Every Woman Magazine

Every Woman

 

by Phyllis Fine, Thursday, August 31, 2006

 

CAN A small trade publication take off its glasses and revamp into the relative glamour of a mainstream women's mag, competing with the big girls on the newsstand? That's the question for HealthSpring Communications, which transformed the journal of the Association of Women's Health, Obstetric and National Nurses into the quarterly consumer book Every Woman.

 

In its push to be more like Health and less like JAMA, Every Woman has incorporated many basic elements of women's consumer magazines. Celeb cover photo and interview? Check: Teri Hatcher, who looks almost too young and pretty. Cover lines featuring numbers and diet/fitness content? Check: "7 Diet Myths Busted." Silly psychological quiz? Check: "Are You Nice Enough to Yourself?"

 

But do we really need another women's health/lifestyle book, especially one with such a goofily generic title? (And, according to the book's managing editor, the mag isn't targeted to every woman, but to the over-40 demo.)

 

With a tagline of "Your prescription for healthy living," Every Woman tries to milk its one big point of difference from other titles. Almost every article is written by nurses instead of journalists. The diagnosis: it's an approach that doesn't entirely work.

 

For example, while the writing is fairly clear and professional--I caught only one major typo when I put my copy editor's hat on--it sometimes reads as flat as a prescription ("At your drugstore is a topical non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug...") Many articles feature straightforward presentations of information about a particular illness or condition, as in pieces on how to prevent strokes, handle a diagnosis of breast cancer or prevent migraine headaches. But it's how health journalists and editors shape such information--adding the important elements of newsworthiness and/or reader identification--that makes compelling reading. And that's sometimes missing in Every Woman.

 

Another disadvantage of the expert-only voice is being perceived as too close to the medical establishment to provide a nuanced view. I caught a nauseatingly self-promoting quote from a Federal Drug Administration official--"This is another example of our endeavor to counter rising health care costs"--and an uncritical mention of two weight-loss drugs that got slammed in other reports. The fact that the book majors in drug ads didn't reassure me that it was impartial, either.

 

There should be more that the pub can do with its access to nurses, who are often closer to patients than doctors--perhaps insider pieces focused on patient interactions? In the fall issue, Every Woman's best articles go beyond the drug-pamphlet approach by grappling with medical trends, like the short piece explaining why your next mammogram should be a digital one. Journalist Andrea King Collier writes about The Sister Study, which is surveying sisters of breast-cancer victims. The story illustrates the human face of the disease with emotionally revealing photos of survey participants. Some pose, tellingly, without the sisters they lost to cancer.

 

This article, though, has some layout problems: the piece lacks a title, and the opening spread features a photo of a house that seems to have nothing to do with the subject. These are the only big art boo-boos; the rest of the book is up to par with appealing graphics. Special kudos to the realistic shot of a woman with a surgery scar, illustrating a story on women's reactions to how cancer changes their bodies.

 

Rounding out the more serious articles are a mixed bag of lifestyle pieces--not badly done, but not really necessary. Like the Teri Hatcher Q&A. She talks intelligently about topics like breast cancer and sexual abuse--but does the world need celebrity interview No. 155,825? I like "Freewheeling," about cycling and its health benefits, because it makes me want to buy a bike and hit the road. "The Wonder Of The Bra"--how to buy and care for one--is OK service journalism, but the sidebar on the history of the bra is, um, padded with facts that nobody except a lingerie fetishist would enjoy. Then there's that psychological quiz, with its generic advice to "buy flowers" and "gaze at the sky."

 

In short, Every Woman would do better if it stopped trying so hard to be like every other woman's magazine.

 

Phyllis Fine is columns editor for MediaPost.

 

Magazine Rack for Thursday, August 31, 2006: http://publications.mediapost.com/index.cfm
 
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FW: BenefitPackages.com Makes Selecting Essential Health Plans Easy

 

BenefitPackages.com Makes Selecting Essential Health Plans Easy

One of the most popular sites for access to health plans, Benefit Packages, provides enhanced services including the offering of new Blue Shield of California Essential Plans for individuals.

(PRWEB) September 1, 2006 -- Benefit Packages a full-service insurance agency, today announced enhancements to their Web site to better able visitors in selecting a health plan that meets their individual or family needs. Benefitpackages.com has been serving Californians for over 15 years and is known as one of the most prominent agencies in the state.

“We want to be able to offer a variety of plans that fit the lifestyle needs and budgets of Californians,” said Larry Hurwitz, Benefit Consultant/Owner of Benefit Packages.com Insurance Agency. “Recently we introduced Blue Shield of California Essential Plans which are popular among young individuals for their affordable premiums and access to valuable and useful benefits.”

Benefitpackages.com offers the most up-to-date plan designs and the ability to pick a plan that meets the varying budget and lifestyle needs of Californians. Enhancements to the Web site include the following functions:
•    Access to the most trusted health insurance carriers in the state
•    Ability to select among the most popular health plans in the market
•    Answers regarding health insurance questions
•    Ability to find a doctor
•    Receive an instant quote
•    Access to excellent, caring customer service (virtual, phone or in person)

For more information on benefitpackages.com or the new individual Essential Plans, underwritten by Blue Shield of California Life & Health Insurance Company, please visit: http://www.benefitpackages.com/essential/index.html or call 1-800-356-3615.

###

Press Contact: Larry Hurwitz
Company Name: Benefitpackages.com
Email: email protected from spam bots
Phone: 1-800-356-3615
Website: http://www.benefitpackages.com/essential/index.html

Weekend Magazine

Weekend

by Larry Dobrow, Thursday, August 24, 2006

HAPPILY, I ENJOY A life outside work so robust, so bustling that I have no need for a publication that advises me on weekend activities. When the laptop screen goes down and the Saturday sun comes up, you might find me napping, watching sports on TV, or napping while watching sports on TV. I have a gal Friday on retainer to keep the tabloids abreast of my social exploits.

Alas, not everybody has the energy to maintain this manic pace. And so it is that publications like weekend worm their way into our mailboxes to pick up the slack for the socially and organizationally inert. A travel/shelter/food hybrid, the mag presents readers with a veritable smorgasbord of options for their idle hours, ranging from wax museums to home pedicures to--gasp!--Canada.

That, actually, may be the main problem with weekend: its everything-including-the-kitchen-sink-and-cobbler-recipes-too approach doesn't make a lot of sense, given the number of titles that cover the same topics in greater detail. Lumping them together under a "stuff you can do on the weekend, if you're so inclined" umbrella seems nothing more than the lazy way out, as if the publisher had a bunch of magazine concepts but couldn't choose between them.

Make no mistake, this is a title for the pathologically unimaginative. The "northern exposure" piece on Canadian travel assumes utter ignorance on the reader's part of our tuque-wearing neighbor to the north. The features section can be neatly encapsulated as "a cabin here, a mansion there"... except for the 32,000th story in the last three months that proclaims rosé to be 2006's hottest wine. Was there a here-are-the-features-you're-going-to-write party for magazine editors that I missed, or does rosé just have the best publicist in the history of fluids?

Tonally, I can't think of a way that weekend could be any less offensive. Every word, every picture, every caption seemingly goes out of its way to soothe. A page-long prelude to the features section begins with "September reminds us that nothing lasts forever" and ends with "Think big, make plans, live." Oooh, happy-lovey affirmation with a seasonal subcontext! The lesson, as always: words can be quite dangerous in the wrong writer's hands.

I'll spare you another rant about the peculiarity of placing all headlines in lower cases, but I can't let weekend off the hook for its pun-happy ways. The mag slaps "hay fever" (get it?) onto a story about vacation farms, "plane crazy" (get it? get it?) onto a listing of aerospace museums and "foam sweet foam" (getitgetitgetitgetit?) onto a feature about breweries. As a profession, as a civilized society, let's agree to bury the headline pun 20 feet deep in the backyard. We're better than that.

(Pet peeve interlude: The next time any of you use "His Aim Is True"-- a play on an early album title -- as a headline for a story about Elvis Costello, I will track you down and pull your hair.)

