Monthly Archives: April 2012

TV Roundup: 'Grey's Anatomy' Season Finale Death Shocker

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'Grey's Anatomy' (ABC). Death is coming to Seattle Grace. Grey's Anatomy creator Shonda Rhimes has confirmed that a beloved character will die in the May 17 season finale (via TV Guide).

"A lot of our writers were crying, which is a very rare thing," Rhimes said of the season finale. "There's some really shocking, horrible moments."

So which unlucky doctor is headed to that great hospital in the sky? Well, Patrick Dempsey and Ellen Pompeo, who play Grey's supercouple Derek and Meredith, both have contracts that expire after this current season. Rhimes has also been cagey about revealing future storyline details for Callie and Arizona (Sara Ramirez and Jessica Capshaw). So who do you think will be the Grey's sacrificial finale lamb? Vote now.

Judge Len Goodman seemed particularly upset to see the Knight go home. "If I could judge purely with my heart, you would be at the top of my leaderboard," he told Knight after she was eliminated. Her pro partner Tristan MacManus also had nothing but kind words for the Mowtown legend: "I'll probably miss Gladys as much as I miss Ireland when I'm here," he said. "And I really, really miss Ireland."

Looks like Smash is definitely not going to become the serious Broadway behind-the-scenes drama many once hoped it would be. The NBC musical series has hired Gossip Girl executive producer Josh Safran to fill the showrunner position that was vacated by Teresa Rebeck in March. Safran has been with Gossip Girl since it debuted in 2007, working his was from writer/consulting producer to co-exec producer before being promoted to EP last season. There's no word on who might replace him over at GG, which is expected to return for a sixth and final season.

Community is taking on Law & Order this week, and we've got our first look at the episode's special credit sequence, which features L&O's trademark black and white grainy crime images and the classic final shot of the cast walking together down the hallway. Check it out!

And finally, the Dubious Honor Award of the day goes to the CW's soapy new drama, The L.A. Complex, which became the lowest-rated in-season broadcast drama debut on record last night. The premiere of the Canadian import, which centers on a group of showbiz hopefuls living in Tinseltown, opened to a measly 646,000 viewers.

DVR Watch: The Top 6 singers take on Queen's songbook on American Idol (Fox, 8pm), Survivor: One World has a wet and wild immunity challenge (CBS, 8pm), the models don Hello Kitty Couture on America's Next Top Model: British Invasion (CW, 9pm), Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23 has June fixing one of Chloe's messes (ABC, 9:30pm), Revenge has Emily uncovering the identity of her father's killer (ABC, 10pm), and Cartman falls for the new girl at school on South Park (Comedy Central, 10pm).

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TV Roundup: 'Grey's Anatomy' Season Finale Death Shocker

Keck's Exclusives: Grey's Anatomy Finale Preview — Big Death Ahead!

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Grey's Anatomy

Grey's Anatomy's executive producer Shonda Rhimes has confirmed to me exclusively that a beloved character will die in the ABC drama's May 17 season finale. "A lot of our writers were crying, which is a very rare thing," she says. "There's some really shocking, horrible moments."

It can't be worse than the bloodshed two years ago when a crazed gunman hunted the doctors like animals, can it? "Yeah, it is," says Rhimes. "People's mettle is going to be tested."

Writing the episode, she adds, was sheer "torture... I've been sitting with my head in my hands for days. I understand the choice I made, but it scares me how fans are going to react."

Fans began voicing their concern when Rhimes recently tweeted a quote from author Kurt Vonnegut: "Be a Sadist. No matter how sweet and innocent your leading characters, make awful things happen to them in order that the reader may see what they are made of." Yikes! The ominous quote, Rhimes says, was just what she needed to give her "the courage to do what we're doing in the finale."

The heart-stopping drama begins in the May 10 episode with "a big case that takes a group of our people out of the hospital. It's sort of the medical case of their lives," says Rhimes, hinting that the patient could possibly be one of their own.

That episode will also give us our first glimpse of Derek and Meredith's completed dream house. While Rhimes originally planned for the season to end with the couple watching in horror as their new home burned to the ground, she says, "I was not ready to do that."

Instead, the dream house is being constructed and is "quite beautiful. I feel like this is the moment for it, since Meredith and Derek are having a debate about their future. I just hope we can use it next season."

While she's keeping much of the finale secret, Rhimes does offer a few specifics. Fans can look forward to some "extraordinarily romantic Ben and Dr. Bailey stuff," with Bailey making a decision "that will fundamentally change her life."

And keenly aware that "Mark and Lexie fans have been very adamant about them getting back together, they'll have some very beautiful moments with one another that I hope the fans are going to really love," Rhimes says.

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Keck's Exclusives: Grey's Anatomy Finale Preview — Big Death Ahead!

