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FashionandEarth.com Launches Green Clothing Shopping Site Featuring Organic, Eco-Friendly Fashion

Wed, 23 Jul 2008 15:13:23 GMT

As green clothing retailer Fashion & Earth gears up its inventory of organic clothing for its September opening, shoppers can sign up to receive notifications and an early bird discount at FashionandEarth.com. Green clothing continues to rise in popularity, but still many shoppers are held back by a lack of variety in designs coupled with high prices. Fashion & Earth, a green clothing retailer, is about to change that with the launch of its new website www.FashionandEarth.com. The company is determined to make eco-friendly fashions accessible to everyone who has ever wanted to buy organic clothing but hasn’t been able to find suitable options. Set to open for clothing sales in September this year, FashionandEarth.com will be a one-stop-shop bringing together a variety of popular brands under one roof selling eco-friendly fashions and green clothing at affordable prices. “Finding green clothing that’s stylish, affordable and lasts well can be a challenge,” says Adrian Desbarats, president of Fashion & Earth. “Even though many people want to make clothing choices that are healthier for themselves and also better for the planet, they don’t always know where to turn. We aim to make it easier for everybody to access high-quality eco-friendly fashions that look and feel great to offer a truly sustainable solution to the environmental problems of the traditional garment industry.” The green clothing site will feature stylish yet comfortable everyday basics and career-wear including tops, jeans, jackets and shoes, as well as dresses, skirts and accessories from a variety of socially and environmentally responsible brands. The brands are subject to a stringent evaluation process to ensure alignment with Fashion & Earth’s requirements for organic fabrics, environmentally friendly manufacturing processes and fair trade practices, in addition to undergoing what Desbarats calls the “everyday person” test. “We aim to carry green clothing items that the everyday person loves to wear and can afford to buy...Click to read more

HawaiiGaga.com Launches Hawaii Vacation Rental Search Engine and Vacation Guide

Tue, 15 Jul 2008 14:57:29 GMT

HawaiiGaga.com has launched the world’s first human reviewed search engine designed specifically for Hawaii vacation rentals. The site contains the internet’s most comprehensive directory of Hawaii’s rental listings. HawaiiGaga.com also serves as a community and resource center for vacationers - a place where users can share vacation ideas, and most importantly, write rental reviews. HawaiiGaga.com gives people the information they need to plan the perfect holiday and showcases Hawaii’s natural attractions with hundreds of panoramic photos. Interactive maps, guides and discussion forums further aid tourists in discovering the islands. Hawaii’s vacation rentals are scattered across thousands of web sites. Most rentals are listed in more than one location but don’t include a name or unit number making them difficult to identify. Rentals can also be listed by both agents and owners, often at different price points. Searching and sifting through all the choices is a time consuming and daunting task for vacationers. HawaiiGaga.com finds, organizes, and catalogs rental listings for vacationers, presenting the results in a highly organized way. “Some tourists are hesitant to stay in vacation rentals even though they provide unique comforts and cost effectiveness,” believes CEO James Pretorius. “Relative to hotels, the rental industry is disorganized, inconvenient, and lacks credibility. By acting as the gateway to Hawaii’s vacation rentals, HawaiiGaga.com addresses all these concerns and is uniquely positioned to act as an advocate for the industry.” HawaiiGaga.com features many tools to help people to find rentals that match their preference. Some of the site’s bigger attractions are...Click to read more.

New Site Provides Advice On North Carolina Family Law

Fri, 13 Jun 2008 14:18:03 GMT

URL: http://www.northcarolinafamilylawnews.com
The Raleigh, North Carolina law firm Gailor Wallis & Hunt (GWH) recently launched the North Carolina Family Law web site, located at northcarolinafamilylawnews.com. The content is delivered in familiar blog style, with an RSS feed option, and is designed to educate people on matters of North Carolina family law. Presented by the family law attorneys at Gailor, Wallis & Hunt the news website offers help on topics including Divorce From Bed and Board, Absolute Divorce, Equitable Distribution, Child Custody & Child Support, and Paternity. Recent posts include Protecting Your Business In a Divorce, Autism and Custody Issues, and When Co-Parenting Doesn't Work. GWH attorneys are very knowledgeable about family law matters, such as general divorce issues. In addition, each lawyer has honed a special skill within the area of family law, i.e., family law appeals, complex business valuations, domestic violence, assault and battery, etc., as a result the goal to achieve a very high level of competence and focus is accomplished on every case matter. Carole Gailor, the founding partner of the firm, has been named a 2008 Super Lawyer and has an extensive resume that illustrates her vast knowledge of the law. Gailor became a board-certified family law specialist in 1989, and was admitted to the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers...Click to read more.

Tags: Raleigh, North Carolina, Family Law, North Carolina Family Law

TaxDiversity.com Addresses Shortage of Corporate Tax Professionals

Tue, 10 Jun 2008 15:20:18 GMT

URL:http://www.taxdiversity.com

A new initiative addressing the lack of diverse personnel within the tax profession aims to stave off a potential shortage of corporate tax professionals at a time when government regulation and financial requirements of large corporations are increasing. Tony Santiago, owner of Tax Search, Inc. and TaxTalent.com, recently launched TaxDiversity.com, a collaborative tax profession project focused on improving the diversity of both minorities and women in the tax profession as the traditional white male population begins to retire in large numbers. “As a recruiting firm and industry resource, we saw a lack of diversity particularly among minorities in the tax profession, as well as a lack of women in senior leadership roles,” says Santiago. “With the number of retirees increasing fast and a long retraining time required for new hires, we must reach out to all populations quickly or there could be dire consequences. While individual companies have developed certain initiatives, no one has stepped up to create a comprehensive plan encompassing the entire tax profession.”