I'll give weekend credit for its organizational moxie, however. Quite sensibly, the mag is divided into three main sections: "weekend at home," "weekend away" and "features"; the subdivisions within each section are similarly well thought-out. It also excels on the design front, with the cleanest and comeliest layout this side of Real Simple. Its image choices may be a touch bland for my tastes -- can somebody please illustrate a morning-themed item with something other than a fetching model sipping a drink as a worked-over newspaper and jam-slathered English muffin sit idly in the foreground? -- but they nonetheless lend appropriate visual support to the stories at hand.

To me, the weakest compliment in the world is "nice," as in "nice column!" or "nice pants!" (I rarely hear either one, except on the days I wear shorts and onlookers mistake my circus-freakishly hairy legs for mohair dungarees.) "Nice" is the default adjective for "I can't be bothered to form an actual opinion, but I also don't see the point in offending anybody." Well, weekend is a very nice magazine. Whether there exists a pressing reason for its existence is another question entirely


Larry Dobrow is a Contributing Writer.

Magazine Rack for Thursday, August 24, 2006: http://publications.mediapost.com/

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Community Investment Award Recipients And Honoree Nominations Sought By Speaking Of Women's Health

Speaking Of Women’s Health Seeks Community Investment Award Recipients And Honoree Nominations

 

National Conference Accepting Applications .

 

Raleigh, NC, August 25, 2006 --(PR.COM)-- Speaking of Women’s Health, a daylong event focusing on women’s health, well-being and personal safety, has announced that they are now accepting applications for the 2006 Speaking of Women’s Health community investment grants and honoree nominations. The investment grant award winners and honorees will be announced at the Speaking of Women’s Health conference on Dec. 9 at the North Raleigh Hilton. Nominations for grants are due by Sept. 1 and honoree nominations are due by Sept. 20.

 

Local non-profit organizations that educate women or enhance the quality of women’s health, well-being and personal safety are encouraged to apply for the investment grants. Funds for start-up organizations will not be awarded. To apply, visit the Speaking of Women’s Health web site at www.swhRaleigh.com.

 

Honoree nominations should reflect someone who has enhanced the quality of life in the local community through efforts in women’s health, well-being and personal safety. Nominations, including the nominee’s name, address, occupation, professional affiliations and a description of why she should be honored by Speaking of Women’s Health, must be sent to: Tobi Bowen, Resources for Seniors, Inc., 1110 Navaho Drive, Suite 400, Raleigh, NC 27609.

 

“The Community Investment Grant program enables us to further the Speaking of Women’s Health mission by awarding funds to worthwhile organizations,” said Erika Mangrum, co-chair of the event’s executive committee. “It is also an honor to recognize the accomplishments of special women as honorees. We are pleased to be able to support those who provide exceptional services to the women of the Triangle.”

 

About Speaking of Women’s Health:
The National Speaking of Women’s Health Foundation is a 501 (c) (3), non-profit organization headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, whose mission is “to educate women to make informed decisions about their health, well-being and personal safety.” Founded in 1996, Speaking of Women’s Health ® (SWH) hosts more than 40 conferences and events across the country, educating and empowering women in a pampering environment. The national foundation works with community hospitals and organizations at a grassroots level, and reinvests into local women’s health through Community Investment Grants. SWH includes two Minority Health Programs – Universal Sisters and Hablando de la Salud de la Mujer; community events and education centers with free health brochures in Wal-Mart stores nationwide; and a weekly television show, Lifetime’s Speaking of Women’s Health. Please visit http://www.speakingofwomenshealth.com or call 1-866-SWH-INFO for more information.

 

Patty Briguglio
MMI Associates, Inc.
7406-H Chapel Hill Road
Raleigh, NC 27607
(919) 233-6600 • (919) 233-0300 (fax)
patty@mmimarketing.com

 

###

 

Contact Information

 

Speaking of Women's Health
Patty Briguglio
9192336600
patty@mmimarketing.com

House & Garden Magazine

House & Garden

 

by Dorothy Parker, Wednesday, August 23, 2006

 

UNLIKE ITS fashion sisterhood at Conde Nast, (the latest Vogue actually weighs in at 4 pounds) the September issue of House & Garden is entirely portable, no door stopper. Still, it's thicker than usual, and boasts a purple and gold cover promoting ''Exotic Luxury and Global Style.''

 

I guess we can thank a variety of upscale furnishings advertisers for the added plump. So I was absolutely gobsmacked to read Editor Dominique Browning's letter about ''smartsizing.'' Hey, you're an editor in chief--practically a publisher! How can you possibly make fun of rich people and their vulgar habits? She does, though, in an amazingly straightforward and honest way.

 

Beyond mere McMansions, what Browning's addressing is the penchant toward the 27,000-square-foot houses in the new ''feudal Connecticut'' in which ''there are dressing rooms, spas... elaborate gymnasiums complete with climbing walls, swimming pools, tennis courts, their own skating rinks... carousels... putting greens... Perhaps every generation of wealth addresses the same question: How much is too much?''

 

As the inhabitant of a two-bedroom apartment in New York City that could probably fit inside Mrs. McMansion's infinity tub (her husband's is separate), I could not agree more.

 

Browning's concept of smartsizing means that ''people need different dwellings at different stages of their lives. It means that thinking trumps showing off.''

 

I'm sure it has not eluded Browning that the need for supersizing and ''showing off'' is exactly why many of her readers pick up the magazine, not to mention what allows her high-end advertisers to stay in business.

 

So are the advertisers apoplectic? Probably not. Because as I thought about it, I realized that the rich are different from you or me: someone like Laurie David (wife of Larry David of "Curb Your Enthusiasm") is introduced with a straight face as a ''contributing editor committed to eco-conscious living.'' (Never mind the house in L.A., and the lavish spread in Martha's Vineyard, and the inevitable private plane trips between them.) Such people think that other people's excesses are excessive, not their own. To be honest, though, the issue promotes a higher level of domestic hypocrisy: why can't we all just get along and be comfy?

 

And on to the show. The mixed message/straddling two worlds/high-low theme remains throughout. On the ''Fabric Obsession'' page, the editors "imagined a decadent study fit for Anna Freud,'' complete with a $5,100 white leather chaise.

 

The ''Vanity'' page, which purports to talk about the reemergence of '80s style, is little more than an ad for Chanel.

 

Less disappointing is the ''Things We Love'' section. I indeed love the 9' x 6' rug that spells out the letters in ''Shag''--although I wouldn't pay $8,995 for it.

 

For holier-than-thou-ers who make fun of other people's hypocrisy, here's the rub with this magazine: It's much more fun to look at ''an old Paris apartment with theatrical proportions and stunning 19th century details'' (it gets 10 pages) than slog through the article about buying energy-saving appliances (a real snooze.)

 

Don't hate me because I hate Jay McInerney. The now middle-aged author of the early '80s phenom, Bright Lights, BigCity, has for some time written the wine column (''Uncorked") for HG. He never ceases to offend, or to make it all about him. Honestly, I went into this column, about Ann Colgin's wines, with an open mind. But I could not get past the fourth line before he started describing Colgin as a ''babe'' and being jealous of her husband. Apparently, she has redefined the concept of Napa cabernet, but do we really need to know that Jay finds himself '' racing through a series of steep switchbacks up Pritchard Hill in Colgin's little Mercedes (my girlfriend, Anne, sitting in my lap.)'' P.S., reader, he married her, (an heiress) but that's another story. Meanwhile, by the end of the column, the now-hitched Jay writes that Colgin complains that her husband will only allow her to travel with carry-on bags. Here's his witty aside: ''Confidential to A.C.: I'd let you check as many pieces as you wished.'' It's enough to make you want to spit out your Syrah.

