T.Collins Portfolio

MY SKILLS HAVE BEEN CULTIVATED THROUGH A

DECADE-LONG CAREER WITHIN THE

COMMUNICATIONS FIELD. !My career began in 2002 when I walked into a new station looking for an internship and ended up shopping for holiday toys with the Promotions Director. I started on the promotions street team a day later and within a year had produced my first concert, featuring four top Billboard artists. After being promoted to Promotions Coordinator Assistant, KFBF rose to number one in Market 5, beating out the longtime, heritage station for the first time since its debut. Before completing my Bachelor’s degree, I took an additional position as Project Assistant with a marketing company. In the role, I had the opportunity to garner and

organize media for basketball star Tony Parker and then girlfriend Eva Longoria during the NBA All-Star Weekend. The events were a huge success and gained traction in at least ten outlets. I also had the opportunity to develop and organize a fashion show hosted by actor Morris Chestnut (Nurse Jackie). Following graduation, my company collaborated with a production company to create Dallas’s first live television variety show, where I became Creative Director.

In 2011, I moved to New York and accepted a position with a public relations agency. I placed clients in CNET, Boston Globe, paidContent (now GigaOm), and The New York Times, among many others.

Following the closing of RLM, I leapt into the position of Development & Communications Associate at a nonprofit organization. I have since written various news posts, blogs, and provided technical support for the website. I co-produced Remember The Sun, a short documentary film, successfully co-produced a near quarter-million dollar event for The Family Center at City Winery, while also simultaneously adding art direction to my list of expertise.

Throughout the years, I have embraced challenging positions as well as advocated for vulnerable individuals, which is evident by my involvement in Musicians on Call and Neighborhood Coalition for Shelters.

! !!

EXPERIENCE

Development & Communications Associate, The Family Center

Marketing Assistant, HandsOn Marketing

Creative Director, Rickey Smiley’s Big City Talent

Project Assistant, Gemstone Management and Consulting

Promotions Coordinator Assistant, Radio One, Inc.

!VOLUNTEER

Musician On Call

Neighborhood Coalition for Shelters

!EDUCATION

Bachelor of Arts- University of Texas

!

TONYA COLLINS

The Family Center serves as an expert support system for New Yorkers confronting a family crisis or loss.!

• • • !Our team of social-service, legal, and health professionals uses a comprehensive yet personalized approach. We tailor programs for each family, so that they get essential care on all fronts. Together, we work to keep families stronger, longer.!

Since our founding in 1994, we have specialized in helping New York’s most vulnerable families when a parent or other primary caregiver faces a serious or terminal illness, such as HIV or cancer. Our seasoned team coordinates options for both immediate needs and long-term planning, so that families can prepare for a secure future. Working with their innate strengths, we help our clients stabilize and regain control. !

At-home visits are a cornerstone of our business. Our representatives can meet at each family’s home for every

type of service, at any point in a program. With a staff of medical care managers, lawyers, social workers, early childhood specialists, and more, we provide the right advocates at every step, until these families are back on their feet. Our results show that this integrated process is key to sustainable success. We also build a sense of community among the Center’s families, broadening their support network. Our offerings are confidential and of no cost to the families.!

To continually improve our agency, we regularly evaluate both our organization and the community we serve. By analyzing internal data and participating in independent research studies, we pinpoint the most effective strategies for our clients. We also respond to emerging challenges, such as the spiking rate of diabetes. With clear business principles and passionate dedication, we restore families’ health and hope.

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A N N UA L R E P O R T 2012 - 2013

THE FAMILY CENTER WORKS TO STRENGTHEN FAMILIES AFFECTED BY ILLNESS, CRISIS, OR LOSS TO CREATE A MORE SECURE PRESENT AND FUTURE FOR THEIR CHILDREN. WORKING WITH US, FAMILIES STAY STRONGER. LONGER.

THE FAMILY CENTERK E E P I N G FA M I L I E S S T R O N G E R L O N G E R

We worked with the Foundation, Taproot, which is comprised of professional writers, editors, digital designers, photographers, and others, to produce a coffee-table sized Annual Report. Photos for the report featured Family Center clients, leadership and volunteers, and were shot over a span of a month by Taproot photographer Wilhelm Scholz and with guidance of myself of the Development & Communications Director.

The Irene LeeKong Health & Wellness Institute

THE IRENE LEEKONG HEALTH & WELLNESS INSTITUTE AT THE FAMILY CENTER IS A FULL SERVICE MENTAL HEALTH CLINIC THAT PROVIDES COUNSELING, PSYCHOLOGICAL AND PSYCHIATRIC SERVICES.!!The Institute specializes in children and teens struggling with mental illness, but also provides an array of programming to assist in the positive growth of the entire family. This programming includes:!

• Mental health assessments for minors of any age!

• Play therapy services and specialized techniques for addressing mental illness in young children!

• Dedicated services proven to engage teenage clients in their therapy sessions!

• Full-time clinic director, psychiatrist and numerous licensed mental health counselors,  including an LCSW, LMSW and LMHC -all possessing significant expertise working with children and adolescents!

• Bilingual services in French Creole and Spanish!

• Immediate assistance with familial crises!

The clinic had its grand opening in the new location in the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn on September 12, 2013. It welcomed building donors, Board and junior Board members, city council members, and staff from Senator Kristen Gilibrand’s office. The opening was also covered by Uptown Magazine and included the above picture.

The Family Center’s Buddy Program pairs adult mentors with children who have been affected by a family crisis or loss. These mentors, or “Buddies,” provide mentees with fun, friendship, new experiences and a positive role model. The Buddies experience is consistently cited by both mentors and mentees as one of the most rewarding aspects of their lives.!

The benefits of mentoring “at-risk” youth are well documented and include: !

• Better attendance and attitude toward school!

• Decreased risk of drug and alcohol use!

• Improved social attitudes and relationships!

• More trusting relationships and better communication with parents!

• A better chance of going on to higher education!

Our Buddies are committed, compassionate, and reliable individuals who make a one-year commitment of 6-10 hours per month to help expand a child’s horizon and enrich their lives and future. The Family Center also sponsors free group events throughout the year for all Buddy matches in the program, including professional sports games, picnics, trips to museums, and holiday parties.!

The Family Center’s approach involves careful assessment and orientation of all parties, thorough training, thoughtful matching and ongoing support. In the last 14 years, over 250 children have been matched with an adult mentor through our Buddy Program.

BLOOM WAS HOSTED BY THE FAMILY CENTER LEADERSHIP COUNCIL TO BENEFIT THE BUDDY PROGRAM. !!The Buddy Program pairs responsible adult mentors with at-risk youth who have been affected by parental illness, crisis, or loss. Mentoring has shown to create positive results for mentees -from better school attendance to decreased drug use- and mentors have life changing experiences as well.!

BLOOM was attended by 200 guests, included a speech by a Buddy pair, a luxury auction with items from Coach and tickets to the Book of Mormons, dancing, and a buffet style meal. The evening resulted in 15% net revenue growth from the previous year.!

May 15, 2013

TFC Turns 20!In 2014, The Family Center celebrated its 20th Anniversary with TFC Turns 20! October 16th at City Winery. The event was a sit down, 3-course dinner, featuring a silent auction and followed by an after party. The dinner included an award ceremony with Lauren Glassberg of WABC7 as mistress of ceremony, four honorees, and a short film about one Family Center client family. !!The dinner treated 190 attendees, while 150 individuals celebrated at the the after party. Tables of ten were $5,000, individual dinner tickets were $250 and after party tickets were $100 online purchase and $150 at the door. The event was one of the most successful to date, yielding nearly a quarter-million dollars.

Months leading up to the gala, the Taproot Foundation connected The Family Center with Fineas Media to

collaborate on a film demonstrating The Family Center’s work and to be debuted during the event. During the process, Pauline extended the film so it

could be entered into the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation film competition. The new film was seven

minutes long and considered too long for the gala. The video footage was used later in this shorter version

which was shown at the gala.

← Brasserie Magritte Hosts An Award Winner!The Family Center Unveils A New Logo →!!!Full of Heart Posted on February 26, 2013!!Joe’s Pub hosted a near full house Saturday night for the 5th annual Three of Heart concert benefitting The Family Center. The three artists- Lindsey Wilson, Mark Anthony Lee, and Beth Arentsen- gave outstanding performances and made the show worth weathering the rain.!

Three of Hearts uses music as a catalyst for raising awareness about socio-cultural concerns in our community while entertaining its audience with some of the best independent musicians and vocalists from the New York City music scene. All proceeds from Three of Hearts concert and !auction benefited our work keeping families strong, longer.!

The evening started out with a powerful performance by Brooklyn-based Lindsey Wilson. Mark Anthony Lee continued the night by illuminating the stage with his electrifying presence. Following Lee’s performance, Three of Hearts producer Christian John Wikane, introduced poet Daniel Carlton, who kept everyone involved with his interactive piece, “I’m Five”. The concert wrapped with Beth Arentsen wowing the audience with her intricate piano-based pieces.!

Three of Hearts 2013, set the bar high and will have the Joe’s Pub crowd and Family Center supporters eagerly anticipating the next year.!

We tremendously appreciate all the time, effort, and heart Lindsey, Mark, Beth, and Christian gave in making Three of Hearts possible!!

This entry was posted in News. Bookmark the permalink.!← Brasserie Magritte Hosts An Award Winner!The Family Center Unveils A New Logo →!

Christian & Ivy

Beth, Christian, Ivy, Mark & Lindsey

Posted: March 1, 2013 | Author: The Family Center | Filed under: Our Cherished Children & Families, Social Service Story | Modify: Edit this | Leave a comment »!

!Christopher was truant from school, smoking marijuana and behaving aggressively toward his mother and step-father when his mother walked into the ACS office seeking out-of-home placement for him. After going through previous programs, they were referred to The Family Center’s YouthNet Intensive Prevention services in June 2012.!

Within the same month, I started individual and family counseling with Christopher and his family. During our sessions, I recalled my family situation as my older brother struggled with the same issues as Christopher. After I shared that my brother eventually lost his battle to drugs and how riddled with regret my father was, Christopher seemed motivated to change.!

Christopher’s behavior has recently begun to show improvements. He attends school almost daily and has stopped smoking marijuana. Although his step-father initially refused counseling, he is now willing to build their relationship due to Christopher’s changed behavior.!

At the end of the year, I received this heartfelt note from Christopher’s mother- “Thanks Mr. Taylor and staff for all you’ve given this year. We appreciate you and this program for sending someone who cares about our youth.”!

-Edward Taylor, Family Center Youth Net Case Planner!

!!!!!!!!The Family Center always gives it our all on behalf of our clients.  If you want to give your all to keep families stronger, longer, please donate here.

All You’ve Given

Christopher & siblings

← Full of Heart!Lessons in Personal Safety →!

The Family Center Unveils A New Logo Posted on March 15, 2013!

!After nearly two decades, The Family Center is growing into a brand new logo. Although our original black and white logo has served us well, years of watching our families grow helped us realize it’s time for The Family Center logo to reflect this incredible growth. Throughout the years we have created a network of families who support each other; through research, we have demonstrated effective results of our support systems.!

Our new logo is a celebration of life, growth and a reflection of our strength. Like the new logo, we are brightly moving forward to keep our families stronger, longer and reaching greater heights together.!

!This entry was posted in News. Bookmark the permalink.!

← Full of Heart!Lessons in Personal Safety →!!

← Lessons in Personal Safety!BLOOM 2013: Helping Lives Blossom →!!TFC & Dancing Inspire a Powerful Workout Posted on March 25, 2013!!Buddy Program Mentor and DMF dance-fitness instructor Lindi Duesenberg hosted Dance For A Cause on Sunday, March 24th at DANY Studios. All proceeds from this fabulously fun fitness event benefited The Family Center’s Buddy Program.!

Dance For A Cause engaged over 30 participants in 50-minutes of dance geared toward cardio and strength training. The work-out/dance session empowered everyone to stay fit while still having a good time -and all to support a good cause, The Family Center’s work keeping vulnerable families and their children stronger, longer!!

If you weren’t able to make it to the event, but would still like to donate to The Family Center, please click here.!

This entry was posted in News. Bookmark the permalink.!!← Lessons in Personal Safety!BLOOM 2013: Helping Lives Blossom →!!

← BLOOM 2013: Helping Lives Blossom!

JFK Runway For A Cause Posted on April 15, 2013!

Sunday, April 14th, Family Center Board members Shamoun Afram and Mark Boyer participated in the 41st annual JFK Runway Run to benefit The Family Center.!This race is a 5K that takes place on a main runway at JFK airport in Queens. The runway is closed to aircraft traffic during the race and planes are routed to a secondary runway. The JFK Rotary Club hosts this race, but all donations raised by Shamoun supported The Family Center work keeping families stronger, longer.!Nearly 1,000 runners participated in the JFK Runway Run this year, however TFC runners Shamoun and Mark were the only ones with a cheering squad equipped with colorfully homemade signs.  See all the team spirit caught on film below.!The race is over, but you can still donate to TFC through Shamoun’s FirstGiving JFK Runway Run page.!

!

Posted: April 18, 2013 | Author: The Family Center | Filed under: Social Service Story | Modify: Edit this | Leave a comment »!!Last month, I led a Self-Care Training for our partners at Community Health Action of Staten Island (CHASI). The training was aimed at teaching counselors and case managers why self-care is important, how to engage with their clients around self-care and how to use these techniques to take better care of themselves.!

!Self-care is when we meet our own needs in an effort to engage in over-all healthy and positive living. When we engage in self-care we are being mindful of how we take care of ourselves and make ourselves feel good. Lack of self-care can cause stress and feelings of being over-whelmed, tired, or sick. Self-care skills help us deal with everyday life situations and stresses. For example, self-care skills can help us:!

◦ Handle getting our kids up and out of the house in time for school;!◦ Take care of ourselves when there does not seem to be enough time in the day; and!◦ Manage medical, physical, and emotional needs.!!

At The Family Center, we meet many clients who don’t take care of themselves well when they first enroll in our services. As a counselor, I have seen that when I successfully engage clients in developing self-care awareness and their family skills, they go on to lead healthier, happier lives. When I work with a client about self-care our focus is on:!

◦ Understanding what makes them feel cared for;!◦ Meeting their needs;!◦ Balancing their needs with the needs of the family;!◦ Enhancing personal relationships;!◦ Managing their health; and!◦ Investing in themselves and making themselves a priority.!!

We at The Family Center work hard to promote healthy living and self-care. If you are interested in keeping our New York  families stronger, longer, please click here to see how you can help.!

Healthy Living Through Self-Care

Alicia bowling with Family Center youth. Recreational activities are a good way to reduce

Posted on July 18, 2013!

This past Wednesday night, July 17th, the Leadership Council celebrated the success of BLOOM 2013 by taking over the bar at the Upper East Side’s Brasserie Magritte for their first social.  With over 20 people in attendance, it was a refreshing time for everyone to get out of the heat, enjoy a cocktail and great food, while socializing with our up-and-coming leaders.!

Thanks to The Family Center Leadership Council and all those who joined us to express interest in this dynamic volunteer professionals group.  As pictured below, it was an entertaining evening.  If you were not able to join us, but are interested in getting involved with our Leadership Council, please feel free to contact Family Center Development & Communications Associate Tonya Collins by sending her an email now.!

We hope to see you at the next Leadership Council Social!!

      !

!

This entry was posted in News. Bookmark the permalink.!

← Credit Suisse Hits Another Home Run for TFC!Race for A Cure with TFC! →!

← Credit Suisse Hits Another Home Run for TFC!Race for A Cure with TFC! →!

!Sociable Leadership

Black-White Breast Cancer Disparities: TFC Bears Witness Posted: July 31, 2013 | Author: The Family Center | Filed under: Executive Director's Corner |Leave a comment!!The New York Times’ recent article, “Black-White Divide Persists in Breast Cancer,” highlights a research study exploring the wide disparities in breast cancer survival rates between black and white women.  The article emphasizes stark statistics that The Family Center witnesses in the lives of our client families, their beloved mothers, aunts and grandmothers.  Tragically, despite all the advances in diagnosing and treating breast cancer, black women are still not only receiving inferior treatment, but also simply receiving less health care over all.!

“Among black women studied, 20% received a diagnosis of Stage III or IV disease, when the cancer is far less likely to be cured. Among white women, only 11.4% had a late-stage disease.” -New York Times !In 2012, The Family Center provided legal and social services to 304 cancer-affected clients, 113 of which were specifically impacted by breast cancer.  As nearly 50% of our client families are black, facing late detection, encountering barriers to care and receiving poor medical care are very real –and frightening– aspects of their lives.  Even for our clients with private health insurance, regular doctor visits can be hard to maintain due to other responsibilities, like work and childcare.!

