NEW YORK, March 15, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Crunch Fitness, the health club chain known for pioneering a philosophy of No Judgments and making fitness fun, is headed to the Evergreen State with the opening of a new franchise location in Bellevue, WA in Spring 2012. The club will join a multitude of popular businesses in the Crossroads Shopping Mall at 15600 NE 8th Street, Bellevue, WA 98008. Situated just across Lake Washington from Seattle, this 14th franchise club to open worldwide also marks the 9th U.S. state to welcome the growing fitness brand.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20090909/NY72689LOGO)

"We are thrilled to bring Crunch to Washington State and combine the strength of this world-renowned fitness organization with a locally owned and family run approach," said Pat Cooney and Vittorio Favati, co-owners. "Our commitment is to deliver a fun and affordable fitness environment to each of our valued members, and compliment the sense of community that the Crossroads Shopping Center has worked so successfully to create."

Cooney and Favati bring with them 50 years of business experience to Crunch Bellevue and look to open more than 10 locations throughout the greater Puget Sound area over the next 5 years. The family management team will also include Erin Cooney, who will lead the development of thetraining programs and services offered by the club, and Crista Favati who will be responsible for overseeing membership services and community outreach programs.

The impressive facility with approximately 18,000 square feet proudly offers top-of-the-line strength training equipment and over 75 cardio machines, a designated personal training area, access to an online fitness and nutrition program, tanning, full service locker rooms and a hydrotherapy massage bed. The expansive Group Fitness studio will house Crunch's notorious group fitness classes, such as, BOSU Bootcamp, Zumba, BodyWeb w/TRX and Yoga Body Sculpt, just to name a few.

Now available are exclusive membership deals, including a special $0 enrollment offer for a limited time. For more information, visit http://www.crunchbellevue.com, email memberservices.bellevue@crunch.com , call 425-641-1000 or stop by the enrollment center in the Crossroads Shopping Center. Crunch, owned by Angelo Gordon and New Evolution Ventures (NeV), has opened 18 new clubs in the past two years with 37 current locations worldwide and loads more in the pipeline.

Crunch is a gym that believes in making serious exercise fun by fusing fitness and entertainment and pioneering a philosophy of No Judgments. Renowned for creating unique programming that caters to an exceedingly diverse membership, Crunch has raised the bar for the entire fitness industry. Headquartered in New York City, and owned by private-equity firm Angelo Gordon and New Evolution Ventures (NeV), Crunch serves over 140,000 members with 37 gyms worldwide. Go to http://www.crunch.com for more information.

About New Evolution Ventures (NeV) Based in Northern California, New Evolution Ventures (NeV) is a private equity firm focused on the acquisition, development and operations management of fitness, media and sports interests both domestically and internationally. Founded in 2008 by Mark Mastrov, Jim Rowley and Mike Feeney, and following a strategic partnership with Vision Capital in 2011, the current team of NeV professionals is shaping the world of fitness, media, and sports one brand at a time. With a foundation representing over a century of business experience, NeV currently has operations and investments in more than 20 countries worldwide representing over 800+ facilities. For more information, visit http://www.nev.com.

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Crunch Fitness to Open First Club in Washington State With Franchise Location in Bellevue

PORTLAND, Ore.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Standard Retirement Services, Inc. (The Standard), now offers advisors more customized retirement plan solutions for their clients. After listening to feedback from the advisor community, The Standard has responded with a more flexible service offering in which advisors can now choose from a broader suite of services to select those services that best complement their practices and mitigate their risks.

The heart of our support has always been a service offering that allows us to adjust what we provide based on each advisors capabilities, said Dan Hall, vice president of Retirement Plan Sales. We believe this produces an alliance that complements the expertise that advisors bring to their clients while ensuring that the plan and its participants have access to a full range of services.

Advisors who partner with The Standard have the power to design a customized retirement plan solution that works to address each clients unique needs. This begins with The Standards essential plan services, which include recordkeeping and online tools, as well as employee services, including a participant call center, quarterly newsletter and enrollment communication materials.

Advisors can then select which additional services, if any, they want to provide to each client and which services they would like The Standard to handle. Advisors can choose from the following menu of services:

We realize that employers look to their advisors when it comes to choices for their retirement plans, Hall said. Advisors can look to The Standard and our flexible service offering for customized solutions that maximize the value that they can offer their clients and help employees reach retirement readiness.

Disclosure

StanCorp Equities, Inc., member FINRA, distributes group annuity contracts issued by Standard Insurance Company and may provide other brokerage services. Third-party administrative services are provided by Standard Retirement Services, Inc. Investment advisory services are provided by StanCorp Investment Advisers, Inc., a registered investment advisor.

