in 2009) will be making their fifth appearance in the Rose Bowl Game.

Disneyland has been associated with the Tournament of Roses since 1959 and has had the honor of hosting many teams during that time. As Disneyland welcomes the 2010 Rose Bowl Game teams, Disney Parks hopes to inspire families to volunteer in their communities during 2010 through "Give a Day. Get a Disney Day," a first-of-its-kind program which celebrates community service by giving a free one-day admission ticket to a Disneyland or Walt Disney World theme park to 1 million people who perform volunteer service for a participating organization. Log on to www.disneyparks.com to register.

SOURCE Disneyland

In its 25th year of honoring the nation's best high school athletes, The Gatorade Company, in collaboration with ESPN RISE, today announced Ashley Wittman of Shakopee High School (Shakopee, Minn.) as its 2009-10 Gatorade® National Volleyball Player of the Year. Wittman was surprised with the news during her sixth period class at Shakopee High School by AVP champion and two-time gold medalist Misty May-Treanor.

"It felt great to surprise Ashley with the Gatorade National Volleyball Player of the Year award and invite her into one of the most prestigious legacy programs in high school sports," said AVP Champion Misty May-Treanor. "Gatorade has been on the sidelines fueling athletic performance for years, so to be recognized by a brand that understands the game and truly helps athletes perform is a huge honor for these kids."

The award, which recognizes not only outstanding athletic excellence, but also high standards of academic achievement and exemplary character demonstrated on and off the court, distinguishes Wittman as the nation's best high school volleyball player. A national advisory panel comprised of sportswriters and sport-specific experts from around the country helped select Wittman from more than 404,000 high school volleyball players nationwide. Wittman is now a finalist for the prestigious Gatorade® Female High School Athlete of the Year award, to be presented at a special afternoon ceremony prior to The ESPY Awards in July.

The 6-foot-1 senior outside hitter led the Sabers to a 32-0 record and their third consecutive Class 3A state championship this past season. The two-time Gatorade® Minnesota Volleyball Player of the Year, Wittman collected 569 kills, 294 digs, 50 blocks and 26 service aces this season while posting a kill percentage of .662. In the Class 3A state final, she had 34 kills and 19 digs in a three-set sweep over Wayzata High. Wittman is also a two-time Minneapolis Star Tribune Player of the Year and a three-time First Team All-State selection.

A two-time Amateur Athletic Union Girls' Junior National Champion, Wittman led her Northern Lights club team to the USA Volleyball Junior Olympic Championships Open Division national semifinals in three straight years, including a finals appearance in 2009.

The 2008 PrepVolleyball.com National Junior of the Year, Wittman served as captain of the gold-medal-winning 2008 U.S. Girls' Youth National Team at the NORCECA Girls' Youth Continental Championship and was a member of the USA Select Red Team that won the gold medal at the 2007 USA Volleyball High Performance Championships in the International Junior Division.

Wittman has maintained a 3.87 GPA in the classroom. An active member of her church community and a member of the National Honor Society, Wittman has served on the Shakopee High Student Council in addition to coaching, officiating and instructing as a youth volleyball camp, clinic and summer league volunteer. She has also donated her time to the America Reads literacy-outreach program, the Special Olympics, and as a fundraiser for Feed My Starving Children international humanitarian efforts.

"Wittman is one of the best I've ever seen," said Mike Dean, head coach of rival Prior Lake High. "Her defense and her competitive drive is what sets her apart from the rest. She does whatever she has to do to win."

Wittman has signed a National Letter of Intent to play volleyball on scholarship at the University of Minnesota next fall and will graduate Shakopee High early to begin attending spring semester collegiate classes.

"Without question, Ashley is deserving of recognition as the nation's best high school volleyball player based on her statistics on the court and the impact her accomplishments have had on Shakopee High School's success," said Gatorade Senior Vice President of Sports Marketing Jennifer Storms. "But she is also a shining example to peers and aspiring young players of what a leader and a student-athlete should be. She represents everything we hope for in a Gatorade® Player of the Year recipient."

The Gatorade® Player of the Year program annually recognizes one winner in the District of Columbia and each of the 50 states that sanction high school football, girls volleyball, boys and girls cross country, boys and girls basketball, boys and girls soccer, baseball, softball, and boys and girls track & field, and awards one National Player of the Year in each sport. The selection process is administered by ESPN RISE and the Gatorade high school sports leadership team, which work with top sport-specific experts and a media advisory board of accomplished, veteran prep sports journalists to determine the state winners in each sport.

To celebrate the award's 25th anniversary, Gatorade wants you to vote for the All-Time Greatest Volleyball Player of the Year at www.gatorade.com/POY25. To keep up to date on the latest happenings, become a fan of Gatorade® Player of the Year on Facebook and follow us on Twitter. For more information on the Gatorade® Player of the Year program, including nomination information, a complete list of former winners, and future announcement dates, visit http://playeroftheyear.gatorade.com.

            ALL-TIME GATORADE NATIONAL VOLLEYBALL PLAYERS OF THE YEAR

    YEAR         NAME            HIGH SCHOOL                   STATUS
    2009-10  Ashley Wittman    Shakopee/                High School Senior
                               Shakopee, MN

    2008-09  Gina Mancuso      Papillion-La Vista/      University of Nebraska
                               Papillion, NE

    2007-08  Kelly Murphy      Joliet Catholic/         University of Florida
                               Joliet, IL

    2006-07  Alix Klineman     Mira Costa/              Stanford University
                               Manhattan Beach, CA

    2005-06  Megan Hodge       Riverside/               Penn State University
                               Durham, NC

    2004-05  Cynthia Barboza   Wilson Classical/        U.S. National Team
                               Long Beach, CA

    2003-04  Cynthia Barboza   Wilson Classical/        U.S. National Team
                               Long Beach, CA

    2002-03  Kristin Richards  Timpanogos/              U.S. National Team
                               Orem, UT

    2001-02  Bre Ladd          Canyon Del Oro/          Attended Univ.
                               Tucson, AZ               Of Arizona

    2000-01  Ogonna Nnamani    University/Normal, IL    Galatasary (Istanbul)

    1999-00  April Ross        Newport Harbor/          AVP Pro Beach
                               Newport Beach, CA        Volleyball

    1998-99  Logan Tom         Highland/                Asystel Novara (Italy)
                               Salt Lake City, UT

    1997-98  Sara Sandrik      Pelham/Pelham, AL        Stanford Graduate

    1996-97  Denise Boylan     Benet Academy/           Notre Dame Graduate
                               Lisle, IL

    1995-96  Kerri Walsh       Archbishop Mitty/        AVP Pro Beach
                               San Jose, CA             Volleyball

SOURCE The Gatorade Company

The Executive Caddie has released its iPhone application for golfers called "The Caddie: Pro". The Caddie: Pro is the most polished, robust, and functional iPhone app for golfers ever created. It eclipses all competition with gorgeous graphics, an ultra-slick interface, and simple operation. There is no doubt The Caddie will be the "must have" iPhone golf app of 2010.

The Caddie: Pro sets the bar at a whole new level for golf score tracking and statistics with an amazingly intuitive user interface supported by stunning graphics and an enterprise-level back end. This is the Executive Caddie's first iPhone app released, but early reviews indicate that The Caddie will be the de facto standard for golf apps.

The Caddie: Pro has been in development for most of 2009, with thousands of hours invested in development and design. This is in complete contrast to the majority of iPhone apps, which are completed within a few days or a couple of weeks. The Caddie: Pro packages a staggering amount of functionality for golfers into an extremely simple iPhone app.

Golfers can use the app for countless features including:

• Acquiring an official Handicap
• Posting and reviewing detailed rounds
• Tracking detailed statistics about their play
• Tracking clubs used and penalty strokes
• Managing their favorite courses
• Viewing their play statistics

The Caddie extends far beyond the iPhone with an impressive website as another tool for the users. The website allows users to perform all of the same functions as the iPhone app, but also integrates strong social networking features that allows every user to participate in a comprehensive golf community.

The Executive Caddie has the World's largest and most accurate golf course database, including almost 29,000 golf courses worldwide. The Executive Caddie has entered each course by hand and has verified the accuracy of thousands of courses. Without that attention to detail, all of the statistics calculated for rounds posted by users would be useless.

All of The Caddie's competitors base their statistics upon non-verified golf course information, which completely invalidates the accuracy of all golf statistics calculated.

In addition to "The Caddie: Pro", "The Caddie: Basic" and "The Caddie: GPS" will be released in the coming months to round out the Executive Caddie's iPhone product line.

About the Executive Caddie

The Executive Caddie (www.theCaddie.com) was founded in 1988 by James Browning. Mr. Browning is a third-generation professional golfer. His father, Joe Browning, has been a Class-A PGA Pro for over 30 years. His grandfather, Jim Browning was a Class-A PGA Pro for over 50 years, and an inductee into the New England PGA Hall of Fame and the Maine State Sports Hall of Fame.

In addition to his heritage in golf, James Browning has been a industry leading software application developer and architect for over 20 years. Mr. Browning has been featured repeatedly on television as an industry expert regarding the Internet and Web development.

Mr. Browning created the Executive Caddie's first commercial release in 1989. The product was designed to help golfers track their golf scores and statistics in an effort to understand weaknesses in their game. That clear understanding would allow for more effective course management and quality practice, resulting in lower golf scores.

The original software application was written in C language for MS-DOS. The application was accompanied by the very first mobile golf app ever created. The mobile app allowed the posting of scores on the course using a handheld device, which would then be uploaded to the computer. The mobile app was written to work on the Psion Organizer II, which was the first generation of PDAs.

In 1989, the concept of the Executive Caddie was far ahead of its time. It was released more than a decade before the advent of the Internet and the proliferation of handheld PDAs and smartphones.

The Caddie has been revised three times over the past 20 years to keep up with technology and changing trends. The most significant revision is the upcoming 2010 release. James Browning and his team have spent the past five years completely overhauling the underlying architecture of the entire Caddie product line. The pending features being released over the next couple months will make the Caddie the benchmark for golf score-keeping, statistics tracking, and online golf communities.

Learn more about The Caddie: Pro and the Executive Caddie at www.theCaddie.com.

iPhone Info: www.theCaddie.com/products/mobile.aspx

SOURCE Executive Caddie, LLC

Cosentino, maker of Silestone Natural Quartz, is proud to have been selected as the sole countertop supplier for the 2010 Olympic Village in Vancouver, B.C. This project developed by Millennium Water, will not only serve as a "home away from home" for officials and competing athletes, but it will also be one of the first LEED Gold neighborhoods in Canada.

The Olympic Village development is the largest North American quartz commercial project in 2009. The design encompassed fabrication and installation of over 71,000 square feet of countertop surface. Silestone countertops and vanities were installed in 859 apartment kitchens and baths. Trademark Silestone colors in Capri Limestone, White Maple and Ivory Coast helped create beauty and efficiency while setting the precedent for clean and natural living. Silestone is the only countertop with GREENGUARD indoor air quality certification and built-in Microban protection providing a cleaner and safer surface.

FAMA Industries, a Surrey, B.C., solid surface manufacturer, successfully completed the development. FAMA Industries worked with Commercial Surfaces Group and Stone Systems, both of St. Paul, Minnesota, to complete this sustainable project against the deadline of the Olympic Games. "When approached by the Millennium Group on their surfacing requirements for the Olympic Village, our decision to use Silestone was very simple. With the sheer size of the project, the accelerated schedule, and the rigid deadlines, we were confident that only Silestone could deliver; and they certainly did," remarked Mehran Aghtai, president for FAMA Project Supplies

"Cosentino is honored to reflect the green vision for the Olympic Village through Silestone. We strive to be a part of projects that leave a positive impact on our environment," commented Lorenzo Marquez, marketing vice president for Cosentino North America.

Cosentino is committed to the continuous improvement and development of eco-friendly processes through innovation and technology. As the market for green products grows exponentially, the growth of the company is directly linked to its green practices that respect, protect and rebuild the environment - from the early stages of mining and sourcing raw materials, to product manufacturing, distribution, fabrication and installation.

About Cosentino®

Cosentino®, a global natural stone manufacturer, began harvesting precious stones from the finest quarries in Europe close to a century ago. The Spanish company currently distributes material in more than 80 countries. With 11 manufacturing lines, Cosentino is the largest manufacturer of natural quartz surfaces in the world. The company covers the entire process of producing natural stone products including quarrying, manufacturing, fabricating and installing surfaces, such as kitchen and bathroom countertops, wall cladding and many other applications. In 2008, Cosentino received ISO 14001 Certification for its environmental management, measurement, evaluation, and auditing practices. Cosentino North America was established in 1998 to distribute and market Silestone(®) natural quartz surfaces in the US, Canada and Mexico. The Cosentino North America family of brands include: Silestone Natural Quartz with built-in Microban® protection; ECO by Cosentino(TM), an eco-friendly line of surface material made of 75% recycled post-consumer and post-industrial content; SenSa® Granite with SenGuard® offering a 15-year warranty against staining; Scalea Natural Stone, which includes marble, travertine and soapstone; Marlique(TM) Marble, enhanced marble for vanities; MURO(TM) Mosaics, pre-meshed tiles made with recycled Silestone; and the Prexury(TM) Collection, a semi-precious stone line handmade by expert craftsmen. For more information visit www.cosentinonorthamerica.com.

SOURCE Cosentino North America

The Cleveland Cavaliers are seeing the first benefits of being partly owned by Chinese investors after this week's announcement that brewing giant Tsingtao have put pen to paper on a multi-year home court multi-million dollars advertising contract.

The deal with the Tsingtao Brewing Company is the first sign Cavaliers fans have seen of the influence of one of the fastest rising names in Chinese sport: Kenny HUANG Jianhua, a 46-year-old Chinese businessman who is leading the investment group buying a 15 percent share in the Cavaliers.

The net result is that the interest among China's legion of NBA fans in the Cavaliers has grown to such an extent that 34 of the Cavs' games this season are scheduled to be broadcast in the world's biggest television market; hence, China's leading global beer brand investing in a presence at all events at Cleveland's Quickens Loan Arena.

"The Cavaliers are a leading name in the world's leading league, and of course LeBron James is one of the world's elite sports stars. To invest in an association with a franchise of that calibre is logical in terms of building our brand globally," said Tsingtao's President of Global Sales and Marketing Ms YAN Xu whose company has been making beer in the city now known as Qingdao for over 100 years.

But the relationship between Huang and Tsingtao goes further than the NBA. In September this year, Tsingtao also committed to another five-year deal, this time to donate 12 million Yuan (around US$1.75 million at current exchange rates) to the QSL China Youth Sports Development Fund that Huang started through his Chinese sports marketing vehicle QSL Sports Limited, a partnership formed with Adrian CHENG Chi-Kong of New World Development in July this year. The gift will contribute to the fund's support of creating sports facilities at schools created by the Project Hope scheme, a public service project run by the China Youth Development Foundation, which aims to develop education in poverty-stricken rural areas of China.

The foundation and the brewers made the first significant allocation of funds this month when they awarded RMB2 million for the creation of sports facilities at Project Hope schools in Hunan province.

"There is no point in us growing Tsingtao as a global brand if we are not at the same time contributing to the overall growth of our nation and if we are not contributing to improving the lives of our poorest citizens. Project Hope brings hope in areas where hope was once forgotten, and sport is a great contributor to improving children's feelings of self-worth," said Yan.

Tsingtao's year-one donation of RMB2.7 million was revealed by their president and CEO SUN Mingbo at a charity dinner hosted by QSL Sports Limited earlier in the Fall, where an elite group of 80 of China's leading financial and business figures raised over US$1 million for the QSL Youth Sports Development Fund, which declares an overall goal of bringing "health" and "happiness" to the 15,000 schools Project Hope has created in Western and Central China.

This month's announcement of the allocation for Hunan was made at a similar celebration function in the city of Changsha, where 300 guests contributed a total of RMB15 million.

"We're using our expertise to bring together a wider network of like- minded people to focus on improving the emotional and physical wellbeing - the 'health and happiness' - of these youngsters," said Adrian Cheng.

"It's not just about making donations, it's about creating a movement in our strata of society to create something with a genuine, long-lasting impact for a generation that won't have the advantages we have had. These are kids with great potential, but they are growing up in areas that haven't yet benefitted from China's economic miracle," added Cheng, whose latest project sees him masterminding the creation of K11, an innovative mall development in Hong Kong intended to become the nucleus of a cultural district.

Cheng and Huang chose sports facilities as one of the prime needs of the education system in China's rural provinces after they discovered many schools lacked even the most fundamental elements.

"When we launched the fund in July not one of the 34 schools in a sample survey we conducted could meet the Ministry of Education's minimum requirement for basic sports facilities. With just one exception, the schools could only conduct exercise classes through their public address system. We hope to rectify that as soon as possible and allow these children to taste the joy and freedom that sports can bring," Huang explained.

    For more information, please contact:

     Rachel Chan
     Tel:   +852-2894-6251
     Email: Rachel.chan@hillandknowlton.com.hk

SOURCE QSL Sports Limited

Applied Technology Holdings, Inc., today announced the opening of its new headquarters in Mission Viejo, California. The new 25,000-square-foot facility will bring employees from its MVP Sports Technologies and Applied Medical Group Subsidiaries together into one Mission Viejo neighborhood, and will enhance the collaboration between ATH's Physical Therapy, Medical, Sports, Product Design, Strategy, and Technology groups.

The new headquarters in Mission Viejo, California, will be officially opened on January 4th, and will be located at: Applied Technology Holdings, Inc 3602 Via Fabricante, Mission Viejo, Ca, 92691.

Jay Shears, CEO of Applied Technology Holdings, Inc. said, "The new Mission Viejo facility underscores our dedication to creating the most collaborative and creative work environments for the emerging wireless data gathering technologies for sports and remote patient healthcare. The vibrancy of Mission Viejo combined with our new space will be instrumental in our ongoing efforts to recruit the best talent from around the world and continue our phenomenal growth."

Applied Technology Holdings, Inc, founded in 2005, is a privately held provider of patented technology and systems, with subsidiaries building solutions that address specific customer needs. More information is available at www.athbiomotion.com. The Applied Technology Holdings, Inc. Apparatus, Systems, and Methods patents relevant to new emerging data gathering markets can be viewed at: http://patft.uspto.gov/, patent number 7,602,301.

    For more information contact:

    Applied Technology Holdings, Inc.
    Jay Shears, CEO
    1.866.593.4893
    pr@athbiomotion.com

SOURCE Applied Technology Holdings, Inc.

Weplay.com, the ultimate online destination for the youth sports community, has launched a new way to reward youth sports athletes, parents and coaches by allowing their community of over 300,000 members to give each other virtual awards called "Props."

"By giving props, Weplay members, including myself, have the opportunity to recognize the outstanding achievement of the others around them. For all the parents who sacrifice, all the coaches who mentor, and all the kids who play, Weplay props are a great way to say thank you and keep up the good work. That's what sportsmanship is all about," said Derek Jeter, NY Yankee captain and recent SI Sportsman of the Year.

Props are like badges or awards that can be posted to your Weplay profile. Anyone can give the awards to their friends or teammates. There are many different Props to give in fun, distinctive designs.

Weplay will also be giving special limited edition Props that include the involvement of their superstar athletes LeBron James, Peyton Manning, Derek Jeter, Jennie Finch, Summer Sanders and many more, who are all committed to Weplay's vision of celebrating youth sports.

"The online positive reinforcement for on the field activity is invaluable to encouraging healthy athletic behavior. With Props, we have launched a service that everyone can participate in and enjoy. It's for every one of us that could use a pat on the back, which is all of us. We're excited to be able to be a part of that in so many people's lives," said Weplay CEO, Steve Hansen.

About Weplay

Weplay.com (http://www.weplay.com) is the ultimate destination for the youth sports community. Its mission is to enable and enhance the joy of sports for kids, families and coaches both online and on the field. On Weplay, parents, coaches and kids can set up team sites, create profiles, view comprehensive libraries of Skills and Drills, get answers to their questions and connect to the larger sports community. Weplay.com's partners include CAA Sports, a division of Creative Artists Agency; Major League Baseball Advanced Media; FirstMark Capital; Deep Fork Capital; and iconic athletes Derek Jeter, LeBron James, Peyton Manning, Tony Parker, Shaun Alexander, Ryan Howard, Jennie Finch, Brandi Chastain, Summer Sanders and Sheryl Swoopes.

Weplay...for the love of the game.

SOURCE Weplay.com

Prairie View A&M coach Henry Frazier III was named the 23rd winner of the Eddie Robinson Award Thursday night at The Sports Network's Football Championship Subdivision Awards Banquet, held at the Chattanooga Convention Center on the eve of the NCAA Division I Football Championship title game.

Frazier is the first coach of a Southwestern Athletic Conference team, or a Historically Black College or University (HBCU) to win the Robinson Award, which is presented annually to the top coach in FCS. Robinson, the legendary Grambling State coach, spent much of his career in the SWAC.

"It is a humbling honor," said Frazier. "It's a great honor to be considered the top coach in your conference and it's an even greater honor to be considered the top coach in the country."

Taking over a program best known for losing an NCAA-record 80 consecutive games from 1989-98, Frazier led the Panthers to a perfect 7-0 conference mark, the SWAC West Division title and their first-ever berth in the SWAC championship game since the title contest was introduced in 1999.

Frazier is 36-27 at Prairie View and has gone 25-5 in the past three years. Prairie View completed its season with a thrilling, 30-24 SWAC title game victory over Alabama A&M. The Panthers hadn't won a SWAC championship since 1964, and 2009 marked the team's second consecutive 9-1 season.

"When we took over at Prairie View, if there were 119 teams, we were the 119(th) team in the country," Frazier said.

In 2008, Prairie View also beat both Grambling and Southern in the same year for the first time in 35 seasons, and posted its first nine-win campaign since 1953, a feat they duplicated this season.

The 2009 season marks the first time the Panthers have had three consecutive winning years since legendary PVAM coach W.J. Nicks ran off nine straight such seasons from 1957-65.

Frazier also coached the Panthers to the No. 18 spot in the final regular season Sports Network poll, the highest ranking Prairie View has ever held. PVAM was ranked 25th last season, the first time the Panthers had ever made a poll appearance.

In the second-closest balloting in Robinson Award history, Frazier received 24 first-place votes out of the 125 ballots cast by a panel of sports information directors and select media who regularly cover FCS. He picked up 237 points to edge J.C. Harper of Stephen F. Austin by two points. (Full voting information is available at sportsnetwork.com)

Jerry Moore of Appalachian State won by one point over Craig Bohl of North Dakota State in 2006.

The Sports Network established the Eddie Robinson Award in 1987. Past recipients of this prestigious honor include current FCS coaches, two-time winner Mickey Matthews of James Madison, Northern Iowa skipper Mark Farley, New Hampshire's Sean McDonnell, Villanova's Andy Talley, Mike Ayers of Wofford and Elon's Pete Lembo, when he won the coveted award with Lehigh.

SOURCE The Sports Network

The Cleveland Cavaliers are seeing the first benefits of being partly owned by Chinese investors after this week's announcement that brewing giant Tsingtao have put pen to paper on a multi-year home court multi-million dollars advertising contract.

The deal with the Tsingtao Brewing Company is the first sign Cavaliers fans have seen of the influence of one of the fastest rising names in Chinese sport: Kenny HUANG Jianhua, a 46-year-old Chinese businessman who is leading the investment group buying a 15 percent share in the Cavaliers.

The net result is that the interest among China's legion of NBA fans in the Cavaliers has grown to such an extent that 34 of the Cavs' games this season are scheduled to be broadcast in the world's biggest television market; hence, China's leading global beer brand investing in a presence at all events at Cleveland's Quickens Loan Arena.

"The Cavaliers are a leading name in the world's leading league, and of course LeBron James is one of the world's elite sports stars. To invest in an association with a franchise of that calibre is logical in terms of building our brand globally," said Tsingtao's President of Global Sales and Marketing Ms YAN Xu whose company has been making beer in the city now known as Qingdao for over 100 years.

But the relationship between Huang and Tsingtao goes further than the NBA. In September this year, Tsingtao also committed to another five-year deal, this time to donate 12 million Yuan (around US$1.75 million at current exchange rates) to the QSL China Youth Sports Development Fund that Huang started through his Chinese sports marketing vehicle QSL Sports Limited, a partnership formed with Adrian CHENG Chi-Kong of New World Development in July this year. The gift will contribute to the fund's support of creating sports facilities at schools created by the Project Hope scheme, a public service project run by the China Youth Development Foundation, which aims to develop education in poverty-stricken rural areas of China.

The foundation and the brewers made the first significant allocation of funds this month when they awarded RMB2 million for the creation of sports facilities at Project Hope schools in Hunan province.

"There is no point in us growing Tsingtao as a global brand if we are not at the same time contributing to the overall growth of our nation and if we are not contributing to improving the lives of our poorest citizens. Project Hope brings hope in areas where hope was once forgotten, and sport is a great contributor to improving children's feelings of self-worth," said Yan.

Tsingtao's year-one donation of RMB2.7 million was revealed by their president and CEO SUN Mingbo at a charity dinner hosted by QSL Sports Limited earlier in the Fall, where an elite group of 80 of China's leading financial and business figures raised over US$1 million for the QSL Youth Sports Development Fund, which declares an overall goal of bringing "health" and "happiness" to the 15,000 schools Project Hope has created in Western and Central China.

This month's announcement of the allocation for Hunan was made at a similar celebration function in the city of Changsha, where 300 guests contributed a total of RMB15 million.

"We're using our expertise to bring together a wider network of like- minded people to focus on improving the emotional and physical wellbeing - the 'health and happiness' - of these youngsters," said Adrian Cheng.

"It's not just about making donations, it's about creating a movement in our strata of society to create something with a genuine, long-lasting impact for a generation that won't have the advantages we have had. These are kids with great potential, but they are growing up in areas that haven't yet benefitted from China's economic miracle," added Cheng, whose latest project sees him masterminding the creation of K11, an innovative mall development in Hong Kong intended to become the nucleus of a cultural district.

Cheng and Huang chose sports facilities as one of the prime needs of the education system in China's rural provinces after they discovered many schools lacked even the most fundamental elements.

"When we launched the fund in July not one of the 34 schools in a sample survey we conducted could meet the Ministry of Education's minimum requirement for basic sports facilities. With just one exception, the schools could only conduct exercise classes through their public address system. We hope to rectify that as soon as possible and allow these children to taste the joy and freedom that sports can bring," Huang explained.

    For more information, please contact:

     Rachel Chan
     Tel:   +852-2894-6251
     Email: Rachel.chan@hillandknowlton.com.hk

SOURCE QSL Sports Limited

Nationally-known Mexican soccer expert and television commentator Fernando Schwartz announced that Copa Jarritos(TM), a national youth soccer program, exceeded all expectations in 2009. "More than 50,000 players aged 6 to 16 participated in Copa Jarritos this year," stated Schwartz, who has served as spokesperson of Copa Jarritos for the past 8 years, "Year after year, this program positively affects more people in more markets than any other corporate-sponsored youth-kids soccer program."

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20091217/CL27581)

"Copa Jarritos was executed in nine markets, including Los Angeles, Stockton, Las Vegas, Phoenix, Dallas, Houston, Chicago, Georgia and the Carolinas," David Flynn, Marketing Director of Novamex®, said. Novamex, and its brands Jarritos®, Mineragua®, Sidral Mundet® y Sangria Senorial®, are the principal organizers and supporters of Copa Jarritos. "This is our way of giving back to our consumers with something they love: soccer!"

