If you are like most consumers, the current economic environment and has you re-thinking your holiday shopping list. And, with holiday shopping now in full effect, what better time than now to start thinking about how you can save while still getting the perfect gift for everyone on your list. Nationally recognized consumer trends expert Drew Krasny has great gift ideas to help stretch your holiday dollar. He will discuss everything from the latest trends in gift giving and how to shop on a budget to tips on how to avoid the most common holiday shopping mistakes.
Christmas is a very busy time of year for Santa Claus! He has to get the sleigh ready, feed his reindeers, check his list to be sure he hasn't forgotten any good girls and boys… and make sure that the toys the elves have purchased are not only fun, but also safe!
This is the goal of the European Toy Safety Campaign that the European Commission has launched this month; it intends to show how to get the safest toys, and how to use them safely!
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://multivu.prnewswire.com/mnr/prne/europeancommission/52808/
The list of winners of the Institute's TOP SAFETY PICK award is longer than ever this year, with vehicles in nearly every size category the Institute evaluates earning accolades. From minicars to sedans to pickups, consumers have a record number of choices among 2012 models.
In all, 69 cars, 38 SUVs, 5 minivans, and 3 pickups earn TOP SAFETY PICK. The award recognizes vehicles that do the best job of protecting people in front, side, rollover, and rear crashes based on ratings in Institute evaluations. The ratings, which cover all 4 of the most common kinds of crashes, help shoppers pick vehicles that offer the highest levels of crash protection. Because the federal government now requires all 2012 and later passenger vehicles to have electronic stability control to help drivers avoid loss-of-control crashes, ESC no longer is a requirement to win as it was in prior years.
The winners’ circle includes 18 new recipients for 2012, while 97 models that previously qualified for the 2011 award carry over to 2012.
Food gifts that provide practicality, value and the opportunity to be shared with others are topping the list of hottest gifts for the 2011 holiday season. Omaha Steaks, named the largest direct gourmet food company in America by Multichannel Merchant, is at the forefront of this food gifting trend, which food industry experts say is energizing the nearly $20 billion specialty food gift market and positioning it for a larger share of the more than $120 billion that Americans spend annually on gifts.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/mnr/50940-omaha-steaks-leads-the-trend-america-s-favorite-holiday-gift
Trying to decide on that special gift for that “hard-to-buy-for” person on your holiday list? Epson has three ideas this year that are guaranteed to turn heads, make them smile and label your gift the best they’ll get this year. The Epson MegaPlex MG-50 combo digital dock projector, Epson Artisan® 730 all-in-one printer and LabelWorks™ LW-300 portable label printer help today’s digital lifestyles flourish – from mega sharing, to mobile printing to one-of-a-kind digital creations.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://multivu.prnewswire.com/mnr/epson/53217/
According to the “2011 Financial Reality Check Study” conducted by Genworth, 75% of Americans have never had a conversation about long term care with their loved ones. However, 70% would not know what to do if a family member were to require immediate long term care assistance; an alarming statistic considering that 6 out of 10 people will need long term care sometime during their lifetimes. The data also suggests consumers are suffering from overall financial planning inertia; however, the lack of education around long term care (LTC) planning can have significant consequences.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/mnr/52561-genworth-long-term-care-awareness-month
An information technology degree from Kaplan University could be the first step towards a potential information technology career.* Earning an IT degree online can seem like a daunting task, but Kaplan University faculty and staff are available to students through email, instant messaging, and phone calls as well as weekly online seminars.
Kaplan University students who have completed their online information technology degrees have gone on to work at major corporations including Microsoft and Ticketmaster. The IT degree program offered by Kaplan University presents students with real-world scenarios and offers the support to learn in an interactive environment. Constant communication and extensive resources positions Kaplan University among the top online universities.
Completing a university degree online allows the student to continue working full time while being able to take classes that fit into their busy schedules. Even in a difficult economy, a degree from Kaplan University is an investment in your future. Technological advances are not slowing down and those who can manage information technology and all that an IT degree encompasses could have a relevant career ahead of them.
* Kaplan University's programs are designed to prepare graduates to pursue employment in their field of study, or in related fields. However, the University does not guarantee that graduates will be placed in any particular job, eligible for job advancement opportunities, or employed at all. Additional training or certification may be required.
