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General Editorial
New Eco Glamping Company Goes Mobile
July 11, 2012
SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., July 11, 2012 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — Destination Earth (www.destination-earth.org) has announced the launch of an all-inclusive luxury camping experience. This concept is the brain-child of Jud Yaski and Steve Juba, co-founders. Unlike traditional “glamping” companies that are stationary, Destination Earth has created a resort that travels to the best destinations in California.
All they require is a water source, a beautiful environment, and access by car or boat.
“Destination Earth brings the comfort of your home into the wilderness. Isolated lakes and remote white water rivers are transformed into a plush private resort literally overnight,” says Jud Yaski, co-founder. “We also provide a fresh way to experience nature in comfort at tourist destinations such as Mendocino, California wine country, Monterey, Yosemite, and other locations upon request.”
Destination Earth’s mobile resort includes a portable hot tub, hot showers, a bar, queen size full height beds, remote control lighting, cabin tents, night stands and a mirror, and even an inflatable couch.
Gourmet meals are artfully prepared by a private chef; in a complete kitchen featuring a full size propane fridge, shelving, propane ovens and stoves, and yes, the kitchen sink complete with hot pressure water.
Evenings bring large screen movies projected with a low power LED projector, music, and interactive games. Powered by a solar array, all this luxury sits elegantly in a low carbon footprint.
All Inclusive eco glamping trips are offered on the website www.destination-earth.org. Additionally, the company is available for hire for team building, corporate retreats, family gatherings, incentive travel, and as a venue for weekly retreat organizations.
All of the pre-planned trips offer outdoor activities such as sailing, kayaking, whitewater rafting, horseback riding and more. Many trips feature the highlights of the unique areas they are hosted in. All inclusive 3 and 4 day trips start at $359, making the experience accessible to all want-to-be glampers.
For more information on the next adventure, or to design a custom glamping experience, visit http://www.destination-earth.org/ or call 650-533-5487. If you are press and would like to join us on a complimentary adventure, please call for availability.
- Photo Caption: “Eco Glamping gone mobile.”
News Source: Destination Earth, Inc. :: This press release was issued on behalf of the news source by Send2Press®, a service of Neotrope®. View all current news at the Send2Press for Journalists Portal: http://Send2PressNewswire.com . Copr. © Destination Earth, Inc. and Send2Press®.
Grants Available to Help Feed Kids in Afterschool Settings
July 5, 2012
PORTLAND, Ore., July 5, 2012 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — Partners for a Hunger-Free Oregon is excited to announce a new partnership with the Oregon Department of Education (ODE) to distribute grants to afterschool programs to help feed more kids in Oregon.
We all know that kids do better in school when they get good nutrition and their stomachs are not growling while they are trying to learn, yet Oregon has one of the highest childhood hunger rates in the nation. More than 184,000 K-12 students in Oregon are responsible for taking care of themselves after school at a time when hunger is likely to occur. Many eat lunch at school around noon but go without food until their parents get home around 6pm. Some kids go to afterschool programs that do not provide meals or snacks.
Fortunately, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) reimburses afterschool programs for serving nutritious meals and snacks to children and youth through age 18 in neighborhoods that qualify. However, many communities have been unable to start a program or expand service to more children due to expenses related to start-up and expansion. Last year the Oregon legislature acknowledged these costs, and allocated $144,750 to be distributed as one-time grant funds to afterschool programs. These funds will help feed more kids through the At-Risk Afterschool Meal and Snack Program.
Afterschool programs that are run by schools, nonprofits and other organizations can apply for grants of up to $10,000 per organization to cover expenses such as foodservice equipment, fees for sanitation inspections, repairs to pass health inspections, outreach activities and materials, transportation, and some staffing costs.
The ODE Child Nutrition Programs contracted with Partners for a Hunger-Free Oregon to administer the grants and provide outreach support to sponsors.
Grant applications will be received from July 1, 2012 – February 28, 2013, or until all grant funds are expended. After school programs that are interested in applying should go to www.oregonhunger.org/afterschoolgrant for more information and application materials.
