Meme I stole from Ute that she stole from Spiky

1. Have you ever mooned/flashed anyone? How long ago?

When I was younger we used to moon cars. The last time was in college when a passive/aggressive woman was blocking the passing lane, as passive/aggressives are prone to do in the city where I grew up. She, of course, did not change lanes into the right-hand lane from which she needed to turn until the last possible moment, not using a signal or anything as they might make it easier on the other drivers to share the road with her. We, being intoxicated young males with little appreciation for rolling roadblocks, all hung our asses out the window, slowed next to her and honked the horn. She turned just in time to get a face-full of hairy white ass and maybe a glimpse of ballsack. It was totally worth it. She was a cunt and we laughed for hours over her shocked expression.


2. Pick an animal that best displays your personality.

Stray Dog - I'm always on the run, from here to there to anywhere I can find something to eat or roll in. I chase foxes and pussies that I have no intention of catching, randomly show up in people's yards, poop wherever the need strikes me, gladly accept a pat on the head from strangers, and will gleefully hump your leg if you let me. If you feed me I'll be your dog for as long as you want and will attack anyone who tries to invade your territory or leave rude comments on your blog. I'm faithful to a fault. You can leave me out in the rain for a whole year before returning to blog again and I'll still be here, sitting in your driveway happily wagging my tail at your return. Please don't ever have me 'fixed' and don't worry about flea collars or shots. Strays take care of themselves. All I need is a little encouragement every now and then. And steak. Any spare steak you have lying around, please give it to me. Mmmmm steak!


3. Do you mail out holiday cards, and if so, how do you pick the list?

I normally do. My list is ginormously long. And now, because I have an ever-growing litany of Jewish friends, I find myself buying more and more Hanukkah cards as well. I never know exactly when to mail the Hanukkah cards, though, since it seems the date changes slightly every year, so I just mail them out randomly, sort of like I do the Christmas cards. This year I was unable to mail many cards at all due to my having stupidly left my mailing list in Memphis while I was in Alabama. It turned out alright, though, since apparently almost all of my friends did the same and failed to send me any cards either. Funny that.


4. How often do you wear something sexy to get attention (lingerie, low cut dress, silk boxers, etc...)?

Um yeah, nothing looks sexy on me that I know of. The Mrs tells me I look hot in work boots, tight jeans and a cowboy hat, so every now and then I mow the yard in my boots and jeans and cowboy hat and then come in all glistening and sweaty and covered in grass and say "hey baby, let's you and me do it on the Snapper."


5. Have you ever tasted breast milk SINCE you were an adult?

No, never tasted it ever, not even as a child. Have you not figured out by now that Momma didn't love me? Well now you know.


There, my meme that I stole from Ute that she stole from Spiky is done. Are you properly impressed? Good, now I need to go poop.





And now for my monthly public service announcement. Don't drink too much and then go to McDonald's. You might end up on YouTube.

smoking could double a cancer

A group of British medical researchers has reported that quitting smoking after being diagnosed with early-stage lung cancer doubles a patient's chances of living for another five years.

They issued the report after analyzing data from 10 observational studies on the impact of quitting smoking after being diagnosed with the disease.

According to the analysis, some 29 to 33 percent of early-stage lung cancer patients who continued to smoke after diagnosis survived for five years, while 63 to 70 percent of patients who quit survived for that long.

The higher survival rate is related to a reduced likelihood of tumor recurrence, not from improvements in the condition of the heart and lungs, the researchers said.

Researcher Amanda Parsons of the U.K. Centre for Tobacco Control Studies at the University of Birmingham College of Medicine and Dentistry said, "Quitting smoking was associated with around double the chance of surviving at any time point compared to people who continued to smoke."

Medical researchers said that quitting smoking could double a cancer patient's chances of living for another five years.

For years, doctors have said that less than one-third of patients with lung cancer are still alive a year after diagnosis and that smoking is one of the major triggers for the disease.

Still, it's been less clear how quitting smoking might affect patient prognosis. The study will be useful to anti-smoking campaigns, experts said.

"The results are quite dramatic. I don't think anybody would have expected such a dramatic difference. It's incredible," said Dr. Norman Edelman, chief medical officer for the American Lung Association.

The new findings were published in the Jan. 21 online edition of the British Medical Journal.

North Korean hackers-E-Mail Virus

The military has been placed on alert over an intrusive e-mail virus aimed at hacking the military computer networks, defense ministry officials said Sunday.

Since earlier this month, an e-mail titled "New Year's greeting" has been spread to service members with a file attachment, the officials said. When the file is opened, the virus is spread through computer networks.

Against that backdrop, service members have been directed not to store classified information on computer main drives and USB thumb drives.

"We're investigating if there are any personnel who lost their information due to the virus," an official said, asking to remain anonymous.

Earlier this month, the military decided to ban the use of USB flash drives in an attempt to thwart increasing cyber attacks.

The decision came after a South Korea-U.S. operational plan was accessed by a hacker through a USB thumb drive used by an officer at the Combined Forces Command here.

About 2.8 billion won ($2.5 million) will be spent this year in establishing a new data exchange system to replace USB drives.

The new data transfer server, which will link the defense ministry, the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the headquarters of the Army, Navy and Air Force, allows exchange of data between the Intranet and Internet in a safe manner, the official said.

Currently, data transfer between the Intranet and Internet is blocked for security issues, so military officials here often use USB drives for data exchange.

The Defense Security Command said last year that it faced about 95,000 hacking attacks against military networks a day on average.

In July, the government and industrial computer networks suffered from massive distributed denial of service attacks for several days. North Korean hackers were blamed for the attacks by South Korean and U.S. intelligence sources.

North Korea is known to operate a cyber warfare unit that specializes in hacking into South Korean and U.S. military networks to extract classified information.

The Electronic City of Bangalore has been provided with CISF security cover

The Electronic City at the outskits of Bangalore, that's home to some of the biggest IT companies in the country, has been provided with CISF security cover from Friday onwards.

"The IT sector has been prioritised for CISF security by the Government of India and we will do all we can to ensure its protection," CISF Inspector General R K Mishra said.

CISF is the government's premier security agency that was created to guard critical public sector institutions like nuclear installations and other industries. However, after the Mumbai terror attacks the CISF cover was extended to private sector enterprises as well.

"CISF will work in close co-ordination with the local police and supplement their efforts at all times," according to a statement by the association of all the organisations in E-City ELCIA.

The Electronics City was conceived in the mid-1970s as an industrial estate exclusively for electronics industries. In 1997, its maintenance and upkeep was handed over by the state-run KEONICS to ELCIA,

In July last year, Infosys Technologies Ltd, a member of the estate, became the first corporate in the private sector to receive protection from the CISF.

export-oriented ornamental fish park in india

India's first export-oriented ornamental fish park recently started its operation near Kochi on a 10 acre land, which has been conceived to transform the country's role in aqua culture industry.

Despite being blessed with rich resources of abundant water and all essential parameters for breeding and rearing of tropical freshwater ornamental fishes, India has failed to get a foothold in market for exports.

India has a mere share of .01 percent in the market for exports of ornamental fishes, which is estimated to be worth around six billion dollars.

The Kerala Government came up with a unique project called 'Aqua Technology Park', which incorporated various stakeholders on a public-private partnership and also involved hundreds of locals in setting up homestead aquariums for earning their livelihood.

The government has also formed a company Kerala Aqua Ventures International Ltd. (KAVIL) with public-private participation to establish this park, which would provide the stakeholders a unique opportunity for investment and trade in the sector.

The first of its kind concept in India to popularise aqua culture industry, the project would not only generate employment, but would also help in maintaining a socio economic status of the local people in the town.