In each market, Copa Jarritos featured soccer celebrities including Ramon Ramirez, Manuel Sol, Gustavo Napoles and Fernando Schwartz at up-close "meet-and-greets" with consumers, media interviews and, most importantly, instructional clinics and a soccer tournament with young soccer players. "Our first and foremost objective is to provide kids in the community a healthy and family-oriented soccer environment," Salvador Vargas, Brand Manager of Novamex / Copa Jarritos said. He added that this has been the most successful year ever for Copa Jarritos, garnering additional support through partnerships with VOIT Sporting Goods and local Mexican consulates.

Vargas added, "I'm very happy that we have been able to support our community and youth in spite of these hard times." He added, "We enhanced the Copa Jarritos tournaments with 'SoccerFest' - featuring huge custom-made soccer-themed inflatable games. We generated a total attendance of over 26,000 and are thankful to everyone who participated in our program and helped us make Copa Jarritos such a success in its 11th year."

"By promoting good sportsmanship and healthy activities for kids, Copa Jarritos makes a tremendous impact in our local market," said Adriana Fernandez Diaz, Sales Director of Diaz Foods, a local Copa Jarritos partner in Atlanta. In many markets, key retail outlets were Copa Jarritos partners, enjoying visits from the soccer celebrities, who signed autographs, gave away soccer balls and greeted kids, parents and employees.

Salvador Vargas said, "We plan an even bigger program in 2010, thanks to the success of Copa Jarritos in 2009."

Novamex is the leading marketer of authentic Mexican soft drink and food brands in the United States. Jarritos, Mineragua, Sangria Senorial and Mundet, presenting sponsors of COPA JARRITOS, are great-tasting and exquisite Mexican soft drinks that perfectly complement authentic Mexican lifestyles. Since Novamex's origin in 1987, the company has created long-standing and unique programs that demonstrate its commitment to improving the lives of Mexican-Americans. Novamex provides education and sports opportunities for children and youth, and helps churches and non-profit organizations raise funds through sales of donated soft drinks.

For more information:

www.copajarritos.com

www.novamex.com

nmcomunidad.com

    Contact:
    Crystal Vilorio
    Consumer Relations (915) 594-1618
    consumer.relations@novamex.com

SOURCE Novamex

James Madison defensive end Arthur Moats was named the 15th recipient of the Buck Buchanan Award Thursday night at The Sports Network's Football Championship Subdivision Awards Banquet, held at the Chattanooga Convention Center on the eve of the NCAA Division I Football Championship title game.

The Buchanan Award, named for the legendary Grambling State and Kansas City Chiefs defensive tackle, is presented annually to the nation's top defensive player in FCS.

"I can't believe it, this is so overwhelming," said Moats. "I wasn't expecting anything like this."

Moats is the second JMU player to capture the Buchanan Award, joining linebacker Derrick Lloyd, who won the honor in 2001.

"We've never had anyone draw the attention that Arthur Moats has drawn this season," said JMU coach Mickey Matthews. "We've had some great defensive players here, but Arthur is as good as anyone we've had."

Moats, a 6-2, 250-pound senior from Portsmouth, VA., led the nation in tackles for loss, averaging 2.14 per game (23.5 total), and was fourth in the FCS in sacks (1.0 per game, 11 total). He also piled up 90 tackles and returned a fumble for a 68-yard touchdown.

Moats won by the largest margin in Buchanan Award history, earning 37 first-place votes and 342 points to finish 110 points ahead of runner-up J.C. Sherritt, a linebacker from Eastern Washington. South Dakota State defensive end Danny Batten was third with 183 points. (Full voting information is available at sportsnetwork.com.)

The largest previous margin was last year, when Eastern Washington defensive end Greg Peach beat runner-up Jovan Belcher, a defensive end from Maine, by 107 points.

The Buck Buchanan Award was established in 1995 by The Sports Network. Past winners of the honor include current NFL standouts such as Jared Allen (2003, Idaho State) of the Minnesota Vikings, Jacksonville Jaguars cornerback Rashean Mathis (2002, Bethune-Cookman), along with former Dallas Cowboys Pro Bowl linebacker Dexter Coakley (1995-96, Appalachian State).

SOURCE The Sports Network

NASCAR, Morgan RV Resorts and Silver Companies have announced a license to create "NASCAR RV Resorts," a new branded concept to bring the sights, sounds and thrills of NASCAR to family camping locations across the country. The first 13 locations include sites in eight different states and future expansion goals are for hundreds of additional locations in the next 10 years.

Beginning in the spring of 2010, the first NASCAR RV Resorts will come online and incorporate a full NASCAR experience for campers, including live NASCAR races shown on giant screens. These locations are: Stonebridge Park in Maggie Valley, N.C.; NASCAR RV Resort of Mays Landing, N.J.; Indian Creek RV Resort in Geneva-on-the-Lake, Ohio; Westward Ho Campground in North Kettle Moraine, Wisc.; Adirondack Gateway RV Resort in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.; Indiana Beach Campground in Monticello, Ind.; Wild Acres in Old Orchard Beach, Maine; Virginia Park RV Resort in Old Orchard Beach, Maine; Wagon Wheel in Old Orchard Beach, Maine; Megunticook Campground by the Sea in Rockport, Maine; Camden Hills RV Resort in Rockport, Maine, Endless Caverns and RV Resort, New Market, Va. and Blueberry Hills RV Resort in Bushnell, Fla.

These locations will be rebranded and include activities providing the camper a full NASCAR experience away from the track such as tailgate events, televised race coverage on jumbo screens through NASCAR Media Group and DirecTV, including exclusive content from the race weekend only available at a NASCAR RV Resort. Additionally, campers will enjoy games, activities and retail opportunities with NASCAR themes every weekend, all season long.

"In a sense, NASCAR has been in the camping business for more than 60 years with NASCAR events representing some of the country's largest campgrounds 38 weeks out of the year. The infield of any NASCAR Sprint Cup track demonstrates NASCAR fans' strong association with camping and RV ownership," said Blake Davidson, managing director, licensed products for NASCAR. "That passion extends beyond the track and this partnership bringing our sport to these locations through a NASCAR RV Resort is a natural connection with our fan base."

The creation of NASCAR RV Resorts further solidifies NASCAR's position with the camping industry. Prior to the 2009 season, Camping World was named the title sponsor for the sports truck series as well as the top weekly developmental series.

"There are tremendous synergies between what Camping World does today and the NASCAR RV Resorts and we are looking forward to bringing our partners together to maximize the benefits for the NASCAR fans," said Davidson.

Race fans and their families and friends as well as non-racing families and friends will benefit as well with clean, safe, family friendly parks in some of the best locations in America.

"This is great news for RV Park owners and developers around the country. These new RV/Entertainment Centers will give the owner/developer the ability to convert or build their RV Park or site into a unique, one of a kind recreation and entertainment venue that fans and families alike will find exciting." said Robert J. Moser, president and CEO of NASCAR RV Resorts. "There is no better combination of two more American sports/lifestyles/pastimes then NASCAR and camping."

About NASCAR

The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, Inc. (NASCAR) is the sanctioning body for one of North America's premier sports. NASCAR is the No. 1 spectator sport - holding 17 of the top 20 highest attended sporting events in the U.S. and is the No. 2 rated regular season sport on television. NASCAR races are broadcast in more than 150 countries and 20 languages. NASCAR fans are the most brand loyal in all of sports, and as a result more Fortune 500 companies participate in NASCAR than any other sport.

NASCAR consists of three national series (the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, NASCAR Nationwide Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series) four regional series, and one local grassroots series, as well as two international series. Also, part of NASCAR is Grand-Am Road Racing, known for its competition on road courses with multiple classes of cars. NASCAR sanctions more than 1,200 races at 100 tracks in more than 30 U.S. states, Canada and Mexico. Based in Daytona Beach (Fla.), NASCAR has offices in New York, Los Angeles, Charlotte (N.C.), Concord (N.C.), Bentonville (Ark.), Mexico City and Toronto.

About Morgan RV Resorts

Morgan RV Resorts is the largest private owner and operator of RV parks in the U.S. Family owned and operated, the company provides quality, unique, affordable vacation accommodations in some of the country's most beautiful and family-friendly destinations.

About Silver Companies

Established in 1941, Silver Companies is a diversified real estate investment and development company. Silver Companies and private real estate investment funds that are organized and managed by the company are involved in the ownership and development of commercial, office, retail, hotel, residential and apartment properties.

SOURCE NASCAR

Newly Crowned 2009 American League Most Valuable Player Joe Mauer of the Minnesota Twins Announced as Cover Athlete of MLB(R) 10 The Show(TM) for PlayStation(R)3, PSP(R) (PlayStation(R)Portable), and PlayStation(R)2

All-Star Catcher Set to Knock One Out of the Park for Latest Installment of Best-Selling Baseball Game Franchise

FOSTER CITY, Calif., Dec. 17 Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc. (SCEA) announced today the North American release of the #1 selling and rated baseball game this generation, MLB® 10 The Show(TM). Gracing the cover for The Show is a ballplayer who needs no introduction--2-time Gold Glove winner, 3-time Silver Slugger, 3-time American League (AL) batting champion, and newly crowned 2009 American League Most Valuable Player (MVP), Joe Mauer of the Minnesota Twins will be the cover athlete for the latest installment of the best-selling Major League Baseball® (MLB®) franchise.

Available for PlayStation®3 (PS3(TM)), PSP® (PlayStation®Portable), PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) go, and PlayStation®2 systems, MLB 10 The Show is due to arrive in stores in March 2010, just in time for Spring Training. The Show has been the highest ranked officially licensed baseball title of this console generation (according to Metacritic), delivering true-to-life gameplay, authentic franchise and season modes, and incredible detail not found in any other game.

"I'm truly humbled to be chosen for the cover of MLB 10 The Show, a honor that has only added to a special year for me," said Joe Mauer, catcher, Minnesota Twins. "It's a dream of every sports fan to be on the cover a video game, so to have the chance to work with a leading franchise like The Show is really a thrill."

"Over the past four years we've seen the greatest offensive output from a catcher in the history of baseball. Joe is already in truly rarefied air with his three batting titles, an unprecedented feat for a catcher. With both The Sporting News and Sports Illustrated naming Mauer to their 'All-Decade Team,' he is destined to be an all-time great, and he's only 26," said Scott A. Steinberg, Vice President, Product Marketing, SCEA. "Similarly, The Show has become the highest rated, best selling baseball video game franchise of all time. So, as we look to add upon the richest and most immersive baseball experience, we could not ask for a more perfect ambassador to represent MLB 10 The Show."

In his breakout 2006 season, Mauer became the first catcher in Major League history to lead both leagues in batting average and the first American League catcher to win the batting title, finishing with a .347 average. In 2008, he showed off his versatility by winning his first Gold Glove Award, but still impressed at the plate becoming the first American League catcher to win the batting title twice, leading the AL with an average of .328.

In 2009, Mauer became the first catcher to lead the Major Leagues in batting average, on-base percentage, and slugging percentage in a single year--his .365 average was the all-time highest mark among catchers in MLB history. Mauer also won his second consecutive Gold Glove in 2009, followed by a near-unanimous win (27 out of 28 first place votes) for the American League MVP crown, only the second catcher in 33 years to win the AL MVP.

MLB 10 The Show is the first baseball game cover for Mauer, who joins an elite cast of MLB cover athletes and spokespersons to represent the franchise including Red Sox second baseman and 2008 AL MVP Dustin Pedroia, Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard, and New York Mets third baseman David Wright. As the newest representative of SCEA's baseball series and face of MLB 10 The Show, Mauer's duties include participation in the game's motion capture process, A.I. consultation, integration into all facets of the marketing campaign, and spokesperson for the franchise.

As Mauer continues to establish himself as one of the most talented individuals to play the game, MLB 10 The Show is also building upon an already stellar reputation for immersion and unparalleled delivery of the baseball experience. With several new key features and enhancements to the critically acclaimed title, MLB 10 The Show is poised to continue the franchise's reign as the premier MLB licensed game on any platform.

The long awaited Home Run Derby® leads the deep features list in MLB 10 The Show for the PS3 system. Fully implemented in the season modes and available as a stand alone feature, Home Run Derby follows the MLB rules and flow. The MLB®Futures Game(TM) will also be available within season modes in its correct timeframe (just before the HR Derby), as well as fully functional online leagues. The new online season leagues will save and display MLB player stats, track player energy, allow for trades/injuries, and offer 40-man roster functionality.

Additional new features for the PS3 game include "Catcher Mode," the ability to call the game as the catcher, select pitches, and be the ultimate field general, just like Joe Mauer. MLB 10 The Show will also offer daytime transitional lighting, user controlled pick-offs, a newly added "Movie Maker" menu giving the user the ability to select multiple replays to add to and edit a single movie, and 11 new stadiums. Five new Minor League stadiums will be introduced, as well as a selection of classic parks available on the PS3 system for the first time including Forbes Field, Crosley Field, The Polo Grounds, Shibe Park, Sportsman Park, and Griffith Stadium.

The popular "Road to The Show" mode returns with version 4.0 featuring the addition of two new interactive training modes, new settings, and new presentations. Interactive training will consist of a set of mini-games designed to improve a player's fielding and pitching ability, adding to last year's introduction of batting and base running training. "Franchise Mode" also returns to the game, including the 40-man roster, salary arbitration, waiver transactions and September call-ups.

For fans who want to take The Show on the go, MLB 10 The Show for the PSP and PSPgo systems delivers big baseball action in the palm of your hand by utilizing core gameplay features found on the PS3 system version.

Exclusive for PlayStation 2 system is the unrivaled "Player Creator," providing users with endless possibilities for creating players, including everything down to their player's face with EyeToy® USB Camera. Users can also adjust their personal rituals, swings, and even emotions as they create and place themselves in the heat of a pennant race.

The independent Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) rating for MLB 10 The Show is "RP" for "Rating Pending." For more information about the ESRB visit http://www.esrb.org.

About Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc.

Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc. continues to redefine the entertainment lifestyle with its PlayStation and PS one® game console, the PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system, the PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) and PSP® (PlayStation®Portable)go handheld entertainment systems, the ground-breaking PlayStation®3 (PS3(TM)) computer entertainment system and its online and network services the PlayStation®Network and PlayStation®Store.

Recognized as the undisputed industry leader, Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc. markets the PlayStation family of products and develops, publishes, markets, and distributes software for the PS one, PlayStation 2, PSP and PS3 systems for the North American market. Based in Foster City, Calif. Sony Computer Entertainment America, Inc. serves as headquarters for all North American operations and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.

Visit us on the Web at http://www.us.playstation.com.

Major League Baseball, Minor League Baseball and Hall of Fame trademarks and copyrights are used with permission of Major League Baseball Properties, Inc. and the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, Inc., respectively. All rights reserved. Visit the official website of Major League Baseball at MLB.com. Visit the official website of Minor League Baseball at www.minorleaguebaseball.com © MLBPA-Official Licensee, Major League Baseball Players Association. Visit www.MLBPLAYERS.com, the Players Choice on the web. (c) 2010 Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc. "PlayStation" and the "PS" Family logo are registered trademarks and PS3 and the PlayStation Network logo are trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.

SOURCE Sony Computer Entertainment America

CHF International (CHF), the international development and humanitarian assistance organization, today announced a partnership with Athletes for Hope and Luke Sassano, defensive midfielder for the New York Red Bulls. The partnership is part of Athletes for Hope's First Annual Who Gives! Racing for a Cause campaign, which begins today and runs through early January 2010.

Sassano will help to raise support for one of CHF's many programs in Rwanda, specifically focused on providing educational support for more than 45,000 orphaned and vulnerable children.

CHF's mission is to work in some of the poorest areas of the world, serving as a catalyst for long-lasting positive change in low- to moderate-income communities. In Rwanda, CHF is working to provide school fees and supplies, nutritional and psychosocial support, and vocational training for at-risk children. Additionally, CHF will be facilitating the development of parent-teacher associations (PTA) as well as Drop Out Prevention Response (DOPR) teams as part of its promotion of UNICEF and the Government of Rwanda's Child Friendly Schools (CFS) Initiative.

"I am very excited and honored to be working with CHF International and Athletes for Hope on the Racing for a Cause campaign," says Luke Sassano. "Working with CHF really appealed to me personally because of the many youth projects they have around the world. The initiative to get Rwandan child-headed households and orphans into local schools can help to ensure that their lives, which have been affected by genocide and HIV, can turn in a positive direction."

The Who Gives! Racing for a Cause challenge is the second phase of a unique 3-part social media and engagement campaign and is the largest virtual competition for charity featuring professional athletes. Sassano is a member of Athletes for Hope and is racing against 55 other athletes including Athletes for Hope Founders Mia Hamm, Alonzo Mourning, and Muhammad Ali. To view the leader board and to make a donation, visit http://www.globalgiving.org/leaderboards/athletes-for-hope.

The number of children needing support for school materials and uniforms far exceeds what CHF alone can provide. Without materials or a proper uniform, even a child who has found the money to pay school fees may not be able to attend school. Funds raised by Sassano and by public supporters on GlobalGiving.org will allow more children to access education, will encourage the development of child-friendly buildings, and will help to motivate PTAs, DOPR teams and school authorities as they navigate their newly-formed roles as community advocates.

"I personally know how important and invaluable a child's education is," says Sassano. "A simple elementary and high school education will give these children the knowledge and confidence that can give them opportunities that they could have only dreamed of before. I am truly inspired by the initiatives and actions of CHF International and I cannot wait to begin the Athletes for Hope Racing for a Cause Campaign."

ABOUT CHF INTERNATIONAL

CHF International is an international development and humanitarian assistance organization, currently working in more than 25 countries around the world. The organization's mission is to partner with low-income communities around the world to help them to improve and direct their lives and livelihoods. CHF International programs are community-led initiatives designed to build a better world. For more information, visit www.chfinternational.org or follow CHF International on Twitter @chfonline.

ABOUT LUKE SASSANO

Luke Sassano, an Orinda, CA native was drafted by the NY Red Bulls in the third round (32nd overall) in the 2008 MLS SuperDraft. A versatile player who can play both midfielder and defender earned his place in the starting XI during the Red Bulls 2008 playoff run. He made his MLS debut against Columbus on April 5 in the 2008 season opener. Sassano played in 18 games, starting 11 of them, in the regular 2008 season and started in all four playoff games as the Red Bulls made it all the way to the MLS Cup Final. Prior to his professional soccer career, Sassano served as team captain for the University of California-Berkeley where he was named All Pac-10 Honorable Mention in 2005.

Off the field, Sassano volunteers his own time at the Jubilee Center in Hoboken, an after-school and summer safe haven for children in Hoboken's public housing, a neighborhood with a history of gang activity, violence, and drug-related arrests. Along with his teammates, Sassano is also a frequent visitor at Hackensack Medical Center, bringing joy to the pediatric ward. He also participates annually in Dick's Sporting Goods "Shop with a Jock", a program where underprivileged children shop with a local athlete. Sassano is continually one of the Red Bulls that makes the most community appearances.

ABOUT ATHLETES FOR HOPE

Athletes for Hope is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization founded by an elite group of 12 professional athletes with a shared passion for philanthropy. Its mission is to educate, encourage, and assist athletes in their efforts to contribute to community and charitable causes; to increase public awareness of those efforts; and to inspire others to do the same. Athletes for Hope's 12 Founding Athletes are: Andre Agassi, Muhammad Ali, Lance Armstrong, Warrick Dunn, Jeff Gordon, Mia Hamm, Tony Hawk, Andrea Jaeger, Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Mario Lemieux, Alonzo Mourning and Cal Ripken, Jr.

SOURCE CHF International

Verizon is planning 1,000 simultaneous in-home football-watching parties on Feb. 7 - the biggest pro football day of the year. Hosted by Verizon FiOS TV customers, the parties will give tens of thousands of people the opportunity to experience the FiOS TV difference first-hand.

During the parties, hosts and their guests can use FiOS TV's innovative Twitter and Facebook widgets to post comments about the game on their TV screens, connecting them to other FiOS Game Day Viewing Parties and other big-game viewers across the nation.

"Once you see FiOS TV, you become a believer," said John Wimsatt, senior vice president of marketing for Verizon. "Our customers tell us they love showing off FiOS TV to their friends, families and neighbors, and our Game Day Viewing Party will help them do just that. We're looking forward to tens of thousands of people experiencing the biggest game of the year in a way that only FiOS TV delivers. From the stunning picture-and-sound quality to our unique interactive widgets, FiOS creates a game-changing game-day on TV."

FiOS TV customers can apply to be one of the 1,000 hosts by visiting houseparty.com/fiosgameday and filling out an online registration form. Hosts will be selected and notified by Jan. 22, 2010. Party hosts will receive a party pack with party supplies, small gifts for guests and a Flip Ultra(TM) camcorder.

Verizon is partnering with House Party, a leading consumer activation and experiential marketing company, to plan and manage the FiOS Game Day Viewing Parties.

The company also announced a corresponding Verizon FiOS Game Day Challenge online sweepstakes (verizon.com/biggame) with a grand prize of a trip for two to Miami, including hotel, airfare, tickets to the big game, spending money and all transfers.

FiOS TV Advanced Features Enhance Football Viewing

The immense capacity of Verizon's advanced all-fiber-optic network gives FiOS subscribers amazing new services and experiences that take in-home sports enjoyment to a level that far surpasses old-school cable. A few of the FiOS TV features that Verizon FiOS Game Day Viewing Party attendees could have the opportunity to experience include:

• Stunning Picture-and-Sound Quality: FiOS TV delivers pure HD picture and sound. Unlike some cable providers, FiOS TV HD quality is not deteriorated by the recompression of HD signals before they are passed on to customers. Plus, FiOS TV offers 100 percent digital quality on every channel.
• Pro Football Widget: Keeps subscribers up to the minute on NFL action with quick access to rosters, player details and headline news.
• Twitter Widget: Subscribers can use FiOS TV's unique Twitter Widget to log on to Twitter to offer up their own game commentary right on their TV screen while watching the game.
• Home Media DVR: Subscribers never have to miss a game because they're away or because the family wants to watch something else on the big screen. Verizon's advanced DVR lets subscribers record programming on one set that can then be watched on up to six other TV sets in the home. Subscribers can also pause recorded programming on one set and continue to watch it on another - and can take the recorded game to any room without missing a play.
• Remote DVR Management: Forgot to set the DVR to record the game? No worries. Subscribers can remotely manage their FiOS DVR via any broadband connection or any broadband-enabled cell phone.
• Media Manager: Subscribers can create their own personal half-time show by using Verizon's Media Manager service to stream photo slide shows, music and videos from their home computer or laptop to their home entertainment system.

For more information on the many unique features of FiOS TV and FiOS Internet services, visit http://factsonfios.com/reasons.html. For current cost-savings promotions, visit verizon.com/fios.

Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE: VZ), headquartered in New York, is a global leader in delivering broadband and other wireless and wireline communications services to mass market, business, government and wholesale customers. Verizon Wireless operates America's most reliable wireless network, serving more than 89 million customers nationwide. Verizon also provides converged communications, information and entertainment services over America's most advanced fiber-optic network, and delivers innovative, seamless business solutions to customers around the world. A Dow 30 company, Verizon employs a diverse workforce of more than 230,000 and last year generated consolidated revenues of more than $97 billion. For more information, visit www.verizon.com.

VERIZON'S ONLINE NEWS CENTER: Verizon news releases, executive speeches and biographies, media contacts, high quality video and images, and other information are available at Verizon's News Center on the World Wide Web at www.verizon.com/news. To receive news releases by e-mail, visit the News Center and register for customized automatic delivery of Verizon news releases.

SOURCE Verizon

NASCAR, Morgan RV Resorts and Silver Companies have announced a license to create "NASCAR RV Resorts," a new branded concept to bring the sights, sounds and thrills of NASCAR to family camping locations across the country. The first 13 locations include sites in eight different states and future expansion goals are for hundreds of additional locations in the next 10 years.

Beginning in the spring of 2010, the first NASCAR RV Resorts will come online and incorporate a full NASCAR experience for campers, including live NASCAR races shown on giant screens. These locations are: Stonebridge Park in Maggie Valley, N.C.; NASCAR RV Resort of Mays Landing, N.J.; Indian Creek RV Resort in Geneva-on-the-Lake, Ohio; Westward Ho Campground in North Kettle Moraine, Wisc.; Adirondack Gateway RV Resort in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.; Indiana Beach Campground in Monticello, Ind.; Wild Acres in Old Orchard Beach, Maine; Virginia Park RV Resort in Old Orchard Beach, Maine; Wagon Wheel in Old Orchard Beach, Maine; Megunticook Campground by the Sea in Rockport, Maine; Camden Hills RV Resort in Rockport, Maine, Endless Caverns and RV Resort, New Market, Va. and Blueberry Hills RV Resort in Bushnell, Fla.

These locations will be rebranded and include activities providing the camper a full NASCAR experience away from the track such as tailgate events, televised race coverage on jumbo screens through NASCAR Media Group and DirecTV, including exclusive content from the race weekend only available at a NASCAR RV Resort. Additionally, campers will enjoy games, activities and retail opportunities with NASCAR themes every weekend, all season long.

"In a sense, NASCAR has been in the camping business for more than 60 years with NASCAR events representing some of the country's largest campgrounds 38 weeks out of the year. The infield of any NASCAR Sprint Cup track demonstrates NASCAR fans' strong association with camping and RV ownership," said Blake Davidson, managing director, licensed products for NASCAR. "That passion extends beyond the track and this partnership bringing our sport to these locations through a NASCAR RV Resort is a natural connection with our fan base."

The creation of NASCAR RV Resorts further solidifies NASCAR's position with the camping industry. Prior to the 2009 season, Camping World was named the title sponsor for the sports truck series as well as the top weekly developmental series.

"There are tremendous synergies between what Camping World does today and the NASCAR RV Resorts and we are looking forward to bringing our partners together to maximize the benefits for the NASCAR fans," said Davidson.

Race fans and their families and friends as well as non-racing families and friends will benefit as well with clean, safe, family friendly parks in some of the best locations in America.

"This is great news for RV Park owners and developers around the country. These new RV/Entertainment Centers will give the owner/developer the ability to convert or build their RV Park or site into a unique, one of a kind recreation and entertainment venue that fans and families alike will find exciting." said Robert J. Moser, president and CEO of NASCAR RV Resorts. "There is no better combination of two more American sports/lifestyles/pastimes then NASCAR and camping."

About NASCAR

The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, Inc. (NASCAR) is the sanctioning body for one of North America's premier sports. NASCAR is the No. 1 spectator sport - holding 17 of the top 20 highest attended sporting events in the U.S. and is the No. 2 rated regular season sport on television. NASCAR races are broadcast in more than 150 countries and 20 languages. NASCAR fans are the most brand loyal in all of sports, and as a result more Fortune 500 companies participate in NASCAR than any other sport.

NASCAR consists of three national series (the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, NASCAR Nationwide Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series) four regional series, and one local grassroots series, as well as two international series. Also, part of NASCAR is Grand-Am Road Racing, known for its competition on road courses with multiple classes of cars. NASCAR sanctions more than 1,200 races at 100 tracks in more than 30 U.S. states, Canada and Mexico. Based in Daytona Beach (Fla.), NASCAR has offices in New York, Los Angeles, Charlotte (N.C.), Concord (N.C.), Bentonville (Ark.), Mexico City and Toronto.