 

By contrast, a piece by Rick Moody, who has also taken his share of knocks among the literati, practically sings. He's vaguely embarrassed about the luck that allowed him to buy a summer place on Fisher's Island, where he now lives almost year-round, and has started gardening. He describes the precariousness of his new obsession: ''One year the tomatoes are unstoppable and the ladybugs swarm like they've been watching 'The Ten Commandments.' The next year your water bill is outrageous, the tomatoes all crack, but you have never had sugar snaps that tasted so fine. But it's failure that keeps you coming back.''

 

Rounding out the issue is a smart and incisive review of architect Cesar Pelli's new Minneapolis Library, and a piece on collecting exotic things, like snuff bottles.

 

After all, collecting ''turned ivories'' or ''American portrait miniatures'' does not require a home of at least 20,000 square feet--just the purse strings required to run one.

 

Magazine Rack for Wednesday, August 23, 2006: http://publications.mediapost.com/
 
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Domestic Investigations Verify Trouble in the Home

Domestic Investigations – When there is Trouble in the Home

 

Domestic investigations are one of the most common reasons private investigators are hired, and they can give you the results you need to get real peace of mind.

 

Los Angeles, CA, August 22, 2006 --(PR.COM)-- According to statistics, private investigators spend the majority of their time working on domestic investigationns. Despite this fact, investigators report that clients coming to them for help with domestic matters often are reluctant or are embarrassed to share personal problems. The truth is that there is no reason to be shy about seeking out a domestic investigator. Not only are many investigators very experienced in this type of case, but the results from domestic investigations can dramatically improve your life.  Consider the types of investigations that can help you:

 

Infidelity and Divorce
Divorce investigations and infidelity investigations can help you determine whether your spouse or partner is unfaithful.  With more than 85% of women, and 80% of men correct in their suspicions about their partner’s unfaithfulness, the truth is that if you have a sneaking suspicion, you may be right, and an investigator can tell you for sure.  Rest assured that private investigators are very discreet about trailing unfaithful spouses.  They can even provide you with visual or audio evidence if that is what you need to put your mind at ease.  Private investigators deal with hundreds of these cases each year and can help you find out what you need to know.

 

Child Custody Investigations
Child custody and child support investigations help to keep your child safe and well-cared for. Investigators can run asset searches and missing persons searches in order to obtain the child support you have been awarded by a court.  With the Department of Health and Human Services reporting that more than 46% of non-custodial mothers and more than 26% of non-custodial fathers totally default on support, these services are very common across the country today. Child custody investigations also can help ensure that the non-custodial parent does not neglect or abuse the child while they are in their care.  This is a critical when you consider that since between 1976 and 1997, 11,000 children were murdered and thousands more were injured by parents or caregivers, according to the Present Federal Interagency Forum on Child and Family Statistics.

 

Background Checks and Criminal Investigations
Background and criminal investigations allow you to research those you trust in your home.  According to statistics, 14% of child abuse cases involve a baby-sitter, nanny or other caregiver. With up to 10% of the American population having a criminal background, running criminal and background checks on anyone you trust inside your home just makes sense. Only an investigator can run these sorts of checks thoroughly, accurately, and with every concern for discretion.

 

Miss Persons Investigations
Missing persons investigations can help you find deadbeat parents, children, and other members of your family who have disappeared.  Over 2300 Americans are reported missing each day under various circumstances, so that private investigators hear about many types of cases.

 

Surveillance and Home Security
Surveillance cameras and services can improve your home’s security, according to some case studies.  You can work with private investigators to work out a good balance between your security and your privacy so that you can feel completely comfortable and safe.

 

Paternity Testing
Biological parent and child locator services help adoptive families find their biological roots.  With more the National Adoption Information Clearinghouse reporting that more than one million children in the country live with two adoptive parents, finding biological parents or children is big business. It can also be a key investigation because it can provide adopted children with needed medical family histories.

 

Accident Investigation
Accident and abuse or incident investigation can help determine exactly what happens in a domestic incident.  With 2/3 of homes affected by domestic violence and with domestic violence being the number one cause of emergency room visits by women, according to Woman’s Rural Advocacy Programs, these investigations are very common. These investigations can provide the evidence that women need to face their attackers in court.

 

Drug Abuse
Drug screening can help determine whether anyone in your family is abusing drugs.  According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 3.8% of minors aged 12 to 13 reported use of illegal drugs, and that percentage grows with age.  An investigator can help run a thorough and discreet investigation that gets you answers about what is happening under your own roof.

 

No matter what type of domestic investigation you need, hire the best investigator you can and work closely with them for the best possible outcome.  You can find a local investigator who can help you right now through the PInow.com Worldwide Directory of Private Investigators (http://www.pinow.com/).

 

About PInow.com
PInow.com (http://www.pinow.com/) is a Worldwide Directory of Private Investigators that enables law firms, corporations and the general public to find investigators anywhere. PInow.com strives to be the most trusted resource on the web to locate qualified investigators. All investigators listed on PInow.com are pre-screened and must meet specific listing requirements.

 

PInow.com was developed by the team that brought you the ServeNow.com Process Servers Directory (http://www.serve-now.com/).

 

Visit PInow.com to find investigators who can help with all your investigation needs.

 

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Contact Information

 

PInow.com - Find Local Private Investigators
Trent Carlyle
888 997 4669
info@pinow.com
http://www.pinow.com/
PInow.com is a Worldwide Directory of Private Investigators. Find a Local Private Investigator Anywhere.

Research Reveals Money, Secrets And The Great Escape For Homeowners

Banking, Finance & Investment: A Quick Sale research reveals money, secrets and the great escape for homeowners

 

A Quick Sale research reveals money, secrets and the great escape for homeowners

 

A Quick Sale reveals that 1 in 10 homeowners in the UK have been in mortgage arrears in the past year, as further financial hardships loom.

 

[ClickPress, Tue Aug 22 2006] Having just been hit by a surprise interest rate rise by the Bank of England, 800,000 UK homeowners (a) are now faced with added pressure on their already overstretched finances, according to leading property purchasing company, A Quick Sale.

 

The new research (b) carried out by A Quick Sale has found that almost one in ten people in the UK have been in arrears with their mortgage payments in the past and could be facing repossession in the future.

 

The quarter-point rise in base rate, to 4.75 per cent, will cost UK homeowners collectively a massive £226,896,000 million (c), and is likely to increase the number of people in arrears in the coming months.

 

Richard Watters, A Quick Sale Managing Director, said: “Being in mortgage arrears is a more common problem than people think. According to the Council of Mortgage Lenders, in the first half of this year repossession figures were at their highest since 2001 standing at 8,140. This quarter-point rise will create real problems for those who are already finding it difficult to make their mortgage payments and we will more than likely see repossession orders increase as a result.”

 

To make matters worse, according to the research findings, over half (53%) of those struggling to make their mortgage payments are too embarrassed to admit that they are having problems to family and friends.

 

The A Quick Sale research also identified that:
- Over a third (35%) of Brits are struggling to manage their day-to-day finances
- Nearly half (42%) won’t discuss their finances with family and friends, with 22% actually lying to cover up their situation
- 17% have taken out secured loans in a bid to improve their financial situation
- One in five (20%) would never tell people if they had to sell their house due to their finances

 

Richard continued: “In addition to highlighting how many people across the UK struggle with their finances and mortgage payments, the research shows just how private people want their finances to remain. Many won’t even turn to their nearest and dearest for help and advice in times of crisis.

 

“At A Quick Sale we can provide a real solution to people facing eviction, but don’t want the outside world to know. Our sell-to-rent-back option allows customers to sell their homes and then rent them back for as long as required. Rental rates are set at market prices, allowing clients the peace-of-mind of staying in their home for as long as they want.

 

“Although we aren’t able to offer the full market value of the property, what we are able to do is stop repossession orders from going ahead, even on the day the bailiffs are due to arrive, enabling people to stay in their homes and begin to sort out their financial difficulties.”

 

A Quick Sale make a ‘trade offer’ for a persons home - which is usually 75% - 90% of the open-market value - and in return, offer a rapid, professional and trusted service to release equity with no added costs or fees.

