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WASHINGTON, July 24 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — International public health advocates are calling on U.S. singing star Alicia Keys to withdraw tobacco industry sponsorship of her July 31 concert in Jakarta, Indonesia, and are condemning tobacco giant Philip Morris International for sponsoring the concert as a way of marketing cigarettes to children.
The concert is being sponsored and heavily advertised by Philip Morris International and its Indonesian subsidiary Sampoerna. According to giant billboards posted in Jakarta (see photos at ), the July 31 Keys concert is being billed as “A Mild Live Production”. “A Mild” is a cigarette brand produced by Sampoerna, the Philip Morris International subsidiary. The billboards feature a large photo of Alicia Keys, the logo for “A Mild” cigarettes and a large health warning that states, “Smoking can cause cancer, heart attacks, impotence and harm pregnancy and fetal development.”
In the United States, Philip Morris USA and other major tobacco companies are prohibited from engaging in brand name sponsorships of concerts under a 1998 legal settlement with the states. However, in developing countries, tobacco companies continue to sponsor concerts by famous musicians, which health advocates have condemned as a means to market cigarettes to children and to circumvent restrictions on more traditional tobacco advertising.
Alicia Keys is being urged to withdraw tobacco industry sponsorship of the concert or cancel her appearance in a letter signed by the U.S.-based Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, the National Commission for Child Protection of Indonesia and the Framework Convention Alliance for Tobacco Control, an international alliance working to reduce tobacco use that consists of more than 300 organizations from more than 100 countries.
The letter states, “We call on you to put the health of Indonesia’s children first and either require the withdrawal of all tobacco industry sponsorship from this concert or cancel your appearance. We also hope you will speak out publicly about your concern for the health of Indonesia’s children and against tobacco industry use of musicians and artists to promote their products.”
Alicia Keys’ participation in a tobacco-sponsored concert that will appeal to and is being heavily marketed to Indonesian youth is inconsistent with her advocacy for children’s health through her involvement in Keep A Child Alive, a campaign to address the HIV/AIDS epidemic in poor countries.
Philip Morris International became an independent company in March when it was spun-off from Altria Group Inc., parent company of Philip Morris USA. Industry analysts viewed the spin-off as part of a strategy by Philip Morris International to more aggressively target developing nations, including Indonesia, without the public scrutiny and legal challenges they face in the United States and other developed nations. Louis C. Camilleri, who was chairman and CEO of Altria, is now Chairman and CEO of Philip Morris International.
In a separate letter to Camilleri, the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids condemned Philip Morris International’s sponsorship of the Alicia Keys concert as evidence that the company has not changed and continues to engage in marketing that appeals to children, contradicting claims Camilleri made while heading Altria that the company was reformed and did not market to children.
“It is a cynical company with no moral compass that would engage in these practices. The sponsorship and promotion of the Alicia Keys concert in Indonesia on its face appears to be a demonstration that Philip Morris International has not changed at all in its willingness to engage in whatever marketing practices it can get away with, including practices that are blatantly and clearly targeted at youth in developing countries,” states the letter by Matthew L. Myers, President of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids.
The letter adds that sponsorship of the Keys concert indicates “that Philip Morris International under your leadership is prepared to engage in marketing practices in developing nations, like Indonesia, that you would never engage in the United States.”
According to the two letters, about 35 percent of the Indonesian population smokes, and tobacco use kills more than 200,000 Indonesians each year. An estimated 78 percent of Indonesian smokers started before the age of 19.
The letters to Alicia Keys and Philip Morris International can be found at .
Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids

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MENLO PARK, Calif., and GENEVA, July 16 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — The International AIDS Society (IAS) and the Kaiser Family Foundation will provide worldwide online access to the XVII International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2008) taking place in Mexico City, Mexico, 3-8 August 2008. Kaiser — an independent operating foundation based in Menlo Park, Calif., USA — will be the Official Webcaster for AIDS 2008, providing daily coverage of conference developments on kaisernetwork.org, a free, online health news, information and webcasting service operated by the Foundation. Coverage will be available at .
In addition to an estimated 75 webcasts of conference sessions that will be made available online, podcasts will be available for downloading in both English and Spanish. Some sessions, including the opening and closing sessions, will be presented via live webcast, while other coverage will be tape-delayed by a few hours and available on-demand. Daily updates will also be sent via email (signup at ), and daily video highlights, in addition to interviews with newsmakers and journalists, will be posted on YouTube as well as on kaisernetwork.org. An outline of what the daily coverage will include is available at .
Additionally, content-sharing tools, including an online widget, are available for organizations and individuals who want to further spread the information by carrying the coverage on their own Web sites, blogs or social networking pages.
This is the fourth time that Kaiser and IAS have come together to cover the developments and bring highlights of the International AIDS Conferences to those who can not attend in person. By providing free, online access, this unique partnership helps to connect the information and advances generated at the conference to communities in the developed and developing world and helps to raise global awareness of the HIV/AIDS epidemic and the successful efforts to address it.
“We are delighted to partner with the Kaiser Family Foundation again,” said IAS Executive Director, Craig McClure. “We are committed to ensuring that those not able to attend the conference have access to its contents through online webcasts. In addition, the webcasts allow those at the conference access to a lasting record of conference proceedings. With Kaiser’s expertise, reputation and credibility, we are proud to be associated with the organization as the official webcaster of the conference.”
“This partnership allows us to offer a near virtual experience to people who otherwise would not be able to learn about the important developments in HIV/AIDS that come out of this conference,” said Drew Altman, Ph.D., Kaiser President and CEO. “Our goal is to provide the information as widely as possible - to a reporter in New York who watches a live webcast of a press conference in Mexico City and to a clinician in Africa who reads a text email update on a cell phone.”
AIDS 2008 will provide presentations of important new scientific research and opportunities for dialogue on the major challenges facing the global response to AIDS. The 2008 conference theme is Universal Action Now and the meeting will include sessions about expanding the delivery of HIV prevention and treatment to communities worldwide and facilitating the transfer of knowledge and sharing of best practices. There are more than 33 million people living with HIV worldwide.
More information about the XVII International AIDS Conference, including the
latest program details, is available at .
Kaisernetwork.org provided special coverage of previous International AIDS Conferences, most recently in August, 2006. Past coverage was syndicated online by 200 partners each year and used by a number of major media outlets.
About the Kaiser Family Foundation
The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation is a U.S.-based, non-profit, private operating foundation focusing on major health care issues. The Foundation is a leader in health policy and communications and an independent voice and source of facts and analysis for policymakers, the media, the health care community and the general public. Information on the Foundation’s HIV/AIDS policy work, journalism training programs and media partnerships to educate the public about HIV is available at ; daily news summary reports, webcasts and other online content on developments in HIV/AIDS are available on ; country-level facts and data are available at ; and resources for reporters covering HIV/AIDS are available at .
About the IAS
The International AIDS Society (IAS) is the world’s leading independent association of HIV professionals, with more than 10,000 members from 172 countries. The IAS is a non-profit organization founded in 1988, and acts as an independent voice in the global response to AIDS on behalf of its members. The IAS is the custodian of the International AIDS Conference, the paramount gathering of all disciplines in HIV/AIDS, held every two years, and also organizes the IAS Conference on HIV Pathogenesis, Treatment and Prevention.
Kaiser Family Foundation