“Black patients were also more likely to have at least a three-month delay in receiving treatment.” -New York Times !The Family Center works with these client families to ensure that they are accessing all the benefits and entitlements that will help them get through the painful difficulties that arise when someone in a family has breast cancer.  We also emphasize the importance of planning for the future care of minor children, regardless of their mother or primary caregiver’s prognosis.  And for those families who must face the loss of a mother or caregiver due to breast cancer, The Family Center works with the new caregiver and the children on grieving and healing.!

“Over all, white women with breast cancer lived three years longer than black women.” -New York Times !The Family Center is grateful for the support of our Board of Directors and numerous donors who support our work with breast cancer -affected families.  We are particularly thankful for the support of Susan G Komen for the Cure -Greater NYC Affiliate, Judges and Lawyers Breast Cancer Alert, and Sullivan & Cromwell, all of which fund our expert legal and social services for breast cancer -affected minority women.  If you would like to support The Family Center’s services for breast cancer -affected women, including black women who face the starkest disparities in getting their disease treated, make a donation or volunteer today.

A Healthy Start in Spring Can Lead to a Healthy Life Posted: March 19, 2014 | Author: The Family Center | Filed under: Social Service Story, Uncategorized |Leave a comment!

TFC is bringing back the Walking Club this year!!Thanks to funding from the NYS Health Foundation, TFC is adding new diabetes programs this year that could add years to our clients’ lives.!

Last year TFC became a certified Center of Disease Control (CDC)-recognized diabetes prevention provider.  What does that mean?  That means we will begin hosting a series of free Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) workshops in Central Brooklyn- a location with the highest rate of diabetes than any other area in NYC.  DPP is a lifestyle change program that can prevent or delay type 2 diabetes in more than half of the people with prediabetes.!

◦ DPP can help people cut their risk of developing type 2 diabetes in half.!◦ DPP research study showed that making modest behavior changes helped participants

lose 5% to 7% of their body weight- that’s 10-14 pounds for a 200-pound person.!◦ Theses lifestyle changes reduced the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 58% in people

with pre-diabetes.!!The 16-week program will feature lessons on healthy eating, problem solving, stress management, and ways to stay motivated.   Also, DPP is bringing the walking club back!  In 2011 we started the walking club to help clients be more active and motive each other to be more active.  In the two year duration of the club, the members and I walked at least 29,000 miles, which is at least one time the circumference of the earth.!

If you are at risk for prediabetes or diabetes and interested in getting involved, contact TFC’s DPP at 718-230-1379, extension 192.!

Catherine Duckett- Diabetes Specialist

← Our Proficio VolunteersLegal Services Open House →!TFC Hits the Runway at JFK Posted: April 7, 2014!

On Sunday, April 6th, three Family Center Board members, four staff members, and at least twelve more enthusiastic TFC supporters joined the 2014 JFK Runway Run with over 1,100 other runners.  As our team hit the tarmac, planes took off and landed, flying right over our awe-struck runners’ heads.!!Thanks to their generous friends, family and coworkers, Board members Shamoun Afram, Mark Boyer and Andrew Costagliola collectively raised over $13,000 in support of The Family Center’s work keeping families stronger, longer.  While Andrew just recently joined our Board, this was Shamoun and Mark’s 2nd year in a row at the JFK Runway Run.  We are grateful to all three Board members and their very generous contacts who sponsored their fun, healthy and creative fundraising campaigns!!!You still have time to support

a Family Center Board member’s dedication to our client families and their children:!! •! Click here to donate to Shamoun’s campaign!!! •! Click here to donate to Andrew’s campaign!!! •! Click here to learn more about Mark’s FUNraise for the Family raffle!!Many thanks to our Board members, everyone who donated and all our JFK Runway runners!  We can’t wait to see what 2015′s JFK Runway Run will bring!! 

This entry was posted in News. Bookmark the permalink.!← Our Proficio VolunteersLegal Services Open House →

← TFC Turns 20!!!April Showers bring May Happy Hours Posted on April 30, 2014!

Leadership Council events always attract a great crowd!!!

The Leadership Council is shaking off those April showers by throwing a spring social, Wednesday, May 7th at The Hair of the Dog, located at 168 Orchard Street on the Lower East Side.!

Festivities are from 7p to 9p with free drinks the first hour, when you purchase the $20 bracelet at the door.  After 8p, enjoy drink specials including $2 cans and $8 pitchers, along with an array of delicious menu items.  Every single cent, 100%, of the proceeds earned through each bracelet will go to funding Family Center programming.!

If you have any questions about the social or want to learn more about the Leadership Council, please contact Tonya at 718-230-1379, ext. 122 or [email protected].!

Remember Wednesday, May 7th, 7p-9p.  Come out for a fantastic organization, mix and mingle with some new faces, and enjoy a drink or two to get you over the rest of the hump.!

This entry was posted in News, Upcoming Events. Bookmark the permalink.!

Q&A on Good Parenting Posted: April 30, 2014 | Author: The Family Center | Filed under: Social Service Story |Leave a comment!!To close out Child Abuse Prevention Month, we spoke with one of our expert Child Development Specialists in the ESLS program. Lina gave us a brief Q&A on preventing child abuse and why TFC is such an amazing advocate and support system for parents.!!

Q: As a professional in the field of child development, how you think the ESLS program prevents child abuse? A: ESLS prevents child abuse by providing supportive services for our families. We are a helpful and nurturing presence in the home that praises, educates and empowers. We observe the family life and converse about day-to-day parenting topics. We praise the positive as well as educate around family concerns.  We do not judge but empower parents to be better role models for their children. ! Q: What is your favorite part of being a part of the ESLS program? A: I truly enjoy the interaction with the families. I like meeting the children and I like the way we meet our families here. It’s not invasive. The families aren’t forced to be here; they’re just here to become better parents.! Q: With that said, many parents believe in spankings. What is your professional take on that? A: Spankings is a tricky topic. Many parents do believe in spankings and it’s not necessarily if they are bad or good, it’s understanding what is good parenting and not child abuse.  Everyone has to look at the results of continued spankings, like have they altered the child’s development in any way.! Q: How have you handled child abuse cases with client families in the past?

A: With my families, I express the importance of understanding what the state views as child abuse.  Everyone has their own method of parenting, and that’s fine, but when it comes to what is parenting and what is considered child abuse, we have to refer to what could have their children removed from the home.! Q: What do you think our local community as a whole can do to help prevent child abuse? A: I think the community needs more education. We all need to think of child abuse in a different way.  It’s not just the children that are battered and that you see headlining the news. It’s malnourished, unkept children. It’s children that may not have bruises but are being abused every day. We also need to look at how discipline is handled in the home on a cultural basis.! Q: What makes The Family Center a good place for a program like ESLS?A: TFC is a good place because we’re a community-based organization. We’re an organization that offers support and guidance, without judgment. Plus, we’re always smiling. A lot of my families say they like it here because we’re always happy. We’re happy people.

← TFC Hits the Runway at JFK!Information & Support for People Living with HIV →!!Legal Services Open House Posted: May 15, 2014! !

Thank you to everyone who joined the Legal Services Department for their open house Wednesday, May 14th, at the TFC office.  With 19 social service professionals from various organizations in attendance, the event was set up as a round-table discussion to introduce everyone to TFC’s legal services as well as to provide a networking opportunity among the organizations.!!

If you were unable to attend the open house, but would like more information about our legal services, please click here.!!!!!!!!!This entry was posted in News. Bookmark the permalink.!!!← TFC Hits the Runway at JFK!Information & Support for People Living with HIV →

← Don’t Blink ! ! Again Justice Prevails →! !TFC Experts on Domestic Violence Posted: June 9, 2014 | Author: The Family Center | Filed under: Social Service Story |Leave a comment!!

Family Net/ Family Connections Child Welfare Experts!!The US Department of Justice reports there are an estimated 960,000 domestic violence incidents per year, with approximately 6 million+ children witnessing this familial trauma.!!TFC’s FamilyNet/ Family Connections program works with a number of families impacted by domestic violence.  For Abused Women & Children Awareness Day, our expert team of counselors combined their years of knowledge to point out the warning signs and advise on ways to empower those affected by abuse.!!What are some of the the warning signs for someone who may be suffering from abuse?Aside from the bruises and marks, isolation is a significant indicator. Those suffering from abuse usually have no contact with their family or friends.  They tend to be distrustful of others and seek the approval of their abuser.  One of the biggest warning signs in children is fear of, or aversion to, interacting with others.  Spouses, or significant others, who constantly check in with their partners, or know nothing about household finances, can also be exhibiting signs of being in an abusive relationship.!!How can someone intervene if they suspect a friend or neighbor is being abused?Just be upfront and ask.  People will usually tell you the truth.  From there, you can ask specific questions.  Another good way is to ask the person about their feelings; it can help better identify what may be going on in the relationship.  Sometimes those suffering abuse simply need to say it out loud to realize they are being abused.!!What steps would you give someone who is trying to leave an abuser?!First, someone suffering from abuse needs a legal order of protection.  This serves as documentation that abuse is happening.  If someone leaving an abusive situation files for divorce, or there is a custody proceeding, the courts need this documentation.  Also, there needs to be a safety plan with schools attended by the children involved, so the abuser will not be able to remove the children without permission.  Family Net/ Family Connections experts also encourage clients in domestic violence situations to reach out to family or friends, because those recovering from abuse need a support system.  Domestic violence shelters and their counselors can also be a significant resource for a family’s recovery from domestic violence and its trauma.!!Eighty-five percent of women who leave an abusive relationship return, according to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence.  Why do you think victims return to their abusers so often?!Being in these relationships is almost behaviorally addictive.  It sometimes feels normal to women, so they keep going back.  Most victims also find it very difficult to be on their own.  They realize that it’s hard to provide food for the family, or the money is not there like it may have been previously.  It’s basically starting all over again and that can be very hard and also traumatic for a recovering family.!!What have you noticed in victims after they have left their abusers?!Once those suffering from abuse explore and address their self-esteem issues, and build up a support system, they thrive.  They usually want to do better for themselves and for their children.  The kids will get involved with more organized activities and the parents try to become more socially active.  Unfortunately, those fleeing domestic violence situations tend to pick the same kind of person in their next relationship.  Another stumbling block is that children sometimes act out or reflect behaviors that they witnessed.  For these reasons, we strongly recommend individual and family counseling so domestic abuse survivors can learn what is a healthy relationship, and parents and children can learn to deal with the emotional trauma.

← Lindsey Wilson’s Human Heart Tour Comes to TFC!Family Center Clients Exhibit Work at MoMA →!!Self Care Workshop Posted: July 21, 2014!! !

On Wednesday, July 23rd, The Family Center is hosting a Self-Care Workshop from 10am to 12pm at our Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn office. The workshop will teach caregivers how to take care of themselves physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually, while still taking care of others.   The two-hour session will include discussions, meditations, relaxation practices, and a chair yoga activity.  The Self-Care Workshop is open to current Family Center clients, 18 years-old and up, and everyone is welcome to bring a friend.!!If you would like to attend the workshop and learn how to recharge your battery as a caregiver, contact Julian at 718-230-1739, ext. 182.!!If you’re a service provider interested in self-care, please read our blog Advocacy Through

Self-Care.!!!!!!!!!This entry was posted in News. Bookmark the permalink.!!← Lindsey Wilson’s Human Heart Tour Comes to TFC!Family Center Clients Exhibit Work at MoMA →

Crafting Happiness Posted: August 18, 2014!

On Thursday, August 14th, Credit Suisse’s CFO Change staff team welcomed Family Center client families to their office at 11 Madison Avenue for an arts and crafts project.  Each person created two greeting cards -one for someone in their life and one for an area hospital or nursing home patient. Along with the help of Credit Suisse volunteers, client families demonstrated their artistic skills by decorating over 30 greeting cards with silk flowers, glitter, shapes, and stencils.  Volunteers’ and clients’ creative talents did not stop there, as they also designed posters with empowering messages like “Smile!” and “Love, Laugh, Learn.”  These custom cards and posters will be delivered by Family Center staff and clients to hospital and nursing home patients in the neighborhood of Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, where our main office is now located.  Our children and families thoroughly enjoyed themselves and are excited about their new friends at Credit Suisse!  Everyone at The Family Center is tremendously grateful to the staff team of CFO Change for this wonderful event.  We hope it will be the first of many!

This entry was posted in News. Bookmark the permalink.!!← The Buddy Program Visits The Staten Is Yankees!!TFC Pink Ladies + Gents Rock the Susan G. Komen Greater NYC Race for the Cure on Sept 7th →

School's in Session Posted: September 17, 2014 | Author: The Family Center | Filed under: Our Legal Lifeline, Social Service Story | Tags: intern, internship, student |Leave a comment!

L to R: David, Ifeoma, Adam Halper (Legal Services Director), Nkeonyeasua, and Nicolas!!With another school year starting, TFC welcomes a new batch of interns, Proficio volunteers, and fellows into the office.!In the last eight years, TFC has provided credit to over 100 interns, hailing from school such as NYU, CUNY, Columbia, and Fordham. This past summer TFC hosted Rachel (City University of New York School of Law), Rita (New York Law School), and Devin (Hofstra University of Law), who are featured in an upcoming intern vlog.  In the next few weeks and months, various departments will accommodate interns.!The legal department will host two fellows- David from Cardozo and Ifeoma from Columbia -and two Proficio volunteers: Nkeonyeasua (Harvard) and Nicolas (NYU).  While on staff, these students and pro

bono legal professionals have an opportunity to learn about an array of legal matters, like guardianship and adoption, and how to secure benefits, like housing and disability, for clients.!!

Right to left: Caitlin, Sofia, and Polly!!Over the next few months the research staff will enjoy the company of the new research interns- Caitlin (Hunter), Estefani (BMCC), Sylvia (Hunter), and Polly (SUNY Downstate).  While assisting research staff with The Buddy Program study and on-going evaluation of ESLS, they will also collaborate with the social service department, learning the process of survey administration.  Through this, these eager interns will gain knowledge of different assessment tools, such as KIPS, Ages and Stages questionnaire (ASQ) and Social Skills Improvement System assessment (SSIS).!!

Sabina!!The Family Support and Counseling Program has also welcomed Sabina (Brooklyn College Mental Health Counseling Master’s Program) this semester. Utilizing her previous experience working with children, Sabrina will expand her work to family counseling while at TFC.!TFC opens its doors to interns all year round. If you are interested in interning with the legal department, or becoming a Proficio volunteer, please contact Adam Halper at [email protected], if you are interested in learning more about becoming a research intern, please contact Casey Castro at [email protected], and for individuals interested in working with the family services

department, please contact Rebecca Kim at [email protected].

← TFC Pink Ladies + Gents Rock the Susan G. Komen Greater NYC Race for the Cure on Sept 7th!!!Fall Bereavement Group Posted: September 19, 2014!!The Family Center is now registering families for our free 10-week bereavement support group starting October 1st for children and their parents/caregivers who have lost a loved one. Register today!!! •! Who Should Attend? Children ages 6 – 16 and

parent/caregivers!! •! When? 5:30-7pm on Wednesday evenings,

starting October 1 and running for 10 weeks!! •! Meeting Location? The Family Center office at

493 Nostrand Avenue, on the northeast corner of Fulton Street and Nostrand Avenue!

Dinner will be served at every meeting and metrocards will be available for transportation home. Individual and family counseling are also available.!To register or more information, please contact Marya Gilborn at (718) 230-1379 x 114

This entry was posted in News, Upcoming Events and tagged bereavement, grief, grieving, services for caregivers, services for fathers, services for grandparents, support group. Bookmark the permalink.!!← TFC Pink Ladies + Gents Rock the Susan G. Komen Greater NYC Race for the Cure on Sept 7th

← Fall Bereavement Group!Steady Down the LinePosted on October 21, 2014!!September 26th, Linedata treated some of our families and children on their day off from school to a few games of bowling at Bowlmor Time Square.  The afternoon was filled with strikes, gutter balls, pizza and tons of laughter.  Along with just an all around good time, everyone was thrilled to be sharing the lanes with Linedata volunteers on the holiday Friday.!If you would like to sponsor an event for our families and children, please contact Development & Communications Director, Aileen Parker, for more information.

!! This entry was posted in News. Bookmark the permalink.← Fall Bereavement Group

RLM Public Relations was a full-service PR firm serving

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WFMU-FM While attending South by Southwest in Austin, on-air personality Benjamen Walker interviewed Group Commerce CEO Jonty Kelt.