About Morgan RV Resorts

Morgan RV Resorts is the largest private owner and operator of RV parks in the U.S. Family owned and operated, the company provides quality, unique, affordable vacation accommodations in some of the country's most beautiful and family-friendly destinations.

About Silver Companies

Established in 1941, Silver Companies is a diversified real estate investment and development company. Silver Companies and private real estate investment funds that are organized and managed by the company are involved in the ownership and development of commercial, office, retail, hotel, residential and apartment properties.

SOURCE NASCAR

Red Bull Open Ice has gone global! Year two of the toughest pond hockey tournament has teams from several countries gearing up to prove their stamina and skills on the open ice. Red Bull Open Ice will begin with a series of local tournaments all over the world bringing the winning teams from each to one final match in Minneapolis on February 20, 2010.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20091217/AQ27588)

No rules, no regulations, Red Bull Open Ice is about love of the game -- bringing the spirit and tradition of hockey back to its origins on frozen lakes and ponds. The only requirements are passion, a little talent and, of course, a helmet and skates. No frills, indoor arenas or concession stands. Skating in freezing temperatures, the players are there for one reason only, to play the sport as it was meant to be played -- raw, without arena luxury and where pure skill takes center stage.

"So what, you're bringing international teams. Bring it on, we can take them! Kip's Pub is coming back with a vengeance -- nobody is taking us down," said John Konrad, Team Captain of Kip's Pub (now called Schlitz Gusto) -- last year's tournament champions. "I have the trophy from last year and we are not planning to lose it!"

Red Bull is taking over ponds and lakes throughout the United States, Finland and Slovenia, creating open invitation, all-day matches for everyone and anyone to compete. Keep your eyes peeled for some professional hockey players to hit the ice including one ex-Red Bull Salzburg player. People can apply on a first come, first serve basis but there are only 16 slots available so sign up quickly.

U.S. Local Match Schedule:

• January 2 - 3, Duluth, MN, Twin Ponds Park
• January 9 - 10, Edina, MN, Centennial Lakes
• January 23 - 24, Glencoe, IL, Watts Ice Center
• January 30 - 31, Detroit, MI, Walled Lake/Bayside Bar and Grill
• February 6 - 7, Minneapolis, MN, Van Cleve Park
• February 13 - 14, Stillwater, MN, Lilly Lake Park
• February 13 - 14, Rochester, NY, Mendon Ponds Park
• February 20, FINAL TOURNEY, Minneapolis, MN, Lake Calhoun

Red Bull Open Ice is an event not to be missed. The international competition will bring unrivaled intensity and ferocity pushing both players and their fans to their limits. To get more information on the tournament, local details, or to submit an entry, visit www.redbull-openice.com.

SOURCE Red Bull North America - Midwest Region

With the 2010 Winter Olympics approaching, Zagat today released its 2010 Vancouver Survey, covering 298 of the city's finest restaurants, nightspots, attractions and hotels. The Survey is based on the input of 2,721 local consumers, and spans venues across Vancouver, Whistler, Victoria and Vancouver Island. It shows that although locals are feeling the economic pinch, there is no shortage of good deals or new hot spots in Vancouver.

"The commercial influx of tourism expected with the Games will no doubt stimulate the dining and entertainment industries throughout the region," said Zagat Survey CEO Tim Zagat. "We hope that our new guide will serve as a useful tool for both locals and visitors who want to experience all that Vancouver has to offer at this special time."

Expanding Eats: In preparation for the throngs of athletes, spectators and media, Vancouver has expanded its ever-growing culinary scene. This year's top-rated newcomer, Maenam on the West Side, promises a mix of "authentic, flavourful" Thai plates and "elegant service." In addition, the city has welcomed a veritable "who's who" of restaurant industry leaders, including New York's Jean-Georges Vongerichten, with his Downtown Market by Jean-Georges and Daniel Boulud, who opened db Bistro Moderne and revitalized existing restaurant, Lumiere. Other exciting newcomers include affordable French Au Petit Chavignol, Downtown's Cibo, West End's Nook, and Les Faux Bourgeois on the East Side.

Bargain Dining: Local diners feeling the economic pinch may be more attentive to prices (30%) and eating at less expensive places (24%), but there is no shortage of good deals in Vancouver. Leading the way is this year's Top Bang for the Buck, Nat's New York Pizzeria, a West End and West Side eatery that offers "superb" pizza at a modest price. The presence of prix fixe menus at Cru and Pied-a-Terre will continue to entice weary spenders, as will Dine Out Vancouver, which has been pushed back until after the Winter Games. The small-plates trend is reverting back to Spanish-style tapas, highlighted by newcomer Mis Trucos, newly opened (December '09) Cafe Barcelona and soon-to-open Judas Goat.

West Side: The West Side is the focus for new restaurants, starting with the previously mentioned Maenam (Top Newcomer). Also on the West Side is the "local favourite" La Brasserie and Trattoria Italian Kitchen, a lower-priced sibling to Downtown's Italian Kitchen. These affordable newcomers, along with aforementioned prix fixe menus, explain why 40% of surveyors say they're finding better dining deals. Since the guide went to print, Fuel has closed and reopened as refuel, with a more moderately priced menu. Elsewhere in the city are Granville Street's The Edge and eco-friendly The Refinery, as well as Lebanese siblings Nuba Restaurant (Gastown) and Nuba Cafe (Downtown). The top ten Best Buys (in order of rating) include:

    1.  Nat's New York Pizzeria                     6.  Cafe Medina
    2.  Pajo's                                      7.  Saravanaa Bhavan
    3.  Go Fish!                                    8.  Nuba Restaurant/Cafe
    4.  Vera's Burger                               9.  Vij's Rangoli
    5.  Tomahawk Barbecue                           10. Gyoza King

Winners: This year's winner for Top Food is La Belle Auberge, located in Ladner and described as one of the "best-kept secrets" with "world-class" cuisine from chef Bruno Marti. Following behind are Vij's (winner for Most Popular in this Survey), Cioppino's, Le Crocodile and ToJo's. Queen Elizabeth Park serves as the backdrop for this year's Top Decor winner, Seasons in the Park, and Bishop's takes home the award for Top Service. The full list of restaurant winners is as follows:

                  Vancouver          Victoria/Vancouver Is.   Whistler
    --------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Top Food      La Belle Auberge   Panache                  Bear Foot Bistro
    --------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Top Decor     Seasons in the     Empress Room             Edgewater Lodge
                    Park
    --------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Top Service   Bishop's           Hastings House           Bear Foot Bistro
    --------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Most Popular  Vij's              Keg Steakhouse           Keg Steakhouse
                                       & Bar                    & Bar
    --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Plan Ahead: As an expected 2.3 million attendees will descend on Vancouver by mid-February, locals and visitors should plan for changing traffic patterns, enhanced security zones and extra travel time when maneuvering the city. Keeping this in mind, anyone who wants to make reservations over the phone would be wise to call ahead.

To Your Health: The healthy dining trend continues, with 72% of surveyors favouring low-carb, low-fat, heart healthy menu items and 81% favouring organic, locally grown foods. Even more impressive is the fact that 68% are willing to pay more for these "green" menu items. As for trans fats, an overwhelming 74% of surveyors feel they should be banned from restaurants. The locavore movement (born in British Columbia with the publication of 100-Mile Diet) continues to be trendsetting, with Raincity Grill offering a special tasting menu, as well as BC Wines, which promotes locally produced wines that are not only popular, but award-winning.

Diners Speak Out: Vancouver diners eat out an average of 2.7 times per week, which is on par with Toronto and Montreal (2.7 and 2.8, respectively), but below the U.S. average of 3.2. When asked how their dining habits have been affected by the economic downturn, 32% say they are eating out less, while 19% are skipping appetizers/desserts and 17% are cutting back on alcohol. Service is still the weak link of the local dining scene, with 79% naming it their top dining irritant. On the upside, since the economic downturn, 33% of surveyors feel their patronage is more appreciated, 25% are eating healthier and 19% are able to score hard-to-get reservations.

The Survey in Detail: Local Zagat content is available whenever and wherever diners need it, in a full range of formats: ZAGAT.com, the award-winning ZAGAT.mobi (for web-enabled mobile devices), ZAGAT TO GO for iPhone, Android and smartphones and Zagat's free augmented reality application nru, also for Android. These mobile applications offer signature ratings, reviews and cost estimates, as well as features ranging from click-to-call and online reservations capability to location-based widgets. The 2010 Vancouver guidebook ($6.95 U.S.; $7.95 Canadian) was edited by Cynthia Kilian and Tim and Heather Pawsey, and is available in all major bookstores or online at ZAGAT.com. For information about the Survey and to find additional statistics, please visit http://www.zagat.com/presscenter. And there's also Zagat via Facebook and Twitter @ZagatBuzz!

About Zagat Survey, LLC

Known as the "burgundy bible," Zagat Survey is the world's most trusted source for information about where to eat, drink, stay and play around the globe, and as such has become a symbol of quality. Zagat Survey rates and reviews airlines, restaurants, hotels, nightlife, movies, music, golf, resorts, shopping, spas and a range of other entertainment categories in more than 100 countries. It has been lauded as the "most up-to-date, comprehensive and reliable guides ever published" and as "a necessity second only to a valid credit card." Zagat content is available in print, on the web, on the mobile web, iPhone, BlackBerry and on TV. For more information, visit ZAGAT.com.

SOURCE Zagat Survey

During Super Bowl Weekend the K & H Group will host one of Miami's biggest entertainment events at Jungle Island. The three day event is scheduled to take place beginning Friday, February 5th through Sunday, February 7th. Jungle Island will be the place for lots of celebrity sightings, exclusive parties and VIP events.

On Friday, February 5, will be "Fusin Unplugged." The event will kick-off with the Venus Williams Tennis Clinic, a star-studded beach concert featuring Common & Friends, in addition to an indoor concert headlined by Maze featuring Frankie Beverly. The evening will close with an Old School Hip Hop show featuring Sugar Bear & EU, Chuck Brown, Big Daddy Kane, MC Lyte, Kid Capri and more.

Saturday, February 6, Russell Simmons & Dr. Ben Chavis will host the annual Hip Hop Summit. Sean Kingston will celebrate his birthday on the beach hosted by Roxy & Terrance of 106 N Park with several live surprise performances. The not-for profit organization Starlent will be hosting a talent showcase for up-and-coming artists. Later in the evening Musiq Soulchild, Tamia, Debra Cox, and Kelly Price of the Queens Project will host an indoor concert at Jungle Island and later that evening Common will host a star-studded beach concert and after party with friends, Cool & Dre, MC Lyte, and Biz Markie.

Sunday, February 7, the big game day begins with the Gospel Explosion Concert and worship service hosted by Bishop Fernandez of the Faith Center in Sunrise, FL. Then in the early afternoon Kymani Marley will host the Bob Marley Birthday concert in honor of his father along with Freddie McGregor & Third World. Trey Songs and Fabolous will host the indoor concert.

Jungle Island is sure to be the place where everyone will be during the weekend of the big game festivities. The Big Game Extravaganza is one of the few events that will be attractive to families and visitors to the South Florida area since this is the first time that the NFL will not produce an NFL Experience for families during Super Bowl XLIV(TM).

    MEDIA CONTACT:
    --------------
    Anthony Jackson
    The Marome Agency
    (954) 765-1995
    anthony@maromeagency.com

    Dhaima Smart
    Miami Big Game
    (954) 557-1171
    dhaima@miamibiggame.com

SOURCE K & H Group

If you have an Alaska traveler on your gift list, here's a stocking suffer on steroids: the Great Alaskan TourSaver. (http://www.toursaver.com)

This compact guide features more than 130 travel deals: flights, cruises, lodges, fishing, whale-watching, adventures -- the works. With more than $26,000 in 2-for-1 values, the book (retail price: $99.95) can pay for itself after using just ONE coupon. TourSaver is a must-have Alaska travel vacation guide for the 49th state. (http://www.toursaver.com/index.php/alaska-vacation-info)

Travelers of every stripe will save big bucks this year, whether they're cruising up the Inside Passage or exploring the far reaches of the Last Frontier. Here are some of this year's top picks:

a. 2-for-1 Misty Fjords flightseeing in Ketchikan with Taquan Air.

b. 2-for-1 whale-watching in Juneau with Alaska Galore Tours.

c. 2-for-1 Kenai Fjords National Park cruise with Kenai Fjords Tours.

d. 2-for-1 Denali rail/lodging package from Anchorage to Denali National Park with Princess Lodges.

e. 2-for-1 Riverboat Discovery tour in Fairbanks.

f. 2-for-1 halibut fishing in Homer and Seward with Ninilchik Charters.

g. 2-for-1 airfare from Fairbanks to Barrow on Era Aviation.

h. 2-for-1 7-day wilderness adventure in Lake Clark National Park from Alaska Alpine Adventures.

i. 2-for-1 lodging in Wrangell-St. Elias National Park at Kennicott Glacier Lodge.

j. 2-for-1 lodging in Denali Park, Homer, Seward, Valdez, Anchorage, Fairbanks, Valdez -- and more.

k. 2-for-1 deluxe dinner cruise in Kodiak with Galley Gourmet.

... and much more.

Now in its 12th year of publication, every single offer in the Great Alaskan TourSaver is 2-for-1: adventures, attractions, admissions and activities. Thumb through the handy pocket-sized guide to find 2-for-1 offers in Sitka, Wrangell, Skagway, Dawson City, Denali Park, Barrow, Chicken, Healy, Talkeetna, Kenai, Katmai National Park ... and many other remote locations throughout the state. Travelers from around the world have written rave reviews about the TourSaver. (http://www.toursaver.com/index.php/alaska-tours)

The Great Alaskan TourSaver is the perfect stocking stuffer for travelers to Alaska who want to see more, do more and spend less!

Check out the complete list of offers online, where you can place your order securely: http://www.toursaver.com.

    Contact:

    Scott McMurren
    E: zoom@toursaver.com
    P: 907-727-1113
    W: http://www.toursaver.com

This release was issued through eReleases(TM). For more information, visit http://www.ereleases.com.

SOURCE Great Alaskan TourSaver

Jagermeister, the brand known for consumer level innovative marketing programs and promotions, will once again be recognized as the official and exclusive spirit sponsor world's premiere stadium off-road motorcycle circuit: the 2010 Monster Energy® AMA Supercross, an FIM World Championship. Jagermeister is the first distilled spirit to sponsor AMA Supercross.

Monster Energy® Supercross fans will experience "Jager World" through the brand's various initiatives on the 17-stop racing circuit. In addition to sponsoring the 2010 supercross season, Jagermeister will sponsor the Freestyle Motocross Jump Team to perform at supercross races, which includes top riders from around the world, including - Mike Metzger and "Cowboy" Kenny Bartram. The state-of-the-art Jagermeister Mobile Stage will be setup in the pit area of the stadiums* and will feature live music and DJs throughout the day. Jagermeister also plans to host riders and VIPs 21 years of age or older in the Jagermeister Dome, complete with the world renowned Jagerettes and various interactive games. At select Monster Energy® Supercross races throughout the 2010 season, Jagermeister will be conducting a text to win sweepstakes. Prizes include a brand new KTM/Jagermeister motorcycle and Jagermeister Tap Machines.

"Monster Energy® Supercross has proven to be a great platform for Jagermeister and we look forward to increasing our presence in the 2010 season," stated Bill Henderson, Senior Vice President of Marketing and Advertising. "We are excited to continue building momentum in the supercross arena with the best in the industry, Feld Motor Sports(SM) and top FMX riders Metzger and Bartram."

"We are looking forward to another successful season with the Jagermeister supercross partnership," said Todd Jendro, Senior Director of Operations, Feld Motor Sports(SM). "Their global brand awareness and on-site activation will continue to enhance the overall supercross experience."

"I am looking forward to getting back to my roots of supercross again," says Bartram. "Even though I am not racing in the race, I feel like I am a big part of supercross again with the Jagermeister FMX team." Mike Metzger adds, "I'm excited to be at the Supercross and Outdoor Nationals and ride with Cowboy Kenny Bartram and the MOB Syndicate riders Rob Distler & Thomas Alves."

Activation of the Jagermeister supercross sponsorship begins with the season opener at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, California on January 9, 2010 and will take place in 15 markets throughout the country. The 2010 Monster Energy® Supercross schedule is located on Jagermeister's newly redesigned website, www.jager.com.

Know your limits. Always Drink Responsibly.

*The Jagermeister Mobile Stage will be present in the following cities: Anaheim, Phoenix, San Francisco, San Diego, Dallas, Jacksonville, Houston, St. Louis, Salt Lake City and Las Vegas.

About Jagermeister

Jagermeister, which translates to "master hunter", is the #1 selling imported liqueur in the United States and one of the top shot brands in the world. The liqueur is based on a secret recipe of 56 herbs, blooms, roots and fruits from around the world. Jagermeister, with the distinctive square bottle, was first developed in 1934 in Germany and the brand quickly gained global fame through its innovative marketing, unique taste profile and its association with good times. Jagermeister Liqueur is 35% Alc./Vol. and imported exclusively by Sidney Frank Importing Company, Inc., New Rochelle, NY www.jager.com. Jagermeister is available in the following sizes in the United States: 50ml, 100ml, 200ml, 375ml, 750ml, 1L, 1.75L. DRINK RESPONSIBLY

About Feld Motor Sports(SM)

Feld Motor Sports, Inc. is the world leader in specialized arena and stadium-based motor sports entertainment. Feld Motor Sports, Inc. productions include Monster Jam®, Monster Energy® Supercross, AMA Arenacross Series, Freestyle Motocross, Nuclear Cowboyz(SM) and IHRA® Nitro Jam®. Feld Motor Sports, Inc. is a division of Feld Entertainment, the world's largest producer of live family entertainment. For more information on Feld Entertainment, visit www.feldentertainment.com.

    Kate Laufer
    Sidney Frank Importing Company, Inc.
    Director of Public Relations
    914-637-5752
    Klaufer@sidneyfrank.com

SOURCE Jagermeister

During Super Bowl Weekend the K & H Group will host one of Miami's biggest entertainment events at Jungle Island. The three day event is scheduled to take place beginning Friday, February 5th through Sunday, February 7th. Jungle Island will be the place for lots of celebrity sightings, exclusive parties and VIP events.

On Friday, February 5, will be "Fusin Unplugged." The event will kick-off with the Venus Williams Tennis Clinic, a star-studded beach concert featuring Common & Friends, in addition to an indoor concert headlined by Maze featuring Frankie Beverly. The evening will close with an Old School Hip Hop show featuring Sugar Bear & EU, Chuck Brown, Big Daddy Kane, MC Lyte, Kid Capri and more.

Saturday, February 6, Russell Simmons & Dr. Ben Chavis will host the annual Hip Hop Summit. Sean Kingston will celebrate his birthday on the beach hosted by Roxy & Terrance of 106 N Park with several live surprise performances. The not-for profit organization Starlent will be hosting a talent showcase for up-and-coming artists. Later in the evening Musiq Soulchild, Tamia, Debra Cox, and Kelly Price of the Queens Project will host an indoor concert at Jungle Island and later that evening Common will host a star-studded beach concert and after party with friends, Cool & Dre, MC Lyte, and Biz Markie.

Sunday, February 7, the big game day begins with the Gospel Explosion Concert and worship service hosted by Bishop Fernandez of the Faith Center in Sunrise, FL. Then in the early afternoon Kymani Marley will host the Bob Marley Birthday concert in honor of his father along with Freddie McGregor & Third World. Trey Songs and Fabolous will host the indoor concert.

Jungle Island is sure to be the place where everyone will be during the weekend of the big game festivities. The Big Game Extravaganza is one of the few events that will be attractive to families and visitors to the South Florida area since this is the first time that the NFL will not produce an NFL Experience for families during Super Bowl XLIV(TM).

    MEDIA CONTACT:
    --------------
    Anthony Jackson
    The Marome Agency
    (954) 765-1995
    anthony@maromeagency.com

    Dhaima Smart
    Miami Big Game
    (954) 557-1171
    dhaima@miamibiggame.com

SOURCE K & H Group

Atos Origin, the Worldwide Information Technology (IT) Partner for the Olympic Games and the holder of the largest sports-related IT contract in the world, has been recognized for its Games-related sustainability technology innovations and commitment to creating greener Games. The Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC) awarded Atos Origin a "Sustainability Star" for helping it achieve its sustainability goals.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20090210/DA68663LOGO)

As part of its partnership and collaboration with the International Olympic Committee, Atos Origin is continually looking at ways to minimize the environmental impact of the Olympic Games. With such a high-profile project, the goal is to measure the direct, indirect and associated levels of carbon generation and seek to deliver tangible improvements.

Atos Origin developed technology solutions and undertook specific measures that helped VANOC reduce the 2010 Winter Games' carbon footprint in terms of energy savings, CO2 emissions reduction and enhanced access of information via online portals.

These include:

• deploying an environmentally-friendly infrastructure through the use of virtualization. The design of a more efficient IT infrastructure helps to reduce electricity consumption by 30% in several instances;
• the first-ever online volunteer platform developed and operated by Atos Origin for the 2010 Winter Games processed over 50,000 applications from people in 100 countries, thus mainly reducing paper consumption and the associated greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions;
• the online Accreditation System, deployed for the first time in Vancouver, significantly contributes to reduce the amount of paper used during the 2010 Winter Games. Previously, applications for accreditation were printed and sent around the world.

Atos Origin also won praise for its remote Commentator Information System that gives media direct access to instantaneous competition results and its remote INFO System that allows media to access the Olympic Family intranet, including event information, schedules, athlete biographies, results and weather forecasts.

"The Sustainability Star program has been created to recognize our partners who have demonstrated excellence in rising to the challenge of creating projects with positive and measurable social, economic and environmental benefits that are new to the Games or Host Region," said Ann Duffy, VANOC's corporate sustainability officer. "The commitment by our partners, like Atos Origin, has been collaborative and innovative and this in turn has helped to significantly enhance the overall sustainability performance of the 2010 Games and provide markets world-wide with enhanced technology information solutions."

"We are honoured to receive the VANOC Sustainability Star in recognition for contributing to a greener Olympic Games," said Atos Origin's Patrick Adiba, Executive Vice President, Olympic Games and Major Events at Atos Origin. "Technology has a key role to play in helping all organisations save energy, minimise use of natural resources and reduce carbon emissions. The Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games are a great example of some of the possibilities."

Atos Origin holds the largest sports-related IT contract in the world. The contract with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) began with Salt Lake City in 2002, Athens in 2004, Torino in 2006, Beijing in 2008, Vancouver in 2010 and London in 2012. The contract was renewed in 2009 for Sochi in 2014 and Rio de Janeiro in 2016. Atos Origin designs, integrates, manages and secures the multiple IT systems needed to manage the Olympic Games and the IT systems that communicate results to the world.

As a global and responsible company, Atos Origin is committed to implement sustainable best practices in environmental, social and ethical areas throughout its organization and in its business, and contributes to promoting and developing sustainable behaviour by positively influencing its stakeholders to take into consideration sustainability in their decision making. Atos Origin helps its clients advance their future, reduce their carbon footprint and ensure future corporate viability through the delivery of innovative and greener solutions.

About Atos Origin

Atos Origin is a leading international information technology (IT) services company, providing hi-tech transactional services, consulting, systems integration and managed operations to deliver business outcomes globally. The company's annual revenues are EUR 5.5 billion and it employs 50,000 people. Atos Origin is the Worldwide Information Technology Partner for the Olympic Games and has a client base of international companies across all sectors. Atos Origin is quoted on the Paris Eurolist Market and trades as Atos Origin, Atos Worldline and Atos Consulting. For further information, please visit www.atosorigin.com

Read more on Atos Origin solutions contributing to a Greener Olympic Games

Going for Green at the Olympic Games

Photos

http://www.flickr.com/photos/atosorigin

Social media

For up-to-the-minute information on the IOC and regular updates, please follow us on Twitter.

Blog

http://www.atosorigin.com/vancouverblog

SOURCE Atos Origin

Nine-time world surfing champion Kelly Slater comes to IMAX® and other Giant Screen theaters in early February with the premiere of The Ultimate Wave Tahiti, shown in both 3D and 2D formats. For those hoping to get an early look at the action and Tahiti's beauty in director Stephen Low's film, the distributor has launched a new Website, www.ultimatewavetahiti.com, as well as releasing the trailer and poster art for the upcoming feature.

According to Mark Kresser of K2 Communications, Inc., the Website includes an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at the two-year production and provides an insight to the many challenges faced by the crew. It also paints a personal picture of the relationship that developed between Slater and his Tahitian surfing partner, Raimana Van Bastolaer, as they tackled Teahupo'o, considered one of the most difficult waves in the world.

"So much of the film is a human interest story as the local Tahitian community plays host to Kelly's quest for the perfect wave," said Kresser.

He said the trailer for The Ultimate Wave Tahiti, available on the Website and soon debuting in selected Giant Screen theaters, will provide a glimpse of both the surf action and familiarity between the surfers that is integral to the film's storyline.

The poster art for The Ultimate Wave Tahiti is also being released in conjunction with the Website and trailer. Phil Roberts, well-known surf lifestyle artist, was commissioned to produce a unique look for the film, concentrating on both the Slater persona and the famed Tahitian wave.

Kresser said, "The Roberts art treatment provides a blend of strong graphics and striking colors that do justice to the spectacular Tahitian scenery and the majesty of Teahupo'o."

At the core of the film is wave-formation science that helps the viewer understand the genesis and growth of waves like Teahupo'o that deliver the highest energy density of any renewable resource. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) provided scientific consultation for the film and will be creating film-related outreach activities to communicate messages related to the care and protection of the world's oceans.

The Ultimate Wave Tahiti, which will premiere Feb. 8, 2010 at the Los Angeles Science Center IMAX Theater, is produced by The Stephen Low Company in association with K2 Communications and havoc Television. Underwriting and marketing for the film was provided by Suzuki, Tahiti Tourisme, and Quiksilver.

Related Links

The Ultimate Wave Tahiti website

Ultimate Wave Tahiti Facebook Fan page

SOURCE K2 Communications

Chicago's newest and only undefeated pro football team, the Chicago Bliss (2-0) are hosting their Home Finale this Friday, December 18th at Sears Centre Arena in Hoffman Estates, IL.

The Lingerie Football League (or 'LFL') has become one of POP culture and Sports' biggest stories of 2009, featuring some of America's most beautiful and athletic women playing 7-on-7 full-contact tackle football on Friday nights at major arenas and stadiums, as part of LFL, Friday Night Football. The inaugural season of the LFL features (10) teams which include the Western Conference (San Diego Seduction, Seattle Mist, Los Angeles Temptation, Denver Dream, Dallas Desire) and the Eastern Conference (Chicago Bliss, New York Majesty, Philadelphia Passion, Tampa Breeze, Miami Caliente).

The Chicago Bliss will host Eastern Conference rival Philadelphia Passion in a Playoff-clinching game. Only two teams from each LFL conference will advance to the Conference Playoffs in Miami, FL Super Bowl weekend, with winners of the conference playoffs advancing to the seventh annual Lingerie Bowl (LFL Championship Game).

Chicago Bliss fans will start the party early with a 730PM CST LFL Tailgate Village festivities and Kickoff at 9PM CST.

