BOTSWANA, AFRICA (08/08/2012)(readMedia)-- Three Illinois National Guard units, among the more than 1,200 military personnel from the United States who are participating in Southern Accord 2012, gathered for a cultural day Aug. 5 at Thebephatshwa Air Base, The Republic of Botswana, Africa.

Southern Accord 12 is a joint exercise bringing together U.S. Army personnel with counterparts from the Botswana Defense Force to conduct humanitarian assistance, disaster relief operations, peacekeeping operations, aeromedical evacuation and enhance military capabilities and interoperability.

The 405th Brigade Support Battalion in North Riverside and Streator, the 766th Engineer Battalion in Decatur and the 139th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment in Springfield are supporting Southern Accord 2012 Aug. 1 to 17.

During cultural day Soldiers experienced a dance performance from local Botswana Defense Forces (BDF) personnel in ethnic attire as well as local music and food.

Approximately 35 vendors from across Africa also set up booths to sell collectables, souvenirs and clothing. The day also gave members from the various forces a chance to socialize and network with each another.

Sgt. Whitney Clever of Island Lake, Ill., with Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment, 405th Brigade Support Battalion in North Riverside said she loved cultural day for the interaction with the BDF and local civilians. She said she learned a lot about Botswana culture from the items she found at the bazaar.

"During an exercise like this, it's amazing to see so many different counterparts come together," said Clever. "Not only by country, but also the Army, Marines, Air Force, and Navy coming together with the BDF and their local community for a shared experience. It was really a great exercise."

Having an opportunity to interact with people not from her country was African-native Charlene Mubita's favorite part of the day. Mubita sold clothing, self-designed home goods, and served local foods at her booth.

"It was a great opportunity to meet so many different people from various places, all of whom were friendly," said Mubita.

Video of the cultural day and interviews with Illinois National Guard Soldiers can be found here http://www.dvidshub.net/search?q=botswana+cultural+day.

(DES MOINES) - Gov. Terry Branstad and Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds today announced the availability of the 2012 mobile site developed in partnership with the Iowa State Fair and Iowa Interactive. The site, which was developed by Iowa Interactive' s self-funded model, will enhance Iowa State Fair attendees' experience by providing information on the Iowa State Fair's daily schedule, entertainment, food vendors, fairground map, attractions and other general information.

The mobile Iowa State Fair site can be accessed at http://mobile.iowastatefair.org/ and is available through mobile devices including iPhone, BlackBerry, Android, iPad and other tablet devices.  Attendees may also access the site from home with an internet browser by using the same URL.

"The Iowa State Fair is one of the largest events in Iowa and, now with the mobile site, Iowans have the opportunity to access State Fair information at their fingertips. The Iowa State Fair mobile site will help fair-goers experience all that the fair has to offer," said Branstad.

The site was developed by Iowa Interactive, which also built the Governor's, Lt. Governor's and the governor's special assistant for education, Linda Fandel's website. This is the second year for the State Fair mobile site.

"As Governor Branstad's representative on the Iowa State Fair Board of Directors, I am proud to once again provide fair-goers with the most current information about the State Fair events through current technology. The mobile site is a great enhancement to the Iowa State Fair atmosphere and community," said Reynolds.

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Iowa State Fair

"Nothing Compares" to the 2012 Iowa State Fair, August 9-19. For more information, call 800/545-FAIR or visit iowastatefair.org.

About Iowa Interactive

Iowa Interactive built and manages the official web site for the state of Iowa (Iowa.gov) and partners with state and local entities to bring new government services online. Iowa Interactive is a service of IOWAccess and is managed by the Department of Administrative Services and the eGovernment firm NIC (NASDAQ: EGOV - News).

About NIC

NIC Inc. (NASDAQ: EGOV) is the nation's leading provider of official government portals, online services, and secure payment processing solutions. The company's innovative eGovernment services help reduce costs and increase efficiencies for government agencies, citizens, and businesses across the country. NIC provides eGovernment solutions for more than 3,100 federal, state, and local agencies that serve 97 million people in the United States. Additional information is available at http://www.nicusa.com.

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30 Cities in 30 Days to Share Truth that Affects all Americans

(Atlanta)  Herman Cain today announced he will travel across the country this fall for The Truth Tour - an aggressive 30-day, 30-city schedule of events to equip Americans with the facts that will help us decide the future of our nation.

The Truth Tour is sponsored by Job Creators Solutions, an organization formed by Cain and Bernie Marcus, the co-founder of The Home Depot.  As stated on the organizatin's website, Job Creators Solutions "(a)ssists employers in educating employees about policy issues and candidate positions affecting their company, job security, wages and benefits, and their families." And this fall, Job Creators Solutions will expand its reach to faith-based and community leaders as well as college students across the country.

"Bernie Marcus and I both know first-hand how important it is to have the facts when making business decisions," Cain said. "We also know it is just as important for Americans to have the facts when making decisions that will impact our communities, businesses and our nation. This is why I'm proud to join forces with Bernie for The Truth Tour."

Marcus concurred, saying Cain's ability to reach and engage wide-ranging audiences will be vital to the success of The Truth Tour. "It doesn't matter if you're a Forbes 500 business CEO or a college student," Marcus said. "Herman Cain has the unique ability to reach you. This is a one-of-a-kind message from a one-of-a-kind messenger."

Each stop on the 30 city, 13-state tour through will include the following:

*Morning Event for Faith-Based and/or Community Leaders - Reaching out to the Faith-Based and minority community to give these thousands of Hermans and Bernies in America's urban centers and inner cities tools to revive the American Dream and re-establish the American environment that allowed Cain and Marcus to pursue their dreams.

