Taco Bell's® "Steal A Game, Steal A Taco"

Taco Bell's® "Steal A Game, Steal A Taco" Returns To The 2018 NBA Finals For A Three-Peat

Taco Bell teams up with the NBA to give all of America free tacos when a road team snags a win during the Finals.  IRVINE, Calif., May 17, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Attention taco and NBA fans alike, the NBA Finals presented by YouTube TV just got even better. The National Basketball Association (NBA) Finals return this month and Taco Bell's "Steal a Game, Steal a Taco" promotion returns with it, meaning a free Doritos® Locos Taco for all of America the first time that the road team "steals" a win from the home team during the Finals. So, whether you like Doritos® or dunks, "Steal a Game, Steal a Taco" gives you another reason to love the post-season. After all, Taco Bell knows that everyone gets behind tacos."The NBA Finals and Taco Bell are the perfect matchup, and we can't wait to once again raise the stakes of an already fierce competition by putting free Doritos® Locos Tacos for America on the line," said Marisa Thalberg, Global Chief Brand Officer, Taco Bell Corp. "This is the third time we've partnered with the NBA, and the power of our combined fanbase creates an exciting cultural moment around the Finals. We know one thing is for certain, everyone will be rooting for tacos."

Taco Bell's first "Steal a Game, Steal a Taco" appearance took place in 2016, when the Golden State Warriors won game four of the NBA Finals against the Cleveland Cavaliers. Last year, the promotion and rivalry continued when the Golden State Warriors and Cleveland Cavaliers met again in the 2017 NBA Finals, with the Warriors stealing game three in Cleveland. With Taco Bell looking to make another highlight-worthy assist this year, America will have to tune in to see which team will be gifting America free Doritos® Locos Tacos.

"While only one team can take home the trophy, fans everywhere will once again have an added opportunity to celebrate the Finals thanks to Taco Bell," said Kerry Tatlock, Head of Marketing Partnerships, NBA. "Back by popular demand, 'Steal a Game, Steal a Taco' adds another level of competition to the mix and unites fans to rally around something everyone can get behind – free tacos."

The 2018 NBA Finals start Thursday, May 31 on ABC. If the road team wins Game 1, Game 2 or Game 3, America will get a free Doritos® Locos Taco on Wednesday, June 13 from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. (local time) at all participating U.S. Taco Bell locations, or if the road team wins Game 4, Game 5, Game 6 or Game 7, America will score a free Doritos® Locos Taco on Wednesday, June 20 from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. (local time) at all participating U.S. Taco Bell locations, while supplies last. Limit one (1) free Doritos® Locos Taco per person in in the fifty (50) U.S. and the District of Columbia. Check out www.TacoBell.com/StealATaco for more information on how to receive a free Doritos® Locos Taco.

Taco Bell has historically also partnered with Major League Baseball (MLB) for the brand's "Steal a Base, Steal a Taco" campaigns in the 2007, 2008, 2012, 2015, 2016 and 2017 World Series.

Program Rules

Program rules can be found at www.TacoBell.com/StealATaco. 

CRAFTSMAN® Tools Now Available

CRAFTSMAN® Tools Now Available At Lowe's Stores Nationwide And Lowes.com

  

CRAFTSMAN® Tools Now Available At Lowe's Stores Nationwide And Lowes.com

Initial CRAFTSMAN offering includes mechanics tool sets, storage and more

MOORESVILLE, N.C., May 14, 2018/PRNewswire/ -- Lowe's Companies, Inc. announced today that the wait is over and CRAFTSMAN products are now available for purchase. Just in time for Father's Day, select CRAFTSMAN mechanics tool sets, tool storage, garage organization, flashlights and pressure washers can now be purchased at Lowes.com/Craftsman and in Lowe's stores nationwide. "We are honored to be the new go-to destination of the iconic CRAFTSMAN brand and offer some of the highest quality tools, storage and outdoor power equipment in the industry," said Michael P. McDermott, Lowe's chief customer officer. "Lowe's and CRAFTSMAN have histories that span generations and are rooted in excellent customer service. Together we are making it easier than ever for customers to access the best tools and expert guidance they need to confidently tackle any home improvement project."

