http:// 2013-06-19T02:38:11Z 2013-06-19T02:38:11Z marketing-company-blazes-trails-at-mudding-competitions

Perth, Western Australia, June 19, 2013 - Mudding is a sport for the strong of mind, body, and heart, where teams of four compete in a race through a treacherous obstacle course littered with traps, pitfalls, and of course, muddy terrain.In the near future, two of the biggest mudding events of the year in Western Australia will take place. The Western Mudd Rush will take place in August of this year, only a few months away in the Perth area. It is a good example of a mudding event and will feature a number of difficult and tedious obstacles for runners to endure and overcome.The Tough Mudder Perth event will take place at the end of October in the town of Copley. This is a seriously challenging event that only the strongest will be able to take on, especially considering that its course was designed by the Britain Special Forces.Both of these competitions are sure to challenge even an experienced team of competitors. For this reason, preparations must be made well in advance, including training and team selecting. Team uniforms also must be picked out--and that is where ImagePak Marketing comes in.Scott Eaton, owner of the corporation, offers his reasons why a custom uniform would be a smart choice for the upcoming events. Eaton feels that specially-designed uniforms have great advertising potential: “When it comes to standing out from a crowd, few things do it better than an outfit with your organisation’s name and company logo on it. Think about it:  If your team does well, that name not only gets remembered by all those involved in the competition, but it has a certain ring of glory to it when it is remembered.”He continues by making the assertion that by having a team, company, or organisation name on a uniform means that the people who gathered for the event will have exposure to your business or organisation. “Even if your team doesn’t necessarily place well, the fact that your name is on your clothing means that everyone at the competition will know who you stand for and that means something in the face of marketing your business,” he says.He adds with a note that having a team uniform has potential to do more than just increase your public exposure: “Plus it just plain looks great to have an entire team in matching uniforms. What would a professional sports team look like without a common outfit and logo? It increases good teamwork, boosts morale, and makes everyone look that much better.”While to some it may seem to be an unnecessary expense, Eaton reminds us otherwise: “Custom uniforms are definitely very affordable and well worth the minor investment that they do take. It’s easy, too: Just place an order with us with exactly what you’d like in your uniforms and let us do all the work. When you see how they look and you wear them with pride in your event, you will realise that they were well worth whatever you paid for them.”Eaton concludes with words about his company’s uniforms and how they fit into the upcoming events, “It’s a win-win situation either way: you look good, consumers remember you, and everyone has a great time at an intense sporting event.”ImagePak Marketing is a company that creates customised items, uniforms and embroidery for the Perth area and beyond. For more information about their different options, please call (08) 92444 111 or visit their website at http://www.imagepak.com.au/.

2013-06-19T00:47:17Z sold-out-blind-tasting-performance-and-wine-tasting-announces-new-sydney-date

  SOLD OUT ‘Blind Tasting’ performance and wine tasting Announces New Sydney Date   Due to the enormous popularity from wine lovers, theatre goers and thespians alike, ‘Blind Tasting’, the unique ‘part performance/part wine-tasting’ has added a new date, Tuesday 30th July. Having quickly sold out tickets to the first Sydney performance on Tuesday 25th June, this new Sydney date will similarly be held at The Ensemble Theatre, Kirribilli.   ‘Blind Tasting’ is a quirky one-woman contemporary show, thoughtfully written and directed by Paul Gilchrist and features accomplished Australian actress Sylvia Keays. Sylvia, in an acclaimed portrayal, introduces us to her character Sophie – who talks wine, sells wine and she has every reason to drink it. Join her hilarious razor-sharp discovery of the unexpected truth hidden in each glass.   With already a sold-out season at the 2012 Adelaide Fringe and the 2012 Melbourne Fringe festivals, as well as performances in Los Angeles, ‘Blind Tasting’ conveys wit, whimsy and heartbreak – all centered around wine. TimeOut Melbourne raved that "Sylvia Keays slips snugly into her character. So snug that I initially thought this might have been her own story. The show has a very smooth tone, sitting happily between wistfully melancholic narrative and a stand-up routine."   Suitably accompanying this performance is the equally acclaimed wines from Shaw Vineyard Estate, available for you to try before the show, with wine tasting and nibblies commencing from 6.30pm, followed by a 7.30pm performance. Shaw Vineyard Estate is a family owned and operated wine producer who has been producing Canberra’s finest wines for over a decade. As a keen supporter of young Australian talent, Shaw saw this collaboration as a rich opportunity to showcase their performance in wine to a discerning audience.   Also supporting the ‘Blind Tasting’ show is online drinks site Sip Your Style. Katrina Holden, editor and founder of the site says audiences should prepare for moments of true humour, drama and introspection with Sylvia’s raw delivery.   “From the moment Sylvia begins the act wearing a red blindfold, the audience is captivated. There’s an honesty and purity in her portrayal of Sophie – and her tale of workplace woes, trying to find love and more importantly, trying to find herself – themes we can all relate to. Through the metaphor of wine (and better yet, the tasting of it), we’re taken on an emotional journey involving humour, wit, frailty and self-awareness. Sylvia is a poised, vibrant, approachable yet intriguing performer who connects with her audience and whom herself mirrors many of the attributes of a good wine. In Blind Tasting it’s just her, us and the wine, with no trickery – the show’s very simplicity makes for a very authentic and pleasurable experience,” said Katrina.   Book your tickets today to ensure that you don’t miss out on this unique tasting and hilarious performance. Tickets are available for purchase now, Adult ($35*) and Concession ($30*) ticket price includes tasting and the show.                                                                                                                                                                         *Booking fee applies   Tickets sales, please contact: The Ensemble Theatre, 78 McDougall Street, Kirribilli www.ensemble.com.au  or call (02) 9929 0644   For media enquiries, please contact: White Ink, info@whiteink.com.au       About Sylvia Keays   Sylvia Keays is an Australian actress theatrically trained at The American Academy of Dramatic Arts, Hollywood. Since graduation, she has performed professionally in TV, independent film, presenting, and her main love theatre, both in the USA and Australia. She has performed in plays produced by NIDA, Steam Productions, Billie Blonde, Shakespeare by the Sea, Complex Theatre LA, AADA (Hollywood). In television, she has featured in ‘Deadly Women’ in the US; and in Stupid Stupid Man, supporting Deborah Mailman in Australia. Her body of commercial work includes productions for TAB, ANZ, New Idea and McDonald’s.   Critical Acclaim for ‘Blind Tasting’   "Part performance, part wine tasting, this witty, insightful performance was well crafted by Paul Gilchrist and delivered with confidence and a delightful balance of light and shade by Sylvia Keays. This performance was a delight; intimate, funny, sad, and thoughtful” - Stage Whispers Melbourne   This is "a classy sensory experience...a passionate and considered performance" - Adelaide Theatre Guide   The story moves with playful audience interaction, two mid show wine tastings, and "has a very smooth tone, sitting happily between wistfully melancholic narrative and a stand-up routine." - ArtsHub Melbourne   "A punchy, whimsical tale of lovelorn Sophie - executed exceptionally by actor Sylvia Keays" - Theatre Junkies Melbourne   “Sylvia Keays is a brilliant performer ….a moving, consistent and quality performance that is a joy to watch…. The script is playful, witty and poetic …..a captivating personal account of a woman’s experience of love, loss and finding pleasure in unexpected places. Keays was thoroughly entertaining” -  FringeReview UK