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MCLEAN, Va., June 11 /PRNewswire/ — It’s a sign of difficult times for many. Social workers and counselors are now among some of the nation’s most in-demand professionals, according to new findings in the Jobfox Top 25 Most Wanted U.S. Job Candidates: June 2008 rankings, released today.
(Logo: )
Social workers and counselors ranked as the seventh most wanted professionals, according to the June report from Jobfox (), a free online service that uses precision matching to help qualified candidates link up with compatible job opportunities. The Counseling/Social Work profession cracked the Top 25 for the first time since Jobfox began tracking job trends in March 2008.
“For about a year now, there’s been a steady increase in the demand for social workers and counselors,” said Debbie Sikes, the clinical director for the National Counseling Group Inc., a private group of therapists and counselors providing community-based and outpatient services to individuals and families throughout Virginia. Her organization uses Jobfox services to help find qualified mental health professionals.
“With increases in gas and food prices, we are seeing more stress and more demand for outreach services — especially among low-income families,” Sikes said. “Money and job pressures are often the triggers to higher levels of anxiety and emotional problems.”
The June report is available at:
Demand for Human Resource Executives also on the Rise
The Jobfox rankings also indicate increased hiring activity for human resource executives — perhaps more signs of what’s well, what’s not so well and what remains a challenge for U.S. businesses in the current economic climate.
Human resource executives are now the 25th most wanted, according to the Jobfox rankings report for June. Recruiting/Staffing professionals also ranked 24th — the second-consecutive month that recruiters have held this position.
“There are still many bright spots, even in the face of an uncertain economy,” said Rob McGovern, CEO of Jobfox (). “Most companies continue to place a premium on the recruitment and retention of qualified professionals. There will be layoffs, but most companies are depending on human resource managers to keep talent losses to a minimum. And many companies continue to aggressively seek new sources of talent from their recruiters.”
Many professions remain in high demand, according to the Jobfox Top 25 Most Wanted U.S. Job Candidates: June 2008 rankings. The most wanted professions include Software Design/Development, Sales Representative/Business Development, Accounting/Finance Executive, Accounting and Nursing.
Rounding out the Top 10 are Networking/System Administration, Counseling/Social Work, Business Analysis — Research, Business Analysis — Software Implementation and Mechanical Engineering.
Mental health care organizations throughout the nation say they are not surprised by the appearance of social workers and counselors in the Top 10.
“We’re certainly seeing more demand for mental health services,” said Richard Jennings, the director of Human Resources for Momentum for Mental Health, Santa Clara County’s largest private, nonprofit agency providing mental health services to adults and transition-aged youths. “The indigent and disadvantaged, especially, are having a tough time holding jobs and coping with rising costs for essentials such as food and shelter.”
“Social workers and their services are needed now more than ever,” added Deborah Brackens, director of case management at Inova Alexandria Hospital in Virginia. “The acuity of patients, coupled with the demands of society, contribute to a very compressed time frame to assess and meet patients’ needs. Medical social workers have the skills and capabilities to alleviate the stress that patients and their families often experience.”
About the rankings
The Jobfox Top 25 Most Wanted U.S. Job Candidates: June 2008 rankings were derived from a stratified random sample of more than 4,000 U.S. job openings from the Jobfox database during a 120-day period ending March 24, 2008. In total, Jobfox identified more than 150 distinct professions for which employers were seeking candidates during the period. Also captured in the rankings are the professions most desired by candidates, based on a stratified random sample of more than 100,000 Jobfox candidate profiles.
About Jobfox
Jobfox gives job candidates and organizations complete control to connect with each other — in real time — by providing intelligent skills matching and popular communication tools such as instant messaging and mobile text message alerts. Jobfox provides free Web pages for professionals to showcase their unique skills, talents, work-styles, career desires and job-change receptivity. Visit today.
About Rob McGovern
Jobfox is the inspiration of CEO Rob McGovern, one of the nation’s leading career experts. McGovern is the founder and former CEO of CareerBuilder and the author of “Bring Your ‘A’ Game: The 10 Career Secrets of the High Achiever.”
Jobfox is a trademark of the company. All other company names are trademarks or registered trademarks of the respective companies.
NEWS CONTACT:
Barry Lawrence

