SimplyCONSISTENT Innovative Business Solutions | BUSINESS & INDIVIDUAL CONSULTING

12.12.2008

"Simply Consistent Receives 2008 Los Angeles Award"
U.S. Local Business Association’s Award Plaque Honors the Achievement.
WASHINGTON D.C., December 9, 2008 -- Simply Consistent has been selected for the 2008 Los Angeles Award in the Business Management Consultants category by the U.S. Local Business Association (USLBA).

The USLBA "Best of Local Business" Award Program recognizes outstanding local businesses throughout the country. Each year, the USLBA identifies companies that they believe have achieved exceptional marketing success in their local community and business category. These are local companies that enhance the positive image of small business through service to their customers and community.

Various sources of information were gathered and analyzed to choose the winners in each category. The 2008 USLBA Award Program focused on quality, not quantity. Winners are determined based on the information gathered both internally by the USLBA and data provided by third parties.

About U.S. Local Business Association (USLBA)
U.S. Local Business Association (USLBA) is a Washington D.C. based organization funded by local businesses operating in towns, large and small, across America. The purpose of USLBA is to promote local business through public relations, marketing and advertising.

The USLBA was established to recognize the best of local businesses in their community. Our organization works exclusively with local business owners, trade groups, professional associations, chambers of commerce and other business advertising and marketing groups. Our mission is to be an advocate for small and medium size businesses and business entrepreneurs across America.

SOURCE: U.S. Local Business Association

CONTACT:
U.S. Local Business Association
Email: PublicRelations@USLBA.net
URL: http://www.USLBA.net

11.20.2008

"Cadillac Records" The Motion Picture Premier with Beyonce Knowles and Etta James. Etta James , husband Artis, two sons, Donto and Samento and Etta's business manager ,Kathleen Checki, President of Simply Consistent Inc. are getting ready for the Los Angeles Premier of the motion picture "Cadillac Records" Monday night. Written and directed by Darnell Martin, "Cadillac Records" chronicles the history of Chess Records, the pre-eminent blues label of the 1950s and 1960s co-founded by Leonard Chess (played by Adrien Brody) and his brother Phil (Shiloh Fernandez). A powerful saga of sex, violence, race and rock & roll set in 1950s Chicago, "Cadillac Records" follows the turbulent lives of the American musical legends who recorded for Chess: Etta James (played by Beyonce Knowles), Muddy Waters (Jeffrey Wright), Little Walter (Columbus Short), Willie Dixon (Cedric the Entertainer), Chuck Berry (Mos Def), Howlin' Wolf (Eamonn Walker) and more. The film tracks the story of Chess Records, from the time the Chess brothers sold the label's first recordings from the trunk of their Cadillac through the company's emergence as the greatest repository of black American music -- blues, gospel, and the electric blues that became rock & roll -- in the mid-20th century.

"Cadillac Records" has been produced by Andrew Lack and Sofia Sondervan for Sony BMG Film and Executive Produced by Beyonce Knowles.

Cadillac Records - Music From The Motion Picture is produced by multi-instrumentalist/songwriter/drummer Steve Jordan (Eric Clapton, John Mayer Trio, Bob Dylan, Keith Richards) and Executive Produced by Mathew Knowles for Music World Entertainment, Inc. Marshall Chess, the son and nephew of the original Chess Records founders, served as Executive Music Producer for the soundtrack.

Cadillac Records - Music From The Motion Picture premieres five new recordings by Beyonce including her performance of Etta James' "At Last," the album's first single.

09.22.2008

Simply Consistent's client Noreen Grice interviewed by Billy Baker of the Boston Globe. Noreen discussed ways in which she has made astronomy more accessible to people with disabilities, including making astronomy accessible in a planetarium setting and her accessible astronomy publications. Noreen is well known among blind and visually impaired students for her unique astronomy books - Touch the Stars, Touch the Universe, Touch the Sun, the Little Moon Phase Book, and Touch the Invisible Sky. Each of her books have text pages in print and Braille and pictures that are touchable.

Noreen has a "can do!" attitude and believes that all students should have equal access to learning about the night sky. Her web site is www.youcandoastronomy.com.

Check out the "Meeting the Minds" section of the Sept. 22, 2008 Boston Globe for a profile on Noreen Grice. Or visit our blog for full article

08.29.2008

FASHION ROCKS 2008 AT RADIO CITY MUSIC HALL

SIMPLY CONSISTENT INC., ANNOUNCES BEYONCE KNOWLES PAYS TRIBUTE TO ETTA JAMES AT FASHION ROCKS 2008 AT RADIO CITY MUSIC HALL.