The initial CRAFTSMAN collection at Lowe's features full mechanics tool sets starting at $69.98, tool storage chests and drawer cabinets starting at $29.99 and garage organization separates starting at $79.99, along with other products. Later this year and in time for the holidays, a broad offering of CRAFTSMAN products will phase into stores including individual mechanics and hand tools, power tools and select outdoor power equipment.

"CRAFTSMAN is a brand that is built on pride. This relaunch celebrates our long-standing reputation of trust," said Allison Nicolaidis, chief marketing officer for Global Tools & Storage at Stanley Black & Decker. "We're eager to introduce new CRAFTSMAN products that can be relied on by generations to come."

CRAFTSMAN is known for its competitive warranties which will also be honored at Lowe's, providing customers a guarantee promise. If customers have questions about the warranty, they are encouraged to call CRAFTSMAN's Customer Care Hotline at 888-331-4569.

Amtrak Refreshes Interiors of Acela Express Trains

Updates will provide a more modern, comfortable customer experience. WASHINGTON, May 14, 2018/PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Amtrak is investing in an extensive refresh of its train interiors on the entire Acela Express fleet, which travels along the Northeast Corridor (NEC) between Boston and Washington, DC, aimed at introducing a more modern and comfortable customer experience. "Customers expect a premium experience when they board an Acela Express train, and these updated interior features will provide a more comfortable, refreshed look and feel – whether you want to relax, move about freely, work or play," said Amtrak CEO and President Richard Anderson.

The Acela Express refresh is a 14-month program for all of its 20 trainsets, which includes 100 Amtrak cars and 6,080 total seats. Each trainset will be refreshed individually with new cushions and covers for all business class and first-class seats, new carpet for the aisle runner and a deep clean. The total investment is valued at more than $4 million.

The refresh will take just over a year to complete and customers can expect a progression of upgrades during that time, with this approximate delivery schedule:

• May 2018: The first trainset will be refreshed and returned into revenue service;
• June 2018: The second trainset will be refreshed and returned into revenue service
• June 2018 - July 2019: One trainset will be refreshed every three weeks.

Amtrak schedules will not change due to the refresh. The refresh will occur in advance of the debut of the next generation Acela trainsets Amtrak announced in August 2016, which will provide 40 percent more trains, one-third more passenger seats with the same personal space and high-end comfort, more service, better amenities and a smoother ride. The first trainset prototype will be ready for testing in 2019, and will enter revenue service in early 2021. All trainsets in the current fleet will be retired in early 2022.

Materials from the existing Acela cushions and covers will be reused, recycled and turned into carpet padding, while the leather will be upcycled and converted into handbags, wallets and other consumer goods.

Links

http://www.amtrak.com

J. Cole Announces North American KOD Tour

J. Cole Announces North American KOD Tour With Special Guest Young Thug

TICKETS ON SALE TO GENERAL PUBLIC STARTING SATURDAY, MAY 12 AT WWW.DREAMVILLE.COM

SANTA MONICA, Calif., May 8, 2018/PRNewswire/ -- J. Cole has announced that he'll embark on a 34-date tour in support of his chart-topping new album KOD, with special guest Young Thug. Produced by Live Nation, the tour will kick off in Miami, FL on August 9 and make stops across North America including Atlanta, Chicago, New York, 

Los Angeles and more, before wrapping in Boston, MA on October 10. See below for J. Cole's full itinerary.  Released via Dreamville with distribution through Roc Nation /Interscope Records, KOD arrived on April 20 and debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200, marking J. Cole's fifth consecutive #1 on the chart. Along with scoring the biggest streaming week for an album so far in 2018, KOD has earned the third-biggest streaming week for an album in all of chart history. The tour will be a can't miss outing for fans of the highly praised and much discussed album.