In fact, a recent survey of U.S. tax professionals conducted by the company found that more than 68% said that racial diversity at the senior executive level within the tax profession was below average or poor, and nearly half said that the availability of support systems to promote diversity among tax professionals was below average or poor. The center of the effort is TaxDiversity.com, a Web site where students and professionals can view job openings, participate in forums, read case studies, watch video commentary from successful minority tax professionals and...Click to read more.

Tags: tax, accounting, diversity, minorities, business

MastersinNursing.com - Guide to Accredited Schools offering Master's Degree in Nursing

Fri, 06 Jun 2008 16:27:16 GMT

URL: http://www.MastersinNursing.com

Content rich site has quickly become a widely trusted source for seekers of information about Nursing Master's Degree programs

Recently launched MastersinNursing.com is a guide to accredited programs offering a Master's Degree in Nursing. It was built because prospective students often have questions about the various Master's Degrees offered in Nursing. Existing lists on the Internet were not comprehensive, easy to find, and many sites had outdated information and links. MastersinNursing.com was created to serve as an aid to potential graduate nursing students. The site focuses on the nursing school topics that are most commonly asked about and searched for, such as nursing degree differences, finding a comprehensive list of schools, locating reliable and current school information, etc. The newly completed site is upgraded and changed on a consistent basis with information garnered from nursing professors and schools in the United States. It is a one page site that lists hundreds of schools and is sorted alphabetically and by state. Every accredited (CCNE or NLNAC) school that offers a Master's Degree in Nursing is included as well as a short description for each school to help guide future nursing students in their search. Additionally, if a school or nursing program is listed on the U.S. News "America's Best Graduate Schools" this is also included. MastersinNursing.com is expected to save time and be a benefit to future Master's in Nursing students.

Tags: MastersinNursing.com, nursing, nursing masters degree, graduate nursing students

ShrinkTheWeb.com Releases Full Featured Free Website Thumbnail Generator

Thu, 05 Jun 2008 18:03:23 GMT

ShrinkTheWeb (http://www.shrinktheweb.com), the premier offering from Imagion’s “Creativity Initiative” is moving out of its BETA period to provide unique design tools based on website thumbnails. With an exclusive PRO feature set backed by great support and coupled with the most extensive free basic service in the industry, ShrinkTheWeb is bound to be a favorite of webmasters world-wide. ShrinkTheWeb offers a powerful and full featured free service for which all other site thumbnail providers charge a varying and substantial fee. However, STW goes one step further by adding affordable, fee-based “PRO” features not found elsewhere. “We basically just asked several hundred webmasters what their ‘Wish List’ would be and then designed the innovative PRO feature set around their answers. Judging from the high number of testimonials we received in such a short time, I believe we have achieved our goal of designing an easy-to-use system that pays for itself by increasing conversions,” says Brandon Elliott, CEO of ShrinkTheWeb. Previously, webmasters were rarely able to use other similar services due to reliability issues, high costs and implementation...Click to read more.

Tags: ShrinkTheWeb.com, thumbnails, website thumbnails, webmasters, webmaster tools, Brandon Elliott

Consumers Go Online To Find Best Gas Credit Cards at CompareCards.com

Thu, 29 May 2008 20:22:55 GMT

URL: http://www.CompareCards.com During summer the travel season, one of the site’s most popular research areas is the Gas Credit Card Comparison page, where consumers find and apply for a gas credit card that can save at the pump.

Consumers, professionals and small business owners interested in finding the best credit card for their individual needs can now do it quickly and easily at CompareCards.com.

Loaded with functionality and user-friendly features, CompareCards.com offers a side-by-side credit card compare option, editor reviews and end-user reviews.

With the approaching summer travel season and the high price of gas, one of the site’s most popular research areas is the Gas Credit Card Comparison page, that lets consumers find and apply for a gas credit card that can help them save up to 5% at the pump.

Using the site’s “Recommender Tool,” visitors can identify the features they most want in a card and receive a list of available cards for review in a matter of seconds.

Applications for the card of choice can be completed online and many offer instant approval in less than 60 seconds. “There are so many credit card offers on the market today that finding the right one can be overwhelming,” said Chris Mettler, CompareCards.com President. “Our site has been designed to make the process of finding the right card safe, secure, and simple. We’ve put an emphasis on developing functionality & content that is user-friendly, meaningful and provides an open forum that will help consumers make the best credit decision for their situation.”

Tags: Consumers, best credit cards, CompareCards.com, Gas Credit Card

Soundboard.com Audio Sharing Site Is Live and Making Noise

Wed, 28 May 2008 19:34:48 GMT

URL: http://www.soundboard.com Soundboard.com (below) has quickly become one of the Internet’s largest libraries of sound bites and categorized soundboards.