**In anticipation of the BIG game, the ladies of the Chicago Bliss in uniform will be hosting a Media Day on Tuesday, December 15th at Frozen Ropes Training Center (Chicago) at 11AM - 12PM CST.

Chicago Bliss 2009 / 2010 Inaugural Season Schedule

Game 1 - Miami Caliente 19 @ Chicago Bliss 29

Game 2 - Chicago Bliss 27 @ Tampa Breeze 18

Game 3 - Dec. 18, 2009 - Philadelphia Passion @ Chicago Bliss

Official League Website - www.LFLUS.com

Official Chicago Bliss Website - www.MyChicagoBliss.com

    MEDIA  DAY
    MEET THE 2009 / 2010 CHICAGO BLISS
    TUESDAY, DECEMBER 15, 2009
    FROZEN ROPES TRAINING CENTER
    6000 West Touhy Avenue | Chicago, IL 60646
    11AM - 12PM CST

    LFL, FRIDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL
    PHILADELPHIA PASSION AT CHICAGO BLISS
    FRIDAY, DECEMBER 18, 2009
    SEARS CENTRE ARENA
    5333 Prairie Stone Parkway || Hoffman Estates, IL 60192
    7PM CST MEDIA CHECK-IN
    9PM CST KICKOFF

Lingerie Football League - Where True Fantasy Football Lives

    Kyle Bolin
    VP, Business Affairs
    Lingerie Football League, LLC.
    P 323.337.9010 ext 3115
    F 323.656.7155
    www.LFLUS.com

SOURCE Lingerie Football League, LLC

Video B-Roll available via CNW - Yang Yang, Chinese Olympic superstar, carries the flame in PEI

VANCOUVER, Dec. 12 /PRNewswire/ - Yang Yang, China's first ever Olympic Winter Games gold medalist, and the first person to carry the Olympic flame on mainland China in 2008, ran as an international torchbearer for the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Torch relay on Prince Edward Island. In previous visits to Canada, Ms Yang enjoyed the extraordinary experiences of Nova Scotia, PEI and Montreal.

Video package contains footage of Yang Yang carrying the flame in PEI and enjoying summer and winter experiences including tidal bore rafting, Celtic dancing lesson and fiddling, shopping in Montreal and oyster shucking in PEI. Package also includes general footage of the flame passing through Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia including the Green Gables house and NHL superstar Sydney Crosby's torch run.

    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    WEB Video Preview and Download link:

    http://ctc.pathfireondemand.com/viewpackage.action?packageid=278

    TIME OF POSTING: 12:00 Eastern
    DATE OF POSTING: Saturday December 12, 2009

    All video can be viewed by clicking on the link. Broadcast quality video
    is available for download by accredited journalists. Please contact
    broadcast@newswire.ca for access.
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------

    STATIONS, FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CALL:

    John Parker-Jervis
    Senior Media Advisor, 2010 Media Relations
    Canadian Tourism Commission
    Tel 604 377-4358
    parker-jervis.john@ctc-cct.ca

For assistance with Broadcast On-Demand, please contact CNW at broadcast@newswire.ca or 416-863-2115.

CNW Broadcast On-Demand http://cnw.pathfireondemand.com provides free, secure and easy-to-use broadcast quality material direct from our website to accredited journalists worldwide.

This material is offered for free and unrestricted news use.

SOURCE CNW Broadcast Services

Nine-time world surfing champion Kelly Slater comes to IMAX® and other Giant Screen theaters in early February with the premiere of The Ultimate Wave Tahiti, shown in both 3D and 2D formats. For those hoping to get an early look at the action and Tahiti's beauty in director Stephen Low's film, the distributor has launched a new Website, www.ultimatewavetahiti.com, as well as releasing the trailer and poster art for the upcoming feature.

According to Mark Kresser of K2 Communications, Inc., the Website includes an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at the two-year production and provides an insight to the many challenges faced by the crew. It also paints a personal picture of the relationship that developed between Slater and his Tahitian surfing partner, Raimana Van Bastolaer, as they tackled Teahupo'o, considered one of the most difficult waves in the world.

"So much of the film is a human interest story as the local Tahitian community plays host to Kelly's quest for the perfect wave," said Kresser.

He said the trailer for The Ultimate Wave Tahiti, available on the Website and soon debuting in selected Giant Screen theaters, will provide a glimpse of both the surf action and familiarity between the surfers that is integral to the film's storyline.

The poster art for The Ultimate Wave Tahiti is also being released in conjunction with the Website and trailer. Phil Roberts, well-known surf lifestyle artist, was commissioned to produce a unique look for the film, concentrating on both the Slater persona and the famed Tahitian wave.

Kresser said, "The Roberts art treatment provides a blend of strong graphics and striking colors that do justice to the spectacular Tahitian scenery and the majesty of Teahupo'o."

At the core of the film is wave-formation science that helps the viewer understand the genesis and growth of waves like Teahupo'o that deliver the highest energy density of any renewable resource. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) provided scientific consultation for the film and will be creating film-related outreach activities to communicate messages related to the care and protection of the world's oceans.

The Ultimate Wave Tahiti, which will premiere Feb. 8, 2010 at the Los Angeles Science Center IMAX Theater, is produced by The Stephen Low Company in association with K2 Communications and havoc Television. Underwriting and marketing for the film was provided by Suzuki, Tahiti Tourisme, and Quiksilver.

Related Links

The Ultimate Wave Tahiti website

Ultimate Wave Tahiti Facebook Fan page

SOURCE K2 Communications

    WHAT:  The Dallas Cowboys and HDlogix will explain HDlogix's new
           ImageIQ 3D(TM) technology converting HD video signals from
           the stadium's Sony 2D cameras to 3D in real time.

           A press conference will be held prior to the game in which
           the ImageIQ 3D technology will be used. Then, at the end of
           halftime and during the start of the second half of the Dallas
           Cowboys-San Diego Chargers game, the Cowboys will
           display the first live 3D broadcast ever to be shown on
           the world's largest HDTV display at Cowboys Stadium.
           Measuring 160 feet in length and 72 feet in height on the
           sideline boards -- the largest video board installation in
           the world -- the four board video cluster, suspended 90
           feet directly over the center of the playing surface, stretches
           from the 20-yard line to the 20-yard line.

           This broadcast is yet another way Cowboys Stadium
           enhances the fan experience.  By taking the latest in 3D
           technology and combining it with the world's largest HD
           display, Cowboys Stadium will once again be the place
           where technology and innovation come together for the
           benefit of the fans in attendance.

           The development of ImageIQ 3D was based on HDlogix's
           expertise in live video communications and super-resolution
           products. ImageIQ 3D incorporates sophisticated algorithms
           such as real-time optical flow and image structure analysis
           capabilities to reconstruct the entire geometry of the scene
           contained within each video frame. Unlike other 3D conversion
           solutions, ImageIQ 3D runs in real-time, without the need for
           any manual intervention. ImageIQ 3D outputs true 3D stereo
           video suitable for display on screens ranging from ordinary
           televisions to the world's largest HDTV.



    WHO:   The Dallas Cowboys Football Club and HDlogix

    WHEN:  1:30 PM CST
           Sunday, December 13, 2009

    WHERE: Cowboys Stadium Radio Lounge (Silver Level)
           1 Legends Way
           Arlington, TX
           Room: Radio Lounge

    Media Contacts:

                        Brett Daniels for the Dallas Cowboys
                        972.556.9954 (office)
                        bdaniels@dallascowboys.net

                        Jim Carlson for HDlogix
                        720.220.7753 (cell)
                        jim@carlsoncopr.com

SOURCE HDlogix

New England football star Jarvis Green will highlight the grand opening celebration slated for Webster Bank's new Providence banking office, Tuesday, Dec. 15 from 12 - 2 p.m.

The public is invited to stop by the new banking office to meet Green, who will be signing autographs:

           Webster Bank Open House
      100 Westminster Street, Providence
          Tuesday, December 15, 2009
                Noon - 2 p.m.
          (next door to Au Bon Pain)

Webster's new Providence banking office offers a full line of products and services for individuals, businesses, non-profits and government-related offices and agencies. Based in Waterbury, Connecticut, Webster Bank (NYSE: WBS) is the largest independent commercial banked headquartered in New England.

Webster Financial Corporation is the holding company for Webster Bank, National Association. With $17.8 billion in assets, Webster provides business and consumer banking, mortgage, financial planning, trust and investment services through 181 banking offices, 492 ATMs, telephone banking and the Internet. Webster Bank owns the asset-based lending firm Webster Business Credit Corporation, Center Capital Corporation, an equipment finance company headquartered in Farmington, Conn., and provides health savings account trustee and administrative services through HSA Bank, a division of Webster Bank. Member FDIC and equal housing lender. For more information about Webster, including past press releases and the latest annual report, visit the Webster website at www.websteronline.com.

    CONTACT:
    Brenda Greene
    +1-401-228-2083
    +1-401-644-6707
     (cell)

SOURCE Webster Bank

The first live 3D broadcast ever to be shown on giant video screens at a major sporting event was unveiled today at Cowboys Stadium, electrifying over 80,000 fans who were given 3D glasses upon entering the stadium. Beginning with the second half kickoff of the Dallas Cowboys-San Diego Chargers football game, the enormous center-hung display in the spectacular new stadium was converted from high definition 2D, enabling fans to view both live action and instant replays in 3D.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20091213/PH25315 )

Measuring 160 feet in length and 72 feet in height on the sideline boards--the largest video board installation in the world--the four board video cluster, suspended 90 feet directly over the center of the playing surface, stretches from the 20-yard line to the 20-yard line. Its massive size allowed fans on all levels in the stadium to view the game in crisp, clear 3D images during the second half.

The technology that made the conversion from 2D to 3D possible was created by HDlogix of Edison, NJ, a leader in imaging and video-based products for the world's consumers, entertainment companies and service providers. In addition to its technology for large public venues, the company's new ImageIQ 3D(TM) technology--which will be shown to the public for the first time at 2010 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas next month--will enable for the first time real-time conversion of any HDTV signal to 3D on any 3D-ready display.

"The HDlogix 3D technology experienced by the Dallas Cowboys fans today at Cowboys Stadium will soon be enjoyed by television viewers around the world," said Jim Spinella, President and CEO of HDlogix. "Our new ImageIQ 3D(TM) technology will make it possible for anyone to enjoy 3D video of sporting events, feature movies and television shows whether they were produced in 3D or not. We believe it is the next significant evolution in television viewing."

About HDlogix

HDlogix focuses on building imaging and video-based products and services. Its three primary product lines are: ImageIQ, an extensive suite of image and video optimization and enhancement technologies; Clique, a set of mobile and desktop video communications client software applications; and Hue, a popular range of colorful high definition web cameras. The company has spent over a decade in advanced video research and holds an extensive portfolio of intellectual property which provides unique product differentiation and underpins continuous innovation.

SOURCE HDlogix

In its 25th year of honoring the nation's best high school athletes, The Gatorade Company, in collaboration with ESPN RISE, today announced Malcolm Jones of Oaks Christian School (Westlake Village, Calif.) as its 2009-10 Gatorade® National Football Player of the Year. Jones was surprised with the news during his fourth period Bible class at Oaks Christian by MLB's American League MVP Joe Mauer, who earned Gatorade® National Football Player of the Year honors in 2000-01.

"When I received this award in 2000, it was a really significant moment for me, so it felt great to surprise Malcolm with the news and invite him into one of the most prestigious legacy programs in high school sports," said Minnesota Twins Catcher Joe Mauer. "Gatorade has been on the sidelines fueling athletic performance for years, so to be recognized by a brand that understands the game and truly helps athletes perform is a huge honor for these kids."

The award, which recognizes not only outstanding athletic excellence, but also high standards of academic achievement and exemplary character demonstrated on and off the field, distinguishes Jones as the nation's best high school football player. A national advisory panel comprised of sportswriters and sport-specific experts from around the country helped select Jones from more than 1.1 million high school football players nationwide. Jones is now a finalist for the prestigious Gatorade® Male High School Athlete of the Year award, to be presented at a special afternoon ceremony prior to The ESPY Awards in July.

The 6-foot-1, 220-pound senior running back and linebacker has led the Lions to a 13-0 record and a showdown with Serra High in the CIF Northwest Division finals, scheduled for Dec. 11. At the time of his selection, Jones had rushed for 2,156 yards and 36 touchdowns on 198 carries. A 2010 U.S. Army All-American, he also recorded 136 tackles through 13 games, including 91 solo tackles, along with three interceptions, two sacks, and two fumble recoveries. Jones also collected two receiving touchdowns and three defensive touchdowns. The 2008 CIF Football Player of the Year, Jones has led Oaks Christian, ranked as the nation's No. 3 team in both the USA Today Super 25 and ESPN RISE FAB 50 polls this week, to 34 consecutive victories while rushing for more than 5,000 yards as a four-year varsity standout.

Jones has maintained a 3.46 GPA in the classroom. A peer math tutor at his school and goodwill ambassador for the Tarzana-Encino Hospital Pediatric ICU, he has volunteered locally as a youth basketball referee and at the Dream Center in Los Angeles on behalf of at-risk teens.

"In crunch time, you go to Jones," said Oaks Christian Head Coach Bill Redell, who also coached former Notre Dame Quarterback Jimmy Clausen in the Lions program. "I've had the privilege to coach a lot of talented football players and he's right up there with the best of them. He is really something special."

Jones has verbally committed to play football on scholarship at UCLA beginning in the fall of 2010.

"Without question, Malcolm is deserving of recognition as the nation's best high school football player based on his statistics on the field and the impact his accomplishments have had on Oaks Christian's success," said Gatorade Senior Vice President of Sports Marketing Jennifer Storms. "But he is also a shining example to peers and aspiring young players of what a leader and a student-athlete should be. He represents everything we hope for in a Gatorade® Player of the Year recipient."

The Gatorade® Player of the Year program annually recognizes one winner in the District of Columbia and each of the 50 states that sanction high school football, girls volleyball, boys and girls cross country, boys and girls basketball, boys and girls soccer, baseball, softball, and boys and girls track & field, and awards one National Player of the Year in each sport. The selection process is administered by ESPN RISE and the Gatorade high school sports leadership team, which work with top sport-specific experts and a media advisory board of accomplished, veteran prep sports journalists to determine the state winners in each sport.

Former notable Gatorade® National Players of the Year include:

• Super Bowl Most Valuable Player Peyton Manning
• WNBA all-time leading scorer and rebounder Lisa Leslie
• Reigning American record-holder in the mile Alan Webb
• NFL all-time leading rusher Emmitt Smith
• Softball Olympic gold medalist Cat Osterman
• Kansas City Royals ace Zach Grienke

To celebrate the award's 25th anniversary, Gatorade wants you to vote for the All-Time Greatest Football Player of the Year at www.gatorade.com/POY25. To keep up to date on the latest happenings, become a fan of Gatorade® Player of the Year on Facebook and follow us on Twitter. For more information on the Gatorade® Player of the Year program, including nomination information, a complete list of former winners, and future announcement dates, visit http://playeroftheyear.gatorade.com.

      ALL-TIME GATORADE NATIONAL FOOTBALL PLAYERS OF THE YEAR
  YEAR         NAME             HIGH SCHOOL                STATUS

 2009-10   Malcolm Jones    Oaks Christian School     High School Senior
                             /Westlake Village, CA
 2008-09 Garrett Gilbert        Lake Travis HS       University of Texas
                                 /Austin, TX
 2007-08   Matt Barkley          Mater Dei HA           University of
                                /Santa Ana, CA       Southern California
 2006-07   John Brantley     Trinity Catholic HS    University of Florida
                                  /Ocala, FL
 2005-06   Mitch Mustain        Springdale HS           University of
                               /Springdale, AR        Southern California
 2004-05    Greg Paulus  Christian Brothers Academy  Syracuse University
                                /Syracuse, NY
 2003-04    Jeff Byers           Loveland HS            University of
                                /Loveland, CO         Southern California
 2002-03    Kyle Wright         Monte Vista HS          NFL Free Agent
                                /Danville, CA
 2001-02  Lorenzo Booker      St. Bonaventure HS        NFL Free Agent
                                 /Ventura, CA
 2000-01     Joe Mauer        Cretin-Derham Hall       Minnesota Twins
                                /St. Paul, MN
 1999-00   Brock Berlin   Evangel Christian Academy     NFL Free Agent
                               /Shreveport, LA
 1998-99    Chris Lewis         Polytechnic HS           Retired from
                               /Long Beach, CA            NFL Europe
 1997-98   Ronald Curry           Hampton HS            NFL Free Agent
                                 /Hampton, VA
 1996-97   Travis Minor          Catholic HS            St. Louis Rams
                               /Baton Rouge, LA
 1995-96     Tim Couch         Leslie County HS        Retired from NFL
                                  /Hyden, KY
 1994-95    Brock Huard          Puyallup HS           Retired from NFL
                                /Puyallup, WA
 1993-94  Peyton Manning     Isidore Newman Schoo     Indianapolis Colts
                              l/New Orleans, LA
 1992-93    Ron Powlus            Berwick HS            University of
                                 /Berwick, PA         Notre Dame (Coach)
 1991-92    Chris Walsh       Cretin-Derham Hall       Retired from NFL
                                /St. Paul, MN
 1990-91 Marquette Smith        Winter Park HS          Osceola Ghost
                               /Lake Howell, FL         Riders (Coach)
 1989-90   Robert Smith           Euclid HS            Retired from NFL
                                 /Euclid, OH
 1988-89    Terry Kirby            Tabb HS             Retired from NFL
                                  /Tabb, VA
 1987-88    Curtis Bray           Gateway HS                Temple
                               /Monroeville, PA       University (Coach)
 1986-87   Emmitt Smith          Escambia HS           Retired from NFL
                                /Pensacola, FL
 1985-86    Jeff George       Warren Central HS        Retired from NFL
                              /Indianapolis, IN

SOURCE Gatorade

True Temper Sports, Inc., the world's leading manufacturer of golf shafts and performance sports equipment, announced today that it has completed its financial restructuring plan, originally announced on September 30th. The plan, which was approved by the Company's lenders in September, was formally confirmed by the U.S. Court in Delaware on November 30th, and brings to a close the Company's debt restructuring under the court's oversight.

The resulting new capital structure represents a substantial improvement in True Temper's balance sheet, as a group of investors led by Newport Global Advisors and Providence Equity Partners have joined together to acquire a majority equity interest in the Company. The significant new capital investment and resulting loan repayments, combined with the overall debt restructuring, resulted in eliminating over 80% of the Company's indebtedness. In addition to the debt reduction, True Temper has also obtained a new revolving credit facility led by GE Capital.

Commenting on the new capital structure, Scott Hennessy, President and CEO noted, "This is an extremely positive outcome for our Company, and the completion of our financial restructuring certainly marks the beginning of a new day for True Temper Sports. We are very well positioned for the future, with a supportive new ownership group dedicated to the long-term success of the Company, and a capital structure that will now enable us to accelerate our global growth initiatives. We are also pleased that our plan was fully implemented with no impact to our employees, customers, or suppliers; and that our underlying operations remained unaffected by this balance sheet restructuring."

Looking to the future, Mr. Hennessy noted, "With this financial restructuring now behind us, we can once again put our full focus on the design and manufacture of the world's best golf shafts and performance sports equipment. It has certainly been a challenging year for the entire industry, but we are now seeing clear signs of recovery in our business. The current level of demand is requiring us to increase our production output and recall a number of our furloughed manufacturing employees, as we expect this trend to continue. We are budgeting for a double digit rebound in sales revenue over the next few months, and substantial improvement throughout 2010. The overall growth for next year should be driven by favorable economic and industry factors, in addition to our own new product line-up, which is arguably the most robust in our Company's history. We believe True Temper is more than ready to not only maintain but to grow our leadership position for years to come."

About the Company

True Temper Sports, Inc. ("True Temper", "True Temper Sports" or the "Company") is the leading manufacturer of golf shafts in the world, and is consistently the number one shaft on all professional tours globally. The Company markets a complete line of shafts under the True Temper®, Grafalloy® and Project X® shaft brands, and sells these brands in more than 30 countries throughout the world. True Temper is proudly represented by more than 800 individuals in ten facilities located in the United States, Europe, Japan, China and Australia.

SOURCE True Temper Sports, Inc.

Four nominees have been announced for the AT&T All-America Player of the Year award, and only the fan votes will determine the top college football player in the nation. In the only collegiate national player of the year award determined solely by the fans, University of Alabama running back Mark Ingram, University of Texas quarterback Colt McCoy, University of Nebraska defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh and University of Florida quarterback Tim Tebow have been selected by ESPN as the nation's top candidates based on their outstanding performances throughout the season, and AT&T* is relying on fans to determine who rules the gridiron.

"Each year we have a quality group of finalists for AT&T All-America Player of the Year and this group is no exception," said Tim McGhee, executive director, AT&T corporate sponsorships. "College football fans will have a tough choice selecting one winner from these four outstanding players. AT&T wishes each of the players the best of luck."

Fans - regardless of wireless carrier - can sign up to vote by sending the text message** VOTE to 345345 from a wireless phone. Those who participated in the AT&T All-America Player of the Week voting will automatically receive a text message with the nominees for AT&T All-America Player of the Year. Standard text messaging and data rates apply.

Voting for the AT&T All-America Player of the Year is open until Wednesday, Jan. 6 at 11:59 p.m. ET. The selection process will culminate with an announcement during the Bowl Championship Series National Championship game on ABC Jan. 7.

The credentials of the candidates are impressive, as they have led their teams to a combined record of 47-5, including two of the four nominees' teams recording perfect seasons at 13-0. In addition, Texas and Alabama will battle it out in the BCS National Championship Game and Florida will appear in a major BCS bowl. All four nominees are Heisman Trophy candidates. Below is an overview of each candidate's qualifications:

University of Alabama running back Mark Ingram broke the Alabama single-season rushing record with 1,542 yards and 15 rushing touchdowns. He averaged 118.6 yards rushing per game and 6.2 yards per carry while catching 30 passes for 322 yards and three touchdowns. In addition, he racked up 1,864 all-purpose yards and 18 touchdowns during the Crimson Tide's undefeated season. Named the 2009 SEC Offensive Player of the Year by the Associated Press, Ingram also won AT&T's All-America Player of the Week in week seven after he carried the ball 24 times for a career-high 246 yards and the game-clinching touchdown in the Alabama's win over South Carolina. Ingram will lead the Crimson Tide against University of Texas in the BCS National Championship Game on Jan. 7.

Colt McCoy, University of Texas quarterback, led the team in total offense with 3,328 passing yards and 368 rushing yards, averaging 308 yards per game. During the Longhorns' undefeated season, he threw 27 passes for touchdowns and rushed for three. McCoy's 70.5 completion percentage ranks third nationally. In addition, he won AT&T's All-America Player of the Week in week 13 when he passed for 304 yards and ran for a career-high 175 yards with five total touchdowns in Texas' win at Texas A&M. He is the first player in the school's history to be nominated twice as a Heisman finalist. McCoy will lead the Longhorns against University of Alabama in the BCS National Championship Game on Jan. 7.

University of Nebraska defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh led the Cornhuskers with 82 total tackles (23 for loss) and 12 sacks, which is the third most in Nebraska history. Suh had a prolific game against University of Texas in the Big 12 Championship, producing a career-best 4.5 sacks along with a team-high 12 tackles - seven of which were for a loss. Suh will lead the Cornhuskers against University of Arizona in the Pacific Life Holiday Bowl on Dec. 30.

In his third year nominated for AT&T's All-America Player of the Year, University of Florida's quarterback Tim Tebow threw for 2,413 yards, 18 touchdowns and only five interceptions. He also led the team in rushing yardage with 859 yards and 13 touchdowns. Named the 2009 first-team All-SEC quarterback from the Associated Press, Tebow led the SEC in completion percentage with 65.2 and is second in passing efficiency with 155.6, lowest interception percentage with 1.8 and rushing touchdowns with 13. He is the first player to be invited to the announcement of the Heisman Trophy three times. Tebow will lead the Gators against University of Cincinnati in the Allstate Sugar Bowl on Jan. 1.

Last year, Texas Tech quarterback Graham Harrell was honored as the AT&T All-America Player of the Year, edging Heisman Trophy winner Sam Bradford of Oklahoma, Texas' Colt McCoy and Florida's Tim Tebow.

Additionally, AT&T customers can view video highlights and photos of each candidate and track select teams through AT&T's wireless NCAA Football Portal, which is accessible on AT&T handsets equipped with AT&T MEdia(TM) Net by launching the application and clicking through to the sports category.

Through the AT&T MEdia Net, fans can also download fight song ringtones from more than 150 colleges and universities. Animated screensavers and 3-D mobile wallpaper are available for more than 100 colleges and universities.

For more information about AT&T products and services, visit www.att.com.

AT&T CV requires a MEdia Max Unlimited or MEdia Net Unlimited bundle. Details on AT&T's MEdia Net bundles and other offers are available at http://www.att.com/wireless.

*AT&T products and services are provided or offered by subsidiaries and affiliates of AT&T Inc. under the AT&T brand and not by AT&T Inc.

** No purchase necessary. Standard text messaging applies.

About AT&T

AT&T Inc. (NYSE: T) is a premier communications holding company. Its subsidiaries and affiliates - AT&T operating companies - are the providers of AT&T services in the United States and around the world. With a powerful array of network resources that includes the nation's fastest 3G network, AT&T is a leading provider of wireless, Wi-Fi, high speed Internet and voice services. AT&T offers the best wireless coverage worldwide, offering the most wireless phones that work in the most countries. It also offers advanced TV services under the AT&T U-verse(SM) and AT&T | DIRECTV(SM) brands. The company's suite of IP-based business communications services is one of the most advanced in the world. In domestic markets, AT&T's Yellow Pages and YELLOWPAGES.COM organizations are known for their leadership in directory publishing and advertising sales. In 2009, AT&T again ranked No. 1 in the telecommunications industry on FORTUNE® magazine's list of the World's Most Admired Companies.

Additional information about AT&T Inc. and the products and services provided by AT&T subsidiaries and affiliates is available at http://www.att.com. This AT&T news release and other announcements are available at http://www.att.com/newsroom and as part of an RSS feed at www.att.com/rss. Or follow our news on Twitter at @ATTNews. Find us on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/ATT to discover more about our consumer and wireless services or at www.facebook.com/ATTSmallBiz to discover more about our small business services.

© 2009 AT&T Intellectual Property. All rights reserved. 3G service not available in all areas. AT&T, the AT&T logo and all other marks contained herein are trademarks of AT&T Intellectual Property and/or AT&T affiliated companies.

SOURCE AT&T Inc.

ActionView International, Inc. (Pink Sheets: AVEW) today announced projected 2010 revenue based on the growth of its MatchFights subsidiary and the World Championship Full Contact (WCFC) brand. ActionView is projecting estimated pay-per-view net income of $935,000 per event, and with the company's proposed ten events in 2010, ActionView projects $7,700,000 in revenue for the year with profits of $2,300,000 million.

The next WCFC live event is scheduled for February 13, 2010 at the Rail Event Center in Salt Lake City, Utah and is expected to be the first of 6 future events anticipated for Salt Lake City.

The premiere MatchFights event held on September 25, 2009 featured fourteen fighters from broad fight backgrounds, including MMA, Muay Thai, boxing and street fighting, matched up in seven full contact bouts and a ring girl contest. Highlights of the event can be found at www.wcfc.com.

