New Online Resource for Parents

Parenting just became a little easier with the launch of Figling.com, a new, hyper local online community with resources and recommendations for parents, by parents. Starting with a Los Angeles launch, the nationwide Figling.com will expand to several major markets in the coming months, including San Francisco, Chicago and New York. Figling’s services will be available in more than 25 cities by the end of 2011.

Figling.com was launched to fill the void of online referral services that cater to families and their needs. The site provides families with comprehensive kid-friendly event listings, as well as trusted word-of-mouth referrals for goods and services, such as camps, schools, nannies, handymen, and more. To ensure legitimacy and authenticity, all recommendations are manually vetted by Figling staff. 

“Figling was created to fill a major need for parents and families to have a convenient, one-stop online resource for the most important things a family needs in their lives,” said Maya Fidler, CEO and Founder, Figling.com. “Families function far differently today than ever before, and with so much clutter and suspicion on the Internet, Figling.com is a trusted partner for parents to make their lives, and their children’s lives, easier.”

Figling is free, and parents along with local businesses can immediately begin submitting events and resources to share within their local community. With an emphasis on families meeting offline, user event submissions are categorized by age, indoor events and outdoor events, among others, and can be filtered for the user’s convenience.  The site also provides a weekly newsletter for registered users that offers a helpful list of upcoming events and things to do with families. 

About Figling.com  

Founded by parents, for parents, Figling.com is every family’s one-stop resource for events, services, word-of-mouth referrals, recommendations and news. All event and referral submissions for Figling.com are vetted by a staff support team for authenticity. Featuring local content for major markets, including Los Angeles, Figling will expand to 25 cities in 2011. Launched in 2010, Figling’s executive team includes former Yahoo! and Los Angeles Times executives. For more information, visit www.figling.com

All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by the company.  Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer or provider. Please refer to this site's Disclaimer  for more information. I have been compensated or given a product free of charge, but that does not impact my views or opinions.
  
 

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Green Hotel Deals for Earth Day

With Earth Day just days away, Travelocity has launched a sale on over 60 green hotels offering up to 45 percent off room rates in hotels across the US - travelocity.com/earthday.  Not only are green hotels better for the environment, travelers overwhelmingly prefer them.  Travelocity allows consumers to rate its hotels on a scale of 1-5 smiley faces.  Consumers gave 83 percent of non-green hotels three smiley faces or more--but they gave a whopping 94 percent of green hotels three smiley faces or more.

All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by the company.  Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer or provider. Please refer to this site's Disclaimer  for more information. I have been compensated or given a product free of charge, but that does not impact my views or opinions.
 
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California Pizza Kitchen Thanks It's Loyal Customers

Launching today, California Pizza Kitchen (CPK) is thanking its customers for their loyalty with a fun way to save money and win big through their Thank You Card Program. Guests dining in the restaurant will receive a Thank You Card that includes one of many prizes, ranging from up to 50% off their next meal, $100,000 cash prize, to frozen pizza for a year, shopping sprees and vacation packages. The best part is that everyone is a guaranteed winner! CPK will also be ‘Thanking’ its biggest Facebook Fan with a trip for two to any CPK in the world plus $10,000, and everyone who visits the CPK Facebook page will have an opportunity to “spin a globe” for a chance to win discounts, Ipads and Kindles.

All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by the company.  Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer or provider. Please refer to this site's Disclaimer  for more information. I have been compensated or given a product free of charge, but that does not impact my views or opinions. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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“Meals for Moms” Mother's Day Campaign Helps Senior Moms

The Meals On Wheels Association of America (MOWAA) is launching its second annual Meals for Moms campaign to raise awareness of homebound senior moms facing the threat of hunger this Mother’s Day (Sunday, May 8th). Individuals can visit www.MealsForMoms.org to send a message of hope to a lonely and homebound senior mom or send an e-card to a special woman in their life. With the help of the official sponsor, Gallo® Family Vineyards, the campaign’s goal this year is to send 50,000 messages. All funds raised will go into the Meals for Moms Fund to help Meals On Wheels programs feed homebound senior moms around Mother’s Day next year.

“Most of us are very lucky to know the love of a mother. They are the ones who raised us and often prepared our meals. Now, too many of them are alone and hungry,” said MOWAA President and CEO, Enid Borden. “They deserve better, and that is why this campaign is so very important. Our moms need us.”
MOWAA-sponsored research reveals that a staggering six million seniors are facing the threat of hunger in America, and the numbers are growing. The majority of those seniors are women. Gallo Family Vineyards is a family-owned winery and understands the importance of family, sharing the firm belief that the world is a better place when we don't just take care of our own families, but take care of each other.

“We are proud to join MOWAA in its mission to feed more senior women,” said Stephanie Gallo, Vice President of Marketing at E&J Gallo Winery. “It’s important to find ways to give back. Working with Meals On Wheels is just one of the ways we’re trying to make our community better.”

At www.MealsforMoms.org, visitors can choose from a variety of flowers – including roses, tulips, and lilies – for the virtual bouquet they select to send with a message. Here are just a few examples of the thousands of messages sent to homebound moms across the country last year:

“Happy Mother's Day. Although we cannot meet, I am here caring for you in spirit.”
“I hope you have a wonderful Mother's Day! We all know its not easy raising a child and all mothers should get some credit for doing such an important job! So, happy Mother’s Day!”
“Mothers are special! I wouldn't be today the person I am if it wasn't for my great Mother (and Grandma too)! Happy Mother's Day. Hugs & kisses to all.”