Nicknamed ‘SoundTube’ by its users, after the massively popular video-sharing site, Soundboard.com made its official debut in April after 16 months in BETA. Yet despite its long trial status, Soundboard.com is already one of the Internet’s largest and most popular audio sharing sites and resources.

“It didn’t take long to learn that great audio is sticky and viral,” said Soundboard.com Creative Director Mike Mitchell. “We give users all the tools they need to record, catalog, customize and share their audio worldwide. Before us, you had to either know Flash, graphic design and HTML or hire someone to build a soundboard.”

The idea for Soundboard.com was born three years ago out of frustration with the scattered nature of sound bites, as well as the multitude of formats and players needed to navigate and enjoy audio on the Web. “It was a nightmare,” said Mitchell. “Great sound bites were impossible to locate and even harder to listen to. That’s where Soundboard came from, not YouTube.” Mitchell acknowledges that similarities exist, as YouTube has captured the video market while Soundboard is out to control audio. Originally designed as a software program for personal use, Soundboard has morphed into an online application and service. “While we have not emulated them, we can’t deny that the basic fundamentals are the same,” said Mitchell. “And the objectives are certainly similar as well.”

Mitchell cites Soundboard’s mission to centralize, categorize and standardize audio sound bites as the key to its success, giving its users the ability to share and spread their sound across multiple platforms and sites. And so far, the formula has proven successful. Since its launch date, Soundboard.com users have uploaded more than 120,000 MP3 sound bites for visitors to listen to on nearly 9,000 categorized soundboards, including history, travel, games, movies and sports.

And listen they have, with the Web 2.0 site registering a whopping 16 million downloads in March, up from 11 million in January and 50,000 since its first month. Visitors can listen to clips, download tracks, or embed boards on their site, blog or profile.

“Our growth and success prior to launch was not expected,” said Mitchell. “We haven’t marketed Soundboard.com in any way. It’s all word of mouth.” Mitchell credits this organic popularity to bloggers and social networks like MySpace, as well as social bookmark sites like StumbleUpon and Del.icio.us. Early adopters have included gamers, production studios, voice talent and radio stations. “We’ve made it easy for them to manage and share their audio. Certain sectors and industries are already taking advantage,” Mitchell said.

In other words, they’re learning to utilize audio as another weapon in the marketing arsenal – much as video has come of age in online advertising. Or as Mitchell puts it, “they’ve learned that people spread and share great audio too.”

Tags: Soundboard.com, audio sharing, soundtube, audio library

Microsoft Launches WorldWide Telescope for Space Exploration

Tue, 20 May 2008 18:10:29 GMT

WorldWide Telescope, is a rich Web application that brings together imagery from the best ground- and space-based observatories across the world to allow people to easily explore the night sky through their computers. WorldWide Telescope has been eagerly anticipated by the astronomical and educational communities as a compelling astronomical resource for students and lifelong learners, and as a way to make science fun for children. “The WorldWide Telescope is a powerful tool for science and education that makes it possible for everyone to explore the universe,” said Bill Gates, chairman of Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT). “By combining terabytes of incredible imagery and data with easy-to-use software for viewing and moving through all that information, the WorldWide Telescope opens the door to new ways to see and experience the wonders of space. Our hope is that it will inspire young people to explore astronomy and science, and help researchers in their quest to better understand the universe.” The application itself is a blend of software and Web 2.0 services created with the Microsoft high-performance Visual Experience Engine, which allows seamless panning and zooming around the heavens with rich image environments. WorldWide Telescope stitches together terabytes of high-resolution images of celestial bodies and displays them in a way that relates to their actual position in the sky. People can freely browse...Click to read more

Tags: WorldWide Telescope, Bill Gates, Microsoft, astronomy, science

DisabilitySecrets.com - Social Security Disability Claims Advice From Former Examiner

Tue, 20 May 2008 18:06:48 GMT

DisabilitySecrets.com provides information on the two disability benefit programs administered by the United States Social Security Administration under authority granted by the Social Security Act. Those two disability benefit programs are known as social security disability insurance (SSDI) and supplemental security income (SSI) and are established, respectively, under titles 2 and 16 of the social security act. Begun in 2003, the website offers detailed overviews of the disability evaluation process. It also provides answers to numerous questions regarding applications for disability, how to file appeals in the event of a denial, how to prepare for hearings before a federal administrative law judge, and how to otain representation. Beyond the basics, more information is provided to answer questions that disability claimants often have, but, despite having access to social security field office representatives when they file for benefits or pursue an appeal, often have trouble finding answers to. These questions cover a wide range of topics but often include "How long will it take to receive a decision?", "What are the odds of winning during an appeal?", "How do I prepare for a hearing?", and "Should I get representation?" To answer these questions, which go beyond even detailed information concerning the mechanics of social security disability and SSI, the site draws heavily upon the unique perspective of its author, a former social security administration disability claims examiner.

Tags:DisabilitySecrets.com, disability benefits, SSDI, SSI, Disability Claims Advice

Evergreen Developments Group Launches Web Site for Northern Cyprus Properties

Mon, 12 May 2008 21:21:01 GMT

URL: http://www.evergreendevelopments.com
Evergreen Developments Group of Kyrenia, North Cyprus has launched a new site at evergreendevelopments.com to showcase North Cyprus real estate opportunities.