 

There are no hidden charges - no survey fees are charged and the company will pay for solicitor’s fees up to £500.

 

A Quick Sale prides itself on being able to offer an open, honest service to its customers. Directors and franchisees know that the packages they can offer won’t be the right answer for many people and only offer a solution once all other alternatives have been explored, and if it is genuinely the best option for the client.

 

(a) Survey conducted by TNS (July 2006) using a nationally representative sample of 1,154 adults.
(b) 11.6 million people in the UK have a mortgage. 7% of 11.6 million is 812,000.
(c) Based on the average mortgage of £115,000. A quarter percentage point rise in interest rates on a £115,000 standard variable rate mortgage would lead to an increase of £19.56 in monthly payments. £19.56 x 11.6 million mortgage holders = £226,896,000

 

Notes to Editors:
For further media information, please contact Viccy Hodson, Diane Roskell or Katy Conway at Ptarmigan Consultants on 0113 242 1155 or email viccy@ptarmiganpr.co.uk / diane@ptarmiganpr.co.uk / katy@ptarmiganpr.co.uk

 

Company: A Quick Sale
Contact Name: samqam
Contact Email: samqam@googlemail.com
Contact Phone: 01315612251

Another New Site Offers Unique Gifts and Home Decor

 

Unique Gifts, Home Decor Found on New Site, CelebrateYourself.com

A new site offers unique gifts and home décor while furthering its mission to encourage people to love themselves and others. It’s something people the world over struggle with on a daily basis and never master: the notion of truly loving and celebrating oneself. So many people don’t know how to truly accept and love who they are, and life coach Star Gordon knew something needed to be done. So she took action and launched a unique online shop and creative community dedicated to helping people, CelebrateYourself.com.

New York, NY (PRWEB) August 22, 2006 – Today’s launch of CelebrateYourself, a revolutionary website, online store and community offering unique gifts and home décor, empowers individuals the world over to do something many of them have difficulty doing. CelebrateYourself is an online store and community dedicated to encouraging individuals to explore their creativity to celebrate who they really are, and celebrate the individuality of others.

CelebrateYourself inspires people to take their own self-exploration journey via its vibrant shop and online community and through the motivational articles published on its website. Visitors to the website is able to easily explore the CelebrateYourself online shop, where they can purchase handcrafted, high quality, unique and beautiful items including limited edition home décor and lifestyle accessories, distinctive scented candles, beautifully handmade leather journals, handmade paper stationery, scrapbook albums, handmade fashion jewelry, ceramics, pottery, wall art and other specialty accessories. Each item within the store is lovingly handcrafted by highly talented, creative artisans who collaborate with the CelebrateYourself team to create distinctive items, most of which are exclusive to the CelebrateYourself.com store, making them unique gifts for friends and family.

Founder, IT Professional, Life and Creative Coach, Star Gordon first developed the concept behind CelebrateYourself in November 2002. The new website combines e-commerce technology with a vibrant, creative community of likeminded individuals who appreciate who they are, and feed their eclectic and demanding tastes for high quality products by offering unique gifts and home décor.

“Our new website combines my social goals with an online store, where one can purchase high quality, beautiful products,” says Ms Gordon. “In designing and creating our quality handmade products, we work with talented artisans to express their own creativity and individual workmanship, and customers who purchase our items validate the creative individuality of that artisan and designer.”

The artisans and designers who work with the CelebrateYourself team hail from all over the world, and most of them live in the world’s poorest and sometimes catastrophic countries. CelebrateYourself bypasses the lure of cheaper mass production in lieu of top quality, hard-to-find products and workmanship, to help these individuals benefit from their creative skill sets to bring economic stability to their life and family, whilst also helping them to improve the quality of life within their communities.

“This website is a place to celebrate the individuality of you, and also the individuality of others, one product at a time,” says Ms Gordon. “It’s a philosophy we want to share with as many people as we can!”

About CelebrateYourself:
CelebrateYourself is a NYC-based retailer and online community where people can celebrate their individuality and that of others. The company sells a variety of items imported from economically challenged countries through their online store. CelebrateYourself online store offers a hand-picked selection of lifestyle accessories, home décor and unique gifts. The company favors natural, exotic and recycled materials such as rattan, wood, aluminum metal, leather and handcrafted paper. Most of the items are created in collaboration with artisans who are enriched both mentally and economically by CelebrateYourself and its customers.

Contact:
Star Gordon, Founder
CelebrateYourself.com
(800-439-0402)
http://www.celebrateyourself.com

###

Press Contact: Star T. Gordon
Company Name: PointStar Global LLC
Email: email protected from spam bots
Phone: 800-439-0402 + 704
Website: http://www.celebrateyourself.com/

US Painkiller Sales Hit By Safety Concerns, Some Say Old Aspirin Best

 

Safety Concerns Hit Sales of US Painkillers

Tylenol benefits from safety scares.

(PRWEB) August 19, 2006 -- Sales of products containing acetaminophen have increased in the US after safety concerns hit sales of certain competing analgesics, says the report “Analgesics in United States”, available from Piribo, the online destination for business intelligence for the biotech and pharmaceutical industry.

The 79 page report, written by analysts Euromonitor International, forecasts that acetaminophen will see average growth of nearly 2% a year until 2011, ahead of the rest of the adult analgesics sector which is expected to achieve growth of only 0.8% a year between 2005-2010.

American consumers’ interest in acetaminophen came after questions were raised about the safety of some analgesics. Studies in 2004 linked the use of Vioxx, an anti-inflammatory prescription drug, with an increased risk of heart disease, which led to the product being recalled. Then in April 2005, the US Food and Drug Administration asked Pfizer to recall Bextra, a similar prescription drug, and also warned that OTC non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as Aleve, would need to carry stronger warnings in the future about the risks of heart attacks, strokes, ulcers, internal bleeding and skin reactions.

As acetaminophen is in a separate drug class from anti-inflammatories, such as ibuprofen and naproxen, it mostly escaped public concern over safety and achieved growth of 4.3% between 2004-2005.

The report finds that Tylenol is the most popular brand of acetaminophen with a 14.2% share of the analgesics market. Its manufacturer, McNeil Consumer Healthcare, used the public’s safety concerns as an opportunity to boost the performance of the Tylenol brand by increasing its promotional activity which saw sales of the product increase by almost 18% in 2005.

Despite poor performance for most analgesics, there is also an optimistic outlook for Aspirin, which is forecast to grow by 1.4% per year over 2005-2010. This is due to the widespread use of aspirin for heart attack prevention and consumer trust in the product, as it, too, does not belong to the OTC class of NSAID’s.

“Analgesics in United States” is available in PDF format from Piribo
http://www.piribo.com/search/results.html?k=eur052&x=0&y=0

About Piribo.
Piribo (http://www.piribo.com) is a UK-based independent online store supplying business information on the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries. The website now carries over 3,800 English language titles including, market reports, studies and books and is the UK’s largest online biopharma information store. Subscribers receive a free monthly newsletter and email alerts on new titles in their areas of interest. The company was established in 2004.

# # #

Press Contact: Fiona Brown
Company Name: PIRIBO LTD
Email: email protected from spam bots
Phone: 02070607474
Website: http://www.piribo.com/publications/   country/usa_canada/usa/analgesics_united_states.html

Women's Use Of Prescription Drugs Could Reach $63B

Piribo: Prescription Drugs for Women Could Reach $63bn Within Four Years

Piribo, (http://www.piribo.com) the online destination for business intelligence for the biotech and pharmaceutical industry, has now added a new report called “Women’s Health: Worldwide Prescription Drug Markets” (http://www.piribo.com/search/results.html?k=kal087&x=0&y=0) which predicts that the global market for pharmaceutical treatments for women’s health problems could reach $63 billion by 2010.

(PRWEB) August 18, 2006 -- Piribo, (http://www.piribo.com) the online destination for business intelligence for the biotech and pharmaceutical industry, has now added a new report called “Women’s Health: Worldwide Prescription Drug Markets” (http://www.piribo.com/search/results.html?k=kal087&x=0&y=0) which predicts that the global market for pharmaceutical treatments for women’s health problems could reach $63 billion by 2010.

