CHESTER, England, October 9, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --

Derbyshire Building Society has thrown down the gauntlet in the personal loans market by launching a rate of 5.6 per cent* on loans between 7,500 and 14,999; the lowest headline rate since November 2006 according to analysis by MoneySupermarket.

The move by Derbyshire now means the top ten average for personal loans over 7,500 has now dropped to 5.94 per cent - the lowest rate since February 2006.

Tim Moss, head of loans and debt atMoneySupermarket.com, said: "The move by Derbyshire Building Society could be great news for anyone who is looking to borrow a larger amount via a personal loan. As we have seen over recent months, when one lender moves, others tend to follow, so we could see the personal loan market hotting up - good news, especially when rates are falling to below credit crunch levels.

"However, the best deals are generally only available to consumers with excellent credit histories. Those with less than perfect records may be offered a different rate and lenders only have to offer the advertised loan rate to 51 per cent of successful applicants, so although a rate may initially appear attractive, it may not be the one you receive in the end. Before applying for a loan, or for any credit product, it's a good idea to check your credit history so you have a clearer idea of the products you are more likely to be accepted for based on your credit score."

MoneySupermarket compares the providers of credit reports at http://www.moneysupermarket.com/credit-monitoring/

Notes to editors:

The current average top ten personal loan rate for loans between 7,500 and 15,000 is 5.94 per cent. In February 2006, the average top ten rate was 5.83 per cent.

*Available until 31st October 2012

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Derbyshire Building Society Launches Lowest Personal Loan Rate for Almost Six Years

Even though many NFL players can boast about a track record of success with their football careers, many have overcome personal struggles, battled health issues, and strive to find more meaning in their lives. Many have become very inspirational role models for fans and aspiring athletes, setting an example for those who may feel like they have lost hope or need some direction.

Here are just ten of the most inspiring NFL players of all time:

#1: Michael Oher

This NFL star was adopted by a Mississippi family at an early age and worked hard on his football career to play at Ole Miss before joining the Baltimore Ravens. His life history serves as the storyline for the movie, "The Blind Side".

#2: Kurt Warner

Warner's humble beginnings and road to success have inspired many aspiring athletes. This former NFL quarterback started his career as a grocery store clerk bagging groceries. He eventually went on to become a Super Bowl winning quarterback and has since become an inspiration to many aspiring athletes.

#3: Reggie White

Reggie White has become a household name and attracted a strong following during his term with the Green Bay Packers. In addition to being an NFL star, White is an ordained pastor and has helped to bring many people to Christianity. He is committed to his faith and boasts a strong track record of success with his football career.

#4: Vince Papale

This former bartender who never even played football in college seemed to have defied the odds when he made the team after tryouts in 1976. His humble beginnings and hard work paved the way for success playing for the Eagles.

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Top 10 Most Inspiring NFL Players of All Time

In a carefully crafted strategy for the coming elections in Gujarat, the Congress is avoiding personal attacks on chief minister Narendra Modi. Instead, the party will target him on development issues. As part of its campaign material, the party has come out with a CD in which it seeks to reach out to the innocent people with a subtle message they are being taken for a ride by the BJP government in the name of development.

Titled Gandhi Navu Gujarat (Mahatma Gandhis Gujarat), the CD has three songs uncho uthavo haath (raise your hands), bholu Gujarat (innocent Gujarat) and ma gurjari no haath (mother Gujarat).

While the first song features the partys symbol hand, the second tries to corner the BJP on governance and development issues, besides growing unemployment in the state.

The video shows people of Gujarat with blind-folds and they remove it only in the end and are seen rushing toward the Congress.

The blindfold is a metaphor for false propaganda and an autocratic regime, which restrains the innocent people from seeing the truth, said a Gujarat Congress leader.

The third song is based on a poem by famous Gujrati poet Narmad, who had penned it even before the Congress came into existence.

The central theme of our campaign is that we want to build a new Gujarat, state Congress chief Arjun Modhwadia told HT.

The party has also started collecting applications forms for the 100-yard plot scheme in all the 26 districts of the state. State Congress leaders claim that around 5 million forms had been distributed among women after the party announced the sop, if it comes to power in Gujarat.

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Ahmedabad, Oct. 9 -- In a carefully crafted strategy for the coming elections in Gujarat, the Congress is avoiding personal attacks on chief minister Narendra Modi. Instead, the party will target him on development issues.

As part of its campaign material, the party has come out with a CD in which it seeks to reach out to the "innocent" people with a subtle message - they are being taken for a ride by the BJP government in the name of development.