2013-06-18T03:09:14Z motorsport-24-hours-of-le-mans-live-on-eurosport

Sydney, 18 June – It’s that time of year again when some of the most exciting cars in automotive racing come out to play and the world’s best drivers strive to etch their name in the history books.   Yes it’s the 24 Hours of Le Mans – the 90th edition of the great race – and Eurosport is dedicated to bring you best broadcast of the most prestigious endurance race in the world. All 24 hours of the race LIVE.   Australian V8 Supercar driver Jason Bright will be one of three Aussies in action at the famed 24 Hours of Le Mans when he makes his debut appearance at the world’s greatest and longest-running car race.   Bright, currently fifth in the V8 Supercar standings, will partner Rui Aguas and Vincente Potolicchio in the highly fancied Ferrari 458 GT, with countrymen Ryan Briscoe and John Martin also eying victory in their respective Honda HPD ARX-03b LMP2 and Oreca 03-Nissan LMP2 entries. Eurosport’s LIVE broadcast of the 24 Hours of Le Mans starts with free practice at 2am and the first of three qualifying sessions at 6am on Thursday 20/6. On Saturday 22/6, Eurosport will cover the warm up and the ‘Race of Legends’ sessions LIVE at 5pm and 6pm, before LIVE coverage of the main event from 10.45pm. Eurosport will also be producing LIVE daily magazine shows from our on-site studio at the Le Mans circuit. The show will host a different special guest each evening and will feature circuit presentation, interviews with team directors and VIP’s from the pits and paddock, analysis, all the latest news, behind-the-scenes reports and a daily focus on amateur driver, Hollywood actor and renowned rev-head Patrick Dempsey. The Grey’s Anatomy star, who first raced the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2009, returns in his Porsche 911 GT3 RSR and said he was excited to be back at the wheel at Le Mans. “It’s been a long story to get here….after 2009, which was an extraordinary experience and it’s a remarkable event steeped in history. So to come back we have worked very hard but we’ve managed to get here and it’s a great team,” Dempsey said. Eurosport’s LIVE coverage of 24 Hours of Le Mans includes: Event LIVE Broadcast Time Free Practice 02:00am (20/06) Magazine Show 05:30am (20/06) Qualifying 06:00am  (20/06) Qualifying 03:00am  (21/06) Magazine Show 05:00am  (21/06) Qualifying 06:00am  (21/06) Warm Up 17:00pm  (22/06) Race of Legends 18:00pm  (22/06) Magazine Show 10:15pm  (22/06) Le Mans 24h RACE 10:45pm (22/06) Magazine Show 06:00am  (23/06) Le Mans 24h RACE 06:30am  (23/06) Magazine Show 17:00pm  (23/06) Le Mans 24h RACE 17:30pm (23/06) For up to date information about Eurosport’s coverage of the 2013 24 Hours of Le Mans go to our website at au.eurosport.com ENDS * Schedules are as of June 18 2013 and are subject to change. Times are AEST. ABOUT EUROSPORT GROUP The Eurosport Group is Europe's leading sports entertainment group. Eurosport, the n°1 pan-European TV channel, broadcasts in 20 languages and reaches 131 million homes across 54 countries. Eurosport HD is the high definition simulcast of Eurosport. Eurosport 2 broadcasts to 63 million households in 18 languages across 51 countries. Eurosport 2 HD was launched in August 2009. Eurosport Asia-Pacific reaches 17 countries in the region and launched an HD channel in September 2011. Eurosportnews is the sports news channel transmitted worldwide. Eurosport.com, Europe's n°1 online sports destination, has up to 23 million unique users per month (comScore) across an international network of sports websites in 11 languages, including Yahoo! co-branded sites in Germany, Spain, Italy and the UK. The Eurosport.com free mobile applications are available in 10 languages. Eurosport Player, Eurosport's online TV service, provides LIVE and on-demand sports to fans' PCs in 53 countries and the Player application is available for mobile, tablet and connected TV in up to 40 countries. Eurosport Events is the group's expert division in the management and promotion of international sporting events.  About Eurosport in AustraliaEurosport launched in Australia in November 2009 broadcasting its flagship channel on the FOXTEL and TransACT platforms. Bringing over 3000 hours of first broadcast programming, of which 80% is shown LIVE, from around the world and showcasing more than 60 sports genres to sports fans in Australia, Eurosport provides variety and choice in sports viewing. Eurosport is available to Foxtel sports subscribers. For more information please contact: Roopa Fulivai, Eurosport Australia, 0411 708 740David Lyall, Sports Communication Australia, 0403 777 026