703.748.0162 x1106

Jobfox

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CHANDLER, Ariz., June 3 /PRNewswire/ — When Brett Waslefsky’s wife said her job was making her sick, she meant it literally. As a school teacher, the stresses of the job, as well as a germ-filled environment, were making it difficult for her to stay healthy. With this casual conversation, a new kind of vitamin was born.
In 2007, Waslefsky founded Employee Vita, a web-based vitamin company that offers occupation specific nutritional supplements, the first of its kind.
“After talking to my wife, I realized that no supplement focused specifically on occupations. Most people spend at least a third of their lives at work. Depending on the job’s demands, their health can certainly suffer. Occupation specific vitamins can address these job-related health challenges,” Waslefsky said.
To formulate his product, Waslefsky first conducted personal interviews and surveys of teachers, truckers, nurses, and firefighters to determine their most commonly occurring health issues. Then he consulted a nutrition expert to identify the vitamins and minerals needed to address these concerns.
The result was a list of “proprietary blends” to describe a combination of nutrients that address the specific health needs of each occupation. Each occupation specific supplement contains several health targeted blends in addition to at least 100 percent of the recommended daily allowance of vitamins and minerals and increased B-vitamins.
“Before Employee Vita, people had to buy multiple bottles and take tons of pills to get what they needed. That’s confusing, expensive, and downright inconvenient. My occupation specific vitamins allow people to get exactly what they need in one supplement. It’s cheaper, easier, and better addresses their unique needs. It takes the guesswork out of staying healthy,” Waslefsky said.
By partnering with a Chandler, Arizona-based vitamin manufacturer, Waslefsky was able to assemble a team of experts to ensure his supplements were effective and safe.
“Employee Vita’s production adheres to the current Good Manufacturing Practices of the National Safety Foundation. These regulations are stringent and ensure identity, purity, strength, and composition of the product,” he said.
Currently, Employee Vita produces Teacher Vita and Trucker Vita, supplements for people in these two challenging career fields. Nurse Vita will be available in June 2008. Firefighter Vita is in the production phase. Waslefsky is presently researching formulas for sales professionals and police officers.
CONTACT:
Brett Waslefsky
Employee Vita
PO Box 11955
Chandler, AZ 85248
E-mail:
Website:
This release was issued through eReleases(TM). For more information, visit .
Employee Vita

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NEW YORK, April 28 /PRNewswire/ — Merchants NY Cigar Bar, the go-to smoke spot on New York’s Upper East Side since 1997, triumphed in its five-year long legal battle when the New York State Supreme Court, Appellate Division, First Department, in a unanimous decision dated March 27, 2008, upheld the lower court’s decision of a year earlier which concluded that the Department of health arbitrarily and capriciously wrongly denied “tobacco bar” registration status.
The Department of health had asserted fourteen (14) separate reasons why the Cigar Bar should be denied registration. The Appellate Division rejected all of them finding that the health Department’s denial of tobacco bar status was “arbitrary and capricious” and none of the reasons for denial justified “the drastic penalty of shutting down petitioner’s business.”
“We are extremely pleased that the Court recognized what our clientele have known for over 10 years,” said Abraham Merchant, a principal along with Andy Emmet and Richard Cohn. “Our guests can now relax and enjoy their cigars and favorite libations without fear that the health Department will be issuing violations or trying to shut us down.”
About Merchants NY Cigar Bar:
Merchants NY Cigar bar is well appointed for large corporate and private functions. Designed by Prevost Design Inc, the rich carpet and plush furniture hints of an English Gentlemen’s Club; the Victorian influences denote a sense of elegance and luxury of a bygone era. The rich marble-top of the bar, with bold designs and colors are emblematic throughout. A working fireplace, lit throughout the year, provides ambiance as well as a warm relaxed setting and solicitous service that beckons you to savor your favorite libation with friends and associates while enjoying the best cigars. Visit us on the web at .
To accompany the libations, menu selection includes, Foie Gras Torchon, Smoked Salmon Puffs, Samosas, Artisinal Cheeses, Tuna Tartare, Lobster Club, and Gourmet Burgers. Located at 1125 First Avenue, Lower Level, NY, NY 10065 (212) 832.4610. Open daily from 5:00 pm - 4:00 am. Proper Attire required.
Contact:
Richard Cohn
Vice President, Principal
Merchants Hospitality Inc.
Phone: 212.871.4000

