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Recent Social Media Releases from RealWire
02/07/2009 - UniServity cLc empowers Schools to be the first to respond to Obama's Global Learning Vision
The UniServity cLc Learning Platform empowers School Leaders in Harrisburg, the State Capitol of Pennsylvania, USA, to become the first School District in the USA to respond to President Obama’s 21st Century learning challenge by developing an online web 2.0 collaborative learning partnership with students in Egypt.
Harrisburg School District (HSD), is at the forefront of using technology to innovate and enrich the learning experience by providing learners with new 21st Century global collaborative learning opportunities. Harrisburg Mayor Stephen R. Reed has announced the new initiative connecting Harrisburg students with students in Cairo, Egypt, using the powerful social learning tools of the UniServity cLc (connected Learning communities) Learning Platform. Mayor Reed shared his announcement and educational vision to an audience of leading international educationalists and thought-leaders at the National Educational Computing Conference (NECC) in Washington D.C.; the largest Educational Event in the USA. Mayor Reed’s announcement is a dynamic response to U.S. President Barack Obama’s recent address at the UniServity of Cairo, when President Obama articulated his vision to connect American learners with foreign learners, stating, “I want students in Kansas working with students in Cairo.”
“Students today must be prepared to become part of a global community,” said Reed. “As Thomas Friedman has written, ‘the world is flat.’ It is no longer enough for our students to learn basic skills such as reading and writing. They also need to be able to apply them in new ways through new technological options, and more importantly, they need to be able to use 21st Century higher learning skills to work with others worldwide.”
“Harrisburg is the first city in the United States to implement the UniServity cLc city-wide,” said Reed. “Through the support of private and corporate donors and philanthropic foundations working with the Harrisburg Public School Foundation (HPSF), the implementation of this 21st Century learning platform has become possible, and will radically alter the way many of our City’s youth are learning.”
The first phase of the partnership will involve Harrisburg Schools developing an online arts, cultural, and social learning project facilitated by UniServity and Dr. Gerald W. Kohn, Superintendent of Harrisburg Schools, who commented, “This is only the beginning of the phenomenal learning opportunities that will be made available to our students through the implementation of the outcome-proven cLc.”
Dr. Lisa Paige, Executive Director of the HPSF added, “When we became aware of President Obama’s call to action, UniServity moved quickly to connect us with educational leaders in Cairo.” In just a couple of weeks the initial ideas for collaboration between US and Egyptian Schools have become a reality. Dr. Nermien Ismail, Administrator, The American International American School in Cairo has confirmed the School’s participation in the partnership and has flown to Washington DC to meet Harrisburg School leaders and members of the UniServity Educational team during the NECC event.
Alan Wood, CEO, UniServity, added, “UniServity is very proud to welcome both Harrisburg and Cairo schools into the growing cLc social learning community of circa. 1.5 million learners and teachers in 21 countries around the world. Harrisburg and Cairo School Leaders share our vision of transforming the learning experience and extending learning opportunities for all learners. In addition, I’d like to pay tribute to the Harrisburg Public Schools Foundation and the generosity and support of their donors and philanthropic foundations who have given learners in their community a new world of authentic and enriching learning opportunities beyond the traditional walls of the classroom.”
About UniServity:
Founded in the U.K. in 1999, UniServity is the global leader in next generation Web 2.0 learning. UniServity cLc (connected Learning communities) Learning Platform provides a secure social learning environment and tools to enhance learning, collaboration, communication and administration.
The cLc serves as a container for favourite Web 2.0 applications, creating safe spaces to empower students and teachers; enabling co-construction; local and global collaboration; authentic learning and formative assessment. The cLc serves circa. 2 million learners and teachers across 21 countries. The cLc places schools in a secure, contained, systemised, pedagogically-sound, sustainable 21st century learning framework. UniServity has offices in the UK, USA, Hong Kong and Singapore.