BIZ REPORT Reporter Kristina Knight covered the announcement that Red Aril signed Mansueto Venture as a client.

PAIDCONTENT Writer Laura “Hazard” Owen covered the launch of Book Country’s self-publishing.

RLM PUBLIC RELATIONS

Penguin Group USA creates Book Country

PENGUIN GROUP USA ! Penguin Group (USA) Inc. is the U.S. affiliate of the internationally renowned Penguin Group, one of the largest English-language trade book publishers in the world. Formed in 1996 as a result of the merger between Penguin Books USA and The Putnam Berkley Group, Penguin Group (USA), is a leading U.S. adult and children's trade book publisher. The Penguin Group, with operations in the US, UK, Australia, Canada, India, New Zealand, Ireland, South Africa and China, is led by CEO and Chairman, John Makinson, and is owned by Pearson plc. Pearson is an international media company with market-leading businesses in education, business information, and consumer publishing.!

Penguin Group (USA) publishes under a wide range of prominent imprints and trademarks, among them Viking, G. P. Putnam's Sons, The Penguin Press, Riverhead Books, Dutton, Penguin Books, Berkley Books, Gotham Books, Portfolio, New American Library, Plume, Tarcher, Philomel, Grosset & Dunlap, Puffin, and Frederick Warne.

!Book Country is a place where readers and writers of genre fiction come together to read original fiction, post work or comments, and make a name for themselves. Our free community is a creative and supportive space where fiction writers and readers can give and receive constructive criticism, discover new and entertaining books, discuss and share tips and experiences, and learn about the publishing industry. Book Country aims to be useful, egalitarian, and merit-based while fostering an atmosphere of encouragement and creativity.!!Book Country also offers a convenient and affordable way to self-publish eBooks and print books. With a variety of services available, we want you to be able to put your book on the map. As Book Country grows, we will continue to offer additional features and services we think you will appreciate.

by Julie Bosman

!!In the old days of publishing, getting your manuscript into the hands of an editor often meant mailing the unsolicited finished product to the offices of literary agents or editors, where it would receive a cursory look from an editorial assistant — or none at all.!

A modern version of the slush pile is the online “writing community,” a Web site where aspiring novelists can post their ideas, writing samples or manuscripts and open them to comments and reviews from strangers.!

On Tuesday Penguin Group USA, the publisher of Tom Clancy, Kathryn Stockett and Nora Roberts, will unveil its own venture, Book Country, a Web site for writers of genre fiction.!

In its initial phase Book Country will allow writers to post their own work — whether it’s an opening chapter or a full manuscript — and receive critiques from other users, who can comment on points like character

development, pacing and dialogue. Later this summer the site will generate revenue by allowing users to self-publish their books for a fee by ordering printed copies. (The books will bear the stamp of Book Country, not Penguin, and the site is considered a separate operation from Penguin.)!

The site will also explain the business of finding an agent, marketing and promoting a book, using social media and handling digital and subsidiary rights.!

Penguin hopes the site will attract agents, editors and publishers scouting for new talent, and allow writers to produce work with more polish and direction than they could otherwise.!

The project has been spearheaded by Molly Barton, the director of business development for Penguin and the president of Book Country.!

“One of the things I remember really clearly from my early editorial experiences was this feeling of guilt,” Ms. Barton said in an interview. “I would read submissions and not be able to help the writer because we couldn’t find a place for them on the list that I was acquiring for. And I kept feeling that there was something we could do on the Internet to really help writers help each other.”!

Book Country users are invited to submit work in certain genres: romance, fantasy, science fiction,

thriller and mystery. Those categories are broken down into subgenres like military science fiction, steampunk, space opera and alternate history.!

In one discussion in a test version of the Web site, users debated the question, “Is your hook ‘high concept?’ ” (A sample from a writer who signed in as K. S. Brown: “A vampire is kidnapped and tortured, and the man her secret government sends to rescue her is a weredragon, the ancient enemy of all vampires.”)!

To discourage plagiarism, administrators have disabled the copy-and-paste and print mechanisms on the site.!

Ms. Barton said she had been influenced by Web sites like Ravelry, a popular site for knitters and crocheters. It has more than 1.3 million registered users.!

Countless writers’ Web sites have popped up in recent years, including Writers Cafe, Protagonize and Mibba, but executives at Penguin said other sites did not provide so comprehensive an experience as the site they wanted to create.!

“It’s connecting disparate pieces that writers had to go to three or four different sites to find,” Ms. Barton said.!

Aspiring Authors Get Help Online

Penguin Adds Self-Publishing To Writing Community Site Book Country By Laura Hazard Owen ! @laurahazardowen!

Nov 16, 2011 9:41 AM ET!!Aspiring writers come to Book Country, Penguin Group USA’s online genre fiction community, to post and workshop their romance, science fiction/fantasy, thriller and mystery manuscripts in progress. Now Book Country is adding a self-publishing option, with packages ranging from $99 to $549. While companies like HarperCollins have launched their own writing communities, Penguin is the first “big six” publisher to add self-publishing tools to its offerings.!

Penguin launched Book Country in April. The site is overseen by Penguin global digital director Molly Barton and has about 4,000 members who have published 561 books. A “small number” of Book Country members have found agents, Penguin says. The rest can now choose “a new kind of self-publishing that offers a more professional product and provides guidance that isn’t currently available from other players,” Penguin CEO David Shanks said in a statement.!

SEE ALSO: HarperCollins' Writing Community Site Authonomy Adds E-Book Imprint!

Book Country provides users with three self-publishing packages: $99 for a user-formatted e-book; $299 for a user-formatted print and e-book; and $549 for a professionally formatted print and e-book. Those who select the $549 option can choose from six styles created by Penguin’s in-house designers. Each style corresponds to a certain book genre: “The Sensation” for sci-fi/fantasy titles, for example, or “The Riddler” for mysteries and thrillers. Users can make up to 15 free formatting changes before the book is published.!

Users can also choose from a variety of options for distributing their book. “Wide distribution” means that the book is sold on Book Country as well as across e-bookstore like Amazon (NSDQ: AMZN), Apple (NSDQ: AAPL), Barnes & Noble (NYSE: BKS), Google (NSDQ: GOOG), Kobo and others. “Basic distribution” is on Book Country only, and users get a discount for selecting that option. Books can also be kept private if users just want to sell them to a select group of people.!

There are certain pricing rules: E-books have to be at least $0.99, for example, and print books have to be priced equal to or above the manufacturing cost (Book Country provides guidance once it knows how long the print book will be). An e-book can’t be priced higher than its print equivalent. DRM is available for titles above $2.99; titles below $2.99 are DRM-free.!

For books sold on Book Country, users earn a 70 percent royalty if the book is priced above $2.99, and a 30 percent royalty if the book is priced between $0.99 and $2.95. The royalty rate is the same on third-party sites, but there, since third-party sites also charge fees, a user receives the 70 percent royalty minus the third-party fee. For example, an e-book published by Book Country and sold on Amazon for $2.99 gets 70 percent royalty from Amazon: $2.09. The Book Country user then gets 70 percent of the $2.09: $1.47. Users are paid via PayPal every 30 days with a minimum payment of $50. If a user doesn’t reach $50 within three months, he or she gets paid and the cycle restarts.!

Shanks told the WSJ that Penguin has invested “a substantial amount of money” in Book Country’s technology, and that while the company may offer some of Book Country’s most successful self-published authors traditional publishing contracts, it won’t refer authors it rejects to Book Country: That “wouldn’t be appropriate,” Barton said.!

HarperCollins’ online writing community, Authonomy, recently launched its own digital imprint, which “hand picks” the best works on the site and publishes them as original e-books. But this appears to be the first time a traditional publisher has launched a separate self-publishing operation. It is a smart strategy: While Penguin is unlikely to pick up almost any of the authors publishing on Book Country and offer them traditional contracts (Authonomy has done so a few times), it is keeping these authors close and engaged with its brand and is turning them into an additional revenue stream. And if it is in search of new genre fiction authors, it knows where to look first.!

Welcome to Book Country!

At BEA (Book Expo America) I had the chance to learn about Book Country, a new online community for writers.  I really liked what I saw and thought Book Country had a little something special that I haven't seen in other online communities.  We have many aspiring authors and editors who follow this blog, so we thought y'all would enjoy getting to know a little bit more about Book country. We have a Q & A with Book Country President, Molly Barton.  We hope you enjoy what you see and head on over to Book Country!! !

Molly Barton, President !Molly Barton, the president of Book Country, has overseen the company from its inception. She has a history of success and innovation in book publishing. Always looking for better ways to serve writers and readers, she leads Penguin’s efforts to publish apps, enhanced and amplified eBooks, and eSpecials, which are digital-only essays and short stories. Molly helped launch the successful Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award Contest for Penguin, and she continues to develop digital publishing projects, new business models, strategies, and partnerships in her role as director of business development at Penguin Group (USA). Molly started at Penguin in 2004 as an editor and she still edits a select group of fiction writers for Viking and other imprints. She previously held editorial and marketing roles at Oxford University Press. She has worked with many well-known authors including Terry McMillan,

Melissa Bank, Nick Hornby, Meg Rosoff, Laura Dave, Ceridwen Dovey and Anya Ulinich. Molly earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from Wesleyan University, where she was also a Ford Fellow in the Writing Program.!

!What was the idea behind Book Country? What does Book Country provide that other sites don't? The idea is to build a truly useful place for aspiring genre fiction writers to get read. We saw writers becoming frustrated with some of the other online writing sites that overpromise while providing little real guidance to writers. At Book Country, writers who participate in the community and share work or chapters of their work may well get noticed by editors and agents who are reading fiction on the site. And one of Penguin’s goal as parent company of Book Country is to build a new way to discover talent.!!But the focus of Book Country is on writers helping writers in a constructive environment that is also a fun place for readers. When writers upload their fiction to the site, we ask them to specify the two criteria where they are most interested in getting feedback, e.g. plot, pacing, character development, so that they get the most out of the reviews from fellow Book Country members. !!Membership is free. Book Country is focused on science fiction, fantasy, romance, mystery and thriller. We are not trying to be all things to all writers – we are building a community of like-minded writers so that they can give one another helpful feedback and so that we can do the best job of connecting writers to appropriate readers.!!To that end, Book Country gives writers discoverability tools like tagging, faceted search, and the Genre Map. The groundbreaking Genre Map provides readers with a fun and visual way to browse 42 subgenres to find something they’d like to read. Writers who upload their work answer a few questions about their book and Book Country places them on the map according to compass points like light vs. dark, funny vs. scary, realistic vs. fantastic, sexy vs. innocent. The map also features Landmark Titles, which are well-known books in each subgenre so readers can browse by checking out new writers who appear near writers whose work they know and like. !

To that end, Book Country gives writers discoverability tools like tagging, faceted search, and the Genre Map. The groundbreaking Genre Map provides readers with a fun and visual way to browse 42 subgenres to find something they’d like to read. Writers who upload their work answer a few questions about their book and Book Country places them on the map according to compass points like light vs. dark, funny vs. scary, realistic vs. fantastic, sexy vs. innocent. The map also features Landmark Titles, which are well-known books in each subgenre so readers can browse by checking out new writers who appear near writers whose work they know and like. !!

The Genre Map

(click to view full size picture)!!To help make sure that writers on Book Country find readers, we have a rule in place that if you post work to the site, you must read and review three other writers’ books on the site before we’ll make your book visible to the community. We also have a Section on the Books home page called Waiting to be Discovered, an area that features new titles that were recently uploaded and have not yet received any Peer Reviews. !!Writers can hash out craft and business questions on our Discussions forum. Established authors and Book Country staff members drop in to the Discussion Boards to answer questions and moderate the discussions about such topics as How to Write A Sex Scene, Writing the Other and Writing Fight Scenes.!!How do aspiring authors interact with industry professionals through Book Country? The focus of Book Country is on writers helping writers and we take merit very seriously – the peer reviews on the site are reviewed by the community (thumbs up or down for ‘constructive feedback’) and members gain or lose influence in the community depending on these ratings and the level of activity. This means that writers cannot post work to the site and invite all their friends to the site to “vote them up” – it won’t work because brand new members’ comments are not weighted as heavily as established and well respected members of the community. !!All of that said, we do welcome book industry professionals as Book Country members; we have agents and editors (from many publishing houses, not just Penguin) in our community already! They all have their own reasons for being part of the Book Country: some are there as writers themselves; a few of them are there incognito so they can give helpful feedback and participate in writing discussions without the whole weight of their profession there to intimidate a writer; and yes, a lot of them are there reading for new talent. One of our early beta users found agent representation this way. !!If an agent or an editor wants to get in touch with one of our members, he or she can write to us and we’ll arrange an email introduction, if the author gives us permission to do so. There is no direct messaging on the site so people can’t ‘spam’ each other with unwanted messages but we will facilitate email introductions if both parties consent.!!What are your goals and vision for Book Country? Ideally, I’d love to find writers on Book Country that I can bring to the Penguin editors for publication! There are some extraordinary writers on this site already. !!And we want to see the community grow even bigger. We’ve only been in public beta for five weeks, but already we have almost 2700 members and more than 400 manuscripts posted.!

In the late summer, we’ll be launching self-publishing services for those writers interested in pursuing a non-traditional publishing path. We’re building the system in-house; there are so many self-publishing companies offering expensive – and sometimes deceptive – services, services that were designed by engineers and technologists rather than publishers and people who love books. I really felt we could do better.!!What has been the most rewarding response to the opening of Book Country? We’ve received so many emails, Tweets and links to blog posts where writers tell us how much being a part of Book Country has helped them become better writers. It’s really gratifying to know that we’re affecting real people in a tangible way.!!What are some of your favorite/must read postings on Book Country right now? I particularly like delving into the Discussions forum, where writers and readers are having smart conversations about all kinds of things. One of my favorite threads right now is a very funny conversation about traits in romance heroines that drive readers crazy. [link - http://www.bookcountry.com/Community/Discussions/Default.aspx?id=112467]. Another is a thread about whether writer share their writing with romantic partners. [link - http://www.bookcountry.com/Community/Discussions/Default.aspx?id=100108].!!As for books, our community manager Colleen Lindsay recommends a steampunky-romance called Shadows Over Love [link - http://www.bookcountry.com/Books/BookDetails.aspx?bookId=100037], and Danielle Poiesz, our editorial coordinator, really likes a Regency romance called Fly Me to the Stars [link - http://bookcountry.com/Books/BookDetails.aspx?bookId=101733]. And I’ve just finished reading a contemporary romance called Family Ties [link - http://www.bookcountry.com/Books/BookDetails.aspx?bookId=100118] that I really enjoyed. !

Penguin Unveils Social Network for Genre Fiction at Book Expo '11

By Shel Horowitz, Editor, Down to Business/Global Arts Review

Book Country is a new social network specifically for fans and writers of genre fiction: mysteries, thrillers, science fiction, fantasy, and romance. Owned by print publishing giant Penguin, Book Country is open to authors from any publisher, as long as they write within one of the genres.!

I interviewed Molly Barton, President of Book Country and Director of Business Development at Penguin Group (USA ) (when necessary for context, my questions are in italics; my comments are in square brackets):!

I created Book Country because I wanted to create a real stepping stone for aspiring fiction writers to improve their work, learn how to describe their work in the most advantageous manner, and to learn about the various publishing paths available to them. I also saw self-publishing companies offering very expensive services designed by technologists rather than publishers or marketers, and felt we could do better.

Why authors from all houses and not just Penguin authors?

I felt it was important to give fiction writers a holistic view. The Landmark Books [well-known titles in a genre] are from publishers across the industry!

[The site categorizes books not only by genre, but also by their rank in several sets of statistics that provide social proof: essentially, a curatorial function-helping readers choose books they'll like or that will be especially helped by their feedback. The site lists books in this order:] . At the top: Book Country favorites: highest rated by community in five genres. . Next, Buzz Books: most activity . Below, Waiting to Be Discovered.!

As a writer, you're free to upload work in progress or finished work, but you have to review three other people's work before yours is visible.!

What makes the site unique?

Several things, actually. We try to focus heavily on discoverability, and to that end we created the Genre Map, which allows writers and readers a way to focus on genres with a particular kind of granularity, using tones (light vs. dark; funny vs. scary; sexy vs. innocent; realistic vs. fantastic) as compass points on the maps.