All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by the company.  Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer or provider. Please refer to this site's Disclaimer  for more information. I have been compensated or given a product free of charge, but that does not impact my views or opinions.
 
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8 Fresh Gift Ideas for Mother’s Day

Mother’s Day is quickly approaching, but most Americans will wait for the last possible moment to grab a box of assorted chocolates, a bouquet of overpriced flowers, or a trinket that will do little more than collect dust. This year, make mom feel special by getting her something she really wants.
From the techie mom to the expecting mom, FindTheBest.com’s Apps—from eBook readers and wines to camping and skydiving trips—can help with Mother’s Day planning.
Best Gift for the Foodie Mom

• Treat her to a delectable dinner. FindTheBest’s Top Rated US Restaurants App has Expert Rankings for the top restaurants in the US. Restaurants can be filtered by location, cuisine, Expert Rank, price and more.
• Bring home her favorite bottle of wine for a night of sharing good wine and fond memories.

Best Gift for the Techie Mom

• Every mom loves capturing the memories of their children as they grow up; there’s no better way to hold on to these memories than with a new digital camera. Check out FindTheBest’s Digital Cameras App to find the perfect camera for mom.
• eReaders are quickly becoming popular with the moms. For the techie mom who loves to read, an eReader might be the perfect gift.

Best Gift for the Expecting Mom

• For the mom-to-be, help her with any last minute baby planning—like looking into baby car seats with the highest safety ratings. For help finding the perfect car seat, check out FindTheBest’s Car Seat Ratings App to find and compare dozens of different options.
• Being a mom takes a lot of work, so the expecting mother might be looking for a great nanny or baby sitter a few months down the line when she needs a break from mommyhood. FindTheBest’s Nanny & Baby Sitting Agencies App has more than 100 agencies to choose from.

Best Gift for the Adventurous Mom

• Spend the weekend with mom enjoying the great outdoors, free from all the household chores she likely needs a break from. Take her hiking or camping at a national park nearby.
• For the daredevil mom, surprise her with a skydiving trip. FindTheBest’s Skydiving comparison App allows users to find and compare skydiving spots by location, price and more.

ABOUT FINDTHEBEST.COM
FindTheBest.com is a socially curated comparison engine that allows users to find a topic, compare their options in a side-by-side table, sort the data with smart filters and decide what’s best for them. Ultimately, FindTheBest allows users to make faster and more informed decisions. At FindTheBest, we believe that if consumers are presented with objective and focused information, they will be able to quickly choose the product or service that is best for them. Too often, however, marketers and affiliate sites team up to present carefully crafted advertisements as objective information, making it difficult and time consuming to distinguish objective information from affiliate schemes aimed at promoting products or services that on a level playing field, would not stand up to the competition. Our goal is to become the trusted place where consumers can find reliable information, free from hidden marketing schemes or other clutter, to make faster and more informed decisions. We will relentlessly innovate with unfaltering integrity to pursue this goal.


All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by the company.  Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer or provider. Please refer to this site's Disclaimer  for more information. I have been compensated or given a product free of charge, but that does not impact my views or opinions.

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Her Interactive Launches Shadow Ranch Lite

The first chapter of Her Interactive’s popular Nancy Drew gamebook app is now available for free on the App store.  Now book lovers and game players can get a taste of this new way to engage with everyone’s favorite teen detective in Nancy Drew Mobile Mysteries: Shadow Ranch Lite for iPad, iPhone and iPod touch.

Shadow Ranch is the first of a new genre: the interactive gamebook app.  Part game and part story, the app allows players to decide how a story unfolds as they play games and solve mysteries.  The new Lite version features the first chapter which introduces Nancy Drew and sets in motion a seemingly unsolvable mystery at an Arizona ranch. Complete with sound effects, mini-games, rich graphics and more, this is much more than simply reading an e-book. Now you actually play the storyTM.

Availability:  The Nancy Drew Mobile Mysteries: Shadow Ranch Lite App is available now for free.  The full version is available for a limited time for $1.99 (iPhone and iPod touch) or $4.99 (HD version for iPad) on the App Store on iPhone, iPod touch and iPad, at www.itunes.com/appstore.  

Game Details:    In the full version of Shadow Ranch, Nancy and best friends Bess and George travel to Arizona and the rustic Shadow Ranch where they discover that Shadow Ranch hides a sinister past. A recent rash of ghost sightings and a series of accidents are driving customers away. It's only a matter of time before the ranch closes its doors for good. Play the story to piece together the mysterious events and uncover the dark secret before it's too late. With all its game and mystery elements, Shadow Ranch can be read and played repeatedly to fully explore all the twists and turns.

Nancy Drew Mobile Mysteries: Shadow Ranch was developed by Riptide Games, a leading developer of games and apps for next-generation mobile platforms, including iPhone, iPod touch and iPad.