"While achieving 100,000 pay-per-view subscribers is an ambitious goal for our next several events, we do believe that we can reach these numbers as our comprehensive marketing program is fully implemented," stated Gary Nerison, Chairman of ActionView International.

Shareholders and anyone interested in monitoring the progress of the company are encouraged to subscribe to the electronic mailing list at www.actionviewint.com.

About ActionView International, Inc.

ActionView International (www.actionviewint.com) has completed its acquisition of MatchFights, LLC, which is now the focus of the company's operations. MatchFights, LLC and its World Championship Full Contact property deliver live, high-definition, pay-per-view events, including no-holds-barred, full contact fights, in an interactive venue over the Internet to a global audience. The live events will have broad appeal and include elements of fighting, music, ring girl contests, and other live entertainment as part of the broadcast. For additional information about MatchFights and its World Championship Full Contact brand, please visit www.wcfc.com.

Contact:
ActionView International, Inc.
Investor Relations
951-200-4107
investors@actionviewint.com

SOURCE ActionView International, Inc.

True Temper Sports, Inc., the world's leading manufacturer of golf shafts and performance sports equipment, announced today that it has completed its financial restructuring plan, originally announced on September 30th. The plan, which was approved by the Company's lenders in September, was formally confirmed by the U.S. Court in Delaware on November 30th, and brings to a close the Company's debt restructuring under the court's oversight.

The resulting new capital structure represents a substantial improvement in True Temper's balance sheet, as a group of investors led by Newport Global Advisors and Providence Equity Partners have joined together to acquire a majority equity interest in the Company. The significant new capital investment and resulting loan repayments, combined with the overall debt restructuring, resulted in eliminating over 80% of the Company's indebtedness. In addition to the debt reduction, True Temper has also obtained a new revolving credit facility led by GE Capital.

Commenting on the new capital structure, Scott Hennessy, President and CEO noted, "This is an extremely positive outcome for our Company, and the completion of our financial restructuring certainly marks the beginning of a new day for True Temper Sports. We are very well positioned for the future, with a supportive new ownership group dedicated to the long-term success of the Company, and a capital structure that will now enable us to accelerate our global growth initiatives. We are also pleased that our plan was fully implemented with no impact to our employees, customers, or suppliers; and that our underlying operations remained unaffected by this balance sheet restructuring."

Looking to the future, Mr. Hennessy noted, "With this financial restructuring now behind us, we can once again put our full focus on the design and manufacture of the world's best golf shafts and performance sports equipment. It has certainly been a challenging year for the entire industry, but we are now seeing clear signs of recovery in our business. The current level of demand is requiring us to increase our production output and recall a number of our furloughed manufacturing employees, as we expect this trend to continue. We are budgeting for a double digit rebound in sales revenue over the next few months, and substantial improvement throughout 2010. The overall growth for next year should be driven by favorable economic and industry factors, in addition to our own new product line-up, which is arguably the most robust in our Company's history. We believe True Temper is more than ready to not only maintain but to grow our leadership position for years to come."

About the Company

True Temper Sports, Inc. ("True Temper", "True Temper Sports" or the "Company") is the leading manufacturer of golf shafts in the world, and is consistently the number one shaft on all professional tours globally. The Company markets a complete line of shafts under the True Temper®, Grafalloy® and Project X® shaft brands, and sells these brands in more than 30 countries throughout the world. True Temper is proudly represented by more than 800 individuals in ten facilities located in the United States, Europe, Japan, China and Australia.

SOURCE True Temper Sports, Inc.

Now in its fourth year of heralding college football coaches who demonstrate sportsmanship, integrity and responsibility on and off the field, Liberty Mutual Insurance today announced the 25 finalists for the 2009 Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year Award. Liberty Mutual will award one winner from each NCAA division $50,000 to donate to the charity of their choice and a $20,000 grant to donate to their school's alumni association for student scholarships and activities, bringing the Award's four-year charitable and scholarship contribution to nearly $1 million. The winners will be announced January 6, 2010, in Los Angeles, in advance of the BCS Championship Game.

The finalists (10 from the Football Bowl Subdivision and five each from the Football Championship Subdivision, Division II and Division III) were determined by the result of online fan votes at www.CoachoftheYear.com and an objective scoring model endorsed by the College Football Hall of Fame. Each coach was among the top 15 in fan votes in his division to qualify for the model, which considers, among other criteria: wins, team penalties, on-field sportsmanship, academic achievement by the student-athletes, and civic and philanthropic endeavors.

"These 25 Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year finalists demonstrate that college football is about more than winning on the field," said Archie Manning, Chairman of the National Football Foundation & College Football Hall of Fame. "They embody the spirit of the sport by inspiring greatness and leadership in their athletes, whether in the stadium, in the classroom, or in their communities."

2009 Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year Finalists (listed in alphabetical order)

Football Bowl Subdivision:

Mack Brown, University of Texas

Pete Carroll, University of Southern California

Kirk Ferentz, University of Iowa

Al Golden, Temple University

Paul Johnson, Georgia Institute of Technology

Brian Kelly, University of Cincinnati

Joe Paterno, Penn State University

Gary Patterson, Texas Christian University

Nick Saban, University of Alabama

Dabo Swinney, Clemson University

Football Championship Subdivision:

Tom Gilmore, College of the Holy Cross

Jerry Moore, Appalachian State University

Danny Rocco, Liberty University

Bob Spoo, Eastern Illinois University

John Stiegelmeier, South Dakota State University

Division II:

Bo Atterberry, Texas A&M University - Kingsville

Danny Hale, Bloomsburg University

Bill Maskill, Midwestern State University

Bob Nielson, University of Minnesota - Duluth

Mel Tjeerdsma, Northwestern Missouri State University

Division III:

Steve Briggs, Susquehanna University

Greg Debeljak, Case Western Reserve University

John Gagliardi, Saint John's (Minn.) University

Steve Staker, Coe College

John Troxell, Franklin & Marshall College

"College football fans again expressed their passion for their teams and coaches by casting hundreds of thousands of votes to help produce this year's impressive list of finalists," said Greg Gordon, senior vice president of Consumer Marketing at Liberty Mutual. "Each of these 25 coaches has made a great impact on the lives of their student athletes and their communities and we are proud to recognize them as Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year finalists."

Between December 15 and December 29 fans can visit www.CoachoftheYear.com to vote among the finalists. Fan votes constitute 20 percent of a coach's final score.

To ensure candidates are evaluated fairly and measured against the specific values of responsibility and integrity, selection committees of College Football Hall of Fame players and coaches - including Archie Manning, Lou Holtz, Vince Dooley, Ronnie Lott, and Jerry Rice - and the national college football media will also cast votes for the winners. Hall of Fame and media votes account for 55 percent and 25 percent, respectively.

Launched in 2006, Liberty Mutual created the Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year Award to celebrate responsible coaching because it is one of the clearest examples of a positive influence on young people, their families and entire communities. Past winners include 2006 - Greg Schiano (Rutgers); 2007 - Ron Zook (Illinois), Jerry Kill (Southern Illinois), Bill O'Boyle (Chadron State), John Gagliardi (Saint John's); 2008 - Nick Saban (Alabama), Mickey Matthews (James Madison), Chuck Broyles (Pittsburg State), Larry Kehres (Mount Union).

About Liberty Mutual Group

"Helping people live safer, more secure lives" since 1912, Boston-based Liberty Mutual Group (Libertymutualgroup.com) is a diversified global insurer and fifth-largest property and casualty insurer in the U.S. based on 2008 direct written premium. Liberty Mutual Group ranks 86th on the Fortune 500 list of largest U.S. corporations, based on 2008 revenue. The company has over 45,000 employees located in more than 900 offices throughout the world.

The eighth-largest auto and home insurer in the U.S., Liberty Mutual (libertymutual.com) sells full lines of coverage for automobile, homeowners, valuable possessions, personal liability, and individual life insurance. The company is an industry leader in affinity partnerships, offering car and home insurance to employees and members of more than 12,000 companies, credit unions, professional associations and alumni groups.

About the National Football Foundation & the College Football Hall of Fame

Founded in 1947 with leadership from General Douglas MacArthur, legendary Army coach Earl "Red" Blaik and immortal journalist Grantland Rice, The National Football Foundation & College Football Hall of Fame, a non-profit educational organization, runs programs designed to use the power of amateur football in developing scholarship, citizenship and athletic achievement in young people. With 121 chapters and 12,000 members nationwide, NFF programs include the College Football Hall of Fame in South Bend, Ind., the NFF Hampshire Honor Society, Play It Smart, the NFF-FWAA Football Forum, the NFF Gridiron Club of New York City, and scholarships of over $1 million for college and high school scholar-athletes. The NFF presents the MacArthur Trophy, the Draddy Trophy, presented by HealthSouth, and releases the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) Standings. Learn more at www.footballfoundation.org or www.collegefootball.org

SOURCE Liberty Mutual Group

Unlike commercial fishing, the major player in depleted fish populations, sport fishing makes up less than 12 percent of the global harvest. And though they are equipped with the latest tools and technology to increase their haul, today's sport fisherman embodies a surprising combination of conservation and conquest.

With one eye on environmental responsibility and the other on sportsmanship, most sport fishers have adopted a plethora of sustainable fishing techniques. From reduced-impact gear like lead-free lures to biodegradable bait and hooks, recreational fishermen now have ample opportunities to land their next big catch while preserving big game fish populations for future anglers.

An ardent proponent of aquatic habitat conservation, the International Game Fish Association supports fishermen with guidelines that promote ethical sport fishing practices, including instructions for the best catch-and-release tactics.

"Releasing fish is important, but more important is the way fish are caught and released. Using circle hooks with bait and fish-friendly handling practices that minimize slime loss and damage to the fish help ensure that released fish have the chance to reproduce, and perhaps be caught again," says Jason Schratwieser, Conservation Director for IFGA.

"In my experience, 90 percent of sport fishermen follow the rules," says Captain Lee A. Campbell of the Panama Big Game Fishing Club in Boca Chica, Panama, where sport fishing is a huge draw for serious marine fishermen. In order for the region to maintain its status as a sport fishing hotspot, Panama players like Campbell stress the importance of sustainability.

"Panama is lucky to have a great population of fish, and we want it to stay that way," says Campbell. "If sustainable practices are followed and commercial fishing is banned, Panama could remain one of the best sport fishing destinations in the world. It's too late for many fishing destinations which have already depleted their fish, but for Panama there's still time."

Amble Resorts, an environmentally responsible real estate development company, supports sustainable sport fishing for their new Panama eco resort, The Resort at Isla Palenque. Amble President Ben Loomis notes, "Done correctly, sport fishing is very sustainable. Certainly catch-and-release fishing has a limited impact. But even if we're catching several tuna or Wahoo and taking them back home to share, our impact is nothing compared to commercial fishermen."

Loomis concludes, "Isla Palenque is a great jumping-off point for sport fishing throughout Panama's Gulf of Chiriqui, and we want to protect that. We're less than two hours from famous sites like Hannibal Bank, and we've got a number of other great locations within 45 minutes, like Ladrones or Islas Secas. With sustainable practices, this will remain a fishing paradise for a long time."

Photos:

http://www.ereleases.com/pr/2009-Fishing.jpg

http://www.ereleases.com/pr/2009-Fishing2.jpg

About Isla Palenque

Amble Resorts' new Panama real estate project, The Resort at Isla Palenque, will be a sustainable resort community with a unique boutique hotel, ingeniously designed residences, and sumptuous amenities. For more information, visit http://www.islapalenque.com.

Media contact: Frances Limoncelli, Marketing Manager, fml@amble.com, 773-769-1145.

This release was issued through eReleases(TM). For more information, visit http://www.ereleases.com.

SOURCE Amble Resorts

Now more than ever, skiers and snowboarders can maximize their time on the slopes and use their Verizon Wireless service to check in with family, touch base with buddies, get the latest snow report, or make dinner reservations from the lodge or the lift -- all thanks to the nation's largest and most reliable wireless voice and 3G network.

Verizon Wireless network engineers work year-round to improve service, increase coverage and capacity of Verizon Wireless' national network, and add new services. Thanks to recent network enhancements, Verizon Wireless customers can enjoy increased coverage at even more popular mountain communities and ski resorts, including:

• Wolf Creek Ski Area in Colorado, with activation of a new cell site in Creede
• Breckenridge Ski Resort in Colorado, where Evolution-Data Optimized (EV-DO) coverage has been enhanced for the upcoming Mountain Dew Tour (Dec. 17-20)
• Aspen Ski Resort in Colorado, where EV-DO coverage has been enhanced
• Sugarloaf Mountain Resort in Maine, with a new cell site in Carrabassett
• Waterville Valley Resort in New Hampshire, with a new cell site in Waterville Valley
• Ski Roundtop in Pennsylvania, with new cell site in Lewisberry
• Stowe Mountain Resort in Vermont, with a new cell site in Stowe
• Bluewood Ski Area in Washington state, with a new cell site in Columbia County

Increasing voice capacity at these popular ski resort areas also gives customers an extra safety precaution. For a video report on how Verizon Wireless' network reach helped in the rescue of two vacationers in Colorado, see "Polly's Story" at www.youtube.com/watch?v=q6XjF1EC5A0.

In addition to increasing voice capacity, Verizon Wireless' new cell sites also improve and expand the company's 3G coverage, enabling powder hounds to use their wireless phones and devices to browse the Web with faster page loading times, quickly download and play music, send e-mails with attachments, watch streaming video, rapidly share files, and download and play 3D games while on the go.

The recent network upgrades are part of Verizon Wireless' ongoing efforts to expand coverage, increase capacity, and enhance the quality of its wireless voice and data network. Verizon Wireless has invested more than $50 billion to do so since it was formed in 2000. In 2008 alone, Verizon Wireless invested $6.5 billion to expand and advance its network.

See Verizon Wireless' 3G coverage for yourself; view a map of Verizon Wireless' 3G coverage compared with competitors' 3G coverage at http://vzwmap.verizonwireless.com/dotcom/coveragelocator/images/maps/3Gcomparison.pdf. For more information about Verizon Wireless, visit www.verizonwireless.com.

About Verizon Wireless

Verizon Wireless operates the nation's most reliable and largest wireless voice and 3G data network, serving 89 million customers. Headquartered in Basking Ridge, N.J., with 85,000 employees nationwide, Verizon Wireless is a joint venture of Verizon Communications (NYSE: VZ) and Vodafone (Nasdaq and LSE: VOD). For more information, visit www.verizonwireless.com. To preview and request broadcast-quality video footage and high-resolution stills of Verizon Wireless operations, log on to the Verizon Wireless Multimedia Library at www.verizonwireless.com/multimedia.

SOURCE Verizon Wireless

Pepco Energy Services, a subsidiary of Pepco Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: POM) and a leader in energy savings performance contracting, announced today that it has been selected by the Maryland Stadium Authority (MSA) to implement a $9 million comprehensive energy efficiency contract at Camden Yards, Oriole Park and M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, Maryland.

The 13-year contract, which includes the historic B&O Warehouse on the 85-acre sports complex, calls for Pepco Energy Services to install energy efficient lighting, upgrade the cooling and heating plants, update building automation systems, provide maintenance services for these systems and install water saving fixtures in these facilities. Daylight harvesting controls -- devices that use sunlight for interior lighting -- will also be installed at Oriole Park.

"This project is one of the first of its kind for NFL and MLB stadiums and will save the State of Maryland more than $16 million over the performance period and reduce its carbon footprint by eliminating 7.6 million pounds of carbon dioxide," said John Morton III, Chairman of the Maryland Stadium Authority. "That's the environmental equivalent of planting more than 1,250 acres of trees."

"Pepco Energy Services is delighted to be assisting the Maryland Stadium Authority in improving its facilities with new energy efficient equipment that will reduce energy use by 24 percent, saving money and helping the environment," added John Huffman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Pepco Energy Services.

The MSA project is part of Maryland State government compliance with Governor O'Malley's "EmPower Maryland" initiative, which calls on the State to reduce energy consumption 15% by 2015. "The State is implementing about 25 similar projects in various development phases to save energy and reduce costs. These projects have an estimated construction value of approximately $260 million, to be paid from future guaranteed energy savings. Once completed, we estimate these projects to provide cost avoidance of about $26 million annually," said Hatim Jabaji, Director, Office of Energy Performance & Conservation in the Department of General Services.

Construction for this project is already underway and is expected to be completed by October 2010.

About Pepco Energy Services

Pepco Energy Services, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Pepco Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: POM), provides commercial, institutional, government and industrial customers with competitive energy efficiency services, including renewable energy and combined heat and power. Visit www.pepcoenergy.com for more information.

Pepco Energy Services, Inc. is not the same company as Potomac Electric Power Company, and prices and services of Pepco Energy Services, Inc. are not set by the Public Service Commission.

Information contained in this news release may include forward-looking statements which should be considered in light of the risks inherent in the business of Pepco Holdings, Inc. and its subsidiaries, as discussed in public documents filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

SOURCE Pepco Energy Services, Inc.

An Adirondack getaway offers plenty of outdoor sporting events for the whole family - from s'mores and tubing, to carnivals and world cup events. Two-time host to the Olympic Games, the Adirondack Region proves that the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics aren't the only games in town. Watch an exciting video about an Adirondack winter vacation and experience the thrill of the outdoors.

The 33rd Annual Snodeo kicks off Dec. 12-13 in Old Forge. This un-official start of the snowmobile season includes races, giveaways, demo rides and fireworks. On Dec. 29, head to Lake Placid for the New Year's Masters Ski Jump, and watch the North American Ski Jumping and Nordic Combined Championships through Jan. 3. Also in Lake Placid, the 5th Annual Lucas Oil Bodine Bobsled Challenge takes place Jan. 8-10 at the Mt. Van Hoevenberg Complex. For more Adirondack winter fun, check out the town of Malone's Northeast Sno-X Challenge Jan. 9-10. Kite Ski at the only event east of the Rockies on the Tug Hill Plateau Jan. 16-18. Gore Mountain will host S'More Gore Full Moon Tubing Party on Jan. 30 at the North Creek Ski Bowl.

February ushers in the heart of winter during the Canton Winterfest Feb. 4-16. This week long winter festival offers special performances, dinners, contests and a chili cook-off. The Saranac Lake Winter Carnival, Feb. 5 -14, is the longest-running event of its kind in the northeastern U.S. Snowmobilers don't want to miss the Snow Warriors Snowmobile Poker Run Feb. 13 in Indian Lake. Take the plunge at River Shiver Feb. 6-21 in Ogdensburg. This Adirondack winter festival features a Polar Bear Plunge, ice-fishing derby, basketball and hockey tournaments and cook-offs! On March 20-23, watch U.S. skiers compete for top honors at the U.S. Alpine National Championships at the Whiteface Mountain Ski Center in Wilmington.

The Adirondack Park, named for the Adirondack Mountains that lie within its boundary, offers some of the best opportunities in the United States for both recreation and relaxation in a superb natural setting. The Park is larger than Yellowstone, Yosemite, Glacier, Grand Canyon and Great Smokies combined and its six-million-acres are an outdoor-lover's paradise. The Adirondack Regional Tourism Council can provide information about planning a vacation in the region. Call 800-487-6867 or log onto VisitAdirondacks.com for videos, lodging packages, events, activities, restaurants, and maps.

Contact:
Rebecca Steffan
Inphorm Inc.
(518) 523-9258
Rebecca@Inphorminc.com

SOURCE VisitAdirondacks.com

The biggest name in professional wrestling history, Hulk Hogan, makes his first appearance on "TNA iMPACT!" in a live 3-hour special on Spike TV Monday, January 4, 2010. The announcement was made Saturday night by Hogan himself live on Spike TV.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20060322/NYW096LOGO )

The special event, a watershed moment for the fast-rising wrestling organization TNA Wrestling, will include the company's stable of top performers including TNA World Heavyweight Champion "The Phenomenal" AJ Styles, Olympic Gold Medalist Kurt Angle, Sting, Mick Foley, "The Samoan Submission Machine" Samoa Joe, "The Boss" Bobby Lashley, and "The Blueprint" Matt Morgan.

For the first time, "TNA iMPACT!" will be going head-to-head with "WWE Monday Raw" on USA Network, reminiscent of the legendary Monday night wrestling wars on the late 1990s between WWE and WCW. The special will be broadcast live from the TNA iMPACT Zone at Universal Studios in Orlando, Fl.

"TNA iMPACT!" will resume its normal timeslot on Thursday, January 7 at 9:00PM ET/PT.

About Hulk Hogan

HULK HOGAN (Terry Bollea) is one of the most sought-after, instantly recognizable celebrities in the world. He is a twelve-time professional world wrestling champion -- six titles with WWE and six with WCW - and the winner of the Royal Rumble in 1990 and 1991. He has appeared in several movies, including "Rocky III," was the co-host for NBC's "American Gladiators," and is the executive producer, judge, and host of "Hulk Hogan's Championship Wrestling" on CMT. Hogan is a frequent guest on every major talk show, such as "Jimmy Kimmel Live!," "Larry King Live," "The Tonight Show," "Live with Regis & Kelly," "The Today Show" and "The View."

About TNA Wrestling

"Cross The Line" to TNA Wrestling. TNA Wrestling is the most innovative experience in professional wrestling today. Join the TNA World Heavyweight Champion "The Phenomenal" AJ Styles, Olympic Gold Medalist Kurt Angle, Sting, Mick Foley, "The Samoan Submission Machine" Samoa Joe, "The Boss" Bobby Lashley, "The Blueprint" Matt Morgan, the lovely and lethal TNA Knockouts and the no-limits X-Division inside the six-sided ring of "TNA iMPACT!" every Thursday night (9:00-11:00 PM, ET/PT) on Spike TV.

TNA Entertainment, LLC is a privately held company headquartered in Nashville, TN.

About Spike TV

Spike TV is available in 98 million homes and is a division of MTV Networks. A unit of Viacom ( VIA, VIA.B), MTV Networks is one of the world's leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms. Spike TV's Internet address is Spike.com and for up-to-the-minute and archival press information and photographs, visit Spike TV's press site at http://www.spike.com/press.

SOURCE Spike TV

A new book by the man at the center of one of professional sports' biggest scandals and controversies will be released just in time for Major League Baseball's 2010 season.

Death, Taxes, and Mac: Brian McNamee in His Own Words, by Brian McNamee with Marc Zappulla, will be released February 17, 2010 the very same day the world champion New York Yankees will begin to defend their title by having pitchers and catchers report for the first day of spring training in Tampa, Florida.

Brian McNamee, the former personal strength and conditioning coach for the former pitching legend, Roger Clemens (Red Sox, Yanks, Blue Jays, Astros), penned the book to reveal his side as it relates to the Clemens steroids controversy. His tome poignantly tells the life story of Brian, and how the once-promising Archbishop Molloy High School (Queens, NY) All-Star and St. John's University standout fell short of his professional baseball dream. We learn how he seemingly came out of nowhere to join the Yankees in the mid-1990s as a batting practice pitcher and bullpen catcher that would later lead to him becoming the head strength and conditioning coach for the Toronto Blue Jays (and meeting Clemens).

He sheds light on what really goes on amongst ballplayers, on and off the baseball diamond, from 1993 - 2007. Scores of stories are presented with the humor and insight only afforded an insider. Brian offers a rare glimpse from the clubhouse with a vantage point hardly heard from: the training room.

The book represents Brian's first full-length, in-depth account of his place in baseball history when it comes to his relationship with Clemens. In his own words, Brian shows us how a once-decorated undercover officer with the New York Police Department found himself almost on the wrong side of the law when he testified before Congress against Clemens.

Death, Taxes, and Mac (Published by Sports Improper Publications, LLC and distributed by Book Masters; $26.95 , Hardcover; 248 pages; ISBN: 978-0-9843845-0-1) is embargoed and no interviews of the author shall be granted at this time.

Media Contact:
Leighanne Zdrodowski
Planned Television Arts
Zdrodowskil@plannedtvarts.com

SOURCE Planned Television Arts

INTERSPORT, the world's leading Sports Retailer, is proud to announce its partnership agreement to cooperate with three major PUMA African Football Federations: Ghana, Ivory Coast and Cameroon.

In 2010, the eyes of the world will be turned to Africa thanks to the Orange Africa Cup of Nations and 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa. This partnership agreement will enable INTERSPORT to capitalize on the increased attention that Africa and African Football will receive during the course of 2010.

INTERSPORT will activate its relationship through online and in store activities commencing at the start of the Orange Cup of Nations. The climax of the relationship will be the unique "African experience", which in partnership with PUMA, the leading sport lifestyle brand and a powerhouse in African football will bring together Ghana, Ivory Coast and Cameroon to Paris in preparation for the FIFA World Cup.

The sponsorship package will give INTERSPORT a strong communication platform. INTERSPORT branding will appear on boards, on the teams' equipments and all sponsors recognition materials, including interview backdrops at the training camp in Paris.

Franz Julen, the CEO of IIC INTERSPORT International Corp., states "INTERSPORT is proud to be the sponsor of Ghana, Ivory Coast and Cameroon as of today and until the end of the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Through this partnership, INTERSPORT further strengthens its position as the world-leading retailer in football. Furthermore this partnership will enhance our successful co-operation with PUMA."

Jochen Zeitz, Chairman and CEO of PUMA AG: "Through our strong ties with African Football PUMA has a home field advantage and we are thrilled to provide a strong marketing and communication campaign in partnership with INTERSPORT that will allow the European consumer to be part of the African experience."

IIC-INTERSPORT International Corp.

With a turnover of EUR 8.9 billion and more than 5'200 specialist sports stores in 37 countries, the INTERSPORT Group has further strengthened its position as the leader in the world's sporting goods market.

SOURCE INTERSPORT & Puma AG

Entertainment Weekly's EW Holiday Gift Guide has cited the innovative BrodmannBlade(TM) ping-pong paddle as a great holiday gift idea. The guide helps readers "find the perfect presents" and introduces them to "pop-culture-inspired picks that span the range from "geek to tres chic". The new paddle is featured in the magazine's December 4th issue with 'New Moon' star Taylor Lautner on the cover.

BrodmannBlades(TM), the first major innovation in the game of table tennis in over a hundred years, eliminates the handle from the table tennis paddle. The unique new product consists of two blades, or hitting surfaces, that are worn like a glove on either hand. Players make forehand and backhand shots by using the front and back of their hands.

"The Entertainment Weekly inclusion is an honor," says Alfred Brodmann, the product designer. "Ping Pong is enjoying a resurgence in interest and we hope our new blade helps get millions of families back on their tables."

GQ Magazine recently added the BrodmannBlades(TM) to its list of "Best Stuff 2009" proclaiming it a "weird-looking paddle that will revolutionize ping pong." Last month, BrodmannBlades(TM) announced their first retail distribution agreement with Paragon Sports. Photos and video are available at: http://inr.mediaseed.tv/Brodmann_37184

The product is available at www.brodmannblades.com, and through its distributor, AMEICO, at http://www.ameico.com/cart/products/IC-FBGS.htm. AMEICO provides easy access to a variety of unique products in categories ranging from Gifts to Timepieces to Eco-Friendly to Lighting. The common denominators are a high degree of creative energy; authentic, original contemporary design; and excellent craftsmanship.

About BrodmannBlades(TM)

Where Design meets Sport, BrodmannBlades(TM) is a privately held company focused on unique consumer products that add fun, fashion and flair to everyday life.

