LOS ANGELES (February XX, 2010) – Film Independent, the non-profit arts organization that produces the Spirit Awards and the Los Angeles Film Festival, announced its sponsors for the 25th Anniversary of the Spirit Awards. Returning sponsors at the Premier level include IFC, ELLE, Piaget, Jameson Irish Whiskey, Acura and Stella Artois. Netflix returns as a sponsor at the Principal level, with 100% New Zealand joining this year. The official spirits of the Spirit Awards will be provided by Jameson Irish Whiskey and G. H. Mumm Champagne. Guests will enjoy Jameson specialty cocktails, including the Jameson & Ginger, along with Mumm Cordon Rouge champagne. JW Marriot is the Official Host Hotel. The Standard is a Participating Hotel and the Official Venue for the Member Viewing Party. Wire Image is the Official Photographer, American Airlines is the Official Airline Parnter, and PR Newswire is the Official Breaking News Service of Film Independent. ON 3 Productions, the leader in customized gifting experiences backstage at the entertainment industry’s most prestigious events, returns to produce the Official Presenter Gift Lounge and Official Ceremony Gift Bags. FIJI Natural Artesian Water is the Official Water of the Spirit Awards.

The 25th Film Independent Spirit Awards will air live and uncut on Friday, March 5, 2010 at 8:00 p.m. PST/11:00 p.m. EST on IFC (Independent Film Channel), with the milestone ceremony taking place at LA Live’s event deck in downtown Los Angeles. Acclaimed comedian Eddie Izzard will serve as Master of Ceremonies. IFC.com will deliver up-to-the-minute news and video on the event, including articles, lists, interviews with nominees, and more. In addition, SpiritAwards.com and a dedicated Spirit Awards channel on Babelgum.com will deliver winner updates and photos throughout the course of the ceremony, followed by red carpet and thank you cam interviews the next day.

In addition to being the exclusive broadcaster of the 25th Anniversary Spirit Awards, IFC is also a Premier Sponsor. The network will host a hospitality tent located outside of the Main Awards tent entrance. The IFC tent opens at 5:00 p.m. PST, and will feature specialty cocktails and custom hors d’oeuvres from Chef Wolfgang Puck, live DJ, and plasma screens running IFC content. At 8:00 p.m. PST, the screens will feature IFC’s live broadcast of the Spirit Awards.

Premier Sponsor ELLE magazine will host celebrity presenters, winners, and industry VIPs in the ELLE Green Room, a sleek backstage lounge where nominees can socialize in an exclusive, stylish atmosphere. This year ELLE and the Spirit Awards will both celebrate their 25th Anniversaries in the lounge, dedicated to 25 years of modern fashion in conjunction with 25 years of modern film. ELLE’s partners in the Green Room are Garnier, White House Black Market, Keds and Smashbox.

For the third year now, Premier Sponsor Piaget is proud to lend its support to independence. To help celebrate the 25th Anniversary of the Spirit Awards, Piaget will continue to bring sparkle to the event by offering a sneak preview of its newest diamond jewelry and time piece collections, themed “Limelight Jazz Party.” To further demonstrate its backing, Piaget is also establishing the Piaget Producers Award in recognition of outstanding creative vision and achievement.

As a new Premier Sponsor, Jameson Irish Whiskey will serve specialty cocktails on the red carpet as guests arrive, as well as create two signature bars inside the main tent. Additionally, Jameson will be the featured spirit in all backstage tents at the Spirit Awards and a bottle of Jameson will be placed on each table for attendees to enjoy during the show.

As a Premier Partner, Acura will introduce the all-new four-door coupe concept, the ZDX, on site at the show. The ZDX is the first vehicle to be conceived and styled from start to finish at the new Acura Design Studio in California. The segment bending ZDX features stunning coupe-like styling with the added benefit of a commanding presence and flexible utility. Acura also offers a full line of technologically advanced performance luxury vehicles through a network of 271 dealers within the United States. The 2010 Acura lineup features six distinctive models including the RL luxury performance sedan, the TL performance luxury sedan, the TSX sports sedan, the turbo charged RDX luxury crossover SUV, the award-winning MDX luxury sport utility vehicle as well as the all-new ZDX. For additional information about Acura vehicles, please visit www.acura.com. For media inquiries, please visit www.acuranews.com.