*Lunch Event for Job Creators and Business Leaders - Equipping business leaders with talking points, media training, educational materials for their employees, and peer support will empower employers to protect their economic rights and the opportunities to grow their businesses and provide added jobs.

*Evening College & Community Event - Among adults of all ages, 82 percent say it's harder for today's young adults to find a job than for previous generations. The number of unemployed Americans aged 20-24 has risen from 1.85 million to 2.19 million in the past three years. This vital part of the Truth Tour will address this very important group of Americans. Rather than a lecture, this will be a fun, educational event with Herman Cain and a popular local band. 

The Truth Tour begins September 5, 2012 in Iowa, with morning and noon events in Cedar Rapids and an evening event at the University of Iowa in Iowa City. The Tour wraps up in Columbus, Ohio on November 1 at The Ohio State University. The full schedule of events can be found here.

"I know I will be absolutely worn out at the end of this tour," Cain remarked. "But I will not rest until I feel I've done my best to get the right information to as many Americans as possible. We are at too critical a juncture in our nation's history to simply sit back and do nothing. This may be our best and only shot to steer our country in the right direction."

Also, notable names such as Dick Morris and Steve Moore have confirmed they will speak at a number of the events on The Truth Tour. More details about specific tour stops will be released as the dates of the events draw closer.

For More Information:

Planning already is underway to mark the 50th anniversaryof the assassination of President John F. Kennedy on Nov. 22, 2013. Commemorative events in Dallas and in churches across the country are being organized. TV host Bill O'Reilly is set to release a new book, "Killing Kennedy: The End of Camelot," this fall, and a feature movie, "The Kennedy Detail," is planned for release next fall.

"As people ponder the legacy of President Kennedy and his 'Camelot,' it's a good time to revisit the original Camelot of King Arthur legend, and I have compelling new evidence about where it may have been located," says art expert Terry Stanfill, author of Realms of Gold: Ritual to Romance (realmsofgoldthenovel.blogspot.com), a novel of ancient history and modern romance that posits her new theory about Camelot.

"The Arthurian legend is so ancient, and yet it has been one of the most enduring interests in Western civilization," she says. "It's exciting to think that after all of these centuries, we have a strong case for a real Camelot."

Educated in Medieval history, Stanfill has traveled extensively through Asia and Europe, particularly France and Italy, and researched the art and artifacts. She offers this primer on King Arthur, including her own surprising theory about the true location of the original Camelot:

• The legend
Arthur as king was first mentioned in "The History of the Kings of Britain" by Geoffrey of Monmouth, 1100-1155. A generation later, Chrétien de Troyes, a French bard and poet, began to weave stories about King Arthur's court, introducing the characters Lancelot, Guinevere and Perceval. He was the first to mention Camelot, King Arthur's home, describing it as "a place by a river, surrounded by forests and plains beyond."

• The reality
Toward the end of the Roman Empire, circa 450 AD, Arthur Riothamus, King of the Britons, was hired by the Romans to fight off invading Goths and Visigoths. There is documentation from multiple sources that Arthur spent a lot of time in Burgundy, France. He died after a battle near Bourges and was taken by his men to Avallon in France, a town that had existed for centuries. This is fact, not fiction.

• Avalon
While many people believe the mystical Avalon of Arthurian legend was in England, perhaps near Glastonbury, there is no record of a place called Avalon in that country.The Avallon region of France, however, has long existed. It was and still is known for its fruit trees and vines, much like the lush island of legend.

• Camelot
While many presume Camelot was in England, the extraordinary discovery in 2007 of the remains of an ancient community on Mont Lassois in France makes Stanfill wonder if this was actually the true Camelot. The community is near Avallon, and among the buildings unearthed there appear to be the remnants of a palace, including a great hall, where there is evidence of feasting.

"When Chrétien de Troyes wrote of Camelot, this place may have been held in the memory of the locals as a place where peace, prosperity and the good life held a long reign," Stanfill says. "His vision was a nostalgic tribute to a distant, golden age of tranquility that was on this hilltop."

Stage director Manfred Flynn Kuhnert, an Arthurian legend aficionado and teaching fellow at Harvard College, says Stanfill offers the most compelling evidence he's heard for the historical existence of Camelot and its location in France.

"The citadel of Latisco on Mont Lassois -- a site of palatial buildings unprecedented in the Celtic world - is not far from Avallon," Kuhnert says. "Arthur Riothamus' time in Burgundy is documented, and we know that the first person to write about Arthur was the bard Chrétien, who lived in the area.

"This place is exactly as he described it: 'on a hill, a place by a river, surrounded by forests, with plains beyond.' Terry Stanfill may well have it right."

About Terry Stanfill

Terry Stanfill holds a degree in English literature with a minor in medieval history. She is an Overseer of the Huntington Library in San Marino, Calif. An enthusiastic preservationist, she was decorated by the president of Italy with the Ordine al Merito, Cavaliere della Repubblica Italiana, and more recently as Commendatore, for her fundraising efforts for the restoration of San Pietro di Castello, the ancient cathedral of Venice. She is a former international representative for Christie's auction house and former director of Norton Simon Museum in Pasadena, Calif. "Realms of Gold: Ritual to Romance" is her third novel. Her first two are "The Blood Remembers" and "A Tale of the Fortuny Gown." Stanfill is married to Dennis Stanfill, former CEO of 20th Century Fox and MGM Studios.