We also offer a Waiting to Be Discovered area on the main book page, which bubbles up newly-posted fiction that hasn't yet been critiqued. Other things that make us different: Authors can request feedback on the specific criteria (i.e., plot, character development, setting, etc) where they feel they need the most help. Recommendations can be integrated with social media [sent to Facebook and Twitter]. No Flash is used. Our Reader was designed to emulate an e-reader experience, and as such is really a great reading experience. Viewers can adjust the font size and style, and readers can take notes on the fly [with a post-it-note-type feature keyed to different areas of feedback requested].!

We review the reviewers and are instituting a true meritocracy, unlike some other sites where authors can stack reviews with their friends. Readers can vote on whether a review is constructive, and the reviewer gains or loses karma based on that. If [top-rated reviewers] say a book is great, it matters more.!

Why just genre categories?

People ask, why don't you have nonfiction, poetry, literary fiction? I wanted to do genre fiction because I want readers to know this is a focused site, and it's easy for them to find something they'd like to read. You can use the favorites, buzz books, top lists within genre, or you can go into our faceted search [hierarchical menus including tags and peer review criteria].I also wanted to create a visual echo of the serendipity you find in a traditional brick & mortar bookstore. Because people always describe new books in reference to existing books, if you go to the genre map, you can see the landmarks [well-known books as compass points along the matrix, once you've clicked on an icon in the above screen]. Click on points nearby to get [similar] book recommendations.!

[Barton and her team also have a sense of play; at the expo, they distributed buttons that incorporated the Book Country logo - the bright red nib of a fountain pen - into fun graphics such as the "nerd alert" radiating beacon, and a "born to write" button in which the nib looked suspiciously like swimming sperm.!

When did you get started?

We soft-launched - what we've been calling a "public beta" - on April 26. Book Country is a free community, but to review books or participate in a discussion, you do need to join the site. Right now, non-members can read up to 5000 words of any manuscript; once you've joined and logged in, can read up to 30,000 words of any manuscript. You can "Request to Connect" with another writer if you'd like to read that writer's entire work. And we're hoping to have books by Book Country members for sale on the Genre Map when we launch (late summer).

How will you monetize?

Several ways. In late summer, we'll be launching self-publishing services, on a system we're currently building ourselves. We're also hoping we'll find some great new writers for our Penguin editors. The writers on Book Country have no obligation to Penguin, but we have do have editors watching closely. There are a number of literary agents who have joined the site, too, as well as editors from other publishing houses. One of our beta users has already found representation this way.

What else do you offer?

Well, the coolest thing about Book Country is the Genre Map, of course, but we also have a big discussions forum focused on genre fiction, as well as the craft and business of writing; we've gotten a huge number of posts already. We moderate fairly heavily and like to think we offer a more writer-focused series of discussions that some other online communities. We also have a magazine-style blog where we're commissioning articles from writers and publishing professionals; we'll use this as conduit for educating writers about the book business.!

How many people are involved?

Four full-time employees, plus a service agreement with Penguin, plus five developers. Colleen Lindsay, our community manager, a former associate director of publicity for Del Rey Books, is a genre fiction specialist with 24 years of experience in publishing and bookselling; she's also very active on Twitter, with more than 70,000 followers. Danielle Poiesz, a former associate editor at Pocket Books, is our editorial coordinator; in addition to acquiring romance and urban fantasy titles for Pocket, Danielle was also the community manager for the Pocket After Dark online urban fantasy community. And my own publishing background includes a long stint in Penguin editorial before moving into business development.

AND HOW MANY READERS AND WRITERS, BOTH OVERALL AND BY GENRE?

We've been in public beta for less than five weeks but already we have nearly 2700 Book Country members, with more than 400 manuscripts posted. Right now, our most populated genres are fantasy and romance, but the other genres are catching up fast!

How are you promoting the site?

We're attending writers' conferences, genre conventions like New York ComicCon and trade shows like BEA to talk about Book Country. At BEA alone, we gave more than 100 Book Country demos to media folks, publishing professionals. We're also using social media like Facebook and Twitter in smart ways; we've contracted with a PR firm to do more traditional media outreach; and just generally spreading the word through personal connections. It's been a very exciting time for us!

!!!

If you’re a writer, it’s time to explore Book Country NICHOLAS LIM/METRO!08 August 2011 03:51!

!!Most how-to books on the creative process tell writers to stay far away from the time-suck that is the Internet. But Book Country, a new online platform, lets  new writers get exposure, motivation and, most importantly, feedback. Focused on the genres of romance, fantasy, science fiction, thriller and mystery,  members can upload a work in progress, explore and provide notes about work already posted, and participate in discussions about the business and craft of writing.“Traditionally, a writer has to have a full manuscript before reviews are possible. With Book Country, he just has to upload a few chapters and he will be able to get feedback on his work,” says Molly Barton, president of the site. “It makes the whole process less intimidating.”Book Country also focuses on reciprocity.? Members are allowed to upload work only after they have provided reviews for three other works. “All the reviews are moderated. And the reviews by more established members will weigh more than reviews by newer members,” Barton says. “This way, a writer cannot ask his friends to join and give his own work a raving review. This maintains the integrity of our website.”!

NEW YORK!!!Book Country’s “Genre Map” arranges and organizes the many types of fiction, which can range from “paranormal romance” to “military science fiction.”!

WeatherTrends 360WEATHERTRENDS INTERNATIONAL

WeatherTrends360.com is powered by Weather Trends International, the business that was ranked by Forbes in 2009 as #5 on their Top 200 list and is ranked as the leader in long range weather forecasting. Weather Trends International is comprised of an experienced team of veteran meteorologists, scientists and mathematicians who have spent their professional lives studying weather. WeatherTrends360.com's success in being able to share future weather trends isn’t new, in fact this proprietary and highly reliable technology has been tried, tested and proven over the past 8 years with leading retailers, businesses and countries.

At WeatherTrends360.com, we believe in being able to see weather almost a year in advance to plan for the days that matter most to you. We all know what it’s like to plan a party, wedding or vacation only to have the weather "not cooperate" and cause for some last minute changes. !!Seeing the future weather for events that are important to you allows you to better prepare, plan, and maybe even adjust your special days to take advantage of what the weather will bring.

! App offers advance weather forecasts By Kari Bodnarchuk !Globe Correspondent / June 26, 2011 ! !Weather Trends International makes planning and packing for trips easier, as it provides forecasts up to a year in advance for more than 6.4 million locations in 195 countries. And it does so with more than 80 percent accuracy. The company’s new website, www.weathertrends360.com, and iPhone app provide monthly, daily, and hourly forecasts, including projected high and low temperatures, and rainfall and snowfall trends; a customizable e-mail alert system that delivers personalized weather information; a weather planner; and 14 global weather maps that track lightning, wave heights, UV indices, and sunshine hours. The full version of the app costs 99 cents through iTunes, while the website provides full access to all the information with a free membership. 610-807-3585, www.weathertrends360.com

!!!!July 7, 2011

Clear Forecasts All Year Long Sometimes making plans more than a week or two in advance can be nearly impossible. A meeting on the links, for example, can be hard to pinpoint according to the weather. But many golf courses require bookings weeks or months in advance and, unfortunately, most weather outlets can only make ten-day forecasts. A rainout may not be the end of the world on most occasions, but what if you planned your trip to Scotland specifically to tea-off on St. Andrew’s famed greens?!

Enter Weather Trends International (WTI), a company that’s been providing year-ahead weather forecasting in 195 countries with an impressive eighty percent accuracy. It has its roots in business weather guidance for retailers, manufacturers and agricultural firms as varied as Wal-Mart, Energizer, Clorox and even Hershey’s. “We’ve been a trusted weather information provider to more than a hundred marquee companies for almost a decade, and now we’re proud to introduce our year-ahead weather forecasting to the consumer market,” said Bill Kirk, chief executive officer of Weather Trends International.!While their math-based statistical forecasting technology was previously only available to clients making billion-dollar marketing decisions impacted by weather, WTI’s global forecasts are now available to the public atWeatherTrends360.com. This means that small businesses owners, as well as the titans of industry, can craft their business plans around the year’s weather patterns. It also means that leisure travelers can book a well-deserved getaway with the sunshine they’re craving.!As of this month, the full version WeatherTrends360 iPhone App is available in the App store for 99 cents, although the Web site also provides full access to all information with a free membership. iPad and Android applications are in the works and will be available soon.!

June 29, 2011 2:50 PM PDT

WT360 Pro for iOS predicts next year's weather

by Amanda Kooser !!I'm really looking forward to the light rain showers that are predicted to fall on Albuquerque, N.M., on Wednesday, May 2, 2012. Coupled with a high of 88 degrees, it should be a lovely day. I'm marking it on my calendar to play hooky from work.!I'm privy to this knowledge thanks to WT360 Pro, a 99-cent app for the iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad that gives weather forecasts up to 360 days into the future. It's as close to a weather crystal ball as you can get.!WT360 Pro isn't just guessing blindly. It's tied in with the Weather Trends International site, a place to go for weather forecasts and long-range future predictions. The company uses a super-secret formula that takes into account weather history and statistics.!

There are plenty of practical applications for an app like this. You could figure out if that lavish outdoor wedding you're planning for next spring is likely to happen amid a monsoon. You could choose your fall vacation destination based on which beach town will have the nicest weather.!!Really, this makes sense for anyone arranging travel plans for months down the line. Should the NFL season actually happen, then the Super Bowl in Indianapolis could be played on a day when the low should hit 17 degrees. Pack a down jacket.!The WT360 app capably handles short-term forecasts as well, though it's not as slick-looking as some of the other weather apps out there. A neat little animated weather map feature gives you a look at temperatures in different regions around the world. !Ultimately, WT360 doesn't need to blow you away with the visuals. The developers know that the real draw is its 1,000-yard stare into the future.!

!Roamings !SEE THE FUTURE (WEATHER, THAT IS) !!Want to know if it will be sunny in Italy the week you've chosen to go next spring? !Weather Trends International, recently named one of Forbes' most promising companies, has a launched a website and iPhone app giving consumers access to global weather forecasts for a year. WeatherTrends360.com projects high and low temperatures, as well as precipitation, in more than six million locations, and claims to do so with 80% accuracy. Take that six o'clock news.

http://archives.warpradio.com/btr/ComputerAmerica/061722.mp3

!• • •

Group Commerce is the market-leading platform for publishers who want to succeed in e-commerce. Our company serves the three groups that make an eCommerce program work: the consumer, the publisher, and the merchant.

!We have the platform. Our technology has been designed to serve the unique needs of brands and media companies from the ground up. It’s an enterprise-grade platform that serves as a true command center for a publisher’s eCommerce program; there’s nothing else like it out there. !!We match our platform with best-in-class services. We know exactly what it takes to succeed. Through our professional services, we’re the only company that provides all of the necessary know-how to help publishers win in eCommerce (e.g. payment processing, customer service, merchant sourcing, merchandising strategy, etc).!

!Founded in 2010, Group Commerce is backed by Spark Capital, Carmel Ventures, Lerer Ventures, and Bob Pittman. Our clients include Boston.com, CBS Local, Chegg.com, DailyCandy, Hearst Publications, Meredith Corporation, the New York Times, Thrillist, and many more.

by David Rosenblatt!Chairman!

by Jonty Kelt!CEO!

Group Commerce Powers Buying Efforts For Web Publishersby Gavin O'Malley, Friday, March 11, 2011 4:05 PM

At the risk of reshaping online advertising, Jonty Kelt is on a mission to turn every Web publisher into a Groupon-like deal service.!As CEO of Group Commerce -- which he recently co-founded with some fellow DoubleClick and Google alums -- Kelt is out to prove that publishers hold a key advantage over Groupon and its many clones. Simply put, publishers have "connections with unique audiences," Kelt tells Online Media Daily.!

Sure, commercially inclined publishers with targeted audiences might be better-suited to the deal game. But Kelt says: "Ultimately, all audiences have needs, and no one knows those needs better than publishers."!

Off to a strong start, Group Commerce is already powering group-buying efforts for The New York Times, Meredith Corporation, Thrillist and DailyCandy.!

Amid a crowd of white-label technology platforms, Group Commerce hopes to set itself apart. It's offering what Kelt calls "merchandising strategy," which helps publishers plan and execute their own deal strategies.!

Presently, the company has four staffers dedicated to such merchandising efforts, along with three customer-service representatives that can help a publishers' audience answer any questions or concerns they have regarding a deal.!

Group Commerce also has 15 sales associates that will cultivate merchant deals for publishers, if they prefer not to put their own salespeople on the job.!

Having just raised $8 million in capital, however, Kelt says the company plans to employ about 100 salespeople by the end of the year, and expand their presence from five cities to 20.!

For its services, Group Commerce takes a share of deal-generated revenue, which varies based on the extent to which it helps publishers. Some publishers, including the NYT and Thrillist, use their own salespeople to sell daily deals. According to Kelt, however, daily deals do not threaten existing media buying and planning structures.!

On the contrary, he insists, "we're opening up a new area for them -- local, in particular. That doesn't mean that national advertisers can't participate [in daily deals], but it serves a very different purpose" than other forms of online advertising.!

Forrester analyst Sucharita Mulpuru agrees. "It's its own separate channel," she says. "It's a different bucket."!

As such, Mulpuru believes that adding daily deal services to content and marketing mixes is a "no-brainer" for publishers. "There's a lot of hype [around group buying], but it's a very lucrative model ... and publishers are struggling to figure out how to make more money."!

Formerly head of DoubleClick's search technology and services businesses in Europe and Asia, Kelt co-founded Group Commerce in 2010 along with David Rosenblatt, formerly CEO of DoubleClick and now Group Commerce Chairman, and Andrew Glenn, credited with developing the DoubleClick Ad Exchange and now CTO of Group Commerce.!

The company's current investors include Spark Capital, Carmel Ventures, Lerer Media Ventures and Bob Pittman, who founded MTV Networks and now serves as chairman of media and entertainment platforms at Clear Channel.!

Over the next four years, spending on domestic "deal-a-day" offers will approach $4 billion, according to recent estimates from BIA/ Kelsey. That's up from $873 million in 2010, which would represent a 35.1% compound annual growth rate, according to the market research firm.

Hearst's Groupon Clone Could Be A Huge Business Noah Davis | Jul. 19, 2011, 11:50 AM | 1,599 | !!Hearst plans to launch a daily deals service later this summer, starting with offerings targeting the

subscribers of Road & Track and Car and Driver. By the end of the year, the company plans to be selling

group deals for all its magazine brands. !Hearst is partnering with Group Commerce, the company that provides platforms for brands such as

Thrillist and DailyCandy. !We spoke with Vinicius Vacanti - an expert in the space and founder of Yipit, a service that finds you

great local deals by learning your tastes - to get his thoughts on whether Hearst can turn this Groupon

clone into a viable business. His answer? In a word: yes. In four, it could be big. Vacanti, who hopes the

daily deals model succeeds since it will be good for his startup, tells us that the largest barrier to daily

deals startups is acquiring a customer base. Hearst already has this, so their difficulty will be converting

a magazine's readers into purchasers. !"The biggest challenge is convincing the audience that this is a good deal. Groupon does that implicitly

because it's a group-buying platform," he says. "For the reader, why should they believe that the

magazine is giving them a good deal on this product? I think what's really important for these media

companies is to be very clear and explain why this is a good deal. How did this deal come about?" "If they can convince their readers that this is a service, not an advertisement, they could do very well. They need to say something like, 'All of you readers are buying the same set of goods. We're going to go

to those providers and convince them to give us a deal so that you're getting a deal on things you're

already buying.'" !Hearst could face problems of location and scale, however, as Vacanti says daily deals works better on a

local level than a national one. It would be a better business model to have 800,000 readers in New York

(sort of like this?) than 800,000 scattered around the country, but it's not a dealbreaker. There are some

categories such as travel that have fared well on a nationwide scale. Hearst is betting that cars will translate across the country. !Group deals are a cheap business with huge upside. The expenses are minimal - sales people to secure

deals and technology costs from Group Commerce. Vacanti thinks the company will only need to sell "in the hundreds" for the initiative to be in good shape financially. Hearst should be able to convert that many readers into buyers without much trouble. !In the end, of course, "it all comes down to execution." Considering the model is there, the technology

exists, and the overhead is low, it's hard not to see the magazine company finding another revenue

stream. Expect a deluge of deals in the near future. !"If this works for Hearst, then you are going to see every magazine in the country do a daily deals,"

Vacanti says. !!Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/hearsts-groupon-clone-could-be-a-huge-business-2011-7?

utm_source=alerts#ixzz1kcHnPICU

http://www.wfmu.org/playlists/shows/39639

Group Commerce Hooks Up Boston.com With Group-Buying Written on May 25, 2011 !!ADOTAS – Hey publishers, why let Groupon have all the group-buying fun? Especially when Group Commerce can easily plug in its group-buying and social commerce platform to your site to let the deals go flying. !!Already powering group-buying initiatives at The New York Times, Thrillist and DailyCandy, Group Commerce has just added Boston.com to its roster of publishers. The new Boston Deals service will allow local merchants to offer wicked discounts to 1.3 million monthly uniques around Beantown. !!As space leader Groupon signs deals with location-based mobile social networks like Foursquare and Loopt, Group Commerce’s plug-and-play platform is an interesting twist to the ever-expanding group-buying game. Local-centric sites like Boston.com offer not only a geotargeted audience, but typically an engaged reader base — exactly who local and smaller merchants want to reach. !!Group Commerce was founded in 2010 and is financially backed by Spark Capital, Carmel Ventures, Lerer Ventures and Bob Pittman. It’s executive team boasts a slew of DoubleClick veterans, including former CEO David Rosenblatt in the position of executive chairman, former search head Jonty Kelt as CEO and former engineering head Andrew Glenn playing CTO.