"From each home in the beginning, we hope to produce fishes that fetch them at least Rs 7000 to 7500 per month, that will be an additional income to each family in the rural people. So, it will become an economic activity to many youth by starting this satellite farms," said Gopalakrishnan, Managing Director of Kerala Aqua Ventures International Limited.

Authorities said that while the main units will have common facilities such as water, electricity, laboratory and quarantine facilities, the satellite farms will be the major production centres, where much of the ornamental fish will be reared and propagated.

At present Indian ornamental fishes are exported to USA, Europe, Russia and Japan and the company has already procured orders from France, Italy, Korea and Hong Kong.

With this endeavour, the authorities hope to capture a 10 percent share in the world market in a period of seven to eight years.

new stealth fighter being co-developed between Russia and India

The prototyp e of a new stealth fighter being co-developed between Russia and India has made a successful first flight from a test airfield near the Siberian city of Komsomolsk-on-Amur, Russia.

The Russian made Sukhoi T-50, which India refers to as the Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft (FGFA), is the Russian equivalent of the US built F-22 stealth fighter. India is a full partner in the project and the Indian version of the jet will feature several homegrown technologies including the jet's mission computer.

The T-50 has super cruise capabilities, which means its normal cruise speed is beyond Mach 1, the speed of sound.

India is likely to pick up a 25 per cent stake in the 10 billion dollar project, but it's likely to be a decade before the fighter is fully developed and enters squadron service.
There are few experimental studies of plasma's effect on RCS. One of the most interesting articles was published by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) in 1963 and described the effect of plasma on the RCS of aircraft. The article entitled "Radar cross sections of dielectric or plasma coated conducting spheres and circular cylinders" was based on the data offered by Sputnik, the first artificial satellite launched by the Soviet Union on October 4, 1957.

While trying to track Sputnik it was noticed that its electromagnetic scattering properties were different from what was expected for a conductive sphere. This was due to the satellite traveling inside of a plasma shell.While Sputnik was flying at high velocity through the ionosphere it was surrounded by a naturally-occuring plasma shell and because of it there were two separate radar reflections: the first from the surface of the satellite itself and the second from the plasma shell. If one of the reflections is greater the other one will not contribute much to the overall effect. When the two reflections have the same order of magnitude and are out of phase relative to each other cancellation occurs and the RCS becomes null. The aircraft becomes invisible to radar.

In January 1999, the Russian news agency ITAR-TASS published an interview with Doctor Anatoliy Koroteyev who talked about the plasma stealth device developed by his organization. Doctor Koroteyev was the director of the Keldysh Research Center. There have also been claims that in 2002 the Russians tested a plasma stealth device on board a Su-27 and RCS was reduced by a factor of 100.

The Keldysh Research Center has created a plasma generator that weights no more than 100 kilos, thus making it possible to be fitted on board most tactical aircraft. Current stealth technology uses radar absorbent materials (RAM) and angled surfaces that don't reflect radar waves back. This constitutes as a main drawback, since an alteration of the airframe has negative effects on the flight characteristics of these aircraft. The third generation stealth technology F-22 Raptor seems however to be an exception since it is both a fast aicraft and very maneuverable.

By using a plasma generator the aerodynamic characteristics of the aircraft do not suffer which in term means that the payload is increased making it more effective. The use of this technology offers the benefit of not having to carry the payload internally to be able to fool enemy radar. The Sukhoi Su-35 and the MiG-35 (both upgrades of Su-27 and MiG-29) are the first to benefit from this technology.

One of the most interesting russian fighters to benefit from the plasma stealth technology is the MiG 1.42/1.44 also known as the MFI (Mnogofunktsionalny Frontovoi Istrebitel - Multifunctional Frontline Fighter). This new aircraft is a fifth generation air-superiority fighter, a rival for the american F-22 Raptor. Both aircraft have the same supercruise capability as well as thrust vectoring for supermaneuverability (a capability to fly at supercritical angles of attack, at increased level of sustained and available g-loads and high turn-angle rate, which require a greater thrust-to-weight ratio and improved wing aerodynamic efficiency). This aircraft may prove to be a milestone in aviation, as so many russian aircraft were before.
Sukhoi's KNAAPO aircraft plant in Komsomolsk-on-Amur is reported to have built three prototypes of FGFA with the technical name T-50 under its PAK FA project to rival US Lockheed F-22 Raptor and its newer version F-35.

Under an agreement signed in October 2007, India has also joined the FGFA project by taking a 50 per cent investment stake in the project. For the Indian Air Force, a lighter, two-seater version is to be developed to meet its specific requirements.

The Russian Air Force intends to begin the induction of FGFA from 2015, India is also expected to induct at least 250 combat jets, which would be manufactured by HAL - the nodal partner of Sukhoi in the project.

Top 5 Fashion Trends for 2010 from Paris with Love

By Mel Cornford on January 27, 2010 1:17pm

The top 5 looks from the Paris shows

The captivating magic of the Paris haute couture collections has cast its spell over its cashed-up clients’ cheque books. Less lengthy (and more thrifty) than waiting for a custom-made couture gown, we’ve peered through the beauty trends worth trying your hand at. Think big hair, star-struck silvery eyes and artfully lined lips in look-at-me bright hues.

Here’s our pick of the top 5 couture trends direct from Paris.

Haute couture beauty trends



Would you wear a Chanel tattoo?

pants reveal his age

Life has many ups and downs — and so does a gentleman's waistband. The way he wears his trousers is directly linked to his age, researchers claim.

Boys under the age of 12 wear their trousers around their natural waist — because most of their clothing is bought for them by their parents.

As they enter their teenage years, waistbands plunge a full five inches towards the apex of the hips as a sign of rebellion, a survey suggests.

They plummet to below the hips at the age of 16 as young men imitate rappers and gangsters by letting the crotch of their jeans dangle around their knees, with several inches of underpants on show.

The study found that waistbands slowly begin to creep up an inch or two as a man leaves his teenage years behind and enters the workplace.

By the age of 27, a chap of average build will probably wear his waistband actually around his waist.

But at 39, it begins to rise again and by 45 it will be at least two inches above. This figure increases significantly past 50 — Simon Cowell's current age — to a peak of five inches by 57. This is just seven inches below the armpits.

As pensionable age approaches, men's waists shrink, allowing them to lower the height of their trousers. By 65, waistbands are three inches above the natural waist, and by 75 only an inch, although very few men ever return to the neutral position.

Paul Baldwin, director of menswear at Debenhams, which carried out the research, said: "Our findings are very important because the position of the waistband determines how men's trousers are tailored.

"Our hardest task continues to be persuading men to confront the fact that their waistbands have risen. They still prefer to assume their trousers no longer fit because their legs have suddenly grown."

BEYONCÉ HEATS UP UNION SQUARE IN HONOR OF HER FIRST-EVER FRAGRANCE BEYONCÉ HEAT

NEWS AND PHOTO OPPORTUNITY BEYONCÉ HEAT FRAGRANCE LAUNCH

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 2nd

BEYONCÉ HEATS UP UNION SQUARE IN HONOR OF HER FIRST-EVER FRAGRANCE BEYONCÉ HEAT

NEW YORK, NY, January 28, 2010 /PRNewswire/ —

WHO:
Hailed as the Renaissance woman of the decade, Beyoncé has already conquered music, film and fashion and now brings her one-of-a-kind style, spirit and confidence to her first-ever fragrance. A captivating scent that exudes passion and unleashes a spirited fire within, Beyoncé Heat embodies the trendsetting vision and effortless chic of pop culture's most emulated icon.



