Problem Solved for Dog and Garden Lovers; a new British Innovation!

LEDBURY, England, August 20, 2013 - Gadget hungry consumers have embraced new technologies for just about every aspect of daily life and yet the most primitive of tools and methods are commonly used for clearing dog and stray animal waste from the garden. This is a place to lounge, dine, grow food, and a place where children play! This next generation pooper scooper, with 'Scoop-Flush' technology makes a nasty job easier and keeps the garden clean too.

The dooup Complete Pet Waste Clearer features 5 in 1 functionality that covers, clears, sprays, stores and seals the waste away. Dog owners across the globe can now benefit from contactless and hygienic clearance for the garden, encouraging them to train their dogs to 'go' in their own home environments where clearance can be managed more efficiently.

The dooup CPWC can be left outside, in all types of weather, and used daily to clear, clean and store, thus saving bags and time. Simply leave in, or behind the shed (away from children) and use to clear in seconds.

The usual pooper scoopers comprise of a grab or scoop device, and though some can be loaded with a bag first, none can claim to store around a weeks' worth of waste and none can offer an 'in-built' sanitising feature. Brand dooup represents 'a paw forward in pet hygiene.'

The dooup's patented 'Scoop-Flush' technology works to prevent the spread of some of the 23 million bacteria that is contained in dog waste. Helping to prevent Canine Parvo Virus between dogs, reducing the chances of passing toxicara from dog and cat waste to humans, and overall, reducing the spread of residue waste into storm drains and the surrounding environment, The dooup is a much awaited tool for the garden. http://www.thedooup.com

Fashion fund bonaza for young Indian designers

New Delhi, May 10 - There is encouraging news for the next generation of designers with the Fashion Design Council of India (FDCI), the country's apex body of designers, partnering with Vogue India for a fashion fund.

The fund, similar to the ones existing in the US, UK, Italy and China among others aims to give the younger crop of fashion designers the much needed additional push in terms of cash, mentorship and opportunities, including retail options at major stores, to promote their fledgling business.

ÒThe fashion industry in India has grown over the years.

Over three to four thousand graduates come out every year from fashion institutes. While some branch out into merchandising, export industry and other allied fields, some enter the league of designers who have to struggle to find their place in the fashion world which already has veterans with over 25 years of experience,Ó says Sunil Sethi, President, FDCI.

A recent industry report by Assocham projects that the designer wear industry in India which is growing at a compounded annual growth rate of about 40 per cent is likely to cross the Rs 11,000 crore mark by 2020.

A jury featuring renowned fashion designers Manish Arora Sabyasachi Mukherjee and Suneet Varma as well as retail experts like Alka Nishar and Tina Tahiliani will shortlist 5 finalists from 20 chosen designers.

The winner will win a grand cash prize, which is being finalised, as well as a one year business or marketing or PR mentorship with an industry professional. In addition, the winner will get the opportunity to partner with a leading retailer that will help commercialize the winner's collection, get access to Wills 

Lifestyle India Fashion Week and feature in Vogue India.

Past winners of the Vogue Fashion Fund from other countries include Joseph Altuzarra, Alexander Wang and Proenza Schouler in America, as well as Christopher Kane and Erdem Moralioglu in the UK.

Sunil Sethi says that while FDCI-owned Wills Lifestyle Fashion Week provides a platform for designers to do business at the various fashion and couture weeks sometimes even at subsidised rates, there is no funding or Òhandholding processÓ existing for the new designers.

ÒMany years ago when Manish Arora, Anamika Khanna and Rajesh Pratap Singh showcased at the Paris Fashion Week it was the only time when there was some sort of grant from the Government, otherwise we do not have a fashion fund,Ó says Sethi.

The jury for the Fashion Fund would not be looking for raw talent but for designers possessing a couple of years of experience and a solid business plan.

 ÒWhether it is with publicity, managing his business or getting attached to a retail sector, the fund will cater to specific requirement of the designer so he or she should have a business module in place and we will provide him a suitable platform,Ó says Sethi.

Veteran designers are upbeat about the idea.

ÒThe challenge for any new talent today is to find a strong foothold that provides stability for the brand and yet let it remain creative. The Fund understands the need of the hour and is looking to empower that hidden talent which has the future potential to be a successful brand in cutting edge design that celebrates Indian aesthetics,Ó says Suneet Varma.

The Fund is poised to be an annual event.

My Way Tool Helps Americans Eat Their Way to Health

CENTENNIAL, Colo., April 30, 2012 - Are you a "Cost Slicer," "Time Tackler" or "Family Chef?" These are just three of the eight "eating personalities" being introduced to help Americans learn more about how they can eat healthier. Following the release of the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans and the MyPlate icon, comes the introduction of the My Plate, My Way interactive eating personality assessment tool developed by the beef checkoff. This tool will help Americans—many of whom strive to eat healthier, but struggle to make it work for their needs and circumstances—better understand their eating "personalities." Living healthier starts by making small steps toward an active lifestyle with a diet filled with nutrient-rich foods, including lean beef.