Red ArilJIM SOSS CEO!

Jim is a seasoned interactive marketing executive with a passion for building teams that deliver a strategic advantage within competitive markets. Prior to joining Red Aril, Jim was vice president of multichannel marketing services at Acxiom Corporation, where he was responsible for uniting global businesses that spanned both digital and traditional marketing ($300M+). Jim initially joined Acxiom as vice president and general manager of Acxiom Digital (formerly Digital Impact, Inc.) a leading digital solution provider and top twenty-five interactive agency. Before Acxiom, Jim spent several years with infoGROUP as vice president of sales, business operations, client services, and professional consultancy. Prior to the Internet age, Jim built an extensive background in enterprise software and previously served as an executive with Starlight Networks, Sybase, Inc., and Pansophic Systems. Jim holds a B.S.E. from Princeton University and an M.B.A. with high honors distinction from the University of Chicago, Booth School of Business.

Red Aril was founded on the basic premise that data is one of the most valuable — and most underutilized — assets in the digital ecosystem today. Everyone recognizes the value of that data, but no one knows how to fully access, manage and optimize it.!

We set out to combine data analytics, online advertising and CRM veterans with one goal in mind:  to develop the first truly integrated Data Management and Audience Optimization Platform (DMP). To do that, we collected every type of data — public and private, structured and unstructured, online and offline – and translated that data into something meaningful for our audience of marketers. We then put that data to practical use within our customers' worlds.!

The result is the Red Aril DMP, a unique Data Management and Audience Optimization Platform that truly solves the data complexity problem in a unique and compelling fashion.!

Today Red Aril is a unit of iCrossing, a global digital marketing agency that combines talent and technology to build connected brands. So now we're not simply a different kind of data company, but a company that provides a cross-channel view of customers in real time, identifying high-value audiences with greater precision than ever before to reach the most valuable customers on a more personal level.!

!BizReport: Advertising: May 25, 2011!

Two new partnerships offer advertisers control over privacy, relevant messaging In 2011 it has become clear that brands' need to not only connect with consumers through relevant, engaging ads, but they also need to assure consumers' privacy within the space. Two new partnerships should help brands do both. by Kristina Knight !!First up, the DoubleVerify/AudienceScience partnership. Through the partnership DoubleVerify's BrandAssure solution will verify where ads are placed so that advertisers know they are reaching brand appropriate, engaged audiences. It will help brands remain or become compliant with Online Behavioral Advertising, IAB Europe's European Framework for Online Behavioural Advertising and DAA Self-Regulatory Program (US) tenets. !!"Transparency and accountability are increasingly important in online advertising. Campaign tracking is now more complex as agencies, ad networks and DSPs run ads in mass quantities. Furthermore, self-regulation in Europe and the US is now a mandate from the industry and government regulators. Third-party media verification and consumer disclosure through the enhanced notice icon are positive steps toward building trust all around with the consumer and with the companies working in the ecosystem," sand Oren Netzer, Co-Founder and CEO, DoubleVerify. !!Next up, the Mansueto Ventures/Red Aril endeavor. Mansueto publishes 'Inc.' and 'Fast Company'. Through this partnership Red Aril will help to personalize content, assuring advertisers and publishers using Mansueto Ventures' platform of a more engaging user experience. Red Aril will help to create 'sophisticated profiles' through which content can be targeted to users tastes. !!"We're seeing increasing demand for this kind of full-circle, real time audience targeting from sophisticated marketers across industries. We're excited that Masueto singled out Red Aril for its ability to support the breadth of its data management needs," said Jim Soss, CEO, Red Aril.

!!!!!!!Fast, affordable access to working capital, regardless of size.!

The Receivables Exchange is the online marketplace for selling accounts receivable. We connect businesses seeking working capital to a global network of accredited institutional investors. Since its inception, the Exchange has helped thousands of companies get capital on their terms.!

The Receivables Exchange LLC, with offices in New Orleans and New York, is a subsidiary of the New Orleans Exchange (NOE).!!

The Receivables Exchange

!!Justin Brownhill, !

Co-Founder & CEO!!!!Nicolas Perkins, !

Co-Founder & President

NYSE Euronext acquires minority stake in Receivables Exchange BBR Staff Writer!Published 14 September 2011!!NYSE Euronext has acquired a minority stake in The Receivables Exchange (TRE), an online marketplace for US receivables sales.!

Both the companies have launched a joint strategic initiative to market TRE's Corporate Receivables Program (CRP) to potential sellers, including New York Stock Exchange listed companies.!

TRE's CRP is an electronic marketplace for the standardized purchase and sale of corporate accounts receivable.!

CRP gives companies increased flexibility in managing working capital via receivables sales, access to diverse funding sources without adding leverage, off-balance sheet benefits, reduced complexity and time to market, and competitive cost of capital, said NYSE.!

The process lowers Days Sales Outstanding to as little as one day and allows companies to tap into the $17 trillion US accounts receivable market.!

In addition, NYSE Euronext has appointed Paul DeDomenico, former CEO of GE Capital - working capital solutions, as head of global CRPs.!

NYSE Euronext executive vice president and head of NYSE Listings Scott Cutler said their alliance with TRE adds to their growing portfolio of issuer services and provides their listed companies affordable and continuous access to working capital.!

TRE co-founders Justin Brownhill, CEO, and Nic Perkin, president jointly said CRP provides an efficient and cost-effective way for NYSE listed and other companies to leverage receivables for liquidity and balance sheet management and to improve return on assets and equity.!

Terms of the acquisition investment were not disclosed.

!Intermediaries

ECN & Exchanges

We’re Hands On so You Don’t Have to

KATIE SHU SIGNATURE SUNDAYS TOW THE LINE

HANDSON MARKETING

HandsOn Marketing was created in 2007 by former radio senior account executive, Jai Jones. HandsOn is a full service marketing company, primarily focused within the entertainment genre. The company handled artists’ images including their press material, booking and the vision of their brands. HandsOn was most recognized for the creation of the seven month long concert series Signature Sundays, which ran for three consecutive years.

How Summer Concerts Should Be Signature Sundays was a series of concerts created and coordinated by HandsOn Marketing along with client Big City Events. The concerts were held every Sunday April-Thanksgiving, at the Big City Events venue, Firewater Bar & Grill. !The concept of the concerts was to feature a local artist and a

national artist once a month. Over the summer concerts by national artists grew to 2-3 times a month and came upon request, due to increasing popularity. Signature Sundays became the most talked about and notarized live music venue for any and every artist in Dallas. As part of the Sunday brunch portion, Signature Sunday provided a

bottomless buffet, featuring various Dallas caters. In the evenings, the venue offered a complete menu including speciality dishes created by the house chief. Buckets of beers was available as well as premiere brands of wines and top shelf liquors.

SEASON OPENER J. HOLIDAY HIP HOP LEGEND DOUG E FRESH REALITY STAR AND ARTIST RAY J

Best Live Music Venue in Dallas

Dallas’ Best Outdoor Bar

Firewater Bar & Grill !

10261 Technology Blvd E, Dallas, TX !

This North Dallas hot spot offers a diverse menu, casual indoor/outdoor scene and state-of-the-art stage for live music.!

Tips: Get a dollar off everything Monday through Friday from 4pm to 7pm.!

!Author: !DallasCitysearch!!Author's Guidespot Page:!http://www.guidespot.com/authors/dallascitysearch

THE FACTS 1. 64% CLIENTELE

RETENTION

2. 25% PROFIT GROWTH

3. RECOGNITION AS A PREMIERE ENTERTAINMENT

VENUE

4. PRODUCED OVER 100 SUCCESSFUL SHOWS

5. HOSTED OVER 36 ARTISTS’

CONCERTS

Katie Shu

Katie Shu was born and South Korean and raised in Iowa from the age of seven months. She began playing the piano at seven and has performed live since the age of ten. She received a Bachelor degree in Oboe Performance and Music Composition and degrees from the Conservatory of Music at the University of Missouri Kansas City. Afterward Shu took a year to aggressively pursue her career as a freelance artist. Her musical resume includes the oboe, saxophone, English horn and

the guitar, along with an impressive vocal sound. !!Despite a rocky path which led Shu to a year incarcerated, she continued writing and composing her songs with the determination of building her solo career. Shu has opened for Grammy nominated Floetry, R&B legend Freddie Jackson and Oscar winners Three-6 Mafia. She has been the visionary mind behind Katie Shu Jazz Trio, The Katie Shu Quartet and the Wildflowers. She is the voice, writer,

producer and promoter of her albums- Exotic PersuAsian, Blossoms, The One and Matters of the Heart- which combined distributed nearly 10,000 copies independently.!!Upon the finalization of her album Exotic PersuAsian, Shu needed a press release, which she distributed independently. She was in the beginning phase of obtaining higher paying gigs and trying to aline herself as a professional musician.

Introducing Ms Katie Shu !Kansas City, MO (Unsigned) March 2, 2009– Very few embody the talent and vocality of jazz, R&B, hip hop, classical, folk, neo-soul and rock. Katie Shu not only possesses this ability but commands every essence of each separately as well as combined. An eloquent sound so beautifully displayed in her new full-length album Exotic PersuAsian available early 2009. !!South Korean born, Shu was adopted at seven months and raised in Iowa. She began playing the piano at seven and has performed live since the age of ten. Her talents earned her a scholarship in Oboe Performance and Music Composition and degrees from the Conservatory of Music at the University of Missouri Kansas City. During her college career, Shu delve herself into the art including a hiatus after

receiving her Bachelor’s degree to aggressively pursue her career as a freelance artist. After a year of struggling to make ends meet, Shu re-enrolled to receive her Master’s degree. Her year abroad was not in vain however; her musical resume had expanded to include saxophone, English horn and the guitar, all on top of her sharpened vocal sound. !!Although heavily involved in her music, Shu found herself involved with the wrong crowd and subsequently serving over a year in a maximum security woman’s prison. Her time incarcerated, never flattened her tone and instead ignited a flame to truly follow her love and dream of making music. She continued writing and composing her songs only to re-emerge with a new sense and the determination to build her solo career. Once paroled, Shu’s drive was stronger than ever and her ambition has continued to be endless. !!Throughout her career, Shu has opened for Grammy nominated Floetry, R&B legend Freddie Jackson and Oscar winners Three-6 Mafia. She has been the visionary mind behind Katie Shu Jazz Trio, The Katie Shu Quartet and the Wildflowers. Shu is not only the blossoming voice of her album but has also been the writer, producer and promoter of her previous albums- Blossoms, The One and Matters of the Heart- which combined distributed nearly 10,000 copies independently. !!Shu is ready to catapult herself to the main stage of the music scene with the new album Exotic PersuAsian, by not only being the vocalist but demonstrating her musical skills in every aspect of the album. With a slightly tattered past, Shu is set to prove herself as a rose in the concrete. !!For booking of Katie Shu, please contact Katie Shu at 816.359.1919 or email at [email protected]; also listen to music and receive performance updates at www.myspace.com/katieshu. For media information, please contact Tonya Collins with HandsOn Marketing at 214.969.7209 or email at [email protected].!!

Tow The Line

Tow The Line is an unsigned, Dallas based rock band. They are said to have “cultivated a sound that gives off not only creative energy, but a real feel of passion for the music.” In 2007 founding members’ guitarist David Lusk and vocalist Ryan Kohler, both formerly of the San Diego bands Swallowed and Gen 13, began working on new material. They also began searching for a rhythm section to complete the group. Eventually they added drummer Darren Doyle and bassist Chris Davis, who was

shortly replaced by current member Daddio (pictured above). Having finished new material and now performing with a complete group, Tow The Line was in the transition of booking gigs consistently. As a band just starting out, we created a simple biography to include on their myspace page and when bidding for shows. In the process we were also able to initiate a string of opening act and intimate performances stretching from parts of Arizona and California.

Tow The Line Biography

Evolving their sound and lyrical content has kept Tow the Line going through the last four years, giving off not only creative energy but a real passion for the music. Considerably an up and coming band, Tow the Line’s music resonates that of a rock heavyweight like 3 Doors Down, Staind and Chevelle. !

Born in Dallas and the other in South Carolina, band founders Ryan Kohler and David Lusk eventually crossed paths while being stationed in San Diego with the US Navy. At the time both were members of two separate San Diego bands, Swallowed and Gen 13. Following jaw-dropping performances, Swallowed and Gen 13 took a West Coast tour lasting the full year of 2003; covering every major city in California as well as several cities in Washington state and Canada. While still riding the wave of success, 2004 brought about a large unexpected change in the bands- due to lyrical, musical and creative differences the bands took a break and eventually broke up. !

All wasn’t lost and in the mist of touring one night at a party, Lusk happen to be strumming cords on his guitar when Kohler picked up the sound and began to sing. The duo knew they had a sound few, if any, could imitate. Months later after the bands cut ties, Kohler and Lusk planted roots in Kohler’s hometown of Dallas. Once the two collaborated it was a matter of time before they cultivated a new sound and a new band. Meeting again breathed a whole new life into the music; urging them to form Tow the Line- derived from the thought that “music is the representation of our lives- life is the line in which we tow it willingly“. !

Although the two created a powerful sound alone, both felt the need to build Tow the Line to a full four piece band and posted online ads for a bass and drum player. What they received were two perfect pieces to their puzzle- drummer/percussionist Darren Doyle and bassist Chris Davis. Doyle had been a member of two local Dallas area bands, RX and Hammer Head. After playing only small area gigs and parties with his previous bands, Doyle felt like he needed a change and jumped on the opportunity to join up with Tow the Line. Four months and three failed bassists later, Chris Davis was brought on board. Davis had played with the band 60 Foot Sammy, which opened for well-known Dallas band, Burden Brothers during the Taste of Dallas festivals. Following stints in two other bands, Davis responded to the ad on Craigslist and took his place as the fourth and final member of Tow the Line.!

Now pushing through 2008 with all the right people in place with the same goal and passion in mind, Tow the Line is a band set to make a name for itself on the Billboards. Preparing to release their self-titled debut album, Tow the Line is ready to take on anything. With singles like Worlds Collide, Tidal Wave, Hollywood and newly written Voodoo Love this album is standing front and center for mainstream breakout. Tow the Line plans to head out on a full tour, beginning with fan-based shows in the Dallas area. !

Despite a rollercoaster past, Kohler and Lusk have proven themselves to be timeless. Leading their own band and producing their own sound along with Davis and Doyle, Tow the Line is in for the long haul. !

For press information please contact Tonya Collins with HandsOn Marketing at 214.969.7209 or [email protected].

THE PROPHET BAR

The Prophet Bar has been transcending Music in Deep Ellum for 25 years. Great original Live Music concerts weekly – Full Service Bar – All Ages, All the Time. The Prophet Bar opened in 1985, spearheading an unforgettable art and music scene. Russell Hobbs’ vision for the Theatre Gallery was to make and promote art, music and theatre in its purest form whether it was profitable or not. In a city obsessed

with status toys, trophy wives, and designer drugs, The Prophet Bar stirred up Dallas and made waves by challenging its belief systems with controversial booking, provocative advertising, and promoting a counter-culture of seekers. The Prophet challenged the city with music, theatre and special events transcending the traditional bar scene. Now, The Prophet Bar operates for those who love art and music and will dare to step out of the parade of the status quo.

Where can I hear them? Tow The Line booked appearances at various venues and shows throughout Dallas/Fort Worth. With a sound as powerful as rock heavyweights such as 3 Doors Down, Staind or Chevelle, Tow The Line is a group that’s built a fan base out of anyone who heard them, even only once. In the midst of the social media peak, the group was able to captivate an following through MySpace and later through Facebook. The group solidified a sting of shows at O’Riley’s Billiards, which lasted over three months. They also performed at Dallas notable Trees in Deep Ellum.!