Harrisburg School District (HSD), is at the forefront of using technology to innovate and enrich the learning experience by providing learners with new 21st Century global collaborative learning opportunities. Harrisburg Mayor Stephen R. Reed has announced the new initiative connecting Harrisburg students with students in Cairo, Egypt, using the powerful social learning tools of the UniServity cLc (connected Learning communities) Learning Platform. Mayor Reed shared his announcement and educational vision to an audience of leading international educationalists and thought-leaders at the National Educational Computing Conference (NECC) in Washington D.C.; the largest Educational Event in the USA. Mayor Reed’s announcement is a dynamic response to U.S. President Barack Obama’s recent address at the UniServity of Cairo, when President Obama articulated his vision to connect American learners with foreign learners, stating, “I want students in Kansas working with students in Cairo.”
“Students today must be prepared to become part of a global community,” said Reed. “As Thomas Friedman has written, ‘the world is flat.’ It is no longer enough for our students to learn basic skills such as reading and writing. They also need to be able to apply them in new ways through new technological options, and more importantly, they need to be able to use 21st Century higher learning skills to work with others worldwide.”
“Harrisburg is the first city in the United States to implement the UniServity cLc city-wide,” said Reed. “Through the support of private and corporate donors and philanthropic foundations working with the Harrisburg Public School Foundation (HPSF), the implementation of this 21st Century learning platform has become possible, and will radically alter the way many of our City’s youth are learning.”
The first phase of the partnership will involve Harrisburg Schools developing an online arts, cultural, and social learning project facilitated by UniServity and Dr. Gerald W. Kohn, Superintendent of Harrisburg Schools, who commented, “This is only the beginning of the phenomenal learning opportunities that will be made available to our students through the implementation of the outcome-proven cLc.”
Dr. Lisa Paige, Executive Director of the HPSF added, “When we became aware of President Obama’s call to action, UniServity moved quickly to connect us with educational leaders in Cairo.” In just a couple of weeks the initial ideas for collaboration between US and Egyptian Schools have become a reality. Dr. Nermien Ismail, Administrator, The American International American School in Cairo has confirmed the School’s participation in the partnership and has flown to Washington DC to meet Harrisburg School leaders and members of the UniServity Educational team during the NECC event.
Alan Wood, CEO, UniServity, added, “UniServity is very proud to welcome both Harrisburg and Cairo schools into the growing cLc social learning community of circa. 1.5 million learners and teachers in 21 countries around the world. Harrisburg and Cairo School Leaders share our vision of transforming the learning experience and extending learning opportunities for all learners. In addition, I’d like to pay tribute to the Harrisburg Public Schools Foundation and the generosity and support of their donors and philanthropic foundations who have given learners in their community a new world of authentic and enriching learning opportunities beyond the traditional walls of the classroom.”
About UniServity:
Founded in the U.K. in 1999, UniServity is the global leader in next generation Web 2.0 learning. UniServity cLc (connected Learning communities) Learning Platform provides a secure social learning environment and tools to enhance learning, collaboration, communication and administration.
The cLc serves as a container for favourite Web 2.0 applications, creating safe spaces to empower students and teachers; enabling co-construction; local and global collaboration; authentic learning and formative assessment. The cLc serves circa. 2 million learners and teachers across 21 countries. The cLc places schools in a secure, contained, systemised, pedagogically-sound, sustainable 21st century learning framework. UniServity has offices in the UK, USA, Hong Kong and Singapore.
01/07/2009 - Younison Escalates the Fight for Musician's Rights in the Digital Age
core facts
- 1 July 2009 - Brussels - Musicians' advocacy group, Younison, gathered together with 150 members of the music community in Antwerp yesterday to demand that artists receive their fair share of digital music revenues. Younison, in partnership with artists and music managers, has also announced that it is building a case against two major European rights collection societies based on information on failings in distributing digital music revenues to artists.
- The group's case is being built against Belgian musicians' and authors' collection societies SABAM and SACEM. It reflects a groundswell of frustration among music artists that although digital revenues are being gathered by collection societies, there can be unacceptable and unaccountable delays in distributing them to the artists themselves.