To learn more about the At-Risk Afterschool Meal and Snack Program: http://www.ode.state.or.us/search/page/?id=1154 .
For more information about Partners for a Hunger-Free Oregon, go to http://www.oregonhunger.org .
This institution is an equal opportunity provider.
News Source: Partners for a Hunger-Free Oregon :: This press release was issued on behalf of the news source by Send2Press® Newswire, a service of Neotrope®. View all current news at the Send2Press for Journalists Portal: http://Send2PressNewswire.com .
New Novel Gives Inside Scoop of Living Life in the Closet
June 22, 2012
NEW YORK, N.Y., June 22, 2012 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — “Any Ol’ Jack” (ISBN: 0-6155-0521-X), a recently released book by Jack Dexter, promises to inspire people who are confused about their sexuality. Dexter describes this engaging read as a “self-help book that will break people out of the closet.”
“Life is too short to not live it truthfully,” Dexter says. “In this book, I tell people what it’s like to live in the closet. While the book is technically a work of fiction, it is loosely based on many of my personal experiences.”
In addition to getting inside the mind of someone who has experienced this life firsthand, readers will also learn what it’s like to break out of this mindset and to test their limitations, take risks and act on their desires. It provides the stepping stones needed to begin living life outside the closet with confidence.
“Any Ol’ Jack” is currently available on Amazon for the Kindle; to date it’s sold 2,000 copies and has received great feedback and reviews.
One reader writes, “I think this book should be adapted into a movie. My gay friend told me how dead on it was with his life which got me interested. After reading it, I have a better understanding of how it feels to struggle with the identification of being gay and coming to terms with sexuality. This story has the ability to help a lot of people.”
Another reader shares, “This is a truthful, authentic story of finding yourself under all the layers of pride, sadness, and shame. It’s the type of story you wish you were a character in.”
“Any Ol’ Jack” is a highly-relatable, easy, and fast-paced read that promises to deliver hope and to provide lessons learned.
About the Author:
Jack Dexter has worked as a personal driver for some of the wealthiest people in the nation. And, it was while waiting for his clients that he started to write this book. He has a B.S. in marketing and lives on the Jersey Shore. This is his first novel; a second one is in the works.
View and/or purchase book on Amazon at: http://amzn.com/B00596V66C .
News Source: Jack Dexter :: This press release was issued on behalf of the news source by Send2Press® Newswire, a service of Neotrope®. View all current news at the Send2Press for Journalists Portal: http://Send2PressNewswire.com .
E-book Expose: Release of ‘Sarcophagus’ by Jean-Pierre Chevalier
June 21, 2012
LOS ANGELES, Calif., June 21, 2012 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — “Sarcophagus” by Jean-Pierre Chevalier (ISBN 13: 978-0-595-67678-1; ebook: ISBN 13: 978-0-595-83618-5) is now available in Kindle Edition at Amazon.com. This underground classic is a compelling literary phenomenon, read by patient advocates and would-be whistle-blowers.
In this stunning work of contemporary fiction, Chevalier has succeeded in illuminating one of the unspeakable tragedies of our age: the exploitation of illness. Rendering the depravity and misfeasance of our modern-day temples of medicine with scholarly aplomb, the gripping narrative in “Sarcophagus” chronicles the journey of an inspired physician and an intrepid biophysicist as they strive together against all odds to develop the world’s first effective targeted, injectable gene delivery system-the coveted holy grail of genetic medicine.
It is a time in history when terminal cancer patients languish on the chain of failed expectations while medical institutions, academic research centers, and giant pharmaceutical companies struggle in unison against the emerging tide of genetic medicine in a misguided effort to maintain the authority and applications of their loathsome poisonous treatments.
Written with the passion of a patient advocate and the omniscience of an astute insider, and set against the bleak and timely backdrop of true clinical pathos, “Sarcophagus” is a compelling journey of discovery and a descent into the netherworld of modern medicine as it stands poised at the threshold of history.