TOW THE LINE PERFORMED AT IAROCKFEST, WHICH IS KNOWN AS THE MIDWEST’S BIGGEST BADDEST ROCK CONCERT.!

In 2009 and 2010 Tow The Line !

performed at IARocfest, which is held at Van Buren County Fairgrounds in Keosauqua, Iowa. IARocfest is titled “The Midwest’s Biggest Baddest Rock Concert.” It is a 3 day, 3 night festival chalked full of “pure” rock and roll. The show hosts at least 30 bands, food vendors, tattoo artists, retailer displays and giveaways. The festival has been the stage for acts like Skid Row, Slaughter, Full Throttle and Bleed Down, among many, many others. !

Over the last year, the group has !

been working on producing new music and still trying to make Tow The Line a household name. Most recently they appeared on Jack’d Up, which airs on the Dallas local CBS affiliate station, 11/TX21.

O’RILEY’S BILLIARDS

O’Riley’s Billiard is a pub located on the east side of Dallas, on the corner of Greenville avenue. Along with a full service bar and a delicious menu, they give local bands the opportunity to perform on stage for an audience. They are open until 2am every day and provide live entertainment 6 days a week, including karaoke, a weekly Beatles tribute, singer songwriter night and two nights dedicated to open mic

nights. Despite having the appearance of a small venue, O’Riley’s has a occupancy of as many as 2,400 people. On a good night this is an incredible audience for a local band, group and/or artist just starting out.

Rickey Smiley’s Big City Talent It’s a night of best dressed, comical satire, unpolished talent, church announcements, occasional epic concerts and some famous people. It’s also live so there are no retakes- Say Cheese!

Rickey Smiley’s Big City Talent was created as a comic, variety talent show with nationally known comedian Rickey Smiley as the host. The contestants were

rated by a panel of judges, which consisted of a HandsOn staff member, a co-host from the Rickey Smiley Morning show and a celebrity guest. The winners from each show would later compete on the season finale. The show was taped at Firewater Bar and Grill Thursday nights and aired on TXA 21 on Saturday nights at midnight. Auditions for the featured talent was held every Tuesday night and contestants were notified by me two weeks prior to their appearance date. The show gained a large draw from local celebrities, such as the Dallas Cowboys, and national celebrities like Wyclef Jean-all who appeared as celebrity guest judges. !!The venue was designed as an upscale evening out. The attire, dress and the tables laced with burgundy table clothes. Doors opened at 5 P.M with the show beginning at seven. The menu

was alter to reflect the atmosphere and accommodate a live show setting. !!Rickey’s new radio show was the perfect collaboration with the television show. As host, it was jam-packed with comic relief, including the addition of the uncredited co-host Rickey coined “Pastor’s Aid.” For the not-so-talented “talent” the possibility of maybe being asked to join the morning show antics, even for the purpose of being mocked, was prize enough. The show was always a hot topic over the airwaves the following Friday morning. ! !

Rickey’s growing radio power was a driving force to aid in solidifying celebrity guest judges and guest hosts, in Rickey’s absence. The “Fly Jock,” Tom Joyner graced the

table to provide his two cents on the talents’ performances. Lupe Fiasco, Jamie Fox and Michael Baisden also added their names to that roster. !!

GEMSTONE MANAGEMENT & CONSULTING, LLC Specializes in Marketing & Consulting, Public Relations, Media Buying & Planning, Securing Entertainers, Event Management & Staffing and Business & Community Outreach.

The Gemstone Elite Management Staff (GEMS) is comprised of touring event managers, media buyers, radio promotions staff, journalists, record

label promoters, publicity managers, client servicing experts, CPA's and mobile marketing personnel. !!Gemstone has unlimited nation-wide capabilities and is headquartered in Dallas, Texas, with offices in Miami, Florida and Charlotte, North Carolina. Gemstone also has over 1,000 Associate Staff nation-wide and in the Caribbean. !!All Gemstone standards are checked and balanced by our experienced executive advisory board and endorsed by our highly respectable partners.!!GEMS provide all of our clients with stunning results! Our highly professional team consists of Touring Event Managers, Media Buyers, Radio

Promotions Staff, Journalist, Record Label Promoters, Client Servicing Experts, Publicity Managers, CPA’s and Mobile Marketing Personnel.!!Over the years, Gemstone Management & Consulting, LLC has worked with clients such as Morris Chestnut, Pantene, Proctor & Gamble, Ebony, Tony Parker and Eva Longoria and Near Future and Walgreens, amongst many, many more. !

Glitterazzi Unlimited, LLC!is the nightlife division and subsidiary of

Gemstone Management & Consulting, LLC.!!GLITTERAZZI UNLIMITED, LLC (GU) !specializes in providing party-

style entertainment management services, talent, media, marketing and public relations consulting. !!

Tony Parker and Eva Longoria International All Star Weekend Events !Actress Eva Longoria and

basketball boyfriend, Tony Parker, planned for an entire weekend of events throughout the 2006 NBA All-Star games in Houston, Texas. In collaboration with the Houston partners, Gemstone Management & Consulting organized and gathered press for couple’s every moment. The events kicked off with an appearance on Oprah the week before. This marked the first joint interview with the couple. The day prior to the events, Tony hosted a pre-event press conference for all media. His big announcement- he is opening a French record label, Game Time Entertainment. Friday Tony and Eva hosted the All-Star Global Kickoff Party, where Tony premiered his first single, Top of the Game, featuring rap artist Fabolous. As a first time All-Star participate, Tony spent Saturday involved

with NBA events- all which Tony attended as a first time All-Star participate. Sunday concluded with Tony Parker’s Live Video Premier Party at the Live Sports Cafe in downtown Houston. Attendees had the opportunity to party with the couple until 2am and get the first glimpse of his new Top of the Game music video, featuring girlfriend Eva. Throughout these events, Gemstone Management & Consulting was to handle all media for the press conference and schedule any interviews. Internally this was my account to be organized solely by me. The events were a thrilling success and commended by the clients, partners and many media outlets.

Houston, TX. February 6, 2006—San Antonio Spurs Guard Tony Parker is in the midst of launching an international music career. The 2-time NBA champion’s new recording label – Game Time Entertainment will present Tony Parker’s International All-Star Weekend during the 55th Annual NBA All-Star Game weekend in Houston, Texas. Eva Longoria, famous for her seductive role on ABC’s Desperate Housewives and seemingly loyal attendance at Spurs games, will be featured in Parker’s new music video. !!The couple is scheduled to appear in their first interview together on an upcoming episode of Oprah (airdate Monday, February 6th for the time, please check your local listings). Among topics that will be discussed are: Parker’s current musical endeavors, the NBA All-Star Game and Parker’s International All-Star Weekend Events. !!National partners of Parker’s International All Star Weekend include NIKE and POWER-ADE. Other partners include the Houston N Crowd, D. Mass Productions, Glitterazzi Unlimited and Platinum Sunshine Promotions. In addition to his appearance on Oprah, Parker will utilize his partnership resources to promote his Game Time Entertainment record label. !!Parker’s International All-Star Weekend will tip off on Friday, February 17th. The All-Star Global Kickoff Party will feature the European native as he performs his first single Top of the Game live with platinum recording artist FABOLOUS. This first time performance will be simulcast in Paris, France, Parker’s native country. Houston’s Renaissance Hotel Grand Ballroom located at 6 Greenway Plaza (next to the old Compaq center) will be the stage for this affair from 9pm-3am. !!The weekend will continue Sunday, February 19th with Tony Parker’s Live Video Premier Party at Downtown Houston’s Live Sports Café located at 404 Main @ Preston. This three-story complex will premier Parker’s new music video on all 40 of its screens following the NBA All-Star Game until 2am. !!Along with Tony Parker and Eva Longoria, confirmed guests include Spurs teammates Robert Horry, Tim Duncan and Nick Van Exel. A host of Parkers friends and family members from France are among these guests, which will undoubtedly make these popular weekend events, international affairs to remember. !!Parker also will be conducting a Pre-Event “Press Conference” for all media on Thursday, February 16, at 5pm. This Q & A session with Tony will also be held at the Renaissance Hotel, located at 6 Greenway Plaza (next to the old Compaq center). To register for this Press Conference, you must contact press contact Tonya Collins at 817-528-7564, [email protected] or Amber Punch at 469-223-3378, [email protected]. !!About Gemstone Management and Consulting and Glitterazzi Unlimited: !Gemstone Management & Consulting specializes in Urban Marketing and Consulting, Securing Entertainment, Event Management & Staffing, Contract Negotiations & Proposal Development, Media Buying & Planning, Public Relations and Business & Community Outreach. Gemstone’s nightlife division Gliterrazzi Unlimited also manages and provides consultation for events, fundraisers, concerts, club promotions, sporting events and more. Gemstone is a Dallas, Texas based company with strong nationwide capabilities, partners and contacts. www.gemsconsult.net !

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Houston’s Spur of the Moment Tony Parker and Eva Longoria will host 2 parties during All-Star Weekend…and Oprah

talks about it on Monday

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Press Contact: Glitterazzi Unlimited 214-704-0021

Parker 'blessed' with success on court, stardom off it

RADIOSHACK SHOOTING STARSParker loving life — and EvaSpurs guard 'blessed' with success on court, stardom off it !MOISEKAPENDA BOWER, Copyright 2006 Houston Chronicle!Published 06:30 a.m., Saturday, February 18, 2006!!Tony Parker looks comfortable. On the verge of his first All-Star Game, Parker isn't breaking a sweat, appearing as poised as an adored actor strolling the red carpet for the umpteenth time.!

This has become Parker's life. Parker, who will take part in the Shooting Stars competition today, jet sets with his girlfriend, actress Eva Longoria of Desperate Housewives fame. He has shared a concert stage with hip-hop artist Fabolous. And he earns All-Star nods.!

But things weren't always so sublime for the 23-year-old Frenchman.!

"The day I announced it to my dad, he cried," Parker said of his selection as a Western Conference reserve. "He was so proud and so happy for me.!

"I know a lot of people in France are going to have their eyes watered, because they saw me play when I was in Paris. Now I'm in the NBA — the biggest stage — and it's great."!

Parker is savoring his rapid ascension to the top of the NBA's point-guard heap. Drafted 28th overall by San Antonio in 2001, he spearheaded two Spurs title teams, doing so with a paralyzing blend of savvy and speed. Now in his fifth season, Parker has taken his game to another level. He is averaging a career-high 19.4 points per game and 5.8 assists. He is one of the league leaders in points in the paint, a stat reflecting both his daring and quickness.!

"He's definitely the best point guard in the history of the Spurs franchise," said Dallas Mavericks and Western Conference coach Avery Johnson, a former Spurs point guard.!

That Parker reached this point in his career so quickly is a surprise, even to him. The off-the-court fame is gratifying, but his development on it led to his blossoming into a star.!

"Sometimes I'm saying to myself, 'Five years ago I was still playing in Paris, and now I'm in the All-Star Game,' so it's just great," Parker said. "I've just been blessed."!

Blessed to the extent that Parker can hone his craft as a bilingual rapper. He performed his upcoming single Top of the Game with Fabolous at a Friday night party at the Renaissance Hotel and admitted to spending most of that morning readying for his performance.!

In what is a glamorous life, Parker was asked to describe its best aspect.!

"Dating Eva, that's what," he said.!

[email protected]!

Tony Parker receives All-Star embrace AMERICAN BASKETBALL： NBA coaches recognized the French import's talent, voting him to the Western Conference All-Star team !NY TIMES NEWS SERVICE AND AP , NEW YORK AND DALLASAP, ANN ARBOR, MICHIGANAP, NEW YORK Sat, Feb 11, 2006 - Page 19 !Tony Parker worked the red carpet two weeks ago and appeared on Oprah this week with his companion, the actress Eva Longoria. He is a budding rapper in France, his home country, and has won two NBA championships in his first four seasons as the San Antonio Spurs' point guard. But something was missing from his sudden success and celebrity. At age 23, Parker sought validation that he belonged among the league's elite. Oprah Winfrey might not have been interested in Parker's points in the paint, but the NBA coaches recognized his burgeoning talent on Thursday, voting him to the Western Conference All-Star team for the first time. !Parker beamed while taking congratulatory cell phone calls over a cup of tea at the Four Seasons in Manhattan as the Spurs rested before Friday night's game against the Nets. He was ready to celebrate the achievement of a goal he set during last year's All-Star Weekend. He was in Las Vegas, where he was feeling left out and losing money at the casinos. "I was hurt, deep inside," Parker said. "I never talk about it because I was kind of sad because the whole coaching staff went and I was the only one of the big three left out." His teammates Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili were on the All-Star team. "I wanted to make sure this year that I played well enough that there was no discussion," Parker added. "They had to take me." !Fans voted Kobe Bryant and Steve Nash as starters for the All-Star Game on Feb. 19 in Houston, and Parker's 19.7 points and 5.9 assists made him an obvious choice to be a reserve. Parker is second in the league with a .551 field-goal percentage, boosted by his signature teardrop layup. He averages 12.2 points in the paint, sixth best in the league, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. !With Duncan and Ginobili struggling with injuries, Parker's consistency has kept the Spurs (38-10) in the hunt for the top spot in the West. "He's having a phenomenal year," Nets coach Lawrence Frank said Wednesday. Although every scouting report says the 6-foot-2 Parker will penetrate, "he's still able to do it," Frank said. "He's lightning quick." Parker's determination and cleverness in driving to the basket despite the obstacles provide a window into his NBA career. After winning two titles, Parker still wanted to prove his value to the Spurs. Last summer, they hired a shooting coach, Chip Engelland, and sent him to Paris to work on Parker's outside shot. "He told me the Spurs had some concern whether I would still improve or stay the same player and if I was hungry enough," Parker said, adding that they were worried that dating Longoria would hurt his motivation. "I told Chip right away that I'm ready to work because I want to get to that next level," Parker recalled saying. "I want to go to the All-Star Game. The championship is great, but I want recognition, too, as a basketball player." !

General Manager R.C. Buford was not surprised that Parker got that recognition Thursday. "It's an indication of the hard work and time that he's put in to improve his game," Buford said by telephone. "For someone who's had the early success he's had, he's not resting on what he's accomplished. This kid has left us no reason to doubt his resolve at any time." Spurs coach Gregg Popovich was unavailable Thursday. But Parker said: "Pop told me: `You deserve it, you worked hard. But it's just the beginning. You can be the best point guard in the league."' !Parker listed John Stockton, Steve Nash and Jason Kidd as standard-bearers. That did not make it any easier in 2003, when the Spurs recruited Kidd, who was then a free agent. They wanted Parker and Kidd to play together. "I saw it slowing down my improvement as a point guard," Parker said. "There was no way; I would have to be traded." Kidd stayed, and the Spurs extended Parker's contract for six years and US$66 million. "If you're Jason Kidd, why don't you want to come to San Antonio Spurs?" Parker said. "They're going to give you US$120 million for to play with Tim Duncan. I'd sign right away. Seriously, I'm surprised Jason didn't come. I'm sure he's regretting it now." Parker said he was grateful for the Spurs' faith in him and for his life in San Antonio. He has been dating Longoria for a year and a half. They met in the Spurs' locker room, where she visited with her father after a game. "She's been great, helping me understand my life and bringing the best out of me," Parker said. "When you date a girl like that, it's a lot of responsibility and making sure she's happy. She's worth it." Popovich has allowed Longoria on the team plane for some trips and allowed Parker to surprise her at the Screen Actors Guild Awards on Jan. 29, an off-day. That is a testament to the trust Parker and Popovich have developed, Buford said. "I just think it's part of his maturation," Buford said. "Eva's been very supportive of him, and she has not been a distraction to him." If anything, Parker's outside interests have allowed him a break from thinking nonstop about basketball. At All-Star Weekend, Parker will unveil five songs from his album, due in September, and perform with the rappers Fabolous and Booba. The three collaborated on one song, "Top of the Game." Now Parker can say he belongs there. Thad Matta has been hoping for a big road victory since he came to Ohio State two seasons ago. Jamar Butler scored a career-high 20 points and had two of the No. 19 Buckeyes' season-high 15 3-pointers in a 94-85 victory over No. 22 Michigan on Thursday night. The win, the Buckeyes' first at Crisler Arena since 2002, moved Ohio State (17-3, 6-3) into a three-way tie with Michigan State and Illinois for second place in the Big Ten. The teams trail Iowa by a half-game. "We haven't beaten a top-20 team on the road in the year-and-a-half since I've been here," Matta said. "That's a goal we've always had and it's nice to see it happen." Chris Hunter's three-point play gave Michigan a 73-70 lead with 8:45 to play, but Ohio State answered with a 14-2 run, during which it was 7-for-7 from the field, to go ahead for good. Center Courtney Sims had 26 points, a career-high 16 rebounds and four blocks for the Wolverines (16-5, 6-4), who lost consecutive games for the first time this season. He was not a factor late in the game, however, as the Buckeyes made it hard for him to get the ball in the post. "We had some critical turnovers late in the game," Michigan coach Tommy Amaker said, "and some of

