Month: December 2010

Believe it! This top dog is the star of Ripley’s Big Bash!
Set for Saturday, December 18

ORLANDO, Fla. – (Dec. 13, 2010) – It’s a fairy-tale ending for a story that had a flea (and cockroach) infested beginning.

Ripley the dog will be the star of the show at Ripley’s Big Bash!, a send-off party and pet adoption event set for Saturday, December 18, at the Petco in Houma, Louisiana. The event starts at 4 pm.

Workers at St. John Parish animal shelter in LaPlace found the beleaguered animal in a ditch; his hair was so matted that he could no longer walk, his fur was full of cockroaches and he was close to being no longer able to eat. The shelter took him to a local vet, who shaved more than two pounds of hair off the dog. The homeless dog was named Ripley because “Believe It or Not!” there was a dog under all that fur!

After several weeks of TLC and socializing provided by My Heart’s Desire animal shelter, Ripley is a healthy, well-mannered dog who will go home with his new family, Houma residents Joy and Mike Tingle.

“We feel like we won the lottery,” said Mike Tingle, noting that more than 50 people were in line for the poodle and hundreds more had shown interest in his adoption. “We visited him a couple times and then filled out the paperwork and waited. It was a wonderful morning when we received the phone call.”  Tingle called Ripley a “sharp little dog with a laid-back personality.” Ripley will be the Tingle household’s only pet.

Ripley’s Believe It or Not! is giving the Tingles a Petco certificate for six spa and grooming sessions for little Ripley, and has made a donation to My Heart’s Desire as a thank you for helping save the homeless ragamuffin. The company is also supplying a limo so Ripley and the Tingles can go home in style from the Big Bash! Natural Balance is donating 15 bags, a year’s worth, of dog food, to Ripley and his new family.

Local animal rescue groups will be on hand at Ripley’s Big Bash! to provide information on other animals that need permanent homes.  Brent Neil, assistant store manager for the Petco store in Houma, is planning the big event for the 18^th.  “This is a great opportunity to showcase how important pet adoption is,” Neil said. “Little Ripley was in dire needs and was saved. He deserves a good home and he has found one. These are the kind of stories we all like to hear.”

Ripley’s unbelievable story, which received international interest, will be featured in the 2012 annual from Ripley Publishing that will be published in August 2011. The book is a collection of amazing, unusual and unbelievable stories from around the world.

“We are happy to have been able to help out little Ripley,” said Tim O’Brien, VP of Communications for Ripley’s Believe It or Not! “His story is one of survival and overcoming incredible odds, and really represents what Ripley’s Believe It or Not! is all about.”

Ripley’s Big Bash! will take place at Petco in Houma, located at 1651 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.

Downloadable images from Ripley’s Big Bash! will be available on Monday, Dec. 20 in the Ripley’s Newsroom.

Contact:

Tim O’Brien

VP Communications

Office – 615-646-7465

Cell – 615-496-5949

Obrien@ripleys.com

Brent Neil

Assistant Store Manager, Petco

985-851-3148

Bj_neil2003@yahoo.com

About Ripley Entertainment

Ripley Entertainment Inc. (www.ripleys.com), keepers of the venerable Ripley’s Believe It or Not! brand, is a global leader in location-based entertainment, entertaining more than 13 million annually at its 85 attractions in 11 countries.  In addition to its 31 Believe It or Not! Odditoriums, the Orlando, Florida-based company has publishing, licensing and broadcast divisions, best-selling books and the popular syndicated cartoon strip, Ripley’s Believe It or Not!, that still runs daily in 42 countries. Ripley Entertainment is a Jim Pattison Company, the third-largest privately held company in Canada.

Posted by Wellons Communications, an Orlando public relations firm.

Author Anna Maria Prezio explains that by decorating your home according to various Feng Shui methods, you will be able to keep ghosts away; UK author and educator Lionel Fanthorpe recalls the most significant mysteries he has ever researched, including the myth of the brigantine Mary Celeste that was found floating in the middle of the ocean with no one aboard; and Robert Damon Schneck reports how  aliens are using Bigfoot creatures on earth to mine for gold that will be used to power weapons in their fight in a major inner-galactic battle that is taking place. Schneck also talks about his research on the cannibal pygmies of Wyoming.

Ripley Radio – an On-Demand Oddcast

Ripley Radio is a journey through the weird, wacky, whimsical, wild, and totally unbelievable world of the odd, strange and unusual. Each show provides listeners with amazing and absolutely true tales of today as well as unbelievable facts culled from the extensive archives of the company that has been freaking out families for more than 90 years!