Research shows that people who follow a personalized eating plan have greater success at meeting dietary goals than those following a standard diet. (1) Therefore, the information and resource personalization further aids in success for Americans to adopt healthy eating habits. (1)

To determine the user's eating personality, a short quiz asks a series of simple questions. Once completed, users receive information and resources—including tips and recipes—tailored to the personality assessment, thereby guiding healthier individual eating choices. The profiles include:

• Lean Lover - "I'm always looking for foods and recipes to help me lose or maintain weight."
• Buff and Cut - "Food is a means of building muscle."
• Cost Slicer - "I have to stick to my budget."
• Health Seeker - "Food does more than fill me up—it has many health benefits!"
• Family Chef - "Family time is precious to me, so my meals have to please the whole gang."
• Time Tackler - "Just because I'm short on time, doesn't mean I want to compromise taste and health."
• Flavor Saveur - "It's all about the taste!"
• Two-Stepper - "I'm no top chef, but I'm willing to try to make a recipe if I think I can do it."

"We developed this tool because we know Americans are trying to eat healthier, but find it difficult to fit healthy choices into their lives," says Shelley Johnson, RD, Associate Director, Food and Nutrition Communications for the National Cattlemen's Beef Association, which contracts to manage programs for the beef checkoff. "The My Plate, My Way tool helps Americans identify simple ways to find success in healthy eating and choose nutrient-rich foods they love like lean beef."

"As a registered dietitian, I know first-hand that there are many ways to build a healthy diet," said Kerry Neville, MS, RD, a registered dietitian specializing in nutrition and culinary communications. "The My Plate, My Way tool is not only fun to use, but provides valuable, usable information Americans can take with them in making better eating choices based on the latest science and research."

The 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans are a set of recommendations set forth by the federal government to promote health, reduce the risk of chronic diseases and reduce the prevalence of overweight and obesity through improved nutrition and physical activity. The visual component of the guidelines, called MyPlate, depicts how a healthful plate of food should look, is a great starting point for nutrition success, and is perfectly complemented by the My Plate, My Way tool.

About The Beef Checkoff Program
The Beef Checkoff Program ( www.MyBeefCheckoff.com ) was established as part of the 1985 Farm Bill. The checkoff assesses $1 per head on the sale of live domestic and imported cattle, in addition to a comparable assessment on imported beef and beef products. States retain up to 50 cents on the dollar and forward the other 50 cents per head to the Cattlemen's Beef Promotion and Research Board, which administers the national checkoff program, subject to USDA approval. 
 
About the National Cattlemen's Beef Association
The National Cattlemen's Beef Association is a contractor to the national Beef Checkoff Program, which is administered by the Cattlemen's Beef Board. Consumer-focused and producer-directed, NCBA and its state beef council partners work together as a marketing organization on behalf of the largest segment of the food and fiber industry.

Get into Summer-Ready Shape

With the heat and summer sun comes the time that most men look forward to and most women dread – bathing suit season.  There is no need to fret! Lady Foot Locker joins forces with Harley Pasternak, New Balance brand ambassador and co-host of ABC’s The Revolution, as he shares an exclusive (and accessible) workout session, just in time for summer.
The formula for his “Kick Butt” Express workout is:

1. Cardio Warm-Up (do each for approximately 1 minute)
1. Jog in place
2. Jog forward and backwards
3. Side Shuffle
4. Grape Vine
5. Mountain Climbers
2. Resistance Circuit (15-20 repetitions/set)
1. Bicep Curl
2. Bicep Curl + Shoulder Press
3. Dead Lift + Bicep Curl + Shoulder Press
4. Dead Lift + Row + Bicep Curl + Shoulder Press
3. Cardio Cool Down (repeat all in step 1)

Pasternak believes in working out smart and leaves no room for excuses, emphasizing that access to a gym is not necessary to stay in shape. With the proper workout apparel and footwear as your foundation, you may find everything else you need for an effective workout in the comfort of your own home. Household items such as cans of soup or water bottles can easily replace dumbbells for weight training. If space is a limitation, a hallway is a sufficient area for cardio warm-ups. His methodology works, as Pasternak admits that he is in the best physical shape of his life, though most of his time is spent on set as opposed to the gym.
So leave the excuses behind and move towards your beach body with Lady Foot Locker. Put Harley’s exercises and tips to the test with his exclusive fitness video, available on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ladyfootlocker.

Top 50 Destinations in US

PHOENIX, March 24, 2012 - U-Haul International, Inc., today released the results of the annual 2011 U-Haul National Migration Trend Report, titled "The 2011 Top 50 U.S. Destination Cities." According to moving data reflective of nationwide statistics for calendar year 2011, Houston took the No. 1 spot again, for the third year in a row.   For the second year in a row, Orlando, Fla., Las Vegas and Chicago all ranked No. 2 - 4 respectively, while San Antonio came in at No. 5, up from No. 6 in 2010.   Austin, Texas; Atlanta; Sacramento, Calif.; Kansas City, Mo. and Denver rounded out the top 10.