About the Author:
Jean-Pierre Chevalier, a leading authority on genetic medicine, is the consummate “insider,” capable of rendering the tragedies of modern medicine with scholarly aplomb. An accomplished scientist, whose pioneering work on cellular growth control led to the discovery of important cancer genes, effective modes of gene delivery, and new designer medicines, Jean-Pierre Chevalier stands alone as a transpicuous voice crying out in the wilderness, a stalwart social critic, and a patient advocate par excellence. As his life’s work ushers in the medicines of the future, his stories gleam as a treasure for the ages. The author can be contacted “indirectly” through Konrad Ventana: www.konradventana.com.
News Source: Jean-Pierre Chevalier :: This press release was issued on behalf of the news source by Send2Press® Newswire, a service of Neotrope®. View all current news at the Send2Press for Journalists Portal: http://Send2PressNewswire.com .
PCM TACKLES HUNGER: June 18-29 Food Drive to Support Second Harvest Food Bank, Community’s Hungry
June 19, 2012
LAKE FOREST, Calif., June 19, 2012 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — Professional Community Management of California, Inc. (PCM) is sponsoring an employee food drive June 18-29 to support Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County’s efforts to eliminate hunger in the local community.
During the food drive, PCM employees are encouraged to drop off non-perishable items such as canned goods, dry food, or even personal care items at bins at the Laguna Woods Village Community Center and the Warehouse.
“Many in Orange County have fallen on hard times recently and are having a difficult time making ends meet, including residents right here in Laguna Woods Village,” explained Donny Disbro, chief executive officer of Professional Community Management. “At PCM, we place a high value in giving back to the local community and are pleased we can partner with such a tremendous organization like Second Harvest Food Bank to address the needs of those at-risk of hunger right here in our community.”
An estimated 615,000 Orange County residents are at risk of going to bed hungry in Orange County. Children and seniors make up 50% of that number, many of whom see their only meal at a free or reduced lunch program.
Second Harvest, through their nearly 500 member partner charities, provides meals to nearly 240,000 individuals each and every month. Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County provides bi-monthly supplemental groceries to low-income seniors through the Florence Sylvester Senior Center, which serves many seniors in the Laguna Woods Village Community.
“We appreciate the employees of PCM and their efforts to fight hunger in our community,” said Nicole Suydam, chief executive officer of Second Harvest Food Bank. “Nearly one in five Orange County seniors struggle to put adequate food on the table.”
PCM employees look forward to the opportunity to help Laguna Woods Residents in need.
“Our employees are so committed to making a difference and addressing these critical needs in our community,” said Jerry Storage, general manager of PCM, Inc. Laguna Woods Village. “My hope is that we can do more as a company each year to support the charities that help our communities thrive.”
For more information about Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County, please visit www.feedoc.org.
About Professional Community Management of California, Inc.:
Professional Community Management of California, Inc. (PCM), an Associa company, specializes in the management of Common Interest Developments of homeowner associations for family oriented master-planned developments, resort-style master-planned communities, active-adult master-planned communities, condominium associations and boutique communities throughout Southern California and Southern Nevada.
With headquarters in Lake Forest, Calif., PCM and its companies employ a staff of more than 1,500 people. PCM has offices in serving all of Southern California and Southern Nevada and is recognized by the Multi Housing Council as one of the county’s largest managers of common interest developments. Management services by PCM are backed by state-of-the art Internet technology and comprehensive financial and management systems. For additional information, please contact PCM at 800.369.7260 or at www.pcminternet.com.
About Associa:
Building successful communities for more than 30 years, Associa is North America’s largest community association management firm and serves its clients with local knowledge, national resources and comprehensive expertise. Based in Dallas, Associa and its 8,000 employees operate more than 150 branch offices in the United States, Mexico and Canada. To learn more about Associa and its charitable organization, Associa Cares, go to www.associaonline.com and www.associacares.com. Find us on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/associa), follow us on Twitter (http://twitter.com/associa), LinkedIn (http://www.linkedin.com/company/33264) and Pinterest (http://pinterest.com/associa/), and watch us on YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/associamarketing).
News Source: Professional Community Management of California, Inc. :: This press release was issued on behalf of the news source by Send2Press® Newswire, a service of Neotrope®. View all current news at the Send2Press for Journalists Portal: http://Send2PressNewswire.com .