Two-Hour Special to Air September 9, 2008 on CBS.

LOOK FOR ETTA IN THE SECOND ROW WITH HER SON DONTO AND HER BUSINESS MANAGER KATHLEEN CHECKI, PRESIDENT of SIMPLY CONSISTENT , INC.

08.27.2008

Fashion Rocks 2008
Friday, Sep 5, 7:30p at Radio City Music Hall, New York, NY

Grammy Award Winner Etta James along with Kathleen Checki , President of Simply Consistent Inc., are getting ready for Etta’s appearance at FASHON ROCKS 2008. For the 5th consecutive year, Fashion Rocks will bring together world-renowned performers and fashion icons on one stage to tune up the style, turn out the fashion and turn up the volume. Hosted by Denis Leary with performances by Beyonce, Black Eyed Peas, Chris Brown, Mariah Carey, Chris Cornell, Duffy, Fergie, Kid Rock (with special guest Lynyrd Skynyrd), Lil Wayne, OneRepublic, Pussycat Dolls, Rihanna, Timbaland, Justin Timberlake, Keith Urban.

08.05.2008
Grammy Award Winner Etta James & The Roots Band along with Kathleen Checki President of Simply Consistent Inc., are preparing for the upcoming Concert at the Hollywood Bowl August 13, 8:00 PM.
The Queen of the Blues returns with the trademark sass and belting blues that has made her a Bowl favorite.

06.13.2008
Freescale Embeds Touch and Intelligence into Somatic Digital's eTouchBook(TM) Platform Somatic Digital Turns Printed Pages into Digital Content with National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) eTouchBooks Contract ROSEMOUNT, Ill - June 10, 2008/Business Wire/ - Somatic Digital, a developer of innovative products for the publishing and print industries, has chosen Freescale Semiconductor's 8-bit microcontroller (MCU) and 9-electrode proximity sensor components for its eTouchBook(TM) platform, which the company is providing to the NASA Goddard Flight Center through a U.S. Government contract. The eTouchBook platform is built on Somatic Digital's award-winning Touch User Interface (TUI) technology, which is enabled by Freescale's MCU and sensor components. TUI technology is to the printed page what graphical user interfaces (GUI) are to the computer screen. The eTouchBook enables readers of normal and Braille printed materials to touch a printed page and retrieve linked digital content or launch communication applications on a computer. "The eTouchBook created by Somatic Digital will allow NASA to provide a powerful multimedia tool that will make Earth science and any other science content come alive for students with different learning styles and abilities including those who are blind or deaf, or who require a combination of sensory inputs to grasp important concepts," said Dr. Elissa Levine, a scientist in the Biospheric Sciences Branch at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center. Noreen Grice of "You Can Do Astronomy" and client of "Simply Consistent Inc.", will be designing the tactile images that will appear in the Digaton Digital Book.

With the eTouchBook, the regular printed page acts as a touch screen user interface. In doing so, the printed page becomes a portal to the digital environment. This direct linking of print and digital assets creates a new ecosystem of contents and services for publishers, authors and content creators. "Freescale's microcontrollers and proximity sensors are technology touchstones for our eTouchBook platform," said Jason E. Barkeloo, founder and president of Somatic Digital. "In addition to providing key enabling technology, Freescale has been an exceptional partner throughout the design process. Their technical assistance during the tedious research and development phase significantly streamlined our time to product launch." Providing a versatile platform for both consumer electronics and industrial applications, the eTouchBook integrates Freescale's 8-bit MC9S08SH8CTG microcontroller and 9-electrode MC33794EGR2 proximity sensor components. The MC33794EGR2 proximity sensor can be multiplexed to achieve variations in the number of touch points for a natural and intuitive interface. Freescale's cost-effective MC9S08SH8CTG microcontroller is ideal for general-purpose consumer applications in the 2.7 V to 5.5 V range. The sensor-based system is housed in the eTouchBook hardware platform where the cover and spine in a hardback book resides. "Freescale's innovative microcontroller and proximity sensor solutions bring to life next-generation platform designs to meet the ever-growing need for digital content and connectivity in the consumer and industrial markets," said Henri Richard, senior vice president and chief sales and marketing officer at Freescale. "Somatic Digital's eTouchBook platform, built on Freescale's MCU and sensor technology, is a revolutionary breakthrough in digital communications that transforms printed pages into versatile, easy-to-use touch screens for myriad applications." About Touch User Interface (TUI) technology TUI technology enables books to be customized to prescriptively meet the particular needs of the reader. Properly designed TUI-based eTouchBooks should meet the requirements outlined in the National Instructional Materials Accessibility Standard (NIMAS) and the inclusive learning requirements of laws such as the Individuals with Disabilities Act, No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act, and Sections 504 and 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1979. eTouchBook demonstrations Attendees at the 2008 Sensors Expo, June 9-11 in Rosemont, Ill., can experience the eTouchBook based on Freescale's 8-bit microcontroller and 9-electrode proximity sensor technology at Freescale's booth #801. The eTouchBook also will be presented at Freescale's Technology Forum (FTF) June 16-19, 2008 in Orlando, Fla., at the JW Marriott and Ritz-Carlton Conference Center by Freescale's Chairman and CEO Rich Beyer. About the Freescale Technology Forum Created to inspire innovation and collaboration, the Freescale Technology Forum (FTF) has become the developer event of the year for the embedded semiconductor industry. The Forum, which debuted in 2005, has drawn nearly 20,000 attendees at FTF events worldwide since its inception. For more information about FTF events, go to www.freescale.com.