Grey's Anatomy Exclusive Finale Scoop: A Seattle Grace Exodus and a "Dark and Twisty" Event

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Grey's Anatomy, Ellen Pompeo and Patrick Dempsey

Get ready for another heartbreaking hour of Grey's Anatomy in the Season 8 finale when the docs must rally on what could be their last day working together as many of Seattle Grace's familiar faces will have already accepted jobs at other hospitals!

"There is a very complex thing that occurs for many of our characters that places a lot of them in a position to discover what they're made of," the ever-tight-lipped Grey's boss Shonda Rhimes teases of the major event that erupts in the season-ender. (Seriously, she said "thing.") "I don't know that you could guess it," she says.

Finale Preview: Get scoop on how your favorite shows are ending their seasons

Challenge accepted! Could it be a forest fire that threatens to claim Meredith (Ellen Pompeo) and Derek's (Patrick Dempsey) recently finished McMansion? Maybe a rescue helicopter will fall from the roof and crush one of the docs? (Wait a minute; that sounds familiar.) Rhimes' only clue: When we asked whether this incident is similar to the devastating ferry boat crash or the rampaging shooter from seasons past, she replied, "Yes. That's a yes to both!"

In a year where contract negotiations of key cast members are also still up in the air, Rhimes has appeared to create a perfect out should some of our favorite doctors not return. "People will take jobs at different hospitals," Rhimes says, noting that the docs will make their decisions in the penultimate episode. We've already seen that Cristina (Sandra Oh) is the most eager to get out of Dodge, but, in a surprising twist, we learned last week that Meredith's long-time home is not her first choice. Who may leave? "The plan is, at the end of the season, our doctors will do what residents all over the country do, which is to accept jobs at different hospitals," she says. Could some docs stick around Seattle Grace? "Not at the end of the season," Rhimes teases, noting that one of many possibilities is that some doctors will return in the potential ninth season, should ABC decide to renew the series.

With that in mind, we wondered: Is someone going to die? The medical drama has never shied away from killing off main characters it takes place in a hospital, after all but Rhimes was coy about whether or not the event would bring the Grim Reaper to town. "I don't want to answer this question," she said bluntly, only noting that the event would be dangerous. "It's very dark and twisty," she said. "It was really hard [to write] because I'm all happy; I have a baby [now]."

Grey's Anatomy Scoop: Which doctors will be sticking around Seattle Grace?

"We're taking our characters on a journey they've never been on before," she adds. "To me, it's a very shocking thing that I chose to do and I was really stressed-out about doing it, and it took me a long time, so I kept taking the finale apart and putting it back together. It's also a very emotional episode. I always feel like when an episode really scares me, when I spend a lot of time with my head in my hands wondering how the fans are going to take it, and worry that they're going to, I don't know, stone me in the streets, I kind of know that it's good."

In that sense, this finale will be almost a polar opposite to last year's, which saw Meredith and Derek hit another rough patch when she tampered with the Alzheimer's clinical trial. "I feel like last year's finale was very quiet for a reason," Rhimes says. "Our characters had been through so much in terms of having dealt with the shooting and getting over that and coming to a place where really their decisions were about their growth as people Meredith and her baby and Cristina and her pregnancy. This season, I feel like the theme of the episode is graduation, and there is a huge sense of nostalgia in this episode in terms of what you're looking at. This could very well be the last time these doctors are working together. This could very well be the last day for some of these doctors here."

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Grey's Anatomy Exclusive Finale Scoop: A Seattle Grace Exodus and a "Dark and Twisty" Event

Grey's Anatomy Scoop: Jackson and April's Hookup Is Not a Dream!

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Sarah Drew, Jesse Williams

"No it's not a dream. They do make out for real!"

There you have it, folks! The recent Grey's Anatomy promos don't lie: Sarah Drew confirms that April and Jackson (Jesse Williams) will be hooking up in this Thursday's episode, when the doctors travel to San Francisco to take their medical boards.

Grey's Anatomy Exclusive Finale Scoop: A Seattle Grace exodus and a "dark and twisty" event

Does this mean April will finally be deflowered? Drew was mum on that front (which we'll take as a "yes.") "That is still up in air," she says. Their fling springs from the stresses of taking the medical boards, which will decide the doctors' fates and also help them land jobs that will take them away from Seattle Grace.

"April goes a little crazy," Drew says. "She is super anxious, super just full of panic and anxiety about doing well or failing and she doesn't really know what to do with all of this extra energy and is jumping out of her skin. She does a lot of things that are really surprising and out of character for her that leads to some pretty fantastic fallout afterwards." In case you missed the promo, she also punches a guy in the face.

The hookup, in particular, will lead to a very interesting turn of events heading into the final episodes of the season. "It's going to bite both of them in the ass because they both walk away from that being confused by the whole thing," Drew says. "The writers have really written a very interesting journey for April and Jackson over the next four episodes. We see a lot of conflict and confusion -- how do you continue to be friends after something like that happens?

