Saturday, December 31, 2011

Patrice Tanaka Presents "Becoming Ginger Rogers" Book Party





“Becoming Ginger Rogers” Book Party Launch Benefits Dancing Classrooms




Patrice Tanaka

Program Teaches Ballroom Dancing in 500+ Public Schools Across U.S. and in Jaffa, Israel, Bringing Together Israeli and Palestinian Children


Patrice Tanaka (Photo Credit: Jan Goldstoff)

NEW YORK, DEC. 29, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — The recent industry launch of PR maven Patrice Tanaka’s new book, “Becoming Ginger Rogers…How Ballroom Dancing Made Me a Happier Woman, Better Partner and Smarter CEO,” co-hosted by MultiVu, a PR Newswire company, and CommPRO.biz, at The Ball New York on Dec. 14 was appropriately a fundraiser for Dancing Classrooms. The New York City-based non-profit, co-founded by ballroom champion Pierre Dulaine and his dance partner, Yvonne Marceau, which brings ballroom dance into public schools across the country and, now globally, has transformed the lives of more than 300,000 children and inspired the award-winning documentary, “Mad, Hot Ballroom,” and the film, “Take the Lead,” starring Antonio Banderas.


Jeannie Egas-Trouveroy, Pierre Dulaine, John Schultz, Patrice Tanaka, Yvonne Marceau, Todd Grossman (photo credit: Jan Goldstoff)

“I can’t think of a better way to launch my book, which is a memoir/business book about the personal and professional transformation I experienced through ballroom dance, than to use it as a fundraiser for Dancing Classrooms, a program I have long admired for its success in helping to transform young lives one step at a time through ballroom dance,” explains Tanaka.

“I first started taking ballroom dance lessons at Pierre Dulaine’s dance studio in New York City and have witnessed the tireless dedication of Pierre and Yvonne in building this remarkable program from one New York City elementary school in 1994 to more than 500 schools across the country today, including in Jaffa, Israel, where 10-year old Israeli-Jewish and Israeli-Palestinian children were brought together for the first time ever through ballroom dance.” A documentary entitled, “Dancing in Jaffa,” will be released in fall 2012 about Pierre’s visit to his hometown of Jaffa and his efforts to bring children of different faiths together joyfully and peacefully through dance in this war-torn region, Ms. Tanaka said.

According to Pierre Dulaine, research has proven that Dancing Classrooms’ 10-week session of twice-weekly ballroom dance classes have helped to increase social development among children and improve their school attendance and rate of high school graduation. “We can very clearly see the transformative effect of ballroom dance on children and know that dance can transform lives at any age as Ms. Tanaka can attest to in her charmingly candid book, ‘Becoming Ginger Rogers,’ and how it made her, as she says, ‘a happier woman, better partner and smarter CEO.’”

Todd Grossman, vice president of MultiVu, which co-hosted the book party for Ms. Tanaka, announced that proceeds from the sale of books that evening would be donated to Dancing Classrooms.

Ms. Tanaka will also be making a donation to the non-profit organization for every book sold through February 15, 2012, the date of Dancing Classrooms 18th Annual Gala Dinner-Dance at The Pierre Hotel in New York City at which she will be the non-profit organization’s first-ever “corporate honoree.”

To order a copy of “Becoming Ginger Rogers” and, at the same time, make a donation to Dancing Classrooms, please click on either of the following links:

http://www.amazon.com/Becoming-Ginger-Rogers-Ballroom-Dancing/dp/1936661039

Or

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/becoming-ginger-rogers-patrice-tanaka/1100238005

At the book party, Ms. Tanaka spoke about how she started ballroom dance lessons at age 50 to satisfy a lifelong dream of dancing like Ginger Rogers and, in so doing, found her way to “unimaginable joy.” She recounted how she turned to ballroom dancing to lift herself from a deep depression she fell into post-9/11, the unraveling of a successful business she co-founded, and the prolonged illness and death of her beloved husband.

Ms. Tanaka said that she took up ballroom dancing at a time when she was feeling “totally burnt out and unexcited and uninspired by her own life.” Ballroom dancing, she said, helped her to “reclaim her life.”

In “Becoming Ginger Rogers,” Ms. Tanaka talks about the “lessons she learned from ballroom dancing that have application beyond the dance floor” such as:

The importance of being fully present – mind, body and spirit – in helping you to communicate more effectively, create stronger connections and partner more successfully with others in your personal and professional life.

How “overrated” and inhibiting perfectionism is; more important, she says, is to live full-out and fearlessly even if you make some missteps.
How visualizing your dreams are the first step in manifesting them.
How living every moment of your life in a way that is fulfilling in and of itself, and not dependent on some future you may not have, is the best way to live and to be “good to go” especially if you have little advance warning like the nearly 3,000 people who perished at work in the Twin Towers on 9/11.

Ms. Tanaka concluded her remarks by urging guests to “pursue your joy with a sense of urgency” and not to postpone this critical action by thinking that they had the “luxury of an endless future” in which to do so.

She then introduced a dazzling ballroom dance exhibition by American Rhythm Champions Emmanuel Pierre-Antoine and Liana Churilova. Ms. Tanaka said that Pierre-Antoine, her teacher, was the person who “inspired” her to write her book, explaining that, “Emmanuel views dancing as more than just a ‘sport’ or ‘profession,’ he views dance as a way of being fully present in the world and as self-discovery and a way of connecting with the divine both within and beyond yourself.”

The thrilling Cha Cha, Rhumba and Mambo danced by Pierre-Antoine and Churilova were evidence of this to all who were present that evening.

# # #

About Patrice Tanaka
Patrice Tanaka is the co-chair, chief creative officer and whatcanbe ambassador for CRT/tanaka, an award-winning, national PR and marketing agency she co-founded in September 2005. Her agency’s brand vision of whatcanbe is the reason CRT/tanaka has been recognized for its workplace culture and won more than 300 PR and marketing awards for client campaigns.

A widow since 2003, Ms.Tanaka lives in Manhattan and devotes much of her free time to serving on the boards of non-profit organizations dedicated to helping women and children, including the Girl Scout Council of Greater New York, Futures Without Violence (formerly the Family Violence Prevention Fund), the American Friends of Phelophepa (the South African health care train) and Asian Women in Business. She also competes in “pro-am” ballroom dance competitions. You can find her on Facebook @Becoming Ginger Rogers and Twitter @BeGingerRogers.

About Dancing Classrooms
Dancing Classrooms is an arts-in-education program whose mission is to build social awareness, confidence and self-esteem in children through the practice of social dance. Dancing Classrooms NYC, a 501©(3) non-profit organization, was founded in 1994.