On Evergreen’s web site, you can search properties by price, location, amenities, title deed types, and more. Once you find a property of interest, full details including floor plans, photos, and a list of availability in pricing can all be found on the site to ensure you are making an informative decision on your purchase.

Also, you will find Evergreen’s latest Mortgage and special payment offers on beachfront properties, along with news and helpful information on North Cyprus including North Cyprus legalities and property purchase process.

Finally, to fully accommodate clients who cannot visit North Cyprus regularly, Evergreen offers an RSS feed so clients can keep posted on construction progress, by viewing current photos of their properties in each build phase.

Whether you are seeking the ideal overseas property investment, a holiday home in the sun or a retirement home in the Mediterranean, where the cost of living, sunny weather and natural surroundings will afford you a lifestyle you have only dreamed of, Evergreen Developments Group, has apartment and villa options to suit every budget and taste.

Tags: Evergreen Developments, North Cyprus, real estate

Music Sharing Mega-Site Ucombo.com Launches Download Store

Thu, 08 May 2008 20:18:54 GMT

http://www.ucombo.com
Ucombo.com, the much-touted music sharing website for professional and budding artists has opened up another opportunity for musicians to market their original tracks, for free. A virtual download store powered by Ucombo.com can be accessed from a link posted on any website, including MySpace and Facebook. This will allow fans to purchase and download MP3's using Paypal technology.

Ucombo.com, founded by Benefito, Inc. in December 2007, began its quest to bring together both musicians and music lovers by providing a free venue where all types of music from different genres could be uploaded by aspiring artists and professional performers, to be enjoyed and downloaded by music enthusiasts.

Now, Ucombo.com is taking this popular music community a step further by allowing musicians to actually sell their original tracks online. This is made possible by virtual stores run by the site which enable artists to incorporate several tools, including providing a short demo of their music for sale. Performers can put up as many tracks as they want on the block and build up a fan base by inviting their friends to sign up to Ucombo.com and vote for their music. The more votes an artist receives, the wider the promotion generated for their music, and the greater the chances they have of selling their work.

From pop, rock and alternative to hip-hop, r&b and classical, plus everything else in between, all of these original music tracks composed and rendered by amazing talents will not go unnoticed at Ucombo.com. The universal appeal of site's slogan, "Share the Music" is further enhanced by this new service. While providing the opportunity to promote innovative and original sounds, the new download store also gives artists the chance to earn money for their music.

Ucombo.com will provide free and user-friendly tools for musicians to operate their own online store, without requiring any programming skills to design or run it. In fact, aspiring and professional musicians can do away with the need for a middleman, instead use a Paypal Premier or Business account to get paid immediately, without having to accumulate a certain amount. As soon as fans purchase an MP3, Paypal will verify payment and Ucombo.com will send the buyer a link to download their chosen track. Artists can withdraw payment as soon as they log on to their Paypal account.

This new service will allow greater proliferation of new sounds by new artists, practically doing away with the need for associating with a big-name record label. This opportunity to promote music for free and earn from it at the same time will benefit musical artists and music lovers alike.

Tags: Ucombo.com, music sharing, musicians, music

New Customer Review Directory BView.co.uk Highlights Best and Worst UK Companies

Tue, 06 May 2008 17:56:39 GMT

URL:http://www.bview.co.uk
Rogue traders have nowhere to hide as new Customer Review Directory highlights best practice and exposes the worst UK companies via customer feedback and credit ratings. bview.co.uk is the first unbiased, online reviews directory that highlights the UK's best and worst practice companies - as ranked by their customers. Unlike opt-in business directories and review sites, BView lists the details of 2.3 million preloaded UK companies, as well as free company credit ratings, customer reviews and ratings. This interactive customer review directory encourages better business practice by helping customers make informed decisions to avoid bad companies and connect with their customers, through their own BView business page. Customers can now search through league tables of businesses ranked by their customers. A regularly updated “BView Score” is given to every business by customers rating the Quality, Reliability and Value of the products and services they received. The score is calculated from a unique algorithm and weighted according to the reviewers’ profile and BView influence. “We are already finding companies competing to be the top business in their industry with the best ‘BView Score’”, says BView CEO, Brad Liebmann. “This level of transparency is the only way forward for UK businesses. We passionately believe that rogue traders should have nowhere to hide; the only way to source reliable suppliers is to BView before you buy.” Leading SME expert Prof Andrew Burke of Cranfield School of Management believes BView is pro-competition: “This is a fairly radical transformation of the dominant economic model. The site encourages innovation as businesses now need to be more competitive and responsive to consumer needs, thereby strengthening the UK economy...

Tags: Brad Liebmann, Andrew Burke, Customer Review Directory, UK, Rogue traders, Online Directory

JewelryDays.com Relaunches Diamond & Jewelry Site With New Features, Amazon Partnership

Mon, 05 May 2008 14:55:06 GMT

JewelryDays.com Relaunches Diamond & Jewelry Site With New Features, Amazon Partnership

URL: http://www.JewelryDays.com

JewelryDays.com, the premier site on the web for purchasing loose diamonds and diamond jewelry today announced it has partnered with Amazon Web Services. The partnership will enable customers searching for jewelry a quicker, easier and safer way to shop online. The newly designed and updated website will be located at www.JewelryDays.com.