Local Wildlife Company Makes National TV: to be featured on the Nat Geo WILD channel
May 31, 2012
SANFORD, Fla., May 31, 2012 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — Wildlife Solutions, a local wildlife control company, is going to be featured on the Nat Geo WILD channel this Sunday, June 3, at 9 p.m. EDT. The show is called “Animal Superpowers: Extreme Hunters” and it spotlights a Wildlife Solutions technician capturing and handling a deadly venomous snake while explaining how they locate and track their prey.
Steve DeMoor, President of Wildlife Solutions stated, “We’re honored to have been selected for this television series – it’s a testament to the professionalism of our team. We hope that through this we can help educate our communities about the dangers of wildlife. Through better understanding, it makes it easier for humans and wildlife to coexist peacefully.”
About Wildlife Solutions, Inc.:
Wildlife Solutions is a local company that is nationally recognized for its professionalism and skill in capturing and resolving problems with wildlife and other dangerous animals. Wildlife Solutions and their signature zebra striped trucks have been servicing the community for nearly 20 years. For print-ready images email: info@wildlifesolutions.com.
More information can be found at http://www.wildlifesolutions.com.
About National Geographic Channels:
Based at the National Geographic Society headquarters in Washington, D.C., the National Geographic Channels US are a joint venture between National Geographic and Fox Cable Networks. The Channels contribute to the National Geographic Society’s commitment to exploration, conservation and education with smart, innovative programming and profits that directly support its mission. Launched in January 2001, National Geographic Channel (NGC) celebrated its fifth anniversary with the debut of NGC HD. In 2010, the wildlife and natural history cable channel Nat Geo WILD was launched, and in 2011, Spanish language network Nat Geo Mundo was unveiled.
The Channels have carriage with all of the nation’s major cable, telco and satellite television providers, with NGC currently available in more than 70 million U.S. homes. Globally, National Geographic Channels are available in more than 380 million homes in 163 countries and 37 languages. For more information, visit http://www.natgeotv.com.
News Source: Wildlife Solutions, Inc. :: This press release was issued on behalf of the news source by Send2Press® Newswire, a service of Neotrope®. View all current news at: http://Send2PressNewswire.com .
Small Business Owner Gives Back to Community and Collects 2,000 Pounds of Food in Three Months
May 15, 2012
PALM SPRINGS, Calif., May 15, 2012 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — KC’s 23 1/2 Hour Plumbing, Inc., a Palm Springs plumbing contractor, announced this week that it has now reached the three-ton mark in collecting food for community donations. This past ton was collected within three months.
“We’ve had such a public outpouring of food donations,” Kelly Russum, president, KC’s 23 1/2 Hour Plumbing Inc., says. “We donate all of the food to Martha’s Village & Kitchen and they help to distribute to those people in need. However, we always need more. The more the public gets involved, the more food we have to help those people right in our own backyard.”
Jimmica Guess, Community Relations Manager for the Mission Advancement Team at Martha’s Village & Kitchen, explains that the food boxes are used for distribution through the emergency services department.
“There are many people at the poverty level in the community who will need assistance with food from time to time. We provide them with enough food for three to four days for whatever number of people they have in their family,” Guess says. “They can receive one box every 60 days.”
Products in the food boxes include items such as canned meats, soups, grains, cereal and peanut butter.
KC’s makes it easy for people to donate. They can stop into their office, or even give food to a driver who is in their area. Additionally, monetary donations are also accepted and KC’s will purchase food with the money.
“I’ve been lucky enough to build and sustain a successful business in this community,” Russum says. “Now, it’s time to give back to the community that has made it possible. Everyone needs helps every now and again and it’s our goal to see that they get it.”
Food drives take place year round and after each ton is collected, it is boxed and donated.
About KC’s 23 1/2 Hour Plumbing, Inc.:
In business for 30 years, KC’s 23 1/2 Hour Plumbing, Inc. is a full-service Palm Springs plumbing contractor that services and installs complete plumbing systems. The company provides 24-hour emergency service, seven days per week.
Its motto says it all: “We’re the good guys your friends told you about.”