About Her Interactive:
Her Interactive is the leading mystery-maker and pioneer of fun and inspiring interactive mystery adventures played by females, young and old. The company, with 23 awards to its name, designs, develops and publishes high-quality, mystery adventure games and is the world leader in the mystery gaming category. Her Interactive’s Nancy Drew games have sold more than 8 million copies. This success, in part, is buoyed by the ever-increasing numbers of girls and women becoming avid game players. Nancy Drew players now include moms who have introduced their daughters to the girl detective, making her one of history’s longest-running iconic figures spanning generations. As the number-one PC mystery franchise since 2004, unit sales of the Nancy Drew series have exceeded those of Harry Potter, Myst and Tomb Raider.
More information about the company and the Nancy Drew games can be found at http://www.herinteractive.com/ or http://www.nancydrewmobilemysteries.com/. Find Her Interactive on Facebook at www.facebook.com/NancyDrewPCGames, or follow Her Interactive on Twitter @HerInteractive.

About Nancy Drew: 
Nancy Drew debuted in 1930 and is still going strong. She is a smart, independent, gutsy and resourceful teen detective who can crack even the toughest case. Published in 22 languages and with more than 100 million copies in print worldwide, Nancy Drew has engaged readers and served as a role model globally for generations.

All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by the company.  Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer or provider. Please refer to this site's Disclaimer  for more information. I have been compensated or given a product free of charge, but that does not impact my views or opinions.
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Demi & Ashton launch "Real Men Don't Buy Girls" campaign

The Demi and Ashton Foundation (DNA), which aims to raise awareness about the harsh reality of child sex slavery, will launch its “Real Men Don’t Buy Girls” interactive video campaign this week. The goal of the campaign is to educate people about child sex slavery in the United States and to create a cultural shift around the buying and selling of humans. The message of the campaign is that “Real Men” don’t buy girls. Instead, “Real Men” do respect, love, care for, and protect girls.

Today, DNA will release several short interactive videos about things "Real Men" do – starring Justin Timberlake, Sean Penn, Bradley Cooper, Jamie Foxx, Jason Mraz, Ashton Kutcher, Drake, Adrian Peterson and Isaiah Mustafa.  The videos seek to entertain viewers through fun, engaging “Real Men” situations while also providing an interactive environment for consumers to support the campaign.  Additional supporters include Eva Longoria, Sofia Vergara and many more.

Consumer Participation / Create a Video:  Consumers will play a critical role in spreading the word about the campaign by creating their own personalized video and sharing it with friends. To participate:

·         Go to the DNA Foundation Facebook page: www.facebook.com/dnafoundation.  Click on the “Real Men” application tab.

·         The application will allow guests to insert their own photo into the celebrity video – in order to create their very own “Real Men” video.

·         After the video is created, they can share it with their friends by posting on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.

·         The goal is for as many people as possible to watch the videos, create a personalized video, and spread the word about child sex slavery.

·         All videos can be viewed at www.demiandashton.org/realmen (noon PST).

“Child sex slavery is a difficult issue to think about, which makes it all the more important that we do,” remarked Ashton Kutcher. “Real Men do not ever buy children for sex. Period.”

Added Demi Moore: "People don't realize child sex slavery is a serious problem in the United States.  Young girls are victimized in the commercial sex industry every day.  No 13-year-old girl chooses to be exploited for sex. Real Men love, care, and protect girls. Real Men don’t buy girls.”

A second component to the campaign is the “DNA T-shirt Challenge.” DNA has partnered with Threadless, a community-based design company, and retailer Steven Alan to create t-shirts around the concept of freedom – www.causes.threadless.com/dnafoundation.  More than 200 artists submitted designs and 60,000 votes were cast to determine the winners. The two tees selected will be sold at Threadless.com and Stevenalan.com, as well as in all Steven Alan stores, with a percentage of proceeds going to DNA (available April 15). The design challenge will culminate with a launch party at Steven Alan’s Tribeca store in April – where the two designs selected will be unveiled and the “Real Men” videos shown.

Current Trafficking Statistics:

·         The average age of entry into forced prostitution in the U.S. is thirteen

·         Ninety percent of youth trafficked for sexual purposes in the U.S. are citizens of our own country

·         Hundreds of thousands of American girls and boys are currently enslaved in the U.S.

·         An estimated one million children are forced to work in the global sex industry every year

·         The global sex slavery market generates a $39 billion profit annually

·         Selling young girls is more profitable than trafficking drugs or weapons

About The DNA Foundation:
The Demi and Ashton Foundation aims to eliminate child sex slavery worldwide. Believing that freedom is a fundamental human right, Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher founded DNA to help raise awareness about this horrific problem, change cultural stereotypes and rehabilitate the innocent victims. More information can be found at www.demiandashton.org.
All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by the company.  Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer or provider. Please refer to this site's Disclaimer  for more information. I have been compensated or given a product free of charge, but that does not impact my views or opinions.
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BabyBjorn Launches New Facebook Page for Dads

Wanted to let you know about the launch of the "BabyBjorn Dads" Facebook page.  The page, specifically designed and curated for fathers, shares everything from the best movies for family Friday nights to the best tips for getting your kids to eat veggies.

If you are a father or know one, take a look!

http://www.facebook.com/BabyBjornDads

All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by the company.  Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer or provider. Please refer to this site's Disclaimer  for more information. I have been compensated or given a product free of charge, but that does not impact my views or opinions.
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The XY Factor - MyHeritage reveals couples' desire to produce offspring of different sexes

MyHeritage.com, the most popular family network on the web, today announced a result of its global family research – indicating that a key driver of large families is the desire to produce offspring of different genders. The most profound finding for the US market was that the number of families with 2 boys who continue to have children was almost 25% higher than families who already have a boy and a girl and decide to grow their family. This indicates a strong will amongst parents to produce a girl. The findings were based on worldwide family tree data of more than 600,000 families.