Unprecedented advancements in the area of women’s health and worldwide recognition of the importance of addressing conditions that overwhelmingly affect women, underscore this growth.

According to the report, 2005 revenues for therapeutics addressing women’s needs, such as autoimmune diseases, cancer, and menopause, among others, exceeded $45 billion. Indeed, from 2000 to 2005, the market grew by 10.5%.

One of the most important developments on the horizon of women’s health is the recent approval of a new cervical cancer vaccine, inaugurating a vaccine market potentially worth several billion dollars a year. The vaccine helps prevent infection from sexually transmitted strains of human papillomavirus (HPV), which causes the cancer. Similarly, the emergence of a possible vaccine-type treatment to prevent AIDS has shown great promise for women around the world.

While sales of hormone replacement drugs fell sharply from 2002 to 2004 on the heels of much publicized reports of the adverse health effects of long term HRT treatment, sales in most other segments have continued to show positive trends, according to the report.

Brief Table of Contents:
Chapter One: Executive Summary
Chapter Two: Introduction and Overview
Chapter Three: Autoimmune Diseases
Chapter Four: Cancer
Chapter Five: Gynecological Infections and Sexually Transmitted Diseases
Chapter Six: Hormone-Related Disorders
Chapter Seven: Osteoporosis
Chapter Eight: Urinary Bladder Disorders
Chapter Nine: Issues and Trends
Chapter Ten: World Market Summary
Chapter Eleven: Competitor Profiles

Women’s Health: Worldwide Prescription Drug Markets includes research and development pipelines; in-depth company profiles; four-region geographic breakdowns; and market size, growth, and share for the following product categories: autoimmune diseases; cancer; gynecological and STDs; hormones; osteoporosis; and urinary disorders. It is available from Piribo.

About Piribo.
Piribo (http:www.piribo.com) is a UK-based independent online store supplying business information on the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries. The website now carries over 3,800 English language titles including, market reports, studies and books and is the UK’s largest online biopharma information store. Subscribers receive a free monthly newsletter and email alerts on new titles in their areas of interest. The company was established in 2004.

###

Press Contact: Fiona Brown
Company Name: PIRIBO LTD
Email: email protected from spam bots
Phone: 02070607474
Website: http://www.piribo.com/

Nick Jr. Family Magazine From Nickelodeon

Nick Jr. Family Magazine

 

by Fern Siegel, Wednesday, August 16, 2006

 

IF YOU want to prove something works, spawn it. And if the mothership is Nickelodeon, sit back and enjoy the ride. First came the network--and lovers of Sponge Bob are forever grateful. Then the kids' magazines--Nickelodeon and Nick Jr. And, building on brand power, Nick Jr. Family Magazine. Seven years young, NJFM is billed as the magazine that brings parents and kids together. Geared to folks with progeny 0-11, the mag, on a yearly schedule of nine issues, was named to Adweek's hot list four times in the past five years. That's nifty for the marketing department, while the 1.1 circ is a boon to sales for Nickelodeon.

 

From a strictly PR standpoint, it all sounds swell. And it even has a zippy "Nick Jr. Noodle," a kids' pullout that lets them draw and analyze pictures. I liked the "Welcome to Puppyville" best. It's "Where's Waldo?" for the preschool set. (And tired adults--when you read The New Yorker religiously, searching for Colors Puppy is a welcome relief.)

 

But does it stand out?

 

This is a crowded category: Parents, Parenting, Child, American Baby, Cookie, Working Mother, etc. A Jeep Cherokee to the first reader who can tell them apart. In short, they all have experts, useful advice and, judging from their covers, the happiest people in America. Though I applaud the genre, one quibble: The advice is occasionally surface. Exercise is important, say no to kids. But what if your kid defies teachers? What happens when timeouts don't work? Full disclosure: As an aunt, I haven't needed to worry about such things. My job is to tout the glories of Gershwin, slip the boys money in their teens and remind them that foreplay is dinner and a movie. But for parents, who pull a 24/7 shift, it helps to have backup.

 

Nick Jr. Family Magazine's August issue is a first. Twelve parents--10 moms and two dads--produced the guest editors' issue. In the "Parents Sound Off" section, the editors address everything from overbooked kids to obese ones. On the fat score, some parents blame the schools--no recess. Others slam parents' poor food choices. But hats off to the woman who pointed the figure closer to home--at her husband. He wolfs down chips, she pushes fruits and vegetables. Guess who wins? Health is good, but it doesn't taste like Ben & Jerry's Chunky Monkey.

 

Of the 10 women, only four are currently pursuing careers outside the home. Given the cost of living, that's an interesting stat. Every mother is a working woman, but isn't a 50-50 balance between at-home moms and those juggling home and work more realistic? There is also a stay-at-home dad, an important reminder that men are often primary caregivers. And one Florida mom, born with spina bifida, has an upbeat attitude that is inspirational. Disability doesn't stop her parenting: She bathed her baby son in the sink and used suspenders so she could lift him.

 

The parents' ages range from 24-40, but the real surprise is family size. One 36-year-old has four kids; a 32-year-old has five. If you lived in Manhattan, you'd understand my shock. Unless you're Jerry Seinfeld or a cast member on Grey's Anatomy, you can't afford an apartment large enough to house your brood. Which is why we don't hear from the Big Apple. Wayzata, Minn. is represented; so is Gresgam, Oregon.

 

We do, however, hear about "genius parenting," which sounds a lot like common sense: Buy birthday gifts in bulk. Fold laundry into outfits for the week. I liked the travel tip: The Astronomer's Inn in Benson, Arizona, an hour from Tucson, has "Star Wars/Star Trek" décor and an on-site observatory, so pack your telescopes. Everyone isn't going to Disneyland.

 

The dicey bit: Dr. Harold Koplewicz, who runs the NYU Child Study Center, says you should listen to kids and let them make mistakes. All true, but you need an M.D. to tell you this? Maybe that's why Dr. K's "Talk the Talk" entry stunned me. He says parents should tell kids their values. Here's his: "I've told my sons that I don't lie because I have a bad memory and couldn't remember my lies." That's a great big oy vey, Doc. Is it OK to lie if you have a good memory? Remember, the usual answer on the witness stand, and I'm thinking Ken Lay here, is, "I do not recall." Here's my two cents, and I only have an M.A.: Don't lie, because it destroys trust. Because kids, your word is your bond. It's important to be a trustworthy, caring, ethical person. And if you should happen to win a Nobel Prize along the way, your mother won't mind.

 

Fern Siegel is Deputy Editor of MediaPost.

 

Magazine Rack for Wednesday, August 16, 2006: http://publications.mediapost.com/
 
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What's Wrong With Enjoying A Little Hot Dog...?

Dog Meat Remains Popular In Korea

SEOUL, Aug. 10 (UPI) -- Dog meat lovers in South Korea Thursday marked the end of their hot season to enjoy their Poshintang dog meat soup.

The day is also set aside for those opposed to the practice to bark their protest at the connoisseurs, reports the Korea Times.

"Eating dog is one thing that was never accepted in many parts of the world," said a member of the Korea Association for Animal Protection.

The report said people in many parts of the world do not feel good about Koreans' dog eating culture. At the 2002 World Cup, soccer authorities unofficially urged the Korean government not to sell dog meat but the request was turned down, says the report.

Movie director Lim Sun-rye, who has appealed to people to stop eating dog meat, is quoted as saying: "Eating dog meat is such an extravaganza. We are over-nourished and yet are trying to supply unnecessary things into our bodies by taking other lives."

One dog meat eater said she takes it when she feels burned out. "I am not proud of it, but I am not ashamed either," she said.

A traditional Korean medical book says dog meat comforts human bodies and strengthens stomachs and intestines, the report said.