The new site offers a fresh look that enables customers the ability to find exactly what they are looking for faster than ever. The site will also allow customers to explore the Jewelry Days "Top sellers," customer reviews and recently viewed jewelry items.

"We are pleased to be working closely with Amazon in developing our store brand and reach. By utilizing Amazon's web services we can offer our customers an even better and safer online shopping experience," said Jewelry Days president, Axay Shah.

He continued, "Our partnership with Amazon really helps us maintain a consistently high quality customer experience, and at the same time increases our marketing options for Jewelry Days.com. Amazon web services has collaborated with us in thoughtfully integrating our products and transitioning to a much more consolidated delivery system."

Also available on the JewelryDays.com site is the Jewelry Industry Trends Blog and Jewelry Guide - A complete library for gem & jewelry information.

Jewelry Days.com is the premier site on the web for exploring and purchasing diamonds and diamond jewelry. The company provides a vast selection of top-quality diamonds and diamond jewelry at dramatic savings. Its innovative diamond search technology evaluates the cost, size and quality of the diamond to help consumers make informed and customized purchase decisions. Consumers can graphically see the tradeoffs required when weighing each of these factors, and speak to or e-mail professional graduate gemologists with their questions. Each diamond is certified for grade by an independent diamond testing laboratory, and jewelry purchase backed by our 100% satisfaction guarantee.

Tags: J ewelryDays.com, Axay Shah, loose diamonds, diamond jewelry, Amazon

Leaderpromos.com Announces Launch of New Promotional Products Site

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 19:29:52 GMT

URL: http://www.leaderpromos.com
Leaderpromos, one of the top promotional products distributors in the Midwest, recently relaunched leaderpromos.com, a state-of-the art, user-friendly website that has revolutionized the promotional products industry. "Leaderpromos.com is all about the customer. It is simple to use, and contains over 15,000 promotional products - one of the most comprehensive sites in the industry," said Stephanie Leader, President and CEO. "Not only does leaderpromos.com make the shopping experience quick and seamless, the site is filled with great advice and creative tools to help the user purchase a one-of-a-kind, memorable promotional item." According to Leader, the previous leaderpromos.com website making it one of the most visited promotional products websites on the Internet. "Our clients are first attracted by our web presence, and become long term customers due to our competitive pricing and outstanding customer service. We understand that our customers are the #1 reason for our success," Leader added. "We launched the new site to help make their promotional products purchasing a pleasure, rather than a chore. In our country's current economic situation, employees have less time in their workdays to worry about navigating through a complicated website, and are looking for solid, seamless shopping experience. That's where leaderpromos.com comes in."Leader explained that many of leaderpromos.com's features are firsts in the promotional products industry. The "Wish List" feature is especially helpful to clients. The visitor can select an unlimited number of products to add to their Wish List, and save for future review, and even create a presentation of their promotional product recommendations for management's review.
The "Must Haves" feature is updated regularly, and features the newest and hottest promotional items...Click to read more

Tags: Stephanie Leader,Leaderpromos,promotional products

ShortSqueeze.com Helps Investors Profit Via Short Selling

Wed, 23 Apr 2008 16:57:26 GMT

URL: http://ShortSqueeze.com
Short selling is gaining a huge following, but many investors know very little about this lucrative trading style. Short sellers identify a stock they believe is going to go down in price. When these traders target a stock it can cause a flood of selling. Short interest in stocks is at an all-time high this month. So, how do you know if your portfolio might fall victim to short selling? ShortSqueeze.com offers free, proprietary short interest stock reports, so you can see if your stocks are targeted. ShortSqueeze.com tracks short interest data in NASDAQ, NYSE and AMEX stocks and helps traders identify which companies the short sellers believe are going down. Large volumes of short selling can weigh heavily on a stock. Anyone can access the company’s proprietary information and receive free short interest stock quotes from their website at http://shortsqueeze.com. ShortSqueeze.com was founded by Dylan Wetherill, who started his career as a stock trader, relying upon short interest data to help guide his trading decisions. With this information, he gained valuable insight into the catalysts that cause powerful changes in stock prices. Wetherill says “The world's best traders and fund managers have long understood the power that stock short interest can play on price moves in the market. Our research is designed to help you find powerful opportunities - both long and short - and gain from the timing of dramatic changes in stock price. ShortSqueeze.com provides our members with an exclusive edge in the market.”

Tags: ShortSqueeze.com, Dylan Wetherill, short interest, stock prices, short selling

SimonVolkov.com Helps Real Estate Investors Find Distressed Properties at Deep Discounts

Tue, 08 Apr 2008 17:40:06 GMT

URL: http://www.simonvolkov.com/investors/

With rapidly declining asking prices, skyrocketing foreclosures and mortgage rates on a downward trend, the real estate market is becoming a dream for investors. Now one noted real estate investor, Simon Volkov (http://www.simonvolkov.com), says it's time to start buying--and he's even giving investors access to real estate investment notes at just seventy cents on the dollar at current market prices. Volkov has launched a real estate investment group, http://www.simonvolkov.com/investors/, open to novice and serious investors alike. Members must perform their own due diligence and be ready to close on foreclosures, short sales and other distressed properties within 30 days with cash in hand. Volkov will provide the group with discounted real estate notes from around the country, making it possible to purchase homes with significant equity built in. "All the crucial factors--low interest, high inventory levels and correspondingly low prices--are in place to create one of the best opportunities in history to invest in real estate,"? Volkov explained. "The foreclosure floodgates are about to open, and our members are going to reap the rewards." While less experienced investors spent the last few years snapping up real estate at ridiculously high prices and now find themselves overextended, Volkov was working with banks to purchase foreclosed and lender-owned properties at wholesale prices. Those--and many other single-family residences in foreclosure--are the properties he now offers through his real estate investment group...