The research, one of the first of its kind to examine such family dynamics, is consistent with a long-standing myth that many women want to have a girl, and that many families ‘keep going’ until they have children of both genders. Famous celebrity couple, David and Victoria Beckham, fall into the category of 15.3% of families worldwide with 3 boys who choose to have another child – 22.4% higher than families with 3 children of mixed gender who continue to reproduce.
Data for families with 2 or 3 girls also showed that there was a significant difference in those continuing to have children, compared to same sized families with mixed gender children - possibly driven by the desire to produce a boy. These global differences were 15% and 12.8% higher for families with 2 and 3 girls respectively, and 19.6% and 17.2% higher respectively for families in the USA.

“People often ask expectant mothers if they’re ‘hoping for a girl this time?’”, said Laurence Harris, UK Genealogy Manager for MyHeritage.com. “Up until now this has simply been an innocent and light hearted presumption if they have only boys. Now we can show that in many cases it’s true! Our phenomenal growth throughout the past few years has seen over 55 million people register as users of MyHeritage.com, and the creation of more than 17 million family trees by our users. This gigantic family data set provides us with the building block for the world’s first Family Graph – complete with fascinating insights into factors shaping the contemporary and historic make-up of a family.”

The findings were based on analyzing worldwide family tree data from over 600,000 families, who bore at least 3 or 4 children from 1990 until 2010. For additional information on the statistical findings visit the MyHeritage.com blog.
MyHeritage.com is the leading online destination to explore family history and keep in touch with loved ones. Home to over 55 million registered users and 17 million family trees containing information on more than 720 million people – MyHeritage.com is building the foundations for the world’s Family Graph.

About MyHeritage.com

MyHeritage.com is the most popular family network on the web. Millions of families around the world enjoy having a free and private place to explore family history and keep in touch. With all family information stored in a secure site, MyHeritage.com is the ideal place to share family photos, and celebrate and preserve special family moments. MyHeritage.com’s Smart Matching™ technology empowers users with an exciting and innovative way to find relatives and explore their family history. With 720 million profiles, 17 million family trees and available in 36 languages, MyHeritage.com is uniting families worldwide. For more information please visit www.myheritage.com.

All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by the company.  Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer or provider. Please refer to this site's Disclaimer  for more information. I have been compensated or given a product free of charge, but that does not impact my views or opinions.
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Gnomeo & Juliet on DVD & Blu-ray May 24th!

This coming summer to the U.S., don’t miss the chance to bring home GNOMEO & JULIET - the hilarious twist on William Shakespeare’s legendary tale Romeo & Juliet as you’ve never seen it before, perfect for the whole family.  Enter the secret world of garden gnomes and meet two adorable gnomes from completely different worlds who fight the odds to be together.  From a director of Shrek 2, and featuring fun, all-new music by Sir Elton John, the out-of-the-ordinary animated comedy GNOMEO & JULIET releases on Blu-ray™, Blu-ray 3D™, DVD, Movie Download and On-Demand – May 24, 2011.

Uniquely packaged with families’ top of mind, GNOMEO & JULIET will be made available for purchase by Walt Disney Studios as either a 3-Disc Blu-ray Combo Pack (Blu-ray 3D, Blu-ray 3D + DVD with Digital Copy), a 2-Disc Blu-ray Combo Pack (Blu-ray 2D + DVD) and/or a 1-Disc DVD. Disney Blu-ray Combo Packs provide families with an enhanced entertainment experience – with the value and flexibility to enjoy your favorite movies on a variety of platforms of choice.   And for those who enjoy to learn more about the making of the film, GNOMEO & JULIET  discs come enclosed with never-before-seen bonus features including “Elton Builds A Garden,” “Frog talk with Ashley Jensen,”, “Crocodile Rock Music Video featuring Elton John and Nelly Furtado.” And for those who purchase the Blu-ray Disc, it includes hours of extra exclusive bonus features including alternate endings, deleted scenes and more.

“Makes you smile from start to finish.” 
Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times

GNOMEO & JULIET is brought to life by the extraordinary voices of Golden Globe nominee James
McAvoy (The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe) as Gnomeo; Emily Blunt
(The Devil Wears Prada) as Juliet; Academy Award winner Michael Caine (Inception) as Lord
Redbrick; Jason Statham (The Trasnsporter franchise) as Tybalt; Ashley Jensen (TV’s Ugly Betty)
as Nanette; Patrick Stewart (X-Men franchise) as William Shakespeare; Ozzy Osbourne (TV’s The
Osbournes) as Fawn and Maggie Smith (Harry Potter  franchise) as Lady Blueberry. 
 “It’s family-friendly fun.” 
     Ashley Muldoon, OK! Magazine
Bonus Features:
DVD & Movie Download: • Elton Builds a Garden
• Frog Talk with Ashley Jensen
• “Crocodile Rock” Music Video, featuring Elton John and Nelly Furtado 
Blu-ray: • DVD Bonus plus:
• 2 Alternate Endings with Filmmaker Introductions 
• Deleted & Alternate Scenes with Filmmaker Introductions, including:
o 1 Alternate Opening
o 1 Alternate Scene
o 6 Deleted Scenes 
• The Fawn of Darkness, featuring Ozzy Osbourne 

Film Synopsis: 
From a director of Shrek 2 comes your chance to step into the secret world of garden gnomes
— Gnomeo & Juliet. Perfect for the whole family, this fresh and funny makeover of one of the
world’s most timeless stories features music from Sir Elton John, and the voice talents of Emily
Blunt, James McAvoy and Sir Michael Caine. Caught up in a feud between neighbors, Gnomeo
and Juliet must overcome as many obstacles as their namesakes. But with flamboyant pink
flamingos and epic lawnmower races, can this young couple find lasting happiness? Complete
with hilarious never-before-seen bonus features, Gnomeo & Juliet is an out-of-the-ordinary
animated comedy your entire family will love. We just gnome it!