2013-06-18T00:00:52Z samantha-brennan-launches-new-free-online-food-and-lifestyle-magazine

New media start-up TheFamilyKitchen.com.au, an online food and lifestyle blog-style magazine,is fast finding its feet in an exciting digital landscape. Launched in February 2013 and the brainchild of magazine journalist Samantha Brennan, TheFamilyKitchen.com.au now has more than1,400 Facebook followers, and monthly visitors to the website has grown from 1,400 at launch to close to 6,000 (+328%), less than four months later. Founder and editor Samantha Brennan, with 10 years’ experience as a writer and editor for some of the best-known Australian magazines including Australian Good Food, Australian House & Garden andCLEO, dedicates her time to curating food and lifestyle content for families across Australia, delivering glossy-quality recipes and features designed to educate and entertain busy mums. “TheFamilyKitchen.com.au exists for many reasons, not least of which is I simply love what I do.But essentially, I saw that while there are lots of big players in the online food media market, and many digital communities for Australian mums, there was perhaps space for a more intimate, premium blog-style editorial product built purely around food and lifestyle content. TheFamilyKitchen.com.au encourages dialogue between our readers and editorial team, and offersan attractive professional platform for advertisers to make a quality connection with that lucrative target market – the household grocery buyer.” TheFamilyKitchen.com.au has experienced rapid growth among women aged 25-541, who areincreasingly going online for information, support and entertainment. With 98.9% of mums using Facebook2 and 73% reading blogs3, the internet is fast becoming their leading source of “me-time”.Women are finding online content that they enjoy, and it’s replacing the need to buy traditional glossies. The move from magazines to online is evident, with many popular national titles experiencing decline in the six months to December 20124. Renowned ex-ACP Magazines editor Mia Freedman hascommented5, “The magazines, which I loved madly as a reader, and then as a writer and editor, areproduced monthly or weekly… We live our lives in increments of half-hours, sometimes minutes – and if you’re the mother of a child under two, best make that seconds. We don’t wait for magazines anymore. We have information coming to us from the internet and social media much faster than we can consume it. For free.” And it’s this shift that underlies the business model for TheFamilyKitchen.com.au. “The idea is toinvert the traditional interpretation of a print-and-digital media relationship. We’re building our brand online; that’s our primary product. Moving forward, we’ll support our online content with special print editions and one-shot cookbooks, but we’ll lead with our digital offering.” Future plans for this promising start-up see more big-name celebrity interviews, exciting contributors continuing to come on board and a special celebration print edition before the year is out. “We have big plans for TheFamilyKitchen.com.au, and it’s very exciting to see it all come together. I’m lookingforward to the next six months and watching our community grow.” ENDS Contact: Mary-Anne Amies, Wise Up Marketing Solutionsmaryanne@wiseupmarketing.com.au 0402 248 930 ### 1Facebook Page Insights. 2MumsNow “Mums in 2012” Survey. 3MumsNow “Mums in 2012” Survey.4http://www.bandt.com.au/news/media/abcs-beauty-and-lifestyle-dives-health-and-home-hi5http://www.bandt.com.au/news/media/mia-freedman-flipping-through-a-women-s-magazine-i

2013-06-17T23:54:15Z more-australian-mums-going-online-for-me-time

Since its launch in February 2013, TheFamilyKitchen.com.au has experienced rapid growth amongwomen aged 25-541, who are increasingly going online for information, support and entertainment.With 98.9% of mums using Facebook2 and 73% reading blogs3, the internet is fast becoming theirleading source of “me-time”. And now Australian mums are discovering TheFamilyKitchen.com.au, an exciting new free onlinefood and lifestyle blog-style magazine, featuring everything mums need to create happier, healthier family kitchens: simple recipes, practical nutrition advice, style inspiration, celebrity interviews and great competitions, which are all delivered daily in delicious bite-size morsels. TheFamilyKitchen.com.au founder and editor Samantha Brennan, with 10 years’ experience as awriter and editor for some of the best-known Australian magazines including Australian Good Food,Australian House & Garden and CLEO, now dedicates her time to curating food and lifestyle contentfor families across Australia, delivering glossy-quality recipes and features designed to educate and entertain busy mums. Although there are plenty of online recipe databases, Samantha noticed a space was missing where women could come together to share and learn about family food and nutrition, as well as fun things like new kitchenware and tableware, and famous foodies’ kitchens. “I saw that while there are lots of big players in the online food media market, there was perhaps space for a more intimate and friendlier blog-style magazine that offers connection with the editorial team and among our readers,” she said. The response from women has been overwhelming. TheFamilyKitchen.com.au now has more than1,400 Facebook followers, and monthly visitors to the website has grown from 1,400 at launch to close to 6,000 (+328%), just four months later. TheFamilyKitchen.com.au is a free Australian online food and lifestyle magazine. All recipes fromthe editorial team are developed and tested especially for TheFamilyKitchen.com.au. With simplerecipes, easy ideas and everyday inspiration for happy, healthy family kitchens, women who love cooking and family food should log on to TheFamilyKitchen.com.au.ENDS Contact: Mary-Anne Amies, Wise Up Marketing Solutionsmaryanne@wiseupmarketing.com.au 0402 248 930 ### 1Facebook Page Insights2MumsNow “Mums in 2012” Survey3MumsNow “Mums in 2012” Survey