Dancing Classrooms is not about teaching ballroom dancing. Dance is a tool for getting children to break down social barriers, learn about honor and respect, treat others carefully, improve self-confidence, communicate and cooperate, and accept others even if they are different.

Dancing Classrooms is a 10-week – 20 session social development program for 5th and 8th grade children that utilizes ballroom dancing as a vehicle to change the lives of not only the children who participate in the program but also the lives of the teachers and parents who support these children.

You can find Dancing Classrooms on Facebook @Dancing Classrooms New York City and Twitter @DancingClassrms.


About PR Newswire

PR Newswire (www.prnewswire.com) is the premier global provider of multimedia platforms that enable marketers, corporate communicators, sustainability officers, public affairs and investor relations officers to leverage content to engage with all their key audiences. Having pioneered the commercial news distribution industry 57 years ago, PR Newswire today provides end-to-end solutions to produce, optimize and target content — from rich media to online video to multimedia — and then distribute content and measure results across traditional, digital, mobile and social channels. Combining the world’s largest multi-channel, multi-cultural content distribution and optimization network with comprehensive workflow tools and platforms, PR Newswire enables the world’s enterprises to engage opportunity everywhere it exists. PR Newswire serves tens of thousands of clients from offices in the Americas, Europe, Middle East, Africa and the Asia-Pacific region, and is a UBM plc company.

About CommPRO.biz
An acronym for "Communications Professional Resources Online," CommPRO.biz is the destination for the answers marketing communications professionals need to be successful, whether they’re in PR, IR, corporate communications, marketing or advertising. CommPRO.biz reaches 75,000+ MarCom professionals with its "Daily Headlines" and enjoys 20,000+ site visitors per month. Its founders include Bruce Merchant, (Chairman & Chief Strategy Officer), Fay Shapiro (Publisher), Todd Fabacher (Chief Information Architect) and Brian Pittman (Content Director). The team brings together a wealth of experience in publishing and services targeted to the business communications sectors — including advertising, investor relations, public relations and marketing. For further information, visit us online at: www.commpro.biz, Twitter @commprobiz and Facebook www.facebook.com/commPRO.biz.



Brad Pitt: Voted Top Money-Making Star of 2011





30 Dec 2011 15:30 Africa/Lagos

Career First for Brad Pitt: Top Money-Making Star of 2011

GROTON, Mass., Dec. 30, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Brad Pitt has been voted the Top Money-Making Star of 2011 in Quigley Publishing Company's 80th Annual Poll of Motion Picture Exhibitors. This is Pitt's sixth appearance in the Poll, but his first win. Exhibitors felt Pitt was responsible for more traffic to theatres than any other Hollywood star based on his performances this year in "Moneyball," "The Tree of Life" and "Happy Feet Two." (voice)

The Quigley Poll, conducted each year since 1932, is an annual survey of motion picture theatre owners and film buyers, which asks them to vote for the ten stars that they believe generated the most box-office revenue for their theatres during the year. It has been long regarded as one of the most reliable indicators of a Star's real box-office draw because the selections are made by professionals whose livelihood depends on choosing the films and actors that will bring audiences to their theatres. The Quigley Poll appears annually in Quigley Publishing Company's International Motion Picture Almanac and on our web site: www.quigleypublishing.com. Both list the results of all the Polls since Marie Dressler, Janet Gaynor and Joan Crawford took the top three places in 1932.

George Clooney placed second this year based on "The Ides of March," where he was also the Director, Producer and Co-writer and "The Descendants." Johnny Depp, last year's winner, made it to #3 this year with 2011 roles in "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides" and "The Rum Diary." Depp has placed in the poll seven times as has this year's #4, Leonardo DiCaprio, who starred in "J. Edgar." Matt Damon, #5, had a very busy year with "Contagion," "The Adjustment Bureau," "Margaret" and "We Bought a Zoo."

2009's winner, Sandra Bullock, placed #6, which marks her fifth appearance in the Poll. She first placed in the survey in 1995. There were two first-timers this year, Bradley Cooper #7 and Ben Stiller #10. Bradley Cooper was in "The Hangover Part II" and Ben Stiller was in "Tower Heist." Robert Downey, Jr. was #8 on the strength of "Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows" and Meryl Streep was #9 as 'The Iron Lady" and is in the Top Ten for the fourth time.

Tom Cruise has not placed in the Poll since 2006 but he has been in the Top Ten 20 times since 1983, and been voted number one the most of any actor - seven times. Tom Hanks, Clint Eastwood, Burt Reynolds and Bing Crosby have all won five times. Clint Eastwood has been in the poll 21 times starting in 1968. Currently, Exhibitors appreciate him more as a Director that brings audiences to their theatres. John Wayne, Doris Day and Shirley Temple each finished first four times, but John Wayne was voted one of the Top Ten Money-Making Stars an astounding 25 times from 1949 to 1974.

Exhibitors were also asked to name the Stars of Tomorrow for 2011: one actor and one actress who they feel will be Top Money-Makers in the years to come. The 2011 winners are Rooney Mara who played Lisbeth Salander in "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo," and Jonah Hill who had a breakthrough performance in "Moneyball" and starred in "The Sitter."

Top Ten Money-Making Stars of 2011

Brad Pitt
George Clooney
Johnny Depp
Leonardo DiCaprio
Matt Damon
Sandra Bullock
Bradley Cooper
Robert Downey, Jr.
Meryl Streep
Ben Stiller

Stars of Tomorrow:

Rooney Mara
Jonah Hill

Quigley Publishing Company was founded in 1915 and has published the International Motion Picture Almanac annually since 1930 and the International Television & Video Almanac since 1955. Historical data, analysis and all of the Top Ten Money-Making Star Polls dating back to 1932 are available in the 2011 edition of the International Motion Picture Almanac and on our web site: www.quigleypublishing.com

SOURCE Quigley Publishing Company

CONTACT: CONTACT: Bill Quigley, +1-978-448-0272, Fax: +1-978-448-9325, bquigley@quigleypublishing.com

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



Friday, December 30, 2011

How Are You Going To Welcome The New Year 2012 With Your Sweetheart?


How are you going to welcome the New Year with your sweetheart?