- Legal action could form part of Younison's ongoing campaign, supported by its ‘Stand Up for Your Rights' Charter, to help artists seize control of the collection and distribution of digital revenues away from vested interests dominated by large record labels and rights collection societies.
- Challenging policymakers on behalf of musicians across Europe, Younison is also working to force the publication of the Belgian government's review on the current framework for collecting societies - delayed for more than six years.
- Younison is demanding that European governments ensure greater transparency, accountability and control for artists.
02/07/2009 - Marco Pierre White crowns Edinburgh's Ryan Chetiyawardana as the 'UK's Best Bartender' at the final of World Class
Marco Pierre White last night crowned Ryan Chetiyawardana of Bramble in Edinburgh the UK’s best bartender in the final of World Class 2009 – the Oscar’s of the bartending world. Held at the exclusive Kent House in London’s Knightsbridge, Ryan dazzled the judges by showcasing his exceptional mixology skills as he triumphed over competition from fourteen of the country’s top bartenders.
In a day-long trial, Ryan and his fellow finalists were tested to the limits in a competition which saw them take part in rounds covering bartending knowledge, mixology and an innovation challenge where they had to prove their creativity against the clock. After 15 bartenders were whittled down to the final two, Ryan went head-to-head with Andreas Tsanos from Zuma in London to battle it out for the grand prize where the two bartenders had to create their final bespoke cocktail and present it to the panel of judges. After a highly competitive and tense round, Ryan was declared the winner with his impressive and delicious Three Storm Flip cocktail (recipe below).
Alongside Marco Pierre White, the infamous Michelin-starred chef, the competition was judged by some of the country’s foremost experts in taste, style and bartending, namely Andy Pearson, TV Mixologist; Bill Prince, Deputy Editor of GQ; Ian Cameron, Managing Editor of Theme (one of the bar industry’s leading magazines) and Barrie Wilson, Reserve’s Head of Brand Ambassadors.
Marco says “I’ve been totally blown away by the skill of the bartenders in this final. To make a great drink takes a lot of hard work, a lot of understanding; it’s not just about putting alcohol into a shaker. What I wanted to see was someone who could engage me, give me something I’d never had before and that was exactly what Ryan did. He was phenomenal – not only with his drinks but also with his knowledge and personality behind the bar and fully deserved the title.”
Ryan will now go on to compete in the prestigious World Class Global Final, taking place later this month, which will see him representing the UK against the finest bartenders from around the world including Australia, China, Singapore, Brazil and Greece. The global winner will go on to have their definitive book of cocktails published courtesy of Diageo and be the face of a global campaign to raise the profile of the industry, themselves and their bar.
“It’s unbelievable” says Ryan, “this was far and away the most challenging and nerve-wracking competition that I’ve ever been in and I’m absolutely thrilled to have won. I was up against the best bartenders in the country – lots of whom I know and admire personally – and performing in front of judges of this calibre has been the highlight of my career so far. I’m hugely excited about the global final and I’m planning to show that cocktail-making in the UK can rival, if not better, anywhere else in the world – it’s an amazing opportunity”
Reserve Brands launched its ‘World Class’ bartender programme to recognise the incredible skill sets of bartenders across Britain. The UK final of World Class was the culmination of a year long series of regional category finals – rum, tequila, gin and vodka – from which fifteen winners were chosen to compete in the UK final.
To find out more about Ryan Chetiyawardana, the UK final, the World Class competition and details on how to enter next year’s competition log onto www.weareworldclass.com
-ends-
Ryan’s winning recipe:
Three Storm Flip
50ml Pampero Aniversario
25ml Velvet Falernum Liqueur
2 dashes Regan’s Orange Bitters
5ml Lagavulin 16
1 whole egg
A pinch of salt and pepper
Nutmeg Garnish
Method – dry shake all ingredients. Then shake with cubed ice and double strain.