U-Haul Top 50 U.S. Destination Cities
January - December 2011
1.	HOUSTON	26.	CHARLOTTE , N.C.
2.	ORLANDO , Fla.	27.	OKLAHOMA CITY
3.	LAS VEGAS	28.	MINNEAPOLIS
4.	CHICAGO	29.	BRONX , N.Y.
5.	SAN ANTONIO	30.	PORTLAND , Ore.
6.	AUSTIN , Texas	31.	TUCSON , Ariz.
7.	ATLANTA	32.	QUEENS , N.Y.
8.	SACRAMENTO , Calif.	33.	BALTIMORE
9.	KANSAS CITY , Mo.	34.	LONG BEACH , Calif.
10.	DENVER	35.	PLANO , Texas
11.	PHILADELPHIA	36.	BIRMINGHAM , Ala.
12.	SAN DIEGO	37.	FULLERTON , Calif.
13.	BROOKLYN , N.Y.	38.	TULSA , Okla.
14.	PHOENIX	39.	MILWAUKEE
15.	DALLAS	40.	SEATTLE
16.	COLUMBUS , Ohio	41.	ALBUQUERQUE , N.M.
17.	TAMPA , Fla.	42.	COLUMBIA , S.C.
18.	LOS ANGELES	43.	SAN JOSE , Calif.
19.	VAN NUYS, Calif.	44.	FORT WORTH , Texas
20.	COSTA MESA, Calif.	45.	RICHMOND , Va.
21.	NEW YORK CITY	46.	COLORADO SPRINGS , Colo.
22.	JACKSONVILLE , Fla.	47.	RALEIGH , N.C.
23.	INDIANAPOLIS	48.	FRESNO , Calif.
24.	SAN FRANCISCO	49.	EDISON , N.J.
25.	ST. LOUIS	50.	VICTORVILLE, Calif.

"Since 1945, U-Haul has built a long and proud history of relocating Americans," said U-Haul President of Phoenix Operations John "J.T." Taylor. "While recent economic conditions may have played a role as to where people have moved, our customers continue to rely on us to provide affordable services at convenient locations, which makes moving easier and more economical. This has the additional positive effect of reducing the amount of carbon emissions released into the atmosphere and saves our customers money."
The ranking reflects destinations for movers traveling more than 50 miles, and considers every city in the country, regardless of size. However, the data is not stated as a percentage of population and is not reflective of overall growth.
The 2011 Top 50 U.S. Destination Cities Report was compiled from more than 1.6 million U-Haul truck transactions occurring during a recent 12-month period.

US school declares hug-free zone

New York, Mar 23, 2012 - Lesson of the day at one New Jersey school: No hugging. The principal at Matawan Aberdeen Middle School, which teaches more than 900 children of 11 to 14 years old, has caused a ruckus with his announcement that from now on they part of a no hugging school.

The measure aimed to iron out what the regional school district delicately called incidents of unsuitable, physical interactions.

 When the hugging fatwa triggered a wave of media snickering, officials backtracked and said hugging was OK -- sort of.

 ÒThere is no policy specific to hugging and we have not nor will we be suspending students for hugging,Ó David Healy, superintendent of schools in the district, said in a statement yesterday.

 ÒIt is unfortunate that there are those who find purpose and humour in sensationalising such a routine school-related issue.

Audi launches sports car TT in India at Rs 48.36 lakh

New Delhi, (India), Mar 23, 2012 - Expanding its product portfolio, German luxury car maker Audi today launched its sports car TT in India, priced at Rs 48.36 lakh (ex-showroom). 



The company will start selling the car from June this year and it will be sold as a completely built unit (CBU).
 ÒWe are already a major player in the premium sports segment and I am confident that the introduction of the Audi TT will further help us consolidate our leadership position in the sports car segment in the country,Ó Audi India Head Michael Perschke told reporters.

 The company has announced the price taking into consideration of the 15 per cent hike in customs duty in the Budget for 2012-13, he added.

 ÒAs this segment is a very niche one, so we are not expecting a very large volume. The total size of this premium sports car market is 200-250 units per year. As we will start despatching the car in the middle of this year, we are hopeful of selling 25-35 units in 2012,Ó Perschke said.

 The company is expecting to sell over 50 units of the TT Coupe in the next year, he added.
 The company is present in the premium sports car category with models like R8, R8 Spyder and RS5.
 The new TT is powered by a 2.0 TFSI engine that can touch a speed of 100 km per hour in just 5.6 seconds.

 Early this week, Audi India has raised prices of its entire range of products in India by up to 14 per cent due to hike in excise and customs duties in the Budget.
 In February this year, the company's sales in India increased by 33.33 per cent to 600 units from 450 units in the same month last year.

 The company had earlier announced a sales target of 8,000 units for India for 2012 compared to 5,511 units that it had sold in 2011.

 Audi India, a part of the European auto major Volkswagen Group, sells various models in India such as premium sedans A4, A6 and A8, sports utility vehicles Q5 and Q7, and sports cars RS5 Coupe, R8 and R8 Spyder.

Green Tribunal apprehends presence of metal in Coke

 New Delhi, (India), Mar 23, 2012 - After detection of traces of heavy metals like lead and cadmium in discharged effluent samples of Coca-Cola's Jalpaigudi plant, the National Green Tribunal has said the metals Òmay also be presentÓ in the factory's product and has expressed concern over the possibility.

 The tribunal has asked the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) to collect and analyse the samples of discharged effluent from the plant before the renewal of the consent to operate the plant, saying the nod would depend upon the CPCB report.

 The NGT, however, allowed Hindustan Cocacola Beverages Pvt Ltd's plea and quashed West Bengal Pollution Control Board (WBPCB) order dated May 2, 2011, which had directed the soft drink manufacturer to deposit Rs five lakhs towards Òpollution costÓ along with a bank guarantee of a like amount as surety for compliance with environmental standards.