1. Go to church with her for the end of the year/New Year watch night service?

2. Go clubbing into the New Year?

3. Dine and wine and make love into the New Year?

4. Simply go to bed and wake up in the New Year.




Thursday, December 29, 2011

ULTA Beauty Offers Top 6 Skin Resolutions For 2012


Welcome a new year with the experts at ULTA Beauty as they present Fresh Start Skin Days offering free skin tips, expert consultations and special offers from January 1 - 21, 2012 at stores nationwide. (PRNewsFoto/ULTA Beauty)


29 Dec 2011 15:00 Africa/Lagos

ULTA Beauty Kicks Off Annual Skin Event With Their Top 6 Skin Resolutions For 2012



BOLINGBROOK, Ill., Dec. 29, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- The New Year is the perfect time to shake up your skin care routine. Swapping out your daily cleanser, toner, spot treatment or moisturizer for products that are targeted for your skin concerns could be the remedy you need to maintain that radiant glow all year long.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20111229/NY28076 )
(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110907/NY63127LOGO-b )

Recharge your spirits (and pores!) with a new regime & tips from the experts at ULTA Beauty as they kick off 2012 with their annual Fresh Start Skin Days event on January 1, 2012, where stores nationwide will focus on the importance of great skincare by offering exclusive tips from experts, as well as one of kind special offers daily through January 21, 2012.

ULTA has tapped into their team of expert brands who will offer exclusive beauty products including Dermalogica, Benefit, Murad, Bliss and, Philosophy, as well as in-store consultations and live demos from top beauty industry experts.

6 Top Skin Resolutions for Beautiful Skin in 2012:

1. Enjoy Your Coffee. Studies show that coffee beans & caffeine can produce elastin (aka tight skin). A quick skin tightening tip that may surprise you! If only spin class could be this easy & sweat free:

Bliss – Like a spinning class for your not-so-skinny cells, bliss's topical treatments FatGirlScrub and FatGirlSlim targets problem areas by energizing lethargic lipids to let loose and go 'lymphatic'.

2. Stay Hydrated. Skin thirsty for some moisture? Staying hydrated through the harsh winter months is key. Stay smooth with these featured products:

Radiant SkinCare by Benefit Set – Dull skin from daily stress? With this 6 step set, skin is guaranteed to be polished, cleansed & hydrated for travelers on the go.
DDF – Their simplifying elixir boosts skin's moisture barrier by 70% with ingredients including ficus leaf, lotus flower and red clover extracts.

3. Thou Shall Not Pick. Spots should only be for the runway or your cute pup! For those with combination or breakout prone skin, ULTA skincare experts offer these suggestions:

StriVectin-EV – Their new Get Even Spot Repair has a concentrated formula that targets stubborn spots at the source. After 4 weeks, excess pigmentation diminishes and after 8 weeks, stubborn spots visibly lighten.
Philosophy – Want amplified results on skin discoloration? Look to the #1 professional protocol for addressing dark spots: a skin brightener + a retinoid. Simply pair Philosophy's revolutionary new Miracle Worker Miraculous All-Over Brightener and Dark Spot Corrector with their best-selling Miracle Worker Miraculous Anti-Aging Retinoid Pads for fast, clinically-proven results.
Mario Badescu – Did you know that the Whitening Mask isn't only for discoloration? it's a great mask for overall brightening too! This hydrating mask will brighten uneven skin tones and gently minimize the look of old acne scars. Give the Whitening Mask a try!

4. Get 8-10 Hours of Sleep a Night. Research shows cells are most efficient at healing during nighttime sleep. Work on cell renewal and say "hasta la vista" to dark under eye circles with these miracle go-to products:

bareMinerals – With their active cell renewal night serum, accelerate cell turnover and boost moisture levels while you sleep. Wake up to firm, healthy, younger-looking skin.
Hydroxatone – Always apply under eye products with your ring finger! This is your weakest finger and will ensure a gentle product application to the delicate, thin skin under the eyes -- applying too much pressure can break capillaries and even cause bruising!

5. Prepare to Change. Your skin changes as you age and so should your skin care if you want to keep a youthful appearance. Be sure to use products that correspond with your age and skin concerns. The experts at Dermalogica suggest these:

20s: Clean skin is the foundation of healthy skin. Perform the Dermalogica Double cleanse that begins with PreCleanse to lift makeup and oil-based debris, and follow with your favorite Dermalogica Cleanser for super clean skin.
30s: Adding a weekly hydrating masque to your routine can dramatically boost radiance and reduce appearance of fine lines.
40s: Keep up with your water intake to hydrate skin from the inside out.
50s: Menopause can trigger up to a 30% reduction in collagen. Speak with your skin therapist about products that can help boost collagen production to keep skin firm.

6. Glow as you Go. A great skin care regime need not take a long time. It's all about using the right products and keeping up a regular skin care routine. New services like Dermalogica's MicroZone treatments take only 20-minutes at ULTA Salons and can be adapted to individual needs. Try Flash Exfoliation, Lip Renewal or Eye Rescue for targeted solutions for immediate skin care concerns.

ULTA Beauty is the largest beauty retailer that provides one-stop shopping for prestige, mass and salon products and salon services in the United States. ULTA Beauty provides affordable indulgence to its customers by combining the product breadth, value and convenience of a beauty superstore with the distinctive environment and experience of a specialty retailer. ULTA Beauty offers a unique combination of over 20,000 prestige and mass beauty products across the categories of cosmetics, fragrance, haircare, skincare, bath and body products and salon styling tools, as well as salon haircare products. ULTA Beauty also offers a full-service salon in all of its stores. As of October 29, 2011, ULTA operates 442 retail stores across 42 states and also distributes its products through its website: www.ulta.com.



SOURCE ULTA Beauty

CONTACT: CONTACT: Brooke Hudis, DKC, +1-212-981-5249, Brooke_Hudis@dkcnews.com or Lizzie Boswell, DKC, +1-212-981-5273, Lizzie_Boswell@dkcnews.com



We Are Made For Relationships



I am not talking religion here, before ignorant ones rush to such a conclusion once they see a biblical quotation.

From the Garden of Eden to date, we have been made for relationships and lest we forget there was no marriage ceremony between Adam and Eve and where did Cain get his wife after he committed fratricide by killing his brother Abel?
Cain got his wife from one of his sisters, because the Holy Bible recorded in Genesis 5:4;
“And the days of Adam after he had fathered Seth were eight hundred years. And he fathered sons and daughters.”

Do you know that majority of my fellow so called "Christians", especially the hypocritical legions don't even know this fact.

Marriage was created for the security of the society and not as most people assume for companionship.

You don't need marriage to get a companion to be your life partner.
All you need for companionship is relationship.

"The Lord God said, 'It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.'"

It goes without saying that God created mankind for relationships from which comes 80 percent of life's satisfaction. To live meaningfully is to be in meaningful relationships, without which life is lonely and leaves us with an empty "love tank" or vacuum in the heart.

If we don't know how to relate in healthy ways, we don't know how to fully live and fully love. As a result we can impair our mental and physical health.