Notes to Editors:
World Class, GB
About Diageo
Diageo is the world's leading premium drinks business with an outstanding collection of beverage alcohol brands across spirits, wines, and beer categories. These brands include Johnnie Walker, Guinness, Smirnoff, J&B, Baileys, Cuervo, Tanqueray, Captain Morgan, Crown Royal, Beaulieu Vineyard and Sterling Vineyards wines. Diageo is a global company, trading in more than 180 countries around the world. The company is listed on both the New York Stock Exchange (DEO) and the London Stock Exchange (DGE). For more information about Diageo, its people, brands, and performance, visit us at Diageo.com. Visit www.drinkaware.co.uk and Diageo’s own global resource www.DRINKiQ.com for information and guidance on responsible drinking. In Great Britain, Diageo is a member of The Portman Group and supports The Drinkaware Trust.
Celebrating life, every day, everywhere.
In a day-long trial, Ryan and his fellow finalists were tested to the limits in a competition which saw them take part in rounds covering bartending knowledge, mixology and an innovation challenge where they had to prove their creativity against the clock. After 15 bartenders were whittled down to the final two, Ryan went head-to-head with Andreas Tsanos from Zuma in London to battle it out for the grand prize where the two bartenders had to create their final bespoke cocktail and present it to the panel of judges. After a highly competitive and tense round, Ryan was declared the winner with his impressive and delicious Three Storm Flip cocktail (recipe below).
Alongside Marco Pierre White, the infamous Michelin-starred chef, the competition was judged by some of the country’s foremost experts in taste, style and bartending, namely Andy Pearson, TV Mixologist; Bill Prince, Deputy Editor of GQ; Ian Cameron, Managing Editor of Theme (one of the bar industry’s leading magazines) and Barrie Wilson, Reserve’s Head of Brand Ambassadors.
Marco says “I’ve been totally blown away by the skill of the bartenders in this final. To make a great drink takes a lot of hard work, a lot of understanding; it’s not just about putting alcohol into a shaker. What I wanted to see was someone who could engage me, give me something I’d never had before and that was exactly what Ryan did. He was phenomenal – not only with his drinks but also with his knowledge and personality behind the bar and fully deserved the title.”
Ryan will now go on to compete in the prestigious World Class Global Final, taking place later this month, which will see him representing the UK against the finest bartenders from around the world including Australia, China, Singapore, Brazil and Greece. The global winner will go on to have their definitive book of cocktails published courtesy of Diageo and be the face of a global campaign to raise the profile of the industry, themselves and their bar.
“It’s unbelievable” says Ryan, “this was far and away the most challenging and nerve-wracking competition that I’ve ever been in and I’m absolutely thrilled to have won. I was up against the best bartenders in the country – lots of whom I know and admire personally – and performing in front of judges of this calibre has been the highlight of my career so far. I’m hugely excited about the global final and I’m planning to show that cocktail-making in the UK can rival, if not better, anywhere else in the world – it’s an amazing opportunity”
Reserve Brands launched its ‘World Class’ bartender programme to recognise the incredible skill sets of bartenders across Britain. The UK final of World Class was the culmination of a year long series of regional category finals – rum, tequila, gin and vodka – from which fifteen winners were chosen to compete in the UK final.
To find out more about Ryan Chetiyawardana, the UK final, the World Class competition and details on how to enter next year’s competition log onto www.weareworldclass.com
-ends-
Ryan’s winning recipe:
Three Storm Flip
50ml Pampero Aniversario
25ml Velvet Falernum Liqueur
2 dashes Regan’s Orange Bitters
5ml Lagavulin 16
1 whole egg
A pinch of salt and pepper
Nutmeg Garnish
Method – dry shake all ingredients. Then shake with cubed ice and double strain.
Notes to Editors:
World Class, GB
- The World Class competition is hosted and organised by Diageo Reserve Brands. Diageo Reserve Brands is the luxury division of Diageo and its portfolio of spirits includes including brands such as Tanqueray No. Ten, Johnnie Walker Blue Label blended Scotch whisky, Ketel One and Cîroc vodka.