This News Item Sponsored By Restaurant-Equipment-Classifieds.com -  Free restaurant equipement classified ads for home and business

Bible Book Says No Beatings Or Beratings

Outskirts Press Releases New Book, "A Walk Through The Pauline Epistles: Christianity 101 For The 21st Century Believer," by Wesley Clark

 

Orlando, FL, August 05, 2006 --(PR.COM)-- Christians and non-Christians alike often quote Biblical Scripture to suit a particular agenda, but very few are actually familiar with the contents of the Bible. A Walk Through the Pauline Epistles provides a key to understanding the most foundational knowledge revealed in Scripture so that the reader can come away with the same understanding known to early believers — without all the trappings of organized religion.

 

Give me understanding to learn Your commands.
Psalm 119:73

 

Everyone talks about the Bible, but very few people — including a good number of Christians — are familiar with its contents. Many use it as a means to carry out a particular agenda, or to beat people over the head and grind their own political or religious axe, without ever having a clear understanding of what is actually in the Bible. Now the reader can relax. There will be no beatings, no humiliation, and no self-righteous judgment inflicted between these covers. This book examines the most fundamental knowledge revealed by God in Scripture, a “Christianity 101” course, without bogging down the reader with the dogmas of organized religion.

 

Author Wesley Clark takes a serious, straightforward approach to the Bible and defines the basic doctrines of Christianity in an accessible and easy-to-understand format geared toward Christians and non-Christians alike. In so doing, Clark hopes the reader will come away empowered by the same knowledge known to the believers of the first century.

 

A Walk Through the Pauline Epistles is a down-to-earth survey of Christianity that takes us back to its early roots so we can understand and appreciate the Bible’s relevance today — this is the knowledge that has always been available to you, but you probably did not hear in Sunday School!

 

Wesley Clark is the author of Through the Valley of Deception, a groundbreaking work that looks at the UFO and alien abduction phenomena through a uniquely Biblical perspective.

 

Book Statistics:
ISBN 1598003739
Pages: 292
Format: 5.5 x 8.5 paperback
Price: $19.95 (US); $24.95 (Canada)

 

Publisher Contact:
Jeanine Sampson
Outskirts Press, Inc.
10940 S. Parker Rd – 515
Parker, CO 80134
jeanine@outskirtspress.com
(888) 672.6657 ext. 704

 

Author Contact:
Wesley M. Clark
3725 W. Powder Horn Rd.
Titusville, FL 32796
(321) 268-4949
wes@wes-clark.com
www.outskirtspress.com/awalkthroughthepaulineepistles

 

Contact Information

 

Outskirts Press, Inc.
Jeanine Sampson
888.672.6657 ext. 704
jeanine@outskirtspress.com
www.outskirtspress.com

Criminal Secrets Revealed In New Book

Outskirts Press Releaes New Book, "Stay Alert, Stay Alive: Criminals Reveal Their Secrets," by Michael P.S. Williams

Duluth, GA, August 04, 2006 --(PR.COM)-- Stay Alert, Stay Alive begins with a quick Street Smarts IQ Test, and then focuses on how we can train ourselves to be both street and driving smart. It shows how we can protect ourselves at the ATM machine, what to do if someone tries to rob us, how to protect ourselves when waiting for or riding on buses and subways, how to survive if we are carjacked, and how to avoid the "bump and rob."

Williams then takes us into the home arena, and explains how best to create a safe environment, no matter if we live in the city or have convinced ourselves that country living poses no risks. He looks at the responses people have to burglars, and shows how we can better safeguard our homes, and even our livestock, through simple, inexpensive measures. He also talks about the pros and cons of alarm systems, chemical deterrents, and guns.

For eighteen years Mike Williams served in the U.S. military and received two Bronze Stars for heroism. In 1990, he was the recipient of the General Douglas McArthur Leadership Award. For more than twenty years he has worked in the field of law enforcement in the United States and in fourteen foreign countries. He has been responsible for security operations and training for major corporations and government agencies, including the Transportation Security Administration and the Federal Aviation Administration Inspectors. He directed the loss prevention and physical security programs during the Gulf War. He was the director of security for the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games. He was a Probation Officer in Hall and Clayton Counties, Georgia, and the lead investigator for PC Investigations, Inc. He has conducted more than one-hundred Drug and Alcohol Awareness Education (D.A.R.E) seminars for youths, ages 15 to 19, and Crime Prevention and Anti-Terrorism Seminars for Home Depot, BellSouth, GMAC, First Union National Bank, the IRS, State Farm Insurance, Sprint, Rockwell International and Smith-Barney.

Book Statistics:
ISBN: 1598001868
Retail Price: $16.95
Size and Format: 5.5 x 8.5 Paperback
Page count: 156
Publication Date: December 2005
Availability: Ingram, Baker & Taylor, Amazon.com, barnesandnoble.com,
www.outskirtspress.com/stayalertstayalive

Author Contact:
Mike Williams
Address: 2603 Bronco Trail
Duluth, GA 30096
Phone: 404 786-4286
Email: willgp2@yahoo.com
Websiteshttp://www.stayalertstayaliveseminars.com

Contact Information

Outskirts Press, Inc.
Jeanine Sampson
888.672.6657 ext. 704
jeanine@outskirtspress.com
www.outskirtspress.com
 

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Teen People Magazine

Teen People

by Dorothy Parker

SPEAKING OF THE DIMINISHING teen magazine market (and who isn't?) it came as
a shock last week when Time Inc. announced the abrupt shuttering of the
print version of Teen People. (The dear departed will continue to live a
half life, digitally, on the Web.)

Attention must be paid! (''Do I have to?'' Sound of slamming door, and, '' I
hate you! You're ruining my life!'')

Anyway, making a big deal over whether kids read print or on the Internet is
so, like, eight years ago. To paraphrase the Randy Newman song, does Teen
People (in print) have reason to live?

When it was launched in 1998, it was groundbreaking. Who else was going to
cover all those boy bands? Justin Timberlake was such a hearthrob! And
Britney was just starting to tart up her schoolgirl outfits.

The need for such an outlet has changed with teens' growing sophistication
in music and all the customization they seek on the Web (My Space, Face
Book, are factors, but even 10-year-olds are downloading songs to their
iPods and their phones) Plus, Teen People generally appeals to Girl People,
who, while forced to turn their phones off while getting manicures and
pedicures, would rather move up to Us Weekly or InStyle or Glamour (Or even
pick up regular People People, for those touching humanitarian stories.)
They're so inundated with up-to-the-microsecond celebrity news on sites like
TMZ or Pink is the New Blog that a monthly becomes hopelessly dated.

But let us examine the August issue. (September will be the last.)

OK, here's the problem with monthly print deadlines:

The cover girl is "American Idol" loser Katharine McPhee ("Her secret weight
struggle.") The story says she will begin working on a CD while on the
"American Idol" tour, which kicks off July 5--though she famously delayed
her start due to a ''sore throat'' or some such. Still, we do get to see
that she says ''I love being a role model! It's great.''

There's lots more of "Idol." "Taylor Talks!" is an exclusive interview with
"Teen People's special celebrity correspondent, Paula Abdul." The newest
"Idol" winner admits that the he took his moves from "Soul Train" and he
practiced in his room, alone, in front of the mirror (paging Napolean
Dynamite!). An item easily moveable to the Web.

Indeed, a feature like ''What's your ringtone?'' which provides answers from
three celebs, is wasting trees. ''10 ways to make the month of August
rock!''do not require the printed page. Ditto with ''Would you take back a
cheater?'' or ''Embarrassing Moments'' (If a maxi pad falls out of a pocket,
but nobody's around to hear it...) All those, plus horoscopes, would
probably be better suited to the Internet.