Merchants NY Cigar Bar

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PITTSBURGH, April 29 /PRNewswire/ — The Women’s Center & Shelter of Greater Pittsburgh is pleased to announce UPMC health Plan as the naming sponsor for its 18th Annual Spring Clothes Out Event to be held Wednesday, May 7, 2008, from 5 - 7:30 p.m. at the Renaissance Hotel in downtown Pittsburgh. The annual event also welcomes its first Honorary Chair, Diane P. Holder, President and CEO of UPMC health Plan.
“UPMC health Plan is pleased to champion the Women’s Center & Shelter of Greater Pittsburgh’s efforts to end intimate partner violence in the lives of women and their children in the Pittsburgh area,” said Diane P. Holder. “They are making a real difference. Over the past year, the Women’s Center & Shelter Hotline answered about 5,000 domestic violence-related calls and counseled more than 600 adults and 70 children.”
“We feel extremely fortunate for the generosity and support UPMC health Plan has given to our Spring Clothes Out event,” stated Shirl Regan, Executive Director of the Women’s Center & Shelter of Greater Pittsburgh. “Thanks to their support, we look forward to a very successful event.”
The UPMC health Plan Spring Clothes Out Event annually presents the Ted Craig Humanitarian Award to an organization that demonstrates and embodies the spirit of the award’s namesake, Ted Craig. Mr. Craig, a former managing partner at Kirkpatrick and Lockhart, LLP, was a loyal friend and supporter of the Women’s Center & Shelter. Honorees who receive this award exhibit excellence and outstanding achievement and commitment to eliminating intimate partner violence.
This year, WC&S will present the award to the Allegheny County’s District Attorney’s Domestic Violence (DV) Unit. The DV Unit was formed in 1999 by District Attorney Stephen A. Zappala, Jr. First Assistant District Attorney, Chris Connors, was the Unit’s first “specialist” in intimate partner violence and assisted in the development of the DV Unit. Currently, the Unit is headed by Deputy District Attorney, Darrell Dugan, and consists of five prosecutors, one paralegal, and one legal intern.
Prior to the formation of the DV Unit, it is estimated that over 75% of the domestic violence prosecutions were not processed to a final court outcome with many of them being withdrawn or dismissed. Now, that number has flipped to over 75% being prosecuted to verdict, with the clear message being sent that DV is a crime. The installation of the DV Unit has also brought with it a strong partnership with WC&S’s Legal Advocacy Department. Now the DV Unit and WC&S work together as DV cases are prosecuted at the Common Pleas Court Level and in hearings for Indirect
Criminal Contempt for violations of Protection from Abuse Orders. The two offices also work as co-presenters and co-facilitators in domestic violence training for police officers. The partnership has provided a critical resource for DV victims who seek protection and justice from intimate partner violence.
“The creation of the District Attorney’s DV Unit has been the most significant improvement ever in this county’s criminal justice system in terms of its response to victims of intimate partner violence. The DV prosecutors are in a unique position to ensure victim safety and hold batterers accountable as they not only prosecute individual cases but also work to improve the overall justice system response to DV,” commented WC&S Legal Director, Lorraine Bittner. WC&S Legal Advocacy Manager, Joyce McAneny, concurred by saying, “We are especially proud of the strong relationship and good communication that have been forged between the DA’s DV Unit and WC&S as they work on behalf of DV victims.”
The second focus of the event entails accepting clothing donations for resident and non-resident clients of WC&S. Donations of gently worn women’s business suits or dresses will be accepted for women who are entering or continuing in the work force in an effort to ease any financial burden. Donations of used cell phones will also be accepted. Additionally, the event will welcome a survivor of intimate partner violence who will tell her story and how she was helped by WC&S and the DV Unit.
Since 1974, WCS has been offering a safe haven for women and children who are victims of intimate partner violence. As one of the first six Domestic Violence Shelters in the United States, WC&S has worked tirelessly to provide first rate care for women and children by providing support, advocacy and information to allow them to make informed decisions for themselves and their children.
WC&S provides high quality, confidential programs offered in an environment where justice, autonomy, restoration and safety are the priorities. Special events like UPMC health Plan Spring Clothes Out help raise the money needed for WC&S to provide its services free of charge including:
— 24-hour hotline (412-687-8005)
— Emergency shelter
— Legal and medical advocacy
— Individual and group support
— Prevention education

Tickets for the UPMC health Plan Spring Clothes Out are $50 per person and can be purchased on-line at or by calling 412-687-8017 X338.
Women’s Center & Shelter of Greater Pittsburgh

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