Despite a sluggish economy and low inflation, the 2010 PNC Christmas Price Index® surged 9.2 percent in the whimsical economic analysis by PNC Wealth Management based on the gifts in the holiday classic, “The Twelve Days of Christmas.”
According to the 27th annual survey, the price tag for the PNC CPI is $23,439 in 2010, $1,974 more than last year. This is the second highest jump ever and largest percentage increase since 2003 when the index rose 16 percent. That comes on the heels of a modest 1.8 percent increase a year ago.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/players/English/42903-PNC-Christmas-Price-Index/
The current economy has a lot of people rethinking their holiday shopping list, but with these great gifts you can make anyone happy on your list without breaking the bank.
While the state of the economy and high unemployment are still top of mind for most Americans, it is the majority of the country’s young adults—not their parents—who are more optimistic and determined to improve their personal finances in 2011. The Chase Slate-U.S. News Consumer Monitor, released today by Chase Card Services, a division of JPMorgan Chase & Co. [NYSE: JPM], and U.S. News & World Report, found that young adults (ages 18-34) are most likely to want to save more and spend less money, pay down debts, and develop a budget in 2011 compared to others. In fact, while one in four Americans set a personal financial goal as their main New Year’s resolution, four in five Americans – including 98% of Americans aged 18-34 – indicated they will try to save more money and three in five will try to develop a budget in 2011.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://multivu.prnewswire.com/mnr/chase/47492/
http://gregartz.com/internet-marketing-strategies/introduction-to-internet-marketing/
As you may know, my name is Greg Artz and this begins our journey to learning Internet Marketing Strategies that will help you surge forward in developing your online business and help you achieve your goals and dreams. But before we can begin, I want to share a little history with you about internet marketing.
Today\'s economy has been quite the shaky one and more and more people have been looking to find other sources of income. There aren\'t a lot of choices for most of us and that is one of the reasons many people are turning to internet marketing.
Internet Marketing Will Open Previously Closed Doors
Not only people, but even large and small corporations have also been turning to internet marketing. This is because it becomes very easy and inexpensive for them to maintain a relationship with their client base. They can easily advertise their business to places all over the world and create sales that just would have been non-existent otherwise.
Internet marketing has helped to create tons of self made millionaires because of it\'s flexibility to work with as many different companies, in as many different niches as you wish. You have the ability to share your knowledge with the world and make tons of money doing it.
Internet marketing gives you the power to be your own boss and set your own schedule. Some of us just don\'t do well under the raps of working for someone else. This is the way I have always been. I like being independent and that\'s why I personally love internet marketing so much.
When the economy and thermometer go down, the craving for comfort food goes up. That’s why the hottest cuisine trend right now is adding new twists to comfort food classics, like Macaroni & Cheese.
Noodles & Company, a 255-unit and growing, fast-casual concept, is now featuring three “grown up” Mac & Cheese dishes made with global flavors, high-end ingredients and even truffle oil-spiked sauce.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://multivu.prnewswire.com/mnr/noodles/48953/
Six of 13 small cars recently evaluated by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety earn the TOP SAFETY PICK award, and none earn a poor rating in any of 4 tests. This is a turnaround from a few years ago when small cars struggled to earn top safety ratings. The new tests include hybrids and gasoline-only models that are among the most fuel-efficient vehicles available in the U.S. market.
The ratings are based on performance in front, side, rollover, and rear impact evaluations. Cars that earn the top rating of good in each test and have available electronic stability control (ESC) qualify for TOP SAFETY PICK. Winners are the 2012 Ford Focus and Honda Civic, along with the 2011 Hyundai Elantra, Lexus CT 200h hybrid, Nissan Juke, and Toyota Prius hybrid. The Civic, CT 200h, Elantra, Focus, and Prius have at least one version with a government fuel economy rating of at least 40 miles per gallon on the highway. The Dodge Caliber, Honda CR-Z and Insight hybrids, Nissan Sentra and Versa, Scion xD, and Suzuki SX4 also were rated but didn’t earn TOP SAFETY PICK.
As the economy regains momentum, it’s not a return to business as usual in the legal field. A just-released industry report from Robert Half Legal outlines how strategies developed during the downturn are now guiding the business and customer relationship management models for law firms and corporate legal departments.
The report, Best Practices for a New Era in the Legal Profession, is part of Robert Half Legal’s eleventh annual Future Law Office project, which also includes video interviews with leaders in the legal field, and is available at www.futurelawoffice.com.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://multivu.prnewswire.com/mnr/roberthalf/50677/
BabyCenter.com, the #1 pregnancy and parenting destination worldwide, today released its 2011 U.S. Cost of Raising a Child report, which reveals interesting insights into the mindset of today’s new and expectant parents, especially given the current state of the economy. Deciding to have a baby is a big decision for couples and waiting until the time is right is important, but if a couple is waiting until they think they can afford a baby, they may be waiting longer than expected.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/mnr/51430-babycenter-recession-generation-study
The American Le Mans Series reports it reduced its petroleum usage by nearly 50 percent in its most recent race.