~ http://www.actsweb.org/daily.php?id=908


It is really an ordeal to have conversation with ignorant people who are neither well educated nor well informed since what they know is not more than what they have been taught by equally ignorant tutors who were also in turn taught by ignorant tutors and their vicious circle of ignorance continues perpetually until they even die. But thank God the master is here to bring them out of their darkness into the marvelous light of the love that surpasses all knowledge which only those who drink from the rivers of living water can fetch and give to the thirsty pilgrims and wanderers in the journey of life in a mysterious universe.

So, let no one misinform you under the guise of any religion or tradition of any society that is not based on the Truth that our Lord and Master Jesus Christ said will set you free once you know it.
So, know it now.
Jesus Christ did not marry and I could guess what the family, friends and the rest of ignorant people of His time would have said about him.
Did He marry?
But among his closest companions were women.

How many of the apostles and prophets of God married?
Yet they had female companions.

Why am I making biblical references?
I am doing so, because of the passionate proponents of marriage are dogmatic adherents of biblical marriage and will jump to the conclusion of labeling me an iconoclast.
If I would ever be an iconoclast, it must be the one who destroys all falsehoods and other ambiguous and erroneous beliefs and practices of this human society ruled more by fear, ignorance and hypocrisy than love and truth.


~ By Orikinla Osinachi




Wednesday, December 28, 2011

The Biggest Transformers Movie Yet - Transformers: Dark of the Moon


'Transformers 3: Dark of the Moon' Movie Review... by ClevverMovies


HOLLYWOOD, Calif., Dec. 27, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- From director Michael Bay and executive producer Steven Spielberg, in association with Hasbro, Paramount Pictures' global smash hit Transformers: Dark of the Moon returns to Earth January 31, 2012 in a four-disc Ultimate Edition Blu-ray 3D, Blu-ray and DVD combo pack with UltraViolet™ and a Digital Copy. A must-own film for every home media collection, Transformers: Dark of the Moon features "jaw-droppingly amazing 3D" (Harry Knowles, AintItCool.com) and fan-favorite characters OPTIMUS PRIME, BUMBLEBEE and Sam Witwicky amidst bigger and more spectacular action in an adventure that surpassed its predecessors to earn over $1.1 billion at the worldwide box office and become the #4 biggest movie of all time at the global box office.





Bursting with nearly four hours of sensational behind-the-scenes footage, cast and crew interviews and more, the Transformers: Dark of the Moon Blu-ray 3D, Blu-ray and DVD combo pack delivers blockbuster entertainment.

"This Blu-ray 3D of Dark of the Moon will blow you away. If you've been waiting for the right time to get a 3D television, this is it," said director Michael Bay. "For fans who've been waiting patiently to bring Dark of the Moon home, this Ultimate Edition release delivers the goods."

And, for a limited time, all three eye-popping films in the Transformers franchise will be available in a 7-Disc Limited Collector's Edition Blu-ray Trilogy featuring each film in high definition, Transformers: Dark of the Moon in high definition 3D, more than 10 hours of special features and a plaque of movie images signed by Bay.

The ongoing epic story of the mighty AUTOBOTS continues in Transformers: Dark of the Moon and the four-disc Blu-ray 3D, Blu-ray and DVD combo pack takes fans behind-the-scenes, across the U.S. and into the far reaches of space for a fully immersive entertainment experience. The set includes a nearly two-hour documentary about the making of the film, which follows the cast and crew around the world, reveals the secrets behind the breathtaking stunts, including more footage of the amazing "birdmen," and documents the film's progress all the way through its triumphant release. Plus, additional features show how Chicago was transformed into the movie's biggest action set, offer a look inside NASA, unveil artists' renderings of the AUTOBOTS and DECEPTICONS and much, much more. The combo pack will also be enabled with UltraViolet, a new way to collect, access and enjoy movies. With UltraViolet, consumers can add movies to their digital collection in the cloud, and then stream or download them – safely and securely – to a variety of devices.

Four-Disc Ultimate Edition Blu-ray 3D, Blu-ray & DVD

The Transformers: Dark of the Moon Blu-ray 3D and Blu-ray are presented in 1080p high definition with English 7.1 Dolby TrueHD, English 5.1 Discrete Dolby Digital, English 2.0 Discrete Surround Dolby Digital, French 5.1 Dolby Digital, Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital, Portuguese 5.1 Dolby Digital and English Audio Description and English, English SDH, French, Spanish and Portuguese subtitles. The English 5.1 and English 2.0 tracks were each individually mastered to ensure optimal sound for the home entertainment experience.

The DVD is presented in widescreen enhanced for 16:9 televisions with Dolby Digital English 5.1 Surround, English 2.0 Discrete Surround, French 5.1 Surround, Spanish 5.1 Surround and English Audio Description and English, French, Spanish and Portuguese subtitles.

The disc breakdown is as follows:

Disc 1 (Blu-ray):

Feature film in high definition

Disc 2 (Blu-ray):

Above and Beyond: Exploring Dark of the Moon
Rising from the Fallen: Development and Design
Ready for Prime Time: Filming Across America
Battle in the Heartland: Shooting in Chicago
Attack of the Birdmen: Aerial Stunts
Shadow of the Sentinel: Post-Production and Release
Uncharted Territory: NASA's Future Then and Now
Deconstructing Chicago: Multi-Angle Sequences
Previsualizations with optional commentary by director Michael Bay and previsualization supervisor Steve Yamamoto
Previsualizations/Final Shot Comparison with optional commentary by director Michael Bay and previsualization supervisor Steve Yamamoto
Visual Effects with optional commentary by visual effects supervisors Scott Farrar and Matthew Butler
Visual Effects/Final Shot Comparison with optional commentary by visual effects supervisors Scott Farrar and Matthew Butler
The Art of CYBERTRON
AUTOBOTS
DECEPTICONS
Environments
Weapons and Gear
Ships
The Dark of the Moon Archive
3D: A Transforming Visual Art
Moscow World Premiere
Birdmen Featurette
Cody's iPad
The Sound of Transformers: Dark of the Moon
The Matrix of Marketing
Trailers
Marketing Gallery

Disc 3 (Blu-ray 3D):

Feature film in high definition 3D

Disc 4 (DVD):

Feature film in standard definition
Digital Copy—Compatible with iTunes® and Windows Media

7-Disc Limited Collector's Edition Blu-ray Trilogy

The 7-Disc Limited Collector's Edition Blu-ray Trilogy includes all three films in high definition, Transformers: Dark of the Moon in high definition 3D, more than 10 hours of bonus material, as well as a plaque of movie images signed by director Michael Bay. Disc specifications are as follows:

Two-disc Special Edition Blu-ray of Transformers presented in 1080p high definition with English 5.1 Dolby TrueHD, French 5.1 Dolby Digital and Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital and English, English SDH, French, Spanish and Portuguese subtitles.
Two-disc Special Edition Blu-ray of Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen presented in 1080p high definition with English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio, French 5.1 Dolby Digital and Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital and English, English SDH, French, Spanish and Portuguese subtitles.
Three-disc Combo Blu-ray 3D/Blu-ray of Transformers: Dark of the Moon presented in 1080p high definition with English 7.1 Dolby TrueHD, English 5.1 Discrete Dolby Digital, English 2.0 Discrete Surround Dolby Digital, French 5.1 Dolby Digital, Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital, Portuguese 5.1 Dolby Digital and English Audio Description and English, English SDH, French, Spanish and Portuguese subtitles.