Finale Preview: Get scoop on how your favorite shows are ending their seasons

"What we'll see that lasts is their deep abiding friendship and the fact that they really do care for one another on a very deep level that isn't just butterflies and romance at all. There's also something big that's revealed about April, something about her character that's revealed at the end of this week's episode that also plays into everything that happens between the two of them and rest of the episodes of the season."

Even though Lexie (Chyler Leigh) has turned her attention back towards Mark (Eric Dane), will the sudden hookup destroy the relationship she shares with April? That remains to be seen since no one will learn of their tryst. "April and Jackson are not sharing their confusion with anybody else," she says. "So nobody else in the hospital knows anything has happened between the two of them."

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Grey's Anatomy Scoop: Jackson and April's Hookup Is Not a Dream!

Anatomy of a Murder (Blu-ray)

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ANATOMY OF A MURDER Criterion Collection / 1959 / 161 min. / NR

Otto Preminger was a bald, teutonic film director with an outsized personality he put to good use during his heyday. Not only was Preminger a regular raconteur on the TV talk show circuit in the 1960s and 70s, he lent his acting skills to projects such as Billy Wilders STALAG 17 and played the villainous Mr. Freeze in 1966 on the BATMAN television series. An migr from Austria to the United States, Preminger directed theatre and several little-seen films before he broke through to A-list status in 1944, directing the hit movie, LAURA.

From then on, Otto Preminger worked steadily, building a reputation for tackling controversial material that pushed the boundaries of taste and censorship. Like many directors of his era, when the New Hollywood exploded in the 1960s with films like THE GRADUATE, BONNIE AND CLYDE and EASY RIDER, Preminger started to appear more and more like a dinosaur mired in the muck of the past. He tried to adapt to the counterculture, most notoriously with SKIDOO, a 1968 fiasco with Jackie Gleason, Carol Channing, Frankie Avalon and Groucho Marx as God. But by then, Premingers best work was clearly behind him. And looking back in the rearview mirror, his artistic pinnacle might very well have been 1959s ANATOMY OF A MURDER.

A courtroom drama (a popular film genre before this kind of storytelling moved almost exclusively to network television), ANATOMY OF A MURDER is notable for several reasons. The screenplay was adapted from a novel by John D. Voelker (who based it on an actual case on which he served as defense attorney) by frequent Preminger collaborator, Wendell Mayes. In the story, struggling small town lawyer Paul Biegler (James Stewart) takes on the defense of surly soldier, Lt. Fred Manion (Ben Gazzara), accused of killing a man whom he claims raped his stunningly sexy wife, Laura (stunningly sexy Lee Remick). In the course of the trial, the attorneys talk openly about the presence or absence of sperm on the alleged rape victim, as well as the status of her panties. Though this kind of dialogue can be heard any time of day on various LAW AND ORDERs and CSIs, this was shocking material for audiences to be hearing in a studio movie in 1959.

If you find the already-mentioned cast intriguing and they are all excellent then add to that Eve Arden as Bieglers wise-cracking secretary, Arthur OConnell as his alcoholic but still legally sharp attorney best friend, Orson Bean as an official witness, and in an early role, the great George C. Scott as prosecutor Claude Dancer. The film is an acting tour de force, worth checking out on that level alone.

Preminger chose to shoot the movie in the location where the novel was set and the real-life story took place. He brought his cast and crew to a small town on Michigans Upper Peninsula, and the setting gives the picture a feeling of verisimilitude that could never be accomplished on a studio back lot. His other daring choice was to hire the American genius jazz composer and bandleader, Duke Ellington, to score the movie. While jazz-influenced scores were not uncommon in the 1950s, they usually graced smaller budget noir movies in urban settings. Here, Ellingtons music makes a huge contribution to the mood and texture of the film, and the Duke, himself, shows up, sharing the piano keys with Jimmy Stewart in a local bar.

ANATOMY OF A MURDER is really about the American legal process. Manions guilt or innocence is never truly established in the audiences mind. But juries have to make life-and-death decisions based on evidence presented by skilled and flawed attorneys, who cannot help but approach their jobs with their own human biases. What Preminger portrays so beautifully in the film is the very ambiguity that defines our legal system. Clearly 2/3 of this 161 minute film takes place in the confines of the courtroom, and Preminger never ceases to have his camera in the right place to visually convey the shifting dynamics of the story. The courtroom becomes a stage with the battling lawyers the key actors. By todays standards, the movie is a bit long-winded, but ANATOMY OF A MURDER is a landmark film that takes an incisive look at American jurisprudence.

THE DISC A beautiful black and white 1080p transfer from the Criterion Collection. This is a state-of-the-art video presentation.