 ÒBefore parting, we feel it proper to express our concern with regard to the presence of heavy metals such as lead and cadmium in discharged effluent. Presence of said substances in the effluent would finally contaminate the environment, and shall cause hazards to human life.

 ÒIt appears, no steps, howsoever has been taken by the WBPCB or by the Appellant to trace out the source of such heavy metals found in the effluent. It is quite possible that
heavy metals/ lead and cadmium etc. may also be present in the products.

 ÒWe, therefore, direct the WBPCB as well as the appellant (Coca-Cola) to conduct analysis of the water and raw materials used for the purpose, and not only detect the source but also take appropriate steps for eradicating the same so as to avoid any adverse health impacts,Ó a bench of NGT headed by Acting Chairperson Justice A S Naidu said.

The bench, however, quashed the May 2011 order of the WBPCB saying the same was ÒsilentÓ about the analysis report of the specimen collected in December 2010, which satisfied the prescribed standards.
 ÒIn view of the discussions made above, we allow the appeal and set aside the direction dated May 2, 2011 of the WBPCB and call upon the respondent to proceed in accordance with the law.

 ÒWe also direct the CPCB, New Delhi and its zonal office at Kolkata, West Bengal to collect the effluent discharged from the appellant's plant as per the paraphernalia laid down under law, analyse the same in all aspects, particularly with regard to the presence of heavy metals (lead and cadmium etc) and prepare a report,Ó the bench said.

 ÒThe renewal of the consent to operate the plant would be dependent on the report of the CPCB,Ó it added.
 The WBPCB had collected samples of discharged effluents from the plant in August and October 2010 and had issued a show cause notice to the company after finding that various pollutants within the samples were not within the prescribed limits.

 The company had filed its response and assured it to comply with the standards fixed by the board.
 Later on December 29, 2010, the WBPCB had again collected the samples of discharged effluents, which Òsatisfied the standard prescribed and there was no violationÓ.

 The state pollution board, however, passed an order on May 2, 2011 directing Coca-Cola to Òensure continuous and smooth functioning of the pollution abatement system in all its unit operations and comply with the environmental standardsÓ.

 It asked Coca-Cola to submit an action plan for compliance of Òthe liquid effluent discharge standardÓ within 15 days and asked it to deposit the pollution cost and bank guarantee of Rs five lakh each.
 The May 2, 2011 order of the WBPCB was challenged by the company before the green tribunal.

New Research Confirms the Importance of Pet Education

LONDON, March 22, 2012 -As the findings are released, the UK's animal welfare charities collaborate

and launch a new website with all their resources in one place


Today, two new surveys conducted by the Pet Food Manufacturers' Association (PFMA) among 2,500 adults and 400 teachers confirm the need to teach about pets in schools. 89% of adults, 78% of primary teachers and 70% of secondary teachers all agree that it is important to teach responsibility through learning how to care for pets. More adults thought it was important to teach younger children how to care for pets than it was to teach them about sex education and money management. Unfortunately the research among teachers revealed that caring for pets is not currently taught at 60% of primary and 85% of secondary schools.


To highlight the importance of pet care education, the PFMA has helped establish the Education Alliance, a collaboration of the UK's key pet welfare charities and organisations including Blue Cross, PDSA and RSPCA. To make teachers' lives a little simpler, this group today launches

http://www.peteducationresources.co.uk. This is a unique and free website giving teachers and anyone with a love of pets, access to all of their educational resources in one place. The Education Alliance is united by a belief that children and young people should be educated both about caring for animals and the importance of providing for an animal's Five Welfare Needs.


Peteducationresources.co.uk  will help those 64% of schools not teaching about pets at all engage with pet welfare education. But the Alliance believes further work must be done. It is concerned that the current Curriculum Review is putting the current opportunities for teaching children about pet care at risk, so members will be lobbying for a 'thread' of pet welfare education throughout the curriculum so children understand how they should care for pets, and why they should do so. Michael Bellingham, Chief Executive of PFMA, states: "We know that education from an early age is key to achieving our objectives of responsible pet ownership, which is why PFMA initiated the Education Alliance to work on collaborative projects, created peteducationresources.co.uk [http://peteducationresources.co.uk ] and why the alliance will continue to work together to improve pet education in the UK."

Hey What's Cooking at Dickey's? Real Meat

World's Largest Barbecue Chain Offers Lip Smackin' Real Meat and not "Pink Slime"

DALLAS, March 22, 2012 - Dickey's Barbecue has always been on the real meat bandwagon. In fact, for the last 70 years the Largest Barbecue Chain has only ever served 100% fresh meats. 

"We track our beef from the field to the table," said Roland Dickey, Jr., president of Dickey's Barbecue Restaurants, Inc.  "We believe our customers deserve only the freshest, healthiest meats for their families – nothing hidden."

Over the last few weeks, there has been controversy in the wake of the revelation that other fast food companies are serving up the ground beef additive known as "pink slime." Pink slime is a cheap meat filler made from scraps and low grade trimmings. This alternative meat product only cuts the price of beef by about three cents a pound.

"We want wants to make sure our customers know that we only serve the real thing" said Jeff Forrester, former executive chef and now Director of Purchasing for Dickey's. "We pride ourselves on being the best and only serving the best."
 