Synopsis

A mysterious event from Earth's past threatens to ignite a war so big that the TRANSFORMERS alone will not be able to save the planet. Sam Witwicky (Shia LaBeouf) and the AUTOBOTS must fight against the darkness to defend our world from the DECEPTICONS' all-consuming evil in the smash hit from director Michael Bay and executive producer Steven Spielberg.

About Hasbro, Inc.

Hasbro (NASDAQ: HAS) is a branded play company providing children and families around the world with a wide-range of immersive entertainment offerings based on the Company's world class brand portfolio. From toys and games, to television programming, motion pictures, video games and a comprehensive licensing program, Hasbro strives to delight its customers through the strategic leveraging of well-known and beloved brands such as TRANSFORMERS, LITTLEST PET SHOP, NERF, PLAYSKOOL, MY LITTLE PONY, G.I. JOE, MAGIC: THE GATHERING and MONOPOLY. The Hub, Hasbro's multi-platform joint venture with Discovery Communications (NASDAQ: DISCA, DISCB, DISCK) launched on October 10, 2010. The online home of The Hub is www.hubworld.com. The Hub logo and name are trademarks of Hub Television Networks, LLC. All rights reserved. Come see how we inspire play through our brands at http://www.hasbro.com. © 2011 Hasbro, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

About Paramount Home Entertainment

Paramount Home Entertainment (PHE) is part of Paramount Pictures Corporation (PPC), a global producer and distributor of filmed entertainment. PPC is a unit of Viacom (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB), a leading content company with prominent and respected film, television and digital entertainment brands. PHE is responsible for the sales, marketing and distribution of home entertainment products on behalf of various parties including: Paramount Pictures, Paramount Vantage, Paramount Classics, Insurge Pictures, Paramount Famous Productions, Nickelodeon, MTV, Comedy Central, CBS and PBS and for providing home entertainment fulfillment services for DreamWorks Animation Home Entertainment.

TRANSFORMERS: Dark of the Moon

Street date:


January 31, 2012

Runtime:


154 minutes

SRP:

$39.99 (Ultimate Edition Blu-ray 3D, Blu-ray & DVD combo pack)


SOURCE Paramount Home Entertainment



Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Saturday, December 24, 2011

The Trials Of Love: How Do You Share The Burden Of Your Girlfriend Or Boyfriend?


Man comforting a woman. Photo Credit: Madame Noire

The Trials Of Love: How Do You Share The Burden Of Your Girlfriend Or Boyfriend?
« on: Today at 08:02:31 PM »

Most of the topics on romance often focus more on intimate relationships than the other important aspects of love between a man and a woman.

Apart from the joys of intimate intercourse, what other courses do you have to experience in romance?

Do you share in the challenges and trials of your girlfriend or boyfriend?
How do you bear with him or her.?

Have you shown enough care and concern when your sweetheart is ill or when she has a heavy burden in her family?

How much have you shared in the welfare of her/his family?
Or have you been found wanting when he or she needs you most?
To comfort and support her or him?

Or do you give excuses to escape from the challenges and expenses of bearing the responsibilities with your girlfriend or boyfriend?

Would you review this year and nod your head in approval or shake your head in disapproval of your girlfriend or boyfriend?
Did your sweetheart disappoint you?
Did he let you down?
Or did he or she make you proud and worthy of your love?


~ By Orikinla Osinachi
.



Who Owns Christmas? Jesus Christ or Santa Claus?


Illustration of Jesus and Santa. Photo Credit: Jason Berggren.

Who owns Christmas? Jesus Christ or Santa Claus?
This is the thought-;provoking subject of David Frum's article on the Huffington Post: Santa vs. Jesus and it is one of the most engaging articles on the debate of how the "religion" of Santa Claus is misappropriating the religion of Christianity for which Christmas is being celebrated in commemoration of the birth of the founder Jesus Christ our Lord and Messiah.

This is really How the Grinch Stole Christmas!



Of course How the Grinch Stole Christmas! is an allegory of how Santa Claus has stolen the birthday of Jesus Christ written by Dr. Seuss on the commercialization of Christmas and satirizes those who profit from exploiting the holiday.



As we speak, Santa Claus has just left the North Pole for his Christmas Eve journey around the world, his reindeer-powered sleigh loaded with gifts for boys and girls. ...

As much we should appreciate the goodwill and love in the sharing and exchange of Christmas gifts and greetings, we must stop the abuse and misuse of the Christian festival by greedy capitalists and legions of hypocrites whose idolatry is the antithesis of the charity of Jesus Christ.

~ By Ekenyerengozi Michael Chima, aka Orikinla Osinachi.





Ghanaian Actresses Are Hotter Than Nigerian Actresses


Yvonne Nelson, Ghollywood Sex Symbol.

When you compare Nigerian actresses with Ghanaian actresses, you will see that the Ghanaian Actresses Jackie Appiah, Nadia Buari and Yvonne Nelson are hotter than Nigeria's Genevieve Nnaji, Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde, Rita Dominic, Mercy Johnson, Ini Edo and Tonto Dike on and off screen.



Especially my favourite Yvonne Nelson is just too hot!


Genevieve Nnaji, Nollywood Sex Symbol



Friday, December 23, 2011

TouchTunes Interactive and Razor & Tie Join Forces To Promote Vanessa Carlton


Vanessa Carlton with TouchTunes Interactive Networks' Virtuo. (PRNewsFoto/TouchTunes Interactive Networks)

23 Dec 2011 14:00 Africa/Lagos

TouchTunes Interactive Networks Partners With Razor & Tie for a Nationwide Promotion of Vanessa Carlton's New EP Hear The Bells

Digital EP Includes Two Holiday Songs and First-Ever Re-Record of Her Smash Hit "A Thousand Miles"
Vanessa Carlton Performance at Holiday Release Party in NYC Sponsored by TouchTunes

NEW YORK, Dec. 23, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- To support the release of Vanessa Carlton's new digital EP, Hear the Bells, TouchTunes Interactive Networks today announced a first-time partnership with the leading independent record label Razor & Tie for a wide-reaching digital and mobile promotion of the EP across its nationwide network. During the month of December, Hear the Bells will be promoted across TouchTunes' network of over 50,000 digital jukeboxes and TouchTunesTV screens, and will also be available to fans on the myTouchTunes mobile app.