2013-06-13T01:12:00Z bullied-teen-to-circus-superstar

Billed as Australia’s Funniest Juggler, James Bustar, entertains thousands each week as a veteran headliner on the World’s top cruise lines and is a well sought after icon on the corporate performance circuit. Fans of all ages fondly remember his act from the 2009 Semi-finals of Australia’s Got Talent where James’ unique style and original ‘contorted juggling’ made him one of the first juggling circus artists to actually be accepted on to the TV show. “The favourite part of my job is doing something that I enjoy and the smiles and laughs that I put on peoples faces, it’s priceless,” James said. With 11 years in the industry, James has come a long way from a bullied teen to Australia’s newest comedy sensation, bringing entertainment to audiences worldwide. Juggling was an escape for James and he would use it to stop being bullied as an early teen. As a child, James Bustar was always taught to follow his dreams, and this talented Comedian Juggler made his dream of running away with the circus a reality. “My inspiration began with watching my local circus every weekend in the UK. When I moved to Australia at 11 I taught myself to juggle from the internet, and haven’t looked back,” James said. Starting out studying drama and working as extras in movies, however James’ ‘real job’ has always been as circus performer. James’ journey includes being part of the “Flying Fruit Fly Circus” in Albury, street performer in Sydney, working at a Japan theme park, stage shows with Ringling Brothers Clowns and Flying Trapeze instructor in Sydney. He has also worked for Club Med resorts teaching and performing juggling and flying trapeze which has led to working on cruise ships and working at festivals overseas. One of James’ greatest achievements in his career to date is being the youngest headliner act to be employed and to perform on cruise lines internationally. Having clients behind him such as Princess Cruises, Holland America Cruises, Royal Caribbean Cruises, P&O Cruises, McDonalds, Toyota, BMW, Masterfoods Australia to name a few. From Papua New Guinea to Cambodia, Vietnam to Japan, he has performed the world over. James Bustar performs for live corporate performances which include uproariously funny audience participation, world-class juggling and variety acts and belly laughs. With countless TV appearances you are sure to have seen him before. James is a talent not to be missed, with a comedy juggling act that has wowed thousands of people worldwide. For all media enquiries please contact; James Blaxall+61 401 608 937

2013-06-12T03:58:31Z monster-music-implores-readers-please-sign-the-commit-to-community-radio-petition

Perth, WA, June 12, 2013 - Last March, representatives of community radio stations all across Australia banded together to drum up support for a campaign to save digital community radio. The campaign, called Commit to Community Radio, is raising awareness of a $1.4 million shortfall in government funding to help community radio stations switch from analogue to digital. An estimated 37 community radio stations across Australia are considered to be at risk of being unable to switch over to digital broadcasting. Advocates of community radio cite the fact that approximately one in four Australians listens to community radio on a weekly basis, and are disappointed in last year’s budget cuts that resulted in a $1.4 million shortfall for community radio. If funding is not restored in the next budget, which is determined this May, many digital stations could go under. Stations considered to be in danger of closure include 3RRR in Melbourne, which garners 329,000 listeners every week to go with 14,000 subscribers, and Light Melbourne, which broadcasts to 364,000 listeners for FM, and another 158,000 for its digital channel each month. Noongar Radio in Perth, RPH in Adelaide, 4EB Global in Brisbane, and FBi in Sydney are also considered to be at risk. The Commit to Community Radio campaign has started an online petition, which currently claims 39,600 signees, as of this writing. Adrian Basso, President of the Community Broadcasting Association of Australia, is grudgingly optimistic. He cites a positive and enthusiastic response to the petition and several meetings with key government figures as reasons for optimism. Basso also cites the National Cultural Policy, and it’s infusion of over $200 million into the arts as both encouraging and a possible indication the government may fully understand the importance of community radio to Australians. Danny Achurch, musician, teacher, and founder of Monster Music, hopes that every musician, student, teacher, and those who read his blog sign the petition and make their voices heard. Achurch has studied the numbers concerning this issue, and it is very surprising that the situation has become as dire as it is now. According to Achurch, “The money is there. The government is already giving $134 million to free-to-air TV stations in license rebates to help them convert to digital broadcasting. Meanwhile, community radio is only asking for $1.4 million. Since 25% of Australians listen to community radio on a weekly basis, the situation is even more ludicrous than it would appear, without context.” Achurch continued, “In addition, over $200 million is pledged to the new Creative Australia effort, and the Australian Music Radio Airplay Project (AMRAP) received $250,000 from the budget last year in a last-minute decision similar to this one. It cannot be denied that community radio is extremely important to the health of the Australian music scene. Most Australian artists get their first airplay on Australian community radio stations. Without this medium for exposure, much of the great work that is being done by Creative Australia will have been done in vain.” Achurch concluded, “If you care about Australian music and community radio, please take the time to visit the Commit to Community Radio website and sign the petition.” Monster Music provides drum, singing, guitar, and keyboard lessons in Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth, and most Australian cities, as well as lessons on most popular instruments. To find out more about Monster Music, please visit their website: http://www.monstermusic.com.au/ or call 08 9335 8881.