For more information, visit: www.Kcs23.com .
About Martha’s Village & Kitchen:
Martha’s Village & Kitchen, a partner of Father Joe’s Villages, was founded in 1990 and is the largest provider of comprehensive homeless services in Riverside County. In addition to continuum of care services, it also provides services to the community through emergency services such as food boxes, clothing vouchers, infant supplies, utility, transportation and rent assistance and a daily public meal.
For more information, visit: www.mvk.org .
News Source: KC’s 23 1/2 Hour Plumbing Inc. :: This press release was issued on behalf of the news source by Send2Press® Newswire, a service of Neotrope®. View all current news at: http://Send2PressNewswire.com .
Bookstand Publishing Makes its Mark on the Bestseller List
April 27, 2012
MORGAN HILL, Calif., April 27, 2012 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — Traditional publishing companies reject 98 percent of new authors, but authors like Moshe Kai Cavalin are quickly discovering that self-publishing can be done effectively with today’s Print-on-Demand (POD) technology. In March of 2012, Moshe Kai Cavalin’s “We Can Do” (ISBN-13: 978-1618630452; paperback), published using POD technology by Bookstand Publishing, made Amazon’s Top 100 list, showing how successful an author with a dream can be.
Bookstand Publishing’s President, Andy Baldwin, reminds budding authors that any author can achieve the same success: “Bookstand Publishing helped ‘We Can Do’ become a successful book. We can help any author publish a book and show them the tools to make their book successful.”
Baldwin offers authors the same tools that Moshe Kai used to become a success. One of these tools is a free book that is available to anyone who is interested in the process of self-publishing: “Moshe Kai used our paperback book, ‘The Self-Publishing Checklist: How to Prepare Your Manuscript for Publication and Promote Your Book,’ to prepare his book for publication. Any potential author can also request a FREE copy of this book at http://www.bookstandpublishing.com/pod4/ .”
Armed with a great story and “The Self-Publishing Checklist,” Moshe Kai’s book became a huge success. It is stories such as this that remind authors that today there are options, and that self-publishing is not a pursuit of vanity; rather, it is a way to unfetter authors from traditional publishers, keep their royalties, control the creative process every step of the way, and forge their own success that is in line with their vision, not the vision of the publisher.
About Bookstand Publishing:
Since 1996, Bookstand Publishing – http://www.bookstandpublishing.com – has been providing authors with the tools to publish and market their books at affordable rates. Bookstand Publishing takes a book from manuscript all the way to published book, allowing authors to maintain complete control over the process, and approve their book before anything goes to print so that their final book will appear exactly the way that they want it to.
As a Print-on-Demand publisher, Bookstand prints the books as the orders come in to ensure that authors only purchase exactly what they need. They also ensure that books are available through the major book wholesalers, and offer a variety of marketing and publicity services to help promote the final product.
About Moshe Kai Cavalin:
Moshe Kai Cavalin’s story is a remarkable one. At the age of 8, he enrolled in college; at the age of 11, he earned his first of two Associate of Arts degrees from East Los Angeles Community College; now, at the age of 14, as he prepares to graduate from UCLA, he wrote and published his first book, “We Can Do.”
About “We Can Do”:
Moshe Kai Cavalin’s inspirational story asserts that he is not a genius, but rather, that every youngster can, with good planning, a strong heart, hard work, and a resilient mind, can succeed beyond all expectations. Available at Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/We-Can-Moshe-Kai-Cavalin/dp/1618630458 .
Media Contact:
Rhonda Buss, Business Development
Bookstand Publishing
+1-408-852-1832
news@bookstandpublishing.com.
News Source: Bookstand Publishing :: This press release was issued on behalf of the news source by Send2Press® Newswire, a service of Neotrope®. View all current news at: http://Send2PressNewswire.com .
Introducing Lane Mates – The Place Where Swimming, Networking and Shopping Meet
March 26, 2012
ENCINO, Calif., March 26, 2012 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — With over 1,000 swimmers on the master’s swim team located throughout the Los Angeles area – that Lane Mates founder Sharon Hollander swims with – “It’s amazing that we had no discounts or coupons available for swimwear or gear,” says Hollander. So she took it upon herself to contact many of the more popular online swim suppliers to discuss group pricing, volume discounts and obtain the best prices on the net.
