BOCA RATON, FL--(Marketwire - Sep 17, 2012) - Tyco Retail Solutions (www.tycoretailsolutions.com), a leading global provider of retail performance and security solutions sold direct and through authorized business partners worldwide, today announced Gordon Adams, Senior Vice President, Sales & Delivery, will present at "Reflections: The Annual User's Group & Conference"hosted by Tyco partner, Reflexis.Gordon's session, "Making Omni-Channel Omni-Personal with Real-time Store Intelligence and Execution," is designed for top retail IT executives and will explore how item level inventory visibility and adaptive store execution are required to deliver on customer expectations in an omni-channel, increasingly mobile retail world.

WHAT: Reflections: The Annual User's Group & Conference

WHERE: The Venetian Resort Hotel Casino, Las Vegas, Nevada

WHEN: September 19-21, 2012

WHY: Accurate, timely item level inventory visibility is the foundation enabling retailers to deliver competitive advantage with solutions that give today's consumer anytime, anywhere access to merchandise -- when, where, and how they want to buy it.To build this foundation for Omni-channel retail, real-time item level inventory transactions and updated data are necessary to effectively support enterprise-wide fulfillment & replenishment processes from all store locations.

The Reflexis Store Workforce and Task Management solutions provide retailers with the capability to better sense and respond to real-time events in stores to improve overall store performance and ensure employees are doing the right thing at the right time to provide the best possible in-store customer experience.The combined Tyco Retail and Reflexis solutions close the loop between actionable inventory intelligence and best-practice store execution supporting true omni-channel retail.

About Tyco Retail Solutions Tyco Retail Solutions, a unit of Tyco International, is a leading global provider of integrated retail performance and security solutions, deployed today at more than 80 percent of the world's top 200 retailers. Customers range from single-store boutiques to global retail enterprises. Operating in more than 70 countries worldwide, Tyco Retail Solutions provides retailers with real-time visibility to their inventory and assets to improve operations, optimize profitability and create memorable shopper experiences.

The Tyco Retail Solutions portfolio for retailers is sold direct and through authorized business partners around the world.For more information, please visit http://www.tycoretailsolutions.com.

TYCO, ADT, SENSORMATIC and the product names listed in this document are marks and/or registered marks.Unauthorized use is strictly prohibited.

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Tyco Retail Solutions Executive to Present "Making Omni-Channel Omni-Personal with Real-time Store Intelligence and ...

By Andrs Cardenal - September 17, 2012 | Tickers: AAPL, BRCM, CHL, CRUS, QCOM | 0 Comments

Andrs is a member of The Motley Fool Blog Network -- entries represent the personal opinions of our bloggers and are not formally edited.

The much-anticipated iPhone 5 is here, and the discussion is getting hotter by the day: Should you bet on the new Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) product or is it a big disappointment signaling the end of the good times at Cupertino?

The bearish argument for Apple and the iPhone 5 is mostly related to the operational and technological aspects of the new product. Most people in this camp are pointing to the fact that the iPhone 5 does not include any big technological breakthrough. In comparison to the Samsung Galaxy S III, for example, the Apple product seems to bebehind in aspects like RAM, battery life or screen size.

On the other hand, I dont think that's going to be the main driver of a purchase decision for most customers.People buy Apple products because of their brand differentiation, image, and user experience. When the iPod was launched, the acronym idiots price our products became very popular, and there were some objective reasons for that. After all, the iPod was a more expensive MP3 player lacking some valuable features, like a radio.

But the consumer business is not only about objective and measurable reasons, and there are some counterintuitive aspects to consider. A higher price tag is not always a negative for sales. Pricing is a marketing tool, and Apple has positioned itself as the premium player in the industry. The iPhone 5 may not be better than the latest Samsung product based on technological capabilities, but its more elegant and cooler, mostly because its an Apple product.

Sales are off to an auspicious start, and I would expect nothing else than a new blockbuster from Apple in spite of some well-argued, though ultimately misguided, critiques of the iPhone 5. And the good news is than betting on the iPhone 5 doesn't require any sophisticated analysis, as shares of Apple itself still offer a considerable upside potential from a valuation point of view.

Make no mistake; in spite of the fact that theshare price ofApple has risen exponentially over the last years, and is even at all-time historical highs, the company is still trading at a P/E ratio of 16. This is below the average of 20 times earnings for the tech sector, and also below the five year average P/E of 22 the company has carried in the past. On a forward basis, the stock looks even more attractive with a P/E ratio of only 13.