A single-channel LPCM 1.0 mono track and a DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio track are both available. They both sound fantastic, with the surround track providing a bit more dynamic range, especially when it comes to Duke Ellingtons landmark score.

EXTRAS A typically comprehensive set of supplements from Criterion, including:

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Anatomy of a Murder (Blu-ray)

Dr. Aaron Tabor Launches New "Inside Out Beauty" Concept in Skincare and Weight Loss

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POTOMAC, Md., April 24, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --Healthy Directions, a leading health publisher and provider of proprietary, doctor-formulated nutritional supplements, announced today the launch of beauty and health expert Dr. Aaron Tabor's new line of synergistic skincare products and dietary supplements designed for discerning women looking for an effective way to naturally reduce the signs of aging from the inside out.

Available exclusively through HealthyDirections.com, the new collection of anti-aging skincare solutions is formulated from clinically proven ingredients that nourish, protect and repair the skin both inside and outside, from head to toe. Dr. Tabor's "Inside Out Beauty" philosophy is designed to help women take care of their skin "full force, full time" and includes a proprietary combination of scientifically proven ingredients he calls the Neurocellular Core-T Complex. Dr. Tabor's skincare formulations also follow strict European safe beauty standards and are pure and free of any known harmful ingredients.

"Contrary to what we may be told by plastic surgeons and dermatologists, new nutritional science confirms we can reverse the signs of aging by using full force ingredients throughout our lifespan," says Dr. Tabor. "By combining topical treatments at the appropriate concentrations with supplemental nutritional ingredients internally, the result is a medical synergy that fights and reverses the visible signs of aging in each layer of the skin. Working with Healthy Directions has enabled me to bring this synergistic line of anti-aging products to life, providing people with the tools they need to combat the effects of aging in their twenties, thirties, forties, fifties, and beyond."

Dr. Tabor's new line of skincare products include:

Additional Healthy Directions products from Dr. Tabor include a cleanser with exfoliant, eye cream and a collection of Slim & Beautiful Diet products.

Dr. Tabor joins the team of expert doctors at Healthy Directions, leaders in the fields of alternative and integrative healthcare practices who have earned reputations as the world's leading authorities in natural healing. Their goal is to help people live longer, healthier, and more vibrant lives through natural remedies, lifestyle changes, and cutting-edge nutritional therapies.

"We know consumers are constantly looking for safe, all-natural options to fight the signs of aging. Dr. Tabor, one of the top physician researchers in the country, has met that need with his new collection of products that target each of the seven layers of the skin from the inside out - a new concept that is changing the way we think about skincare," said Healthy Directions Executive Vice President Connie Hallquist.

In addition to offering Dr. Tabor's new line of products, the Healthy Directions website will feature information on Dr. Tabor's skincare philosophy, and include tips for optimal total body beauty. One can also review nutrients known for repairing the skin, healthy food recommendations, general tips for optimal wellness and skincare regimens.

To learn more about Dr. Tabor's skincare products, visit http://www.HealthyDirections.com.

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Dr. Aaron Tabor Launches New "Inside Out Beauty" Concept in Skincare and Weight Loss

Aesthetic Plastic Surgery / Anti Aging Medicine: The Next Generation Symposium Features Comprehensive Program and …

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NEW YORK, April 24, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- The third Aesthetic Plastic Surgery / Anti Aging Medicine: The Next Generation Symposium held on July 20-22, 2012 at the Conrad New York, promises to be the most ground-breaking conference to date, featuring the latest advancements in aesthetic surgery, cosmetic medicine and anti-aging therapies. The world-class multi-specialty faculty includes plastic surgeons, facial plastic surgeons, dermatologists and oculoplastic surgeons from across the U.S., Canada and Europe.

Attendees of this year's Next Generation Symposium can expect to learn about the most important future developments in medical aesthetics. Course Chairman New York Plastic Surgeon Z. Paul Lorenc, M.D., F.A.C.S. states, "With the economy turning around, we are encouraged by the interest from investors and research in our field. There are many outstanding and significant innovations emerging that we will discuss at the Symposium, most notably in the areas of body shaping technologies, autologous fat, stem cells and plasma rich platelets, anti-aging topicals and injectables."

According to Washington D.C. Dermatologist Cheryl Burgess, M.D., "The comprehensive live injection workshop will feature a superb faculty of experts, including Drs. Rebecca Fitzgerald, Heidi Waldorf, Steven Fagien, Sabine Zenker, Brian Kinney, Haideh Hirmand, and Miles Graivier, who will share their collective experience with dermal fillers, facial volumizing techniques, and neurotoxins. It will be an unbiased, balanced and informative format for aesthetic practitioners to perfect their skills."