WHAT:
On February 2nd, New Yorkers will catch the fever as Beyoncé turns up the heat in Union Square. To celebrate the launch of her debut fragrance, Beyoncé Heat, the visionary artist is illuminating the central destination with fiery red light and smoky fog, infusing the winter landscape with a steamy, sexy aura that embodies Beyoncé's unique appeal.



MORE:
The unprecedented, spectacular display will vividly capture the spirit of Beyoncé Heat, creating a dramatic play of light that promises to turn heads and pique curiosity. The radiant spotlights transforming Union Square will serve as a luminous backdrop to the Beyoncé Heat launch party, where luminaries from the worlds of music, film, and media will gather to toast Beyoncé's latest venture.

Feminine and irresistible, the floral, fruity, woody scent features rare, sensual flowers. Beyoncé Heat opens with a radiant floral bouquet of magnolia, neroli and red vanilla orchid balanced with a kiss of luscious blush peach. At its heart, almond macaroon, sweet honeysuckle nectar and crème de musk combine to create an exquisitely sensual experience. Finally, warm and sexy notes of giant sequoia milkwood, tonka bean and amber linger to seduce the senses.

WHEN & WHERE:
Tuesday, February 2nd
Union Square Park, New York City
Illumination at 6:00PM until Midnight



Coty Beauty Press Contacts:
Lauren Donner
(212) 929-7979
ldonner@tractenberg.com

Emily Schuler
(212) 389-7576
emily_schuler@cotyinc.com

Frederick’s of Hollywood Valentine's 2010 “Smooch” Campaign

Frederick’s of Hollywood Valentine's 2010 “Smooch” Campaign

Lingerie Legend Features Sexy, Fun & Flirty Pieces Under $50 for Valentine’s Day

HOLLYWOOD, January 28, 2010 /PRNewswire/ — The Frederick’s of Hollywood Valentine’s campaign, “Smooch,” features lingerie for the sexy holiday with something for everyone. Ranging from sassy to seductive, pieces include Valentine’s inspired chemises, babydolls and teddies for under $50.



“‘Smooch’ embodies everything fun and sexy about the Frederick’s of Hollywood brand and our Valentine’s lingerie,” stated Linda LoRe, President of Frederick’s of Hollywood Group Inc. “It’s sexy, sassy and playful all at the same time and offers a destination for Valentine’s with a lot of choice at a great value.”


The “Smooch” campaign hits the Frederick’s of Hollywood catalog, website and stores nationwide at the end of January. In addition to sexy babydolls and chemises adorned with rhinestones and heart details, Frederick’s will also feature the Hollywood Exxtreme Cleavage® bra, one of the brand’s most popular styles, in a limited edition heart pattern.

ABOUT FREDERICK’S OF HOLLYWOOD
Frederick’s of Hollywood Group Inc. (NYSE Amex: FOH) conducts its business through two operating divisions: the multi-channel retail division and the wholesale division. For over 60 years, Frederick’s of Hollywood retail has been the leader in pioneering innovative, alluring lingerie. With more than 130 boutique stores nationwide, a world-famous catalog and an online shop, Frederick’s of Hollywood has been recognized as one of the world’s most well known brands. For more information, visit www.fredericks.com.


Media Contact:
Jennifer Cornwall
Frederick’s of Hollywood
323.957.5838
Jennifer.Cornwall@fredericks.com

Jakob Dylan 'Women and Country'

28 Jan 2010 17:00 Africa/Lagos


Jakob Dylan 'Women and Country'

New album set for release on April 6th marks reunion with producer T Bone Burnett and features guest vocals from Neko Case & Kelly Hogan

LOS ANGELES, Jan. 28 /PRNewswire/ -- Jakob Dylan will release his sophomore solo album, Women and Country, on Columbia Records on April 6th, 2010. Soulful yet striking and ripe with sublime beauty, Women and Country is the follow up to the artist's 2008 critically acclaimed debut, Seeing Things. This new collection finds him reuniting with acclaimed Grammy and Golden Globe winning producer T Bone Burnett (Robert Plant, Alison Krauss, Crazy Heart), who produced the Wallflowers' 1996 breakthrough album Bringing Down the Horse. On the release, Jakob is also joined by Neko Case and Kelly Hogan, who provide back-up vocals to 8 of the album's 11 tracks.


"I'm so happy to be collaborating with Jakob at this exciting and vital time in his life as an artist," said T Bone Burnett. "I think this new album is an important work from a great musician."


Recorded in Los Angeles, CA, Women and Country is the full realization of a journey Jakob Dylan began on his previous solo release Seeing Things, which hearkens back to the timeless artistry of American roots music and country blues masters. Seeing Things garnered significant critical praise for Dylan including The Los Angeles Times who called him "a gifted storyteller" and USA Today who said the release was "an evocative acoustic album that reveals the poetic grace of his lyrics and the maturity and moving power of his voice." On Women and Country Jakob reaches new majestic heights with his voice and song-writing that are as distinct as. This, coupled with T Bone Burnett's haunting production and the stirringly rich vocals by Neko Case and Kelly Hogan, creates a powerful and melancholic experience for the listener.


Backing Jakob Dylan up on the album's 11 songs are T Bone Burnett's s acclaimed group of musicians including Dennis Crouch (bass), Jay Bellerose (drums), David Mansfield (fiddle & mandolin), Marc Ribot (guitar), Keefus Ciancia (keyboards), Greg Leisz (pedal steel), Darrell Leonard (trumpet), Ira Nepus (trombone) and George Bohanon (horns). Standout tracks include the opener "Nothin' But the Whole Wide World," which sets the tone of the album, the pensive ballad "Down on Our Own Shield," "Everybody's Hurting," which showcases Jakob and Neko's moving harmonies and "Truth for a Truth" that features great guitar work from Marc Ribot.


Track Listing for Jakob Dylan's new album 'Women and Country' is as follows:


1. Nothing But The Whole Wide World
2. Down On Our Shield
3. Lend A Hand
4. We Don't Live Here Anymore
5. Everybody's Hurting
6. Yonder Come the Blues
7. Holy Rollers for Love
8. Truth For A Truth
9. They've Trapped US Boys
10. Smile When You Call Me That
11. Standing Eight Count


Jakob Dylan will be announcing additional album details and tour news in the coming weeks. For more information please go to www.jakobdylan.com.


Source: Columbia Records

CONTACT: Carleen Donovan, or Rachel Gomez, Press Here Publicity,
+1-212-246-2640, Carleen@pressherepublicity.com; or Benny Tarantini, Columbia
Records, +1-212-833-5858, benny.tarantini@sonymusic.com


Web Site: Jakob Dylan

'When in Rome' - When in Love! Robbins Brothers Hosts a Surprise Red Carpet Proposal

28 Jan 2010 15:41 Africa/Lagos


'When in Rome' - When in Love! Robbins Brothers Hosts a Surprise Red Carpet Proposal




Fairytale Engagement of U.S. Navy SEAL to his Bride-to-Be Took Place at World Premiere of Touchstone Pictures' 'When in Rome'

LOS ANGELES, Calif., Jan. 28 /PRNewswire/ -- Just in time for Valentine's season, Robbins Brothers, The Engagement Ring Store(TM), gave a lucky couple an unforgettable experience last night: a one-of-a-kind surprise marriage proposal on the red carpet at a Hollywood movie premiere.


Touchstone Pictures' "When in Rome," which hits theaters nationwide on January 29, celebrated its world premiere last night at the El Capitan Theater in Hollywood.


The groom-to-be is Chad Williams, 25, a U.S. Navy SEAL from Huntington Beach, CA. Chad proposed to his girlfriend of seven years, Aubrey O'Boyle, 23, in front of the assembled national and international media at the premiere of Disney's new date-night movie.


