A wonderful musician and friend of mine has recently departed from our world and is now starting his new life under God's great care and guidance. Nikos will do very well in Heaven and will even delight the angels with his goodwill and music. "I am reaching out to you now from this world Nikos to present you with my gift of this song for you. The melody came to me immediate in my grief. Now with great joy, I embrace you as my eternal friend. There is no end for you now my friend Nikos. Only eternal bliss and fulfillment..... I suppose that I will have to behave myself a little bit more if we are to meet again and go fishing as I have promised.
PS my friend. I do not own a flute, nor did I have any simulated flute sounds that I could use for this song and so I came up with the idea of recording the sound of the timer from my microwave and by stretching it out, I believe that I now have a most beautiful flute sound. You always did call me your crazy artist friend. I suppose that this proves it. Take good care of yourself Nikos. Eternally your crazy artist friend.. Steve.
iRobot Corp. (NASDAQ: IRBT), the leader in delivering robotic technology-based solutions, today announced the Roomba 980 vacuum cleaning robot – iRobot’s most capable and best cleaning robotic vacuum to date. Roomba 980 is the first Roomba to combine adaptive navigation with visual localization, cloud connected app control, and increased cleaning power on carpets, helping people to keep cleaner floors throughout the entire home at the push of a button.
“With more than 14 million robots in people’s homes worldwide, iRobot is the global leader in automated home cleaning,” said Colin Angle, chairman and chief executive officer of iRobot. “Roomba 980 is the next big step as it marks iRobot’s first cloud connected product with mapping capabilities for the consumer market. Leveraging the cloud and mapping technologies, robots gain a better understanding of their environment, and customers are provided with more control. Looking ahead, these technologies will also enable expanded capabilities for connected robots in the smart home.”
“Vacuum cleaning robots can’t rely on any one feature or technology to clean effectively,” said Christian Cerda, executive vice president and general manager of iRobot’s Home Robots business unit. “Vacuum performance, efficient navigation, adapting to ever-changing environments and cleaning under furniture where dirt is hiding are all important factors, and they must be balanced. Roomba 980 takes this into account to deliver convenient, customized, powerful cleaning assistance, each and every day.”
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7625951-irobot-roomba-980-vacuum-cleaning-robot/
XQ Institute is launching XQ: The Super School Project, a challenge to reimagine and design the next American high school. Harnessing the best of American ingenuity in cities and towns across the country, XQ aims to help spark a movement to rethink the American high school—an institution that was designed to meet the needs of the Industrial Revolution and hasn’t changed in more than a century.
“Our nation is radically different than it was 100 years ago. Nearly every aspect of our daily lives—from how we communicate to how we work and play—has changed dramatically,” said Laurene Powell Jobs, Chair of the board of XQ Institute. “But our high schools have stayed frozen in time. Together, we have an opportunity to help fuel a movement for students, to inspire great high schools, and even to rethink school itself. Our passion at XQ is to help educators everywhere foster students who are curious, engaged, and creative—armed with the new literacies, knowledge, and skills needed to thrive,” she added. “To do that, we must use our collective imagination.”
From the Model T to the Tesla and the switchboard to the smart phone—everything has changed except for how we prepare our kids for the future. XQ: The Super School Project is a rallying call to America to change the outdated model that has failed to prepare our students for the demands of the global economy, and an open call to every community to rethink high school for today and tomorrow. XQ Institute will provide a fund of $50 million to support at least five selected schools over the next five years. It will also partner with them to provide expert support and guidance to turn their ideas into real Super Schools that can inspire the country.
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7611851-xq-institute-super-school-project/
Many people think being on hospice means lying in a bed, barely conscious. However, this perception is not an accurate one. Many hospice patients' final moments are spent enjoying quality time with family and friends and creating special moments and memories. This would not be possible without the help of hospice.
The mission of hospice is to provide specialized care for patients in the final weeks and months of life and their families. More simply, hospice care supports living one’s life to the fullest with dignity regardless of how much time remains.
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7429131-moments-of-life-by-hospice/
With more than 50 million kids heading back to school this fall, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children® (NCMEC) and Honeywell (NYSE:HON) are urging parents, guardians and educators to start conversations about safety now. The KidSmartz™ program, a joint effort between NCMEC and Honeywell, is making those conversations easier with new animated videos to help elementary school students understand and remember the “Four Rules of Safety”
“A nine-year analysis by NCMEC of more than 9,000 attempted abductions revealed important patterns, including the fact that many attempts happen on the way to and from school,” said Linda Krieg, NCMEC acting CEO. “Safety is a year-round concern, but the analysis tells us that this time of year is a critical time to prepare our kids for potential dangers. KidSmartz equips teachers and parents with tools they need to help kids make smarter and safer decisions.”
NCMEC’s attempted abduction analysis revealed not only the tricks used by people trying to abduct kids but also the ways kids can get away. KidSmartz, which launched last year as part of more than ten years of partnership between NCMEC and Honeywell, uses classroom activities, role-playing, animated videos and a “Safety Dance” song and dance to teach children in grades K-5 the “Four Rules of Safety.”