“Swimmers do not carry pens unlike other land based athletes, so it is difficult to network with other swimmers,” states Hollander. “As an avid swimmer, I realized there was no single place where I could: meet other swimmers, be educated on swimming topics, watch swimming videos, obtain workout sets, exchange ideas, find relevant information, and also shop for swimming gear and products. I created that network – Lane Mates – the place where Swimming, Networking and Shopping Meet!”
The benefits to Lane Mate members are plentiful. It’s:
* the place where we can promote interest in swimming for exercise, sport, etc.;
* a single source where swimmers of all levels can communicate;
* a shopping site with cool swimming products as well as other lifestyle merchandise;
* full of relevant and timely information from blogs, newsletters and links;
* provides valuable daily coupons;
* presents exclusive coupons and discounts – available only to Lane Mates clients.
With online shopping up over 12 percent in 2011 – this trend clearly reflects that people are slowly starting to view the economy as be more positive, more people are taking advantage of the online retail world. Vendors continue to offer free shipping to meet the needs of the shopping consumers. “We needed a single source to obtain valuable coupons and discounts for athletes,” states Hollander.
Most of all, we are the online resource for people to communicate about their passion – swimming. You can discuss competitive-edge strategies and techniques, dry land exercise, new and innovative products on the market, social events, etc. Lane Mates is here to increase your network of fellow swimmers.
Join today and reap the benefits of being a Lane Mate. Visit: http://www.lanemates.com or on mobile device at www.lanemates.mobi – or Facebook: LaneMates – or Twitter: @lanemates.
News Source: Lane Mates :: This press release was issued on behalf of the news source by Send2Press® Newswire, a service of Neotrope®. View all current news at: http://Send2PressNewswire.com .
American Land Forces Institute Announces Launch – Nonprofit Will Focus on America’s Ground Forces
March 26, 2012
SAN ANTONIO, Texas, March 26, 2012 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — Colonel Jack H. Pryor (U.S. Army, Retired) today announced the formation and launch of a new nonprofit organization, the American Land Forces Institute (ALFI). Based in San Antonio, Texas, ALFI will focus on policy, advocacy, education and services in support of land forces and small combat units across all branches of the U.S. military, the National Guard, and domestic law enforcement.
Colonel Pryor will head ALFI as its CEO. Also joining the ALFI team will be Major General Robert H. Scales (U.S. Army, Retired) who is serving as the Chair of ALFI’s Board of Directors.
“America’s Soldiers, Marines and Special Operations forces have carried the greatest burden in all of our contemporary wars. Since World War II, land forces have comprised only five percent of the entire Armed Forces, but have suffered more than eighty percent of military fatalities. Yet in spite of this horrific down payment in blood, this nation still fails to provide our ground forces with the support these brave men and women require to enable them to win our wars at the lowest possible cost in human life and human suffering. ALFI is dedicated to the proposition that America’s historic neglect of our land forces must not be allowed to persist,” Pryor said.
“As all who have gone before them, our service members are willing to give their today’s for our children’s tomorrows. We as Americans owe them the best of everything. ALFI is dedicated to advocating on behalf of these service men and women for the best possible training, preparation, equipment, supplies, support, and medical care during their tours of duty, and for the best possible support in their re-integration into civilian life. ALFI’s mission is to be the voice of America’s ground forces and veterans.”
ALFI will be an agent of change at all levels of America’s defense community. ALFI’s goal is to ensure that every member of America’s land forces – starting from their recruitment and continuing through to their transition to civilian life and beyond – will have the best that this country can provide them. ALFI’s programs and activities include a comprehensive advocacy effort that will affect military and national security policy at the highest levels of government; educating military and defense stakeholders as well as the general public; and facilitating the provision of the highest quality services for both land forces and veterans.
For more information visit: http://www.alfinstitute.org .
American Land Forces Institute is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. Address: American Land Forces Institute (ALFI), 170 PR 1731, Mico, TX 78056.