Stunned but overjoyed, Aubrey answered "yes" -- and is currently wearing a one-carat, round brilliant cut diamond set in a Scott Kay engagement ring, which Chad bought for her at Robbins Brothers' Mission Viejo store. The retailer will give Chad and Aubrey a gift certificate towards wedding bands in celebration of their upcoming wedding day. The couple also enjoyed a complimentary dinner from Fleming's to celebrate their engagement.

A short behind-the-scenes video documenting Chad's surprise red carpet proposal is available at Robbins Brothers' YouTube channel.

"When in Rome" stars Kristen Bell, Josh Duhamel and Danny DeVito in a story about an ambitious New Yorker who is disillusioned with romance and takes a whirlwind trip to Rome. There she defiantly plucks magic coins from a fountain of love, igniting the passion of an odd group of suitors. But when a charming reporter pursues her with equal zest, how will she know if his love is the real thing?


More about Chad and Aubrey


Coincidentally, Chad and Aubrey first met at Disneyland -- standing in line for Space Mountain. The couple has built a lasting relationship despite Chad's various deployments around the globe. Now that his contracted time with the military is coming to a close, Chad wanted to take the next step with Aubrey. He went to his local Robbins Brothers store location to shop for a diamond engagement ring, and the rest is Hollywood history.


"Aubrey stuck by my side through thick and thin," Chad wrote in an email to Robbins Brothers. "We have always wanted to get engaged and get married."


He added, "It's time to marry my Aubrey, who has been good and faithful to me, enduring so much as she has paid a huge price to our nation -- allowing me to fulfill my dream of serving as a U.S. Navy SEAL."


"This was an incredible, one-of-a-kind marriage proposal for a real-life American hero," said Larry Gomperts, EVP of Marketing for Robbins Brothers. "We were delighted to give Chad and Aubrey this unforgettable romantic experience, and would like to thank our friends at Disney who helped us make this happen."


Robbins Brothers' "Romantic Wishes -- When in Rome" Sweepstakes


Just like the movie "When in Rome," Robbins Brothers' "Romantic Wishes -- When in Rome" Sweepstakes allows romantic hopefuls to dream big and wish for the impossible.


The destination engagement ring retailer asks people to share their "ultimate romantic wish" for a chance to win fairytale prizes including a trip for two to Rome, Italy, an Amsale designer wedding dress, and a private screening of the film.


Known for helping committed couples fulfill their engagement and wedding dreams, Robbins Brothers invites every romantic to share their own fanciful wishes at www.robbinsbrothers.com. No purchase is necessary and one must be 18 years of age or older to enter.


The sweepstakes is currently running and ends Feb. 14.

About Robbins Brothers:

Robbins Brothers is an engagement ring retailer that is focused on offering couples an incredible ring selection and an unmatched customer experience. With freestanding destination stores in Southern California and Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas, the company specializes in extensive product education, exceptional value, unique engagement and wedding planning services, and onsite jewelers who can customize any ring.


Robbins Brothers services over 100,000 couples a year and provides a warm and friendly shopping environment for all. Women can create a Wish List in-store or online, while men often relax in a de-stressing lounge stocked with coffee, soda and ESPN.


Related Links:
Robbins Brothers website
Robbins Brothers Facebook

Video: http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/when-in-rome---when-in-love-robbins-brothers-hosts-a-surprise-red-carpet-proposal-82903967.html
Source: Robbins Brothers

CONTACT: Tracey Lyles, Media Services Manager of Robbins Brothers,
+1-626-224-9586, tlyles@robbinsbros.com, Tom McAlister, Beck Media &
Marketing, +1-310-689-7224, tom@beckmedia.com


Web Site: http://www.robbinsbrothers.com/

L.e.i. Announces the Launch of the 'L.e.i. Model Citizen Campaign'

L.e.i. Announces the Launch of the "L.e.i. Model Citizen Campaign" in Association with Teen Vogue and in Support of Fashion Delivers.(PRNewsFoto/Jones Apparel Group, Inc.) NEW YORK, NY UNITED STATES

28 Jan 2010 16:00 Africa/Lagos

L.e.i. Announces the Launch of the 'L.e.i. Model Citizen Campaign' in Association with Teen Vogue and in Support of Fashion Delivers

NEW YORK, Jan. 28 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- In association with Teen Vogue, junior denim brand, L.e.i., exclusive to Walmart stores, is on the lookout for three model citizens to star in its next ad campaign. The micro site, leimodelcitizen.com, will act as the main point of entry for the contest. In addition, L.e.i. will host a national call to action inviting girls ages 15-21 to showcase their "life, energy and intelligence." These events in New York, Miami and Los Angeles, will give girls the opportunity to shoot a short video that shows how they represent life, energy and intelligence, and why they should be the next L.e.i Model Citizen.


(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20100128/NY43924 )


The contest entry dates will run from February 1, 2010 to March 23, 2010 and girls will also be able to upload their own videos to the website, leimodelcitizen.com. A high profile panel of judges, including notable names from the fashion industry such as Teen Vogue Editor in Chief Amy Astley, designer Rachel Roy, models Chanel Iman and Ali Michael and Allan Ellinger, CEO of Fashion Delivers, will then select a grand prize winner and two runners up from the entrants. Participants will also have the opportunity to interact with some of the judges at each of the events. There will be an opportunity for the public to vote on the top ten finalists from March 25, 2010 to April 6, 2010.


"We are honored to work in association with L.e.i to recognize young women for their pursuits, creativity, and enthusiasm, by awarding them for their exemplary contributions as a 'Model Citizen,'" stated Laura MCEwen, Publisher of Teen Vogue.


The Grand Prize winner will receive a $100,000 college scholarship and a feature in L.e.i.'s Fall 2010 national advertising campaign, a fashion makeover and complete L.e.i wardrobe, Teen Vogue internship and a trip to L.A. to attend Teen Vogue's "Young Hollywood" party. Second and third prize winners will also receive special prizing.


Chanel Iman said, "I am proud to be part of this contest where young girls are rewarded for their inner beauty and outer spirit. It is an opportunity to acknowledge the importance of leadership at a young age and look towards our youth to be socially conscious leaders and role models, and therefore the next L.e.i. model citizens."


In partnership with Fashion Delivers, a national charity that believes "giving is always in fashion," L.e.i. will be encouraging young girls to pay it fashion forward by donating product to benefit the charity and asking participants to bring a jeans donation to each of the events. The first 25 girls to donate jeans at each of the events will receive a $50 gift certificate to Walmart. All girls will have the opportunity to help the mission of Fashion Delivers by being invited to Pay It [Fashion] Forward by spreading the word of the contest through Twitter and Facebook. With every tweet and Facebook forward L.e.i. will make a donation to benefit Fashion Delivers.


For more information please visit leimodelcitizen.com. L.e.i. is a division of Jones Apparel Group (NYSE:JNY) .


About Jones Apparel Group, Inc.


Jones Apparel Group, Inc. (www.jonesapparel.com) is a leading designer, marketer and wholesaler of branded apparel, footwear and accessories. The Company also markets directly to consumers through its chain of specialty retail and value-based stores and through its e-commerce web sites. The Company's nationally recognized brands include Jones New York, Nine West, Anne Klein, Gloria Vanderbilt, Kasper, Bandolino, Easy Spirit, Evan-Picone, l.e.i., Energie, Enzo Angiolini, Joan & David, Mootsies Tootsies, Sam & Libby, Napier, Judith Jack, Albert Nipon and Le Suit. The Company also markets costume jewelry under the Givenchy brand licensed from Givenchy Corporation, women's footwear under the Dockers® and Dockers® Women brands and infants', toddlers' and boys footwear (excluding girls footwear) under the Dockers® and Dockers® Premium brands, licensed from Levi Strauss & Co., and apparel under the Rachel Roy brand licensed from Rachel Roy IP Company, LLC. Each brand is differentiated by its own distinctive styling, pricing strategy, distribution channel and target consumer. The Company contracts for the manufacture of its products through a worldwide network of quality manufacturers. The Company has capitalized on its nationally known brand names by entering into various licenses for several of its trademarks, including Jones New York, Anne Klein New York, Nine West, Gloria Vanderbilt, l.e.i. and Evan-Picone, with select manufacturers of women's and men's products which the Company does not manufacture. For more than 30 years, the Company has built a reputation for excellence in product quality and value, and in operational execution.