2013-06-12T03:43:03Z why-is-richard-morecroft-wild-at-heart

New outdoor lifestyle publication Your Fantastic Backyard reveals all this and more about the media personality and environmentalist in its latest issue. In the new edition of Your Fantastic Backyard magazine, media personality Richard Morecroft takes readers on a rare tour of his backyard at JervisBay on the South Coast of New South Wales.  In an interview with Your Fantastic Backyard’s Editor, Penelope Barker, Richard reveals that as a small boy growing up in the UK and Adelaide he always found the neighbours’ rockeries an intense source of interest. “I was always really fascinated by the environment and was always looking under stones and things for lizards and frogs,” says the committed environmentalist.   After reading zoologist Gerald Durrell’s book My Family and Other Animals, a highly entertaining account of the author’s childhood on the Greek island of Corfu and affinity with the local wildlife, young Richard dreamed of one day “living with nature and sharing an environment with all sorts of wildlife. Where my partner, artist Alison Mackay, and I live now is a fulfilment of that fantasy.”   The bushland acres Richard and Alison bought at JervisBay a decade ago are now a thriving private wildlife refuge, exquisitely captured in Alison Mackay’s beautiful images that accompany the article.   “It’s lovely to be surrounded by nature and have that opportunity to have something that is largely natural,” says Richard. “However, we have put in a lot of effort to live with wildlife as close to us as we can manage.”   Your Fantastic Backyard magazine, launched in May 2013, features a celebrity backyard every issue, as well as features on the latest trends in backyard design and new products, outdoor entertaining, gardening and pet care tips and DIY projects. Issue #2, now on sale, also features a comprehensive guide to outdoor heating, new trends in outdoor furniture, a fabulously funky garden by up and coming landscape designer Phillip Withers, a guide to outdoor cabanas and much, much more.   Subscribe to either the print or digital editions of Your Fantastic Backyard at www.yourfantasticbackyard.com.au    

2013-06-12T03:31:00Z latest-release-of-akamai-aqua-ion-focused-on-improving-and-measuring-situational-performance

Akamai® Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: AKAM), the leading cloud platform for helping enterprises provide secure, high-performing user experiences on any device, anywhere, today introduced several important updates to Aqua Ion, the company’s flagship Web experience product. Designed to meet the unique challenges of optimising both the desktop and mobile Web experience, Aqua Ion is ideally suited for organisations serving dynamic Web content to a widely diverse set of users. The Web delivery landscape is in a constant state of evolution. Fragmentation across browsers and devices has exposed a need among content providers for a deeper view of performance measurement and the ability to optimise for unique user situations. At the same time, the need to optimise differently for each situation presented by an individual user – situational performance – requires new thinking about how to measure the user experience and apply this intelligence to the delivery equation as seamlessly and efficiently as possible. Aqua Ion is designed to help address the staggering range of devices and connectivity situations that can impact the user experience and maximise the performance of content delivered over the Web. According to a recent report from Forrester Research, Inc.,“Optimising a user’s experience requires information about what the user is doing, where the data is located, and where the devices are connecting from, etc. The fluidity of data, users, and applications makes it impossible for I&O teams to effectively manage this world with manual controls, tools, and resources; it is time to have automation take over, which requires fault, configuration, traffic, security, and performance information.”[1] Akamai pioneered the concept of addressing situational performance with the initial launch of Aqua Ion in October 2012. Since its introduction, leading companies around the globe have used Aqua Ion to help them reduce the complexity of delivering Web experiences, drive better business results through faster Web experiences, and generate greater infrastructure efficiency. Functionality enhancements in the latest release of Aqua Ion build on these benefits by making the technology faster and easier to deploy and manage; providing greater intelligence related to the user experience; and responding to the increasingly inconsistent user experience across a wide variety of devices. One organisation making use of Aqua Ion to address the challenges presented by situational performance requirements is Ozsale, a members-only online shopping club operating from Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand. A pure-play online retailer and recognised leader in its field, the performance and resilience of its online shopping platform is absolutely critical to the company, especially during peak sale events occurring multiple times per day. Further, Ozsale required a solution that could help increase scale and performance on desktop, mobile, and tablets regardless of user demand. “Akamai’s Aqua Ion solution has helped us to establish a site experience that is second to none,” stated Gavin Cliffe, CTO, Ozsale. “With Akamai, we were able to improve performance for our Australian users by more than 130 percent, and as a result, we’ve been able to generate more online revenue and reduce operational costs.” The latest version of Aqua Ion – to which existing Aqua Ion customers can automatically upgrade – tackles the need to understand the real user experience, rapidly and easily apply optimisations to meet situational performance requirements, and improve mobile performance. This is accomplished through new capabilities, including:• Real User Monitoring (RUM): RUM takes passive performance measurements from actual users of a Web experience to provide insight into performance across devices and networks. The addition of RUM to Aqua Ion is designed to help gain greater intelligence around the actual user experience related to the situation presented. This heightened intelligence offers key insight to content providers who can respond accordingly – and deliver smarter optimisations – when challenges are uncovered. RUM is a complementary capability to synthetic testing, and the two can and should be used to gain a comprehensive picture of user experience.• Enhanced Performance Capabilities: Aqua Ion builds on existing functionality to introduce new Front-end Optimisation (FEO) techniques designed to help apply the best optimisations presented by user conditions. New techniques include DNS pre-fetching, which can help relieve bottlenecks when third-party services are used alongside first-party content, and Placeholder Images, which can help deliver a usable, interactive page to the user sooner. • Improved Usability and Rapid Configuration: Aqua Ion provides users the agility required to respond to the situational performance requirements of their users through new features designed to make configuration and the implementation of configuration changes as fast and easy as possible. A new wizard-based interface is designed to improve usability by making it easier to implement a solution that is situationally aware. As important, enhancements that enable faster custom configuration pushes to the platform have been introduced to help organisations address user situations more efficiently.• Enhanced Mobile Performance: The latest version of Aqua Ion now features SHUTR (Suppressed Headers for Uplink Traffic Reduction) support to help improve performance for mobile users. Developed together with Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Qualcomm Incorporated, SHUTR is a HTTP protocol extension designed to reduce the size of HTTP request headers sent by a mobile user agent. SHUTR speeds up page downloads and reduces network data traffic, overall improving the mobile Web experience on Snapdragon processor-based devices. “As the leading developer of mobile chipsets powering today’s smartest phones, Qualcomm Technologies is acutely aware of the unprecedented data demand being placed on devices and networks worldwide and is pioneering the effort to solve the 1000x mobile data challenge,” said Jason Bremner, SVP of Product Management for Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. “Collaborating with Akamai to optimise HTTP connections via SHUTR is a step forward in addressing these demands and ensuring consumers have seamless connectivity to the vast amounts of data in our hyperconnected world.” Commenting on the benefit the latest version of Aqua Ion can bring to customers, Mike Afergan, senior vice president and general manager, Web Experience Business Unit, Akamai, said, “Consumers are now in charge of how, when and where they connect to Web content. These varied situations are powerful for online business but create complexity for content providers and can result in a loss of control over the experience and ultimately how well it performs.” He continued, “Aqua Ion simplifies the complexity of modern Web delivery while at the same time providing a faster experience that is highly available, secure and scalable.” About AkamaiAkamai® is the leading cloud platform for helping enterprises provide secure, high-performing user experiences on any device, anywhere. At the core of the Company's solutions is the Akamai Intelligent Platform™ providing extensive reach, coupled with unmatched reliability, security, visibility and expertise. Akamai removes the complexities of connecting the increasingly mobile world, supporting 24/7 consumer demand, and enabling enterprises to securely leverage the cloud. To learn more about how Akamai is accelerating the pace of innovation in a hyperconnected world, please visit www.akamai.com or blogs.akamai.com, and follow @Akamai on Twitter. # # # Akamai Statement Under the Private Securities Litigation Reform ActThis release contains information about future expectations, plans and prospects of Akamai's management that constitute forward-looking statements for purposes of the safe harbor provisions under The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Actual results may differ materially from those indicated by these forward-looking statements as a result of various important factors including, but not limited to, failure of Akamai services to operate as expected or to address intended market needs, a failure of Akamai's network infrastructure, and other factors that are discussed in Akamai's Annual Report on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, and other documents periodically filed with the SEC. [1]Fuse Business Acceleration Technologies To Optimize User Experiences by Andre Kindness, Forrester Research, Inc., May 8, 2013