As a Premier Sponsor, Stella Artois traces its origin back to 1366 to the Den Hoorn brewery in Leuven, Belgium just outside of Brussels. The beer was originally brewed to celebrate the holidays, and it was named Stella (Latin for star) for its exceptional clarity. Stella Artois has a pleasantly bitter flavor and refreshing finish that distinguishes it from other European lagers. Stella Artois should only be served in its signature chalice, which showcases its rich, golden color while releasing the beer’s flavor and aroma.

Stars will clean up on the Blue Carpet at The 25th Spirit Awards, thanks to LG Electronics. As a new Premier Sponsor, LG Electronics will host the opening of the Blue Carpet, where a celebrity guest (to be announced) will use LG’s new vacuum cleaner to pick up the sand, making the Blue Carpet sparkle at the new venue for this year’s Spirit Awards. LG Electronics will make a donation to Film Independent’s signature diversity program Project:Involve on behalf of this, and each additional star who takes on this charitable chore on the carpet! In the Official Presenter Gift Lounge backstage, presenters also will be among the first to experience “Something Better” in home appliances with the new high-performance LG Vacuum, which will be available in the United States for the first time this April. LG. Life’s Good.

Last year, Principal Sponsor Netflix and Film Independent joined forces to create the “Netflix FIND Your Voice Film Competition” which awarded an aspiring filmmaker the means to make a full length, narrative film. This year, the winning film, “Touchback” by Philip Flores will premiere at the LA Film Festival and will be available to watch instantly streamed from Netflix in June.

As a new Principal Sponsor, 100% Pure New Zealand will present the winner of their ‘Your Big Break’ competition at the 25th Annual Spirit Awards. ‘Your Big Break’ saw over 1,000 would-be filmmakers submit their 3 minute screenplays, five finalists produce their films in New Zealand, and one winner selected by award-winning director Peter Jackson. Guests will be invited to view all five films at the 100% Pure New Zealand screening tent. There will also be a chance to win business class tickets on Air New Zealand, experience a traditional welcome from a Maori warrior and sip fine New Zealand wine. To view the finalists’ entries, visit www.your-big-break.com.

The Standard Hotel is a Participating Hotel and Official Venue for the Member Viewing Party. Located in the heart of downtown Los Angeles, The Standard, Downtown LA is André Balazs’ second in the expanding collection of Standard hotels: The Standard, Hollywood on the famed Sunset Strip, The Standard Spa, Miami Beach, a holistic and hydrotherapy spa hotel on the waters of Biscayne Bay, and The Standard, New York, in Manhattan’s thriving Meatpacking District. With a rooftop pool and bar with stunning panoramic views of LA, a 24-hour restaurant and extensive business facilities, the 207- room Standard, Downtown LA has revolutionized the concept of a business hotel and established a new standard for an innovative hospitality experience.

FIJI Water is the official water of the 2010 Independent Spirit Awards and has been nominated to hydrate the best and the brightest of the film industry. FIJI Water, a natural artesian water bottled at the source in Viti Levu (Fiji islands), is the #1 premium bottled water in the United States known for its refreshing taste and soft mouth feel. A product of one of the last virgin ecosystems on the planet, FIJI Water is committed to sustainable development and is the primary driver of economic development and social welfare in Fiji through various initiatives. FIJI Water will be served in its pristine form all throughout the awards- from the tables during the ceremony, to the bars in the main tent and backstage. We’re proud to support Film Independent and their recognition of this year’s nominees.

(Reno, Nev. — Mar. 1, 2010) /PRNewswire/ — John W. Johnson of Denver, Colo. hit a $10,422,754.08 Megabucks® MegaJackpot® at the Reno-Tahoe International Airport on Sunday, February 21, 2010.

Johnson had just arrived in Reno with his wife and teammates for the United States Bowling Congress (USBC) Open Championship that kicked-off this weekend. The lucky winner said he had just deplaned when he approached the Megabucks® machine and deposited $20. After playing just $12, the MegaJackpot® hit, making Johnson the first Megabucks® winner of 2010.

“I said to my wife, ‘Where is the attendant because I’m going to win something big,’” said the excited Johnson. “You never expect it’s going to happen to you.”

A 36-year-old design engineer with a Denver based HVAC engineering firm, Johnson bowls with a group of friends from work.

The team, the “Kamikaze Keglers,” bowls in a men’s league in Denver and has traveled for the past several years to the USBC tournaments. Three years ago the team was in Reno for the tournament when Johnson and his wife, Stephanie, were married. They will celebrate their third wedding anniversary this coming week.