Tags: Simon Volkov, distressed properties, home foreclosures, real estate investing

Layover.com Launches myLayover.com Truckers Social Network

Thu, 03 Apr 2008 12:50:32 GMT

URL: http://www.myLayover.com
Layover.com, the leading internet destination for the long-haul truck driver, expands its already large network of trucker-specific tools by giving those in the trucking industry their own personal space on the internet at www.myLayover.com.

myLayover brings the full power of the latest internet-based social networking tools to bear and puts them at the fingertips of the driver. The new site's tagline, "Where Truckers Connect" aptly describes a destination that cuts through the clutter to be found on today's popular social-networking websites and allows a trucking-specific destination for drivers nationwide to connect with each other and their communities.

myLayover collects all the popular tools and features found on the latest social sites such as Flickr, YouTube! Blogger, MySpace, and others, and lays them out in one central location. "Being able to communicate over long distances, all over the country, with pictures, video, blogs, and other media is the strength of the internet," says Bruce Martin, President of Layover.com. "Of course, long-haul truckers have been doing this forever in one form or another, which makes these social networking tools ideal for the driver. Collecting all of these tools in one place makes it more convenient for the trucker given his or her lifestyle."

Current and new Layover.com users who sign up for an account in myLayover will be able to take advantage of creating their own blog, uploading their pictures from the road, as well as uploading and posting their own videos. Handy lists of "what's new" will let users in on the latest activity from other users on the road. Tags: layover.com, trucking, truckers, truck drivers, social network

World's Oldest Sound Recording On Web at FirstSounds.org

Fri, 28 Mar 2008 13:36:41 GMT

URL: http://www.firstsounds.org/sounds/
A group of researchers has succeeded in playing the world's oldest sound recording of a human voice made in 1860 – 17 years before Thomas Edison invented the phonograph. Roughly ten seconds in length, the recording is of a person singing “Au clair de la lune, Pierrot répondit” – a snippet from a French folksong. It was made on April 9, 1860 by Parisian inventor Édouard-Léon Scott de Martinville on his “phonautograph” – a device that scratched sound waves onto a sheet of paper blackened by the smoke of an oil lamp. Scott never dreamed of playing back his recordings. But this morning, the dream Scott never had will come true. A cadre of audio historians, recording engineers, and scientists working in conjunction with the First Sounds initiative has transformed Scott’s smoked-paper tracings into sound. They will premiere Au Clair de la Lune today at the annual conference of the Association for Recorded Sound Collections at Stanford University. You can access the recording as an mp3 file now at http://www.firstsounds.org/sounds/. Examples of sounds evoked from French and American phon-autograph recordings made between 1857 and 1878 will also be played publicly for the first time. First Sounds historians Patrick Feaster and David Giovannoni began their search for surviving phonautograph recordings, or phonautograms, in the fall of 2007. In October they studied 19 examples held by the Edison National Historic Site, made in 1878 by Edison and his associates to study the noise of the Metropolitan Elevated Railroad in Manhattan. In December they identified two specimens at the Institut National de la Propriété Industrielle (the French patent office), which Léon Scott deposited with his patent applications of 1857 and 1859. And in February they con-firmed the survival of nearly a dozen phonautograms deposited by Scott at the Académie des Sciences of the Institut de France. These include Scott’s first experiments from 1853 or 1854, as well as his most technically-accomplished recordings from 1860...

Read the full press release.

Tags - firstsounds.org, Berkeley Lab, ARSC, Édouard-Léon Scott de Martinville, Au Clair de la Lun e

CemeterySpot.com Provides Online Memorial Resources and Community

Wed, 26 Mar 2008 13:59:55 GMT

URL: http://www.CemeterySpot.com

CemeterySpot.com has created an online memorial community for people who want a high quality way to remember their loved ones. CemeterySpot provides each of its online memorials with a unique web address within a full featured, content rich, online memorial community with features that replicate a real world memorial experience. CemeterySpot.com has many features not available on other memorial sites. These features include your choice of virtual grave monument, cremation urn or mausoleum in various styles, textures and colors; as well as, an audio or video eulogy and GPS location. Did the person want to have his/her final place of rest at the mountains or the beach? There is a choice of scenic locations, or, just upload your own. If you want to upload a personal photo of the actual grave site, urn or mausoleum, no problem, there is an option for that too. In addition, each CemeterySpot.com memorial includes a high quality user-friendly framework with About Me, photo Gallery, Tributes, Legacy and Guest Book pages. With its feedback system you can obtain assistance from other memorial “Spot” owners, and even obtain free hosting and additional free memorials. Visitors to a CemeterySpot memorial “Spot” can leave OnSite Memorial Gifts that reside on the memorial grave, urn or mausoleum site. They include flowers, various ribbons, an angel, teddy bear and rag doll. And, they are similar to what would often be left by well-wishers at a cemetery. “While developing CemeterySpot we investigated many different ways to approach the need for online memorials. A recurring response was that honoring a dearly departed loved one was a very sensitive and spiritual situation which deserved a high quality, full featured, premium experience. And so, we developed CemeterySpot to meet those needs.” said Hal Stevens, President...