News Source: American Land Forces Institute :: This press release was issued on behalf of the news source by Send2Press® Newswire, a service of Neotrope®. View all current news at: http://Send2PressNewswire.com .
Harvard, Oxford Students Building New Network for Planetary Change
March 16, 2012
CAMBRIDGE, Mass., March 16, 2012 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — Students from Harvard and Oxford, in cooperation with the World Mind Network, Peer to Peer Media Group, and the Creative Commons Initiative, are building a new social network dedicated to using advanced Web and Smart Phone tools to achieve goals in social change, academic research, environmental improvement, education, cultural preservation, and worldwide online discussion of important issues.
According to World Mind Network Co-Director Sarah Mendel, many of the students were attendees at events sponsored by HSMBB (The Harvard Society for Mind, Brain, and Behavior). Other participants include Dr. Javier Ogembo of the Harvard Medical School and Irina Higgins of the Oxford Foundation for Theoretical Neuroscience and Artificial Intelligence.
Texting, tweeting, Facebooking, microblogging, online video and cell phone apps are not new to students. What is new is the efficient use of all their capabilities in combination to reach important aims in a few hours which the traditional brick-and-mortar academic world would take months or years to accomplish.
The key is the creation of protocols which serve as formulae for easily setting up Internet based projects which achieve well-defined goals, are infinitely replicable, grow by themselves through social networks, and enable each student to carve out a Web niche which serves as the Internet’s focal point for the student’s chosen issue. In practice, this means that each student is experimenting with making their work more public, and yet more personal, at the same time.
Says WMN advisor Wolfram Ruisdael “The Cloud of knowledge, creativity, innovation, and even wisdom represented by the Internet is now incomprehensibly vast. Its power to solve both traditional and new human problems is almost infinite, but until now Humanity has not really demanded the efficient use of it to refine theories instantly, generate new ideas, build communities, and get innovative thinking from where it originates to where it is needed. Students, because of their familiarity with these technologies, are the natural creators of the new change-making networks.”
Other student participants have come from Duke, Caltech, Rutgers, the Ecole Polytechnique in France, Beijing and Tsinghua Universities in China, the University of Delhi, the Federal University of Parana in Brazil, and the University of Witwatersrand.
Crucial to many of the new protocols are programs like Apple’s Siri artificial intelligence app for the iPhone 4s, Facebook’s Timeline, Google+, Pinterest, and msnNOW.
A typical protocol is this one for Disaster Relief, which the network used during the 20ll Fukushima earthquake and tsunami in Japan, as well as more recent floods in Thailand and the Philippines:
1. Create a landing page on Google sites with RSS feeds of latest news, including links to on-site organizations which need help;
2. Use search engines to find and rank current Twitter trackers for affected area;
3. Do the same for Facebook post monitors;
4. Do the same for SMS (texting) monitors;
5. Collate trackers on a Bing map so that rescuers can be connected with victims in real time;
6. publicize site with online press releases.
Similar protocols exist for cloud-based research projects, cultural preservation programs, Fair Trade social enterprises, crowd-sourced experiments, worldwide philosophical discussions, knowledge matrices, artistic collaborations, and environmental improvement projects. Each can be created in a few hours, and further streamlining is an ongoing process.
Among other programs, students have participated in projects which:
- Aid Stanford physicists in predicting sunspot cycles;
- Created the world’s largest collection of pre-1900 archival French audio recordings and preserved them with iTunes and Windows Media files;
- Explore the new PS3 video game ‘Journey’ as an art therapy tool
- Advised legislators in Nepal who are re-framing the national constitution;
- Built the world’s largest online crowd-sourced environmental investigation which discovered several causes for a sudden fish die-off in Taal Lake in the Philippines, and suggested treatments which were successfully implemented.
Learn More:
For more information go to http://Facebook.com/HarvardWorldMindNetwork or http://networkingprojects.org – or write to worldmindnetwork@gmail.com.
News Source: World Mind Network :: This press release was issued on behalf of the news source by Send2Press® Newswire, a service of Neotrope®. View all current news at: http://Send2PressNewswire.com .