TouchTunes Interactive Networks Partners With Razor & Tie for a Nationwide Promotion of Vanessa Carlton's New EP Hear The Bells. (PRNewsFoto/TouchTunes Interactive Networks)

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20111223/NY27178-a )

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20111223/NY27178-b )

Officially released on November 21st, the four song digital EP features the holiday classic "Do You Hear What I Hear" and John Lennon's "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)," as well as an acoustic rendition of "Hear The Bells" (from Carlton's 2011 studio album, Rabbits on the Run.) Vanessa Carlton fans are also treated to the first-ever acoustic re-recording of her mega-hit, "A Thousand Miles."

In addition, on Friday December 16th, TouchTunes celebrated Carlton's EP release by hosting an invitation-only event at Dominion NY in New York City. Music industry executives, VIPs, and a select group of fans were treated to a special acoustic performance by Carlton.

"It's fantastic to be partnering with TouchTunes to help promote Vanessa's 'Hear the Bells' EP," said Matthew Amoroso, Product Manager, Razor & Tie. "In the ever-changing musical landscape, TouchTunes presents a new and unique marketing channel to expose our artists to a huge number of fresh eyes and ears. It's exciting and refreshing."

Vanessa recently wrapped up a national tour with Matt Nathanson in support of her critically acclaimed album, Rabbits on the Run (Razor & Tie). The album was released this past summer to rave reviews and Carlton appeared on a number of television programs including The Tonight Show, The Today Show, Conan, and Chelsea Lately and was featured on NPR's Weekend Edition .

"The holidays are a busy, busy time for our locations and music is especially key to creating a festive atmosphere during the season," said Vicki Saunders, TouchTunes VP, Digital Media and Music Marketing. "We are thrilled to be working with Vanessa Carlton and her team to promote Hear the Bells, a perfect addition to our holiday catalog."

About TouchTunes Interactive Networks

TouchTunes Interactive Networks is the largest interactive out-of-home entertainment network in North America. TouchTunes provides entertainment and marketing solutions to 50,000 bars and restaurants. Since TouchTunes introduced the world's first digital downloading, pay-per-play jukebox, the network has become the largest of its kind with close to 2 million songs played, on average, across the network every day. TouchTunes has a growing music library of more than three million licensed tracks, and delivered more than 900 million songs in 2011 alone. The company also provides TouchTunesTV, a unique, screen-within-a-screen interactive television experience that provides custom advertising capabilities, venue promotions and social networking opportunities. TouchTunes is a privately held U.S. corporation with offices in New York City, Arlington Heights, Illinois and Montreal, Canada. For further information please visit us at: touchtunes.com, mytouchtunes.com, facebook.com/touchtunes, twitter.com/touchtunes

About Razor & Tie

The New York City-based Razor & Tie is one of the largest independently-owned music companies in the United States. Founded in 1990 and co-owned since inception by entrepreneurs Cliff Chenfeld and Craig Balsam, the company is comprised of a record label with major distribution through SONY and independent distribution through RED, a music publishing business, a media buying company, a full service recording studio, and visual / post production house. Having garnered many gold and platinum sales awards and Grammy awards in its 20-year history, Razor & Tie continues to expand its diverse and acclaimed roster that includes such artists as Vanessa Carlton, Foreigner, Dave Stewart, Richard Ashcroft, Nicole Atkins, Angelique Kidjo, Saves The Day, Kevin Devine, Dave Barnes, All That Remains, P.O.D., Dweezil Zappa, Dar Williams, Chelsea Grin, For Today, Hit The Lights, The Summer Set and a children's roster that includes Laurie Berkner and The Wiggles. The label also supplies physical and digital distribution to the Broadway Cast Recording label Ghostlight/Sh-K-Boom, the re-issue label Real Gone Records, and is a partner in the metal label Artery Recordings, a successful joint venture with Artery Management. The company provides distribution and marketing services for artists such as Joan Baez, Suzanne Vega, Corey Smith and The Cowboy Junkies. The owners of the company are also the creators of the hugely successful brand Kidz Bop, which includes the multi-platinum Kidz Bop music series.

www.vanessacarlton.com
Vanessa Carlton Press Assets: http://www.razorandtiepublicity.com/artistpage.php?artist=232
www.razorandtie.com

SOURCE TouchTunes Interactive Networks

CONTACT:
Contact For TouchTunes Interactive Networks: Liz Anklow, liz_anklow@dkcnews.com, Courtney Greenberg, courtney_greenberg@dkcnews.com, or Jade Clark, jade_clark@dkcnews.com, all of Dan Klores Communications, +1-212-685-4300; Contact For Razor & Tie and Vanessa Carlton, Kerri Brusca, +1-212.598.2255, kbrusca@razorandtie.com

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



Thank God is Friday Christmas Shopping Post



Nigerian Times is wishing everyone who visited the site a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year 2012 and to share the joys of the season, I am offering the lucky SHEKNOWS a special Thank God is Friday Free Advert and the Zesty Orange Shoes are worth getting for yourself or your sweethearts!



:1: Via Spiga Digby

These shiny shoes have a patent leather upper in a dress slingback style, featuring a pointed toe and cute cutout detail.

Get it: Via Spiga Digby

:2: Athena Alexander Arc Sandal

With its strap with geometric leather overlays and high heel, you will think style. But with the cushioned footbed, you'll get to feel comfort, too.

Get it: Athena Alexander Arc Sandal

:3: Sam Edelman Ionia Slingback

A cute, classic slingback shoe, with an adjustable ankle strap featuring a buckle closure.

Get it: Sam Edelman Ionia Slingback

:4: Zanotti by Giuseppe for Christopher Kane

These fabulous orange leather shoes offer a unique laced vamp and a 4-1/2" heel -- pretty much a guarantee you won't find them everywhere!

Get it: Zanotti by Giuseppe for Christopher Kane

:5: Diego Di Lucca Livia Slingback Wedge

You can dress these shoes up or down, knowing that these glossy patent shoes give you a leg-lengthening boost with a wedge heel, peep toe and adjustable slingback.

Get it: Diego Di Lucca Livia Slingback Wedge

:6: Martinez Valero Cimmy Sandal

Satiny fabric cascades down this pump from ankle to toe, plus you'll get a lift from the hot caged heel.