2013-06-12T01:51:03Z ripple-suspended-massage

Ripple Massage has launched suspended massages to aid women who are victims of domestic violence. More information is at www.ripplemassage.com.au Ripple’s suspended massages borrow from the tradition of suspended coffee, which began in Naples about ten years ago. In essence, a “suspended coffee” – or caffe sospeso in Italian – is a cup of coffee that a customer buys anonymously for someone who can't afford to buy one themselves. The customer pays for the coffee in advance and the cafe “suspends” it, later making the coffee for someone who could needs it. Ripple is the first massage business in Australia to have extended this concept to the massage industry. The concept is simple. Any customer can simply add $5 to their massage booking (or simply donate $5) which will pay for a fifteen minute massage for a woman who has been subjected to domestic violence. Ripple Managing Director, Alison Shaw, believes that a big part of being a massage therapist is the concept of giving back to the community. The suspended massage is an extension of the “Ripple Effect” programme already run by Ripple. “At Ripple, we have a deep sense of gratitude for our good fortune to be able to do such beautiful work. The suspended massage is a way that the kindness, that has been shown to us, can be forwarded to women who are in desperate need for some positive touch,” said Ms Shaw. “The issue of domestic violence is one that is close to our hearts here at Ripple. In the past month, the opportunity to help three women who have been subjected to violence in the home has crossed our paths, and it has prompted us to expand out programme of giving massages to those in need on a wider scale,” she continued.  “Anyone can give a suspended massage. Simply call Ripple on 0438 567 906 to donate one, $5 will pay for a fifteen minute massage for a woman who has been subjected to domestic violence, or you can donate one online at www.ripplemassage.com.au . It’s that inexpensive and it’s that easy. It is a very simple concept that pays forward some of the kindness and good karma with which Ripple has been blessed.” Ripple provides a unique mobile day spa service to women, men and couples throughout the Gold Coast, Mt Tamborine, Brisbane, Sunshine Coast, Byron Bay, Hervey Bay, Melbourne, Yarra Valley, Great Ocean Road, Mornington Peninsula and Geelong regions. Also all Sydney, and Tasmania. For more information on Ripple or to make a booking please phone 0438 567 906 or visit the website www.ripplemassage.com.au -Ends- We welcome journalists trying out any of our massage styles, please contact us for details. High res pictures available. Alison Shaw - 0434 991 879     alison@ripplemassage.com.au         www.ripplemassage.com.au    Twitter : www.twitter.com/rippleali   Facebook : www.facebook.com/ripplemassage

2013-06-11T23:21:23Z great-gatsby-sparks-revival-in-fine-dining-terrigal-restaurants-take-note

 Terrigal Restaurants Central CoastSydney, Australia June 12, 2013 -  As stories emerge of after parties, awards and celebrations so too are the stories of businesses picking up on the marketing gambit. Restaurants around Terrigal and the Central Coast might do well by catering for moviegoers.  Filmed in Australia means it should attract a strong audience.Romance almost always accompanies a meal in a restaurant. The influence that affluence has on romance is portrayed throughout the latest film in lavish restaurants and celebrations in the mansions of the rich and famous. The trappings of the rich are what lead "the Gatz" into to a life of crime in pursuit of love and happiness.So as winter begins to bite hard on the Central Coast thoughts turn to a warm fire, hearty foods, and the taste of fine wine. And of course somebody to share it with makes for a romantic interlude. And where else among Central Coast restaurants would you find a mixture of all these? In Terrigal restaurants that congregate by the sea side and in surrounding hills.There is anything you want on offer as far as food variety. Having the only protected harbor by the sea gives Terrigal restaurant’s access to the freshest food the sea can provide. The many small produce farmers dotted across the coast provide access to fresh garden delights. Creating a Gatsby inspired menu would be easy for any seasoned Chef.Harvey Nichols the well-known international luxury lifestyle store in London had its restaurant pick up on the Great Gatsby theme. Fresh lobster rolls, Blini Gribiche, luscious cocktails, these are all part of the menu and they’re having great success with their Great Gatsby adaptation. The Cheese Factory at the Old Dairy on Wyong Creek is close enough to ensure great accompaniments to any wine on the menu. Visitors to the coast can go home with a variety of cheeses and wines from central coast wineries. Boutique wineries are another well-kept secret of the Central Coast. A romantic weekend might linger a little longer once your home again.And nested in the hills surrounding Terrigal are many central coast restaurants that offer fine dining in plush surrounds. Hidden from view by leafy frontage and protected by patrons who know how to keep a secret, their menus attract a guarded clientele. This area of the central coast is home to many that fit this description.Accommodation on the Central Coast is available in anything from hotels to high rise luxury apartments. No need to think hard on why so many choose here to escape the city for a romantic weekend. And maybe that’s the reason many choose to stay the entire weekend. When it's less than 90 minutes to the outskirts of Sydney why wouldn’t you want to squeeze every moment out of it.Perhaps after reading this article some of those secrets will be exposed. So if it's a romantic getaway you seek with nothing to do but relax, eat in a fine dining restaurant and take in the atmosphere then put the Central Coast on your list.Because food often influences people's lives in ways they are not even aware of, a good romance film will always whet the appetite. So a note to all Terrigal restaurants, "The Great Gatsby" will be shortly on screens at a cinema near you.###Mobilcom Marketing Consultants4/12 James RdToukley NSW 2263AustraliaWebsite: Mobilcom Marketing