- There are four regions in the World Class competition – Scotland and Newcastle, the North (from Newcastle down to London), the South (from Brighton across to the South West, e.g. Bristol and Cardiff) and London
- Bartenders across Great Britain applied to participate in World Class by registering on www.weareworldclass.com
- Each bar that entered the competition received bar training at the bar in which they work from a Diageo Reserve Brands ambassador on developing drinks for each product category, namely rum, gin, vodka and tequila. Each bar entered cocktail recipes online and these were then made up and tasted by the Diageo World Class team who selected the winning drink and bartender. These winners were then short listed for the category finals (5 cocktails per category were selected for the regional finals).
- An independent judging panel selected the best cocktail per category in each region in a series of category finals taking place throughout 2008/ 2009.
- The dates for the category finals were:
- Rum - September 2008
- Gin - January 2008
- Vodka - April 2009
- Tequila - June 2009 - The winners of each regional category won a place on a trip to some of the finest distilleries in the world to learn more about the spirit which they had used to make their exceptional drink. The winners of the rum category were taken to Venezuela to visit the distilleries of Pampero and Ron Zacapa, the gin category winners travelled to New York, tequila category winners head off to Mexico to the home of Don Julio and the vodka finalists to the Cognac region in France, where the origins of Cîroc lie.
- These 15 contestants (four from across Great Britain in each category) will take their place at the UK Grand Final.
- Copies of the World Class Terms & Conditions can be obtained by contacting world.class@reservesociety.com
- Rum - Pampero & Ron Zacapa™
- Gin - Tanqueray & Tanqueray No. TEN
- Vodka - Cîroc, Ketel One®, Smirnoff Black®
- Tequila - Don Julio®, Jose Cuervo Tradicional®
About Diageo
Diageo is the world's leading premium drinks business with an outstanding collection of beverage alcohol brands across spirits, wines, and beer categories. These brands include Johnnie Walker, Guinness, Smirnoff, J&B, Baileys, Cuervo, Tanqueray, Captain Morgan, Crown Royal, Beaulieu Vineyard and Sterling Vineyards wines. Diageo is a global company, trading in more than 180 countries around the world. The company is listed on both the New York Stock Exchange (DEO) and the London Stock Exchange (DGE). For more information about Diageo, its people, brands, and performance, visit us at Diageo.com. Visit www.drinkaware.co.uk and Diageo’s own global resource www.DRINKiQ.com for information and guidance on responsible drinking. In Great Britain, Diageo is a member of The Portman Group and supports The Drinkaware Trust.
Celebrating life, every day, everywhere.
26/06/2009 - Start Thinking Soldier Mission 3 Puts Female Soldier in the Spotlight
The next instalment from the British Army’s Start Thinking Soldier campaign has launched, with a new mission that aims to especially resonate with a female audience. Depicting a humanitarian aid scenario, this latest mission commences with soldiers delivering aid. The situation escalates, with a dangerous crush beginning to take place. Viewers are asked to search Start Thinking Soldier…and make a decision do you; reason with the crowd, break it up, or stop giving out aid.
Once online, users are invited to try out a series of challenges focusing on disaster management situations similar to those faced by soldiers in the Army. These challenges will bring out, and test planning and leadership qualities. An earthquake strikes in the first challenge and users are tasked to deploy troops, emergency services and engineers across various key points in the area. In the second challenge users guide a number of rescue boats with the aid of an overhead helicopter to rescue stranded civilians. The third sees the user planning the allocation of engineers, troops and medical support to enable the safe passage of a re-supply convoy.
Start Thinking Soldier enables the public to test their soldier skills through virtual interaction and engagement in a series of challenges.
Lieutenant Colonel Eilean Cunningham of the Army’s Recruiting Group National Headquarters comments:
“Start Thinking Soldier Mission 3 is an exciting development in the campaign. It puts a female soldier in the spotlight, and takes a look at humanitarian scenarios that the Army face. The challenges are a real test of planning skills, and we encourage anyone who may not have yet to go online, search Start Thinking Soldier, and test their potential Army skills.”