New for 2012, there will be special workshops covering a range of hot topics and emerging technologies including new laser and energy based devices, advanced skin peels, 3D imaging, practice marketing and branding, treating skin of color, and Platelet-rich Fibrin Matrix. This year's roster of sponsors and exhibitors shall include ZO Skin Health, Aesthetic Factors, Ellman International, Merz Aesthetics, Andrew Technologies, Sciton, Nordson Micromedics, Medicis, SkinMedica, Valeant, and Ethicon/Mentor. Open to physicians as well as nurses, aestheticians and office staff, the interactive Next Generation meeting offers excellent opportunities to network with colleagues and exhibitors, and learn invaluable pearls and techniques.

About Aesthetic Plastic Surgery & Anti-Aging Medicine: The Next Generation - An interdisciplinary approach to disseminating, teaching and promoting the most advanced information and developments in the fields of aesthetic plastic surgery and anti-aging medicine.

For information about sponsorship opportunities and early bird registration, visit http://www.nextgenmtg.org

Like us on http://www.facebook.com/apssny and http://www.twitter.com/nextgenmtgfor daily updates and news

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World Malaria Day is April 25; Malaria No More Teams Up with Inspirato’s Inspired Giving to End Malaria Deaths

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DENVER--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Malaria No More is a committed partner in the global effort to end malaria deaths in Africa, and Inspiratos new Inspired Giving platform leverages exceptional travel experiences to support some of the worlds most innovative charitable organizations. The two have joined together in a new partnership that helps Malaria No More develop a significant source of year-round revenue for its work supporting the unprecedented global effort to end malaria. Malaria is an infectious blood disease transmitted by mosquitoes that killed 655,000 people in 2010, according to the World Health Organizations most recent World Malaria Report. World Malaria Day is April 25.

Inspiratos new online Inspired Giving platform (www.inspiredgiving.com) was designed to help charitable organizations like Malaria No More raise funds in a new way. Donors who contribute $2,000 to Malaria No More through the Inspired Giving website gain select access to Inspiratos club-managed portfolio of vacation residences with previously members-only discounts and unparalleled personal vacation services in locations ranging from California and Colorado to Mexico and Hawaii.

The Inspired Giving donation model benefits Malaria No More in a number of ways:

Malaria No More will offer multiple opportunities throughout the year for supporters to donate to its cause through Inspiratos Inspired Giving, including at high-profile fundraising events in key markets such as New York, Chicago, Washington, D.C. and Los Angeles.

Funds raised will be applied toward Malaria No Mores malaria control interventions and health communication campaigns. For example, in Africa, its NightWatch campaign airs nightly public service announcements via radio in malaria-endemic communities across Africa at nine oclock p.m., when the malarial mosquito comes out to bite, reminding households to sleep under their mosquito nets. Since its founding in 2006 by media executive Peter Chernin and finance pioneer Ray Chambers, now the United Nations Special Envoy for Malaria, the organization has distributed nearly three million mosquito nets. In the U.S., innovative awareness efforts such as Comedy Fights Malaria boost education about the malaria epidemic in Africa and have proven effective in inspiring Americans to take action and make a difference.

Ending malaria through prevention and treatment is an achievable cause, and its unacceptable that so many children die from something as silly as a mosquito bite, let alone a disease we know how to cure, said Richard Thayer, events and special project manager for Malaria No More. Weve seen extraordinary, tangible progress as the world has come together to end malaria in Africa and people have learned to think about and respond to malaria in a new way. But there is still so much more work to be done.

The World Health Organization this year reported that malaria deaths have been reduced by more than 25 percent globally since 2000, and by 33 percent in Africa, where nearly 90 percent of deaths occur. In the U.S., more than 50 percent of Americans now recognize malaria as a major global challenge compared to 28 percent in 2006.

For Malaria No Mores donors, the donation and vacation booking experience is simple: the donor is given access to Inspiratos Inspired Giving exclusive web portal, http://www.inspiredgiving.com; selects Malaria No More as the charitable organization of choice; and makes a tax-deductible donation of $2,000. That donor is then able to book a vacation to a luxury Inspirato destination and enjoy all that Inspirato members enjoy, including: personalized service from an Inspirato vacation advisor, exclusive discounts up to 50 percent off market prices, an on-site destination concierge, and luxurious accommodations ranging from intimate, couples-only, one-bedroom retreats to large, well-appointed homes in excess of 3,000 square feet.

Donors get access to Inspiratos incredible vacations on breathtaking properties in stunning locations around the globe. And they do this with the satisfaction of knowing they are benefitting a cause near to their hearts at the same time, said Jackie Benton, executive director of Inspiratos Inspired Giving. We are excited to provide Malaria No More with this unique fundraising platform and to offer donors the rare opportunity to experience club-style luxury travel in some of the worlds most desirable vacation destinations.