All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by the company.  Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer or provider. Please refer to this site's Disclaimer  for more information. I have been compensated or given a product free of charge, but that does not impact my views or opinions.
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Disney FamilyFun Magazine's sixth-annual Volunteers Contest Winners

Disney FamilyFun Magazine today announced the winners of the sixth-annual Volunteers Contest, a national search for families and, this year, schools demonstrating their commitment, results, and teamwork in making a difference in their communities. The winners will receive a total of $25,000 in donations towards their charity of choice and are featured in the April issue of FamilyFun magazine and on FamilyFun.com.

After reviewing hundreds of entries, the editors at FamilyFun selected four grand-prize and five first-place winners. FamilyFun's parent company, The Walt Disney Company, will donate $5,000 to the schools or charities chosen by the grand-prize winners, and $1,000 to the charities or schools chosen by the first-place winners. Additionally, the winner of the Best Green School Project will receive a $500 Friends for Change Grant through Youth Service America, a special Friends For Change art activity to complete as a school, and a meet and greet with a Disney Channel star at an event courtesy of Disney Friends for Change and Radio Disney.

All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by the company.  Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer or provider. Please refer to this site's Disclaimer  for more information. I have been compensated or given a product free of charge, but that does not impact my views or opinions. 

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Prius Records Invites Fun, Record-Breaking Challenges & Accomplishments

Family friendly & lighthearted challenges are at the heart of Prius Records, a live interactive event happening now at www.toyotapriusprojects.com and http://urdb.org/priusrecords .

Toyota Prius, the iconic hybrid that has been setting records for over a decade, has inspired this unprecedented, live and interactive event to set as many Universal Records Database (URDB) records as possible in and around the vehicle.

Day One set 91 Records with 100 attempted. The URDB’s strict regulations discounted several challenges, with some to be attempted again. Overall our record setting teams achieved the most trees hugged in one minute next to a Prius, the most awkward family photos set in a Prius, the fastest time to walk around a Prius on hands, most Prius inspired dance moves invented in one minute, most shadow animals made with Prius LED Headlamps in one minute, along with several other records set with double-dutch jump ropers, jugglers, knitters.

Check out the highlight reel at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MYoCjDlNYuA

How can your readers get involved? After the live event, the record breaking spirit continues as people are encouraged to top these records, uploading their own record breaking attempts to www.URDB.org for world record recognition and online bragging rights.

All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by the company.  Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer or provider. Please refer to this site's Disclaimer  for more information. I have been compensated or given a product free of charge, but that does not impact my views or opinions.
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Free trial subscription: AboutOne, a new technology replaces family filing cabinet - manages household information

AboutOne, a secure online family management system that makes it easier for families to manage daily life, today announced a hosting of new features at SXSW® Interactive, part of the annual music, film, and interactive conference and festival that attracts the world’s top web creators and entrepreneurs.

Now nearing 5,000 members after only 15 weeks in beta, and just off the heels of a successful public launch at DEMO, AboutOne will today unveil new features at SXSW in Austin, TX. More than a digital filing cabinet, AboutOne makes information work in the moment for families - it carries the burden of saving essential family information so that 82.8 million busy moms in the US (according to a 2008 US Census Bureau study) can devote more time to what really matters in their lives.

AboutOne enables people to access important household information anytime—at home or away, from any web-enabled device and offers time-saving features like APIs and wizards that make it possible to quickly enter information with a phone, scanner, or computer, within the regular flow of the day. The service is designed specifically for families—currently a market of 173 million[1]. After an initial focus on providing the service to Millennial Moms (Gen Y), AboutOne has expanded to serve caregivers, teenagers applying to college, military families and corporate customers.

New AboutOne features Unveiled at SXSW

At SXSW, AboutOne will unveil new features including a way to automatically create hard copy baby books within seconds from an AboutOne digital scrapbook. Paper greeting cards and invitations that mail themselves are also a new feature.

Customers can also now track information associated with car ownership like they already can with home maintenance and improvement records. It’s now fast and easy to add all details and documents in connection with auto ownership, service and maintenance, insurance, warranty and dealer information – and keep it all in one place.

AboutOne now also makes customers’ information work for them through auto-magically produced family newsletters, babysitter instructions, home maintenance/capital gains summaries, education reports for college applications, and more.

The Story behind AboutOne

AboutOne’s founder and CEO, Joanne Lang, understands first-hand the need for a web-based service that tracks and organizes household information. Joanne is the mother of four young boys and a former SAP executive who experienced the challenges of managing family life. As part of SAP’s original cloud technology team, she’d seen how web-based platforms enabled businesses to eliminate mundane tasks and gain new levels of efficiency, and wanted to bring those same benefits to families and busy moms.