Get it: Martinez Valero Cimmy Sandal





Thursday, December 22, 2011

Britney Spears Celebrates Engagement at Planet Hollywood



Britney Spears Celebrates Engagement at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas
Pop princess debuts her 3.5-carat Neil Lane sparkler from longtime love Jason Trawick



Jason Trawick and Britney Spears celebrate their engagement at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino on Dec. 16, 2011 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Denise Truscello/WireImage)

LAS VEGAS (Dec. 19, 2011) /PRNewswire/ — Britney Spears celebrated her engagement to longtime love Jason Trawick at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino the evening of Friday, Dec. 16. The pop icon debuted her 3.5-carat Neil Lane ring at the famed Las Vegas resort, which Trawick presented to her the previous evening in Los Angeles.


Jason Trawick and Britney Spears celebrate their engagement at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino on Dec. 16, 2011 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Denise Truscello/WireImage)

Spears and her fiancĂ© checked into one of the resort’s 3,100-square-foot mega-suites designed by famed designer Jonathon Adler. The two-bedroom suite features a stunning red Murano glass chandelier in the entry way as well as a full dining room, living room and Jacuzzi tub, and has breathtaking views of Paris Hotel’s Eiffel Tower.


Jason Trawick and Britney Spears celebrate their engagement at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino on Dec. 16, 2011 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Denise Truscello/WireImage)

After settling in, the couple went down to Planet Hollywood’s Strip House Steakhouse, where they celebrated with a custom-made cake created especially for them by the resort’s pastry chef. Spears and Trawick then headed over to Paris Las Vegas, where they dined at Sugar Factory American Brasserie, and ended the evening celebrating Trawick’s 40th birthday at Chateau Nightclub.

PLANET HOLLYWOOD RESORT & CASINO
Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino is the newest member of the Caesars Entertainment family and is a full partner in Total Rewards™. The hottest property on the Las Vegas Strip with 2,500 beautifully designed guest rooms and suites showcasing the best views in town, Planet Hollywood encompasses more than 100,000 square-feet of gaming, several lounges, nine restaurants including KOI, Strip House, the award-winning Spice Market Buffet and LA’s Pink’s Hot Dogs, and the Planet Hollywood Spa by Mandara. The mega resort is also home to PEEPSHOW, the sexy burlesque revue starring bombshell Holly Madison. The property is encircled by Miracle Mile Shops with more 170 specialty stores and restaurants. For more information, please visit www.planethollywoodresort.com or caesars.thedigitalcenter.com to access media materials and request high-resolution images. Find Planet Hollywood on Facebook and follow on Twitter.

Planet Hollywood, along with all Caesars Entertainment Las Vegas resorts, including Caesars Palace, Paris Las Vegas, Flamingo Las Vegas, Harrah’s, Bally’s, Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino, Imperial Palace and Bill’s Gamblin’ Hall & Saloon, proudly prohibit adding hidden resort fees to hotel guest room rates. For information on No Resort Fees visit www.caesars.com/vegasnoresortfees.

###

Media Contact:


Kelly Frey
Public Relations Manager
Caesars Entertainment
Las Vegas Region
kfrey@caesars.com
(702) 794-3170



Beyonce is Looking Like Lady Gaga on Cover of Jones Magazine



I nearly mistook Beyoncé for Lady Gaga when I saw her looking like the Pop Drama Queen on the cover of Jones Magazine's 1st Annual Winter 2011 Arts & Entertainment Issue. Beyoncé is a great entertainer on stage, but off stage she is a happily married and "pregnant" woman. Mrs. Jay-Z is not looking even a day pregnant in this cover photograph. Or she posed for it before she got pregnant?

The following is the press release.

Beyonce Knowles covers Jones Magazine's Arts & Entertainment Winter Issue, as the fashion and beauty glossy rises to a new level and grows its audience

NEW YORK, Dec. 21, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Jones magazine (jonesmagazine.com) -- Jones magazine is honored to feature the incomparable Beyonce on the cover of its arts and entertainment issue -- recognizing the contributions that Mrs. Knowles-Carter has made to music, film, fashion and beyond. For her first Jones cover, Beyonce presents iconic fashion images from the terrace of the Maurice in Paris, photographed by Greg Gex. In "B loved" (p. 72), written by Kim Osorio, Jones magazine examines Beyonce's current status as one of the most celebrated artists of our time.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20111221/NY26348 )

"I believe that parents prepare their kids for the moment that they're on their own: at this point, I am taking everything my dad and my mother have taught me, and I'm able to do things my way," says Beyonce.

"We're thrilled to have Beyonce grace the cover of Jones, as we expand and grow our audience," says L. Londell McMillan, Publisher.

On newsstands now, the magazine also features an exclusive interview with ballet's Misty Copeland, "Indomitable Beauty" (p. 80)—a stylish siren of the stage. She's not only the first African-American soloist in decades for a leading ballet company, but she's creating a new dancewear line for "real" bodies. For the first Jones "Inaugural Best-Dressed List" (p. 46), Jones curated 30 of their favorite, most consistently stylish leading ladies, from celebrities to socialites to professional personalities. Get to know them, and see why they're tops and so Jones. Lastly, in the spirit of holiday giving, Jones brings to you "Hey, Big Spender" (p. 88), a look at how some of the biggest celebrities give back through charities.

Jones invites readers to follow them on twitter (@jonesmag) and join the ranks of fans on Facebook (facebook.com/jonesmag). The new issue of Jones Magazine is on newsstands now, nationwide.

About Jones Magazine
Jones magazine (www.jonesmagazine.com) is the lifestyle shopping guide glossy targeting multi-cultural women and catering to fashion enthusiasts who share a penchant for what's hot, new and yet-to-be discovered. Jones Magazine is a division of The NorthStar Group, and distributed nationally on newsstands.

CONTACT:
Dana Storm Santiago
The NorthStar Group
Phone: (646) 559-8314
Email: press@jonesmag.com
www.jonesmagazine.com

SOURCE Jones Magazine



Spielberg's War Horse To Be Released on Christmas Day



The most awaited movie premiere of the year is Steven Spielberg’s War Horse opening on Christmas Day December 25 in the US and on January 13, 2012 in the UK.



War Horse is an adaptation of British author Michael Morpurgo’s children's novel set during World War I. The novel was first published in 1982 and had a successful stage adaptation in 2007.



Spielberg said he had challenges in reworking “a beloved Broadway play into a big screen moment to remember”.

Jeremy Irvine plays the role of Albert Narracott in the war thriller. He was Luke in the television series Life Bites and has remarkable stage experience with the Royal Shakespeare Company and was in Dunsinane in 2010.