About Somatic Digital Somatic Digital, LLC is a developer of the Touch User Interface (TUI) technology and the tools for implementing the technology into publishing workflows. The TUI technology creates a "touch screen" experience with the regular printed page. By connecting paper directly to services and digital content that can reside on optical media, the Internet, or hard-drives, an entire ecosystem is created around the ordinary printed page. Through its unique licensing product (Partner Program), entrepreneurs, marketers, publishers, and anyone wishing to create products around linking print and digital assets are able to do so very inexpensively. As a designer of universally-designed TUI technology, Somatic Digital's technology can be used for inclusion and persons with disabilities, including interactive tactile images and Braille. About Freescale Semiconductor Freescale Semiconductor is a global leader in the design and manufacture of embedded semiconductors for the automotive, consumer, industrial, networking and wireless markets. The privately held company is based in Austin, Texas, and has design, research and development, manufacturing or sales operations in more than 30 countries. Freescale is one of the world's largest semiconductor companies with 2007 sales of $5.7 billion (USD). www.freescale.com.

06.05.2008
Kathleen Checki and Simply Consistent , Inc. working with scientists on the 2009 International Year of Astronomy as it commemorates the 400th anniversary of Galileo’s use of a telescope.

04.07.2008
RFB & DLA Annual Record-A-Thon Charity Event was a huge success: Actresses Terri Garr and Betty White, along with Kathleen Checki, president of Simply Consistent, Inc., came out to support Recording for the Blind and Dyslexic's Hollywood studio on April 5 at their 16th annual Record-A-Thon.

04.01.2008
Kathleen Checki President of Simply Consistent is proud to be a part of the 16th Annual Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic-LA (RFB&D-LA) " Celebrity Saturday" (Kickoff)

Raising awareness, recording more textbooks and raising funds will be the focus of the 16th Annual Record-A-Thon. "Celebrity Saturday" which will be held at the Hollywood Studio on April 5, 2008. Kathleen Checki,Simply Consistent team members, Celebrities, volunteers and guests will come together to bring to light the vital services RFB&D-LA provides.

03.19.2008
Meadowlands Environment Center: Moon talk
NASA Ambassador and Simply Consistent' Scientific Consultant, Laura Venner talks about the past, present and future of the space race, displays some moon rocks and gives a tour of the new observatory at Two Dekorte Park Plaza.

03.15.2008
TIME For KIDS interviews Noreen Grice:Touching Outer Space
When she was a child, Noreen Grice liked to think about what might be "beyond the Earth," in space. Now, she is helping others envision things that were once beyond their reach. Grice, an astronomer, owns a company called You Can Do Astronomy. She helps blind and visually impaired students see the wonders of the universe. She designs touchable pictures of the sun, stars, distant galaxies and other cosmic sights, and writes text in braille, a language of raised dots that blind people read with their fingers.

Grice is a coauthor of Touch the Invisible Sky, a new book from NASA that is available in schools for the blind, libraries and museums. The 60-page book features 28 color photos taken by Hubble and other NASA telescopes. Each image is also illustrated with textures like raised lines and dots. These patterns represent shapes and other features.

Grice has published five braille books on astronomy. They fill what was once a black hole in braille publishing. Translating pictures into braille is costly, so not many science books for blind people include raised images and graphics. Grice says she wants to put these images at blind students' fingertips "so that they can make pictures in their minds' eyes, and maybe discover things that other people didn't notice."