SOURCE BrodmannBlades

The BusBank, the national group and event charter bus specialists, announced today its Preferred Ground Transportation Provider status for the San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl, played Wednesday, Dec. 23, and the Pacific Life Holiday Bowl on Wednesday, Dec. 30, 2009.

This is The BusBank's second consecutive year as the preferred transportation provider. To celebrate, the bus bank travel specialists are offering a five percent discount off bookings to any upcoming college football bowl games or sports-related travel.

"We are honored to sponsor the Poinsettia Bowl and Holiday Bowl again," Brandon Dudley, The BusBank's Sales Supervisor, said. "Our sports event and management service and national operator breadth adequately prep us for this opportunity."

The University of Utah Utes and University of California Golden Bears will play in the fifth annual Poinsettia Bowl and The University of Arizona Wildcats and University of Nebraska Cornhuskers will compete in the 32 annual Pacific Life Holiday Bowl. Both college bowls are played at Qualcomm Stadium, kickoff at 5 p.m.

The BusBank's largest operator network is designed to help every corporate, sports, religious, university, or private group find the right charter bus or buses to fit their needs and budget.

For more information regarding The BusBank's college bowl sponsorship, sports team charter discount, or bus specialist services, go to www.busbank.com or call 866.428.7226.

SOURCE The BusBank

The revolutionary Power Plate® workout took top honors from the fitness-conscious Los Angeles community in the recently announced Best of Citysearch awards. Named "Best Los Angeles Workout," the state-of-the-art Power Plate Studio in Brentwood features group classes and personal training on Power Plate® machines featuring Advanced Vibration Technology(TM).

"We at Power Plate are honored to have been selected the Best Workout in L.A. There is no more competitive place in the world for fitness than Southern California, and to receive this award and recognition speaks volumes to our commitment to matching up Power Plate with the best trainers and the best facilities," said Mark de Gorter, president of Power Plate North America. "This winning combination is making the reality of a cutting-edge, 30-minute total-body workout accessible to all."

Power Plate® technology provides an efficient and dynamic total-body workout in less than 30 minutes. By utilizing scientifically-proven Advanced Vibration Technology(TM), Power Plate® machines trigger involuntary muscle reactions 25 to 50 times per second. The result is a high-intensity exercise that improves muscle tone and balance, helps reduce body fat and increases strength, with little impact on your joints. A recent study found that Power Plate® exercise helped participants lose more weight, and keep it off, than traditional exercise.

Citysearch editor Mar Yvette called it "an out-of-this-world workout," and said that "You'll definitely feel the burn."

Celebrities including Madonna, Courteney Cox, Clint Eastwood and Cindy Crawford, and elite athletes like Serena Williams use the Power Plate® system. People from all walks of life use Power Plate® equipment to achieve fitness benefits that include: increased strength, muscle tone, range of motion, flexibility and bone density as well as improved blood circulation and lymphatic system activation. Aesthetic benefits include: enhanced skin tone through increased collagen production, cellulite reduction and greater production of regenerative hormones to help maintain a more youthful appearance.

The complete Power Plate® line of fitness equipment is designed for health clubs, wellness centers, spas, hospitals, physical therapy and rehabilitation clinics, professional and collegiate athletic training facilities, private fitness trainers and home use. Power Plate North America is headquartered in Irvine, Calif. www.powerplate.com.

The Power Plate® Studio is located at 13050 San Vicente Blvd in Brentwood and can be reached at 310.394.2600.

SOURCE Power Plate

The second stadium for the next European Football Championship opened in Kharkiv on Saturday, December 5. The key investor in the Metalist Stadium, Oleksandr Yaroslavskiy, who is President of the Metalist FC, owner of the DCH Group and coordinator of Kharkiv's preparations for Euro-2012, spoke at the opening ceremony to the delight of many football fans in Ukraine and abroad. Ukraine and Poland, who are hosting the Championships, now have two out of the eight stadiums required for the games in 2012, both in Ukraine.

Top Ukrainian officials, including the President, attended the opening ceremony of the new 40,000-seat Metalist Stadium, which meets top UEFA standards. A regular Ukrainian premier league game between Metalist FC and Obolon FC added a truly football spirit to the ceremony. The opening of the stadium marks a watershed in Ukraine's preparations for the European Football Championships. Following the inauguration of a stadium in Donetsk earlier this year, the Metalist Stadium in Kharkiv was good news for both Ukrainian and the UEFA officials.

"Ukraine's preparations for Euro-2012 is bringing together our country, our people, and all those who see this as an opportunity to prove that Ukraine delivers," stated Ukrainian Premier Yulia Tymoshenko.

Euro-2012 Director Martin Kallen, who participated in the ceremony, awarded Oleksandr Yaroslavskiy a UEFA commemorative placard on the occasion of the stadium's opening. Total capital expenditure on refurbishing the stadium exceeded $70 million, which was largely covered by Mr. Yaroslavskiy's DCH Group.

One of the wealthiest Ukrainians and an ardent football fan, Mr. Yaroslavskiy said at the opening, "For all of Ukraine, this is yet another sign that this country is ready to host the Euro-2012 games at the highest level...In the future, people who want to feel like their in Europe will be able to simply visit Kharkiv. Here, they can find Vienna and London and Paris."

Ukraine's President Viktor Yushchenko also attended the Metalist Stadium opening ceremony. He was earlier quoted in Rzeczpospolita, a Polish newspaper, as saying, "Michel Platini and the UEFA executive committee have, in my opinion, followed a brilliant, appropriate and modern policy-integrating all the countries of Europe through sports by taking these games to the East. For us, this is one of the components of our integration into Europe."

For additional information please contact Alexandra Dovgopolaya at pr@dch.com.ua or Tel: +38044-235-49-51

SOURCE DCH Group

We all know college football is an American pastime that is enjoyed each year by people nationwide. Here's more on how the brave men and women currently serving our country abroad will also get a taste of home this year.

Listen to this report from Tostitos at:

http://inr.mediaseed.tv/oneClip_C/?feed=n6tv9_KHuUSBuz3upmfYwlAnolIyoq05

Medialink is a division of The NewsMarket. Registered journalists can access video, audio, text, graphics and photos at http://www.thenewsmarket.com.

12LA09-0756

SOURCE Medialink; Tostitos

Movado Group Inc. (NYSE: MOV), Ebel Watches and Brown & Co. Jewelers, Atlanta, Georgia, shared in a tribute on December 3, 2009, to recognize 2009 US Open quarterfinalist Melanie Oudin for her stellar performance in the tournament. Melanie became the youngest American quarterfinalist at the Open since 1999.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20091204/NY21184)

At a celebratory reception held at Brown & Co. Jewelers in Atlanta. Ebel and Brown & Co. presented Melanie with a check to donate to her chosen charity - Children's Healthcare of Atlanta - along with an Ebel Brasilia watch, in honor of her distinguished performance and athletic accomplishments.

"We congratulate Melanie for her outstanding performance and the courage she demonstrated at this year's US Open," said Alan Chinich, US President of Ebel. "Melanie exemplifies the qualities of a true leader and role model - pursuit of excellence, passion and hard work. The manner in which she has pursued her dreams serves as an inspiration for all, and we wish her continued success both on and off the court".

Movado Group, Inc. designs, manufactures, and distributes Movado, Ebel, Concord, ESQ by Movado, Coach, Hugo Boss, Lacoste, Juicy Couture and Tommy Hilfiger watches worldwide and operates Movado boutiques and Company Stores in the United States.

SOURCE Movado Group Inc.

We all know college football is an American pastime that is enjoyed each year by people nationwide. Here's more on how the brave men and women currently serving our country abroad will also get a taste of home this year.

Listen to this report from Tostitos at:

http://inr.mediaseed.tv/oneClip_C/?feed=n6tv9_KHuUSBuz3upmfYwlAnolIyoq05

Medialink is a division of The NewsMarket. Registered journalists can access video, audio, text, graphics and photos at http://www.thenewsmarket.com.

12LA09-0756

SOURCE Medialink; Tostitos

The Tostitos brand, in a joint effort with the USO, today announced plans to field the first-ever Tostitos "Salute the Troops" Bowl, a one-of-a-kind college football experience that will bring the tastes and traditions of college football bowl games to active military serving in the Persian Gulf. The "Salute the Troops" Bowl will be held at an undisclosed military base in the Persian Gulf while other college bowl games take place back in the United States, and include an all-star flag football competition that puts teams of college football legends -- partnered with military service heroes -- in a truly unique gridiron match-up designed to celebrate the armed forces and provide a taste of home.

Highlights from the event will be captured and shared in the U.S. at halftime during the nationwide broadcast of the 2010 Tostitos Fiesta Bowl on FOX on January 4, 2010. PepsiCo's Frito-Lay division has had a relationship with college football for decades, highlighted by its 15-year title sponsorship of the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl.

The event for the troops, which also will include a pre-game pep rally and tailgate party, will put legendary college football coaches Barry Switzer and Tommy Bowden at the helm of two unique teams composed of former college all stars and active military personnel for a one-of-a-kind football showdown. Football greats Rocket Ismail, Tommie Frazier, and Tony Casillas, among others, will participate in the on-field action.

"We are honored to be joining the USO to bring the enthusiasm and camaraderie of college football to some of the brave men and women currently serving our country," said Justin Lambeth, vice president of marketing, Tostitos. "The Tostitos brand has always seen college football as a unique way to bring people together to share fun, memorable experiences, and we hope that by recreating some of the excitement and magic around football bowl games, we are able to provide a nice taste of home and a lasting memory."

The full roster of players includes:

• Tee Martin - During his junior year, led the 1998 University of Tennessee team to a perfect record of 13-0
• Tommie Frazier - Led the Nebraska Cornhuskers in back-to-back NCAA National Championships in 1994 and 1995
• Garrison Hearst - Standout running back for University of Georgia in the early 1990s
• Ty Detmer - Legendary quarterback for Brigham Young University and winner of the Heisman Trophy in 1990
• Rocket Ismail - Helped University of Notre Dame win the NCAA National Championship in 1988
• Tony Casillas - Helped win the 1985 NCAA National Championship for the University of Oklahoma and a two-time All-American
• Brian Bosworth - College standout linebacker at the University of Oklahoma in the mid-1980s and the winner of the first two Butkus Awards
• Bruce Smith - Finished his college career at Virginia Tech in 1984 as one of the most honored players in Hokie history
• Joe Washington - Two-time first-team All-American at University of Oklahoma in the mid-1970s

"We're thankful to have Frito-Lay, and specifically the Tostitos brand, as one of our partners to create this unique college football event for our troops serving on the front lines during the holidays," said Sloan Gibson, USO president. "Our military has some of the biggest college football fans you will ever find, and we are excited to be providing this once-in-a-lifetime experience for our troops that brings the energy and excitement of college bowl games directly to them."

The USO (United Service Organizations) lifts the spirits of America's troops and their families. We provide a touch of home through centers at airports and military bases around the world, top quality entertainment and innovative programs and services tailored to meet troop needs. We also provide critical support to those who need us most, including forward-deployed troops and their families, wounded warriors and their families, and the families of the fallen.

The USO is a private, non-profit organization, not a government agency; we rely on the generosity of our donors. In addition to individual donors and other corporate sponsors, the USO is supported by Worldwide Strategic Partners AT&T Inc., BAE Systems, The Boeing Company, Clear Channel Communications, The Coca-Cola Company, Gallery Furniture, Lockheed Martin, Microsoft Corporation, Northrop Grumman Corporation, S & K Sales Co. and TriWest Healthcare Alliance, as well as other corporate donors, including the United Way and Combined Federal Campaign (CFC-11381). We strive to deliver maximum benefit for troops and their families from every donor dollar. For more information, please visit www.uso.org.

Frito-Lay North America is the $12 billion convenient foods business unit of PepsiCo (NYSE: PEP), which is headquartered in Purchase, NY. In addition to Frito-Lay, PepsiCo business units include Pepsi-Cola, Quaker Foods, Gatorade and Tropicana. Learn more about Frito-Lay at the corporate Web site, www.fritolay.com and the Snack Chat blog, www.snacks.com.

PepsiCo offers the world's largest portfolio of billion-dollar food and beverage brands, including 18 different product lines that each generate more than $1 billion in annual retail sales. Our main businesses - Frito-Lay, Quaker, Pepsi-Cola, Tropicana and Gatorade - also make hundreds of other nourishing, tasty foods and drinks that bring joy to our consumers in over 200 countries. With more than $43 billion in 2008 revenues, PepsiCo employs 198,000 people who are united by our unique commitment to sustainable growth, called Performance with Purpose. By dedicating ourselves to offering a broad array of choices for healthy, convenient and fun nourishment, reducing our environmental impact, and fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace culture, PepsiCo balances strong financial returns with giving back to our communities worldwide. For more information, please visit www.pepsico.com.

Contact:
Chris Kuechenmeister
Frito-Lay
214-422-8901 cell
Chris.Kuechenmeister@fritolay.com

Oname Thompson
USO
703-908-6471
othompson@uso.org

SOURCE Frito-Lay

WHAT:      The Sacramento Press (www.sacramentopress.com) sponsors a
           drive to collect new or used sports equipment

WHO:       Proceeds benefit Sacramento Food Bank and Family Services
           (www.sfbs.org)

WHERE:     The Carnival at St. Rose, 7th and K Sts., Sacramento

WHEN:      10 a.m. - noon on Saturday, December 5

WHY:       Underprivileged children gain equipment to play athletics

HOW:       Donation of new or used sports equipment gains free admission
           to the carnival

MORE:      Donation of new or used sports equipment also will gain each
           donor a ticket to a raffle drawing of three pairs of tickets
           to the Sacramento Kings NBA home game against the Miami Heat
           on Sunday, December 6.

           The carnival features a 30-foot Ferris wheel, giant slide,
           classic carnival games and fun food vendors. The carnival
           arcade includes pinball, Skee ball, Centipede, Ms. Pacman,
           Frogger, Donkey Kong and more. Admission to the two-hour
           event -- including unlimited access to the carnival games,
           arcade and rides -- is $6 for children under 12 and seniors
           over 55 and $7 for adults.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20091203/LA20945LOGO)

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20091008/TSPLOGO)

About The Sacramento Press

Aiming to rewrite the rules of journalism through community engagement, The Sacramento Press uses a hyper-local lens and an army of 600-plus community contributors to offer reporting and commentary on all news and issues of interest to residents of the city's communities. Through its powerful website, events and marketing services, the pioneering online media outlet partners with local business to advance their brands through sponsorships of community activities. It also provides businesses social-networking-advisory services.

SOURCE The Sacramento Press

Media relations expert David Margulies says publicists and pundits making the TV talk show rounds are giving golfer Tiger Woods the worst possible advice as he deals with his current crisis. Margulies, who handled international media relations for Oprah Winfrey during her trial in Amarillo, says Woods is doing a good job in a difficult situation.

"The first step in crisis management is to assess who can have the most negative impact on you as an individual or company," said Margulies. "In Woods' case, keeping his marriage together and personally contacting major sponsors is Job One. A divorce or the loss of a major sponsor are the two most critical issues for Woods right now both financially and emotionally. A protracted divorce could generate negative publicity for years and reveal financial details Woods doesn't want to discuss."

Suggestions that Woods tell all in a television interview or worse yet, a news conference, have been made by many publicists and self-styled media experts who have been interviewed on morning talk shows and print. These "experts" may have their own agendas to curry favor with the media. "A news conference is similar to being cross examined by a horde of attorneys," said Margulies.

Woods has avoided the problem that plagues many organizations that start providing information too quickly and then have to correct it as new facts emerge. A recent example: photos of state dinner party crashers with the President that were released after the White House stated they did not get near the President.

Woods and his advisors recognize that they have no control over the tabloid media or people who will try to capitalize on this issue. Woods, however, could have done a better job of controlling the situation with the police by scheduling a time that he or his attorney would meet with them. Doing so would have eliminated the recurring story that the meeting would take place each day. However, the end result was a success with Woods only receiving a ticket.

"Crisis management," says Margulies, "is more than just dealing with the news media. There are many moving parts and attorneys, media relations experts and others must work together for the best outcome. Not every issue can be resolved by holding a press conference or doing an interview."

The Margulies Communications Group, based in Dallas, Texas, is one of the nation's leading crisis prevention and crisis management firms.

SOURCE The Margulies Communications Group

Four-time Baseball Hall of Fame Nominee Gabe Paul owned and ran four major league baseball teams and is directly responsible for as many pennants--3 for the NY Yankees and one for the Cincinnati Reds. The Father Daughter connection in this love hate story about a woman coming into her own as her Dad was making his dream to own and run a winning baseball team come true, combined with the inside story on George Steinbrenner, Reggie Jackson, Howard Cosell, Billy Martin and Catfish Hunter make a great story that will appeal to baseball fans, reporters, historians, and men who relate better to baseball than their daughters.

Peter Golenbock will be writing the foreword for The Yankee Princess, written by Jennie Paul with Jody Lynn Smith, and it is expected to be released during Spring Training 2010. It will correct many misconceptions about what really happened when Gabe Paul helped the Yankees reverse a 15-year losing streak with two successive World Series wins and one championship loss to his first team, the Reds. This legacy-making accomplishment would not be repeated until the year he died and Joe Torre secured his first of three wins.

Thoroughly researched and inclusive of first-hand real life accounts, conversations, personal letters and newspaper clippings, it will win over the fans and help fathers and daughters find new ways to accept each others' strengths and weaknesses, while enjoying one of America's greatest past times.

Gabe Paul is widely known for his uncanny ability in filling seats and running teams like the Indians and the Reds on a cleat string, while leading the way in trades that won ballgames and rule changes that made the sport what it is today. He was an advocate for night baseball, the dissolution of the reserve clause, dividing the leagues into divisions, allowing designated hitters and requiring players to bring their gloves in from the field. Learn More at http://www.theyankeeprincess.com/

SOURCE TheYankeePrincess.com

CBS 2 Chicago announced today that it will launch Monsters and Money in the Morning, an innovative new local weekday 5- 7 a.m. show, beginning February 1, 2010. The morning talk show will feature an ensemble of veteran Chicago broadcasters and a mix of candid discussion of local sports topics, regional business issues and personal money management, as well as news headlines, weather and traffic.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20091203/CG20828)

Monsters and Money in the Morning will originate from CBS 2's studios and be hosted by an ensemble of veteran Chicago broadcasters, including sportscasters Mike North and Dan Jiggetts - widely recognized by local fans as "The Monsters," along with Chicago Sun-Times money expert and author Terry Savage and former CNBC business reporter Mike Hegedus. Also contributing to the program will be CBS 2 reporter Susan Carlson, who will provide news headlines and traffic updates, and station meteorologist Mary Kay Kleist.

Monsters and Money in the Morning will also feature in-studio interviews with guests from the local sports and business communities, including contributors from CBS RADIO station WBBM News Radio 780.

"It's time for something new and smart that will differentiate CBS 2 from its competitors," said CBS 2 President & General Manager Bruno Cohen. "We are targeting an underserved television audience - Chicagoans who are passionate about sports and want to stay on top of local business news and personal finance - while at the same time continuing to provide the news headlines, weather and traffic information that people want before leaving home in the morning."

"This is a Monster Team we've put together," said CBS 2 Vice-President & News Director Jeff Kiernan. "Mike North and Dan Jiggetts are Chicago's best known sports talk duo. Their rapport was developed during their years on the air on The Score radio station and their TV skills were developed during the last year on Comcast SportsNet Chicago. Terry Savage has more than 20 years of experience as a reporter and commentator on the economy and personal finance. She is known, liked and respected by everyone in the industry. Mike Hegedus is a dynamic television journalist who spent the last 10 years of his career with CNBC, traveling the US and the world profiling successful businesses and the people who made them work. We can't wait to put the four of them together on television for Chicago."

Kiernan added that the on-air team for the CBS 2 Morning News will be reassigned as of February 1.

CBS 2 is part of CBS Television Stations, a division of CBS Corporation.

The Hosts of Monsters and Money in the Morning

Mike Hegedus

Business and finance reporter Mike Hegedus has covered stories in the U.S. and abroad and comes to Chicago from CNBC, where he was a reporter for "On The Money" and the host of feature segments entitled "Mike on The Money." From 1994-96, Hegedus served as special correspondent and show producer for several NBC stations. Prior to that, he was executive producer and host of the weekly syndicated program, "Prime Suspect."

Hegedus began his career as an investigative and economics reporter for WGR-TV in Buffalo, NY, then went on to become a special projects correspondent for KPIX-TV in San Francisco. The Hegedus style of journalism has been recognized by The AP and UPI with awards for features, as well as investigative reporting. He has received the Los Angeles Press Club Award for documentary production/writing, along with eight regional News and Documentary Emmy Awards. In 2006, Hegedus was nominated for a National Emmy Award for Business and Financial Reporting.

Dan Jiggetts

Dan Jiggetts was an offensive lineman who spent his entire seven-year NFL career with the Chicago Bears (1976-82). A New York native, Jiggetts graduated from Harvard, where he captained the school's first Ivy League championship in 1975 and was a two-time All-Ivy League offensive tackle. He was drafted by Chicago in the sixth round of the 1976 NFL Draft and played in 98 games for the Bears. During the off-season, Jiggetts worked for the First National Bank of Chicago.

For 25 years, Jiggetts has built a career in sports broadcasting, having worked as an analyst and television sports reporter and anchor for WFLD-TV in Chicago. In 2008, Jiggetts published a book entitled Then Ditka Said to Payton....The Best Chicago Bears Stories Ever Told. Jiggetts earned a B.A. from Harvard in government and economics.

Mike North

Chicagoan Mike North, grew up on the northwest side of Chicago in the Rogers Park community, began working in 1968 as a Wrigley Field hot dog vendor and, according to his biography, has been serving "hot and spicy conversation ever since." In 1990, North began his broadcast career with the "NFL Handicap Show" on WSCR and in 1992, he was invited to host a radio show on The Score Sports Radio 820, where he teamed up with radio partner Dan Jiggetts and the two became "Monsters of the Midday."

In 1999, North went solo and began hosting series of radio shows, including "The Mike North Show" on 1160AM, "The Wise Guys" and "The Mike North Morning Show," both on 670AM The Score. In January, 2009, North reunited with Dan Jiggetts on CSN.

Terry Savage

The financial press considers Chicagoan Terry Savage among the nation's foremost authorities on personal investments and financial markets. The award-winning author and lecturer writes a weekly personal finance column for the Chicago Sun-Times and is also a regular contributor to TheStreet.com and Moneyshow.com.

Savage has published four books, including best sellers: The Savage Truth on Money and The New Savage Number: How Much Money Do You Need to Retire.

A registered investment advisor for stocks and futures markets, Savage began her career in finance as a stockbroker. She is a founder and the first woman trader on the Chicago Board Options Exchange and serves as a director of CME Group, Inc.

SOURCE CBS 2 Chicago

The National Federation of the Blind, the nation's leading advocate for Braille, is pleased to announce that the University of Oregon will use a 2009 Louis Braille Bicentennial Silver Dollar in the coin toss at the Civil War football game on Thursday, December 3. The renowned Oregon Ducks, who are currently ranked at number 7 in the Associated Press Poll, will host in Eugene the Oregon State Beavers in their annual Civil War. For the first time in the 113-year history of the Civil War, the game will decide the PAC-10 championship and the winner will go on to play in the Rose Bowl.

Dr. Marc Maurer, President of the National Federation of the Blind, said: "We are pleased that University of Oregon is recognizing the critical importance of Braille literacy for the blind in a fun and exciting way by including the Louis Braille Bicentennial Silver Dollar in the prestigious Civil War football game on December 3. There can be no doubt that the ability to read and write Braille competently and efficiently is the key to education, employment, and success for the blind; yet only one in ten blind children in the United States are currently learning it. We are asking all Oregon college football fans and all other Americans to help us in ensuring literacy, education, productivity, and success for every blind American by purchasing a 2009 Louis Braille Bicentennial Silver Dollar today."

Congress authorized the minting in 2009 of 400,000 Louis Braille Bicentennial Silver Dollars to mark the two-hundredth anniversary of the birth of Louis Braille (1809-1852) and to support the efforts of the National Federation of the Blind to promote literacy among blind Americans. This unique and beautiful commemorative coin is the first U.S. currency to feature tactile, readable Braille.

A portion of the proceeds from sales of the 2009 Louis Braille Bicentennial Silver Dollar will be used to support the NFB's "Braille Readers are Leaders" campaign, a national initiative created to double the number of blind children learning Braille by 2015, improve certification standards for teachers of Braille, and conduct innovative programs to support Braille literacy.

Those interested in ordering a 2009 Louis Braille Bicentennial Silver Dollar or the new Braille Education Set, which features the coin in a collectible folder designed to highlight the life and legacy of Louis Braille, should visit www.braille.org or www.usmint.gov or call 1-800-USA-MINT (872-6468). The Louis Braille Bicentennial Silver Dollar and the Braille Education Set will only be available until December 11, 2009. For more information about the National Federation of the Blind and the Braille Readers are Leaders campaign, visit www.braille.org.

About the National Federation of the Blind

With more than 50,000 members, the National Federation of the Blind is the largest and most influential membership organization of blind people in the United States. The NFB improves blind people's lives through advocacy, education, research, technology, and programs encouraging independence and self-confidence. It is the leading force in the blindness field today and the voice of the nation's blind. In January 2004 the NFB opened the National Federation of the Blind Jernigan Institute, the first research and training center in the United States for the blind led by the blind.

SOURCE National Federation of the Blind

Advanstar Communications, a leading worldwide media company, today announced a breakthrough partnership between the Cycle World International Motorcycle Shows and mega lifestyle brand TapouT to bring TapouT's counterculture alive at the remaining ten stops on the Cycle World International Motorcycle Shows nationwide tour. Commencing at the Cycle World International Motorcycle Show in Long Beach, Calif., Friday, December 4 to Sunday, December 6, a "TapouT Friday Night Fights" feature will come alive right on the motorcycle show floor. Motorcycle show attendees are invited to relax in the "TapouT Fan Lounge," meet TapouT-sponsored UFC fighters, gather autographs and watch previous UFC fights and select episodes of TapouT's original reality TV-series on big screens.

"We're opening up the tour to an entirely new youth audience that is passionate about motorcycle culture," said Advanstar's Group Show Director and Director of Business Development Jeff Dentremont. "To address their unique point of view, the TapouT/Bikes & Beats lifestyle area will feature music, video, fashion shows and everything else that will raise their pulse."

To kick-off this new partnership, TapouT crew members Punkass and Skyskrape and TapouT UFC fighters Mike Brown, Anthony Johnson and UFC Superstar Dan Hardy will greet fans and sign autographs on Friday, December 4, at the Cycle World International Motorcycle Show in Long Beach, where a TapouT tribute custom Suzuki built by VooDoo Industries Founder Rob Uecker will be unveiled.

"We are thrilled to be working with Advanstar on this exciting partnership and we look forward to getting to know the motorcycle enthusiasts and introducing them to the TapouT counterculture in each market across the country," said TapouT President Marc Kreiner.