About Teen Vogue


Launched in February 2003, TEEN VOGUE publishes 10 issues annually and has over 1 million dedicated readers. Style-conscious girls everywhere know there's only one source for relevant fashion and beauty news presented in a sophisticated tone with the power of the VOGUE brand. In a time of expanding media choices, true authority is irreplaceable--and unmistakable.


About Fashion Delivers


On September 15, 2006, with only a three day notice, thirty fashion industry leaders came together to figure out how the industry could provide relief to the victims of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. While larger national relief organizations existed, there was no structure in place to organize the immediate collection and distribution of excess product to those so desperately in need. Under the leadership of Allan Ellinger, the group canvassed the retail and home industries to gauge participation. The response was overwhelming. Over $4.5 million dollars worth of product was collected and channeled directly to victims suffering from the devastation. What began as a vision has turned into an incredible charitable endeavor to provide hope to those in need.


The mission of Fashion Delivers Charitable Foundation, Inc. is to unify the men's and women's apparel and home industries to donate new product in order to aid victims of disasters and individuals in need throughout the year. We match need with our availability of product coming from both wholesale and retail fashion industry vendors -- some of the biggest names in the fashion and home industries. Through a strategic alliance with K.I.D.S., we have structured a global network of more than one thousand local agencies that we coordinate with in the donation and delivery of excess products. While our organization provides aid to those in need, we also provide economic and philanthropic alternatives for companies disposing of their excess inventory.


Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20100128/NY43924
PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com
Source: Jones Apparel Group, Inc.

CONTACT: Harrison & Shriftman, Christina Zamarripa, +1-917-351-8663,
czamarripa@hs-pr.com; or L.e.i., Frances Clift, +1-212-536-9616,
Fclift@jny.com; or Teen Vogue, Eleanor Banco, Director of Public Relations,
+1-212-286-2479, Eleanor_banco@condenast.com


Web Site: http://www.jonesapparel.com/

Mirror Neurons and Magical EFT Therapy Bears

Magic Buttons Bear

Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) is a form of alternative therapy that

purports to manipulate the body's energy field by tapping on acupuncture points while a specific traumatic memory is focused on, in order to alleviate a psychological problem. Critics have described the theory behind EFT as pseudoscientific and have suggested that any utility stems from its more traditional cognitive components, such as the placebo effect, distraction from negative thoughts, rather than from manipulation of meridians.

EFT, a form of Thought Field Therapy (TFT), has been thoroughly debunked as pseudoscience by the Skeptical Inquirer:

Can We Really Tap Our Problems Away?

. . .EFT is very similar to TFT, except that it employs one simplified and ubiquitous tapping procedure instead of applying different algorithms to treat different problems. On his Web site, [Gary] Craig¹ asserts that Callahan’s reliance on differing algorithms is unnecessary because he has witnessed TFT therapists tap in the wrong order or apply the wrong algorithm to the particular problem and still obtain improvements. Craig’s anecdotal evidence appears to contradict Callahan’s anecdotal evidence. Furthermore, Craig extends his tapping therapy far beyond the realm of mental health, reporting testimonials from individuals who claim to have successfully used EFT to treat everything from autism to warts and various other medical problems with positive results...

A scientifically minded investigator would have then taken Craig’s observations a step further and tested a completely "placebo” algorithm which did not tap on any supposed energy meridians to see if it produced similar results. However, Craig reports that he has never carried out this simple experiment nor does he know of anyone who has. Furthermore, Craig speculates that a placebo algorithm may be impossible because tapping anywhere on the body will affect the body’s energy meridians. This position conveniently renders Craig’s theory unfalsifiable and therefore outside the realm of science.

EFT therapists can act as surrogates, tapping on themselves to cure the problems of others. But even more fun than that, why use yourself as a surrogate when you can tap on a cute magical teddy bear? Really and truly? According to Craig:

It is easily explainable in spiritual terms (we are all connected) and through the findings of quantum physics.

But it would behoove him to read a physics textbook, as well as the Skeptic's Dictionary: "This is the golden rule for New Age quacks: when in doubt, quote Einstein and mention quantum physics... What Gary forgets to tell us is that the so-called subtle energy of acupuncture has nothing in common with the energy in E=mc². When you unblock that kind of energy you get nuclear weapons or power, not miraculous health cures."

EFT therapists have also resorted to those trendy media favorites -- mirror neurons! -- to explain their quackery:

HOW CAN THE BEARS WORK?

Perhaps one explanation is Mirror Neurons.

It's been shown in scientific experiments that when one animal is doing something such as eating a banana, another animal who is merely watching will have the same neurons lighting up in their brains as the animal who is doing the activity.

Likewise, in tests done with acupuncture, when needles are being inserted into points on one person, the same points are lighting up on a person who is only observing. In the case of the Magical Bears, we might conclude that when you are tapping on the bear, as you tap, your points would be lighting up as well.

hat tip: AA

Everyone knows what mirror neurons are, those darlings of the pop neuroscience world. First observed in the ventral premotor area F5 of macaque monkeys, mirror neurons increase their rate of firing when the animal performs an action, and when the animal watches someone else perform the action (Rizzolati et al, 1996). These "monkey see, monkey do" neurons have taken on a life far beyond their originally postulated role in imitation. However, not everyone believes that mirror neurons can account for all aspects of human language, culture, and social cognition -- from empathy to altruism to autism to aesthetics to

certain listeners' misattribution of anger in the music of avant garde jazz saxophonists (Gridley & Hoff, 2006)

-- as explained by Alison Gopnik [see also The Neurocritic, Mixing Memory, Neurofuture, et al.]:

The idea that these particular cells might underlie a fundamental human impulse [altruism] reflects the emergence of a new scientific myth. Like a traditional myth, it captures intuitions about the human condition through vivid metaphors.

As long-time readers might know, mirror neurons have been a popular topic of ridicule throughout the entire four year history of this blog. For your celebratory reading pleasure, here's The Neurocritic's mirror neuron œuvre:

Neuromarketing and "the Super Bowl Brain Scans"

Neurofeedback in Autism

Spindle Neurons: The Next New Thing?

An "Endophenotype" For Sexual Orientation?

Mirror Neurons Control The Universe

Mirror Neurons in Primary Motor Cortex?

Mirror Neurons Control Hard-ons?

Waves of Mu

Spanner or Sex Object?

I Feel Your Pain, I REALLY Do: Synaesthesia for Another's Pain


Footnote

¹ "Gary Craig is not a licensed health professional and offers EFT as an ordained minister and as a personal performance coach. Please consult qualified health practitioners regarding your use of EFT."

Twitticism: "Mirror neurons can explain everything. We can all go home now."

Today's News and Headlines

Mee

Obama makes state of union speech during "Glee"
President Obama interrupted the very popular program, "Glee", to make a speech in which he said "I", "Me", "My", and "Mine" over 14,000 times. Reports are that fans of "Glee" rioted in the streets for over 6 hours before being Tasered to death in the genitals by riot police in several American cities. Obama dismissed these reports by waving his hand and stating, "we don't torture. That is to say, we don't torture terrorists or people from other countries. Our own citizens is another matter. We definitely torture them. I mean, that's what the Taser's for. Everybody knows that." 