Presidential Video Biographies Lend Insight To 2008 Election at PBS American Experience Site

Wed, 12 Mar 2008 13:31:59 GMT

URL: http://www.pbs.org/presidents/2008
PBS’ American Experience has launched The Presidents Online at http://www.pbs.org/presidents/2008, as the online component of an unprecedented public television initiative that, for the first time, will make available more than 25 hours of presidential programming online, on TV, and on the go. The project comes at a critical moment in American politics: this year, American voters will take part in a landmark election, where for the first time in over a half-century, neither the sitting President nor vice president is a contender for the Oval Office. In the coming months, voters will wrestle with tough questions and campaign issues: Who should we trust? How do we end a war? Who is best suited to lead the nation in a volatile world? With The Presidents, AMERICAN EXPERIENCE provides an invaluable historical roadmap — helping viewers to understand where we have been, so that they may better decide where we are going. Visitors to the Campaign ’08 Web site will select provocative questions that connect today’s domestic and international issues and candidate platforms with yesterday’s leaders. For example, by selecting “How do you end a war?” users will be able to scan video segments about the resolutions of World War II, the Vietnam War, and the Cold War. The site currently features five such questions, which will be updated to reflect hot button election issues leading up to November 2008. Seven films – more than twenty-five hours in all- will be streamed for online viewing, and available for download, beginning with FDR, Truman, and Reagan in February. In the coming months, programs examining Lyndon Johnson, Richard Nixon, and Jimmy Carter will follow. Finally, after a premiere television broadcast on PBS, a new profile of the 41st President, George H.W. Bush, will launch on May 6...click to read more.

Tags: PBS, American Experience, History, Presidential Election, Video Biographies

Colle+McVoy Helps Kids Heal Through Art With Launch of ArtIsAGift.com

Mon, 03 Mar 2008 15:44:25 GMT

Colle+McVoy Helps Kids Heal Through Art With Launch of ArtIsAGift.com
Advertising Agency Colle+McVoy has launched a web site that allows users to create their own designs on a popular miniature Qee figurine, while also learning about programs that help abused and at-risk children heal through art. “We believe children and adults can benefit from the healing affects of art,” said Christine Fruechte, president of Colle+McVoy. “It is powerful to see how the creative imaginations of children come to life, build self esteem, and have a profound impact on our staff.” “When I worked with these children, I had no idea how much they would touch my heart,” said Katy Viehman, account executive at Colle+McVoy. “Being able to spend time with these amazing young artists was very special to me.” “The generosity and creativity shown by Colle+McVoy has been overwhelming,” said Michelle Silverman, executive director of Free Arts Minnesota. “This most recent effort brightened the day for thousands of children living in very tough situations. This project has taken on a life of its own ever since.” To view some of these truly amazing pieces of art and to create your very own Qee online, log onto www.collemcvoy.com or www.artisagift.com.

Tags: Colle+McVoy, Free Arts Minnesota, ArtIsAGift.com, Qee figurine, Minnesota .

Iminta.com Launches New Social Aggregation Site

Tue, 12 Feb 2008 17:41:46 GMT

Iminta.com (www.iminta.com) announced today that it is launching the public beta of its new social aggregation site. Internet users can collect all their online profiles from services such as Digg, Flickr, YouTube, Yelp, Twitter, last.fm and others in one place, turn their content into a single online profile, share it with friends and colleagues, and use the site's unique filters and permissions to determine who sees what. "I wanted to create a place where my friends and I could share what we're into online, even when we use different sites, without having to send an email every time," said Aaron Newton, Iminta.com's founder, "but I also wanted to control what content each person sees. Maybe I love my friend's photos, but I hate his music. Iminta is unique because it lets you filter what others see in your profile and what you see in theirs with a great degree of control. And it's as easy as clicking the 'Favorite' button below a YouTube video...click to read more.

Trump Soho Hotel Condominium Debuts On Web

Fri, 08 Feb 2008 20:12:59 GMT

URL: http://www.trumpsoho.com
Donald J. Trump, The Sapir Organization and Bayrock Group have introduced the Trump SoHo Hotel Condominium New York, the first downtown New York hotel condominium project from The Trump Organization. The five-star property at 246 Spring Street is the only luxury hotel condominium in SoHo and Trump's first foray into the fashionable downtown neighborhood. The newly launched Trump SoHo Hotel Condominium web site at www.trumpsoho.com offers visitors the opportunity to browse the site in a flash mode or HTML. Both versions feature an interactive 360 degrees exterior view of the building with the details of each image and view. Visitors can view large format pictures/renderings of unit interiors, with animations, detailed floor plans, etc. Readers will also find information about the SoHo neighborhood and SoHo history, with spectacular interactive 360 degree panoramic views from the...click to read more