The broadcast is an unpredictable and fun-filled show that proves beyond all dimensions that Ripley’s is indeed, the global authority on the weird, strange, bizarre and the UNBELIEVABLE!

You can enjoy Ripley Radio – An On-Demand Oddcast at the dedicated Ripley Radio website and in the Podcast section of iTunes.

Meet Ripley Radio’s Ensemble:

• Tim O’Brien, executive producer
  Vice President, Communications, Ripley Entertainment Inc.
• “Ralf with an F” (Ralf Ingwersen)
  Director of Ghost Tours
  Ripley’s Believe It Or Not!, St. Augustine, Fla.
• Edward Meyer
  Vice President, Exhibits and Archives, Ripley Entertainment Inc.
• Marci Pikel
  Manager of Marketing & Production Services, Ripley Entertainment Inc.

For detailed information on each host, please visit the Ripley Radio website.

About Ripley Radio
Ripley Radio is owned by Ripley Entertainment Inc., keepers of the venerable Ripley’s Believe It or Not! brand and is a global leader in location-based entertainment. More than 13 million guests visit its 80-plus world-wide attractions annually. The Orlando-based company also has divisions that oversee publishing, licensing and broadcast operations.  Ripley Entertainment is a Jim Pattison Company, the third-largest privately held company in Canada.

Contact:
Tim O’Brien
Ripley Radio Executive Producer
VP Communications
Ripley Entertainment Inc.
obrien@ripleys.com
Office – 615-646-7465
Cell – 615-496-5949

Posted by Wellons Communications, an Orlando public relations firm.

Community invited to attend Dec. 14 event

Nashville, Tenn. – (December 13, 2010) – Remington College-Nashville Campus will hold an Open House to introduce prospective students to what the college has to offer.

Open House will be held on Tuesday, December 14 from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. on the Remington College-Nashville Campus.

The public is invited to enjoy the activities and learn more about the educational programs offered by the campus. The Nashville campus is an accredited college, and programs include Associate’s Degrees in Criminal Justice and Dental Hygiene, as well as Diploma Programs in Medical Assisting, Dental Assisting, Medical Billing and Coding and Cosmetology.

Based in Heathrow, Florida, Remington College offers diploma and degree programs at 20 campuses throughout the United States, including a new online campus. Its mission is to provide career-focused education through a variety of programs.

Remington College-Nashville Campus is located at 441 Donelson Pike, Suite 150.

For more information, call 615-889-5520.

About Remington College: Remington College is a common name used by all 20 campuses of a group of affiliated companies of privately-owned, post-secondary educational institutions based in Heathrow, Florida. Through its campuses, Remington College offers diplomas, bachelor’s and associate’s degrees in a variety of fields, including: cosmetology; nursing; healthcare; criminal justice; business; electronics; information technology; and more.  Course offerings vary by campus. Remington College and its predecessor companies have been part of the higher education community since 1985. For more information, please visit http://www.remingtoncollege.edu/. For the latest news about Remington College, visit http://today.remingtoncollege.edu/.

Media contact:

Frank Wolff

Wellons Communications

407-339-0879 office

407-637-6000 cell

Frank@wellonscommunications.com

Posted by Wellons Communications, an Orlando public relations firm.

Creators say others should say “I do” to iPhones for weddings

Orlando, Fla. – (December 9, 2010) – iPhones are trusty tools for taking photos and videos of vacations, holiday celebrations and other special moments, but no bride-to-be has ever trusted her wedding day to an iPhone – until now.

The veteran team of wedding photographer Brian Adams and wedding videographer Rainer Flor believe they are the first ones to shoot an entire wedding on the iPhone 4 – both photos and video.

The two professionals have collaborated on wedding shoots all over the world. What started as a “What if…” turned into a “Wow!” when they were finished.

“At first we just wanted to see if it could be done,” said Adams. “But when we were finished, we realized what we had done was bridge the gap between photo and video and create a professional-looking product that people can easily access and share.”

Flor volunteered his November wedding for the experiment. Adams used two iPhone 4s to shoot pictures. Flor’s associate videographer also used an iPhone 4. Housings were used for the phones that allowed them to change lenses, as well as provided handles and mounts for a light, microphone and tripod. An assistant helped with lighting.

“The phones are so small, it made it easy for us to be unobtrusive,” said Adams. “People were very comfortable around the small cameras. We were not an intrusion into their wedding.”

Common software was used for editing the images and video.

The end result?