Tickets for the KOD tour go on sale to the general public beginning Saturday, May 12 at 10 a.m. local time at www.dreamville.com and LiveNation.com.

American Express® Card Members can purchase tickets before the general public beginning Tuesday, May 8 at 10 a.m. through Friday, May 11 at 10 p.m.

In addition, there will be a Spotify pre-sale beginning Friday, May 11 at 10 a.m.local time and continuing through 10 p.m. that day.

Fans will also have the opportunity to gain early access to ticket pre-sales, beginning Friday, May 11 at 10 a.m. EST, through purchase of KOD bundles at http://smarturl.it/KODStore.

J. Cole KOD Tour Dates:

Aug 9 - Miami, FL - AmericanAirlines Arena

Aug 11 - Tampa, FL - Amelia Arena

Aug 12 - Atlanta, GA - Infinite Energy Center*

Aug 14 - New Orleans, LA - Smoothie King Center

Aug 15 - Houston, TX - Toyota Center

Aug 17 - San Antonio, TX - AT&T Center

Aug 18  - Dallas, TX - American Airlines Center

Aug 21 - Phoenix, AZ - Talking Stick Resort Arena*

Aug 22 - San Diego, CA - Viejas Arena at Aztec Bowl SDSU

Aug 24 - Los Angeles, CA - Staples Center

Aug 29 - Oakland, CA - Oracle Arena

Sep 2 - Boise, ID - Taco Bell Arena

Sep 4 - Sacramento, CA - Golden 1 Center

Sep 5 - Anaheim, CA - Honda Center

Sep 7 - Las Vegas, NV - T-Mobile Arena

Sep 8 - Salt Lake City, UT - Vivint Smart Home Arena

Sep 10 - Denver, CO - Pepsi Center

Sept 12 - Little Rock, AR - Verizon Arena*

Sep 13 - Birmingham, AL – Legacy Arena at The BJCC

Sep 17 - Nashville, TN - Bridgestone Arena

Sep 18 - Kansas City, MO - Sprint Center

Sep 19 - Minneapolis, MN - Target Center

Sep 21 - Detroit, MI - Little Caesar's Arena

Sep 22 - Chicago, IL - Allstate Arena

Sep 23 - Columbus, OH – Schottenstein Center

Sep 25 - Buffalo, NY - KeyBank Center

Sep 26 - Hartford, CT - XL Center

Sep 28 - University Park, PA - Bryce Jordan Center

Oct 1 - New York, NY - Madison Square Garden*

Oct 4 - Toronto - Air Canada Centre

Oct 5 - Montreal - Bell Centre

Oct 6 - Philadelphia, PA - Wells Fargo Center

Oct 8 - Washington, DC - Capital One Arena*

Oct 10 - Boston, MA - TD Garden

*Young Thug not performing

The fifth studio album from J. Cole, KOD follows his critically acclaimed, platinum-selling 2016 album 4 Your Eyez Only. In the week ending April 26, KOD sold 397kequivalent album units, while its songs amassed 322 million audio streams. That makes J. Cole only the third artist in history to surpass 300 million audio streams in its debut week—an achievement that's especially remarkable considering that KOD only contains 12 songs.

Retail: http://smarturl.it/KODJCole 

Amazon: http://smarturl.it/KODJCole/amazonmusicbuy

Apple: http://smarturl.it/KODJCole/applemusic

Google: http://smarturl.it/KODJCole/googleplay

ITunes: http://smarturl.it/KODJCole/itunes

SoundCloud: http://smarturl.it/KODJCole/soundcloud

Spotify: http://smarturl.it/KODJCole/spotify

Tidal:  http://smarturl.it/KODJCole/tidal 

A North Carolina native, J. Cole was the first artist signed to Jay-Z's Roc Nation label, which released his official debut Cole World: The Sideline Story in 2011. To date, he's received five Grammy Award nominations, including Best New Artist and Best Rap Album (for 2014's 2014 Forest Hills Drive). Arriving in December 2016, 4 Your Eyez Only debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200 and gained acclaim from outlets like the New York Times(who praised it as "spartan but sumptuous, emotionally acute but plain-spoken…one of the year's most finely drawn [albums]"). 4 Your Eyez Only was J. Cole's first release for Dreamville, the label he launched in 2007. Like all of J. Cole's first four albums, it's certified platinum.