Joanne decided to develop AboutOne after several personal experiences where she needed information she didn’t have instant access to. In one instance, Joanne’s son had to be taken to the hospital for a medical emergency. At the time, she was so distraught that she couldn’t remember his birthdate, let alone provide a list of his current medications to the medical team. All she had with her were her keys and her phone. On another occasion, she had to report the capital gains on the sale of her house, but hadn’t kept track of the home improvement information necessary to minimize her tax bill, and no longer had any of the necessary documentation to complete her tax forms. Finally, Joanne was a frequent business traveler, and often found herself without access to information stored in documents at home while she was on the road.

With these experiences in mind, Joanne set out to create a cloud service that blends the power of business computing tools with the fun, user-friendly nature of popular social media apps.  With AboutOne, she created a service that requires no technical proficiency to install and run; expertly handles data security so that users don’t have to; provides a centralized location from which to manage family information; provides fast and convenient data entry via mobile device and scanners; and seamlessly formats and adds to information so it’s useful in the future.

All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by the company.  Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer or provider. Please refer to this site's Disclaimer  for more information. I have been compensated or given a product free of charge, but that does not impact my views or opinions. 

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Home Farming Day, April 12, 2011

I thought you might like to hear about the launch of ‘Home Farming Day’ this April 12, 2011!  Triscuit, has just launched this day to celebrate Home Farming and the joy of growing fresh vegetables, as well as build upon the successes from year one of the Home Farming movement by continuing to work with Urban Farming, a non-profit organization, to plant 65 community-based home farms in 20 cities.

As well as offering you fresh fruit, herbs and vegetables as ingredients for healthy snacks and meals, gardening can be a really fun hobby to share with kids so, to help you learn more about it, I wanted to let you know about the new social network that Triscuit recently launched. HomeFarming.com is an innovative social network that empowers novice and experienced home farmers to share, ask and answer questions about how to grow fresh food! Gardeners can do everything from Creating a profile (to share successes with the website’s community and their social networks) to uploading photos fresh from their home farm!  The site allows them to track the progress of  more than 27 types of herbs and vegetables.

The site demonstrates how everyone can get involved, with ‘how-to’ videos from Paul James, as well as information on Triscuit’s collaboration with the non-profit organization, Urban Farming. Triscuit will also be helping home farmers get started by attaching plantable basil and dill herb seed cards to eight million boxes of Original and Reduced-Fat Triscuit crackers – double last year’s total!

Please do take a moment to check out www.homefarming.com or Facebook.com/Triscuit

About ‘TRISCUIT Home Farming Day’ this April 12, 2011!

• April 12, 2011 is being proclaimed “TRISCUIT Home Farming Day” and is being celebrated with officials from cities from across the country to bring out the joy of growing fresh vegetables.
• To celebrate “Home Farming Day,” Triscuit is hosting events in New York City, Los Angeles and Tampa.
• New Yorkers can take part in a one of a kind planting experience in Madison Square Park, learn planting techniques from HGTV’s “The Gardener Guy” Paul James, plant fresh chives to take home and taste Triscuit home farm snacks. Triscuit and the non-profit organization, Urban Farming, will also break ground at two new community-based home farms in Tampa and Los Angeles.

***IF NEAR NYC****

We hope you are able to join us in Madison Square Park on April 12^th to celebrate “Home Farming Day!” You can take part in a one of a kind planting experience in Madison Square Park, learn planting techniques from HGTV’s “The Gardener Guy” Paul James, plant fresh chives to take home and taste Triscuit home farm snacks.

***IF NEAR TAMPA/LA****

We hope you are able to join us and Urban Farming, as we break ground at a new community-based home farm at Loyola Marymount University, LA, and Common Ground Church, Tampa .

All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by the company.  Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer or provider. Please refer to this site's Disclaimer  for more information. I have been compensated or given a product free of charge, but that does not impact my views or opinions.
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California Poison Control Observes National Poison Prevention Week March 20-27

 National Poison Prevention Week, established by the U.S. Congress in 1961 to promote poison prevention, will mark its 50th year the week of March 21.  California Poison Control System (CPCS) (http://www.calpoison.com) is leading the way in consumer awareness of poison prevention by launching a free iPhone application, Choose Your Poison, now available at the Apple app store here: http://bit.ly/gg9vfG. The Choose Your Poison game is also available at http://www.pillsvscandy.org. The game is a fun and interactive way to get educated by testing one’s ability to identify medicines as well as information on poison prevention and awareness.

“We’d all like to believe that we’re smart and savvy when it comes to the way we store medicines and other household items that are toxic,” says Richard Geller, M.D., medical and managing director, California Poison Control System Fresno/Madera Division. “The reality is that it’s difficult to determine what’s safe and what isn’t, especially because pills look so much like popular candy brands.”  Dr. Geller points to the children’s vitamins that look so much like gummy bears that even pros sometimes can’t tell the difference.  He added that the test is really challenging for adults because so many pills look exactly like candy.

“It’s truly enlightening when parents take this test and get a score of 75 percent or less.  So we’re thrilled that this free app can get the test before a large group of people, including those who love to play games on their phones.  It’s fun but difficult at the same time,” said Dr. Geller. California Poison Control -- no stranger to technology – is known for its SMS program launched in 2010.  Weekly poison tips are sent to cell phones by texting TIPS to 69866; also available in Spanish by texting PUNTOS to 69866.