The online challenges encourage participants to think strategically, learn from their actions and plan accordingly. Participants are also given feedback along the way, as well as a full debrief to give valuable insights into their strengths and weaknesses. It is part of a five month campaign which sees a range of missions rollout, driving users back to the website to engage and hone their skills. In addition to the challenges which mirror the Army’s key areas of expertise and are based around teamwork, decision making, leadership and fitness, the campaign includes training modules where users can compete against their peers and get recognised on the site’s leaderboard.
Since the first mission launched at the beginning of April, the site has achieved 840,528 visits and 61,655 registrations. Whoever you think you want to be, whatever you think want to do, search Start Thinking Soldier now to test your own Army Skills online and find out more about the real you.
- Ends-
For further information, images or interviews please contact:
Laura Grant
020 7467 9229
laura.grant@bisslancaster.com
Kate Todd
020 7467 9264
kate.todd@bisslancaster.com
Once online, users are invited to try out a series of challenges focusing on disaster management situations similar to those faced by soldiers in the Army. These challenges will bring out, and test planning and leadership qualities. An earthquake strikes in the first challenge and users are tasked to deploy troops, emergency services and engineers across various key points in the area. In the second challenge users guide a number of rescue boats with the aid of an overhead helicopter to rescue stranded civilians. The third sees the user planning the allocation of engineers, troops and medical support to enable the safe passage of a re-supply convoy.
Start Thinking Soldier enables the public to test their soldier skills through virtual interaction and engagement in a series of challenges.
Lieutenant Colonel Eilean Cunningham of the Army’s Recruiting Group National Headquarters comments:
“Start Thinking Soldier Mission 3 is an exciting development in the campaign. It puts a female soldier in the spotlight, and takes a look at humanitarian scenarios that the Army face. The challenges are a real test of planning skills, and we encourage anyone who may not have yet to go online, search Start Thinking Soldier, and test their potential Army skills.”
The online challenges encourage participants to think strategically, learn from their actions and plan accordingly. Participants are also given feedback along the way, as well as a full debrief to give valuable insights into their strengths and weaknesses. It is part of a five month campaign which sees a range of missions rollout, driving users back to the website to engage and hone their skills. In addition to the challenges which mirror the Army’s key areas of expertise and are based around teamwork, decision making, leadership and fitness, the campaign includes training modules where users can compete against their peers and get recognised on the site’s leaderboard.
Since the first mission launched at the beginning of April, the site has achieved 840,528 visits and 61,655 registrations. Whoever you think you want to be, whatever you think want to do, search Start Thinking Soldier now to test your own Army Skills online and find out more about the real you.
- Ends-
For further information, images or interviews please contact:
Laura Grant
020 7467 9229
laura.grant@bisslancaster.com
Kate Todd
020 7467 9264
kate.todd@bisslancaster.com
26/06/2009 - Interoute launches free Internet Barometer to alert businesses to danger on the Internet
core facts
Interoute launches a free internet security barometer that provides organisations with daily insight into malicious activity on the internet.
How the barometer works:
Interoute is also offering businesses access to a free widget, which updates according to the day's threat level. The Interoute Internet Barometer is currently a beta version. Interoute's security team will be enhancing the system to provide historical trends and diagnostic tools.
Interoute launches a free internet security barometer that provides organisations with daily insight into malicious activity on the internet.
How the barometer works:
- It collects data from 22 high performance sensors built into the core of the European Internet
- It logs the source, destination and type of malicious activity
- This information is then placed into a balanced score-card for attack weighting
- Starting with the de facto standard for vulnerability signatures, Interoute enriches the self calibrating ‘blacklist' with custom DDoS attack detection
- High and medium ranked security alerts are then mapped against the geographic location of the origin and destination of the attacks
- Provides valuable insight into security threats to help organisations identify and fend off the perpetrators of malicious threats and Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks
Interoute is also offering businesses access to a free widget, which updates according to the day's threat level. The Interoute Internet Barometer is currently a beta version. Interoute's security team will be enhancing the system to provide historical trends and diagnostic tools.
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Interoute Internet Barometer: http://barometer.interoute.com/barom_main.php