Chelsea Cook, 15, is visually impaired. When she looks at the night sky, she is able to make out a full moon but not the stars. Grice's books are helping Chelsea envision a future twinkling with possibility. "(The books) definitely opened doors to a lot of opportunities that I didn't think probable," Chelsea told TFK. "I want to become the first blind astronaut."

Kathryn R. Satterfield

YouTube - SimplyConsistent's Channel

03.07.2008
The Executive Director of the NFB Jernigan Institute, interviews Noreen Grice.
Mark Riccobono discusses the new tactile Braille-print book, Touch the Invisible Sky, with co-author Noreen Grice.

2.26.2008
NOREEN GRICE BRINGS HOPE TO VISUALLY IMPAIRED Simply Consistent is Proud to represent Noreen Grice who authored Touch the Invisible Sky.
Below is an excerpt from an article explaining Noreen's impact on those who thought they could not.....

Chelsea Cook, a high school student in Newport News, Virginia, got her family to drive four hours to Baltimore for the new book's unveiling. She says Noreen Grice's astronomy books are "really interesting, you know, the visuals are easy to read, and they're just cool to look at."

Cook says she has enough vision to see a full moon, but not stars. Still, she wants to study astrochemistry and astrophysics. And she's fascinated by the idea of space exploration.

Her ultimate career goal? To become the first "blind astronaut." It will be "a lot to work towards," she says, "but I think it's possible."

YouTube - SimplyConsistent's Channel

2.16.2008
NASA Unveils Cosmic Images Book in Braille for Blind Reader

At a Tuesday ceremony at the National Federation of the Blind, NASA unveiled a new book that brings majestic images taken by its Great Observatories to the fingertips of the blind.

"Touch the Invisible Sky" was written by astronomy educator and accessibility specialist Noreen Grice of You Can Do Astronomy LLC and the Museum of Science, Boston, with authors Simon Steel, an astronomer with the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics in Cambridge, Mass., and Doris Daou, an astronomer at NASA Headquarters, Washington.
For a full story please click here.

Simply Consistent, Inc. is pleased to announce that Dr. Michael Beckwith of Agape International Spiritual Center has joined the support for the Core Program that will revolutionize the physical education curriculum for children in America.

An epidemic of obesity is threatening our nation's children. A major national initiative is desperately needed to stop it, according to a report to congress released by the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences.

The Facts:

Children born in the United States in 2000 have an increased risk of being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. It is estimated that 30% of boys and 40% of girls will be diagnosed at some point in their lives. The risk is increased among ethnic minority groups of any ages.

The National Association for Sport and Physical Education recommends 150 minutes per week of physical education for elementary school children and 225 minutes per week for middle and secondary school children. However, nationally only 8% of elementary schools and 6% of middle and secondary schools meet these recommendations.

Over the past three decades, the childhood obesity rate has more than doubled for preschool children aged 2-5 years and adolescents aged 12-19 years, while tripling for children aged 6-11 years. Approximately nine million children over 6 years of age are considered obese in America today.

Simply Consistent, Inc. designed the Core Program in collaboration with a diverse group of individuals, educators and healthcare providers that believe that America’s children can be saved from obesity and a lifetime of complications due to type 2 diabetes. The Core Program is an innovative program that stands to revolutionize the physical education in America and promote a lifetime of good health.

The issue of weight in America has been one of vanity instead of health. This has brought about an environment of prejudice, social expulsion, as well as psychological problems, such as depression and self-mutilation. Plastic surgery has become America’s answer to obesity, instead of healthy diets and proper nutrition. We believe that the Core Program can reverse this process and bring about healthy children in our lifetime

The goal of the Core Program is to bring fun, compassion and understanding into the school system, while equipping it with new methods of teaching physical education and promoting all around good health for life. Our goal is to motivate, honor and positively influence our children.

The program does not require extra funding or time, but it does require a commitment to the well being of the children in the United States. The Core Program is committed to conquering obesity and improving the quality of life for the future generations to come. By joining forces with educators and parents, we hope to save the children.

The statement, “no child left behind,” should also include no child left unnoticed. We must recommit ourselves to the purpose of taking care of our children and in part, each other.

**For Immediate Release**

Simply Consistent, Inc. is pleased to announce that Dr. Michael Beckwith of Agape International Spiritual Center has joined the support for the Core Program that will revolutionize the physical education curriculum for children in America.

For Immediate Release