About The Standard

The Standard is a leading provider of financial products and services, including group and individual disability insurance, group life, AD&D, dental and vision insurance, retirement plans products and services, individual annuities and investment advice. For more information about The Standard, visit http://www.standard.com.

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The Standard Enhances Flexibility of Retirement Plan Services

Posted: Thursday, March 15, 2012 6:02 pm | Updated: 6:03 pm, Thu Mar 15, 2012.

Maggie Galle reached her goal for the track and field season at her first meet on Saturday.

The Half Moon Bay High School senior cleared 5 feet, 4 inches in the high jump to win that event at Saturdays K-Bell Track and Field Classic.

Galles performance was one of several highlights for the Cougars at the first big track meet of the season.

Mitch Martin finished fifth in the 1,600 meters in a personal best time of 4 minutes, 19.16 seconds.

Danielle Peranich took seventh in the triple jump, leaping 32-8.

Kylie Freeburg was fourth in her heat of the 400 meters, ninth overall at 1:02.60.

Galle started Saturdays competition at 4-6, easily clearing that height.

She went through the next few heights, uneventfully advancing to 5-2. By that time, 18 of the 21 other competitors bowed out of the competition. Galles clearance at 5-2 tied her personal best, set last year.

The four were ready for their three attempts at 5-4. Galle attempted that height several times last year, failing to clear it once. She came close a few times.

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Galle sets personal best, wins at K-Bell Classic

Reflecting on recent statements from United States Attorney Benjamin Wagner, Phototron Holdings, Inc. believes the rapid changes in the medical marijuana industry will contribute to a rise in small-scale home medical marijuana growing.

Gardena, CA (PRWEB) March 16, 2012

Phototron Holdings, Inc. (OTCBB: PHOT) (OTCQB: PHOT), the hydroponic growing systems company behind the grow your own revolution, believes the continued crackdown, which has resulted in the closure of hundreds of dispensaries and seizures of numerous large-scale cannabis grow operations, is making personal indoor growing systems more attractive to medical marijuana patients.

Medical marijuana patients have fewer options for obtaining their medication safely, and in many places are faced with having to travel long distances or get untested medication off the street, said Craig Ellins, Phototrons CEO. So patients are increasingly growing their own medication, and Phototrons indoor systems are perfect for personal use.

Phototron says that growing indoor marijuana for personal use is easier than ever and cites many advantages, including:

#1 Growing Year Round

Being able to grow in a controlled environment is one of the greatest benefits of an indoor growing system. In addition to providing shelter from inclement weather like snow, frost, humidity and heat waves, gardeners can control the weather and the number of daylight hours.

#2 Growing in Small Areas

No need to clear out a closet or a roomevery Phototron hydroponic grow cabinet is only 21 inches wide and deep, so it takes up less than two square feet of indoor floor space. That means that they can be located almost anywhere, even a kitchen countertop.

#3 Protecting Plants from Invaders

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Personal Indoor Marijuana Growing for Medical Use Not the Target of Feds, Says Phototron

Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xAuKhPufxf8

09-03-2011 13:00 Inspirational Quotes

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MOTIVATION - Video

David De Gea is confident Manchester United will make up for their Europa League disappointment by winning the Barclays Premier League.

After doing so much to keep United in their last-16 tie with Athletic Bilbao at Old Trafford last week, even De Gea could not prevent a 2-1 defeat that sent the Red Devils tumbling out of a second UEFA competition in a single season. It means United, like chief rivals Manchester City, have only domestic supremacy to play for now.

"It is very important for us now to try and secure the Premier League," said De Gea.

"We are first. We are the leaders. Manchester City are in good form but we have the team and the supporters to win the league.

"We have a big game coming up at Wolves on Sunday and that is what we must concentrate on now."

At least on a personal level, De Gea had nothing to reproach himself for even if his return to Spain did not go as he would have wished.

There was more evidence of the 21-year-old starting to take command of his penalty area and slowly he does feel the adjustment from Spain to England is being made.

"The English league is a bit more aggressive but football is football," he said. "There is no real difference.

"Little by little I feel my confidence in England is growing.

"In the beginning it was all new, the place, the country, the team. But gradually I am getting used to everything and hopefully that continues."