Young Thug is a rapper and fashion icon who defies borders. He has close to 11 million monthly listeners on Spotify and his projects are critically acclaimed (4 received scores of 8 or higher on Pitchfork). Thug recently released his mixtape Super Slimy with Future and scored his first Billboard No. 1 on Camila Cabello's 'Havana'.

For more about J. Cole:

https://soundcloud.com/j-cole

https://twitter.com/JColeNC

https://www.facebook.com/JColeMusic/

https://www.instagram.com/realcoleworld

About Live Nation Entertainment

Live Nation Entertainment (NYSE: LYV) is the world's leading live entertainment company comprised of global market leaders: Ticketmaster, Live Nation Concerts, and Live Nation Media & Sponsorship. For additional information, visit www.livenationentertainment.com.

SOURCE Live Nation Entertainment

Related Links

http://www.livenation.com/investorscrazy Dr

Traveler Unveils 2018

Condé Nast Traveler Unveils 2018 Hot List Awards

The Ultimate Travel Authority Recognizes 102 of the World's Best New Hotels.

NEW YORK, May 1, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Condé Nast Traveler today announced the winners of its 2018 Hot List, recognizing 102 properties around the world as the hottest hotel openings of the last year. For the 22nd edition of the Hot List, the magazine's editors, reporters, and photographers spent thousands of hours flying tens of thousands of miles to experience and review more than 400 recently-opened properties firsthand.

The widely anticipated list uncovers the top trends inspiring modern travelers. The full list of properties recognized on this year's list can be found here.

The 2018 Hot List identifies big brands breaking out of traditional molds to open properties that fit the boutique aesthetic of a specific region, such as the Hollywood-ready Waldorf Astoria in Beverly Hills or the all-white bungalows at the Hilton's Mahogany Bay Resort and Beach Club in Belize. Wellness is moving from a niche reason to travel to a more holistic part of the journey. For example, travelers to the Rosewood Phuket in Thailand and Burgenstock Resort in Switzerland are relishing in customized meditation treatments and outdoor facials by local wellness gurus. Some hotels are also staking their claim as neighborhood 'town squares,' becoming more than just a place to rest your head, but where locals gather and graze.

"Our annual Hot List is an all-encompassing review and selection of our favorite new hotel openings of the past year," said Pilar Guzmán, editor-in-chief of Condé Nast Traveler. "By celebrating the very best, we hope to help set a standard for those who follow so that when we return decades down the road, we will still recognize and be transformed by these places."

The Hot List winners are selected as part of a rigorous vetting process by 37 Condé Nast Traveler editors and experts. The group of scouts are armed with a survey that's been developed and refined over the past 22 years, with questions that get at the practical, the emotional, and even the sociological aspects of a property. The Condé Nast Traveler staff then cull nearly a thousand pages of hotel dossiers to determine the final list. This year, we visited 426 hotels and landed on 102 extraordinary properties that made the cut.

The 2018 Hot List is prominently featured on Condé Nast Traveler's website in The Bests and celebrated in the May/June issue on newsstands nationwide May 8.

SOURCE Conde Nast Traveler

 Links

http://www.cntraveler.com

Poynter Brings CNN's Jake Tapper

Poynter Brings CNN's Jake Tapper to St. Petersburg for a Community Conversation

Poynter's community conversation series works to strengthen public trust in the media and spotlights the relationship between journalism and democracy.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., April 30, 2018/PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Poynter Institute, a global leader in journalism, will host award-winning journalist and author Jake Tapper for a community conversation called "Political Thrillers, Fact and Fiction." Tapper is currently the chief Washington correspondent for CNN, anchor of the CNN weekday television news show "The Lead with Jake Tapper," and host of the Sunday morning program, "State of the Union."