“I was amazed at the quality of the photos coming from the iPhone 4, and completely blown away by them after they were edited,” said Adams, who also printed a handful of the photos.

“When you look at the prints, we don’t think you can tell the difference between the SLR photos and the iPhone photos,” Flor said.

Adams and Flor say there are several things that people can take away from their successful iPhone experiment.

“We proved that the iPhone technology is advanced enough to handle an event like a wedding, and simple enough that it doesn’t take a lot of experience or extra equipment to shoot high-quality video and pictures,” said Adams. “The user still has to have some creativity and a good eye, but this gives them a great tool.”

“We want to show the millions of people running around with iPhones in their pocket that the photo and video possibilities are endless,” said Flor.

The two just launched iphoneshooters.com to share the iPhone wedding material, as well as serve as an online community for iPhone users to share images, video and ideas. They may offer iPhone wedding photography as an option for their customers, and see it as a growing trend in wedding photography.

“A wedding shot on an iPhone extends the experience and allows it to be easily shared with others through Facebook and other social media platforms,” said Adams.  “Soon we’ll see people sharing photos and video right from their wedding.”

Downloadable images and embeddable video of the iPhone wedding are available at iphoneshooters.com

Media contact:

Frank Wolff

Wellons Communications

407-339-0879 office

407-637-6000 cell

frank@wellonscommunications.com

iphoneshooters@gmail.com

twitter: @iphoneshooters

Posted by Wellons Communications, an Orlando public relations firm.

Magnificent miniatures, world’s smallest production car, T-Rex foot, animal anomalies among the new unbelievable exhibits

ORLANDO, Fla. – (Dec. 7, 2010) – What do an 8-foot long fish, a 7-legged sheep and a mural made from 8,500 playing cards have in common?

They’re all new exhibits in a revamped Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Orlando Odditorium!

Visitors will find dozens of amazing new exhibits, including:

• A Peel Trident car (the smallest production car in the world)
• A portrait of singer Beyonce made entirely from candy
• A “Wall-E” robot replica made from car parts
• A 25-foot high mural of Jimi Hendrix made from more than 8,500 playing cards
• A very rare fossil of a T-Rex foot and lower leg
• Multiple miniatures that visitors can view through a magnifying glass
• A stuffed Alligator Gar that measures more than 8 feet long
• A balloon-powered chair that flew over the Rocky Mountains
• A dog sculpture made entirely of clothes pins
• New optical illusions, word puzzles and brain teasers
• Several new wax figures that visitors can take photos with
• A new shooting gallery for visitors to take aim and fire at different odd targets

In addition to all the new exhibits, there are new flat-panel TVs that broadcast video oddities and behind-the-scenes stories, and new display cards for all the exhibits. New lighting, paint and carpet give the Orlando attraction a whole new feel.

“Our guests will find exciting, new oddities and displays at every turn, as well as our long-time, favorite exhibits, like the rotating tunnel and pool table where balls roll uphill,” said Joe Kasinski, Director of Sales and Marketing for Ripley’s Orlando.

Renovations will continue with additional oddities added in the coming weeks.

For high-res images of the new-look Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Orlando Odditorium, please visit

http://www.ripleysnewsroom.com/.

For more on Ripley’s Orlando, including hours and pricing, please visit http://orlando.ripleys.com/.

Contacts:

Joe Kasinski

Director of Sales & Marketing

Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Orlando

407-345-0501

kasinski@ripleys.com

Tim O’Brien

VP Communications

Ripley Entertainment Inc.

Office – 615-646-7465

Cell – 615-496-5949

obrien@ripleys.com

About Ripley Entertainment

Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Orlando is part of the Ripley Entertainment Inc. (www.ripleys.com) family of worldwide attractions, the global leader in location-based entertainment.  More than 13 million people visit its 85 attractions in 11 countries each year.  In addition to its 31 Believe It or Not! Odditoriums, the Orlando, Florida-based company has publishing, licensing and broadcast divisions that oversee projects including the syndicated Believe It or Not! television show, best-selling books and the popular syndicated cartoon strip, Ripley’s Believe It or Not!, that still runs daily in 42 countries. Ripley Entertainment is a Jim Pattison Company, the third-largest privately held company in Canada.

Posted by Wellons Communications, an Orlando public relations firm.

Electronic Registrar Online offers the district’s 9,700 teachers professional development opportunities—all online

CALGARY, AB. (Dec. 06, 2010) – Calgary Catholic School District has selected Orlando-based eSchool Solutions® to provide a new way for the area’s 9,700 educators to maintain their certification through training and professional development—and it’s all done online.