And it doesnt end there.Many other companies will benefit from strong sales at Apple, with Qualcomm (NASDAQ: QCOM) being one noteworthy example. The company provides chips and technologies used in the iPhone 5, as well as the iPad and other high end smartphones, so Qualcomm is actually a bet on the mobile revolution, not just the new Apple smartphone. At a P/E of 19 Qualcomm is more expensive than Apple, but still reasonably priced for a tech leader with exciting growth prospects.

Another way to bet on the mobile revolution, with Apple as a main customer and the iPhone 5 as a middle-term growth driver,is Broadcom (NASDAQ: BRCM). The company provides chips for many highly demanded technologies including mobile, wireless and connectivity chips. Broadcom operates in a very competitive industry, but the company has positioned itself as a market leader thanks to its outstanding R&D capabilities. The stock trades at a P/E ratio of 26, but on a forward basis it carries a much cheaper ratio of 12.

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Why the iPhone 5 Will Be a Success, and 5 Stocks to Benefit From It

By Richard Saintvilus - September 17, 2012 | Tickers: AAPL, DELL, HPQ, MSFT, RIMM | 0 Comments

Richard is a member of The Motley Fool Blog Network -- entries represent the personal opinions of our bloggers and are not formally edited.

Sir Isaac Newton reminded the world that "for every action, there is an equal or opposite reaction." According to history, Newtons theory was said to have been inspired by a fallen apple.

Today however, and for better of the past three years, it is yet another Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL), a technological force, or as some would proclaim, "The leader of the free world," that now wants to defy gravity and proclaim its irrelevance. However, Wall Street has its own theory one that investors know all too well "what goes up, must come down." Nonetheless, so far Apples stock has been doing a great job convincing us that gravity does not exist in Cupertino. But the question is, for how long?

After being one of the best growth stocks on the market, the company almost gave in to gravity in the mid '90s as it flirted with bankruptcy with some nudging from rival Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT). Since then, Apple has been on a mission to not only redefine every market it enters, but kill off the previous leader Research in Motion (NASDAQ: RIMM) being the most recent casualty.

It started with the success of the iPod, which then convinced Apple it had a shot in the smartphone market. Since then, the company's cruising altitude has yet to be reached. Whats more, the success of its iPads have placed once-dominant PC manufacturers such as Hewlett-Packard (NYSE: HPQ) and Dell (NASDAQ: DELL) in a position to either reorganize their businesses or perish.

Now here comes its highly anticipated iPhone 5. That the company recently stopped accepting preorders means that we now live in a world where consumers value iPhones over oil. How else could Apple have surpassed ExxonMobil (NYSE: XOM) as the largest and most valuable publicly traded company in the world? But it doesnt end there. Because with any level of success it earns, Wall Street wants more.

On Friday, the stock closed at $691.28 after reaching yet another all-time high at $696.98. When one considers that the stock started the year at $403, it has gained as much as 73%. This is despite a disappointing fiscal third quarter where its iPhone sales underperformed broadly due to cannibalization of its anticipated iPhone 5. As noted, that preorders of the new phone have now ceased should serve as confirmation that this was in fact the reason.

What this means is that Apple is now playing by a different set of rules. Wall Street has shown to be completely unforgiving while demonstrating righteous anger towards any company that disappoints on earnings but not here. And it seems that what is now going on in the stock, aside from the bulls loading up in anticipation of higher highs, is that the Apple bears have caved in causing what appears to be a panic rally. They figure if a miss cant turn the tides, its best to change sides. But for how long can this momentum continue? One has to wonder that gravity, or in this case, logic has to step in.

The new iPhone 5 is now the primary driver of the stock. That, coupled with the prevailing horror of missing the run. The stock is now mere percentage points away from that magical and psychological $700 mark. There will be no resistance I assure you. The only question is, when it breaks $700 where is it heading next? If the early iPhone sales are any indication, year-end predictions of $750 not only now seem too conservative, but certain to be blown entirely out of the water. Investors should now set their sights on $800 and possibly $820 heading towards that all important holiday quarter.

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Can Apple Defy Gravity Forever?

TORONTO , Sept. 17, 2012 /CNW/ - In a symbolic signing ceremony today, Bank of China ( Canada ) and MasterCard Canada announced a new agreement that will see the Bank of China ( Canada ) offer its first credit card in Canada as it expands its personal banking and card services.

"Extending our product line-up is an important milestone in building our personal banking service offering," said Heng Wang, Senior Vice President Bank of China ( Canada ). "We take enormous pride in working with companies that share our values and respect for our customers, and we look forward to a hugely successful relationship with MasterCard and other business partners."