North Korea resumes firing artillery across border
North Korea began firing artillery at South Korea today, loading their guns with Disney movies rather than artillery shells in order to save costs. A North Korean general whose name no one can pronounce said that the 'childrens' movies, which feature many scenes of sexual violence against males, are ridiculous, destructive and offensive and thus make good weapons to fire into enemy territory because their message corrupts society and normalizes sexual violence against the fathers, husbands and sons of that society, ultimately destroying the entire civilization from within.

College endowments shrink
American colleges and universities have suffered enormous amounts of shrinkage, partly as a result of the stress of financial hardship, but mostly because of the effects of radical feminism, which drives away all healthy males and leaves only pathetic men with small penises to serve as professors and "male feminists." Studies show that the average male college professor of today has a penis over 5 inches shorter than the average male penis of years past. Scientists theorize that this "Tiny Penis Syndrome" might explain why they are perpetually angry at other males.


John Edwards - the Ladies Man
John and Elizabeth Edwards separate after 30 years of cheating
John Edwards, the Great American Breck Girl of the Democratic Party, has left his wife to engage in a full-blown affair with Elin Woods, current wife of Tiger Woods. Tiger, meanwhile, is said to be shacking up with Angelina Jolie, who is rumored to have separated from Brad Pitt for the twelve thousandth time by TMZ. Brad, according to Angelina, is content to masturbate and not be with anyone at this point in his life. "He just finds all that work in having full blown sex to be more trouble than it's worth. I guess older men really don't give a shit. Or maybe it's all the pot he smokes?" Rumors have already begun circulating that Jennifer Aniston has moved back in with Brad and is busily disproving Angelina's claim that Brad prefers masturbation over full blown heterosexual sex.

Californians say state is on wrong course
A majority of California citizens, in what is perhaps the largest ever example of stating the obvious, say that their state is on the wrong course and is likely headed for a very liberalized, green, diverse, tolerant total disaster. As of this writing, no one could be found who disagreed with the basic sentiment, although many chose to blame George Bush rather than California residents' own excessive idealism.

Abortion shooter to testify
A man who stands accused of shooting both an abortion doctor and an abortion protester has agreed to testify at his own trial. Through his attorney he has already stated that he was "just really damn confused and didn't know whether he was strongly for or against abortion, but he knew he felt strongly about it in some way. He just couldn't decide so he shot them both." Regardless of his testimony, he is expected to receive a lot of sexual abuse and torture while in prison and then, once thoroughly traumatized and completely transformed into a real monster, set free again. That's just how we do it here in America cuz we reel smart.

Onion field killer denied parole
The man convicted of viciously slaughtering a field full of onions has been denied parole once again following sometimes violent protests by vegans outside the prison where he is being raped and tortured every day, both by criminally insane inmates as well as sociopathic guards, prior to his ultimate release sometime when no one is paying attention anymore. "We'll wait until the media gets bored with him," warden Linda Tripp said, "and then we'll just quietly send him home. He'll be so crazy by the time he gets out of here that he'll probably kill himself anyway. He's no threat. Unless you get him around a bunch of onions. He really hates those onions."

Zac Enfron to star in spy thriller
Zac Efron, in an attempt to escape from the pedophiles at Walt Disney, is producing and starring in his own film, "Fire," in which he plays a spy who hunts down and kills homosexual pedophiles who prey on young boys in the entertainment industry. When asked if there was any connection between his time with Disney and the rather angry message of the film he stated simply, "what the hell do you think?"


I just want them to stop raping me




And now for a joke I just stole from Ute:

Two dyslexics run into a bank and shout, "Air in the hands mother stickers, this is a fuck up!"

Chicago's Oldest Living Opera Singer Turns 105 Years Old

27 Jan 2010 13:00 Africa/Lagos

Chicago's Oldest Living Opera Singer Turns 105 Years Old

NORTHLAKE, Ill., Jan. 27 /PRNewswire/ -- Every morning, Lillian Krockerberger sings her favorite opera arias in German. While that may not seem like a monumental accomplishment, this opera soprano turns 105 years old on Feb 3, 2010.Lillian was born in Germany in 1905. An orphan, she came to Chicago, Illinois in 1921 and worked as a maid and caregiver for a wealthy family. That's when she met her husband, Carl. "He saw me through the front window of the home I was working at. It was love at first sight," said Lillian.


During Lillian and Carl's marriage, they had two children together, Carl Jr. and Lydia, and four grandchildren. Though Lillian's husband and two children have since passed on, her four grandchildren remain a big part of her life.Lillian's husband, also a musician, played piano and violin. Together they enjoyed careers as entertainers in the Chicago area.For the past 20 years, Lillian has lived in the Chicago suburb of Northlake at Concord Place Retirement and Assisted Living Community (http://www.concordplace.com/). Concord Place Executive Director, Colleen Bottens said that "Lillian's joyous song is a gift to residence and staff alike." Lillian remains fiercely independent and sings every day. "The secret to a long life is to be happy and consider each day a gift," said Lillian.On Saturday, January 30, 2010, Concord Place is throwing Lillian a 105th birthday party. She will be joined by her Concord Place friends, 20 family members and the Mayor of Northlake, IL, Jeffrey Sherwin.


Press is invited to attend and celebrate Lillian Krockerberger's 105th Birthday Party.


Saturday January 30, 2010
2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Concord Place Skyline Ballroom
401 West Lake Street
Northlake, IL 60164




About Concord Place Retirement and Assisted Living Community:

Conveniently located in Northlake, Illinois, Concord Place Retirement and Assisted Living Community is one of the premier Retirement Communities in Chicago and surrounding areas. Concord Place offers an enjoyable life for older adults, with private apartments, three restaurant-style meals a day, activities, companionship and on-site assistance. http://www.concordplace.com/


Source: Concord Place Retirement and Assisted Living Community

CONTACT: Michael Webdell, +1-312-371-4239, concord@americanmassmedia.com
for Concord Place Retirement and Assisted Living Community


Web Site: http://www.concordplace.com/

Ziggy Marley Presents: Dancehall Originators Vol 1.

27 Jan 2010 15:00 Africa/Lagos


Ziggy Marley Presents: Dancehall Originators Vol 1.

FROM THE VAULTS OF TUFF GONG WORLDWIDE COMES A NEW COMPILATION OF ORIGINAL DANCEHALL MIXES TO BE RELEASED FEBRUARY 2, 2010 Album Includes Tracks By Chaka Demus, Yellow Man and Buju Banton, Among Others

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif., Jan. 27 /PRNewswire/ -- Multiple Grammy winning artist Ziggy Marley, and Tuff Gong Worldwide present "Dancehall Originators Vol 1," the first in a new series of dancehall reggae albums designed to pay homage to the groundbreaking original artists that paved the way for dancehall artists today. The album, which will be released on February 2nd, features tracks by Chaka Demus, Yellow Man and Buju Banton, among others (track list below).


In 1992, producer/songwriter Phillip Smart, founder of Long Island's HC&F Studios, created the scorching "Hot This Year" riddim, whose bouncy keyboard riffs and resounding bass were considered groundbreaking at the time.


From its initial release, "Hot This Year" inspired numerous other artists, including Shaggy, Yellow Man, Buju Banton, and Chaka Demus, to use it as a basis for their own songs. It also inspired the durable and popular song "Hot This Year" by the late DJ Dirtsman, which crossed over into other radio formats.


"There weren't that many reggae records that crossed over to R&B radio at the time, and Dirtsman's song went from reggae radio shows to getting airplay in regular rotation on New York stations," recalls Phillip Smart. "So that put it in a different format and the song became a favorite in clubs that didn't play a lot of reggae."