The event on June 14 will take place at the Duke Energy Center for the Arts at the Mahaffey Theater in St. Petersburg, Florida. Tapper will talk about his career reporting on politics from Washington, as well as how his experience relates to the intrigue of McCarthy-era Washington on display in his new fiction novel, "The Hellfire Club."

Respected by people across the political spectrum, Tapper reports crisply and evenly out of an often chaotic Washington. Recently, he interviewed former FBI director James Comey in what was considered one of the most hard-hitting conversations during Comey's media tour. He led a highly-praised town hall on the gun-control debate with parents and survivors in Parkland. He moderated 2016 presidential primary debates and has covered multiple presidencies. On his shows, he consistently calls out falsehoods and does not accept "alternative facts." Tapper's reporting on the 2016 election has been recognized with a number of awards, including a 2017 Walter Cronkite Award for Excellence in Television Political Journalism.

The conversation will be moderated by Indira Lakshmanan, the Newmark Chair for Journalism Ethics at Poynter. Lakshmanan, an accomplished journalist herself, has covered coups, campaigns and revolutions in 80 countries and the U.S. From Washington, she covered politics and foreign policy, traveling with Secretaries of State Hillary Clinton and John Kerry. At Poynter, Lakshmanan is spurring thought leadership on restoring trust in journalism across the political spectrum through transparency and accountability.

Proceeds from the evening will benefit The Poynter Institute and the Bill Edwards Foundation for the Arts.

"This event, part of a year-long speaker series, will give Tampa Bay residents the chance to meet journalists and hear them talk about the vital work they do for our democracy," said Wendy Wallace, the director of advancement at Poynter. "Elevating journalism and its role in healthy democracies is core to Poynter's mission."

The stop in St. Petersburg is part of Tapper's book tour promoting "The Hellfire Club," set in 1950s Washington. Poynter's Lakshmanan will talk with Tapper about ethics, trust in the media, and the comparisons we can make between his novel and now. 

A limited number of VIP tickets are available and include heavy hors d'oeuvres, drinks, a copy of "The Hellfire Club," and a meet-and-greet opportunity with Tapper. General admission tickets for the conversation only are also available. Tickets are on sale now at TheMahaffey.com.

Sponsors interested in supporting the event should contact Elisa Jackson, executive director of the Poynter Foundation at ejackson@poynter.org.

Stereotyping of Israelis and Italians

Stereotyping of Israelis and Italians

BLOOMFIELD, N.J., April 27, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The Italian American ONE VOICE Coalition ("ONE VOICE"), a nationwide coalition of anti-bias activists, is vehemently opposed to a casting call for perpetuating a negative stereotype of Israelis and Italians.  The casting call, posted on castingnetworks.com, states "Looking for Israelis and Italian Actors that are not ashamed to admit they can be an asshole to others."  The casting call lists the production as a "Documentary" with the title "Assholes: A Theory".

"Here we go again," stated Dr. Manny Alfano, Founder and President of ONE VOICE. "It is unbelievable that such a blatant and damaging stereotype specifically targets Israelis and Italians.  This is totally unacceptable."

The offending casting call was posted by Ken Lazar Casting Company of New York and Los Angeles on the Casting Networks website soliciting "Israelis and Italian Actors (Especially Males)" from "New Jersey, New York, Puerto Rico, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington DC, West Virginia" for a Principal role in "ASSHOLES: A THEORY/ Documentary."

"They seek Israeli and Italian actors and tell them to purposefully act as a-holes to get the part, and then incredibly purport this to be a documentary – that is doubly insulting," commented Andre' DiMino, Communications Director of ONE VOICE.  "The entertainment industry must end its constant perpetuation of negative and damaging stereotypes of all people, and especially in this case, Israelis and Italians."