those were when we were trying to get the ball to Courtney." !Ohio State scored 10 points off Michigan's 15 turnovers. Four of them came on breakaway dunks during the Buckeyes' decisive run. Michigan guard Dion Harris had 14 points before spraining his right ankle with 8:29 to play. He never returned to the game and Ohio State seized on Michigan's instability in the backcourt. !"He was having a great game," Buckeyes guard Ron Lewis said of Harris, "but after he left, we knew we had to keep pressuring them. We forced some turnovers and got some baskets." Harris, who was helped off the court, was scheduled to be evaluated early yesterday. The Wolverines led 21-8 early in the game before the Buckeyes heated up. Ohio State hit 12 of 16 3-pointers in the first half, including nine of its last 10, and led 49-43 at the half. Matta called a timeout when the lead hit double digits to calm his team down. "We told the players to relax and do what we do," he said. "Don't panic." The Big Ten's second-best 3-point shooting team didn't, and promptly got itself back into the game. "They were good shots," Matta added. "Even the long ones were good looks and we were able to get them to go in." In the second half, Ohio State was 19-for-27 (70 percent) from the floor as it got better production in the frontcourt. !The Buckeyes' 15 3-pointers were their most this season and marked the second time in as many games Michigan surrendered more than 10. Iowa made 13 3-pointers in Saturday's 94-66 win over the Wolverines. Je'Kel Foster added 17 points for the Buckeyes, who also got 14 from Lewis and 13 from J.J. Sullinger. Michigan forward Brent Petway left the game nine minutes into the second half after aggravating a ribcage injury. He did not return and is day-to-day. The Wolverines also were without swingman Lester Abram, who missed his second straight game with an injured left ankle. Amaker said he will not play Saturday at Purdue. Daniel Horton had 15 points and 10 assists for Michigan and Ron Coleman scored 15 points. Detroit was rewarded on Thursday night for one of the best starts in National Basketball Association history when four Pistons were selected for the midseason All-Star Game as reserves. !Chauncey Billups, Richard Hamilton, Ben Wallace and Rasheed Wallace all were picked for the Eastern Conference team that will be led by Detroit coach Flip Saunders. Tayshaun Prince was the lone Pistons starter not chosen in voting by East head coaches. !"I would just like to thank the coaches in the league for recognizing our players," Pistons president of basketball operations Joe Dumars told AP on Thursday night. !The Pistons became the first team with four players in an All-Star Game since the Los Angeles Lakers sent Shaquille O'Neal, Kobe Bryant, Eddie Jones and Nick Van Exel to the 1998 game in New York. !Published on Taipei Times : http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/sport/archives/2006/02/11/2003292606 Copyright © 1999-2012 The Taipei Times. All rights reserved.

Por Lucy Moreno ! During the NBA All-Star weekend Tony Parker held a press conference to announce his debut as a rap singer. But in case you don’t know much about the handsome basketball star here are a few tidbits. His full name is William Anthony Parker and he was born in Belgium and raised in France. Tony is fluent in English, French and obviously living in San Antonio speaks a little Spanish. If you have never met the basketball player you would never know what a nice guy he really is, a little shy, but a good sense of humor. It was during the press conference that we got to see the other side of Tony Parker. He also spoke about his relationship with the Desperate Housewife, Eva Longoria. It was very obvious that Tony Parker and Eva were the hottest couple during the NBA All-Star weekend everyone wanted a picture of them. But, rather than be redundant with a well known career I’ll leave you with the interview. Press: How will you combine your basketball and music career? Tony Parker: It takes a lot of effort, that’s for sure. It’s a big challenge. Since I was small I always did music with my brothers and friends, we always had a lot fun, but I never like took it seriously because basketball obviously was the main thing. When I came to the Spurs and got comfortable with the NBA winning championships my friends and especially my brothers, they always pushed me to get serious about my music. In the last 2 or 3 years I started contacting my boys from France and get a team together and producers and engineers and everybody from France and that’s how I got started. That was a dream I always had I always wanted to experience the world of music. I am very happy to start

and do my first concert to introduce my album and my songs, I am excited. It’s a big challenge but I think I can do both, I’m just going to enjoy my life and do both at the same time. Press: What is the first single and what was your inspiration for it? Tony Parker: Basically the inspiration came like the song is “Top of the Game” so I wanted to do something because being an NBA champion I thought I was on top of my game in basketball so I wanted to get somebody in the music that I like and respect and I thought he was on top of his game too and it was Fabulous because that’s how I want to do my album a little bit there’s a song for everybody a song for the ghetto, love songs for girls and dance floor and songs for the clubs and I think Fabulous was the best at that and that’s why I decided to do a song with him. So when I called him I made him listen to a couple of my French stuff and he liked and we did a song. Press: Did you have to translate for him? Tony Parker: (laughing) A little bit, a little bit at first he didn’t understand anything. He was like, ‘man I don’t understand anything, but it’s hot.” So then I started to do more songs and now I’m going to work with Jaime Fox, right now we’re working on it and it’s looking pretty good. So that’s why I decided to do something during the All Star weekend just do a couple of songs just for the All Star. Press: Is there any pressure since other basketball players have pursued the music business? Tony Parker: Oh yes, definitely a lot of people laughed at first and asked “why do you want to rap” and that’s legitimate everybody will be curious and suspicious and you just have to show them that you are for real and that your music is good and basically when they listen they are very surprise.

Because nobody knows about French rap in the states so that’s why I want to do it and try to introduce French rap and introduce a new kind of music. I was thinking if Spanish can make it why not French and hopefully I can be the first one to make it happen and to show that French music is pretty good and people will enjoy it. So we’ll do a couple of songs tomorrow and if they boo me I’ll just stop (laughing – somehow I don’t think Tony Parker got booed). Press: What does Eva Longoria think of your music? Tony Parker: She admires how I take it as a challenge and so she really likes it because it was a dream for me and she pushed me to do it seriously. She really likes it, actually I wrote a song for her and its going on to be on my album. So that’s why tomorrow she’ll be at the concert on the first row screaming, screaming my name. (joking) Press: You have a high profile relationship and your very busy not only with basketball but now with your musical career and she’s very busy on one of the most popular television shows in the world. How on earth do you two find time to be together and how difficult is it? Tony Parker: We get that question a lot but we see each other a lot, we just make time for each other. Our schedules are both tight, but I do see her 3 or 4 times a week. They always say on TV that she comes to a lot of basketball games. I remember Charles Barkley once saying, “Man, why is she here again, she must not be working on Desperate Housewives”. She travels a lot, but if you really want to see that person you will make it happen. I’m very lucky; I’ll be the first one to say it. Press: If you could pick anyone on your team or anyone on the Piston’s team who would you like to collaborate with, who do you think has it?

Tony Parker: Musically? Obviously everybody knew Shaq and what Kolby and Iverson did underground, but never came out. Then I learned that Grant Hill was doing beats and Desmond Mason and Jason Terry and all those guys rapping I thought it was very funny. But if I had to choose I would like to do something with Shaq. So we’ll see. (Laughing). Press: What do your team mates say about you rapping? Tony Parker: They like it. Actually some of them made appearances on the video,

Timmy, Robert, Brent Berry and Nazr Mohammed. Press: So Eva was your muse in putting his CD together, what was the name of the song you wrote for her? Tony Parker: Yes, she was and the name of the song is “Falling in Love.” Press: We know you like Fabulous who else is in your CD collection? Tony Parker: Growing up I listened to a lot of Tupac and

Biggie for me that’s the two best ever, a lot of French rap and Jay Z. But I listen to a lot of different stuff R&B and Jazz. Press: Okay, after music are you going to try to be an actor? Tony Parker: No, not really I don’t see myself doing that. Press: Not even as a guest in Desperate Housewives? Tony Parker: Nope. As a gardener? (Pressroom laughter). !

Tony Parker enters the Music MARCH 5, 2006 LA PRENSA DE SAN ANTONIO 7-TV

Tony Parker Makes All-Star Team, the NY Times, and...Oprah !If you thought your week went well, check out five days in the life of Spurs guard Tony Parker.!!On Monday, he and girlfriend Eva Longoria appeared on The Oprah Winfrey show to donate $50,000 to Oprah's Hurricane Katrina fund and to talk about their relationship. On Wednesday, Parker scored 32 points and added 13 assists in a road win against Toronto. Yesterday, he was named to the 2006 NBA All-Star Team for next weekend's game in Houston. And today, Liz Robbins profiled the Frenchman in the NY Times just before he

helped win another game against the New Jersey Nets.!!Unfortunately, Parker is also planning to release a French rap album, but let's not rain on his parade this week.!!In other Texas NBA news, The Dallas Mavericks have won 13 games in a row, and Houston is getting ready for All-Star Weekend.!!Image via grob.blogs.com!!!

Tony Parker Fuels Our Nightmares !OK, we know that Tony Parker plays for the Spurs. And he's linked to Desperate Housewives co-star Eva Longoria (Yowza!). That's 12 or 13 Around the Horn-style points right there. But then there's this: He's also a rapper. (13 ... 12 ... 10 ...) who raps in French (9, 8, 7, 65432 ...)!

According to the San Antonio Express News, Parker makes his San Antonio hip-hop nightclub debut at Club Antro, 7959

Fredericksburg Road, on Tuesday (we listed the address so you wouldn't drive near there by mistake). The show, billed as "Tony Parker & Game Time Family featuring Fabolous," will have Longoria as a "special guest" — to insure that angry fans don't trash the place, were assuming. Fabolous, by the way, is a New York rapper and Parker's collaborator who supposedly had a hit in 2001, although we can't recall it. But that's not all. Parker, of late, has dubbed himself in promotions as "Tony Pizzle" and "The Machine." Another horrifying fact: His first rap record "The Top of the Game," has an accompanying video which features teammates Robert Horry, Tim Duncan, Brent Barry and Nazr Mohammed.!I'm sorry. The thought of Brent Barry rapping ... in French ...!

Help us, Lil Ronnie! You're our only hope!!

Tuesday will mark Parker's S.A. club debut with Fabolous, Eva [San Antonio Express-News]!

San Antonio Express-News !METRO - Actress Eva Longoria gets escorted by the Spurs Coyote during introductions of the celebrity teams at the McDonald's NBA All-Star Celebrity game presented by 2K Sports at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston on Friday, Feb. 17, 2006. Longoria took on the role of a coach for the "H-Town" team that included celebrities such as hip hop artist Nelly. Longoria sported denim jeans with the words, "Tony P", that likely showed her support for boyfriend and Spurs guard Tony Parker who will be playing as an All-Star for the first time in his NBA career. Photo: SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS, KIN

MAN HUI / SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS !

WritersBlockMedia.net !Yeah, the French point guard from the San Antonio Spurs is getting ready to drop an album. He raps in French so I’m not sure what he’s rapping about but it sounds wack. He has a single featuring Fabolous (random) and some other French guy that sounds like he’s literally spitting on the microphone. But Tony needs to give up the rap talk, play ball, and keep banging that Desperate Housewives chick.!

In 1999, C. Webb dropped an entire album of wackness called 2 Much Drama. I didn’t listen to the album but I remember the single. It was wack. At the time C. Webb was going through some drama but that’s not a reason to take it out on us and rap about it.

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project owner to determine the technical requirements and prepares design specifications and drawings. Upon award of the installation contract, Near Future’s project management and engineering team will follow the drawings and specifications to install the system. Throughout the process Near Future will coordinate with the Architect, Consultant, and Construction Management Team to ensure that the system is installed as specified. Systems testing and commissioning will be reviewed with the Consultant and/or Owner.  Near Future works with Customers, Architects, and Construction Firms under a variety of contractual agreements where the responsibilities of Near Future vary depending upon the installation time frame and the type of design provided.  

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DALLAS, TX. February 7, 2006— Near Future, LLC is among Dallas’ chosen few firms to design for the city’s highly anticipated “Victory Park” expansion. This audio-visual data installation and design company prides itself on its slogan – “Delivering Tomorrow’s Innovations.” Their state-of-the-art audio system will be one of the “Dallas W Victory Hotel” main attributes.!!The “Dallas W Hotel” is a 32-story, multi-million dollar development and is one of several buildings that comprise the expansion plan of “Victory Park.” The “Dallas W” is scheduled for completion in the summer of 2006. !!Near Future specializes in fusing new-age technology with high-end style for projects such as “Victory Park.” The wireless audio system being designed for the “Dallas W” will be exclusive to all other hotels in the entire W Corporation. It will provide users with ease of operation while being aesthetically appealing and inconspicuous to the eye.!!Near Future’s innovative capabilities extend beyond hotel audio systems. They also offer high-tech security, computer and voice systems for religious institutions, educational facilities, commercial and residential buildings. !!“Our company has a huge competitive advantage because we offer what most design/installation firms don’t,” said Tyrie Jamerson, President of Near Future. “Our solutions are integrative and tailored to fit our client’s immediate and future needs,” he added. “That’s what makes us unique. Our endless possibilities range from the boardroom to the bedroom.”!!Near Future, LLC is a Dallas based Certified Minority Company formed in 2000 by four IT consultants and specializes in the integration of audio visual, computer, voice and security systems. Near Future has partnerships with Custom Home Builders, General Contractors, Architects, Realtors, Interior Designers, and Property Managers to simplify the purchase process and transform product selection into a comfortable experience. !!To learn more about Near Future and their capabilities, please visit www.NearFuture.com or call 1-866-817-8145.!

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Bionics, Cybertronics and Technotronics: The 3 Billion Dollar Project

Dallas’ “Victory Park Project” appoints firm to add futuristic appeal for the new “W Dallas Victory Hotel”

IMMEDIATE RELEASE Press Contact: Amber Punch!Gemstone Management & Consulting!www.gemsconsult.net!Ph: 469-223-3378!

94.5 KSOUL and Gemstone Management & Consulting presents Soul of the City

!Soul of the City was a fashion show and concert hosted by actor Morris Chestnut. The event included talented, local fashion designers and fashion design students. It was the first installment in now an annual event and the first of its kind in Dallas. !My responsibilities during this event was general floor assistance, which included assistance with backstage operations, ticketing status and hospitality with designers, hosts and staff.!94.5 on-air personality, Lynn Haze co-hosted.

RADIO ONE, INC

RADIO ONE COMES TO DALLAS/FORT WORTH...

Radio One, Inc. is an urban-oriented, multi-media company that primarily targets African-American and urban consumers. Our core business is our radio broadcasting franchise that is the largest radio broadcasting operation that primarily targets African-American and urban listeners. We currently own and operate 53 broadcast stations located in 15 urban markets in the United States.! !Our operating strategy is to operate the premier multi-media entertainment and information content provider targeting African-American and urban consumers. Thus, we have diversified our overall media platform by making acquisitions and investments in other complementary media properties. Our other media interests include our approximately 51% controlling ownership interest in TV One, LLC (“TV One”), an African-American targeted cable television network (www.tvoneonline.com ); our 53.5% ownership interest in Reach Media, Inc. (“Reach Media”), which operates the Tom Joyner Morning Show (www.reachmediainc.com); our ownership of Interactive One, LLC (“Interactive One ”), an online platform (www.interactiveone.com) serving the African-American community through social content, news, information,

and entertainment, which operates a number of branded sites, including NewsOne, The UrbanDaily and HelloBeautiful; and our ownership of Community Connect, LLC, an online social networking company, which operates a number of branded websites, including BlackPlanet, MiGente and Asian Avenue. Through our national multi-media presence, we provide advertisers with a unique and powerful delivery mechanism to the African-American and urban audience.! !Our market portfolio includes stations in Atlanta, Baltimore, Charlotte, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Dallas, Detroit, Houston, Indianapolis, Philadelphia, Raleigh-Durham, Richmond, St. Louis and Washington D.C.!!Radio One entered the Dallas/Fort Worth radio market in late 2007. !