Because it so deftly illustrates such an important era of dancehall reggae history, Dancehall Originators is a must-have for any knowledgeable dancehall devotee, as well as more recent reggae converts.


The Tuff Gong label was founded in 1965 by Bob Marley, with the vision of producing, distributing and promoting his music free from the constraints of corporate label politics. Decades before artist-owned record labels were commonplace, the legendary Bob Marley's vision was characteristically well ahead of its time. Now, nearly a half-century later, his dream is being realized.


Track list:
HOT THIS YEAR BY DIRTSMAN
BIG, BAD & BOLD BY CHAKA DEMUS
TAKE IT EASY BY PETER METRO FEATURING TANTO METRO
SO SWEET BY PINCHERS
LOOK WORK BY JOSEY WALES
ROUGHER THAN DEM BY CHARLIE CHAPLIN
KING FE DANCEHALL BY YELLOW MAN
STOP IT BY COCO TEA
DANCEHALL VIBES BY GENERAL TREES
MR. BAD MIND BY BUJU BANTON
THE ORIGINATOR BY U-ROY & GEORGE NOOKS
TAKING YOU BACK MEGA MIX - MIXED BY DJ ROY OF ROAD INTERNATIONAL

Source: Tuff Gong Worldwide

CONTACT: Tammy Saunt of Tuff Gong Worldwide, +1-310-274-2440,
tammy@tuffgongworldwide.com, or Jerome Hamilton, +1-876-754-1526,
Jerome@headlinejamaica.com


Web Site: http://www.tuffgongworldwide.com/

Wedding Paper Divas Unveils Top Wedding Trends for 2010

Please pray for Haiti to have Strength, pleasant , comfortable,weather, clean air, food, doctors and clean water as they get though this.
~ Mary J. Blige

27 Jan 2010 14:00 Africa/Lagos


Wedding Paper Divas Unveils Top Wedding Trends for 2010

Find Wedding Essentials for the Hottest Wedding Themes, Color Trends and More on WeddingPaperDivas.com

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., Jan. 27 /PRNewswire/ -- Wedding Paper Divas (www.weddingpaperdivas.com), a leading online retailer of premium, personalized wedding stationery, announced the latest wedding trends for 2010 today. From stylish wedding themes and fresh inspiration to this year's best new color schemes, Wedding Paper Divas has surveyed its top-selling wedding invitations and save the date cards to gather together the hottest wedding trends of the year, including:


(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20100127/SF44526)

Wedding Themes & Inspirations:

-- Enchanted Forest: The spring bride of 2010 is inspired by the earthy
(yet heavenly) feeling of an ethereal wedding. Soft, romantic elements
and pastel tones are perfectly accented with fanciful details.
-- Sweet Nostalgia: The "Mad Men"-obsessed bride-to-be is in love with
1950s and 1960s flair for her big day, gathering inspiration from
refined-retro style, carnival-chic food and playful decor.
-- Jewel Tones: The glamorous bride loves 2010's rich jewel tones for a
luxurious fall wedding. Plush and pretty peacock inspiration is
refined in an elegant but decidedly bold new way to incorporate this
look.
-- Dark Romance: For winter 2010, vintage Hollywood glamour and dark
fairytale romances are all the rage, with rich red hues, black and
white accents and sparkling chandeliers making everything glimmer in a
subtle and sophisticated way.


Fresh Color Trends
-- Expect to see both classic and fresh, new palettes appearing as top
trends for wedding colors, including bold turquoise, coral and peach
tones, vintage violet, pumpkin, champagne, pink, ivory and golden
yellow.


The Rise of the Localista
-- In today's economy, many couples will move away from the exotic in
favor of the practical. Expect destination weddings to take on a new
twist with the rise of the "localista." This bride will plan a local
"destination wedding" at a nearby location to celebrate the unique
personality of the couple, but also allow easier access for friends
and family.



As a preferred resource for wedding etiquette and style information, Wedding Paper Divas offers a product line that reflects the latest color trends, chic styles and luxurious patterns of each season. For more information, visit www.weddingpaperdivas.com.


About Wedding Paper Divas


Wedding Paper Divas offers premium, personalized wedding stationery. Wedding Paper Divas works with well-known, as well as up-and-coming, artists who design wedding invitations, bridal shower invitations and thank you cards that fit today's trends and romantic inspirations. Every design from Wedding Paper Divas is exclusive, which means it cannot be found anywhere else online or offline. Additionally, all Wedding Paper Divas products are printed on the highest quality paper and are completed in a fraction of the time for a fraction of the cost of most local wedding retailers. Wedding Paper Divas is a part of the Tiny Prints, Inc. family.


Media Contact:
Lea Armstrong/Joyce Li
Wedding Paper Divas
650-209-1360/650-209-1361
lea.armstrong@weddingpaperdivas.com
joyce@weddingpaperdivas.com


Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20100127/SF44526
PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com
Source: Wedding Paper Divas

CONTACT: Lea Armstrong, +1-650-209-1360,
lea.armstrong@weddingpaperdivas.com, or Joyce Li, +1-650-209-1361,
joyce@weddingpaperdivas.com, both of Wedding Paper Divas


Web Site: http://www.weddingpaperdivas.com/

toothpicks are potentially dangerous hotel Staff

The next time you dine out you might want to take your dental floss with you.

For it seems the toothpick has become the latest victim of the health and safety police — leaving disgruntled diners with food stuck between their molars.

Staff at a luxury hotel chain are refusing to provide customers with the post-meal dental sticks — because they are "potentially dangerous".

However, sharp metal cutlery on the table is for now still acceptable.

Retired deputy headteacher John Freeman had enjoyed a three-course meal at the Macdonald Portal Golf and Spa Hotel when he realised he had a piece of rib-eye steak stuck between his teeth.

But when Freeman asked the waiter for assistance, he was astonished by the response.

"He apologised but said he was not allowed to give me a toothpick for health and safety reasons," said the 63 year old. "I asked him if he was joking, but he said it wasn't April 1 and there weren't any in the hotel.

"I told him it was nonsense and asked to speak to the manager for an explanation, indicating there were 14 very dangerous metal knives and forks on my table that had been unsupervised for at least two hours.

"The manager agreed it was ludicrous, but assured me there had been a directive from head office not to provide toothpicks because they are potentially dangerous."

Freeman who was at the hotel in Tarporley, Cheshire, with his wife and friends for the £70-a-head (Dh420) New Year's Eve dinner — complained to the Health and Safety Executive. His local council is now investigating.

Freeman, of nearby Eaton, added: "Health and safety and political correctness are driving this country into a corner.

"It just seems ridiculous that a hotel like this would behave in such a way."

Dentist Ray McNamara suggested restaurants have a roll of dental floss for customers.

spyker car

The General Motors group in the US has agreed that small Dutch sports car manufacturer Spyker will get its Saab brand.

GM will receive 52.5 million euros from Spyker and will remain a shareholder in Saab.

The Dutch company had been interested in Saab for some time, but was forced to endure many false starts in the buying process when deals with GM continued to fall through.

Saab has applied for a 400-million-euro loan from the European Investment Bank which the Swedish government has agreed to guarantee.

The takeover deal will now depend on the loan going through and the sale being approved by the European Commission.

The racing and aviation heritage of the early cars has been carried over to the contemporary Spykers, their design being heavily influenced by airplanes and aerodynamics. Their uncompromising engineering developed for racing. Hand-crafted in the same tradition as the earlier Spykers by the best craftsmen of our time using bespoke materials only. Built with passion for the most passionate drivers, for those discerning connoisseurs who do not just buy a car but have one built for them, to their exacting specifications. Benefiting from experience gained in the international race arena by entering basically standard Spykers in GT class events such as the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the ultimate endurance race challenge.