About Dickey's Barbecue Restaurants
Founded in 1941, Dickey's Barbecue Restaurants began in Dallas, Texas. More than 70 years later, Dickey's is now the world's largest barbecue chain. Beginning with an aggressive growth strategy and proven business model, and since implementing its proprietary five revenue streams for business growth, Dickey's is on track to maintain its 61% growth rate in 2012. Currently, Dickey's Barbecue Restaurants can now be found in 36 states and over 200 locations nationwide. For more information on partnering with Dickey's Barbecue Restaurants in any location, call (866) 340-6188 or visit www.dickeys.com.

Wedding of the Year on April 29, 2012

 

NEW YORK, March 21, 2012  - Jacqueline Montoya CEO/Publisher of INTEGRAL USA MAGAZINE is delighted to announce this dream coming true. On Sunday, April 29, from 4 pm to 10 pm the Atlantis New York Crucero will be all decked out for the official celebration of the Wedding of the Year, the marriage of Jessica Muriel and Elvis Cerquera.

High profile personalities and companies will be sponsoring this dream come true.
Designer Mario Ramo will dress the bride in a gown made exclusively for the occasion. 
Lingerie will be provided by Diamond Wear, while makeup and hairstyle will be done by the prestigious Paty Alvares.

The groom will be dressed by Vismar Marinez with his sophisticated collection of male apparel. And we are also privileged to have the services of Godettes Peru, which has exclusively prepared the attire of the maids of honor, who will escort the bride in her cortege. Officiating at the ceremony will be the Honorable Reverend Stephanie Fiallo. The bridal procession will be played by the Mariachi Real de Mexico, and a serenade will be dedicated to the bride and groom. Then the newlyweds will enter into the reception hall, where they will be awaited by the distinguished singer and actress Dazz Letelier, who will be wearing a Johnny Calderon gown and will regale them with her amazing voice, thus initiating the opening dance. 

The toast will be accompanied by Doen Zhumir wines.  The reception halls of Atlantis New York Crucero will be majestically decorated by Maribel Pina, with floral decorations by G Bella. Pix de Foto will see to preserving the memory of this date, accompanied by other magnificent sponsors of this splendid occasion of the wedding of the year, such as La Eta, which will beguile us with its Candy Bars, Superiorprinting, Shua Media and one of the key players in this memorable dream team, Delta Air Lines, which will be donating the plane tickets for the honeymoon in the city of Santa Fe de Bogota, Colombia.

Free Texting for Windows Phones

AUSTIN, Texas, March 12, 2012 - SXSW Interactive - textPlus, the leading provider of mobile social messaging, is bringing free texting to Windows Phones. Starting today, Windows Phone customers can get a first look at textPlus and download the beta version from the Windows Phone Marketplace. Upon sign up, Windows Phone users will get a free phone number to start texting their friends on textPlus at no cost worldwide and free to any US or Canadian mobile number.
textPlus is the most popular messaging app in the market with over 27 billion messages sent to date, and 3 billion messages sent last month alone. Unique features of textPlus for Windows Phone platform include:

• Live Tiles: Chat in real-time by pinning the app, important conversations (both 1:1 and group) and communities to your home screen so you never miss a conversation.
• Personalization: Love your theme color or an accent color on your phone? Just opt-in on textPlus to carry that theme color over and make the app all your own.
• Panorama: This unique view provides a visually striking and engaging dashboard that is easy to navigate and displays your conversations, friends and communities in one place.
• Available for Windows Phone 7.5, including Nokia phones and their new highly anticipated Lumia 900.

"textPlus is one of the most popular apps for Android and Apple phones and devices -- downloaded over 25 million times -- and we plan to replicate that success for Windows Phone," said Scott Lahman, Founder and CEO of textPlus. "We're betting on the Windows Phone platform for its differentiated user experience that has enabled us to build an absolutely gorgeous app that users will love."

"textPlus has taken their app to a new level by taking advantage of Windows Phone's unique features and design, and has built a truly compelling app that helps people have conversations like never before," said Todd Brix, Senior Director, Windows Phone Marketplace at Microsoft. "textPlus is a great example of the kind of rich applications that people will find on Windows Phone Marketplace to get the most out of their phone."

In addition to the unique features available for Windows Phone, textPlus offers the same experience users have come to expect on other platforms. This includes public and private communities covering millions of topics, as well as optional user profiles to search for friends and meet new people. textPlus is the only mobile texting app with social elements, resulting in a highly engaged user base that spends well over an hour a day in the app.

"We're pleased to partner with textPlus as we continue to expand the range of great mobile experiences available in Marketplace for people using Nokia Lumia smartphones," said Mark Fletcher, Senior Director of Partner Management at Nokia. "The combination of award-winning Nokia hardware, the Windows Phone Metro UI and textPlus' great service will no doubt prove hugely popular with consumers around the world."

Bikini Care... 8 Hints for YOU

SHENZHEN, China, March 12, 2012 - Bikini season is coming! Every girl is looking forward to this most exciting season of the year, as well as her most revealing outfit of the year - the bikini. This 2012Q2 & 2012Q3 season sees GiftForSexy.com's new-style bikinis along with sexy monokinis and flattering tankinis.
However, buying a bikini is one thing, taking care of them is another. Most girls don't want their bikinis to stay fit for only one season, do you?