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World Malaria Day is April 25; Malaria No More Teams Up with Inspirato’s Inspired Giving to End Malaria Deaths

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For the fourth consecutive year Coco Reef, Tobago is the recipient of the World Travel Award for the Caribbeans Leading Hotel. The Awards, described by the Wall Street Journal as the Oscars of the global Travel and Tourism Industry, revealed who are the best of the best in the world during a glittering event staged in Montego Bay Jamaica. Celebrity entrepreneur Graham Cooke, president and founder of the World Travel Awards commented: The past year has brought significant challenges to the travel industry. They include increased tax on long haul travel, a major economic turndown and a significant reduction in tourism spending, all of which have impacted travel and tourism worldwide. Todays winners have not only been recognised as the best in their region, but they have proved themselves to be the best in the world and the number one choice of travel professionals and consumers alike. He added: They have remained focused on their long term objectives and continue to deliver above and beyond the call of duty, setting an example that is inspirational to all involved in the global travel and tourism industry.

After receiving the award, owner of Coco Reef Resorts Ltd, Bermudian hotelier John Jefferis, said: I am extremely proud to have received this award again, on behalf of Coco Reef, Tobago. It is a testimony to our outstanding director and general manager, Eric Feniet and his team of dedicated professionals who never forget that providing exemplary service to all of our customers is what sets our resort apart from others. Jefferis added: Although I have considerable funds invested in Coco Reef, Tobago, including a recently completed $9 million dollar upgrade of the property with a fabulous new beach restaurant, our guests continues to tell us that their most memorable experience is our friendly, courteous and professional staff. In these times of boring multi-national chains, I am immensely proud that the managers and staff at Coco Reef, Tobago have again been recognised as being exceptional. Jefferis developed the resort more than 12 years ago. Facilities include the exquisite $2,000 a night Sunset Villa with its marble bathrooms and 24 karat gold fittings, which has been frequented by numerous celebrities. The property has 140 rooms, villas and suites and is situated on its own private beach, in 10 acres of beautifully manicured tropical gardens.

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Tourism a ‘force for good’, says WTTC CEO at close of Global Summit

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23 April 2012

Tourism is a "force for good in the world that is respected and welcomed by all", according to David Scowsill, President & CEO of the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) at the close of the Global Summit in Tokyo.

In his closing speech to the assembled 1,200 delegates at the Global Summit, David said: "We are responsible for 255 million jobs, 6 trillion dollars, which is 9% global GDP - this makes us bigger than automotive, bigger than mining and bigger than manufacturing. For every one dollar spent in Travel & Tourism, we generate 3 dollars to the economy.

"As an industry, we will continue to drive the sustainability agenda forward. The leaders of WTTC are finding that the balance between people, planet and making profits is not only achievable, but essential for consumers and to every employee of their organisations. I believe that together we can become a Force for Good that is respected and welcomed by all - wherever our journey takes us.

"I believe we have started to show the kind of leadership that is befitting of an industry that can generate growth, jobs, prosperity and sustainability at both global and regional level, like no other industry on this planet can."

The Global Summit finished with an extravaganza of music and dancing to celebrate the handover to Abu Dhabi which will host the 13th WTTC Global Summit, 8-10 April 2013; and a personal message for delegates to attend the WTTC Americas Summit in Riviera May 16-18 May 2012.

The World Travel & Tourism Council is the global authority on the economic and social contribution of Travel & Tourism. It promotes sustainable growth for the industry, working with governments and international institutions to create jobs, to drive exports and to generate prosperity. In 2011 Travel & Tourism accounted for 255 million jobs globally. At US$6.3 trillion (9.1% of GDP) the sector is a key driver for investment and economic growth. For more than 20 years, the World Travel & Tourism Council has been the voice of this industry globally. Members are the Chairs, Presidents and Chief Executives of the world's leading, private sector Travel & Tourism businesses. These Members bring specialist knowledge to guide government policy and decision-making, raising awareness of the importance of the industry as an economic generator of prosperity.

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Tourism a ‘force for good’, says WTTC CEO at close of Global Summit

Featured Travel Deals on VEGAS.com

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LAS VEGAS, NV--(Marketwire -04/24/12)- The travel experts at VEGAS.com, the world's number one city travel website with the top Las Vegas Hotels and Las Vegas Shows, have outlined some of this week's exclusive and limited-time only travel deals.

Rio All Suites: Las Vegas Hotel and Casino -- 15% Off Your Stay plus Two-for-One Deals Book a room marked with the 15% Off Your Stay plus Two-for-One Deals at Rio All Suites: Las Vegas Hotel and Casino for a minimum of two nights between now and Aug. 30, 2012, for stay dates between now and Aug. 31, 2012, and receive 15% off your stay. As an added bonus, guests will receive two-for-one deals to enjoy during their visit. Details at VEGAS.com.

Hard Rock Hotel -- Summer Value Special Book a room marked with Summer Value Special offer at Hard Rock Hotel between now and Oct. 28, 2012, for stay dates between now and Oct. 28, 2012, and receive discounted tickets. Details at VEGAS.com.