“The last few weeks have been hectic, and we’ve been counting down the vacation days,” said Johnson. “Hopefully this lucky streak will carry on and we’ll win big in the bowling tournament.”

Johnson enjoys the working relationship he has with his father-in-law and bowling teammates and stated that he plans to continue working.

The USBC estimates 70,000 attendees will travel to Reno for this year’s Championship tournament.

• Deréon Pop Polo
• “D’s Studded” Skinny Jeans
• Sasha Fierce Short Shorts
• D’s Ruffle Cropped Jacket
• “All Zipped Up” Dress

Beyoncé’s partnership with Nintendo goes beyond these downloads. She will also be featured in Style Savvy commercials, which will begin airing on Nickelodeon the week prior to this year’s Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards and during the event on March 27. Beyoncé previously starred in commercials for Nintendo’s Rhythm Heaven™ game.

The new Deréon downloads mark the second time real-life fashions have made their way into the game. Players have also had access to Charlotte Ronson Designer Downloads, which lets players download items from Ronson’s fall 2009 line directly into the game.

Style Savvy invites players of any age to express their individual sense of style by managing a virtual clothing boutique. Choosing from more than 10,000 items in a wide variety of styles, designer labels and price points, players can create distinctive looks to satisfy customers with various tastes and budget constraints. Using the simple controls of a Nintendo DS system, players can enjoy Style Savvy anytime, anywhere.

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The 918 Spyder concept combines high-tech racing features with electric-mobility to offer a fascinating range of qualities. For example, it is planned to provide an emission level of just 70 grams of CO2 per kilometer on fuel consumption of only three liters/100 kilometers (equal to approximately 78 mpg U.S.), which is truly outstanding, even for an ultra-compact city car. This car, however, is intended to offer the performance of a super sports car with acceleration from a standstill to 100 km/h in just under 3.2 seconds, top speed of 320 km/h (198 mph), and a lap time on the Nordschleife of Nurburgring in less than 7:30 minutes, faster than even the Porsche Carrera GT.

The 918 Spyder is one of three Porsche models with hybrid drive making their world debut at the 2010 Geneva Motor Show. This trio – made up of Porsche’s new Cayenne S Hybrid SUV with parallel full-hybrid drive, the 911 GT3 R Hybrid race car with electric drive on the front axle and a flywheel mass battery, and the two-seater high-performance 918 Spyder mid-engined sports car with plug-in hybrid technology – clearly demonstrates not only the great bandwidth of this new drive technology, but also the innovative power of Porsche as a genuine pioneer in hybrid drive.

The highly-innovative 918 Spyder concept car combines Porsche’s Intelligent Performance philosophy with the high-technology from motorsport, with classic but modern design to make a truly convincing statement.

Innovative powertrain combines race-bred V8 engine with electric drive

This open two-seater is powered by a high-revving V8 developing more than 500 horsepower and a maximum engine speed of 9,200 rpm – as well as electric motors on the front and rear axle with overall mechanical output of 218 horsepower (160 kW).

The V8 combustion engine is the next step in the evolution of the highly successful 3.4-liter power unit already featured in the RS Spyder racing car and positioned mid-ship, in front of the rear axle, giving the car excellent balance and the right set-up for supreme performance on the race track.

Power is transmitted to the wheels by a seven-speed Porsche-Doppelkupplungsgetriebe (PDK) transmission that feeds the power of the electric drive system to the rear axle. The front-wheel electric drive powers the wheels through a fixed transmission ratio.

The energy reservoir is a fluid-cooled lithium-ion battery positioned behind the passenger cell. The big advantage of a plug-in hybrid is that the battery can be charged on the regular electrical network. A further point is that the car’s kinetic energy is converted into electrical energy fed into the battery when applying the brakes, thus providing additional energy for fast and dynamic acceleration.

Driver’s choice of four distinct driving modes

A button on the steering wheel allows the driver to choose among four different running modes: The E-Drive mode is for running the car under electric power alone, with a range of up to 25 km or 16 miles. In the Hybrid mode, the 918 Spyder uses both the electric motors and the combustion engine as a function of driving conditions and requirements, offering a range from particularly fuel-efficient all the way to extra-powerful.

The Sport Hybrid mode uses both drive systems, but with the focus on performance. Most of the drive power goes to the rear wheels, with Torque Vectoring serving to additionally improve the car’s driving dynamics.