Girls, love your bikinis? Treat them with some care and they will love you right back. So here are some hints for you:

1. First things first: try hand-washing your bikini within a couple of hours of wearing them. Use cold water and non-harsh detergents. 
2. Always remember: do not tumble dry your bikini, no matter it was buying from GiftForSexy.com or somewhere else, dry them on the line in the shade. 
3. Do not keep your bikini in a ball scrunched up, or left in a wet towel.
4. Sun tan oils can damage bikinis, as do self-tanners. Try and keep this type of thing off your bikini.
5. Chlorine in particular fades materials. Try and wash in clean water quickly after swimming in such environments.
6. Use the beach showers at the beach to rinse off the salt from your bikini.
7. Electrolux or Whirlpools and other hot tubs(washing machine) are not friends of your bikini – they can result in damage.
8. Sitting on rough surfaces – like the aggregate surrounding a pool rim – will result in snags on a bikini

In the ways above, when buying a bikini, no matter how cheap a bikini swimwear can be, it will always be smart to make choices among those with good qualities. Then, care for them with attention. GiftForSexy.com always puts styles and qualities in the first place, and the tips offered above, hope they help!

Never Eat Alone Author Keith Ferrazzi Helps Diners Improve Relationships

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill., March 12, 2012 - Restaurant.com today released the first of the Greenlight Dining Guides, which provide simple and effective suggestions on how diners can strengthen relationships over a meal with a generous mindset, listening tips and suggested topics for conversation. 

"I can think of no better partner than Restaurant.com to help us teach diners how to open up and really connect," said Keith Ferrazzi, author of Never Eat Alone and chairman of myGreenlight Academy. "Whether dining with your significant other, family, business colleagues, friends, or even clients and prospects, using the Guide makes the dining experience richer, more robust and more powerful for you."
The first of five posts about the Guides appears today on Restaurant.com's blog, The Dish. The weekly series details how meals enlightened by use of the guides lead to a mom reconnecting with her teenagers, a couple retiring to live their dream of traveling the world and other significant breakthroughs.

"We're excited to work with Keith Ferrazzi and the other noted communication experts he enlisted for this joint project. We share his conviction that a meal is probably the best venue for deepening relationships," said Restaurant.com President and Chief Marketing Officer Christopher Krohn. "The response to our research trials of the Guides was enthusiastic, and we look forward to helping many more restaurant.com visitors learn how to get the most from conversations while dining."

Visit The Dish to pick up The Greenlight Guide for Dining with Significant Others, share the heart-warming story of Fred and Margaret rekindling their romance, and return each week for another lesson in building better relationships.

About Restaurant.com
Restaurant.com is the leading provider of restaurant savings nationwide. The company offers the best deal on every meal at more than 18,000 restaurants nationwide with more than 45,000 daily gift certificate options. Restaurant.com has helped customers save more than $2 billion since the Arlington Heights, Ill.-based company was founded in 1999.

About Ferrazzi Greenlight Research Institute
The Ferrazzi Greenlight Research Institute is a Los Angeles, Calif.-based think tank that performs primary and secondary research for clients, integrating Ferrazzi Greenlight's vast experiential knowledge with cutting-edge scientific research to create solutions that are real-world relevant and scientifically supported. To make the Dining Guides as useful as possible for Restaurant.com's user base, Keith Ferrazzi's expertise in relationship-building meal-time conversation was bolstered by other specialists in the field of psychology, relationships and communication, including Veronica Berenstein, PhD; John Gottman, PhD; Mark Goulston, MD; Dave Joseph, LICSW; Ramdas Menon, CHt; and Ziggy Yoediano, MD, MBA.

Sorry ladies! 'The colour pink doesn't exist'

 London, Mar 9 - Pink, the colour of universal love, doesn't exist -- it's just a pigment of our imagination, a leading scientist has claimed.

 Pink is, in fact, a combination of red and violet, two colours, which -- if one looks at a rainbow -- are on the opposite sides of the spectrum, according to Robert Krulwich, the presenter of a scientific radio show called Radiolab.

 As colour is a construct of people's eyes and brains, when one looks at a pink object one is not actually seeing pink wavelengths of light. He says it only appears pink as certain wavelengths of light are reflected while others are absorbed, quenched, by the pigments, the 'Daily Mail' said.

 So, pink is a reflective colour, not a transmissive colour -- one can see it because the brain translates light bouncing off objects, says Krulwich who describes it as a Òmade-up colourÓ.
 However, Jill Morton, professor at the University of Hawaii, disagrees.

 She told 'popsci.com': ÒOf course pink is a colour. But with that said, pink is indeed not part of the light spectrum.
It's an extra-spectral colour, and it has to be mixed to generate it.

 ÒIf you take a tube of red paint and add white to it, you'll get pink. If you work with watercolours, take red paint and add a lot of water to it and put it on watercolour paper, that would be pink.

 ÒTechnically it's right that you can't generate pink in the rainbow colours. But you can mix other colours in light to get pink. This is about interpreting the visual world.

Santa Maria is Hungry for Lip Smackin' Dickey's Barbecue

Dickey's Barbecue Pit Celebrates its Grand Opening on Friday

SANTA MARIA, Calif., March 8, 2012 - Dickey's Barbecue Pit is excited to announce the grand opening of its Santa Maria location. Guests can enjoy $1 pulled pork big barbecue sandwiches on Friday, March 9 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. The restaurant is located at 2212 South Bradley Road, Suite D-3. The hours of operation are from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily.