The "TapouT Friday Night Fights" feature with UFC fighter meet and greets, autograph signings and more will take place at the ten remaining Cycle World International Motorcycle Shows:

December 4-6, 2009   Long Beach Convention Center         Long Beach, CA
December 11-13, 2009 Qwest Field Event Center             Seattle, WA
January 1-3, 2010    Rock Financial Showplace             Novi, MI
January 8-10, 2010   Carolina First Center                Greenville, SC
January 15-17, 2010  Washington Convention Center         Washington D.C.
January 22-24, 2010  Jacob K. Javits Convention Center    New York, NY
January 29-31, 2010  I-X Center                           Cleveland, OH
February 5-7, 2010   Minneapolis Convention Center        Minneapolis, MN
February 19-21, 2010 Donald E. Stephens Convention Center Chicago, IL

From New York to Seattle, this motorcycle extravaganza is an all access pass to the world of motorcycling with hundreds of the latest street bikes, dirt bikes, cruisers, scooters, ATVs, watercraft and more, as well as vintage bikes, custom choppers, demo rides (in select markets), informative seminars and more. This nationwide tour will also give motorcycle lovers of all ages the opportunity to check out the latest gear and aftermarket accessories, see thrilling entertainment from the Ducati Freestyle Team and enjoy fashion shows, meet and greets with UFC fighters, music and modeling contests and more.

For the 17th consecutive year, Cycle World, the world's most popular motorcycle magazine, is the title sponsor for the series. Box office ticket prices range from $15 to $17 for adults and $6 for children ages six to 11. Advanced discounted tickets are available online at an additional savings when you buy a week in advance and include a free BikeBandit.com $15 gift card with purchase (while supplies last). For more information call 800/331-5706 or visit www.motorcycleshows.com.

http://www.motorcycleshows.com/

http://www.facebook.com/InternationalMotorcycleShows

http://www.myspace.com/motorcycleshows

http://twitter.com/motorcycleshows

http://www.youtube.com/user/IntMotorcycleShow

http://www.motorcycleshows.com/motorcycleshows/content/syndicationFeedList.jsp

SOURCE Advanstar Communications

Transitions Optical, Inc. announced that Kenny Perry -- 14-time winner on the PGA TOUR and currently ranked 9th in the world -- will compete in adidas Eyewear fitted with Transitions® lenses beginning with the Chevron World Challenge, which tees off tomorrow at Sherwood Country Club, Thousand Oaks, Calif.

Perry is intimately familiar with the impact that vision has on his game, having had vision-related complications throughout his career. "I've struggled with my vision for years and have great appreciation for how valuable healthy, quality sight is to my game," said Perry. "Whether I'm lining up a putt or following the ball through the air, the ability to see clearly is everything to me, and I'm grateful to my partners, Transitions and adidas Eyewear, for coming together to find an eyewear solution that I feel will give me a competitive advantage."

Perry's association with Transitions and adidas creates a relevant opportunity for collaboration -- bringing Transitions' most advanced photochromic -- or clear to dark -- lens technology together with adidas Eyewear's reputation for performance, durability and style.

"Golfers depend on quality vision for optimal performance and with obstacles such as varying light and playing conditions and ongoing exposure to UV rays, visual ability can be affected without proper eyewear," said Dave Cole, managing director, Transitions Optical. "Our partnership with Kenny and his relationship with adidas has provided an opportunity to collaborate and create an eyewear solution that will improve Kenny's quality of sight and automatically change and perform based on the environment in which he competes."

"Kenny Perry is a great ambassador for adidas Eyewear because he demonstrates first hand how important prescription-ready performance eyewear is on the golf course," said Rocky Fresh, U.S. brand manager, adidas Eyewear. "adidas and Kenny have had a long-term partnership, and we are pleased to be collaborating with Transitions and to have this unique opportunity to support him in yet another way."

About Transitions Optical, Inc.

Transitions Optical is a joint venture of PPG Industries, Inc. and Essilor International. The first to successfully commercialize a plastic photochromic lens in 1990, today the company is a leading provider of photochromics to optical manufacturers worldwide. Transitions Optical offers the most advanced photochromic technology in the widest selection of lens designs, materials and brand names.

Transitions® lenses are the ideal everyday choice for healthy sight. They are clear indoors and at night. Outdoors, they automatically darken as light conditions change. Transitions lenses provide visual comfort, and enhance visual quality by reducing glare and enhancing contrast, helping you to see better today. Transitions lenses block 100 percent of harmful UVA and UVB rays -- helping to protect the health and wellness of your eyes -- so you can see better tomorrow as well. Transitions is the Official Eyewear of the PGA TOUR.

For more information about the company and Transitions lenses, the first to earn the American Optometric Association's Seal of Acceptance for Ultraviolet Absorbers/Blockers, visit Transitions.com or contact Transitions Optical Customer Service at (800) 848-1506 (United States) or (877) 254-2590 (Canada).

About adidas Eyewear

adidas Eyewear is a globally licensed brand of Silhouette International Schmied A.G., headquartered in Linz, Austria. Silhouette is one of the world's leading innovators and manufacturers of high-quality eyewear. Under the adidas trademark, Silhouette designs, manufactures and distributes adidas Eyewear to thousands of eyecare professionals in more than 60 countries. adidas Eyewear is distributed in the United States by one of Silhouette International Schmied A.G.'s wholly owned subsidiaries, Silhouette Optical, Ltd., located in Green Island, New York. For more information, visit www.adidas.com/eyewear.

SOURCE Transitions Optical, Inc.

- The Excitement and Action of the World's Most Popular Sporting Event Will be Viewed as Never Before

Sony Corporation and FIFA (Federation Internationale de Football Association) today announced an agreement for selected media rights of the 2010 FIFA World Cup(TM) in 3D. FIFA is to produce the world's first FIFA World Cup(TM) in 3D. Up to 25 of the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa(TM) matches will be produced using Sony's 3D professional cameras, which will provide coverage of the action that is unprecedented in depth, vividness and excitement to people around the world.

FIFA will utilize Sony's experience and know-how of 3D content production to spread the passion inside the stadiums at the greatest sport event in the world to more people than ever before.

From 2010, Sony will be incorporating 3D compatibility into a wide range of consumer products such as "BRAVIA" LCD TV, Blu-ray Disc recorders and players, VAIO and PlayStation(R)3, to provide a multitude of ways in which 3D content - from 3D movies to stereoscopic 3D games - can be enjoyed in the home. By having viewers around the world experience sensational 3D content from the World Cup tournament, Sony aims to accelerate the expansion of 3D from professionals to consumers in 2010 and beyond.

"The transition to 3D is underway, and, we, at Sony, intend to be leaders in every aspect. Our sponsorship of the FIFA World Cup allows us to leverage our cutting-edge 3D technology and premier products with dazzling content to produce a unique and totally compelling viewing experience. 3D viewers around the world will feel as though they are inside the stadiums in South Africa, watching the games in person," said Sir Howard Stringer, Chairman, CEO and President of Sony Corporation.

"This propels the football fan into a whole new viewing dimension and marks the dawning of a new era in the broadcasting of sport," said FIFA Secretary General Jerome Valcke. "We are proud that the FIFA World Cup can serve as a platform for advancing technology and the viewing experience, and are truly fortunate to have Sony as a partner in this endeavour."

    Viewers will be able to enjoy 3D experiences at the following locations:


    - During the 2010 FIFA World Cup, FIFA will host the "International FIFA
    Fan Fest(TM)" public viewing events in 7 cities around the world (Berlin,
    London, Mexico City, Paris, Rio De Janeiro, Rome, and Sydney). At Sony's
    commercial displays located within the "Fan Fest," people will be able to
    enjoy and experience promotional highlight trailers of the FIFA World Cup
    in 3D.

    - In anticipation of the Official 3D Film, viewers will be able to watch
    promotional trailers for the film of the World Cup in 3D at retail
    outlets(including Sony stores) that sell Sony products around the world.

    - Sony Pictures Home Entertainment plans to produce and distribute the
    Official 3D Film on the Blu-ray Disc*[1] and other formats.

By combining the excitement of the FIFA World Cup with 3D images generated using Sony's technology and products, Sony and FIFA will seek to deliver 3D images that convey the action and emotion of the World Cup to viewers around the world, and a viewing experience as if they were in the stadium itself.

*[1] 3D specification of BD is under consideration by the BDA (Blu-ray Disc Association).

*All trade names are either registered trademarks or trademarks of their respective holders.

SOURCE Sony Corporation

The National Federation of the Blind, the nation's leading advocate for Braille, is pleased to announce that the University of Oregon will use a 2009 Louis Braille Bicentennial Silver Dollar in the coin toss at the Civil War football game on Thursday, December 3. The renowned Oregon Ducks, who are currently ranked at number 7 in the Associated Press Poll, will host in Eugene the Oregon State Beavers in their annual Civil War. For the first time in the 113-year history of the Civil War, the game will decide the PAC-10 championship and the winner will go on to play in the Rose Bowl.

Dr. Marc Maurer, President of the National Federation of the Blind, said: "We are pleased that University of Oregon is recognizing the critical importance of Braille literacy for the blind in a fun and exciting way by including the Louis Braille Bicentennial Silver Dollar in the prestigious Civil War football game on December 3. There can be no doubt that the ability to read and write Braille competently and efficiently is the key to education, employment, and success for the blind; yet only one in ten blind children in the United States are currently learning it. We are asking all Oregon college football fans and all other Americans to help us in ensuring literacy, education, productivity, and success for every blind American by purchasing a 2009 Louis Braille Bicentennial Silver Dollar today."

Congress authorized the minting in 2009 of 400,000 Louis Braille Bicentennial Silver Dollars to mark the two-hundredth anniversary of the birth of Louis Braille (1809-1852) and to support the efforts of the National Federation of the Blind to promote literacy among blind Americans. This unique and beautiful commemorative coin is the first U.S. currency to feature tactile, readable Braille.

A portion of the proceeds from sales of the 2009 Louis Braille Bicentennial Silver Dollar will be used to support the NFB's "Braille Readers are Leaders" campaign, a national initiative created to double the number of blind children learning Braille by 2015, improve certification standards for teachers of Braille, and conduct innovative programs to support Braille literacy.

Those interested in ordering a 2009 Louis Braille Bicentennial Silver Dollar or the new Braille Education Set, which features the coin in a collectible folder designed to highlight the life and legacy of Louis Braille, should visit www.braille.org or www.usmint.gov or call 1-800-USA-MINT (872-6468). The Louis Braille Bicentennial Silver Dollar and the Braille Education Set will only be available until December 11, 2009. For more information about the National Federation of the Blind and the Braille Readers are Leaders campaign, visit www.braille.org.

About the National Federation of the Blind

With more than 50,000 members, the National Federation of the Blind is the largest and most influential membership organization of blind people in the United States. The NFB improves blind people's lives through advocacy, education, research, technology, and programs encouraging independence and self-confidence. It is the leading force in the blindness field today and the voice of the nation's blind. In January 2004 the NFB opened the National Federation of the Blind Jernigan Institute, the first research and training center in the United States for the blind led by the blind.

SOURCE National Federation of the Blind

Although environmentally friendly products are common in many product categories, they haven't been available in the sports brace and support market - until now. Mueller Sports Medicine has just introduced a line of athletic braces and supports made primarily from recycled plastic bottles and other recycled substances. Called Mueller Green, the new products also feature a core made from non-petroleum-based materials.

Now available in sporting goods stores, pharmacies and mass merchandise retail outlets nationwide, the Mueller Green line offers environmentally minded consumers "green" versions of some of the company's best-selling products, including an adjustable hinged knee brace; an adjustable ankle support; two wrist braces; an adjustable back/abdominal support; and - early in 2010 - an adjustable elbow support. Unlike most sports braces, which use neoprene (a petroleum-based material) for their core, Mueller Green's core material is derived from limestone. Mueller Green products also use a spandex binding made of 73% recycled materials and a liner made of 67% recycled PET (polyethylene terephthalate) bottles.

The Mueller Green products are designed to be easy to use for average consumers, as opposed to elite athletes working with professional trainers. For example, the adjustable knee brace uses a wrap-around design (which requires less flexibility to get on than pull-on style braces) and its hinged knee braces are self-adjusting. The back and abdominal support features a cinching pull-strap for one-handed tightening, while the ankle support can be adjusted without removing the shoe.

While Mueller Green products are ideal for athletes at all levels, they are also helpful for non-athletes who may suffer from sore or arthritic ankles, knees and elbows or carpal tunnel syndrome in their wrists. In fact, the entire Mueller Green product line qualifies for reimbursement through Flex Spending Accounts (FSAs) and is coded for Medicaid and Medicare.

Photos:

http://www.ereleases.com/pr/2009-Mueller-1.jpg

http://www.ereleases.com/pr/2009-Mueller-2.jpg

Mueller Sports Medicine was founded in 1961 by Curt Mueller. The company is a family-owned and operated international sports medicine company offering a complete line of patented braces, supports, tapes and taping supplies, as well as Quench(R) gum. Mueller Sports Medicine continues to introduce new and innovative products around the world.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Andy Larsen, Boelter + Lincoln PR
Phone: 414/271-0101 Ext. 119
Cell:  414/840-0891
E-mail: alarsen@boelterlincoln.com

This release was issued through eReleases(TM). For more information, visit http://www.ereleases.com.

SOURCE Mueller Sports Medicine

Reportlinker.com announces that a new market research report is available in its catalogue:

Sports And Fitness Clothing - A Global Market Perspective

http://www.reportlinker.com/p0164478/Sports-And-Fitness-Clothing---A-Global-Market-Perspective.html

Intersection of sportswear, leisurewear, and fitness clothing is steadily obscuring the difference between sports apparel, fitness clothing, and casual, active wear, thereby leading to changes in target audiences. Changing lifestyles, and attitude towards fitness outerwear, are dictating fashion trends with women exhibiting a proclivity towards fashionable workout wear. Growing emphasis on versatility, convenience, fashion, comfort, style, and performance is creating a strong demand for sports and fitness clothing, which offers both functional performance and style appeal.

These and other market data and trends are presented in "Sports & Fitness Clothing: A Global Market Perspective" by BizAcumen, Inc. Our reports are designed to be most comprehensive in geographic coverage and vertical market analyses.

SPORTS AND FITNESS CLOTHING BMR-4017

CONTENTS

1. METHODOLOGY 1

Study Reliability and Reporting Limitations 1

Disclaimers 2

Quantitative Techniques & Reporting Level 3

2. GLOBAL MARKET OVERVIEW AND OUTLOOK 4

Sports and Fitness Apparel: Sporty, Fit and Fine 4

Competitive Scenario 4

Core Competencies to Excel in Sportswear Market 5

Favorable Trends Drive Growth 5

Versatility and Functionality - Key Growth Drivers 6

Women Participation Revs up the Engine of Apparel Growth 7

3. PRODUCT FACTS 7

Sports Apparel 8

Fitness Clothing 8

4. TRENDS/ISSUES 8

Intersection of Casual Wear and Sports Apparel 8

Fashion Conscious Women Trigger Changes in Player Strategies 9

Growing Awareness in Consumers about Technical Specifications 9

What's on the Tracks - Sport-Specific Apparel 9

Intimate Sports Apparel - An Emerging Market 9

Growth of E-Commerce Presents Innumerable Opportunities 10

Team Sports Apparel - Fueling Growth 10

Performance Fabrics Drive Clothing Market 10

New Age Performance Wear 11

Moisture Management- A New Generation Fiber Trend 11

Sportswear Makers and Sports Associations Join Hands 11

Active Sportswear - Cool, Casual Wear! 11

Most Happening Sports Clothing Market 11

Adventure Travel Sets Tone for Fabric Innovations 11

5. CORPORATE DEVELOPMENTS 12

Nike Acquires Umbro 12

Shimano Takes Over Pearl Izumi 12

Spyder Active Takes Over Cloudveil 12

Reebok Enters into a Joint Venture with Vulcabras 12

Ashworth Acquires Sun Ice® and Sunice® Brands 13

Vivarte to Take Over Super Sport 13

Quad-C Takes Over Augusta Sportswear 13

Reebok Now in Dick's Stores 13

Perry Ellis Acquires Laundry® and C&C California® Brands 13

Liz Claiborne Enters into an Agreement with Donna Karan 14

Tommy Hilfiger Now at Fifth Avenue in New York City 14

Under Armour Provides Outfit for University of Hawaii

Football Team 14

Majestic Provides Baseball Gear to Minor League Baseball(TM) Clubs 14

Speedo® Introduces Speedo® LZR RACER(TM) 14

JCPenney Introduces American Living Brand 15

adidas' Sports Licensed Division Acquires Mitchell & Ness

Nostalgia 15

Billabong Acquires Xcel 15

Hartmarx Takes Over the Business of Monarchy 15

New Balance Takes Over Vital Apparel Group 15

TA Associates Takes Over M&M Direct 16

Hanesbrands and Walt Disney Enter into a Marketing Agreement 16

Billabong to Operate Directly in South Africa 16

Columbia Sportswear Makes Changes in Montrail's Operations 16

Perry Ellis Signs Three Licensing Deals in Asia 16

UMBRO and Swedish Football Association Partnership Extended 16

Unlimited Sports Secures Distribution Rights from Under Armour 17

Easton Bell Procures Sportswear from India 17

Sports Direct International Invests in Amer 17

New Wave Group Takes Over Cutter & Buck 17

Dogi International Takes Over Elastic Fabrics 17

Hidary Group Acquires Everlast Worldwide 17

VF Imagewear Takes Over Majestic Athletic 18

Fila Korea Acquires Fila Luxembourg 18

Sport-Haley Acquires the Remaining Stake in Reserve Apparel 18

G-III Buys Assets from Jessica 18

Lord Daniel Sportswear Ties up With Top Circle Hosiery Mills 19

Ford Edge Collaborates with Time Inc. and Dominator Clothing 19

Everlast Ties Up with BMH to Enter China 19

Enyce to Form Alliance with Gina 20

Phillips-Van Heusen Enters into Licensing Agreement with

Timberland 20

Under Armour Signs Pact with Unlimited Sports Group 21

Calvin Klein Enters into Licensing Agreement with Windsong Sport 21

Perry Ellis Signs Licensing Agreement with ES Apparel 21

Perry Ellis Signs Licensing Agreement with Burlington and

TrapTek 21

Liz Claiborne Enters into Partnership with Narciso Rodriguez 22

PPR Overcomes Approval Hitch to Take Over Puma 22

adidas to Integrate Distribution Centers by 2009 22

adidas to Add Outlets in Mainland China 22

Reliance Retail Offers Outlets and Yarns for Its Global Allies 23

Reebok Launches the Big Papi 2M Signature Cleat 23

New Balance's Apparel Line Features CoCoNa(TM) Technology 23

Creora Introduces Eco-friendly Fabrics 23

adidas Golf Debuts Exclusive Women's Apparel Line 24

Dockers® Launches Dockers Championship Pant 24

HO Sports Company Unveils Hyperlite Apparel Line 24

Swirl Gear Introduces Unique Fitness Line 25

Wuhan Releases Latest Wool Wear Designed for Sports 25

6. MAJOR PLAYERS 25

Adidas AG (Germany) 25

Reebok (USA) 26

Algo Group (Canada) 26

Amer Sports Corporation (Finland) 26

Ashworth Inc (USA) 27

ASICS America Corporation (USA) 27

Benetton Group S.p.A (Italy) 27

Billabong International Limited (Australia) 27

Blacks Leisure Group Plc (UK) 27

Columbia Sportswear Company (USA) 28

Descente Ltd. (Japan) 28

Eddie Bauer Inc (USA) 28

Escada AG (Germany) 28

Everlast Worldwide Inc. (USA) 29

Fila Online Inc. (USA) 29

Foot Locker Inc. (USA) 29

Lady Foot Locker 29

Foot Locker 29

Kids Foot Locker 29

Champs Sports 30

FUBU (USA) 30

Gap Inc. (USA) 30

Banana Republic (USA 30

Old Navy (USA) 30

Gildan Activewear Inc (Canada) 30

Hanesbrands Inc. (USA) 30

HartMarx Corp (USA) 31

Hugo Boss AG (Germany) 31

Jacques Moret Inc (USA) 31

JJB Sports Plc (UK) 31

Jockey International (USA) 32

Jones Apparel Group Inc (USA) 32

Levi Strauss & Co. (USA) 32

Liz Claiborne Inc (USA) 32

Louis Garneau Sports Inc. (Canada) 32

New Balance (USA) 32

Nike Inc. (USA) 33

Onward Holdings Company Ltd. (Japan) 33

Perry Ellis International Corporation (USA) 33

Phillips - Van Heusen Corp (USA) 33

Polo Ralph Lauren Corporation (USA) 34

Prada S.p.A Group (Italy) 34

Quiksilver Inc. (USA) 34

Russell Corporation (USA) 34

Brooks Sports, Inc. (USA) 34

The Athletic Sportshow Inc (Canada) 35

The Timberland Company (USA) 35

T.J. Maxx (USA) 35

Tommy Hilfiger (USA) 35

Tommy Hilfiger Europe 35

Triumph Apparel Corporation (USA) 35

Triumph International AG (Germany) 36

Umbro Plc (UK) 36

Under Armour, Inc (USA) 36

V.F. Corporation (USA) 36

Nautica Enterprises Inc (USA) 36

Majestic Athletic (USA) 37

Wacoal Holdings Corporation (Japan) 37

Warnaco Group Inc. (USA) 37

7. GLOBAL MARKET ANALYTICS 38

8. THE UNITED STATES 40

Sports Apparel - A Versatile Interpretation 40

Athletics and Americans - High Health Consciousness 41

Women Participation Revs up the Engine of Apparel Growth 41

What Consumers Want 42

Changing Pricing Scenario 42

Baby Boomers - Present Good Prospects 42

Brand Ubiquity: The In-thing in Sportswear 43

Increasing Popularity of Specialty Stores 43

Running Apparel Segment - Picking Up Pace 43

2006 - Surging Demand for Advanced Performance Apparel Drives

Market Growth 44

2005 - Year of Excellent Growth 44

Fitness Instructors and Personal Trainers to Market Athletic

Ladies Sports Shirts in Demand 46

Sports Apparel to Outperform Total Apparel Market 46

Racket Squad: Apparel for Tennis Players 46

Sales of Ski and Snowboard Apparel 47

New Challenges in the Sports Apparel Market 47

US Activewear Market 48

Activewear: A Segment with High Growth Opportunities 48

Performance is not the Only Criterion for Buying Active 50

Active Styles to Re-Emerge 50

Intense Competition in the Active Wear Market 50

Sports Application of Activewear - A Peek into Past Trends 50

Mass Merchandisers & Discounters Dominate Retailing 51

Casualwear Market 51

An Overview of Casualwear Market 51

Casual Sportswear 52

Licensed Sports Apparel 52

Market Highlights 52

Licensed Sports Apparel for Children - A Growing Market 53

Rebirth of Sports Licensing 53

Consumer Segments 54

Women's Sports Apparel Segment 54

Teenage Girls: Enthusiastic Purchasers 56

Women's Penchant for Cool Cotton 57

Men's and Boy's Sportswear Market 59

Children's Sportswear 61

Snowboard Sports 63

Hip Snowboard Clothing Popular with Winter Athletes and Skiers 63

Soft Adventure Snow Sports 63

Volleyball 63

Football (Tackle) 64

Soccer 64

Trail Running, Adventure Racing, and Triathlons 64

Hiking Picks Up Pace 65

Sports Apparel - Snapshots of Sales Trends in Past Years 65

Ten Significant Facts about Sports Apparel - A Historic Insight 65

Swimming 67

Surfing 68

Retail Outdoor Apparel Market 68

Lifestyle/Beach Apparel 68

Branded Activewear 68

Bodywear 68

Performance Apparel 69

Sports Logo Clothing Sales Decline 69

Sporting Goods Outlets 69

9. CANADA 70

Market Snapshots 70

Dominating US Presence 70

Antimicrobial Microfiber Undergarments for Hockey Players 71

Sportswear Retailing 71

10. JAPAN 72

Sports Apparel Market 72

Overview 72

Review of Popular Categories of Sportswear 73

Golf Wear 73

Ski and Snowboard Wear 73

Tennis Wear 73

Outdoor Wear 74

Competitive Wear 74

Training and Athletic Wear 75

Distribution Channels for Select Sportswear Segments 75

Sports Participation 75

Consumer Segments 76

Men's Wear Market 76

Casual Friday Dress Concept in Japan 76

Women's Sportswear Market 76

Influence of American Fashion Trends 76

Consumer Profile 76

Swimwear Market 76

Children's Sportswear Market 77

American Fashion Catches On 77

11. EUROPE 78

a. France 81

b. Germany 85

c. The United Kingdom 86

d. Italy 92

e. Spain 94

f. Russia 96

g. Rest of Europe 98

12. ASIA-PACIFIC 102

Coolmax Applications Dominate Golf Attire Fabric OEM Companies 102

Major Markets 103

Australia 103

Sportsmanship in Australia 103

China 104

Chinese Retail Industry Opens Up 104

European Presence in the Apparel Market 105

Consumer's Preferences 105

Rising Disposable Incomes Surges Chinese Sports Apparel Demand 105

Opportunities Expected to Result from 2008 Hosting of

Olympic Games 105

Chinese Snow Sports Market Promises Great Potential 106

Selling of Forged Product Brands in China Worries US

Manufacturers 106

Competitive Scenario 106

Distribution Channels 107

Burgeoning Spandex Market in China 107

India 109

Overview 109

Sports Attire Companies Focus on Designer Based Branding 109

Popular Fitness Activities 109

Trends in the Apparel Market 110

Singapore 111

Apparel Market 111

Hong Kong 111

Overview 111

Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement 112

Dalian Swimwear Market Features Latest Designs and Brands 112

Sporting Goods Industry in Hong Kong 112

Interlacing of Athletic and Casual Designs - An Evolving Trend 112

South Korea 113

Apparel Industry 113

Sportswear Segment 113

Philippines 113

A Brief Note on the Textile Industry in Philippines 113

Thailand 114

Casual Styles Dominate Children's Wear Market 114

World Cup Mania Drives Sports Apparel Demand in Thailand 114

Taiwan 114

Overview 114

13. LATIN AMERICA 116

Sporting Life in Latin America 116

14. REST OF WORLD 117

Saudi Arabia 117

Market Snapshots 117

Consumer Segments 117

Women's Apparel: Market Overview 117

Children's Apparel Market 117

EXHIBITS

Table 1: Leading Players' Value Sales for Consolidated and

Sports Apparel Category in the Sports Apparel Market - 2007

Table 2: Internet Features Attracting Consumers

Table 3: Global Sports and Fitness Clothing Market by Region

for the Period 2007-2015 (Sales in US$ Million)

Table 4: Percentage Breakdown of Global Sports and Fitness

Clothing Market by Region for the Years 2008 & 2012

Table 5: Global Sports Apparel Market by Region for the Period

2007-2015 (Sales in US$ Million)

Table 6: Percentage Breakdown of Global Sports Apparel Market

by Region for the Years 2008 & 2012

Table 7: Global Fitness Clothing Market by Region for the

Period 2007-2015 (Sales in US$ Million)