The First World War is experienced through the journey of this horse—an odyssey of joy and sorrow, passionate friendship and high adventure. “War Horse” is one of the great stories of friendship and war— a successful book, it was turned into a hugely successful international theatrical hit that is arriving on Broadway next year. It now comes to screen in an epic adaptation by one of the great directors in film history.

Cast



PG-13, 2 hr. 26 min.
Drama, Action & Adventure
Directed By: Steven Spielberg
In Theaters: Dec 25, 2011 Wide
Walt Disney Pictures


War Horse is the second Steven Spielberg film opening this December in the US. The first The Adventures of Tintin was released yesterday Wednesday . December 21, 2011 in Digital 3D and IMAX.

The Adventures of Tintin is Spielberg's first foray into motion-capture filmmaking as well as 3-D. "Tintin," is the famous comic hero created by the Belgian artist named Hergé in the late 1920s. Tintin is a young daring investigative reporter whose travels around the world exposes him to fantastic adventures as he covers big stories and uncovers even larger mysteries accompanied by his dog, Snowy.



~ By Ekenyerengozi Michael Chima




Wednesday, December 21, 2011

"Sorry mate, you're off my Christmas list!"




NEWPORT, Wales, December 21, 2011 /PRNewswire/ --

- Friends miss out as a third of Brits trim their Christmas present list

Work friends and old school friends most likely to miss out
5 per cent of brothers are off the list as are 7 per cent of in-laws
Brits set to spend average of £528 on Christmas presents
One in five will go overdrawn or rely on credit card debt


A third of Brits have reduced the number of people they plan to buy presents for this year, crossing off an average three people from their Christmas list. Friends are top of the list of those most likely to be dropped, as hard-pressed consumers look at ways of trimming their festive budgets, while Granddad's and Grandma's presents look the most secure.

The new research into Christmas spending plans, commissioned by price comparison website Gocompare.com, found that on average we will spend £528 buying gifts for 10 people. While 70 per cent expect to spend the same amount or more as last year, 30 per cent were looking to reduce the amount they paid out for presents and trimming the number of people on the list was one way to save money.

Over half (56 per cent) of those looking to cut back would drop friends from their list, while only 31 per cent would remove family members. When it comes to family, the in-laws are the most likely to get crossed off the lists (7 per cent), followed by brothers (5 per cent) and sisters (3 per cent), nephews and cousins (both 3 per cent) and nieces (2 per cent). However, less than 1 per cent said they would leave Granddad or Grandma without a present.

Affordability (61 per cent) was the main reason given for reducing the number of people on gifts lists, 16 per cent weren't planning to buy presents for people who no longer bought them one, while 14 per cent had removed people from their shopping list because they had either fallen out or had lost contact with them.

When asked how they expect to pay for Christmas this year, half of those surveyed will meet the cost from their everyday income or savings, 26 per cent have saved up a specific 'Christmas fund', while one in five people will either go overdrawn or put the cost of Christmas on a store or credit card.

Jeremy Cryer, Gocompare.com's head of credit cards commented, "Christmas is traditionally a time of year when friends and family gather together to celebrate and exchange gifts. However, the festive season can add a significant burden on those who are already struggling to make ends meet. Worryingly, our survey reveals that 20 per cent of us will either go overdrawn or run up credit or store card debts simply to pay for Christmas presents.

"Much of the money owed on plastic cards is made up of the interest charged on the debt, so a good way to reduce the post Christmas financial hangover is to switch credit and store card debts to a 0% balance transfer deal. Consider transferring your debt balance to a card with an extended interest free period - these usually charge a small balance transfer fee of around 3% which will initially be added to the debt but it is still worth it if you can get 0% interest for 22 months*."

Jeremy continued, "Another option is to switch your balance to a card with a low interest rate for the lifetime of the balance transferred. This will immediately reduce the interest rate until the debt is completely paid off. This may be a better option if you're unlikely to pay off a significant part of your debt during a 0% interest free period.

"In the majority of cases any new purchases made using a credit card will be charged at the card issuer's standard interest rate until it is paid off so once you've switched your balance, it is a good idea to keep that card purely for the benefits of the 0% or low rate deal.

"Finally, don't forget that the longer you take to repay the debt, the more money you will owe as card issuers add interest to any outstanding balance. So, try to pay more than the minimum repayment each month and you will be debt-free sooner rather than later."

http://www.gocompare.com/credit-cards/

Notes to Editors:

Research commissioned by Gocompare.com. Carried out with 3,000 UK adults at the end of November 2011 by OnePoll Research.

*Based on the Barclaycard Platinum Visa Card which currently offers 0% for 22 months for balance transfers subject to a 2.9% handling fee.

Gocompare.com launched in November 2006 to help people find the right insurance cover at the right price. It was founded by Hayley Parsons who has worked her entire career in the insurance broking and aggregator markets and was the first comparison site to focus on displaying product features rather than just listing prices. It was this philosophy that led to Gocompare.com becoming the first price comparison site to be invited to join the British Insurance Brokers Association (BIBA) in May 2008 and helped force older comparison sites to change their 'quick quote' ways and stop using assumptions to calculate estimated figures.

Today, Gocompare.com provides one of the most comprehensive online car insurance comparison services in the UK as well as comparing home, pet, motorbike, van insurance and breakdown cover.

Gocompare.com is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority.

SOURCE Gocompare.com



Monday, December 19, 2011

Are Your Toys Safe?



Brussels, 19 December 2011/PRNewswire/ — Christmas is a very busy time of year for Santa Claus! He has to get the sleigh ready, feed his reindeers, check his list to be sure he hasn't forgotten any good girls and boys… and make sure that the toys the elves have purchased are not only fun, but also safe!



This is the goal of the European Toy Safety Campaign that the European Commission has launched this month; it intends to show how to get the safest toys, and how to use them safely!

The campaign includes a video clip with toy safety tips, and introduces the ' CE marking' little robot who tests the toys in a vast toy shop to make sure they are safe for children to use, after the guard has done his last night round. Cards with toy safety tips reinforce this message in hundreds of toy stores all over the EU.



This video clip was disseminated with a large success on Internet and it is now available for TV broadcasts as a public service message.

Please find the 45-seconds video clip on various formats (H264 HD and H264 SD), the MP3 sound file and the B-roll, by clicking on the following links: http://www.emakina-eu.net/share/safety_toys
Video Material

FTP DETAILS:
Host: emakina-eu.net
Login: safety_toys
Password: gap3cR2f
Web: http://www.emakina-eu.net/share/safety_toys
For more information on the video:
Fiona Chevalier
+32 400 40 39
fch@emakina.eu