Out of more than two million poisonings that are reported each year to poison control centers across the country, it is estimated that over 90 percent of them occur in the home. The majority of non-fatal poisonings occur in children under the age of six.

“Choose Your Poison is for everyone — health care workers, parents, teens, doctors, pharmacists -- anyone,” adds communications director Iana Simeonov, who spearheads technology and mHealth (mobile health) projects for the CPCS. “Fifty years is a great milestone, but we’ll have cause to celebrate when knowledge and prevention have become so prevalent that we eliminate unnecessary poisonings.”

About California Poison Control

Weekly tips about poison prevention are available by testing TIPS to 69866. Follow CPCS on Facebook at California Poison Control and on Twitter @poisoninfo. CPCS is dedicated to providing residents with the most up-to-date information and 24-hour help in case of poisoning. In case of an accidental poisoning, consumers should immediately call 1-800-222-1222 for advice. Pharmacists, nurses, physician-toxicologists and poison information providers are available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to help. In most cases, a poison exposure can be safely managed in your home, avoiding a call to 911 or a visit to a crowded hospital emergency room. Many parents think about contacting the poison control services only in case of an emergency, but experts are available to answer questions any time.

All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by the company.  Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer or provider. Please refer to this site's Disclaimer  for more information. I have been compensated or given a product free of charge, but that does not impact my views or opinions.
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Walmart announces national rollout of "Pick Up Today"

Walmart announced plans to further expand its U.S. multichannel platform by launching a full-scale, national rollout of “Pick Up Today” later this month. The service enables customers to purchase items online and receive free same-day pickup at a local Walmart store, providing even more savings and convenience to customers.

“Walmart is uniquely positioned to combine the power of eCommerce with our national retail footprint to offer a leading, multichannel experience that delivers the best savings and convenience to our customers,” said Steve Nave, senior vice president and general manager of Walmart.com. “We’ve seen strong customer response from initial tests of ‘Pick Up Today,’ and we’re pleased to expand the program to customers nationwide in the coming months.”

“Pick Up Today” will begin its national rollout later this month and, by June, is expected to be available in nearly 3,600 Walmart stores nationwide. The service will also expand to include up to 40,000 items across multiple categories such as Baby, Toys, Home Décor, Hardware, Outdoor Living, Electronics, Household Appliances and Video Games. Online orders are usually ready for pickup in about 4 hours, and orders placed after 6 p.m. are ready for pickup at 10 a.m. the next day. More information is available online at www.walmart.com/pickuptoday.

Walmart Continues to Deliver More Multichannel Ways to Save

Walmart offers several other multichannel programs to drive continued business growth while offering customers additional savings and convenience. 

• Site to Store – Now in its fifth year of operation, Walmart’s Site-to-Store service allows customers to order tens of thousands of products, most of which are not available in stores, and have items shipped for free to a local Walmart store. Site to Store has saved Walmart customers hundreds of millions of dollars in shipping fees, and customers are receiving their orders even faster than before. Deliveries now arrive in approximately 4-7 days versus the previous window of 7-10 days.
  

• FedEx Site-to-Store1 – Walmart’s FedEx Site to Store test program allows customers in select metro markets to order online and ship products free to a FedEx Office location, providing those that don’t live near a Walmart store access to Walmart savings at a convenient location.

According to a recent Walmart survey, approximately 80 percent of customers cited convenience of location as the number one reason for using FedEx Site to Store, and nearly 90 percent indicated they’d use the service again. More information is available online at www.walmart.com/fedex.

• Walmart Mobile – Through Walmart’s iPhone app and mobile web browser, customers can more easily shop on their terms. New to Walmart Mobile, customers can now refill Walmart Pharmacy prescriptions and order photo prints for pick up at a local store directly from their mobile web browser at m.walmart.com. Customers can also search and browse the full Walmart.com site, view ratings and reviews for all products, create shopping lists, check item availability and find a store using GPS technology.

All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by the company.  Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer or provider. Please refer to this site's Disclaimer  for more information. I have been compensated or given a product free of charge, but that does not impact my views or opinions.
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Cartoon Network Features Exclusive Footage from "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" Sequel

Cartoon Network and Twentieth Century FOX are coming together once again to provide Diary of a Wimpy Kid fans exclusive on-air and online content from the set of the latest film, Diary of a Wimpy Kid:  Rodrick Rules, the sequel to the 2010 surprise movie hit.  Building off of the success of the co-branded promotion for the first film’s debut release, Cartoon Network will provide an exclusive look at the new film through behind-the-scenes content, interactive opportunities, photos, on-set videos and more.  The promotion will launch online the week of March 7 at http://www.CartoonNetwork.com/wimpy and continue throughout March, culminating on March 24 when Cartoon Network features exclusive behind-the-scenes videos during the Thursday night lineup.   Diary of a Wimpy Kid:  Rodrick Rules opens in theatres everywhere on Friday, Mar. 25.

 “After Kidscreen recently recognized our 2010 campaign with a Best Integrated Promotion award, we could not be more excited to deliver Diary of a Wimpy Kid fans even more content this time around, with Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules,” said John O’Hara, executive vice president and general sales manager of Cartoon Network Ad Sales and Marketing.  “As Cartoon Network viewers engage themselves with our offerings across linear and digital platforms, it’s imperative that our Brand Activation and Media Partnership division continues to deliver these types of custom opportunities to our marketing partners.”