Table 8: Percentage Breakdown of Global Fitness Clothing

Market by Region for the Years 2008 & 2012

Table 9: Percentage Breakdown of the US Sports and Fitness

Apparel Market by Consumer Segment - 2005

Table 10: Percentage Breakdown of the US Sports and Fitness

Clothing Market by Product Segment - 2004

Table 11: Percentage Breakdown of Consumer Spending in the US

Active Sports Apparel Market by Type of Sport - 2004

Table 12: Percentage Breakdown of the US Sports Apparel Market

by Retail Outlet - 2004

Table 13: Percentage Breakdown of Leading Activewear Brands -

2004

Table 14: Percentage Breakdown of Best-Selling Activewear

Segments - 2010

Table 15: Sales and Percentage Breakdown of Active Sports

Apparel Market by Retail Store - 2001

Table 16: Sales and Percentage Breakdown of the US Leading

Women-Oriented Sports Apparel Manufacturers - 2000

Table 17: Percentage Breakdown of Leading Labels in the Golf

Apparel Market - 2005

Table 18: Percentage Breakdown of Boy's Clothing Market by

Category - 2005

Table 19: Percentage Breakdown of Leading Performance Swimwear

Manufacturers - 2003

Table 20: Annual Sales Estimates and Percentage Breakdown of

Swimwear Market by Consumer Segment - 2002

Table 21: Sports and Fitness Clothing Market by Product

Segment in the US: 2007-2015 (Sales in US$ Million)

Table 22: Percentage Breakdown of Sports and Fitness Clothing

Market by Product Segment in the US for the Years 2008 & 2012

Table 23: Percentage Breakdown of Canadian Sports Apparel

Market by Retail Outlet - 2005

Table 24: Market Shares of Canadian Men's Sports Coats and

Blazers Market by Retail Outlet - 2005

Table 25: Sports and Fitness Clothing Market by Product

Segment in Canada: 2007-2015 (Sales in US$ Million)

Table 26: Percentage Breakdown of Sports and Fitness Clothing

Market by Product Segment in Canada for the Years 2008 & 2012

Table 27: Sports and Fitness Clothing Market by Product

Segment in Japan: 2007-2015 (Sales in US$ Million)

Table 28: Percentage Breakdown of Sports and Fitness Clothing

Market by Product Segment in Japan for the Years 2008 & 2012

Table 29: Sports and Fitness Clothing Market by Region in

Europe: 2007-2015 (Sales in US$ Million)

Table 30: Percentage Breakdown of Sports and Fitness Clothing

Market by Region in Europe for the Years 2008 & 2012

Table 31: Sports and Fitness Clothing Market by Product

Segment in Europe: 2007-2015 (Sales in US$ Million)

Table 32: Percentage Breakdown of Sports and Fitness Clothing

Market by Product Segment in Europe for the Years 2008 & 2012

Table 33: Sports and Fitness Clothing Market by Product

Segment in France: 2007-2015 (Sales in US$ Million)

Table 34: Percentage Breakdown of Sports and Fitness Clothing

Market by Product Segment in France for the Years 2008 & 2012

Table 35: Sports and Fitness Clothing Market by Product

Segment in Germany: 2007-2015 (Sales in US$ Million)

Table 36: Percentage Breakdown of Sports and Fitness Clothing

Market by Product Segment in Germany for the Years 2008 &

2012

Table 37: Sports and Fitness Clothing Market by Product

Segment in the UK: 2007-2015 (Sales in US$ Million)

Table 38: Percentage Breakdown of Sports and Fitness Clothing

Market by Product Segment in the UK for the Years 2008 & 2012

Table 39: Sports and Fitness Clothing Market by Product

Segment in Italy: 2007-2015 (Sales in US$ Million)

Table 40: Percentage Breakdown of Sports and Fitness Clothing

Market by Product Segment in Italy for the Years 2008 & 2012

Table 41: Sports and Fitness Clothing Market by Product

Segment in Spain: 2007-2015 (Sales in US$ Million)

Table 42: Percentage Breakdown of Sports and Fitness Clothing

Market by Product Segment in Spain for the Years 2008 & 2012

Table 43: Sports and Fitness Clothing Market by Product

Segment in Russia: 2007-2015 (Sales in US$ Million)

Table 44: Percentage Breakdown of Sports and Fitness Clothing

Market by Product Segment in Russia for the Years 2008 & 2012

Table 45: Sports and Fitness Clothing Market by Product

Segment in Rest of Europe: 2007-2015 (Sales in US$ Million)

Table 46: Percentage Breakdown of Sports and Fitness Clothing

Market by Product Segment in Rest of Europe for the Years

2008 & 2012

Table 47: Percentage Breakdown of Leading Players in the

Chinese Sportswear Market -2005

Table 48: Sports and Fitness Clothing Market by Product

Segment in Asia Pacific: 2007-2015 (Sales in US$ Million)

Table 49: Percentage Breakdown of Sports and Fitness Clothing

Market by Product Segment in Asia Pacific for the Years 2008

& 2012

Table 50: Sports and Fitness Clothing Market by Product

Segment in Latin America: 2007-2015 (Sales in US$ Million)

Table 51: Percentage Breakdown of Sports and Fitness Clothing

Market by Product Segment in Latin America for the Years 2008

& 2012

Table 52: Sports and Fitness Clothing Market by Product

Segment in Rest of World: 2007-2015 (Sales in US$ Million)

Table 53: Percentage Breakdown of Sports and Fitness Clothing

Market by Product Segment in Rest of World for the Years 2008

& 2012

COMPANIES PROFILED

To order this report:

Sport Clothing and Accessories Industry: Sports And Fitness Clothing - A Global Market Perspective

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Nicolas Bombourg
Reportlinker
Email: nbo@reportlinker.com
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Intl: +1 805-652-2626

SOURCE Reportlinker

Mac Strategies Group, a four-time award winning public relations, public affairs and crisis communications firm, has been hired as the agency of record for the Chicago Slaughter, the 2009 CIFL champion professional indoor football team led by 1985 Chicago Bears Super Bowl Champion Steve "Mongo" McMichael. The Chicago Slaughter first tapped Mac Strategies Group for services during their post-season play last June in an effort to elevate the organization's profile; Mac Strategies Group propelled their public relations efforts earning record-setting media attention for the organization; a similar long-term strategy will be employed for the franchise over the next two years. The Slaughter, who recently became one of 7 new expansion teams to sign with the Indoor Football League (IFL) for the 2010 Season, are set to begin play in late February. The Chicago Slaughter joins a diverse group of public affairs and corporate clients currently represented by the firm.

"We are excited to broaden our portfolio within the sports arena," said Ryan McLaughlin, President of Mac Strategies Group. "This move further demonstrates our firm's ability to provide successful public relations and public affairs services across the board for a wide variety of industries."

About The Chicago Slaughter

The Chicago Slaughter Professional Indoor Football team was established as part of the Continental Indoor Football League (CIFL) in 2007. With Division Championships in 2008 and 2009, the Slaughter, lead by head coach and 1985 Super Bowl Chicago Bears star, Steve "Mongo" McMichael, went 14-0 and captured their first CIFL Championship trophy in 2009 capping off a truly historic season. The Slaughter joined the Indoor Football League (IFL) prior to the 2010 season. Headquartered in suburban Chicago, the team hosts all home games at the Sears Centre Arena in Hoffman Estates, IL. For more information on the Chicago Slaughter, visit www.chicagoslaughter.com

About Mac Strategies Group, Inc.

Mac Strategies Group is an award winning public relations, public affairs and crisis communications firm representing corporations, trade associations, public policy and coalition organizations. Our aggressive, creative and hands-on approach ensures our clients receive the attention they deserve and the results they expect. Mac Strategies Group was founded by Ryan McLaughlin in 2008, a seasoned political and media strategist who has served in senior capacities in the corporate, governmental and political sectors. Our firm includes personnel who have worked on Capitol Hill, the state legislature and national trade associations. For more information about Mac Strategies Group, please visit www.macstrategiesgroup.com

SOURCE Mac Strategies Group

FLW Outdoors announced Tuesday that Ranger Boats has renewed their sponsorship with FLW Outdoors, highlighting a lengthy relationship that continues to emphasize the rewards of fishing while opening doors of opportunity for all anglers.

"We're proud to have such a strong partnership with Ranger Boats," said Trisha Blake, Chief Marketing Officer & Executive Vice President of FLW Outdoors. "Ranger is the ultimate standard on the water. Their leadership within the world of competitive fishing goes back more than four decades and our relationship has become a cornerstone in the competitive fishing industry. We look forward to another successful season of fishing with the cutting-edge industry leader."

"We're equally excited to share in so many upcoming events and opportunities for anglers," said Ranger President, Randy Hopper. "From walleye and bass tournaments to championship celebrations like the Forrest Wood Cup, we're looking forward to reinforcing our strong legacy of angler support with FLW Outdoors. Coupled with our record-setting Ranger Cup contingencies, 2010 will mark more than a decade that Ranger owner/anglers have been rewarded with these all-time richest owner bonuses."

While complete terms of the agreement were not disclosed, Ranger Boats will continue the lucrative Ranger Cup program offering Ranger owners valuable contingency awards, including $25,000 per FLW Tour event and $100,000 for the Forrest Wood Cup. For additional information regarding Ranger Cup and additional FLW Outdoors circuits, visit FLWOutdoors.com.

Ranger Boats will continue to be a major supporter of FLW Fantasy Fishing, which is free to play and has offered the largest awards in fantasy sports history, with numerous prizes and promotions. Ranger Boats will also receive exposure and have a presence across the various platforms of FLW Outdoors and receive the opportunity to set up a major display promoting their products, anglers and provide promotional offers to fans at the FLW Outdoors Family Fun Zone and Outdoor Shows.

Well known for legendary craftsmanship, quality and performance as well as innovative features and designs, Ranger Boats has introduced one of its largest lineups of new products for 2010. New models include offerings for bass and multi-species angling as well as family recreation and saltwater fishing.

FLW Outdoors, named after Forrest L. Wood, the legendary founder of Ranger Boats, is the largest fishing tournament organization in the world. FLW Outdoors has also taken fishing mainstream with FLW Fantasy Fishing, offering the largest awards possible in the history of fantasy sports.

For more information about FLW Outdoors and its tournaments, visit FLWOutdoors.com or call (270) 252-1000. For more information about FLW Fantasy Fishing and Player's Advantage, visit FantasyFishing.com.

About Ranger Boats

Ranger Boats, headquartered in Flippin, Ark., is the nation's largest manufacturer of premium fiberglass fishing boats, including a series of bass, multi-species, fish 'n play and saltwater boats. Founded in 1968 by Forrest L. Wood, Ranger Boats continues its commitment to building the highest-quality, strongest-performing boats on the water.

FLWOutdoors.com

SOURCE FLW Outdoors

Sports Illustrated Group Editor Terry McDonell announced today that Derek Jeter is the 2009 Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year. Jeter is the first New York Yankee to receive this award. Previous winners include Muhammad Ali, Lance Armstrong, Michael Jordan, Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods. The 2009 SI Sportsman of the Year issue hits newsstands Wednesday, December 2. The issue marks the 11th cover appearance for Jeter.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20091130/NY18019 )

Since 1954 the Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year has been presented annually to the person who excelled in athletic performance and demonstrated great character. "Over all the years SI editors have used the same language to define the award," said McDonell. "It is not for the victory alone that he (or she) is honored; rather, it is for the quality of his effort and the manner of his striving.' And that defines Derek Jeter."

"While having a Hall of Fame career and under a brilliant spotlight, Derek conducts himself with class and a selfless demeanor that allows not only his teammates but also his sport and his community to flourish," McDonell continued. "It was his leadership both on and off the field that drove the Yankees to the world championship, and his Turn 2 Foundation is one of the most efficient and effective foundations of its kind. It is an honor to include Derek Jeter in the Sportsman fraternity."

Jeter's selection caps another outstanding season for the 35-year-old team captain and future Hall of Famer. In 2009 he batted .334 while leading the Yankees to their fifth World Series title in his 14 full seasons, their first since 2000 and their major league record 27th. On September 11, Jeter got his 2,722 hit, breaking Lou Gehrig's 70-year-old franchise record. Jeter now has 2,747. In 2009, Jeter led the American League by reaching base 289 times, finished second in the league in hits (212), third in batting average and on-base percentage (.406), fourth in runs (107), and eighth in stolen bases (30). He was named an All-Star for the 10th time, including the sixth time as a starter, while winning his fourth AL Silver Slugger as the best hitting shortstop in the league, and his fourth Gold Glove as the league's top defensive shortstop.

In 14 postseason games Jeter lived up to his reputation as a clutch player, batting .344 with a .432 on-base percentage, three home runs and six RBIs. He batted .407 in the World Series to help lead the Yankees to a six-game victory against the defending world champion Philadelphia Phillies. During the Series Jeter was named the American League recipient of the Hank Aaron Award, given to the best hitter in each league as voted on by the fans, and the winner of the Roberto Clemente Award, given to the player who best displays skill on the field while giving back to the community off it.

Jeter will be honored at a ceremony in Manhattan on December 1 along with SI Kids' SportsKid of the Year, Austin McCarthy. Sponsors for the Sportsman of the Year event include Ford, Gillette, Liberty Mutual and Verizon.

Jeter is the 10th baseball honoree and only the third in the last 34 years. Others players named Sportsman after great World Series-winning performances include Johnny Podres ('55), Sandy Koufax ('65), Tom Seaver ('69), Pete Rose ('75), Willie Stargell (along with Terry Bradshaw ['79]), Orel Hershiser ('88), Curt Schilling and Randy Johnson ('01) and the Boston Red Sox ('04).

For additional information, please visit www.si.com/sportsman.

About Sports Illustrated

SI is a multimedia sports brand that takes the consumer into the heart and soul of sports. The SI franchise is anchored by Sports Illustrated, the most respected voice in sports journalism which reaches a weekly audience of nearly 21 million adults, and www.SI.com, the magazine's 24/7 sports news website that delivers more than 150 original stories to its users each week. The SI franchise also includes Sports Illustrated Kids (www.sikids.com), a monthly magazine targeted to kids age 8 and up; Golf Magazine and www.Golf.com; www.FanNation.com, a social networking and sports-news aggregation platform; SI Presents, the magazine's specialty publishing division; as well as SI Books, SI Pictures, SI Productions, SI Digital and SI Events. Founded in 1954, SI is a division of Time Inc., the world's leading magazine publishing company and a subsidiary of Time Warner.

SOURCE Sports Illustrated

To celebrate its first year as the official beer sponsor of the 2009 Rock 'n' Roll Las Vegas Marathon & Half Marathon, and add a little fun and excitement for runners, MGD 64 today announced it will award an exclusive prize pack to the 64th place finisher in each age category of the full marathon.

MGD 64 prize packs will be awarded to the male and female 64th place finishers* in each of the thirteen age categories. Each winner will receive a gift basket full of fun items including branded apparel, a pedometer, a subscription to Inside Triathlon, Triathlete Magazine or VeloNews, and other great items.

"MGD 64 is the perfect choice for social beer drinkers with active lifestyles. Celebrating the 64th place finishers is a great way to reward runners who are literally on the go," said Tristi Pfeiffer, MGD 64 marketing manager. "Whether runners place first or 64th, everyone can reward themselves with the fresh, crisp taste of MGD 64."

In addition to awarding prize packs to the 64th place finishers, MGD 64 will host an experiential area at the pre-race Rock 'n' Roll Las Vegas Health & Fitness Expo at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino where legal-drinking-age consumers can receive product information and samples of the 64-calorie beer. MGD 64 will also offer a race-day spectator cheering section with t-shirts, thundersticks and other giveaway items. This one-of-a-kind cheer station will be the perfect spot for spectators to give a push of encouragement to runners.

And as a post-race reward, MGD 64 invites all legal-drinking-age participants to celebrate their achievement with one free MGD 64 at the Finish Line Festival beer garden just outside the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino.

"Our partnership with MGD 64 is a great way for us to provide our participants, as well as their friends and families, with the best light beer available," said Adam Zocks, general manager for the Rock 'n' Roll Las Vegas Marathon & Half Marathon. "We utilize our Expo and Finish Line Festival to provide health and fitness products and information for our participants. This is a great setting for a brand such as MGD 64 to introduce its fresh, crisp taste to thousands of people who definitely have something to toast after finishing the race."

With just 64 calories and 2.4 grams of carbohydrates, MGD 64 has steadily grown in popularity with calorie-conscious consumers since it launched nationally in the summer of 2008. This is the brand's first year as the official beer sponsor of the eleven-event Rock 'n' Roll Marathon Series which hosts races in Nashville, San Diego, Seattle, Chicago, Virginia Beach, Philadelphia, San Jose, Denver, San Antonio, Las Vegas and Phoenix.

*Only participants 21 years and older are eligible to win the MGD 64 prize pack

About MillerCoors

Built on a foundation of great beer brands and more than 288 years of brewing heritage, MillerCoors continues the commitment of its founders to brew the highest quality beers. MillerCoors is the second largest beer company in America, capturing nearly 30 percent of U.S. beer sales. Led by two of the best-selling beers in the industry, MillerCoors has a broad portfolio of highly complementary brands across every major industry segment. Miller Lite is the great tasting beer that established the American light beer category in 1975, and Coors Light is the brand that introduced consumers to refreshment as cold as the Rockies. MGD 64 completes the company's premium light beer portfolio, offering consumers fresh, crisp taste at just 64 calories. MillerCoors brews premium beers Coors Banquet and Miller Genuine Draft; and economy brands Miller High Life and Keystone Light. The company also imports Peroni Nastro Azzurro, Pilsner Urquell, Grolsch and Molson Canadian and offers innovative products such as Miller Chill and Sparks. MillerCoors features craft brews from the Jacob Leinenkugel Company, Blue Moon Brewing Company and the Blitz-Weinhard Brewing Company. MillerCoors operates eight major breweries in the U.S., as well as the Leinenkugel's craft brewery in Chippewa Falls, WI and two microbreweries, the 10th Street Brewery in Milwaukee and the Blue Moon Brewing Company at Coors Field in Denver. MillerCoors vision is to create America's best beer company by driving profitable industry growth. MillerCoors insists on building its brands the right way through brewing quality, responsible marketing and environmental and community impact. MillerCoors is a joint venture of SABMiller plc and Molson Coors Brewing Company.

About Rock 'n' Roll Las Vegas Marathon & Half Marathon

The inaugural Rock 'n' Roll Las Vegas Marathon & Half Marathon powered by Zappos.com to benefit the Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America will take place on December 6, 2009, when more than 25,000 runners and walkers are expected to be at the start line on race morning. The marathon and half marathon courses give runners a one-of-a-kind view of the famed Las Vegas Strip, which will be closed to all vehicular traffic and reserved exclusively for race participants. A two-day Performance Expo, featuring over 100 vendors from the running, health and fitness industries, will take place at Mandalay Bay on Friday, December 4 and Saturday, December 5. All race participants must visit the expo to pick up their race number, timing tag, T-shirt and goodie bag. To register for the race or for more information about the Rock 'n' Roll Las Vegas Marathon & 1/2 Marathon, visit http://las-vegas.competitor.com or contact the Competitor Group at 800-311-1255.

SOURCE MillerCoors

Christmas is a time of giving and outdoor enthusiasts always seem to be the one group no one knows exactly what to give them. We've picked three gifts this year to help you in your search. Good things are said to come in threes, so here are our choices: The redesigned 2010 Toyota 4Runner SUV; the award-winning ZipVac vacuum packing system and a newly released book on fly fishing that's destined to become a collector's item.

2010 4Runner in the Forefront -- When the Toyota 4Runner SUV launched in 1984, it was a revolutionary new vehicle based on the mechanics of the 4WD Toyota pickup truck. The 4Runner combined the versatility and go-anywhere ability of 4WD with the comfort and utility found in passenger cars. Twenty-five years and more than 1.5 million sales later, the 4Runner continues to evolve while remaining close to its roots. The all-new 4Runner is even more rugged and athletic, and packed with more power and better mileage. A completely redesigned interior and cargo area make the newest 4Runner more comfortable and versatile than ever. For outdoorsmen who enjoy tailgating, a "party mode" setting raises the bass and transfers the equalization to the rear of the vehicle to provide excellent outside audio. MSRP starts at $27,500. Visit www.toyota.com for your nearest dealer.

Savor the Flavor of the Wild Year Round - Hunters and anglers like to enjoy their fish and wild game all year long, but let's face it, freezing and vacuum packaging the meat can be a pretty expensive deal, until now. Instead of spending a hundred bucks or more for bulky countertop appliances, the ZipVac Portable Food Storage System kit at $29.95 is affordable and perfect for both indoors and outdoors.

Named "Best New Fishing Accessory" at the international tackle trade show in the U.S., and a sister expo in Australia, ZipVac is a new portable vacuum-packaging appliance consisting of durable, freezable, microwavable, boilable and reusable ZipVac bags, a portable hand-held rechargeable electric vacuum pump and lightweight manual air removal pump.

Food loses its fresh taste quickly, even in the freezer, because of air and moisture. Traditional packaging methods - butcher paper, freezer bags and aluminum foil - might delay freezer burn, but cannot prevent it. The only way to really protect the food is with vacuum packaging.

ZipVac's newly redesigned bags come in a variety of sizes - quart, gallon, filet and jumbo. Visit www.zipvac.net for more information and to locate the nearest retailer. MSRP for the kit with both pumps and starter supply of bags is $29.95.

A Masterpiece of a Book on Fly Fishing -- Jim Casada, one of America's premier outdoor writers, who has fly fished the storied trout streams of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park since age 9, has captured this life-long experience and love of the Park in his latest book, Fly Fishing in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park -- An Insider's Guide to a Pursuit of Passion. Already hailed as a masterpiece, this book is an ideal Christmas gift for fly anglers, who are notoriously difficult to buy gifts for.

Casada said he wrote the book to help celebrate the Park's 75th Anniversary and considers it to be his masterpiece.

His work has appeared in virtually all the major national and regional outdoor magazines. Casada has written more than 4,000 magazine features as well as having written or edited more than 40 books.

The hardbound version sells for $37.50 and the paperbound one for $24.95. Postage and handling is $5. Copies can be ordered using PayPal by visiting www.jimcasadaoutdoors.com. Those wishing to pay by check or money order can order by writing High Country Press, 1250 Yorkdale Dr., Rock Hill, SC 29730-7638. Casada will sign or inscribe copies upon request.

SOURCE Walker Agency

As part of ESPN's multilanguage coverage for the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa in the U.S., ESPN Deportes, the all-sports Spanish-language network, will provide Portuguese-language telecasts of more than 40 live matches of the World Cup. The telecasts will complement the network's comprehensive Spanish-language news and information coverage of the quadrennial sports event (June 11 - July 11, 2010). ESPN, Inc. owns the rights for all FIFA events in all languages, except Spanish in the U.S. through 2014.

ESPN's English-language coverage presented live and in high definition, will be featured on ABC, ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPN360.com. Univision has the exclusive Spanish-language rights to 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa.

"There's a thriving Portuguese-speaking community in the U.S. that lives and breathes soccer," said Lino Garcia, general manager, ESPN Deportes. "With Brazil, undoubtedly one of the most followed soccer teams in the world, and Portugal qualifying last week, we are leveraging our multilanguage rights to better serve the passionate Portuguese-speaking fans. We will also continue to provide our core audience the most in-depth news and information coverage that they have come to expect from ESPN Deportes."

This will mark the first time ESPN will televise the World Cup in Portuguese in the U.S. ESPN360.com, the company's broadband network, will also offer coverage of the World Cup matches in Portuguese, in addition to other languages to be announced at a later date. During the group stage, ESPN Deportes will focus on matches featuring Brazil, Portugal, Argentina, Italy, Germany, France, Spain, Mexico and the USA.

In addition to live match coverage in Portuguese, ESPN Deportes will surround the games with its leading news and information franchises, including SportsCenter and Futbol Picante, offering fans the most comprehensive Spanish-language news and information coverage throughout the month-long soccer showcase. ESPN Deportes' news and information shows will have significant presence from South Africa and up to 10 reporters generating content from site. Coverage of the event will include SportsCenter segments, nightly, pre- and post-match shows, with additional studio programming originating from Johannesburg.

Highlights of planned 2010 World Cup News and Information Shows:

• SportsCenter (4:30-6:00 p.m.; 11-12:00 a.m. and 1-2 a.m.) three editions daily - a 90-minute news, highlights and analysis program aired at the conclusion of the last match of the day - and two live one-hour editions to wrap-up all the news and information of the day;
• Jorge Ramos y su banda (1-2:30 p.m.; 3-4 p.m.) ESPN Deportes Radio's soccer talk-show (simulcast on ESPN Deportes) will originate from South Africa and feature co-hosts Jorge Ramos and Hernan Pereyra with live guests, entertaining discussions of the day's sports news and analysis. The program will be broadcast on ESPN Deportes Radio (simulcast on ESPN Deportes) each day in-between the early matches and at the conclusion of the last match of the day( only on ESPN Deportes Radio);
• Fuera de Juego (6-6:30 p.m.) will present significant portions of the live international soccer program from Johannesburg;
• Sudafrica al dia (6:30-7:00 p.m.) will air during the tournament and feature hits from site on relevant news surrounding all the action from South Africa;
• Juego Cruzado (7 p.m.) the network's program modeled after Around the Horn will feature the show's daily panelists opining from newspaper newsrooms in New York, Miami, Los Angeles and Mexico;
• Cronometro (7:30 p.m.) the network's program modeled after Pardon the Interruption will originate entirely from South Africa featuring co-hosts Jose Ramon Fernandez and David Faitelson debating the hottest topics of the day throughout the tournament;
• Futbol Picante (8-9 p.m.) the network's Mexican soccer news program will be aired daily and follow Mexico's National Soccer team and their journey through the World Cup.

World Cup Coverage on ESPN:

In the United States, ESPN, ESPN2 and ABC will combine to present high definition coverage of all 64 matches of the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa June 11 - July 11, 2010. Beyond its English-language exclusive coverage in the U.S., ESPN Inc. is a World Cup rights-holder in Brazil (ESPN Brazil) and in the ESPN Star Sports (ESS) territories of India, Pakistan, The Maldives, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal and the Middle East and in the ESPN Star Sports (ESS) territories of India, Pakistan, The Maldives, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal and the Middle East.

ESPN, through the 15 localized editions of SportsCenter, the network's flagship sports news and information brand, also provides the most comprehensive coverage of marquee sports events around the world. Each SportsCenter edition will provide extensive coverage of 2010 FIFA World Cup for fans in their respective markets, including:

• U.S. (English)
• ESPN Deportes in the U.S. (Spanish)
• ESPN 2 (Dos) serving the U.S., Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean (Spanish)
• ESPN's pan-regional network in Latin America (Spanish)
• ESPN+ serving the Southern cone of Latin America (Spanish)
• ESPN Brasil (Portuguese)
• TSN Canada (English)
• ESS pan-Asia (English)
• ESS India (Hindi)
• ESS Hong Kong (Cantonese)
• ESS Taiwan (Mandarin)
• J Sports ESPN (Japanese)
• ESS Malaysia (Malay)
• ESPN South Africa, Israel (English)
• ESPN Australia (English)

About ESPN Deportes:

ESPN DEPORTES is ESPN's multimedia, Spanish-language sports brand dedicated to providing the widest variety of sports to the U.S. Hispanic sports fan via television, radio, online, print, and wireless. Sports media assets include ESPN Deportes television which offers unparalleled Spanish-language sports programming, featuring more than 1,800 live and/or original hours of sports programming presented annually; ESPN Deportes Radio, the only around-the-clock national Spanish-language sports radio network in the U.S.; ESPNDeportes.com, the #1 Spanish-language sports Web site among Spanish-preferred fans in the U.S.; ESPN Deportes La Revista, the first general sports Spanish-language magazine in the U.S.; and ESPN Deportes Mobile, the brand's emerging business which offers Spanish-language sports content to fans via wireless devices.

SOURCE ESPN Deportes