Starting in January, Calgary Catholic School District will implement eSchool Solutions’ Electronic Registrar Online (ERO) software and services. ERO provides customized professional learning for teachers through a Web-based application. With ERO, busy teachers are given an opportunity to continue their education with convenience and simplicity. Users can log in anywhere to review course catalogs, register for classes and review transcripts.

In addition, employees are able to easily communicate with mentors, track their certification renewal process and update their customized development plan.

“Now more than ever, educators have less time available for in-service days, conferences and continuing education,” said Lisa Welton, Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing for eSchool Solutions. “By combining best practices with state-of-the-art technology, ERO helps teachers get the most out of continued learning in an efficient and cost-effective manner.”

ERO focuses on professional learning that is strategic and aligned with student achievement. This ensures that staff development is working toward achieving goals established in performance plans for individuals, schools and the whole district.

In addition to ERO, Calgary Catholic School District has updated its absentee management systems to eSchool Solutions’ SmartFindExpress, which automates the process of getting the most qualified substitute teachers into each and every classroom. The two products integrate seamlessly, allowing teachers to create absences in SmartFindExpress while registering for professional development courses in ERO.

To learn more about the company, visit http://www.eschoolsolutions.com/ or call 800-776-8774.

About eSchool Solutions®

eSchool Solutions® is the leading provider of integrated technology solutions for the preK-12 education market. In 1987, the Orlando-based company revolutionized substitute management for school systems, completely changing the way districts managed substitutes and employee absences. Now, as a total solutions provider, eSchool Solutions provides a full suite of products and services designed to improve administrative efficiency and help school districts work smarter. The company serves more than 500 school systems, encompassing 29,000 schools in North America.

Posted by Wellons Communications, an Orlando public relations firm.

In this episode of Ripley Radio: Author and reincarnation authority Richard Salva provides proof that Abraham Lincoln came back as Charles Lindbergh; Judika Illes reports on her  October visit to Witch Country – Salem, Massachusetts; Edward explores many of the Lincoln artifacts in Ripley’s collection and talks about the famous cartoon of Charles Lindbergh, one of Ripley’s most controversial cartoons of all times; we discuss several Lincoln Believe It or Nots!, including why the family quit naming their children Abraham; and in Tim’s Spot the Not! quiz, we learn how much Lindbergh was paid for his famous flight.

Ripley Radio – an On-Demand Oddcast

Ripley Radio is a journey through the weird, wacky, whimsical, wild, and totally unbelievable world of the odd, strange and unusual. Each show provides listeners with amazing and absolutely true tales of today as well as unbelievable facts culled from the extensive archives of the company that has been freaking out families for more than 90 years!

The broadcast is an unpredictable and fun-filled show that proves beyond all      dimensions that Ripley’s is indeed, the global authority on the weird, strange, bizarre and the UNBELIEVABLE!

You can enjoy Ripley Radio – An On-Demand Oddcast at the dedicated Ripley Radio website and in the Podcast section of iTunes.

Meet Ripley Radio’s Ensemble:

• · Tim O’Brien, executive producer
  Vice President, Communications, Ripley Entertainment Inc.

• “Ralf with an F” (Ralf Ingwersen)
  Director of Ghost Tours
  Ripley’s Believe It Or Not!, St. Augustine, Fla.

• Edward Meyer
  Vice President, Exhibits and Archives, Ripley Entertainment Inc.

• · Marci Pikel
  Manager of Marketing & Production Services, Ripley Entertainment Inc.

For detailed information on each host, please visit the Ripley Radio website.

About Ripley Radio
Ripley Radio is owned by Ripley Entertainment Inc., keepers of the venerable Ripley’s Believe It or Not! brand and is a global leader in location-based entertainment. More than 13 million guests visit its 80-plus world-wide attractions annually. The Orlando-based company also has divisions that oversee publishing, licensing and broadcast operations.  Ripley Entertainment is a Jim Pattison Company, the third-largest privately held company in Canada.

Contact:
Tim O’Brien
Ripley Radio Executive Producer
VP Communications
Ripley Entertainment Inc.
obrien@ripleys.com
Office – 615-646-7465
Cell – 615-496-5949

P0sted by Wellons Communications, an Orlando public relations firm.

Syndication opportunities for lifestyle, travel, nature, cooking, children’s and international programming

ATLANTA, Ga. (Dec. 2, 2010) – Whether you produce an original lifestyle show for the Web, broadcast children’s television programs or distribute international films, Endavo Media is holding a casting call for content.