“I'm very excited about the partnership between Cartoon Network and Twentieth Century Fox to promote the second Diary of a Wimpy Kid movie, Rodrick Rules,” said Jeff Kinney, author of the “Diary of a Wimpy Kid” book series. “Cartoon Network was a dream to work with, and they worked hard to bring Greg Heffley's world to life in an interactive format for their audience. I'm thrilled that kids who visit Cartoon Network's site will get to see Rodrick's band, Löded Diper, in all its glory. Cartoon Network has done an amazing job of bringing a great Wimpy Kid experience to their audience!”

The custom Cartoon Network online destination for Diary of a Wimpy Kid fans will feature key movie artwork and famous hand-drawn illustrations found from the book series.  Fans will be immersed in Wimpy Kid Greg Heffley’s world, where they can access “Greg and Rowley’s Secret Web Page” and “Löded Dipers’ Webspace.”  Each section is developed in a dedicated tone and style reflecting the characters’ personalities.  The web site will also feature Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules behind-the-scenes video, on-set videos, pictures and interactive elements, with new content rolling out at the start of each week.
                On March 24, during Cartoon Network’s Thursday night lineup, Diary of a Wimpy Kid fans tuning in will be rewarded with exclusive behind-the-scenes content from the new movie.  One piece will be custom-produced by Cartoon Network and feature a musical look at Löded Diper, the band fronted by older brother Rodrick.   Throughout the week, Cartoon Network will air a special promo featuring Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules stars Zachary Gordon (who portrays Greg Heffley) and Robert Capron (as Rowley), encouraging fans to tune-in Thursday night.

About Cartoon Network

Cartoon Network (CartoonNetwork.com), currently seen in more than 99 million U.S. homes and 166 countries around the world, is Turner Broadcasting System, Inc.’s ad-supported cable service now available in HD offering the best in original, acquired and classic entertainment for youth and families.  Nightly from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. (ET, PT), Cartoon Network shares its channel space with Adult Swim, a late-night destination showcasing original and acquired animated and live-action comedy series for young adults 18-34.

Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., a Time Warner company, creates and programs branded news, entertainment, animation and young adult media environments on television and other platforms for consumers around the world.

All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by the company.  Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer or provider. Please refer to this site's Disclaimer  for more information. I have been compensated or given a product free of charge, but that does not impact my views or opinions.  
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Stars of Disney Channel’s “SHAKE IT UP” at TIMESTALKS Sat, 3/12

In the coming weeks, some of the brightest names in film, television, theater, books, advocacy and awareness will sit down with New York Times journalists for TimesTalks events at TheTimesCenter, 242 West 41^st Street, New York City. Participants include Yale University professor David W. Blight, filmmaker Ken Burns, and historian Adam Goodheart; the stars of Disney Channel’s comedy dance show “Shake It Up,” Davis Cleveland, Kenton Duty, Roshon Fegan, Adam Irigoyen, Caroline Sunshine, Bella Thorne and Zendaya with executive producer Rob Lotterstein; actor-producer Bradley Cooper; Tony Award-winning stars of the upcoming Roundabout Theatre revival of “Anything Goes,” Sutton Foster and Joel Grey with director/choreographer Kathleen Marshall; Paul Krugman, winner of the 2008 Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences and New York Times Op-Ed columnist; Tony Award-winning British playwright and Academy Award-winning screenwriter Tom Stoppard; and Academy Award-winning director  Gerardine Wurzburg with the two men featured in her new documentary “Wretches & Jabberers,” Larry Bissonnette and Tracy Thresher, and Autism Society president and CEO Lee Grossman. Moderators for upcoming TimesTalks offerings include theater reporter Patrick Healy; arts columnist Dave Itzkoff; Jamie Malanowski, lead writer of NYTimes.com’s award-winning Opinionator series, “Disunion;” and Editorial Page editor Andrew Rosenthal.

The following TimesTalks event will be of particular interest to family audiences:

Saturday, March 12

11 AM - 12:30 PM

Shake it Up!

Tweens Alert! See the stars of Disney Channel’s comedy dance show “Shake It Up” on stage live and in person. Don’t miss Davis Cleveland (Flynn Jones), Kenton Duty (Gunther Hesenheffer), Roshon Fegan (Ty Blue), Adam Irigoyen (Deuce Martinez), Caroline Sunshine (Tinka Hesenheffer), Bella Thorne (CeCe Jones) and Zendaya (Raquel “Rocky” Blue) with executive producer Rob Lotterstein.

The above TimesTalks event takes place at TheTimesCenter, 242 West 41st Street, New York City.  For additional information or to purchase advance tickets, which are $30 for each interview plus service fees, please call: 1.888.NYT.1870 or visit www.TimesTalks.com.

About TimesTalks

For 13 years, TimesTalks events have been evoking intelligent and entertaining conversations among some of the world’s most engaging speakers. TimesTalks was created in 1998 to help enhance relationships with existing readers, who would be able to see and hear from the faces behind the bylines, and to introduce new readers to these talented journalists. TimesTalks brings members of The Times’s prize-winning editing, reporting and writing staff together with today’s most celebrated talents and thinkers in thought-provoking and entertaining discussions. As wide-ranging and diverse as The Times and its readers throughout the world, TimesTalks has been designed to speak to many interests in a range of categories.

All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by the company.  Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer or provider. Please refer to this site's Disclaimer  for more information. I have been compensated or given a product free of charge, but that does not impact my views or opinions.

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