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De Gea eyeing league success

It's no secret that North American women are addicted to The Real Housewives reality television franchise. Whether it's following Camille's divorce in Hollywood or gossiping about Ramona's ridiculous outbursts in NYC, women just can't seem to get enough of these feisty females. And now, as Shaw Media begins ramping up for the first Canadian version of the franchise (The Real Housewives of Vancouver will begin airing in April on Shaw Media's Slice channel), we northern gals can enjoy the on-air antics of our very own privileged princesses.

Is this really the "reality" that we want to support? Granted, The Real Housewives franchise, like other reality shows, is one part truth mixed with two parts fiction. Brilliantly written and produced with respect to entertainment value, these television shows are designed to provide us with an escape from reality, offering sensational storylines and tabloid talk.

The question remains, however, whether these shows have a much deeper impact than pure escapist fun. [More: Livin' large: What is a real income of real housewives and modern families?]

Stereotypes abound Over the past two decades, Canadian men have consistently been two to three times more likely than women to rise to leadership roles in the corporate arena. Women are still fighting to break through the glass ceiling and dispel the very stereotypes perpetuated by popular media.

Critics argue that shows like The Real Housewives put women into the gutter of society, suggesting dangerous stereotypes and discriminatory thinking. [More: Rebranding girls: How do we increase our value in the world?]

Just look at the cast line-up for the new Vancouver series:

Frankly, some might argue that it's hard to tell what's worse the fact that these women allow themselves to be presented in such one-dimensional fashion, or that we as viewers can't get enough of it. [More: Women, aging & economics: The changing labour market]

Designer labels don't bring success From the fully loaded Escalades to the over-the-top soirees, The Real Housewives franchise does a brilliant job of equating success and status with materialistic possessions and excessive consumption. In fact, that's part of the appeal. These women are wealthy, influential and powerful, but for what reasons? Instead of focusing on fulfilling careers, strong friendships and loving families, the main selling points of the series are often salacious gossip and catty behaviour.

One might indeed infer that we're headed down a dangerous road in our culture a road where it's impossible to tell what's real and what's scripted. And while most of us are perceptive enough to tell the difference, it's still a tad troublesome that reality TV producers tend to focus on seemingly psychotic, superficial women as their central characters. While every nuance of these shows is plotted, shot and edited for dramatic effect, they're still based on real-life people. And from Twitter wars to Today Show tiffs, it's tough to tell where the scripted story ends, especially when some cast members of the franchise behave the same way off-set as they do on. [More: The skinny & rich conundrum: Eating disorders among executive women on the rise ]

More importantly, when all is said and done, how can we expect young women to strive for personal achievements, break down barriers and build a better future when we provide them with a limited view of what a successful woman should be?

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Are the Real Housewives of Vancouver eroding our idea of financial success?

LOS ANGELES, CA--(Marketwire -03/16/12)- MMRGlobal, Inc. (OTC.BB: MMRF.OB - News) ("MMR"), a leading provider of Personal Health Records (PHRs) and electronic document management and imaging systems for healthcare professionals, today announced it presented the Company's patented Personal Health Record products and services for active military, civilian personnel, veterans and America's wounded warriors at the Military Electronic Health Records Conference, March 15-16, in Washington, D.C. MMR is no stranger to Wounded Warriors initiatives, having sponsored The Thalians benefit for Operation Mend. The event chaired by MMRGlobal Chief Executive Officer Robert H. Lorsch and Company Spokesperson Kira Reed Lorsch raised more than $1 million last year for the Operation Mend program that helps heal severely wounded U.S. service members.

The Company's standardized approach to health information technology offers seamless connectivity to personal health information for military and civilian personnel wherever they are stationed in the world. Using the Company's MyMedicalRecords Personal Health Record technology, medical records and other important documents can be securely managed for active duty personnel and veterans and their families from any hospital or healthcare facility in the world to the most advanced electronic medical record systems currently being deployed by the Department of Defense (DoD), the Department of Veterans Affairs and major contractors. The system also acts as a communications and message center for the entire family to share photos, notes and videos when a family member is away.

According to Richard M. Lagani, MMRGlobal Executive Vice President, "Our nation's wounded warriors are receiving care from doctors, hospitals and healthcare professionals in locations around the world, and what we are learning is that MyMedicalRecords is one of the only services of its kind that is ready to be deployed anywhere in the world that our military is deployed. Despite the fact that standardization across varied systems in the DoD/VA environment is rare, MMR can seamlessly connect to any medical facility in the world regardless of the level of technology employed without significant connectivity or integration costs."

MMR management is meeting with military and civilian personnel at the Military EHR Conference who are working on DoD/VA interoperability. MMR's patented solutions meet the needs of both the DoD and VA, providing access from virtually anywhere through any web-enabled device. Furthermore, MMR offers the one solution that easily bridges the gap between civilian and military health records for active duty personnel and their families.