“The Information Systems and Technology programs at Kaplan [University] are very real-world and very relevant. Kaplan [University] teaches its students skills that are really necessary in today’s work place. One of the things we do for an incoming student at Kaplan [University] is we provide them very early on with some diagnostic testing that helps them identify not only their academic strengths and opportunities for learning, but also helps them identify their areas of interest and their strengths outside of the academic setting. From the first day the student virtually steps on to the campus they’re empowered to be successful.
Every day our faculty talk with students and help them think about how they can accomplish what they need to accomplish in order to be successful at school. They want to make sure that the students are comfortable in their environment and students will tell you that they can get a hold of anybody just about any time.
All of the faculty members have instant messaging and email capabilities and they have office hours where you can contact them or you can email them and they’ll always get back to you.
I have well over 300 students on my messenger list so there’s still a lot of that personalization and we try to get in there and really help the students succeed.
The support I got from my teachers and advisors was tremendous. They were caring and they seemed like they were really interested in what was going on.
We’re very serious about our work so that our students are learning and growing and when they graduate they’re prepared for what they’re doing. In the classroom we’re relaxed and we talk to each other.
I was very surprised; I actually met a lot of wonderful people online and I’ve made lifelong friends with them.
We have a seminar every week online where you meet with the instructor and all the students; it’s like a chat room. It involves an audio feature so they can hear the instructor speak. It allows for much more interactive questioning and dialogue so the student gets much more out of the seminar experience. We want to connect talent to success, to career and job success.
Now, with my education, I’ll be able to make better money which means better opportunities for my kids, my family and a better quality of life. The quality of education that I received at Kaplan University was superb. It was far beyond anything I could have imagined.
One of my former students has al
The 2011 Christmas Book was unveiled today by luxury retailer Neiman Marcus in Dallas. The 85th edition of this legendary book continues Neiman Marcus’s unmatched tradition of offering its customers a selection of spectacular and unique holiday gifts sure to make even their wildest dreams come true.
The arrival of the Christmas Book is considered by many to mark the official start of the holiday shopping season. This year’s edition of the Christmas Book carries on the Neiman Marcus tradition of presenting a refined selection of items across a broad range of categories for everyone on your holiday shopping list.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/mnr/51145-2011-neiman-marcus-christmas-book
It’s no surprise that parents and kids are feeling the pressure to get ready for school. There are school supplies to be bought, first-day outfits to be chosen, and fears to be calmed. However, that's not the end of the back-to-school list. A great start to the school year also means the healthiest start possible.
Therefore, it is imperative that parents take certain steps to promote healthy behaviors, improve nutrition and encourage healthy habits. So whether your child is a toddler or a teen, award-winning health and nutritional expert, Sharon Liao, is available for live interviews to share the latest information in health and nutrition, and will provide tips on how to maintain your child’s health and nutritional needs throughout the school year.
School is out for the summer and for many teens playing video or online games is high on their activity list. According to a new survey from Capital One Financial Corporation (NYSE:COF), 56 percent of teens say they spend 30 minutes or more playing video or online games on average each day, with 18 percent spending over two hours gaming. The good news is that over half (58 percent) of teens say that the games they play are at least sometimes educational, and 76 percent of the young people polled believe that educational gaming is a great way for them to learn.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://multivu.prnewswire.com/mnr/capitalone/51263/
The National Insurance Crime Bureau today released Hot Wheels—its list of the 10 most stolen vehicles in the United States. The report examines vehicle theft data submitted by law enforcement to the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) and determines the vehicle make, model, and model year most reported stolen in 2010.
See the full report at www.nicb.org.
To view Multimedia News Relase, go to http://multivu.prnewswire.com/mnr/nicb/50650/
LeapFrog Enterprises, Inc. (NYSE:LF), today unveiled LeapPad™, a personalized learning tablet designed for kids ages four and up. As the leader in educational entertainment, LeapFrog has combined the latest technology, enhanced educational curriculum, and most entertaining characters to fuel a child’s learning in a durable form factor that mirrors popular adult tablets. LeapPad, now available for pre-sale, is revolutionizing the way children learn by offering the next generation in learning, digital reading and personal creativity. Designed with best-in-class educational curriculum and featuring endless and fun ways to play, this new tablet will be on every family’s wish list this year.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://multivu.prnewswire.com/mnr/leapfrog/50860/