The new Bank of China ( Canada ) MasterCard credit card will complement the bank's other personal banking services, including chequing and savings accounts, personal lines of credit, and mortgage services. In providing personal banking services, the Bank of China ( Canada )'s customer service representatives effectively communicate with its customers in multiple languages and dialects, such as in English, Mandarin, and Cantonese.

"This partnership with the Bank of China ( Canada ) is a great example of working with our customers to deliver flexible credit card solutions that will meet unique customer needs," said Betty DeVita, President, MasterCard Canada . "Together, MasterCard and its customers continue to bring MasterCard's safe, simple and smart payment technologies to diverse consumers and businesses."

About Bank of China ( Canada ) Bank of China ( Canada ), http://www.bankofchina.ca, is a wholly owned subsidiary of Bank of China Limited, was incorporated in Canada on September 8, 1992 and officially started its operation on May 18, 1993 . The Bank offers all kinds of retail and commercial banking services, such as deposit, loan, remittance, trade finance, foreign exchange, and Canadian dollar clearing. The Bank's Head Office is located at 50 Minthorn Blvd, Markham Ontario. At status quo the Bank has9 branches ( Toronto downtown branch, Toronto Scarborough branch, TorontoMarkham branch, Toronto North York branch, Toronto Mississauga branch, Calgary branch, Vancouver branch, Vancouver Richmond branch and Vancouver Burnaby branch), and hires more than 200 employees. Bank of China ( Canada ) offers the best RMB banking services in Canada . The Bank's mandate is to promote the development of economic and trade relations between Canada and China , serve over one million Chinese in Canada , and contribute to economic growth of both countries.

About MasterCard MasterCard NYSE: MA, http://www.mastercard.com, is a global payments and technology company. It operates the world's fastest payments processing network, connecting consumers, financial institutions, merchants, governments and businesses in more than 210 countries and territories. MasterCard's products and solutions make everyday commerce activities - such as shopping, traveling, running a business and managing finances - easier, more secure and more efficient for everyone. Follow us on Twitter @MasterCardNews, join the discussion on the Cashless Conversations Blog and subscribe for the latest news.

For more information, visit MasterCard Canada's Facebook page or follow @MasterCardCa on Twitter.

SOURCE: MasterCard Canada

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Bank of China (Canada) Selects MasterCard to expand Personal Banking and Card Services

HAZMIYAH, Lebanon, Sept. 17, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Xismat announced this week the launch of SelfStir.com, a 360-degree, one-of-a-kind feedback development portal to aid with leadership and personal development. And it's completely free.

SelfStir.com is based on extensive research that has proven 360-degree feedback, coupled with coaching, to be effective in the development of executives around the world. It encourages and empowers people to engage, collaborate, and to build strong communities around shared aspirations.

And, since it has been so overwhelmingly successful in the workplace, Xismat decided to design a tool that could also be valuable to assist people in their personal development.

"Our one-of-a-kind approach integrates social aspects into a 360-degree feedback concept," explains Diana Seyouri, managing director for Xismat. "We have removed the strict corporate model widely used by executives, but have kept the design true to itself."

SelfStir.com makes feedback fun in a safe and anonymous environment. It allows people to learn about themselves through the eyes of others such as peers, friends and family, and to choose their own competencies to rate.

SelfStir.com gives people the ability to explore and assess 23 areas of competencies such as compassion/empathy; self awareness; inspiring trust; openness; positive attitude; influence without authority; collaboration; communication; empowerment; consultative decision making; vision and purpose; and wisdom.

SelfStir.com is designed for everyone. The system provides a comprehensive set of leadership development tools that are easy to use. It all begins with the survey and highlights strengths and weaknesses; it allows users to review results and to connect with others for support. Users will receive recommendations for areas of development and action planning. Journaling and access to professional coaches is also a plus. The system allows users to better understand themselves and gives them space for personal development and reflection in their careers, families and communities.

About Xismat:

The professional and diverse team at Xismat believes in protecting, sustaining and developing the environment that we all live in. Its mission is to encourage and empower people to treat each other with respect and to serve the common good. It is a values-based organization that is working to help make the world a better place.

For more information: http://www.xismat.com .

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Xismat Offers 360-Degree Feedback to Everyone

TALLAHASSEE --

Every day, thousands of young students log onto the internet to take online classes.

They learn everything from arithmetic to American history and then get a grade that will count toward graduation.

Those grades are supposed to be awarded by certified teachers, but that may not be happening in the case of K12, a company contracted to run virtual schools.

The Florida Department of Education is investigating allegations of grades being doled out by uncertified teachers working for K12.