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7616251-ncmec-honeywell-kidsmartz-back-to-school/
The Light of Life Foundation, ThyCa: Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Association, Inc., and Eisai Inc. today announced the launch of Myths and Truths About Thyroid Cancer, an interactive, educational campaign designed to help dispel the myth that thyroid cancer is a “good cancer.” Because most thyroid cancers can be successfully treated, many are told if you are going to get cancer, thyroid cancer is the one to have, which has led to this misperception. However, whether successfully treated or not, the truth is all cancers can have a significant impact on a person’s life, beginning with the shock and distress of hearing the word “cancer” at diagnosis. In honor of Thyroid Cancer Awareness Month and the tens of thousands who receive a thyroid cancer diagnosis each year, Myths and Truths About Thyroid Cancer illustrates the life-changing realities of this disease.
“As a thyroid cancer survivor, I urge people to stop referring to thyroid cancer as the ‘good cancer,’ as I believe it downplays patients’ experiences,” said Joan Shey, founder of the Light of Life Foundation. “I hear time and time again from patients how difficult their diagnosis and treatment were and that their scars are more than skin deep. My hope is that this campaign can educate about the many types of thyroid cancer and change the thyroid cancer conversation.”
“Being part of a community of survivors is very important for people coping with thyroid cancer,” said Gary Bloom, thyroid cancer survivor and co-founder and executive director of ThyCa: Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Association. “ThyCa takes this to heart, which is why we are proud to provide support and resources to the thyroid cancer community. We also know more needs to be done to elevate awareness of thyroid cancer and what patients need in terms of support for the rest of our lives.”
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7595951-eisai-thyroid-cancer-myths/
Positive strides have been made since 1995 to advance science literacy in the United States, but teachers and parents agree that more hands-on, experiential learning must be adopted in order to improve science education for future generations, according to the results of the 2015 Bayer Facts of Science Education Survey released today.
For 20 years, Bayer has issued the survey, which assesses science education in the United States and evaluates its development. Although positive strides have been made, survey results emphasize the critical need to improve science education and literacy for future generations. Teachers, for example, universally agree (99 percent) that more hands-on experiential learning in general would benefit student learning.
In response, Bayer is announcing a five-year commitment to provide 1 million hands-on science learning experiences for children by 2020, timed to the 20th anniversary of the Making Science Make Sense® program, Bayer’s company-wide initiative that advances science literacy across the United States.
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7452954-bayer-children-science-education/
With September marking National Prostate Cancer Awareness Month and the kick-off of the 2015 NFL season, the Urology Care Foundation and the NFL have renewed their commitment to driving prostate health awareness, as well as teamed up to highlight a Public Service Announcement (PSA) focused on educating men about prostate cancer and encouraging them to take charge of their health through the Know Your Stats® campaign.
The Know Your Stats® campaign is a rallying force to connect, educate and inspire men across the country to know their prostate cancer risk and talk to their doctor about whether prostate cancer testing is right for them.
“It is important for men to know their risk and talk to their doctors so they can determine if prostate cancer testing is right for them,” said Richard A. Memo, MD, Chair of the Urology Care Foundation. “Having the tools and facts empowers individuals and their doctors to make informed decisions.”
Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer in America, affecting one in seven men. Odds increase to one in five if they are African American and one in three if they have a family history; however, the educational tools are making an impact. More men are talking with their doctors and getting tested, and fewer men are dying from the disease.
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7365551-prostate-cancer-know-your-stats-psa/
The National Climate Assessment: Climate Change Impacts in the United States concludes that warmer and drier conditions have already contributed to increasing wildfire events across the western United States, and future increases are projected in some regions. Already this year, there have been over 44,000 wildfires that have damaged or destroyed almost 8.5 million acres. Long periods of record high temperatures are associated with droughts that contribute to dry conditions and drive wildfires in some areas.
USDA Secretary Vilsack recently stated, “This year, we are experiencing yet another devastating wildfire season, particularly in the drought-ravaged West. Climate change, drought, fuel buildup, insects and disease are increasing the severity of unprecedented wildfire in America's forests and rangelands, which impacts the safety of people, homes and communities. Development close to forests has also increased the threat to property, with more than 46 million homes in the United States, or about 40 percent of our nation's housing, potentially at risk from wildfire.”
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7607931-fema-national-prepareathon/
From New York Times bestselling author Jonathan Maberry, the first in a thrilling series of novels based on Deadlands, a hugely successful role-playing game (RPG) set in the Weird, Weird West.
In Ghostwalkers, a gun-for-hire, literally haunted by his bloody past, comes to the struggling town of Paradise Falls, where he becomes embroiled in a deadly conflict between the besieged community and a diabolically brilliant alchemist who is building terrible new weapons of mass destruction . . . and an army of the living dead! Find out more at http://us.macmillan.com/books/9780765375261 Graphic novel
The Sleeping King is the start of a new fantasy series by New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, Cindy Dees.The Sleeping King is the first in an epic fantasy series, featuring the best of the genre: near immortal imperial overlords, a prophecy of a sleeping elven king who’s said to be the savior of the races . . . and two young people who are set on a path to save the day. Find out more at http://dragoncrest.com/ and http://us.macmillan.com/books/9780765335142 Fantasy