2013-06-11T22:01:27Z masterchef-australia-2013-moves-into-melbourne

 MasterChef Australia Hits MelbourneMelbourne, Australia -- MasterChef Australia hits Melbourne this month for its 2013 series. Melbourne is known for its Arts Community and what better chance for Head Chefs to show us their Gastronomical skills.Winter being the season when most activities are indoors in Melbourne, it is the perfect opportunity for restaurants to show off their culinary skills.  It's not unknown for a show like MasterChef Australia to produce a plethora of diners seeking to savor succulent delights and fine wines.Many with an insatiable appetite for fine food will only be satisfied by visiting one of the fine dining facilities that abound in Melbourne. Without mentioning names one only has to do a search for restaurants in Melbourne to see what surfaces in the results. But how do we choose. What offers will entice us to visit?Well news articles such as these are one source as are the many food critic sites that are to be found online. Then again many of the criterion critics’ measure by are not exactly palatable to the average human being. Most critics are invited to dine for free in establishments that prepare for their arrival in my opinion.And that's a very good point. Enticement is what we humans enjoy and food is at the top of the list. How do restaurants entice? Geographical location, decor, reputation, word-of-mouth are all ingredients of the formula. A romantic interlude with an atmosphere set to sizzle, musicians, or even cultural settings are all part of the enticement.And where do you get all of these without leaving your lounge room? Nowhere unfortunately unless you happen to be married to a culinary specialist, have a kitchen to die for and a house on Port Phillip Bay overlooking the water. But the MasterChef Australia series does a good job of bringing these to life in our homes.Did I say in our homes? Well I suppose it does satisfy that desire in part but to really sink your teeth in you need to go visit one of the many fine restaurants the city of Melbourne has hidden away in places many are unaware of.There are restaurants that congregate by The Bay and of course The Hills are home to many of the city’s' finest. There is anything you want on offer as far as food variety. Being so close to the sea gives Melbourne restaurant’s access to the freshest food the sea can provide.The many small and large produce farmers dotted across the peninsula provide access to freshest of garden delights. Creating a menu inspired by dishes featured on MasterChef Australia would be easy for any seasoned Chef.** Follow the link above to see how your restaurant could benefit from the MasterChef Australia 2013 Series

2013-06-11T00:44:26Z pandora-internet-radio-australia-partners-with-sony-to-provide-a-personalised-music-experience-on-smart-tvs-blu-ray-players-and-audio-devices

Sydney, Australia – 29 May, 2013: Pandora, the leading internet music provider, is partnering with Sony to add music discovery to Sony’s consumer service in Australia. The personalised Pandora experience is now available on a wide range of products including Sony’s BRAVIA Internet Video-enabled TVs, Blu-ray players, Blu-ray home theatre systems and audio products.Pandora lets users easily create personalised radio stations based on a song, artist or genre and provide one-click feedback on tracks, further refining a listener’s personalised music experience.“Since we launched Pandora in Australia last year, the response from users has been outstanding,” said Jane Huxley, Managing Director of Pandora Australia and New Zealand. “With so many people increasingly enjoying personalised internet radio, our partnership with Sony comes at the perfect time. The premium sound quality of Sony products means users can have the ultimate experience, listening to their favourite artists and discovering new music on their home entertainment devices.”Pandora is available immediately as a free service on the following 2012 Sony products in Australia, available from Sony retailers.BRAVIA TVsEX550 KDL26EX550EX650 KDL40EX650KDL46EX650 HX750 KDL32HX750KDL40HX750KDL46HX750KDL55HX750HX850  KDL46HX850KDL55HX850HX955  KDL55HX955KDL65HX955EX630/40 KDL55EX630KDL60EX640Blu-Ray Disc PlayerBDPS390  (browser)  BDP7GAX-WLANBDPS590  (browser)  BDP7GBXBDPS790  (browser)  BDP7GCXBlu-Ray Disc Home Theatre SystemBDVE190    - BDV5GEX  (& some in BDV5G)BDVE290    - BDV5GEX  (& some in BDV5G)BDVE690    - BDV5GEX  (& some in BDV5G)BDVN990W- BDV5GNX  (& some in BDV5G)AV ReceiverSTRDN1020STRDA5800ESBookshelf Hi-Fi with Vtuner Internet RadioCMT-G2BNIP/CAU1 CMTMX750NI/CAU1About Pandora Pandora (NYSE: P) gives people music and comedy they love anytime, anywhere, through connected devices. Personalised stations launch instantly with the input of a single "seed" - a favourite artist, song or genre. The Music Genome Project®, a deeply detailed hand-built musical taxonomy, powers the personalisation of Pandora® internet radio by using musicological "DNA" and constant listener feedback to craft personalised stations from a growing collection of hundreds of thousands of recordings. Tens of millions of people turn on Pandora every month to hear music they love. www.pandora.comFollow Pandora Australia and New Zealand on Twitter @PandoraAUS and @PandoraNZ