"Santa Maria is a vibrant community and a perfect location for Dickey's," said Roland Dickey, Jr., president of Dickey's Barbecue Restaurant, Inc. "We are looking forward to Friday's celebration."

Dickey's Barbecue Pit opened its first location in Dallas in 1941. Dickey's began franchising in 1994 and has continued to grow across the country. Dickey's currently has over 200 locations in 36 states nationwide.
Dickey's Barbecue offers a quality selection of signature meats, home style sides and tangy barbecue sauce. All meats are slow smoked on site in each restaurant.  
For more information, including a full menu, other restaurant locations and franchising opportunities, visit www.dickeys.com

About Dickey's Barbecue Restaurants
Founded in 1941, Dickey's Barbecue Restaurants began in Dallas, Texas. More than 70 years later, Dickey's is now the world's largest barbecue chain. Beginning with an aggressive growth strategy and proven business model, and since implementing its proprietary five revenue streams for business growth, Dickey's is on track to maintain its 61% growth rate in 2012. Currently, Dickey's Barbecue Restaurants can now be found in 36 states and over 200 locations nationwide. For more information on partnering with Dickey's Barbecue Restaurants in any location, call (866) 340-6188

The 10 Best Places to Retire in 2012

New list features places with an affordable cost of living and top-notch amenities

WASHINGTON, Oct. 17, 2011 - U.S. News Media Group today unveiled The 10 Best Places to Retire in 2012.

U.S. News worked with Onboard Informatics, the premier data services company for top tier organizations in real estate, media, and technology, to create a list of great places to retire in 10 key categories. "Everybody's got their own idea of the best place to live," said Brian Kelly, editor of U.S. News, "so we've created tools to make the search fun and useful. There are some great and unexpected choices."

Many of the categories focus on how to achieve the retirement lifestyle you want on a fixed income, such as the best place for water views on a budget (Traverse City, Mich.), an affordable mountain town for retirees (Boone, N.C.), and the best place to find affordable housing (Port Charlotte, Fla.). We also recognize Pittsburgh as a place that provides a great mix of affordability and amenities for retirees.

This list also includes a place with pleasant weather year-round (Flagstaff, Ariz.), a locale with unique recreation and cultural opportunities to explore (Santa Fe, N.M.), and a college town that is also friendly to retirees (Ithaca, N.Y.). Retirement is a period of life in which many people reinvent themselves, so we've included a great place to launch a second career (Lincoln, Neb.) or form a new relationship in a city with plenty of single people age 55 and older (Pittsfield, Mass.).

The U.S. News Best Places to Retire search tool provides extensive information for consumers considering relocating in retirement. The interactive search tool can help users find locations that best fit their individual lifestyles. Visitors can examine and sort through economic and quality-of-life data, such as housing prices, proximity to hospitals, and even the average temperature, to find a locale that best meets their needs.

The cities honored as T he 10 Best Places to Retire in 2012 are:

Pleasant year-round weather: Flagstaff, Ariz.
Affordable mountain town: Boone, N.C.
Water views on a budget: Traverse City, Mich.
Greenest place to retire: Walnut Creek, Calif.
A college town for retirees: Ithaca, N.Y.
Place to launch a second career: Lincoln, Neb.
Best mix of affordability and amenities: Pittsburgh
Best place for affordable housing:  Port Charlotte, Fla.
Best place for single retirees: Pittsfield, Mass.
Best place for recreation and culture: Santa Fe

Organised kids wear market to touch Rs 3,800cr soon: Report

Mumbai, Sep 11 - The organised kids wear market is expected to touch Rs 3,800 crore this fiscal from the current Rs 3,000 crore, says a report prepared by Images Retail Intelligence Services (Iris Retail).

 ÒGiven the demand and improved supplies, by 2011-12, the organised children's wear segment is expected to reach Rs 3,700-3800 crore, due to rapid expansion of domestic players and influx of new domestic and international players,Ó it said.

 At present, organised kids wear market is worth Rs 3,000 crore and is growing at nearly 30 percent, the report noted.
 The report also said that the overall kids wear market is likely to touch Rs 30,800 crore this fiscal, buoyed by the robust growth in organised retail. This market was estimated at Rs 26,300 crore last year and is growing at 17 percent.

 The kids apparel segment constitutes over 15 percent of the overall apparel market in the country.
 While domestic players like Lilliput, Gini & Jony, and Catmoss dominate the organised kids apparel market, Benetton Kids, Tommy Hilfiger, Reebok, Zara Kids, Disney and Barbie are the leading international brands present in the country.

 Lilliput is the largest player with an estimated market share of 14.3 percent followed by Gini & Jony with 11 percent and Catmoss with 7 percent, the report found.

 ÒKidswear is an emerging market segment that has shown exciting growth with the demand for branded kids wear rising exponentially. Over the past few years there has been renewed interest in this segment from international kidswear and adult fashion apparel brands,Ó Images Group Marketing Director Gurpreet Wasi said.

 The report said currently the boy's segment dominates the organised kids apparel market, but it expects the girls' segment to grow faster and match the boys' market in the next five to seven years.
 ÒChildren's apparel market has plenty of headroom for expansion and thus presents a massive opportunity for retailers,Ó Iris Retail Director Vivek Kumar said.