"My Super Sweet Bat Mitzvah" chronicles, with no editorial comment and a
straight face, the $500,000 Bat Mitzvah of Amber Ridinger, daughter of
dot-com millionaires James and Loren Ridinger. (The "Sunday Styles" section
of The New York Times covered the blow-out about six months ago.) Musical
guests included Ashanti and Ja Rule, and, as a caption tells us, ''We had a
candy room with chocolate fountains, says Amber (here with Mike Piazza and
his wife.) And we hired little people to pass out the candy!'' I guess they
figured it would be politically incorrect to mention the word ''dwarf.''
Better suited nowhere. There's a photo special on Orlando! (the cute Brit
Bloom, not the Disney outlet) that's easily transferable to the Web, as
well.

Obviously, the Interact works best for simple interactive stuff, and I found
the quizzes on teenpeople.com quite satisfying. The voting majority agrees
with me that watching Nick Lachey kissing his new girlfriend on MTV's "TRL"
was ''awkward'' and that Christina Aguilera's outfit was way too skanky. I
also took a quiz on whether I'm meant to be famous, and I was told I like to
hide from the spotlight and ought to come out of my shell more.

And, despite the fact that the editorial didn't especially deserve to live,
to put it in context, this is a shut-down case only for a company as large
as Time Inc. At closing, the magazine still had a circulation of more than
one million, even if ad revenue was diminishing.

But someone should alert the Webmaster about the news. On the site, there's
a box offering ''2 Free Preview Issues of Teen People.''

Magazine Rack for Thursday, August 3, 2006:
http://publications.mediapost.com

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Back-to-School Shopping for Elementary Schook Kids, High Schoolers, and College Students

 

Shopping.com Closes the Book on Back-to-School Shopping for Elementary Schook Kids, High Schoolers, and College Students

Leading online comparison Web site eliminates shopping headaches by helping parents and students find exactly what they need, in less time.

Brisbane, CA (PRWEB) August 2, 2006 -- Say goodbye to flip-flops and sunscreen -- say hello to backpacks, SAT study guides and dorm-room decor. Back-to-school season is around the corner, and Shopping.com, the leading online comparison shopping site, helps equip kids and college students with all the gear they need for the first day on campus. For busy parents (and stressed-out college kids), Shopping.com provides a quick and easy one-stop shop for all back-to-school goods, at the best prices available.

“Anyone who’s experienced the mad rush to gather school supplies knows how difficult it is to find, compare and buy everything from clothes to computer equipment,” said Shannon Clouston, Chief Shopper at Shopping.com. “With everything else parents and students have on their minds as they get ready for the new semester, it’s important to know they can dramatically reduce their shopping time by visiting Shopping.com for all their back-to-school needs.”

Starting a new school year requires a bewildering amount of supplies (no matter how old or young you are). Shopping.com offers 40 million products across more than 280 categories, as well as comparison-shopping tools that make it easy to cut through the online clutter. Shopping.com’s Chief Shopper offers ideas for useful, educational, and just plain fun items for students at every stage:

Elementary school

Arthur’s Back to School Day book: Are your kids afraid of that first day at school? Get them excited about their new adventure with this children’s classic, highlighting Arthur the chimp’s mix-up with his school lunchbox. Shopping.com merchants offer more than 26,000 books for kids of all ages.

Franklin Homework Wiz: This electronic speller and dictionary, designed for kids ages 6 and up, is much more fun than a printed dictionary – which means they’ll use it more often. It also includes a math tutor and a calculator. Consumers can find and compare more than 800 different types of electronic dictionaries at Shopping.com.

Embroidered jeans for girls: Embellished jeans are a hot trend for women and girls alike – and they’re also a practical purchase, since jeans are a tough year-round wear. Shopping.com merchants offer nearly two dozen embroidered styles at all price points.

MLB Youth Team t-shirt: Let your little slugger show off his or her favorite baseball team with these logo T-shirts for various teams. Shopping.com merchants offer more than 1,200 baseball-themed shirts for kids.

Firefly Cellular Phone: Designed for kids ages 8 to 12, the Firefly is made for children’s smaller hands, and has just five buttons instead of a regular phone keypad (parents can program frequently called numbers into the phone, and can set up speed-dial keys so that kids can call them easily). More than 240 cell phones of all types and for all ages are available at Shopping.com.

Middle school/high school

NFL backpack: Just in time for football season -- stow all of your child’s gear in this large backpack, while showing classmates who the top team is. More than 1,700 backpacks, in all sizes and shapes, are available from Shopping.com merchants.

SAT 1 for Dummies: Get a leg up on crucial tests with the Dummies guides. This latest edition covers the new writing section of the SAT, as well as the new advanced-level math questions. Buyers can choose from almost 200 study guides at Shopping.com.

Panasonic CQ-C3333U CD Player: For the budding audiophile, this car CD player is iPod ready, letting the high-school driver listen to tunes on his or her way to school. Shopping.com offers more than 2,600 in-dash car stereos to suit every music aficionado’s needs.

Olympus VN-1000 Handheld Digital Voice Recorder: Capture all of those study sessions and lectures with this pocket-sized recorder, offering up to 16 hours of recording time. More than 200 digital voice recorders are available at Shopping.com.

Crocs Cayman Shoes: These so-ugly-they’re-cool shoes are made of indestructible plastic and come in fashion colors, making them appropriate for everything from a rainy-day hike to a weekend football game. More than 250 Crocs-brand shoe products can be found on Shopping.com.

College

Palm Treo 650 Smartphone: Students who want to cut down on the gadgets they’re lugging around campus would love this combo phone, MP3 player, digital camera and Web browser -- what more do you need? Over 700 PDAs are featured on Shopping.com.

NCAA Sweatshirt Blankets: Show that school spirit in a sweatshirt-fleece blanket emblazoned with your school’s logo -- and don’t forget to bring it with you for keeping warm at homecoming bonfires. Nearly 120 NCAA blankets are available from Shopping.com merchants.

Crock Pot and Slow Cookers: There’s no reason to turn into a junk-food junkie just because you don’t have a full kitchen at your command. Slow cookers make it easy to create a healthy meal, without having to keep a constant eye on your food. Buyers can choose from and compare over 200 crock pots and slow cookers at Shopping.com.

La Crosse WT-5431 Projection Alarm Clock: Never miss that morning class again. This alarm clock projects the time onto a wall or a ceiling, and gets its time signal from the atomic clock in Fort Collins, Colorado, so it will always be accurate. More than 1,000 alarm clocks are available from various Shopping.com merchants.

Captio CollegeCase Organizer: Keep track of class notes, bills, job and spring break travel info with the Captio system for managing every aspect of university life.

About Shopping.com
Shopping.com, an eBay company (Nasdaq: EBAY), pioneered online comparison shopping and today is one of the fastest growing shopping destinations on the Internet. With millions of products, thousands of merchants and millions of reviews from the Epinions community, Shopping.com empowers consumers to make informed choices and, as a result, drives much higher conversion to sale and value for merchants.

Press Contacts
Jennifer Campbell
Access Communications for Shopping.com
(415) 844-6255

Dariana Lau
Shopping.com
(650) 616-6637

###

Press Contact: Jennifer Campbell
Company Name: Access Communications for Shopping.com
Email: email protected from spam bots
Phone: 415-844-6255
Website:

Women's Health Foundation To Give Away Money

Speaking of Women’s Health Seeks Community Investment Award Recipients and Honoree Nominations

 

National Conference Accepting Applications.

 

Raleigh, NC, August 01, 2006 --(PR.COM)-- Speaking of Women’s Health, a daylong event focusing on women’s health, well-being and personal safety, has announced that they are now accepting applications for the 2006 Speaking of Women’s Health community investment grants and honoree nominations. The investment grant award winners and honorees will be announced at the Speaking of Women’s Health conference on December 9 at the North Raleigh Hilton. Nominations for both grants and honorees are due by September 1.

 

Non-profit organizations that educate women or enhance the quality of women’s health, well-being and personal safety are encouraged to apply for the investment grants. Funds for start-up organizations will not be awarded. To apply, visit the Speaking of Women’s Health web site at www.swhRaleigh.com.