ONE VOICE has contacted the Anti-Defamation League ("ADL") about the offensive casting call.  "Every person of Israeli and Italian heritage should be outraged over this casting call, and should be even more concerned if such a damaging, pseudo-documentary will be produced," concluded Dr. Alfano.

ONE VOICE is different from all other Italian American groups in that its sole focus and objective is to fight bias, stereotyping and discrimination against Italian Americans.  It is the only national Italian American organization with this mandate.  ONE VOICE's stated mission is to "…secure the rightful representation of Americans of Italian origin and of all peoples whose paths toward social equality have been impeded.  The powers of intellect, wisdom and due process of law will be brought to bear on all inequities."

Super Heroes with #MoreThanATeacher

Ziploc® Brand Honors Teachers as Super Heroes with #MoreThanATeacher

Initiative Includes $100,000 Donation to DonorsChoose.org and Custom Teacher Portraits. 

RACINE, Wis., April 27, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Ziploc® brand is redefining what it means to be a super hero and honoring teachers around the country. In celebration of National Superhero Day April 28 and National Teacher Day May 8, Ziploc® brand is unmasking a new initiative, #MoreThanATeacher, which calls upon everyone to thank the real-life super heroes among us – teachers – by helping to provide resources to empower teachers and encourage students and the public to recognize the heroic impact they have on our lives. 

To give teachers nationwide extra superpowers, Ziploc® brand is pledging $100,000 to DonorsChoose.org, which will provide 100 teachers across the country with funds for various classroom projects. Purchases of Ziploc® brand products, including its new line inspired by Marvel Studios' Avengers: Infinity War, will help support Ziploc® brand's donation. The brand will also drop off Ziploc® brand products featuring Marvel Studios' Avengers: Infinity War designs to each teacher's school.

"The impression teachers make on our world goes beyond anything fictional super heroes do in the movies or comic books – their positive influence sets the stage for generations to come and we're so excited to celebrate real super heroes," said Kelly M. Semrau, Senior Vice President – Global Corporate Affairs, Communication and Sustainability at SC Johnson. "We applaud the great work teachers do every day, and we're looking forward to seeing the recognition students, former students and parents give teachers through this effort."

"Students across America know their teachers are real-life super heroes. DonorsChoose.org is proud to partner with Ziploc to honor these teachers, by bringing their classroom dreams to life on National Superhero Day," said Katie Bisbee, Chief Marketing Officer of DonorsChoose.org.

Ziploc® brand is encouraging people to thank a teacher who changed their life using the hashtag #MoreThanATeacher on social media. To kick off the conversation, Ziploc® brand commissioned portraits to honor three teachers who represent super heroes to former students. The portraits were creatively constructed with Ziploc® brand bags and containers filled with mementos that represent the ways each teacher was a super hero. Ziploc® brand surprised the teachers with an unveiling ceremony alongside these former students, and the teachers will also be featured in a series of videos on Ziploc®brand's social media pages.

The specific teachers honored include:

• Reginald Wills, History teacher at Washington Latin Public Charter School in Silver Spring, Maryland
• Kelli Morrill, Speech teacher at Blue Springs South High School in Pleasant Hill, Missouri
• Paul Peterson, Technology teacher at Harpursville Middle/High School in Harpursville, New York

Wills is just one example of a super hero who has inspired and changed the lives of his students as a 25-year history teacher at Washington Latin Public Charter School in Silver Spring, Maryland. One of his students, Raval, became a writer after Wills gifted her a poetry book. Others found a new perspective on the Civil Rights movement after Wills took them on a field trip to mimic the iconic Freedom Rider experience. Morrill and Peterson's students have equally moving stories about the impact these real-life super heroes have had on their lives.

Ziploc® brand has a longstanding commitment to create innovative, high-quality products and support communities around the country. #MoreThanATeacher is another way the brand is connecting with these communities, specifically teachers, students and parents, to enrich their educational and classroom experiences.

For information on Ziploc® brand products, visit the official Ziploc® brand Facebook fan page at facebook.com/Ziploc