Despite sluggish recovery by the nation’s economy, the restaurant industry is projected to expand in 2012, according to the National Restaurant Association’s 2012 Restaurant Industry Forecast released today. Total restaurant industry sales are expected to reach a record high of $632 billion in 2012 – a 3.5 percent increase over 2011, marking the second consecutive year that industry sales have topped $600 billion.
In addition, the restaurant industry will continue to fuel U.S. employment in the year ahead as the nation’s second largest private sector employer. Overall restaurant industry employment will reach 12.9 million in 2012, representing 10 percent of the total U.S. workforce.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/mnr/52982-national-restaurant-association-2012-restaurant-industry-forecast
The disaster at Japan’s Fukushima nuclear power station has made eminently clear that mankind has to look for alternative ways of meeting its energy needs – and quickly. Because demand for energy continues to rise. Today, every second person on the planet lives in a city. In Europe, this figure has passed the 70 percent mark. Urban centers around the globe account for over three quarters of worldwide energy consumption. That’s why the experts are working all-out on developing so-called “Metropolitan Solutions” – environmentally friendly energy supply and utility services concepts for today’s large urban centers.
With today’s launch of Windex® Mini, a concentrated refill pouch that uses 90 percent less plastic packaging than a traditional 26 fluid ounce trigger bottle, global environmental leader SC Johnson is taking another bold step to help consumers make greener choices.
Concentrates use less packaging, decrease shipping impacts and reduce waste that ends up in our nation’s landfills. Yet sales data shows U.S. consumers prefer not to refill their household cleaning bottles. This means stores won't stock concentrates and companies hesitate to create them. With this test, SC Johnson wants to understand how to motivate consumers and retailers to consider trading up from traditional cleaning methods to a greener choice.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://multivu.prnewswire.com/mnr/scjgreenerchoices/50904/
TruGreen, the nation’s largest professional lawn care service provider and part of the ServiceMaster family of brands, today debuts episode two in its webisode series, “Grow Curb Appeal,” to provide simple tips for enhancing your home’s outer charm. Jason Cameron, licensed contractor and TV host, stars in the seasonal webisodes, in which healthy lawns and landscapes play a leading role.
According to the National Association of Realtors, “Curb appeal sells 49 percent of all homes.” In TruGreen’s approximately two-minute “Grow Curb Appeal” episode two, Cameron demonstrates three tips for updating your home’s exterior magnetism this summer, while the home-selling season is in full swing. The instructional TV host expertly shares: how to create an attractive outdoor living space, how to achieve an inviting nighttime pathway, and how to deal with unsightly lawn discoloration.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/mnr/56365-trugreen-grow-curb-appeal-episode-two-jason-cameron-healthy-lawns
Today, hotels.com®, the leading provider of lodging worldwide, released its biannual Hotel Price Index™ (HPI®), revealing a 3 percent global price increase and a gradual recovery despite major natural catastrophes and world events affecting travel during the first half of the year. Room rates are still lower than their peak in mid-2007, indicating to travelers that good deals and value are within reach for consumers.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/mnr/52047-hotels-com-price-index-three-percent-global-increase-gradual-recovery
Today Safe Kids Worldwide released a new research report that found while the death rate among children from poisoning has been cut in half since the late 1970s, the percentage of all child poisoning deaths due to medications has nearly doubled, from 36 percent to 64 percent.
Safe Storage, Safe Dosing, Safe Kids: A Report to the Nation on Safe Medication examines trends in morbidity and mortality of medication poisoning among children ages 14 and under. The report underscores the challenge of medication-related poisoning among children and offers solutions that will reverse the trends. Safe Kids also proposes specific roles that parents and other caregivers, industry, governments, and the medical community can play in improving medication safety through safe storage and safe dosing.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/mnr/55155-safe-kids-worldwide-medication-safety-campaign-research-report
Verizon managers continue to step up to provide solid service on day five of a strike by the Communications Workers of America and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, answering customers’ calls, performing general customer service and responding to an increasing number of incidents of sabotage.
The company’s call centers answered 91 percent of incoming calls on Wednesday, and Verizon management call centers have repaired dozens of acts of sabotage to its network facilities since Aug. 6. In the face of adverse conditions, Verizon managers continue to increase their productivity while focusing on restoring customers’ service.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/mnr/51704-verizon-responds-to-union-strike
The American Pain Foundation (APF), in partnership with professional baseball player LaTroy Hawkins, acknowledges those suffering from Postherpetic Neuralgia (PHN) today, as it recognizes the second annual PHN Awareness Day. PHN Awareness Day was created to raise awareness to the pain caused by shingles and PHN, also known as after-shingles pain. Shingles is caused by the reactivation of the same virus that causes chickenpox and can affect an individual who has had chickenpox at anytime without warning. More than 90 percent of adults in the United States have had chickenpox, placing them at risk for shingles. One in every five of the 1 million Americans who have had shingles each year may go on to develop PHN, a potentially devastating condition that disproportionately affects those over the age of 50 or with weakened immune systems.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://multivu.prnewswire.com/mnr/nationalpainfoundation/45532/
Today, Valvoline™, a brand of Ashland Inc., announced the wide-scale availability of NextGen™ motor oil. The new formula is made from 50 percent recycled oil and delivers 100 percent Valvoline engine protection. NextGen motor oil is great for engines and better for the environment, exceeding industry specifications with reduced environmental impact compared to non-recycled motor oil.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://multivu.prnewswire.com/mnr/valvoline-nextgen/49478/
Orexigen® Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: OREX) today announced that the Light Study, a long-term research study of Contrave® (naltrexone SR/bupropion SR), a new, investigational drug being evaluated for weight loss, has begun enrolling patients at clinical sites throughout the United States. The Light Study is designed to assess the cardiovascular health outcomes of Contrave.
Nearly 93 million Americans are affected by obesity, and that number is predicted to increase to 120 million Americans within the next five years. More than one-third of adults in the United States are affected by obesity. Obesity increases the risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, some types of cancer, sleep apnea, and a variety of other conditions. Medical research suggests that losing just five percent of your body weight can significantly improve your health and reduce the risk of complications from type 2 diabetes and heart disease.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/mnr/56480-lightstudy
Tools are supposed to make normal life easier, at least that is how it should be. People with disabilities, however, are dependant on such tools in order to be able to live their lives in a normal way. Ten percent of the Germans live with a recognized disability - for these people - and for their families and carers - the fair RehaCare in Düsseldorf offers an array of already known devices - and some new ones are of course presented as well.
Vehicles are doing a better job of protecting people in crashes, but a new crop of advanced technology aims to prevent many crashes from happening altogether. A new study by the Highway Loss Data Institute (HLDI) finds that one kind of advanced forward collision avoidance system is working to prevent about a quarter of the common low-speed crashes that happen in everyday commuter traffic.
The study of insurance claims found that Volvo XC60 midsize SUVs outfitted with a standard collision avoidance feature called City Safety are far less likely to be involved in low-speed crashes than comparable vehicles without the system. City Safety is designed to help a driver avoid rear-ending another vehicle in slow-moving, heavy traffic. Claims under property damage liability coverage — the insurance that pays for damage to vehicles that an at-fault driver hits — were filed 27 percent less often for the XC60 than other midsize luxury SUVs.
For more information: www.iihs.org