The Platters, Cornell Gunter's Coasters and The Marvelettes -- Free Seat Upgrade For a limited time only, receive Golden Circle seating at VIP seating pricing when you book select tickets to The Platters, Cornell Gunter's Coasters and The Marvelettes on VEGAS.com. Guests save $22 per ticket! Details at VEGAS.com.

About VEGAS.comVEGAS.com is the largest city destination travel website in the world with extensive, constantly updated information and a full range of travel products including Las Vegas hotels, Las Vegas Air & Hotel Packages, Las Vegas shows, tours and golf. A state-of-the-art contact center provides customer support, expert information and sales 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year to complement the information on http://www.VEGAS.com. VEGAS.com, through its Casino Travel & Tours unit, operates retail and concierge desks at more than 50 locations including the Palms, Paris, Harrah's, Bally's, Excalibur, New York-New York, Luxor and more. The company also offers a variety of excursions including city tours, the Hoover Dam and the Grand Canyon. VEGAS.com is a member of the Greenspun Family of Companies, privately owned and operating in Southern Nevada for more than 60 years.

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Featured Travel Deals on VEGAS.com

ResortsandLodges.com Reports 60% Increase In North America Travel Search Volume For Q1 2012

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MINNEAPOLIS, April 24, 2012 /PRNewswire-iReach/ -- ResortsandLodges.com, a world leading Resort and Lodge destination travel website, is releasing Q1 traffic stats for domestic US travel searches across their site.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120424/CG93976)

As consumer confidence returns, ResortsandLodges.com has seen explosive growth in travel queries and overall search traffic in the first quarter of 2012. A more than 60% spike in overall site usage is a strong positive sign that the travel economy is regaining its footing.

"We're very happy to see travel searches and overall traffic up across the board. With more than 50 Million visits since 2003, it's not often you see as sharp an increase in traffic as we've seen in the first quarter of 2012. This is a great sign for domestic travel and especially for the thousands of Resort and Hotel properties that rely on ResortsandLodges.com to drive transient and group customers to their properties both in peak and not peak travel times, said Ryan Bailey, President of TravelNet Solutions Owners of ResortsandLodges.com."

These traffic increases come at a great time as TravelNet Solutions is preparing to release an entirely new social layer and design to the 14 year old travel site.

"Not only have we seen an increase in traffic, we've seen a major increase in advertiser activity. We've gone from 424 active packages to over 1,800 active deals and packages by more than 800 properties in our leading vacation package market place, said Matt Renner, VP of Business Development. This shows that not only are people searching, but advertisers are finding new, innovative ways to package their products and distribute them to our millions of annual visitors."

Among some of the more impressive year over year statistics, ResortsandLodges.com has seen the following from 2011 to 2012:

60.4% Increase in total visits49.5% Increase in unique visitors54.3% Increase in page views41% Increase in phone calls52.4% Increase in online reservations

About TravelNet Solutions

TravelNet Solutionsis the owner and operator ofResortsandLodges.com, a first generation travel website that serves more than 10 Million travelerseachyear and influences more than $100 Million in direct reservations annually toitspartner Resort, Hotel and Vacation Rental advertisers. For more information visit:http://www.travelnetsolutions.com

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ResortsandLodges.com Reports 60% Increase In North America Travel Search Volume For Q1 2012

Travel and Tourism in Brazil, Key Trends and Opportunities to 2016: Hosting of FIFA World Cup and Olympic Games to …

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NEW YORK, April 23, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Reportlinker.com announces that a new market research report is available in its catalogue:

Travel and Tourism in Brazil, Key Trends and Opportunities to 2016: Hosting of FIFA World Cup and Olympic Games to Promote Tourism Growth

http://www.reportlinker.com/p0797316/Travel-and-Tourism-in-Brazil-Key-Trends-and-Opportunities-to-2016-Hosting-of-FIFA-World-Cup-and-Olympic-Games-to-Promote-Tourism-Growth.html#utm_source=prnewswire&utm_medium=pr&utm_campaign=Passenger_Transportation

Synopsis

The report provides top-level market analysis, information and insights, including:

Historic and forecast market sizes covering the entire Brazilian travel industry

Detailed analysis of tourist spending patterns in Brazil

Descriptions and market outlooks for various sectors in the Brazilian tourist industry, such as transportation, accommodation and travel intermediaries

Detailed market classification across each sector, with analysis using similar metrics

Summary

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Travel and Tourism in Brazil, Key Trends and Opportunities to 2016: Hosting of FIFA World Cup and Olympic Games to ...