Titled Gandhi Navu Gujarat (Mahatma Gandhi's Gujarat), the CD has three songs - uncho uthavo haath (raise your hands), bholu Gujarat (innocent Gujarat) and ma gurjari no haath (mother Gujarat).

While the first song features the party's symbol hand, the second tries to corner the BJP on governance and development issues, besides growing unemployment in the state.

The video shows people of Gujarat with blind-folds and they remove it only in the end and are seen rushing toward the Congress.

"The blindfold is a metaphor for false propaganda and an autocratic regime, which restrains the innocent people from seeing the truth," said a Gujarat Congress leader.

The third song is based on a poem by famous Gujrati poet Narmad, who had penned it even before the Congress came into existence.

"The central theme of our campaign is that we want to build a new Gujarat," state Congress chief Arjun Modhwadia told HT.

The party has also started collecting applications forms for the "100-yard plot scheme" in all the 26 districts of the state. State Congress leaders claim that around 5 million forms had been distributed among women after the party announced the sop, if it comes to power in Gujarat.

Published by HT Syndication with permission from Hindustan Times.

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Cong to target Modi through music CDs

DALLAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Dallas-based FITCO, a $20 million distributor of elite fitness equipment and solutions for corporations across the U.S., announced today the launch of a new service offering called CultureFIT, designed to help companies bridge the gap between personal development and corporate goals. Led by CEO Jason Kos, this new series of intense workshops and corporate coaching was created for entrepreneurs and executives of small- to mid-sized businesses to learn how to spur corporate growth from the inside out.

I have been fortunate enough to sit under people like Tony Hsieh, CEO of Zappos, and learn how their unique internal values contributed to corporate success, said Kos. I have seen how our own culture at FITCO has led us toward growth. Simply put, as we aligned our day-to-day activities with our core values, we became a better company that worked harder to make our customers happy. CultureFIT is a way to equip small- and medium-sized business owners with those same tools for success.

The idea was birthed from Jasons unique vocational and personal experience. A holder of a masters in psychology, he watched the details of how companies like Zappos used customer service to mold its culture. He appreciated the human touch to service, as he does with a personal dedication to a life of wellness. Thats when it dawned on him to establish something he wished he was given a culture changing workshop that would help the entrepreneur or executive from the inside out.

CultureFIT was made to be scalable, cost-effective and easy to implement for small- and medium-sized businesses. It focuses on changing internal practices in hiring, communication and collaboration, as well as the way an organization is positioned as a brand by establishing core values and balance within self, family and work. In short, CultureFIT helps business owners unlock the potential from within their organizations.

Jason combines a unique skill set of being both an extremely visionary leader and a rock-solid understanding of business, said Gregory Florez, CEO of The Vitality Group. The real proof of business success is in the numbers, and [Jason] is one of the very few in any industry who has experienced growth in a very difficult economy. I believe the tools in CultureFIT are why.

CultureFIT provides three different phases of interaction, involvement and investment:

Most executives have read all the great books and have been to the important conferences, but no one seems to have cracked the code to create change, said Kos. CultureFIT is that change for a dynamic working atmosphere, immediate productivity and a change that lasts.

For more information about CultureFIT, fitness room design and premier fitness equipment, visit http://www.FITCOFitness.com or call 888.516.2086.

About CultureFIT

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Dallas-Based FITCO Launches CultureFIT for Small Business Growth from the Inside Out

Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M7_wG-lJz64

09-10-2012 14:20 "The cost of education is going up. And we think that the online tools are going to allow people, including us, to do it - not just at a lower monetary cost - but at a lower time cost as well," says Alex Tabarrok, professor of Economics at George Mason University. Alex has helped launch a new online university called Marginal Revolution University (MRU). Reason TV's Nick Gillespie talks with Alex about the future of online education at Marginal Revolution University. About 4:30 minutes. Produced by Amanda Winkler. Camera by Meredith Bragg and Jim Epstein Scroll down for downloadable versions and subscribe to ReasonTV's YouTube Channel to receive notifications when new material goes live.

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Marginal Revolution University: Q

Drexel University Online, a premier provider of Internet-based higher education, is partnering with Catholic Health Initiatives to offer its nurses professional development opportunities through tuition reduction on Drexels nursing programs.

Philadelphia, PA (PRWEB) October 09, 2012

At Catholic Health Initiatives, we believe that professional development through degree advancement is an important part of the CHI culture and is key to our ongoing pursuit of clinical excellence and leadership development, said Pat Patton, CHIs vice president of Clinical Innovation and Leadership Development. We take great pride in the way our employees have embraced advancement at all levels and are excited to partner with Drexel University Online to provide employees with access to high quality education that specifically fills our needs and meets our values.

Through the agreement, CHI nurses are eligible for a 10 to 25 percent tuition reduction, payment deferral and additional benefits with Drexel University Online. CHI nurses can take advantage of a variety of online bachelors, masters and doctorate degrees, as well as certificate programs, through Drexel Universitys College of Nursing and Health Professions (CNHP). Drexels CNHP is ranked by U.S. News & World Report as having a top-three online graduate nursing program.

As the nation embraces new models of health care delivery, the care that is provided by nurses becomes ever more apparent, said Dr. Al Rundio, DNP, RN, APRN, CARN-AP, NEA-BC, and CNHPs associate dean for Post Licensure Nursing Programs. Our partnership with CHI is another initiative that demonstrates Drexel's commitment to working with health systems in order to educate nurses so that they are well prepared for a reformed health care delivery system.

Drexels RN-BSN program allows partnering organizations to more closely align with the Institute of Medicines recommendation calling for 80 percent of nurses to have bachelors degrees by 2020.

We are very excited about this partnership with CHI and its potential to contribute to the Institute of Medicines ambitious goal, said Dr. Gloria Donnelly, RN, FAAN and dean of Drexel Universitys CNHP. Care is complex and nurses must continuously update their knowledge and skills. Drexels RN-BSN program not only broadens and deepens a nurses knowledge base, but builds the nurses technological and information literacy skills for a lifetime of learning, said Donnelly.

Drexel University Online offers tuition discounts to employees and members of more than 250 diverse partner organizations. Other benefits include special programming to help companies maintain employee retention and a highly-educated workforce, while additionally helping individuals remain at the top of their professions.

About Drexel University Online:

Drexel University Online, a subsidiary of Philadelphia-based Drexel University, specializes in innovative, Internet-based education programs for working professionals, organizations, and corporations in the United States and abroad. Ranked by U.S. News & World Report among the Best Online Graduate Programs in the fields of Business Administration, Engineering, Nursing, and Library Science, Drexels online programs are among the elite in the nation. Drexel University has been an innovator in the e-Learning industry, offering degrees online since 1996, and enjoys regional accreditation by the Middle States Association of Colleges & Secondary Schools. For more information on Drexel University Online, please visit http://www.drexel.com.

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Drexel University Online to Offer Catholic Health Initiatives Nurses Higher Education Options

LONDON, Oct. 9, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Online publishing pioneer YUDU Media today announced the launch of its new YUDU Education, the first digital textbook publishing platform that enables educational publishers to seamlessly digitize, optimize and deliver multimedia textbooks for ubiquitous access on tablet, laptop and desktop computer.

With YUDU Education, publishers can quickly and easily create rich, engaging digital textbooks that students can access on iPad, Android and Windows tablets, or any Mac or Windows PC, inside and outside the classroom. In addition, YUDU Education also allows students and instructors to annotate, bookmark and take clippings of content, and even integrate supplemental materials, all of which are instantly synchronized to the YUDU cloud for access on any device.

"YUDU Education solves the biggest challenge of the Bring-Your-Own-Device era for both publishers and studentscross-platform access," said YUDU CEO Richard Stephenson. "Students may need to read and take notes on a Windows PC in the classroom, but then want to pick up where they left off on their iPad at home. Or, perhaps the school provides iPads for classroom use, but the student has an Android tablet, or maybe a laptop, at home. With most publishing platforms, this is impossible. YUDU makes it possible."

YUDU Puts Publishers in ControlYUDU is the first system that puts the needs of publishers and students first, providing access to content from anywhere on any device and enabling publishers to sell directly to a broader audience.

Amazon, iBooks and other platform-specific systems lock publishers into a singular OS, forcing them to recreate content in order to offer it on multiple devices. Plus, these systems put the platform operator in control of the customer relationship, preventing publishers from accessing valuable consumer data.

In addition to providing ubiquitous access, YUDU Education puts publishers in control of their own content without having to build their own high-end digital publishing platform. And, unlike other digital textbook platforms, YUDU allows publishers to maintain a direct relationship with the customer.

"In Ireland, around 10% of all new middle school students are using a device to read textbooks," Conor O'Sullivan, Education Technology Manager at Folens, said. "While a majority of students are using iPads, there are a number of Android devices and there are also schools running with Windows netbooks. YUDU has been able to provide us with a system, which caters for all three. As a mainstream publisher, it is important that we can provideour educational content on every type of devicefor all students, it would cost us a fortune to build this type of platform ourselves."

Digital Publishing Made Easy, AffordableYUDU's self-service web-based portal makes it easy for publishers to publish rich interactive books in a matter of minutes. First, simply upload an existing textbook in PDF format. Once YUDU digitizes the content, publishers can add animations, videos, hyperlinks and more. Once complete, just click "Publish" and the digital textbook immediately appears in the publishers' YUDU digital store. Edits, revisions and updates can be made at any time and published immediatelyno more waiting for the platform provider to make the changes and published the revised edition.

"YUDU Education makes it easy and affordable for publishers, school districts and students to keep up with the rapid pace of technology and protect their investment with a future-proof solution," Stephenson said. "With YUDU, you don't have to worry about committing to a specific device or operating system that might be gone tomorrow."

Rather than a per-book sales fee that penalizes publishers for being successful, YUDU Education pricing is based upon the number of pages published, making administration simple and maximizing revenue. An annual maintenance fee ensures continuously updated technology to accommodate the latest OS upgrades on every platform.

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YUDU Media Launches YUDU Education: The First OS-Agnostic Digital Textbook Publishing Platform

WASHINGTON, Oct. 9, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --EverFi, Inc., the leading education technology company for critical skills, today presented its universal authentication solution at the White House's "Education Datapalooza," an event highlighting innovators and entrepreneurs who are using freely available data to build products, services, and apps with the potential to advance educational achievement.

Universal authentication allows students and teachers to access their online education resources using a single username and password. EverFi has partnered with Mozilla and North Carolina's Anson County School District to build and deploy a new system that allows students to log on to the EverFi platform and other online education systems using a single login backed by their existing Anson County email address.

EverFi Chief Technology Officer Adam Wenchel showcased this technology in the opening session of the White House event, which included special guests U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, U.S. Chief Technology Officer Todd Park, Under Secretary of Education for the U.S. Department of Education Martha Kanter and Assistant Deputy Secretary for Innovation and Improvement at the U.S. Department of Education Jim Shelton.

"At EverFi, we are huge data nerds, and we closely examine how much time our teachers and students spend in every part of our learning platform," said Wenchel. "The average EverFi teacher spends 12 minutes managing student accounts in a 50-minute class period, and the usability of our system is above average. EverFi's goal is to help all teachers spend less time troubleshooting login issues so they can focus on student learning."

"Until now, every seventh grader in Anson County had to remember eight different logins," said Anson County Superintendent Dr. Greg Firn. "Adopting EverFi's single authentication technology was remarkably easy, and now teachers can see all of a student's digital learning badges in one place, not scattered across eight systems. Universal authentication is the foundation for a lot of great interoperability."

EverFi and Mozilla's universal authentication system adheres to the four principles established by the National Institute of Standards and Technology's (NIST) National Strategy for Trusted Identities in Cyberspace (NSTIC).

About EverFiEverFi, Inc. is the leading education technology company focused on teaching, assessing, and certifying K-12 and college students in the critical skills they need for life. The company teams with major corporations and foundations to provide the programs at no cost to K-12 schools. Some of America's leading CEOs and venture capital firms are EverFi investors including Amazon founder and CEO Jeff Bezos, Twitter founder Evan Williams, Rethink Education, New Enterprise Associates, Inc. (NEA), and Tomorrow Ventures (the investment arm of Google Chairman Eric Schmidt). Learn more at http://www.everfi.com

Media Contact: Jennifer Sykes, EverFi Senior Director of Marketing, jenny@everfi.com 202-625-0011 x318.

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EverFi Presents Universal Authentication Solution At The White House "Education Datapalooza"

Re: Unplug the digital classroom, Opinion, Oct. 7

I have to say I was totally engaged in Doug Manns sermon about the ills of digital technology in the classroom. I said more than a few amens over my afternoon cup of tea. But I nearly choked mid-sip when he implicated distance-education courses in his rant, calling them cheap imitations of the real thing, going so far as to suggest we stop promoting them altogether.

Im sure wed all love to have a Louis Vuitton education, but distance education however generic it may be has a time and a place and for many people that time and place is right now. The so-called cheap imitations are helping a lot of working professionals the ranks of the working and commuting moms and dads for example to finish their degrees, do a mid-career gear shift or circle back to complete some overlooked certification. These are all things that will help them get ahead (or at least not fall too far behind) in a challenging economy.

By all means, ban cell phones and texting and Facebooking and the like in classrooms theyre a scourge, I totally agree. But putting the brakes on online distance-education courses would be throwing the proverbial baby out with the bathwater. Surely Mann might be willing to reconsider see the light as it were that online education has some redemptive value.

Michelle Hauser, Napanee

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Online education has its place