 

Honoree nominations should reflect someone who has enhanced the quality of life in the community through efforts in women’s health, well-being and personal safety. Nominations, including the nominee’s name, address, occupation, professional affiliations and a description of why she should be honored by Speaking of Women’s Health, must be sent to: Tobi Bowen, Resources for Seniors, Inc., 1110 Navaho Drive, Suite 400, Raleigh, NC 27609.

 

“The Community Investment Grant program enables us to further the Speaking of Women’s Health mission by awarding funds to worthwhile organizations,” said Erika Mangrum, co-chair of the event’s executive committee. “It is also an honor to recognize the accomplishments of special women as honorees. We are pleased to be able to support those who provide exceptional services to the women of the Triangle.”

 

About Speaking of Women’s Health:
The National Speaking of Women’s Health Foundation is a 501 (c) (3), non-profit organization headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, whose mission is “to educate women to make informed decisions about their health, well-being and personal safety.” Founded in 1996, Speaking of Women’s Health ® (SWH) hosts more than 40 conferences and events across the country, educating and empowering women in a pampering environment. The national foundation works with community hospitals and organizations at a grassroots level, and reinvests into local women’s health through Community Investment Grants. SWH includes two Minority Health Programs – Universal Sisters and Hablando de la Salud de la Mujer; community events and education centers with free health brochures in Wal-Mart stores nationwide; and a weekly television show, Lifetime’s Speaking of Women’s Health. Please visit http://www.speakingofwomenshealth.com or call 1-866-SWH-INFO for more information.

 

Patty Briguglio
MMI Associates, Inc.
7406-H Chapel Hill Road
Raleigh, NC 27607
(919) 233-6600 • (919) 233-0300 (fax)
patty@mmimarketing.com

 

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Contact Information

 

Speaking of Women's Health
Patty Briguglio
9192336600
patty@mmimarketing.com

Martha Stewart Weddings Magazine

Martha Stewart Weddings

 

by Larry Dobrow, Thursday, July 20, 2006

 

WITH A MERE THREE weeks to go until my darling little sister's wedding, it's looking increasingly certain that I'll go down as its MVP. Granted, I'm not planning on picking up the tab, nor did I scout out locations or taste-test the mushroom-patootie appetizers. But I've suggested a few songs to the band (no "Safety Dance" = no Larry) and have pledged to both show up on time and monitor Uncle Mal's martini consumption. That alone makes my presence as pivotal as that of the officiant and the caterer combined.

 

To prep myself for the mirth-fueled tumult that lies ahead, I did what I always do in times of profound personal need: dip my pinky toe into the wading pool of magazines. Confronted by a stack of 400-page behemoths--the covers of which depicted near-identical beaming brides--I went with the brand I knew.

 

Martha Stewart Weddings, much to its credit, goes out of its way to differentiate itself from the competition. Whereas a majority of the bride books do little beyond flog the same tired products, MSW emphasizes do-it-yourself creativity. Granted, you've gotta have a ton of time and cash to avail yourself of the solutions it presents, but heaven knows there are plenty of delusional brides-to-be with the will to try.

 

The Summer 2006 issue's creativity is best showcased in "Good Things" (rejected alternate titles: "Neat Stuff," "Cool Objects"), which throws a gaggle of clever ideas out there for consideration--everything from cork card holders to an "instant album" of wedding-day Polaroids. "Perfect Palettes," on the other hand, looses the mag's creative minions to devise all sorts of goodies (program pockets, jellybean-laden party favors) in the hues of aqua and red. And while "Fresh Ideas for Eyelet" may prompt a question or two from the ignorant among us--namely, what the f&$#% is "eyelet"?--it invests a simple concept with considerable flair.

 

MSW doesn't entirely dispense with the wedding-day nitty-gritty. How-to pieces on charitable gifts and destination weddings list a range of options without opining which may be best. Slightly less useful is the feature on parental roles in the wedding ceremony. If there's anything here that hasn't already dawned on you, your maternal/paternal relationships could likely benefit from a few getting-to-know-you sessions.

 

Still, MSW ain't exactly the magazine equivalent of those delightful Duff sisters in the charisma department. The dull-as-a-debutante primer on eye makeup and "month-by-month beauty countdown" barely squeak by on actionable info alone (though the latter reminded me that I should be shaping my brows this weekend--thanks, M-Stew!). And though the mag presents them quite elegantly, the featured weddings could also use a personality injection, not to mention a splash of diversity. A Berkshires wedding with lots of white people and vegetable gardens prominently involved... what are the odds?

 

Too, much of the issue's advice borders on duh-really? territory. An item on registering for bath linens instructs couples to "choose towels that feel heavy and thick," while a super-straight-faced piece on wedding vows tells them to "begin thinking about what you'd like to say at least a month before the wedding." Similarly, the "Ask Martha" column suggests--nay, demands!--that wedding-makers should "decorate the younger kids' table to appeal to their sense of fun." Gosh, maybe my sister should rethink that "Death and Taxes" centerpiece for the nieces and nephews.

 

Should I have the good fortune to locate a gal with the vast wellspring of patience required to spend more than 45 minutes in my presence, I want my wedding to be exactly like the one depicted in Guns N' Roses' "November Rain" video, minus the unfortunate fatalities. Martha Stewart Weddings won't offer me or my heavy-metal honey a lot of help in that regard, but the mag's creative pulse elevates it above a sizable percentage of the competition. And goldarnit, that's a good thing.

 

Larry Dobrow is a Contributing Writer.

 

See what others are saying on the Magazine Rack BLOG.

 

Magazine Rack for Thursday, July 20, 2006: http://publications.mediapost.com/

 

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Replacement Values for Trees and Shrubs

Horticultural Assessments Provide Replacement Values for Trees and Shrubs

 

Horticultural Asset Management develops new product to help property owners protect their investments.

 

Raleigh, NC, July 18, 2006 --(PR.COM)-- Doug Cowles, executive vice president and COO of Horticultural Asset Management, Inc. (HMI), has announced that the firm has developed a revolutionary system and process for property owners that accurately determines replacement values for their trees and shrubs. Previously these valuable assets were not accurately accounted for as part of a property’s value and subsequently have not been fully protected through homeowner insurance policies.

 

HMI has created a scientific assessment process, the Horticultural Scientific Standard (HS²™), which provides property owners with a detailed breakdown of the replacement valuations for each tree or shrub on a property. The replacement values are included in HMI’s Horticultural Assessment. The assessment also includes full color photographs and detailed care instructions and plant descriptions authored by renowned horticulturist Dr. Michael Dirr. As part of the assessment process, information is gathered by trained assessors who determine the types, sizes and general health of trees and shrubs on a property and then provide this information to HMI to be used in the generation of the comprehensive assessment.

 

“Many property owners may not know the value of their trees and shrubs. It is common for a single tree to cost $25,000, $50,000 or more to replace. That is a substantial amount of assets to have unprotected,” said Cowles. “It is our goal that through the use of our assessments, property owners can fully understand the total value of their property and have the ability to protect against or recover from a loss of any of these valuable assets.”

 

About Horticultural Asset Management, Inc. (HMI):
Horticultural Asset Management, Inc. provides revolutionary products and services that are utilized by green industry professionals as well as experts in the tax, insurance and real estate industries. HMI’s Horticultural Scientific Standard (HS²™) enables HMI Horticultural Assessments to provide accurate replacement costs for landscape assets. The replacement cost valuations provided in the HMI Horticultural Assessments can help property owners recover from the loss of landscape assets and they also provide valuable information to those purchasing properties. Also included in the HMI Horticultural Assessments is the Michael Dirr Plant Guide, written by renowned professor and author Dr. Michael Dirr. For more information or to view a sample HMI Horticultural Assessment please visit the Web site http://www.moneygrowsontrees.com or call 866-937-6468.

 

MMI Associates, Inc.
7406-H Chapel Hill Road
Raleigh, NC 27607
(919) 233-6600 • (919) 233-0300 (fax)
patty@mmimarketing.com

 

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Contact Information

 

Horticultural Asset Management
Patty Briguglio
9192336600
patty@mmimarketing.com