The company offers online classes in 43 Florida school districts, including Leon County, where district spokesman Chris Petley says red flags have gone up.

"We have a very limited number of classes (that) our students have taken specifically (from) this company, and in (those instances), we've had a couple where we have...moved the students," Petley said.

The revelation is casting new light on the integrity of the virtual school program, putting officials at the State Department of Education in a difficult position.

They now have to investigate the very company they've turned to in an effort to help reduce class sizes and save money.

It's a company that may also be using certified teachers to sign off on students they've never taught.

Link:
Florida online education provider K12 under investigation

After working in the field of Instructional Technology for almost twenty years, Ive seen many technologies that might impact higher education come and go. In the initial stages, universities often experiment with the latest gadgets or Internet services without thinking too much about the concrete, real-world applications the technologies might have.

MOOCs Massive Online Open Courses are a new model for online courses that have quickly gained interest and support among universities in recent months. We still find ourselves at the experimental stage, but its not too early to think about what kind of long-term impact MOOCs might have in higher education.

Some see MOOCs up-ending the whole model of higher education, allowing students to complete full courses of study in a non-traditional format, particularly with international students, which have made up a large part of the student body in early MOOC courses. Others see MOOCs playing a much smaller role, with the MOOC system of badges or certificates for course completion integrated into programs higher education institutions already offer.

I am much more of a pragmatist when it comes to any technology often, the promises of major change resulting from something new wind up being more subtle and nuanced. In the case of MOOCs, it is difficult to imagine that the non-classroom aspects of the undergraduate experience can be easily replaced by a computer screen.

What makes a MOOC unique and, in the short term, what role could they play in the core educational mission of universities?

Features of a MOOC

Theres nothing particularly new about MOOCs. Most universities have offered online courses for many years and the basic technologies involved video lectures, discussion forums, tests, and the like are the same we have used with on-campus and distance students. The only difference is the scale.

By their very nature large numbers of students, no direct faculty interaction with individual students, a pre-programmed course of study and assessments MOOCs would appear to have what some have called limitations when compared with a traditional face to face course or smaller online credit course with high faculty involvement. However, these arent limitations as much as features that make MOOCs unique.

MOOCs are built on efficiency of scale, giving access to the teaching of a world class professor to thousands of students at once. The lectures, assessments and activities for a course especially an online course and the expertise of the professor behind the content isnt cheap and, in many cases, is unique to a particular university. A MOOC throws open the door of the professors classroom, allowing him to teach more than just a few dozen students at a time.

Because of the scale, hands on involvement by the faculty member is limited. This shifts the responsibility for learning the material squarely on the shoulders of the individual student and their motivations to learn. It also shifts conversation and dialogue about the content to a more diverse student population that could be worldwide a community of learners.

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Online Education: What Is a MOOC?

The Amari Watergate Bangkok's Clark Hatch Fitness Centre invites aerobics enthusiasts to work out for a good cause for three hours non-stop during the "16th Aerobics Marathon on Aids".

The aerobics marathon will be led by many famous instructors including Bankchart Kaewchompoo, Ladda Pramote, Yodchai Yommakup and Anuwat Yaovakun.

Participants will also have a chance to rub shoulders and exercise alongside many celebrities and superstars.

As in previous years, the event also features a contest with trophies on offer for the best male and female dancer, the one with the most creative costume and a team with the most participants. The event aims to raise funds for charitable causes, including the Chalerm Prakiat HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn School, which supports the education of children whose parents have passed away due to HIV/Aids, and Baan Gerda, the children's village project which supports HIV-infected orphans in Nong Muang, Lop Buri province.

The '16th Aerobics Marathon on Aids' will take place at Amari Watergate Hotel's Ballroom on Sept 30 from 1pm-4pm. Tickets cost 300 baht and are available at the reception desk on the 8th floor. Call 02-653-9000 ext 5021 or 5780.

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Aerobics for a good cause

For this yoga class, you're going to need a mat and a glow stick.

Lucky for you, if you stopped going to raves in the '90s, they're passing out glow sticks at the door. Leave your lollipop at home, though. Here, there's an herb bar and a table of healthy, vegetarian munchies. Sugar's not a huge hit here. Neither are drugs, so ditch the Scooby Snacks. Tonight is about creating your own trip.

Forget what you think you know about raves, and forget what you know about yoga. This is a hybrid of the two -- a yoga rave -- that defies the stereotypes of both.