Endavo Media is seeking niche and international programming for telcos entering the digital media business. After a busy November that took the Endavo team to Dubai for IP&TV MEA, Las Vegas for TelcoTV 2010 and Budapest for the NGT Europe Summit, interest in syndicated content and Endavo’s OTT Video Services Platform is expanding among the global telco market.

“We have an increasing demand for English-language lifestyle, travel, nature, cooking, and children’s programming to support telcos use of our Platform for global OTT distribution of premium video services,” said Peter Contardo, EVP and chief marketing officer for Endavo Media. “In addition, there is an immediate need for Filipino and Hindi movies and TV shows.”

Endavo makes it easy for producers and broadcasters to shop and syndicate their content through Endavo’s Screening Room, where content providers get their own media management system account to upload, publish and promote their specific programming to global telco TV partners.

Global OTT video services are forecasted by MRG, Inc. to exceed $1 billion in 2010 and grow to $20 billion in 2014. So, whether it’s helping telcos deliver new OTT video services to multiple screens, integrating OTT content into a telco’s existing IPTV service, or both, Endavo provides the digital media and video services management solution for telcos to capitalize on this revenue opportunity.

About Endavo Media:

Endavo Media is an OTT Video Services Platform provider enabling quality delivery of enhanced video services for telecommunications companies, and planet-wide syndication for content producers and broadcasters. Endavo’s Platform as a Service (PaaS) solution provides acquisition, management, monetization and multi-screen distribution of digital media, including live and on-demand video, audio and pictures. Endavo provides more control to connect and engage directly with audiences, build brands, generate revenue and improve the customer experience. Founded in 2004, Endavo works with multiple international technology development partners in the EMEA region. Endavo Media is a privately held company headquartered in Atlanta, with offices across the U.S., Latin America and Europe. For more information visit http://endavomedia.com.

Media Contact

Will Wellons

Office: (407) 339-0879

Cell: (407) 462-2718

will@wellonscommunications.com

Posted by Wellons Communications, an Orlando public relations firm.

Class will focus on Japanese traditions, culture, language

CHESTNUT RIDGE, NY – (November 30, 2010) – Green Meadow Waldorf School is now enrolling students for the spring semester for a Saturday Japanese kindergarten class. The class is open for students three to six years of age.

This is a full immersion class, designed to build foundational skills in the Japanese language during early childhood. Many Japanese families are attracted to the class because children can fully experience their traditions and culture in their native language.  In addition, students develop a strong foundation for future academic success.

This is the second year that Green Meadow has offered the Japanese kindergarten class.

“For many Japanese families, it is important that their children experience their cultural heritage and integrate into the Japanese community,” said kindergarten teacher, Lisa Miccio. “This class provides a gateway between a traditional Japanese curriculum and US culture and traditions.”

Instruction focuses on Japanese poetry, storytelling and songs through a play-based curriculum.

Green Meadow Waldorf School is an independent school that offers nursery through grade 12 education, with an emphasis on creative and independent thought, as well as the discernment to act in a free and morally responsible way. Graduates go on to top colleges, and the school prides itself on its multicultural community; students come from a wide range of socio-economic, ethnic, religious, and cultural backgrounds.

Waldorf education is the fastest-growing independent school movement worldwide, with 300 schools in the US and nearly 1,000 around the world. The curriculum is based on the philosophy of Rudolf Steiner, who founded the first Waldorf School in Germany in 1919. Green Meadow offers developmentally based, challenging academic coursework infused with the arts.  The school also limits the use of technology and media for younger students, which is now understood by researchers as essential to the developing brain.

To apply, parents can go to the enrollment office on campus. The spring semester begins in January and ends March 19^th. The cost for tuition is $450, plus a $50 registration fee and a $200 entrance fee for new students.

For more information, contact Patricia Owens, Admissions Coordinator, powens@gmws.org or 845-356-2514 extension 302, or visit the school website at http://www.gmws.org/. begin_of_the_skype_highlighting
About Green Meadow School and the Waldorf education: Founded in Germany in 1919 by Dr. Rudolf Steiner, Waldorf Education now includes schools on every continent. Green Meadow Waldorf School is an accredited full member of the Association of Waldorf Schools of North America (AWSNA), an association that strengthens and supports Waldorf schools and informs the public of the benefits of Waldorf education.  Green Meadow is also an accredited member of the New York State Association of Independent Schools (NYSAIS), a voluntary association of more than 140 independent schools in the state of New York.

Posted by Wellons Communications, an Orlando public relations firm.