2013-06-11T00:43:39Z pandora-internet-radio-s-rapid-audience-growth-in-anz-drives-team-expansion

Sydney, Australia – 1 May 2013 – Following a highly successful launch in Australia and New Zealand late in 2012, Pandora Internet Radio is pleased to announce the expansion of its local team. Rick Gleave will step into the role of Business Development Director ANZ and Hazel Savage joins as Pandora’s Community Manager ANZ. Jane Huxley, Managing Director for Australia and New Zealand, has been the sole local Pandora representative thus far, responsible for the success of the service in the local market since launching in December last year. The rapid uptake and growing popularity of the service across Australia and New Zealand has paved the way for expansion of the local team. Rick Gleave is making the move to Pandora from Fairfax as Director of Mobile. Gleave is a highly successful senior mobile professional. He brings considerable experience working across Australia and the UK to his new role with Pandora, with a successful history launching new mobile products to market. He has joined the newly formed local team to drive business development across the region. Gleave will be responsible for pursuing new opportunities and potential partnerships within the market to continue driving Pandora’s services and brand awareness in ANZ. Prior to Fairfax, Gleave held executive level roles across various digital media companies including time at Trinity Mirror Group and News Digital Media. Hazel Savage has also joined the Pandora team, as Community Manager ANZ. Bringing with her over five years working within the digital music industry, Hazel’s key responsibility will be to drive and manage social media across Australia and New Zealand. Prior to joining Pandora, Savage has worked with organisations such as Shazam, Universal Music Group and Australian Chamber Orchestra. Huxley said, “The last six months have been an amazing time of growth, challenges and most exciting of all, positive feedback from listeners. The Australian and New Zealand market has taken to Pandora with a passion, which has created the need to expand the team quickly. I’m thrilled to have Rick and Hazel on board. Rick’s extensive track record in the mobile space makes him a valuable addition to the team, particularly considering over 75 per cent of Pandora’s traffic comes from mobile devices. Hazel’s love of social media and her broad music industry experience makes her the perfect candidate to manage our local online communities and talk to our listeners through social channels. “I’m thrilled as I look ahead and anticipate the experiences, growth and milestones this team will accomplish, which will be driven by Australians’ and New Zealanders’ love for music.” ENDS ABOUT PANDORAPandora (NYSE: P) gives people music and comedy they love anytime, anywhere, through connected devices. Personalised stations launch instantly with the input of a single "seed" - a favourite artist, song or genre. The Music Genome Project®, a deeply detailed hand-built musical taxonomy, powers the personalisation of Pandora® internet radio by using musicological "DNA" and constant listener feedback to craft personalised stations from a growing collection of hundreds of thousands of recordings. Tens of millions of people turn on Pandora every month to hear music they love. www.pandora.com

2013-06-05T23:43:36Z hisense-offers-next-generation-televisions-to-australia-with-ultra-high-definition

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA, June 6, 2013 – Hisense Australia, an innovation leader in consumer electronics, today announced the full lineup of Ultra High Definition (UHD) televisions. The XT880 and XT900 series have been meticulously designed and engineered to break technology barriers, the 4K UHDTV XT880 series of 3D and WiFi-enabled Smart TVs will be available in 58- and 65-inch sizes while the XT900 will be available in a 84-inch size. To date, the new array of UHD sets offers the company’s most advanced features ever. “As a leading home appliance and consumer electronics manufacturer, Hisense is proud to be at the forefront of UHD technology” said Andre Iannuzzi head of marketing , Hisense Australia. “Our 65-inch XT880 UHD model is first to market in this size to Australia customers, in-stores from next week,” he added. With four times the number of pixels than traditional 1080p HDTV’s, UHD technology enables stunningly realistic picture quality and beautifully natural motion with incredible detail, offering one of the most immersive entertainment experiences available. Technical details on a specification sheet will never do these televisions its justice, Hisense encourages a “see for yourself” approach to truly appreciate the clarity these TV sets bring. In addition to live TV, the XT880 and XT900 supports a variety of streamed content, Web browsing, social networking, games and video chat via Skype through its intuitive on-screen navigation. All XT900 purchases will include trained Hisense staff personally delivering and installing the 84 inch TV for the customer in their home. “The XT880 and XT900 series of televisions are the most advanced TV’s Hisense has ever released,” he continued. “Quality and services have been our focus, we’re excited to bring to market something we feel will revolutionise the TV industry.”The XT880 and XT900 will be available at major retailers from end-June 2013 onward. For more information about Hisense’s range of innovative products and accessories visit www.hisense.com.au. About Hisense Australia Pty LtdHisense is a global television and refrigeration manufacturer active in more than 130 countries worldwide. More than 40 million people buy and enjoy Hisense products globally every year. Since arriving in Australia in 2006, Hisense has grown to be one of the fastest emerging TV and Home Appliance brands in Australia, distributed through more than 1,000 leading retail stores nationally. Established in 2006, Hisense Australia Pty Ltd is an Australian based subsidiary of Hisense Company Ltd.Hisense televisions and home appliances are available at Australia’s leading national electronics retailers including JB Hi-Fi, Harvey Norman, The Good Guys and BSR.Find Hisense Australia at the following social media sites: Twitter: www.twitter.com/Hisense_AustFacebook: www.facebook.com/HisenseAUInstagram: www.instagram.com/HisenseAUPinterest: www.pinterest.com/HisenseAU