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Jingle Jam 2005 Saturday, December 17, at the Dallas Convention Center!By Mikael Wood Thursday, Dec 15 2005!!A virtual crash course in current Southern hip-hop, 97.9 The Beat's holiday blowout rounds up an impressive array of Dixie's hustle-and-flow men (and one woman) to remind us of the real reason for the season: cash! Headliner Young Jeezy--Atlanta's 50 Cent, in more ways than one--has had quite a year, releasing his first solo record, Let's Get It: Thug Motivation 101, as well as a Bad Boy-endorsed disc by his ATL posse Boyz N Da Hood. Lil’Wayne from New Orleans just issued a strong new CD called Tha Carter II which summons a more soulful spirit than much of the stuff by Wayne's Cash Money cohort. With Li'l Kim temporarily behind bars, Miami's Trina is currently the ride-or-die chick to beat. And no rap story's been bigger this year than Houston hip-hop; on Saturday, the form is repped a few hours north by scene elder Bun B as well as young major-label darlings Slim Thug and Chamillionaire..

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE !STONE SOUL PICNIC – A JUNETEENTH CELEBRATION 2004 !!

Radio One Dallas (KBFB and KSOC) - 94.5 KSOUL home of the ‘Tom Joyner in the Morning Show’ and sister station 97.9 THE BEAT home of ‘The All New Steve Harvey Morning Show’, presents the 3rd Annual Stone Soul Picnic – A Juneteenth Celebration 2004. That’s right, it’s back…the largest concert and free family day event of the year to the Dallas/Ft. Worth metroplex at Fair Park of Texas on Saturday, June 19th at 10:00am. Radio One Dallas is kicking off the hottest summer bash in the area. !!The day’s activities are upon us – EVERYTHING’S FREE, including the largest children’s playground jam-packed with arts and crafts, clowns, face painters, water slides, balloonists, bouncy houses. Along with the children’s activities, there will be a variety of shows and contests throughout the day. PLUS 3 on 3 basketball hosted by The Tony B foundation, A Dodgeball Tournament hosted by Da Show, A Sunkist Sunlab Championship hosted by DJ Big Bink and so much more!!!. There IS something FOR everyone!!! Radio One’s 3rd Annual Stone Soul Picnic concludes with a free concert featuring national recording artist The Bar-kays. !!The 3rd Annual Stone Soul Picnic offers the African American community a unique opportunity by providing a venue for one-on-one contact with current and potential customers. Advertisers and consumers have the opportunity to shake hands with more than 5,000 loyal attendees. In addition, this free community event provides a positive image to consumers as well as high visibility of their products and services. !!Radio One’s 3rd Annual Stone Soul Picnic – A Juneteenth Celebration 2004 is hosted by top-rated personalities including Steve Harvey, Tom Joyner, Tony B, Lynne Haze, Eurro Thomas, Sista Sondra, Smokin Kevan, Axion Jaxson, DJ Big Bink, Da Show and more!!! !!For more information/interviews, please contact Koshina Tabasuri at (972) 331-5417 or Tonya Collins at (972) 331-5400.!!

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STONE SOUL FAIRPARK FAIRGROUNDS SATURDAY JUNE 19, 2004 DALLAS, TEXAS

STONE SOUL PRESSRELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE !

Stone Soul Picnic –A Juneteenth Celebration 2005 !Radio One Dallas (KBFB FM and KSOC FM) -94.5 K-Soul, home of the ‘Tom Joyner in the

Morning Show’ and sister station 97.9 The Beat, home of ‘The All New Rickey Smiley Morning Show’, present the ―4th Annual Stone Soul Picnic –A Juneteenth Celebration 2005. That’s right, it’s back…Dallas/Ft. Worth Metroplex’s largest concert and free family day event of the year at Fair Park of Texas on Saturday, June 18, at 10:00am. Radio One Dallas kicks off the hottest summer bash in the area. !!The day’s activities are upon us –EVERYTHING’S FREE, including the largest children’s

playground jam-packed with arts and crafts, clowns, face painters, water slides, balloonists and bouncy houses. There will also be a variety of shows and contests throughout the day. There IS something FOR everyone!!!!!Radio One’s 4th Annual Stone Soul Picnic concludes with a free concert featuring national

recording artist Mint Condition.!!The 4th Annual Stone Soul Picnic offers the African American community a unique

opportunity by providing a venue for one-on-one contact with current and potential customers. Advertisers and consumers shake hands with more than 10,000 loyal attendees. In addition, this free community event provides a positive image to consumers as well as high visibility of their products and services.!!Radio One’s 4th Annual Stone Soul Picnic –A Juneteenth Celebration 2005 is hosted by top-

rated personalities including Lynne Haze, Barbie Doll Peaches, Eurro Thomas, Erykah James, Shani, Sista Sondra, Smokin Kevan, Axion Jaxson, DJ Big Bink, DaShow and more!!!!!For more information/interviews, please contact Koshina Tabasuri at (972) 331-5417 or Tonya

Collins at (972) 331-5400.!###

Date: May 7, 2006!Location: Dallas Market Center!Time: 12p-6p (Doors open at 11a)!Demographics: M18-49!Attendance: 10,000+!Ticket Price: $30.00!Main Stage Artists: LL Cool J ! Other KBFB Play List Artists

LL Cool J Headlining artist, Ladies Love Cool James, started his career with the release of Radio in 1985. Over 25 years later, he is not only a multi-award winning Hip Hop artist, but also a notable actor. He has been featured in dozens of major films and now has a recurring role on CBS’s NCIS: Los Angeles. !!

UGK Members Chad “Pimp C” Butler and Bernard “Bun B” Freeman formed the group Underground Kingz, better known as UGK, in 1987. Their first major label album, Too Hard To Swallow, was released in 1992. The pair have been featured on records with artists such as Jay Z and Three 6 Mafia, both as a group and individually. This concert was one of the last concerts performed by Pimp C before his death on December 4, 2007. !!

Mack 10 Dedrick “Mack 10” Rolison is the third member of the group Westside Connection, which also includes Ice Cube and WC. In the fall of the west coast rap scene, he began a acting career by appearing a several small

films. Mack 10 married and 2000 underwent a highly criticized divorce from TLC member T-Boz. He also founded Hoo-Bangin Records. !!

Lil Flip Houston born Wesley “Lil Flip” Weston, Jr. was named the “Freestyle King” by DJ screw, before his death. After such titles his music began to see more national fame. Lil Flip has also appeared in a couple very small films and the Def Jam: Fight for NY video game. He plans to release his eighth album (fourth studio) Ahead of My Time 1.5 in the spring 2012, along with a new book, new movie and a new line of alcohol. !!

Chamillionaire Hakeem “Chamilionaire” Seriki is the CEO of Chamilitary Entertainment as well as founder and original member of The Color Changin’ Click. He begin with a collaboration with fellow Houston friend Paul Wall and released Get Ya Mind Correct in 2002. In 2005 he signed with Universal Records, which he has parted from as of 2011. He is set to release his third album including unheard material in 2012.

Ludacris !Christopher “Ludacris” Bridges was born in Champaign, Ill then moved to Atlanta, GA at the age of nine. He DJ-ed under the name Chris Lova Lova for the Atlanta Radio One station, Hot 97.5, before releasing his first album, Back for the First Time, in 2000. He has since released seven albums including his latest Ludaversal on May of 2012. He has also appeared in many films including Crash, winner of 2004’s Oscar Best Picture. He is the co-owner of Conjure Congnac and Soul headphones. !!

Ciara Ciara Harris was born in Austin, Texas and came on the scene with her debut album Goodies in 2004, which had three #1 hits. Originally signed with Jive Records she was dropped in 2011 and later signed to Epic Records. Currently Ciara has four album and is set to release a fifth called One Woman Army in 2012. She has began her acting career with three very small films in 2012. !

Paul Wall Paul Slayton exploited on the rap scene with his Atlantic Record debut The Peoples Champ in 2005. He is currently a member of Expensive Taste with Travis Barker, of Blink 182, and Skinhead Rob. Paul has released five albums since 2004 and recording under the Swishahouse Record label. !!

Mike Jones Michael Jones was born in Houston, Texas and became nationally infamous for his debut album Who Is Mike Jones? in 2005 under the Swishahouse label. Before signing with Swishahouse, he was a member of the group Souf Folk and rapped under the name Sache. Mike is currently on his own label Ice Age Entertainment and has released three albums. He has also appeared on a few televisions shows including Punk’d, Prison Break and The Game.

STATE FAIR CLASSIC

VS

Steve Harvey’s CRIB GIVEAWAY

KIDS PLAYGROUND

Performing ! artists...!

Killer Mike!Bone Crusher!

Papa Rue!The D.O.C!

David Banner!and Chingy!

...adding more artist daily!!!

Saturday, May 17, 2003!Dallas Convention Center Arena!

Dallas, TXContact: Koshina Tabasuri!Tel.: (972) 331-5417!Fax: (972) 331-5566!E-mail: [email protected]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE !97.9 The Beat brings to Dallas/Ft. Worth Beat Jam & Ballaz 2003!!

DALLAS, TX (KBFB)- The home of the all new ‘Steve Harvey Morning’ show is bringing to the Metroplex the Beat Jam & Ballaz 2003, 97.9 The Beat’s largest concert and basketball event of the year where more than 8,000 people are expected to attend. Mark your calendars for Saturday, May 17th, as 97.9 The Beat takes over the Dallas Convention Center at 7pm for what’s sure to be the biggest summer kick-off party in Dallas-Ft. Worth!!!97.9 The Beat’s 1st Beat Jam & Ballaz 2003 will feature national recording artists such as Bone Crusher, Killer Mike, Papa Rue and many more. With addition of the ‘Steve Harvey Morning’ show to 97.9 The Beat, the star power is guaranteed to be OUT OF THIS

WORLD! This event will be even bigger and better than ever with the addition of The Streetball All Stars (Modern Day Globetrotters)...you’ve seen them in mix tapes, TV commercials, music videos and Rucker Park NYC, now you can see them live!!!Basketball in the 21st century has become synonymous with entertainment and Hip Hop. Basketball is the main sport of the Hip Hop culture and America’s urban youth- a $5 billion sector. Combine basketball and Hip Hop and you get streetball. Streetball is a cultural influence ready for the mainstream.!!Beat Jam & Ballaz 2003 will be hosted by 97.9 The Beat’s top-rated personalities including Steve Harvey, Big Bink, Action Jaxon and Da Show.!!For more information/interviews please contact Koshina Tabasuri at (972) 331-5417 or Tonya Collins (972) 331-5400. !!

We’ll see you there!!! !!

Chingy ! ! !Howard “Chingy” Bailey, Jr. is originally from St. Louis and got his start as the opening act to Nelly in 2002. Shortly after he became protege to Ludacris, who signed him to his label Disturbing Da Peace (DTP). He release his debut album Right Thurr in 2003 under the DTP label. He currently has 5 studio albums and a new one he is set to release sometime in 2012, titled No Risk No Reward. Chingy left DTP in 2007 and is rumored to be talking with Epic Records.!!

The D.O.C ! ! !Tracy “The D.O.C” Curry was born in Dallas, Texas and was a part of the Hip Hop group Fila Fresh Crew. He was the creative force of NWA and co-wrote many of their hit songs. In 1989, D.O.C was in a car accident where he was thrown out of the window. As a result he underwent 21 hours of plastic surgery and spent 2.5 weeks in the hospital and a month without speaking causing a raspier voice. He currently has 3 albums is working on a fourth, Voice Through Hot Vessels, set to release in 2012.!

Bun B ! ! !Bernard “Bun B” Freeman formed the group Underground Kingz, better known as UGK, in 1987 with member the late Chad “Pimp C” Butler. Their first major label album, Too Hard To Swallow, was released in 1992. The pair have been featured on records with artists such as Jay Z and Three 6 Mafia, both as a group and individually. The duo separated from each other during Pimp C’s incarceration. Bun B put out his own project in the meantime including Thrillville. !!

Bone Crusher ! !Wayne “Bone Crusher” Hardnett, Jr. was a member of the group Lyrical Giants before his solo career. His debut album AttenCHUN released in 2003 and featured the smash hit Never Scared. His currently has two solo albums but has guest appeared on almost 30 artists’ albums, including Mariah Carey, E-40 and Jennifer Lopez. He also appeared on VH-1’s Celebrity Fit Club.

VERIZON LADIES FIRST TOUR 2004 Starring BEYONCE, ALICIA KEYS and

MISSY ELLIOTT With Special... !Publication: Business Wire!Date: Tuesday, February 17, 2004!!Entertainment Editors!!NEW YORK-- (BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 17, 2004!

!Three of the biggest superstars in contemporary pop and R&B are joining forces in one of the most exciting and historic tours in years - Verizon Ladies First Tour 2004 starring Beyonce, Alicia Keys, and Missy Elliott, with special guest Tamia. The Verizon Ladies First Tour 2004 is being produced and promoted by Alan Haymon Productions and Clear Channel Entertainment, the world’s leading promoter and marketer of live entertainment and

is being sponsored by Verizon.!!One of the most highly- anticipated tours ever, the cross-country extravaganza is scheduled to begin March 12th in Fort Lauderdale and winds up April 18th at the Oakland Coliseum. “I expect this to be one of the most anticipated and successful tours in recent years,” stated Al Haymon, President and CEO of Alan Haymon Productions. “We are

very excited to present this very special and unique event.”!!

Contact: Koshina Tabasuri!Tel.:! (972) 331-5417!Fax:!(972) 331-5566!E-mail: [email protected]!!!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 97.9 The Beat brings to Dallas/Ft. Worth Jingle Jam 2003: The Christmas

Crunkfest !

DALLAS, TX (KBFB) - Home of the all new ‘Steve Harvey Morning Show,’ is bringing to the Metroplex the 2nd Annual Jingle Jam 2003: The Christmas Crunkfest. This event is 97.9 The Beat’s largest concert and Toy Drive of the year with more than 8,000 people expected to attend. Mark your calendars for Saturday, December 13th, as 97.9 The Beat takes over the Dallas Convention Center at 7pm for what’s sure to be the biggest holiday kick off party in Dallas-Ft. Worth!!!97.9 The Beat’s 2nd Annual Jingle Jam 2003 will feature national and regional recording artists

such as Big Moe, the Ying Yang Twins, Baby Bash , Gemini, Mike Jones, Lil’Flip, Lil’Scrappy, TI, Trillville and more. With the addition of the ‘Steve Harvey Morning Show’ to 97.9 The Beat, the star power is guaranteed to be OUT OF THIS WORLD!!!!!Steve Harvey personally purchased all the tickets to the show- meaning this star-studded

holiday event is FREE! Tickets for this event are available through 97.9 The Beat radio giveaways and various station events. Each ticket holder is required to donate an unwrapped toy with a minimum $5 value at the event. Toy donations will benefit Aids Arms, Inc. and the Steve and Mary Harvey Foundation.!!Jingle Jam 2003 will be hosted by 97.9 The Beat’s top-rated personalities including Steve

Harvey, Big Bink, Action Jaxon and Da Show. For more information/interviews please contact Koshina Tabasuri, Promotions Coordinator, at (972) 331-5417 or Tonya Collins, Promotions team member, at (972) 331-5400. We’ll see you there!!!!!

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T.I !! !Clifford “T.I” Harris has not only become famous for his rap career but also for your jail career. The CEO of Grand Hustle Records has seven studio albums, including his last No Mercy TI, which he wrote during his 11 months in prison. He has collaborated with artists such Jay Z, Rihanna, Kanye West and Eminem. T.I also has an impressive acting career that includes American Gangster with Denzel Washington. He is currently filming Indentity Theft, set to release in 2013, and holding a recurring role on Starz’s show Boss. !!

Mike Jones ! ! !Michael Jones was born in Houston, Texas and became nationally infamous for his debut album Who Is Mike Jones? in 2005 under the Swishahouse label. Before signing with Swishahouse, he was a member of the group Souf Folk and rapped under the name Sache. Mike is currently on his own label Ice Age Entertainment and has released three albums. He has

also appeared on a few televisions shows including Punk’d, Prison Break and The Game.!!

Ying Yang Twins ! Members Eric “Kaine” Jackson and De’Angelo “D-Roc” Holmes debuted their first album in 2000, but saw true success on their 2003 “Get Low” collaboration with Lil’ John. The duo has seven studio albums, two remix albums, three compilations and one mixtape. They also appeared in the movie Soul Plane. !!

Lil Flip ! ! Houston born Wesley “Lil Flip” Weston, Jr. was named the “Freestyle King” by DJ screw, before his death. After such titles his music began to see more national fame. Lil Flip has also appeared in a couple very small films and the Def Jam: Fight for NY video game. He plans to release his eighth album (fourth studio) Ahead of My Time 1.5 in the spring 2012, along with a new book, new movie and a new line of alcohol. !