The head-to-toe tattooed so-called "bad boy of yoga," David Sye, headed up the party in Boulder on Saturday, in a dim room filled with 100 candles and live electronic music. About 40 people (mostly teens) came, sporting glow sticks on their necks and wrists while twisting into pretzels and downward dogs, following Sye's out-of-the-box style of yoga: constantly moving, almost wiggling. He calls is an "unapologetically sexy celebration of life" that has been both criticized and praised.

They call it a movement.

And the concept of yoga raves -- yoga-centric parties with live music, some in nightclubs, always sober -- is spreading as a nightlife alternative for people who lead healthy lifestyles and want to "get lifted," according to Yoga Rave USA (yogarave.org), which was not affiliated with the recent Boulder event.

You know that buzz your body feels after you take a really good yoga class?

You know how a great song can trigger your emotions? (Like how every Journey song makes everyone on earth happy, or how the Scorpions used to make me cry and angrily lip-sync in the mirror when I was in seventh grade?)

Put those together (except maybe no bad hair-band music) in a big group with special light effects, and just for good measure, throw free Reiki energy work sessions in the corner. Sip from the mate bar while relaxing on a stack of cushions after you reach your yogic bliss.

Maybe now you can see it? Even though the initial combo of "yoga" and "rave" seems almost contradictory?

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Drop the acid -- seriously, drop it -- this rave features yoga

LAKEWOOD, Ohio, Sept. 17,2012 /PRNewswire/ -- For Marcia Camino, there's more to yoga than going to class to exercise and relax. The owner of PinkLotusYoga (PLY) in Lakewood firmly believes that the practice of yoga ultimately is about fostering a sense of community, not just within the four walls of her Lakewood studio but in the surrounding community at large through outreach and involvement. That is why Camino is sponsoring "Bend for Beck," a fundraiser for a local nonprofit organization, on Saturday, Sept. 29 at her studio. All proceeds benefit the Creative Arts Therapies programs at Beck Center for the Arts, the leader in comprehensive arts education in Northeast Ohio.

When Camino opened her studio at 18103 Detroit Ave. in December 2011, she didn't want to have her own space to just teach students a wide variety of yoga styles; she also wanted a place where people could come to grow, connect and build awareness with each other and the world around them.

"Every yoga studio has a mission to build a community," Camino says. "I wanted to bring that sense of community to extend beyond my students' yoga mats. Practicing yoga isn't about the time you spend in the studio. It is about involvement and mindfulness in every aspect of life."

Camino, a Lakewood resident for the better part of a decade, practices what she preaches. Over the years, she has held a number of special fundraiser events benefitting a number of non-profit organizations, including the Cleveland Foodbank, Edna House and even her Detroit Avenue neighbor, Lakewood Congregational Church and its Youth Homeless Awareness Sleepout. What's more, for the past five years, even before she owned her own studio, Camino has encouraged her students to take alternative transportation to class walking, biking, carpooling, public transit instead of driving. She calls this Pink Goes Green and has offered incentives to those who participate.

Working and living in a city where bicycling plays a major role in daily life, Camino was thrilled when the city of Lakewood last year began an intensive public process to build a strategy to make Lakewood the most bike-friendly community in Ohio through its BikeLakewood master plan, which includes installing bike racks near businesses throughout the city. So thrilled, that she commissioned -- with the city's blessing -- Cleveland 3D metal sculptor David Smith to create truly unique bike racks for installation in front of the PLY studio.

On Saturday, Sept. 29, at noon, Camino, Smith and local officials will dedicate Big Pink Yoga Dude and Yoga Dude Junior, the studio's two new bike racks. Named by the artist, these sculptures are sure to be conversation pieces, thanks to their size and eye-catching color opening the racks for use by all bicyclists in Lakewood.

Smith, a self-proclaimed yoga addict, met Camino seven years ago in a yoga class at the Cleveland Botanical Garden. She was his first yoga teacher, and he was one of her first yoga students. When he initially started practicing yoga, Smith says he suffered from debilitating neck problems. Since then, Smith has pursued a consistent yoga practice, following Camino to her various teaching locations over the years. He credits regular yoga with healing his chronic neck injury.

"I truly believe in that yoga does wonders for the mind, body and spirit. The disappearance of my neck problems are testament alone to that," Smith says.

He adds that as Camino's long-time student and friend, he not only is one of her biggest supporters of her yoga business but also of her community outreach efforts, which is why he designed the "Yoga Dudes" bike racks for her.

"I wanted to support Marcia's good work at her studio and in the community. The bike rack and the fundraiser were logical ways to help," says Smith, who has turned his passion for metalworking into a career over the past 12 years.

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Lakewood's Pink Lotus Yoga Studio Kicks Off PLY Outreach Endeavor with Special Celebration on Sept. 29