TripAdvisor Survey Reveals Air Travel On The Rise In 2012

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NEWTON, Mass., April 25, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --TripAdvisor, the world's largest travel site*, today announced the results of its annual air travel survey of more than 1,000 U.S. respondents. Americans are flocking to the skies this year as 91 percent of respondents said they plan to fly domestically in 2012, compared to 84 percent that did last year. International flights are also on the rise, with 65 percent planning a flight out of the country, up from 55 percent in 2011.

To view the multimedia assets associated with this release, please click: http://www.multivu.com/mnr/49263-tripadvisor-survey-reveals-air-travel-on-the-rise-in-2012

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120425/MM93216 )

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20080902/TRIPADVISORLOGO )

Mobile Use Takes Off

There has been a significant increase in mobile device usage for air travel among survey respondents.

Fliers seem skeptical about the need to shut off their beloved mobile devices.

Shh Anti-social in the Air

When it comes to flying, the majority of travelers have no interest in socializing.

Not even a presidential candidate could get some fliers to come out of their shell: 33 percent would not choose to sit next to Barack Obama, Mitt Romney, Ron Paul, or Newt Gingrich, if given the opportunity.

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TripAdvisor Survey Reveals Air Travel On The Rise In 2012

Herd mentallity and the information super highway – Video

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23-04-2012 12:30 The human body is a bio-mechanical machine operated and controlled by the most advanced super computer ever devised. But even this super computer can become "over-loaded" and unable to maintain the functions it is designed for, and that's when we fall ill. In molecular biology, the first thing we learned was that the human body DOES NOT MAKE MISTAKES! If it did, it would have failed evolutions test for the strongest a LONG time ago. We are the culmination of eons of designs better than the last. And the number 1 function of your skin is to keep stuff OUT. Yet you go to the doctor and get shots that force their way past this evolutionary defense. Kids aren't afraid of shots, they don't really hurt, it's an instinctual defense reaction to an invading of their system. It's a self-preservation response to impending damage. And once enough of the stuff gets into your system, it becomes "overloaded" and can no longer carry out it healthy function. If you don't "over-load" your system by pumping it full of toxic garbage, you will be healthy. All the stuff considered "incurable" is so because today's medical science is geared toward treating the symptoms instead of the root cause. You can never get rid of cancer by poisoning it. You must restore the resources you have lost so your body can heal. Cancer was NEVER a major issue until the last 30-40 years. Since the unconstitutional creation of the FDA in 1906 and federal regulations took your health into their hands. YOUR health is ...

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Herd mentallity and the information super highway - Video

Super Computer Maker Cray and Intel strike Partnership

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"This agreement is evidence of the leadership position we've established in high performance computing, and is an exciting win for our customers, our company and our shareholders," said Peter Ungaro... Full Story below

Update: 11

Source: The Register

"This agreement is evidence of the leadership position we've established in high performance computing, and is an exciting win for our customers, our company and our shareholders," said Peter Ungaro, president and CEO of Cray. "By broadening our relationship with Intel, we are positioned to further penetrate the HPC market and expand on our industry-leading technologies in support of our Adaptive Supercomputing vision. Our product roadmap remains intact as we continue to build the highly differentiated, tightly integrated supercomputers that our customers have come to expect from Cray. This agreement also dramatically strengthens our balance sheet and increases our options for further growth, profitability and creating shareholder value."

Highlights of the agreement include:

The transaction is expected to close relatively quickly, but in anyevent before the end of the current quarter, subject to customaryclosing conditions.

Cray anticipates that the lower headcount resulting from this transaction will yield cost savings in future periods from what they would have been, with a relatively modest amount of the benefit expected in 2012.

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Super Computer Maker Cray and Intel strike Partnership

Super Micro Computer Q3 Profit Slips – Quick Facts

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(RTTNews.com) - Server solutions provider Super Micro Computer Inc. (SMCI), Tuesday reported a decline in profit, due mainly to higher operating expenses.

The San Jose, California-based company reported a third-quarter net profit of $7.08 million or $0.16 per share, compared to $10.70 million or $0.25 per share last year.

Excluding stock-based compensation expense, adjusted net income for the quarter declined to $8.81 million or $0.19 per share from $12.26 million from $0.28 per share in the prior-year quarter. On average, five analysts polled by Thomson Reuters expected the company to earn $0.23 per share for the quarter. Analysts' estimates typically exclude special items.

Total revenues for the quarter grew 2.5 percent to $240.18 million from $234.29 million in the prior-year quarter. Five analysts had a consensus revenue estimate of $251.74 million for the quarter.

Operating expenses for the quarter increased to $31.14 million from $22.70 million in the prior-year quarter.

Looking ahead, the company expects fourth quarter adjusted earnings in the range of $0.27 to $0.32 per share. Revenues for the fourth quarter are anticipated in the range of $280 million to $310 million. Analysts currently expect the company to earn $0.29 per share for the quarter, with revenues of $274.88 million.

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Super Micro Computer Q3 Profit Slips - Quick Facts