Technorati Tags: Donald Trump, SoHo, New York, Condominium

New Site Connects Iowa Schools and Farms to Improve Nutrition

Wed, 06 Feb 2008 20:48:28 GMT

Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey recently announced a new website for the Iowa Farm-to-School program, which is designed to improve child nutrition and strengthen local and regional farm economies by partnering farmers with local schools. The Farm-to-School program will provide an increased opportunity for schools to connect with local farmers to provide children across the state with fresh, locally grown, seasonal fruit and vegetables, meat, milk, eggs and nuts in their lunches. In addition to including local foods in school meals, the program also helps build a connection between students and the farmers that grow and produced their food. “I’m very excited about the opportunities available through the new Farm-to-School program to help students across the state eat better and develop a greater understanding of agriculture,” said Northey...click to read more

Help Kids Write Short Stories With Short-Stories-Help-Children.com

Wed, 06 Feb 2008 20:47:22 GMT

Short-Stories-Help-Children.com provides a welcome twist to parenting and enables kids to publish stories and solicit comments. Originally launched in December of 2006, the site aims to cut through much of the tedium of learning from the parenting professionals.

Short-Stories-Help-Children.com is a light-hearted, refreshing look into parenting for those moms and dads struggling with their first gradeschoolers. It deals with raising kids in today's complex world of marketing hype, peer pressure and behavioural issues.

The site provides commentary about educational methods, literacy in its various forms, learning disorders, distractions that hurt productivity, discipline and violence in schools to name a few. The site also invites parents to share their experiences. Basic concepts are clarified by the analogy of writing short stories to show parents how to focus a child's attention and efforts...click to read more

Help Kids Write Short Stories With Short-Stories-Help-Children.com

Tue, 29 Jan 2008 15:46:28 GMT

URL: http://www.short-stories-help-children.com
Short-Stories-Help-Children.com provides a welcome twist to parenting and enables kids to publish stories and solicit comments. Originally launched in December of 2006, the site aims to cut through much of the tedium of learning from the parenting professionals.

tags: parenting, kids, education, short stories, writing, literacy

Super Bowl Odds, Betting Guide and History Now Live at BetUS.com

Tue, 29 Jan 2008 15:41:45 GMT

URL: http://www.betus.com/nfl-football/superbowl

Super Bowl XLII is almost upon us, and the matchup has been decided: The New York Giants versus the New England Patriots! Both teams have had to travel a tough road to get here. Fortunately, it's a lot easier for fans to stay on top of their game, thanks to the newly launched BetUS Super Bowl Portal.

The Super Bowl Portal is a useful resource, with statistics and betting advice that may be hard to find anywhere else. The Super Bowl History page provides information on past Super Bowls, spreads, stats, and results. BetUS.com has a quality team of professional sports journalists, striving to keep fans up to date with the latest Super Bowl football news from a sports betting perspective.

For the casual sports fan who has never bet on football before, what better time to start than the Super Bowl? BetUS offers tips for the newcomer in their Super Bowl betting guide, providing a primer and allowing potential winners to soak in all the information before they make their play.

For the hardcore football bettor, BetUS offers a wide variety of betting options for the big game including alternate spreads, and all the enticing props that an NFL bettor could dream of. Will it be Brady or Manning to throw the first incomplete pass? Will Randy Moss or Plaxico Burress catch more passes in the Super Bowl? Who will be the Super Bowl MVP? High-fiving will increase 500% this year...

Tags: betus.com, super bowl , super bowl betting , super bowl odds , super bowl history

Noted Jazz Author Ted Gioia Launches Jazz.com With 3,000 Pages of Unique Jazz Content

Fri, 25 Jan 2008 17:23:45 GMT

URL: http://www.jazz.com
Jazz.com recently announced the launch of its website at www.jazz.com -- a comprehensive jazz portal with thousands of pages of reviews, interviews, features, discographies and photos. A team of more than thirty writers, photographers and artists has been working for almost two years in preparation for this launch. Under the direction of Ted Gioia, author of The History of Jazz and West Coast Jazz, this team has prepared more than 1,000 new reviews, a comprehensive jazz encyclopedia, and other exciting content of interest to the global jazz community. Key features of the site include... • The largest collection of track reviews – focusing on individual songs, not entire CDs – available anywhere. This unique resource provides in-depth assessment, rankings and recording details for a comprehensive range of tracks, covering the full history of the music from its New Orleans origins to the present day • New reviews published every day. All reviews come with links for purchase or downloading • The Jazz.com Jazz Blog, updated daily and covering the latest and greatest happenings in the jazz world • Interviews with leading figures in the jazz world, including Billy Taylor, Manfred Eicher, Ron Carter, Maria Schneider, Stefon Harris and others • Visual Jazz galleries featuring the work of the greatest jazz photographers and artists, including Ray Avery, Herb Snitzer, Michael Symonds, Jos Knaepen and Suzanne Cerny • The Dozens: a regular column in which jazz.com selects twelve must-have tracks...click to read more

Tags: Ted Gioia , Jazz, jazz.com, jazz reviews, jazz interviews, jazz encyclopedia, jazz community