In the Race Hybrid mode the drive systems are focused on pure performance with the highest standard of driving dynamics on the track, running at the limit to their power and dynamic output. With the battery sufficiently charged, a push-to-pass button feeds in additional electrical power (E-Boost), when overtaking or for even better performance.

With the hybrid drive system offering this wide range of individual modes and applications, the 918 Spyder is able either to achieve lap times comparable to those of a thoroughbred racing car, or the extremely low emissions and high fuel economy figures of a plug-in hybrid.

Advanced body structure and design offer more than just good looks

Like the drivetrain, the lightweight body structure of the Porsche 918 Spyder also bears out the car’s DNA carried over directly from motorsport: The modular structure with its monocoque bodyshell made of carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic (CFP) and liberal use of magnesium and aluminum not only reduce weight to below 1,490 kg, or 3,285 lb, but also ensure supreme driving precision thanks to a high level of torsional stiffness.

Reminiscent of highly successful, legendary racing cars such as the Porsche 917 and the current Porsche RS Spyder, the 918 Spyder, with its design concept so typical of Porsche arouses powerful emotions. The combination of racing car dimensions, clearly structured design with perfectly balanced surfaces, and innovative details throughout, creates an ideal synthesis of form and function – following Porsche’s design DNA.

The smooth balance of tradition and progress gives the car a powerful stance on the road. Variable aerodynamics, typical of Porsche, ensures both visionary and traditional highlights especially around the rear spoiler. The striking rear hoods extending out of the headrests, in turn, not only fulfill an aerodynamic function on the 918 Spyder, but also accommodate retractable air intakes with a ram air function.

High-tech interior provides glimpse into the future

The driver and passenger are not only embedded in contoured sports bucket seats but also form part of the cockpit, which provides a synthesis of efficient functionality and ergonomic high-tech operation. Additionally, the cockpit offers a glimpse at the potential interior architecture of future Porsche super sports cars. The three free-standing circular dials for road speed (left), engine speed (middle) and energy management (right) would appear to come directly from a racing car in the ’60s, bearing out that unique philosophy of driver orientation so characteristic of Porsche.

The center console rises up towards the front in the 918 Spyder and houses a touch screen for intuitive control of the car’s functions, serving to reduce the number of visible controls and maintain the principle of direct operation.

The control units relevant to the driver are mainly concentrated on the three-spoke multifunction sports steering wheel, while the variable driving modes are supplemented by a switch enabling the driver to call up various drive programs and serving as the push-to-pass button for E-boosting. Instrument illumination, finally, varies from green for the consumption-oriented running modes to red for the performance-oriented driving programs.

The Porsche 918 Spyder concept also comes with further innovative functions such as the Range Manager. After being activated in the Center Display, the Range Manager uses the map in the navigation system to present the remaining range the car is able to cover, naturally allowing the driver to influence that range through the appropriate choice of power and performance.

In cities with environmental alert areas the Range Manager also states whether the driver is able to reach a certain destination on electric power alone.

Applying this information and using further info on the availability and location of special energy filling stations, the driver is then able to choose his personal style of driving as well as the right battery charge and filling strategy.

Offering a unique combination of extremely low fuel consumption, supreme performance and long electric range, the Porsche 918 Spyder concept represents an essential milestone in Porsche’s strategy on the way to genuine electric-mobility.

About Porsche Cars North America, Inc.

Porsche Cars North America, Inc. (PCNA), based in Atlanta, Ga., is the exclusive importer of Porsche vehicles for the United States. It is a wholly owned, indirect subsidiary of Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG. PCNA employs approximately 180 people who provide Porsche vehicles, parts, service, marketing and training for its 200 dealers. The dealers, in turn, provide Porsche owners with best-in-class service. Throughout its 61-year history, Porsche has developed numerous technologies that have advanced vehicle performance, improved safety and spurred environmental innovations within the automotive industry. The company continues to celebrate its heritage by adding to its long list of motorsports victories dating back to its first 24 Hours of Le Mans class win in 1951. Today, with more than 28,000 victories, Porsche is recognized as the world’s most successful brand in sports car racing. PCNA, which imports the iconic 911 series, the highly acclaimed Boxster and Cayman mid-engine sports cars, high-end Cayenne sport utility vehicles and the four-passenger Panamera Gran Turismos, strives to maintain a standard of excellence, commitment and distinction synonymous with its brand.