Hairstyle making women pile on the kilos: Experts

London, Sep 11 - Slow metabolism, age and bad genes are often blamed for those expanding thighs and tummies. But, the real obstacle in shedding those extra kilos could be your high-maintenance hairstyle, scientists say.

 Women who spend hours attached to their straighteners are less likely to exercise than their low-maintenance peers, a top America's doctor has warned.
 According to Regina Benjamin, the US Surgeon General, too many women are foregoing physical activity because it will ruin their hair.

 ÒOften you get women saying, 'I can't exercise today because I don't want to sweat my hair back or get my hair wet',Ó Dr Benjamin was quoted as saying by the Daily Mail.
 ÒWhen you're starting to exercise, you look for reasons not to, and sometimes the hair is one of those reasons. I hate to use the word 'excuse', but that's one of them,Ó she said.

 The problem, Dr Benjamin said, is that many women invest considerable time and money in taming their hair. Motion and moisture can undo all their hard work, so some simply avoid physical exertion entirely.
 Daniel Caceres, of Trevor Sorbie salons, said: ÒIt's an extremely common problem. If you have long hair and it's on your face it's going to get sweaty when you go to the gym, which can put people off.

 ÒAnd if you normally blow dry your hair you don't want to pull it back because it will ruin the style.Ó Dr Emma Williams, of the British Nutrition Foundation, said the solution is to pick a form of exercise that doesn't involve getting too hot and sweaty, such as doing household chores or going for a brisk walk.

Almost Half of Black Youth Report Pressure to Have Sex

New ESSENCE Magazine/National Campaign Survey Released

WASHINGTON, Sept. 8 - Black youth report considerable pressure to have sex, according to a new survey of 1,500 Black youth ages 13-21 released by ESSENCE Magazine and The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy. Of those who have had sex, 47% of those 13-21 (including 21% of those 13-15) say they have been pressured to go further sexually than they wanted to. The groundbreaking results are featured in the October issue of ESSENCE magazine, on newsstands September 12th.  In the article, Our Teens' Secret Sex Lives, ESSENCE senior writer Jeannine Amber interviewed dozens of kids to uncover the truth about teens and sex.

Overall, the survey found that almost half of Black teens ages 13 to 21 reported that they have lied to get out of a sexual situation, and 54% of Black males said they feel pressure from their friends to have sex. When it comes to sex, pregnancy, and contraception, the survey reveals that the intentions of Black youth don't always match their actions. Even though more than 90% of Black youth say it is important to avoid a pregnancy at this point in their lives, 67% have had sex without contraception, 45% report using birth control inconsistently, and 20% say they will likely have unprotected sex with someone in the next three months.
The reasons for not using contraception vary:

38% of Black females who have had unprotected sex have done so because their partner doesn't want them to use contraception; 29% of sexually active Black females say they don't worry about contraception because they "haven't gotten pregnant so far;" and 18% say it doesn't matter whether you use protection of not—when it's "your time" to get pregnant, you will.
Respondents overwhelmingly believe that the TV shows and movies they watch paint a negative picture of Black youth:

• 72% believe that the media sends the message that Black females' most important quality is their sex appeal.
• 64% agree that the media sends the message that it is okay for Black males to cheat in relationships.
• 73% say the media portrays Black youth as sexually aggressive, compared to 39% who believe the media portrays Whites as sexually aggressive.  
• Just 18% say they see themselves in the TV shows and movies they watch.

Black youth, particularly younger teens, say there is much their parents can do to help:

• 31% of those ages 13-21 say their parents are most influential about deciding whether or not to have sex (compared to 27% who cited partners and 5% who cited friends).
• Parental influence seems to wane as youth age—47% of those ages 13-15 say their parents' opinions matter most compared to 28% of those 16-18 and 17% of those 19-21.

Other findings from the survey include:

• 66% of Black males say that sex is a "big deal" and 73% would rather be in a relationship with no sex than have sex with no relationship
• 91% say they feel valued by their parents, 92% expect to be very successful in life, and 94% say the quality that most makes them feel good about themselves is "how smart I am."
• 46% of those ages 13-21 (including 34% of those 13-15) say they have seen pornography online when they were not looking for it.

"We are proud to work in partnership with the experts at the National Campaign on this survey, and to bring its eye-opening results to our readers in our October issue," said Constance C.R. White, ESSENCE editor-in-chief.  "I am so grateful to the young people who opened up to us in the survey and told us what is really going on in their lives today. What they feel-and decide to do-about sex, love and relationships today can affect the rest of their lives. Parents know this but often don't know where to begin. This story gives parents and other caring adults a reason and a way to talk with their teens about this important topic."

The teen pregnancy rate among African-American youth has plummeted 44% since 1990 and the teen birth rate has dropped 47% since 1991.  While teen pregnancy and birth rates dropped overall over the past two decades, rates among African-Americans declined more than those of any other racial or ethnic group.  "The truly extraordinary declines in too-early pregnancy and parenthood among African-American youth should be recognized and celebrated as one of the nation's great success stories of the past two decades," said Sarah Brown, CEO of The National Campaign.  "Still, the rate of teen pregnancy remains disproportionately high among African-American youth suggesting that the nation needs to explore more targeted and innovative approaches that will help."

The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy is a private, non-profit organization that seeks to improve the lives and future prospects of children and families. Our specific strategy is to prevent teen pregnancy and unplanned pregnancy among single, young adults.