Each MyMedicalRecords account can cover a family of up to 10 members, providing secure storage, retrieval and sharing of personal health information and actual copies of medical records and medical images such as X-rays and CT scans in addition to any important document needed in an emergency. In addition to safely maintaining a full range of personal health data for easy access, including lab reports and test results, conditions, medications and immunization records, MyMedicalRecords also includes multiple special "lockbox" folders with secondary passwords to protect other important documents such as military discharge papers, gun permits, passports, birth and marriage certificates, insurance policies, and deeds of trust. Moreover, because of its patented integrated telecommunications platform, the MyMedicalRecords Personal Health Record also incorporates an online pin-protected voice mailbox.

About MMRGlobal, Inc.

MMRGlobal, Inc., through its wholly-owned operating subsidiary, MyMedicalRecords, Inc. ("MMR"), provides secure and easy-to-use online Personal Health Records ("PHRs") and electronic safe deposit box storage solutions, serving consumers, healthcare professionals, employers, insurance companies, financial institutions, and professional organizations and affinity groups. The MyMedicalRecords PHR enables individuals and families to access their medical records and other important documents, such as birth certificates, passports, insurance policies and wills, anytime from anywhere using the Internet. MyMedicalRecords is built on proprietary, patented technologies to allow documents, images and voicemail messages to be transmitted and stored in the system using a variety of methods, including fax, phone, or file upload without relying on any specific electronic medical record platform to populate a user's account. The Company's professional offering, MMRPro, is designed to give physicians' offices an easy and cost-effective solution to digitizing paper-based medical records and sharing them with patients in real time through an integrated patient portal. MMR is an Independent Software Vendor Partner with Kodak to deliver an integrated turnkey EMR solution for healthcare professionals. Through its merger with Favrille, Inc. in January 2009, the Company acquired intellectual property biotech assets that include anti-CD20 antibodies and data and samples from its FavId/Specifid vaccine clinical trials for the treatment of B-Cell Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. To learn more about MMRGlobal, Inc. visit http://www.mmrglobal.com. View demos and video tutorials of the Company's products and services at http://www.mmrtheater.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

Statements in this press release that are not strictly historical in nature, whether or not such statement relates directly to the Company's future performance, management's expectations, beliefs, intentions, estimates or projections, constitute "forward-looking statements." Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the Company's actual results to be materially different from historical results or from any results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Some can be identified by the use of words (and their derivations) such as "need," "possibility," "offer," "development," "if," "negotiate," "when," "begun," "believe," "achieve," "will," "estimate," "expect," "maintain," "plan," and "continue," or the negative of these words. Factors that could cause or contribute to such differences include, but are not limited to, the risk the Company's products are not adopted or viewed favorably by the healthcare community and consumer retail market; business prospects, results of operations or financial condition; risks related to the current uncertainty and instability in financial and lending markets, including global economic uncertainties; timing and volume of sales and installations; length of sales cycles and the installation process; market acceptance of new product introductions; ability to establish and maintain strategic relationships; relationships with licensees; competitive product offerings and promotions; changes in government laws and regulations and future changes in tax legislation and initiatives in the healthcare industry; undetected errors in our products; possibility of interruption at our data centers; risks related to third party vendors; risks related to obtaining and integrating third-party licensed technology; risks related to a security breach by third parties; risks associated with recruitment and retention of key personnel; maintaining, developing and defending our intellectual property rights; marketing and exploitation of our patent portfolio; uncertainties associated with doing business internationally across borders and territories; and additional risks discussed in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company is providing this information as of the date of this release and, except as required by law, does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this release as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

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MMRGlobal Introduces Worldwide Standardized Personal Health Record and Document Management System to America's Military

Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XlMMwI1U_-U

27-12-2011 08:10 At Linux Learning Centre, we impart education on Linux, open source and open source based value added applications. Initially founded with the encouragement of the local open source users, LLC today has a global patronage attracting Linux learning aspirants from 6 continents. LLC has also imparted onsite training across the country and overseas to corporate and research centres. Linux Learning Centre has till date delivered Linux education to professionals from over 36 countries from all 6 continents.

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Linux online training | Linux administrator training- Linux Learning Centre - Video

Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pPClt6JBh28

14-03-2012 18:47 This is a synopsis of current thinking and issues in measuring quality in distance/online education. It provides specifics about how Daemen College is addressing the issue of quality in the school's growing online offering.

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Measuring Quality in Distance Education - Video