Series president Scott Atherton delivered the message today to journalists and government officials in Washington at the National Press Club. “Ten days ago at Road America, renewable fuel use by our race cars reduced petroleum consumption by 48 percent compared to traditional all-petroleum racing fuel,” Atherton said. “According to the Department of Energy, if such a result was translated to the U.S. vehicle fleet, the nation could decrease imported oil dependency by half, saving $175 billion every year inside our economy.”
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/mnr/51926-american-le-mans-series-tequila-patron-reducing-petroleum-usage
The Arthritis Foundation is joining a global effort on Oct. 12, World Arthritis Day, to increase awareness of the many forms of arthritis and to call on individuals and policymakers to take action to reduce the burden of arthritis around the world.
Arthritis affects several hundred million people worldwide. In the United States, it’s the nation’s leading cause of disability, affecting one in five adults (50 million). The disease exacts a hefty financial toll, costing the U.S. economy $128 billion annually. As the staggering prevalence of arthritis continues to rise, the Arthritis Foundation is calling on the nation and individuals to “Move to Improve” to reduce the severe health and economic effects of this disease.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/mnr/52066-ad-council-world-arthritis-day-move-to-improve-october-12
Carol Platt was caught in the middle of the economic downturn with no backup plan. Searching for a stable job in an unstable economy proved to be difficult without a college degree. Her work history and past successes were overlooked. It had always been a dream of hers to complete her degree; after a failed first attempt, she was unsure of her ability to follow through. She began researching online education options and felt that Kaplan University stood out; she decided to complete her college degree online. Carol enrolled in Kaplan University’s School of Business and Management and earned her bachelor’s degree online, focusing on business with an emphasis in human resources.
The adult continuing education program at Kaplan University is designed for working professionals who seek to further their career or, like Carol, want to earn their university degree online.* Students can complete assignments on a schedule that fits their lives. It’s this type of flexibility that helps prepare Kaplan University online students for success. Even if you already have an established career, it’s never too late to consider online business school to further your knowledge and update your skills. Increase your marketability with one of Kaplan University’s online bachelor degree programs without taking time off of work to attend class.
* Kaplan University's programs are designed to prepare graduates to pursue employment in their field of study, or in related fields. However, the University does not guarantee that graduates will be placed in any particular job, eligible for job advancement opportunities, or employed at all. Additional training or certification may be required.
“I grew up in Graham, North Carolina. My parents both worked for the textile mills, both had fourth grade educations and my mom always wanted me to get an education. When I graduated from high school it was my dream to go to college. I failed the first class of my life which was my chemistry class. I was just overwhelmed so I left after about a year and half, got a job and kept trying to go back to school. For me it was personally devastating. It really bothered me. I felt like I was failing. I had one shot and I blew it.
When Jenna left for boarding school I couldn’t even open the door and go in the room and I was almost 52. All of that coincided with the downturn of the market. I had almost $6 million dollars in contracts waiting to close and they all fell through—every single one of them. I thought, ‘now what? I don’t have a degree, there are no jobs.’ It doesn’t matter what I had done or how much success I had, the requirements are to have a degree. Not only that, I had to walk back in the door competing with people half my age and many of them had MBAs.
It was just a matter of figuring out how to do it—so that’s when I started to check into what were the institutions, what was the cost, how were they respected. Kaplan [University] had a degree in business with a specialty in human resources. As I started narrowing the options down, it made it into about the final three. I took those three finalists to my traditional education friends and I said, ‘I want to know what the most respected online degree would be if someone was coming into your office looking for a job.’
The IT Dean, the Computer Science Dean, felt like Kaplan [University] had the best online delivery program that was out there. The Academic Dean’s advice was that this is a respected degree that you’re not going to have people questioning whether you were competent when you came out. Everything that you take there will be accepted if you go on to a master’s [program] anywhere so that was a very good recommendation. When I sat down at graduation, 31 years later, and I’m looking up at the podium and it says, ‘Kaplan University: a Different School of Thought’ that was probably more me because I do think a little differently. I’m willing to work on things that innovate and I think that’s more of an opportunity for me and many students like me.~N
U.S. insurance companies continue to face an uncertain future. Evolving regulatory requirements and a still-shaky economy coupled with more demanding consumers, combine to present a new set of challenges to insurers today. While weaker companies continue to shake out, remaining contenders must realize that survival and success will depend largely on their willingness to innovate.
Frost & Sullivan recently published a whitepaper, Using Mobile Solutions to Improve Insurance Sector Performance, which examines how mobile technology can help control cost, manage risk and create new revenue.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://multivu.prnewswire.com/mnr/frostsullivan/53280/