Spykers are the ultimate statement of individuality: a creation of timeless beauty in the form of a state of the art technology package with spectacular performance. Every Spyker is as much an individual as its discerning buyer. Identified by its chassis number and given its personality by the individual specifications of its owner which are perpetuated on the car's build sheet, it is updated whenever any work is done to it and available to owners on a personalized web page.
Every owner may follow the assembly process of his or her Spyker day and night by means of a dedicated web cam-system - The Spycam™ - in the factory, an absolute first in the motorcar industry.
We sincerely hope that you will enjoy the result of years and years of development and engineering and the lasting personal attention that we give to our cars and their proud owners.

Shah Rukh Khan will personally deliver a message on Alpine conservation.

The Alps needs people's awareness to save itself, and Bollywood -- which shoots 15-20 films on an average in Europe's major mountain range average year -- can help in a big way, says the head of the organisation tasked with preserving its ecosystem. He hopes Shah Rukh Khan will personally deliver a message on Alpine conservation.

The Alps had clear climate-mitigation policies but needed the awareness of the people for halting environmental degradation, Alpine Convention Secretary General Marco Onida told a gathering of 150 international environmental journalists here.

'There is a clear division between civil and political society,' said the head of the Austria-based organisation that implements the international agreement on protection and sustainable development of the Alpine region. 'People's awareness on the fragility of the Alps is very low.'

The resultant overuse of water and other resources is placing a huge strain on the Alpine ecosystem, which can be reduced if Bollywood units shooting in the area are aware of it and also spread the message among the increasing number of Indian tourists, Onida said.

The Swiss government has made special efforts to invite Indian film units. It designed a special programme for them in the beginning of 2009, and is now trying to rope in units from Tamil, Telugu, Bengali and Malayalam films as well.

According to Alpine Convention figures, 15-20 Hindi films are shot in the Alps in an average year. Innsbruck, capital city in the state of Tyrol in the Austrian Alps, is not only a famous winter sports centre and hub of tourism but also a favourite Bollywood shooting destination.

Onida says the Bollywood brigade seems unaware of its environmental responsibility but is by no means the worst culprit. 'We have even rowdier and more destructive visitors from elsewhere in the continent,' Onida told IANS.

But, he hoped, '(Bollywood star) Shah Rukh Khan will deliver a public message on Alpine environmental conservation. It will win the hearts and minds of more than just his fan club.'

The Alps is Europe's major mountain system, stretching from Austria and Slovenia in the east, through Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Germany, to France in the west.

With an area of over 207,000 sq. km, it is the main water source for Europe's major rivers like the Rhine, Po, Rhone and Danube.

The alpine permafrost, or permanently frozen subsoil, is no longer permanent, its temperatures have from 0.5 to 0.8 degrees Celsius in the last four decades, with decreasing snow cover.

'It's very worrying', says Onida, 'We are now facing a loss of Alpine biodiversity and migration of its fauna.'

Seasonal rain and snowfall patterns are changing and glaciers on the Alps have shrunk. There is also a newly-emerging phenomenon of natural disasters and hazards in the Alps with the thinning snows and the pressure to build new ski areas higher up on the glaciers.

In Galtur, the capital of the state of Tyrol in Austria and a famous winter sports centre and tourism hub, an avalanche in 1999 killed 31 people, sweeping houses in its path off the map.

On Dec 26, 2009, seven people, including four rescuers, were swept off in avalanches in the Trentino region of northern Italy. A BBC report quoted the head of Italy's civil service, Guido Bertolaso, as saying rescuers were being killed because people were ignoring warnings about conditions.

the local market has limited room for growth

Multinational whisky and beer companies are expanding their share of the local liquor market, as local liquor manufacturers are consumed by an ambition to take domestic products abroad.

Local manufacturers are pressured to expand abroad, as the local market has limited room for growth, industry officials said.

Local beer maker Hite Brewery said it exported a record 3.95 million cases of beer to Japan last year. Each case holds 200 bottles with each containing 500 milliliters of beer. The company said the "Premium Draft" beer it ships ranks as the No. 1 imported beer brand in Japan.

Hite Brewery said it also exported 410,000 cases to Iraq last year, demonstrating more than a 20-fold jump in exports since its first shipment made there in 2006.

In Mongolia, the company said the popularity of its beer has grown big enough to have an area in the city of Ulan Bator devoted to the drink with the name "Hite Street."

Hite said exports are also expanding to as many as about 30 markets, which includes China, the United States and Europe.

Jinro, Korea's major producer of the age-old white spirit, "soju," has been exporting the traditional liquor to as many as 50 countries. At the end of last year, it began exporting "makgeolli," a rice-based traditional wine, to Japan.

The country's leading soju maker said it introduced the "Jinro Liquor" to the Chinese market in January, a brand it specially developed and catered to the local taste, in order to secure a strong foothold in the world's largest consumer market. The company is now seeking to take the brand to other foreign markets.

Exports of makgeolli by Kooksoondang and the Seoul Rice Wine Manufacturing Association have also jumped.


Data by Statistics Korea showed that makgeolli exports last year reached about $6.27 million, a 41 percent surge from the previous year. By export destination, Japan ranked No. 1 by accounting for 86 percent of the total shipments, followed by the United States, China and Australia. The milky rice wine was shipped to about 20 countries, according to the government report.

Meanwhile, foreign liquor companies are making the opportunity to expand their market share in Korea.

Thanks to stepped up marketing efforts early last year, Oriental Brewery said it was able to raise the total sales of its flagship beer brand, Cass, to 79.95 million cases, a 1.5 percent jump compared to 2008.

Japan's Asahi beer brand saw sales hit a record high of 750,000 cases last year.


With the country's whisky market dominated by two leading whisky companies ? Pernod Ricard and Diageo Korea -- their brands command about 80 percent of the local market.

Industry experts noted that imported wine has also been expanding its presence. Although the sector suffered a slowdown last year amid the economic downturn, experts highlighted that the segment has been expanding by 30 percent on average each year.

Japan's traditional spirit, "sake," has also been experiencing a boom in Asia's fourth-largest economy.

Market experts say competition between domestic and foreign liquor companies has been fierce since the aftermath of the 1997-98 Asian financial crisis.

the first rewiring of genetic switches

Researchers have successfully carried out the first rewiring of genetic switches, creating what could be a vital tool for the development of new drugs and even future gene therapies.

A team of scientists from the School of Chemistry and the Manchester Interdisciplinary Biocentre (MIB) at The University of Manchester (U-M) have found a way of hijacking so-called 'riboswitches' and directing gene activity.

Working within cells of bacteria, chemical biologist and professor Jason Micklefield and his team have rewired these genetic switches so they are no longer activated by small naturally occurring molecules found in cells -- but through the addition of a synthetic molecule.

The work builds on the recent discovery that these naturally occurring molecules can turn genes on and off by triggering riboswitches found within a large molecule called messenger RNA.

The research was funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) and Selective Chemical Intervention in Biological Systems Initiative.

When the researchers added synthetic molecules, they bound to the riboswitches and caused the genes to spark into life.

The team monitored how successfully they had re-wired the cells by observing the creation of a gene product that makes the cells glow green.

Neil Dixon, senior researcher in the team, said: 'Being able to selectively activate and regulate genes could have tremendous impact in drug discovery and the emerging field of synthetic biology,' said a university release.

'The next big challenge is to apply this technology to study biological processes within human cells. This could allow us to discover more about our hugely complex biological selves.'

The findings are reported in the latest edition of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences