All posts by EPR Network

Automotive, Consumer Services, Internet & Online, Transportation & Logistics, Travel

Second Carrentals.co.uk ‘Book & Donate’ Day Set to Raise Money for StreetSmart

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Online car hire comparison specialist Carrentals.co.uk will this coming January 25th hold its second ‘Book & Donate’ day in aid of homeless charity StreetSmart. The day will see Carrentals.co.uk donate £1 per booking to the leading homeless charity group.

The first Carrentals.co.uk ‘Book & Donate’ day was hosted on January 11 2012 and succeeded in raising over £330 for StreetSmart. The money contributes to the great work done by StreetSmart – the group helps to fund education, training, housing and health initiatives for homeless people around the UK. The group works with 90 UK homeless charities and has the support of celebrities such as Stephen Fry, Neil Morrissey and Richard Bacon.

Gareth Robinson, Managing Director of Carrentals.co.uk, says: “The response to our first ever ‘Book & Donate’ day was great, and we raised more than £330 for StreetSmart. As such we have decided we will host more similar days, where every car hire booking made through Carrentals.co.uk will create a £1 donation to StreetSmart.”

“We are hoping that our site users planning to rent a car this winter will consider booking it on a ‘Book & Donate’ day to help StreetSmart out,” Gareth continues. “As ever we also recommend advance booking to get the best deals and plenty of choice – rental cars are in high demand right now and people can end up paying over the odds if they wait too long.”

Carrentals.co.uk has more ‘Book & Donate’ days scheduled for later in 2012 with days already booked for February 8th and 22nd, and March 7th and 21st.

StreetSmart operates large fundraising campaigns and events every November and December, working with leading UK restaurants to raise money. Leading names like Nobu, Dinner by Heston Blumenthal and Restaurant Gordon Ramsay all feature, with the restaurants adding a £1 donation to diners’ bills to help generate funds for StreetSmart.

Glenn Pougnet, director of StreetSmart, comments: “We are of course hugely pleased that Carrentals.co.uk has chosen to continue running Book & Donate days, they made such a great job of the first one. We sincerely hope that Carrentals.co.uk website users will book their cars on these days to help raise funds for our UK homeless projects.”

Carrentals.co.uk is the UK’s leading car rental comparison site, comparing deals from up to 50 rental companies including Alamo, Auto Europe, Budget, Holiday Autos and Sixt, in over 15,000 locations worldwide.

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Consumer Services, Entertainment, Internet & Online, Marketing, Media, Sports

Meet LoveFooty.net – Football Blog Launches New Look Site

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LoveFooty.net one of the webs oldest and most popular football blogs has launched a new look website with improved community & social features.

LoveFooty.net was initially launched at the start of 2007 and features all the latest news, gossip, opinions & football videos from the world’s most popular sport.

The new changes include a fresh design which is fast loading and easy to navigate. This is coupled with close integration with the internet’s top social networks including Facebook, Twitter and Google+ which makes it easier than ever for fans to share their views and content with other fans from across the globe.

Lead project designer James Scott who was in charge of the overhaul had this to say about the new look LoveFooty.net: “We had to completely overhaul the site design and we gave it a fresh lick of colour as the old site was rather bland, just in time for the African Cup of Nations 2012.”

Scott also had this to say about the social networking integration “The staggering growth in social networking sites and huge audiences available for popular topics like sports means we can tap into a huge audience very quickly.”

Not only does LoveFooty.net closely integrate their site with the top social networks but they also participate and engage with football fans worldwide using their social networking accounts on Twitter and Facebook.

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Business, Consumer Services, Financial, Internet & Online, Society

As The Credit Card Industry Suffers Revenue Losses, Consumers In Need Of a New Line of Credit Option

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Overall, the credit card industry earned almost 6% less revenue in 2011 than during the previous year, in large part due to a decrease in the use of credit cards by shoppers and, as a result, less revolving credit that can be subjected to interest charges and fees. While come consumers have made a conscious effort to wean themselves off of spending on credit cards in an attempt to get a handle on their personal debt, others were forced into a credit card-free lifestyle during and after the Great Recession when many card issuers terminated the accounts of risky borrowers. Recent years have seen many lenders competing fiercely amongst themselves in order to pursue only the most creditworthy individuals.

Now with the nation’s economic situation slowly but steadily improving, credit card issuers are feeling more comfortable about relaxing their underwriting standards. This, combined with their acute need to acquire new cardholders in order to shore up some of their revenue losses of late, means that many lenders will looking beyond those with good and excellent credit scores in 2012. This opens up a whole slew of opportunities for people with less-than-perfect credit histories as they can reasonably expect lenders to increase their offering of credit cards for fair credit.

Consumers should beware of rising interest rates on borrowing as credit card issuers flounder to recoup some of their loss of earnings. In fact, experts have reported that going in to the New Year, the average interest rate on consumer credit cards is 15.14%, higher than the 14.75% APR that was the national average just six months ago. One option for consumers to find temporary reprieve from high interest rates is to look into 0 balance transfer credit cards which, when used wisely, can be an invaluable tool when it comes to handling debt.

Credit card companies are going to have to come up with some hard and fast ways to up their revenue over the coming year, whether they resort to raising interest rates, laying off employees, making more unsecured credit cards for bad credit available, some combination of the above or employing another technique altogether.

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Consumer Services, Entertainment, Internet & Online, Transportation & Logistics

Send your Valentine’s Day gift with care, says Parcel2Go

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Organisation is one of those things that many people struggle with, especially men! But Parcel2Go, the UK’s largest online parcel delivery company has laid down a challenge to both sexes ahead of Valentine’s Day 2012 – get organised and score some serious brownie points.

The online parcel delivery specialist is reminding all couples that with just a matter of days to go until Valentine’s Day on February 14, it’s vital to get prepared now and make sure that if you are planning something special for a loved one, everything goes to plan. Making grand statements and splashing some cash is always going to be appreciated, but lots of people are feeling the pinch at the moment and small gestures that come from the heart can say just as much as lavish ones.

Richard Mercer, marketing director at Parcel2Go, said: “Surprises are what Valentine’s Day is all about, but let’s face it, no one wants a nasty surprise, which is why it really does pay to get everything planned well ahead of time.

“Having a gift fail to turn up is the worst possible result, which is why it makes absolute sense to ensure that you make sure your present is being shipped with a reliable courier company.”

Many couples won’t be able to spend Valentine’s Day together for various reasons but that doesn’t mean that the man or woman can’t make a romantic gesture and let their other half know how much they care. Finding a special gift and organising for it to be delivered with a professional carrier through Parcel2Go’s website takes just a few minutes and the range of UK courier services available means there is an option to suit every budget.

Richard added: “The reality is that most people won’t change the habit of a lifetime and will end up sending things at the last minute! Thankfully the couriers we work with are highly experienced at delivering packages and meeting deadlines so any last-minute romantics will be able to relax if they send their loved one a gift with the help of Parcel2Go.”

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Business, Construction, Environment, Industrial, Technology

Coca-Cola Installs Acoustifence(r) Noise Barrier Fencing On Its Bay City Michigan Plant

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Coca-Cola has completed installation of Acoustifence® noise barrier fencing along the west perimeter of its Bay City plant, bringing to an abrupt halt those noise issues that had been plaguing neighbors in the surrounding community and attracting local news organizations as the outcry from area residents grew.

Architect Jack Zelazny of Dearborn, Michigan, acting as a consultant to Coca Cola’s contractor Kirco Manix, chose Acoustifence noise barrier fencing for the core of the 300 foot wide noise barrier project designed to alleviate noise from idling delivery trucks at the plant that had been plaguing neighbors in the South End Community.
Zelazny said the initial plan was to construct a 30 foot acoustical metal fence along the perimeter roadway to address the problem, but he nixed the idea in favor of something significantly less expensive and more aesthetically pleasing to the community’s residents.

“I didn’t think it was appropriate for the neighbors to have to stare at a 30 foot industrial metal fence from their small residential yards,” Zelazny said. “I really wanted to find something more organic and natural.”

After researching sound barrier fencing options, he found Acoustifence, a product of Acoustiblok, Inc. in Tampa Florida, and discussed his options with acoustical consultant Paul Getts of Acoustiblok. After conferring with Getts, Zelazny moved ahead with construction of a grass covered, 300 foot wide berm that incorporated a nine foot high Acoustifence barrier and landscaping for an attractive roadside aesthetic. The project was completed in the final weeks of December, and both company officials and neighbors rang in the New Year with their new found peace and quiet.

“The Acoustifence went up flawlessly, and it’s not unpleasant to look at,” Zelazny said. “When we covered it with the dark green acoustical fabric covering it looked natural and organic, as we had hoped.

“But the real surprise was the immediate impact it had on the noise.”

Zelazny said the plant noise measured at 89 decibels before installation of the Acoustifence began, and registered at 68 decibels immediately after the Acoustifence went up. His hope was to lower the noise by 20 decibels, a figure that was exceeded at the plant, and more than doubled at the neighboring residence as soon as the Acoustifence was put in place. A reading taken at the adjacent residential property registered in the low to mid 40 decibel range.

“It exceeded my expectations, I think it exceeded everyone’s expectations,” he said.“The people at Coca Cola are happy with it, and most importantly the neighbors in the surrounding community are happy with it.

“I couldn’t speak more highly of it.”

Lahnie Johnson, president and founder of Acoustiblok, Inc., said that the application of Acoustifence in the bottling plant’s noise barrier berm was the soft drink company’s best alternative for significantly reducing noise, and respecting the surrounding community’s call for peace and quiet.

“I think Coca Cola acted quickly and responded to the area’s residents as a good corporate neighbor should,” Johnson said. “It’s particularly important that they sought out a serious noise blocking option while respecting the fact that neighboring residents would be living with whatever solution they chose, and viewing it every day – some from their own back yards.”

Acoustifence was designed to address outdoor noise pollution in residential communities, or any community that cares about its appearance.”

ABOUT ACOUSTIFENCE:
Originally developed as a noise barrier on loud offshore oil rigs, Acoustifence is a simple and economical first-step noise abatement solution for both residential and commercial usage.

A 1/8-inch (3mm) thick unique sound deadening material measuring 6 feet (1.82 meters) high by 30 feet (9.14 meters) long with black anodized brass eyelets along the top and bottom edge for easy attachment to any existing fence or structure. Heavy-duty nylon ties are included with each roll. Easily installed or removed in less than one hour, impervious to mold, mildew, and UV, Acoustifence is virtually indestructible. The soundproofing material in Acoustifence is a proprietary formula of the Acoustiblok Corporation, developed and refined over a 10-year period.

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Consumer Services, Healthcare, Internet & Online, Kids & Teens, Non-Profit, Science, Society, Telecom

Ribbon Cutting & Launch of Breathmobile® in Alameda

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On Friday, January 20, 2012, the Prescott-Joseph Center for Community Enhancement, Inc. (PJCCE), in partnership with the Alameda Boys & Girls Club and Alameda Head Start will host a special ribbon-cutting ceremony at the Alameda Boys & Girls Club, 1900 3rd Street in Alameda as it launches services of the PJCCE Breathmobile®, a 33ft pediatric mobile asthma clinic, in the City of Alameda. The press conference and ceremony will start at 10:00am and will include members of the Alameda School Board, City elected officials, Alameda Head Start representatives, Alameda County representatives, and the Bay Area Air Quality Management District. Light refreshments will be provided.

Event: Breathmobile ® Press Conference & Ribbon Cutting
Friday, January 20, 2012
10:00am – 10:30am
Alameda Boys & Girls Club
1900 3rd Street, Alameda

Asthma rates for children in the City of Alameda, and particularly at Alameda Point are high in the 0-5 age group. Many families do not have insurance to access regular asthma health care,” says Washington Burns, MD, Executive Director of the Breathmobile. “We are happy to be partnering with the Alameda Head Start and Alameda Boys and Girls Club.” Dr. Burns was contacted in 2011 by Daniel Javes of Alameda Head Start, after Javes concerned about asthma rates in Head Start children, had heard about the work the Breathmobile was doing at schools in Oakland. Javes contacted Dr. Burns and said that the Boys and Girls Club would be a perfect site in Alameda to see children with asthma. Javes suggested he should contact George Phillips, Executive Director of the Alameda Boys & Girls Club, which he did. “The Breathmobile fits right in with our other health care initiatives like our dental clinic.” says George Phillips, the Club’s Executive Director, “It allows us to offer convenient access to services they might not otherwise use and will help us realize our goal of instilling healthy lifestyle habits in the children of our community.”

The Breathmobile®, the first of its kind in Northern California is owned and operated by PJCCE and is a 33 ft. Winnebago RV outfitted with the latest equipment to function as a pediatric mobile asthma clinic. Inside the van, there are an intake station, a small waiting space, a testing area for vital signs including Oximetry, allergen skin testing and spirometry, and an exam room. On board are two computer systems, the first has a health risk assessment system for asthma, and a screening module for pre-diabetes, and the other system is a state of the art electronic medical records system called “AsmaTrax.” Asthma and allergy specialists on-board include Pediatric Allergists, Registered Nurses, and Respiratory Therapists. A video system is also on board to play educational videos and CDs. Services are provided in English and Spanish, and are available at no cost to children and families. The Breathmobile® will also provide services at the Matheson Head Start in Alameda Point.

The Breathmobile’s® mission is to reduce the effects of asthma among economically challenged families by providing a sustainable, accessible asthma management program that will focus on regular preventive care, thereby shifting families away from acute episodic and emergency care.

There are other Breathmobiles® operating throughout the US, including Los Angeles, Orange County, Chicago, Baltimore, University of Alabama, and Phoenix, Arizona. All of these units form a national collaborative organization linked by a computer system located at USC to study and improve the effective treatment and management of asthma. Collaborative studies of Breathmobile® units in Chicago, Baltimore, Los Angeles and Orange counties in Southern California show a dramatic 73% reduction in Emergency Room visits and hospitalizations of asthma children being served by their Breathmobiles®. In its two years of operation, the PJC Breathmobile® has shown significant decrease in emergency room visits from 122 to 2, asthmarelated hospitalizations from 63 to 1, and school absences from 351 days to 17.

“There are so many diseases that we cannot control, but asthma is a controllable disease,“ says Dr. Burns, “By having the Breathmobile®, we can drastically reduce emergency room visits, hospitalizations, school absenteeism, reduce medical costs, and decrease morbidity and mortality of asthma by teaching patients how to control their children’s asthma. We are also increasing children’s academic performance.”

Founded in 1995, the Prescott Joseph Center for Community Enhancement, Inc. works to enhance the wellbeing of individuals and families in the West Oakland community through a broad range of wellness, education and cultural programs, and resources delivered in a safe, welcoming, respectful environment. Prescott Joseph Center partners with organizations and agencies to deliver services and referrals within the community. Located in the Prescott district, also called the Lower Bottom,” of West Oakland it is a center for community services, education, culture and development. Prescott Joseph Center for Community Enhancement has a three-fold mission to: promote the individual self-esteem of citizens in the community through education, skill training and cultural programs, thus supporting healthy families and economic self-sufficiency; promote the on-going renewal of community spirit among West Oakland residents and to organize and promote community activities that facilitate economic, social and cultural development within West Oakland community.

For more information, about the Breathmobile ® of Northern California, please contact Washington Burns, Executive Director at 510-290-1476 or e-mail: drburns@prescottjoseph.org. You may also visit the Breathmobile® website at: www.breathmobile-nca.org.

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Business, Computers, Consumer Services, Internet & Online, Technology, Transportation & Logistics

Businesses must act to take advantage of tablet computing in 2012, says Parcel2Go

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Tablet computing is growing at a rapid rate and businesses in the UK should make sure they’re in a position to benefit, according to Britain’s largest online parcel delivery service.

Parcel2Go, which helps individuals and businesses send millions of packages to domestic and foreign addresses each year, has urged companies to make the most of the fact that more people are using mobile devices to buy online.

The latest research paper from online analytics consultancy Logan Tod & Co said the sudden emergence of tablets “almost came out of nowhere”. Out of the 1,121 adults the company spoke to at the end of last month, 14 per cent said they had used either an iPad or another make of tablet computer to purchase a gift over the Christmas period. Logan Tod & Co said in 2010, 7 per cent of people used a mobile phone to purchase a Christmas gift – that more than doubled to 15 per cent this Christmas.

With more consumers expected to invest in a tablet computer this year, the opportunity for retailers is evident.

Richard Mercer, marketing director at Parcel2Go, said: “This research highlights just how important it is for retailers to adopt a multi-channel approach in order to maximise sales opportunities. Having an online presence is now a must for all companies, regardless of which sector they are in, but taking that a step further and optimising websites for mobile and tablet devices now looks like it will pay dividends.

“Parcel2Go works with many thousands of companies, helping them to ship their goods to customers around the world, and it is clear that demand for well laid out, intuitive websites offering reliable international shipping options is not going to diminish anytime soon.”

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Art, Education, Entertainment, Media, Non-Profit, Religion, Society

1,127 Buddhism Tudongha Monks in Thailand

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These eye-opening pictures have been happening for 12 consecutive days in Thailand. The starting date was on Jan 2, 2012 and it has been going on until today, Jan 13.  It will continue on until Jan 25, 2012 which is the last day of this special activity. Normally, Tudongha in Buddhism involves the discipline of detaching from materials as they are in order to free the mind from defilements.

Although the monks are walking from province to province instead of walking in the forest, they still have to practice their mind. This is the first time in history of Buddhism that 1,127 Theravada monks are doing Tudongha in unison for the distance of 365 km.  It will take them 24 days to walk on the path strewn with rose petals and with local people waiting along the path saying “Sadhu” to express their joy in seeing the monks doing this Tudongha on the entire route. What inspires a large number of people to carry out this activity continuously for a long time in strong heat of the afternoon sun?  These people never give up their intention even though they have to wait on the rugged roads and lack various means of comfort. They never neglect their participation even for a short time.

This is because of the peaceful temperament of the monks who have practiced their mind very well.  This enables the Buddhists to touch the real core of Buddhism by watching the monks doing their Tudongha. The monks and the people intend to walk the various routes that cover 6 provinces in order to pay homage to the 6 significant places that their Great Master used to stay.

As of today, the 1,127 Tudongha monks have walked through 2 places which are in Song Pi-Nong District, Suphanburi Province. These places are: 1. Phra Mongkolthepmuni Memorial which is the place where The Great Master was born, and 2. Song Pi-Nong Temple where The Great Master ordained.Today, all 1,127 Tudongha monks are coming to the third important place which is Boadbon Temple, Bangkuvieng, Nonthaburi Province where The Great Master attained Dhammakaya.

The monks have walked 150 km. already and they have to walk the remaining of 215 km. in 12 more days and that will be the end of this Tudongha.  We can say that this had never happened before in history.  What will happen next?  Let us continue in the next episode. For more information  www.dmc.tv.

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Business, Consumer Services, Internet & Online, Transportation & Logistics

Parcel2Go Boss Calls On People To Unleash Their Entrepreneurial Spirit

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The founder of the UK’s largest online parcel delivery service, Parcel2Go, has said anyone is capable of making it in business if they have the right attitude.

Fil Adams-Mercer launched the Parcel2Go.com website in 2000 and over the past 11 years has helped build the company into an industry leader, responsible for handling more than two million packages every single year and attracting in excess of 18,000 new customers each month.

Speaking to the Daily Telegraph newspaper, he said he was inspired to launch an online presence following a trip to America, “where every single advert was forwww.something.com“. None of the major UK couriercompanies had ventured online and started offering bookings over the internet at this point, and his vision was rewarded with success. Parcel2Go turned over £17.5m in the 12 months to April 2011, a figure which is expected to rise to £22m this year.

But while Mr Adams-Mercer has now earned a respected place as one of the UK’s top business leaders, he remains proud of his background and his first job learning how to sell on Bolton Market when he was still at school.

He said: “I don’t mind being compared to Del Boy. That’s what I am, a market trader done good.

“I don’t do joined-up writing and I can’t spell for toffee. So doesn’t that give everyone a chance? If I’ve done it, you can do it.”

Parcel2Go itself plays a key part in helping entrepreneurs and small businesses get their goods to customers in the UK and countries across the world quickly, efficiently and cheaply with reliable courier services. In recent years an increasing number of start-ups have established themselves online and now rely on world-renowned couriers booked through Parcel2Go to get their consignments delivered safely and on time.

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Healthcare, Home & Garden, Internet & Online, Retail, Shopping

DivanBeds.org.uk Announces New Range of Orthopaedic Beds

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DivanBeds.org.uk today announces a fantastic new range of orthopaedic beds available in single, double & king size frames, prices start at £179.

Over time people can develop different types of disorders and ailments that can cause sore muscles and joints and will require some type of special care and comfort. These new and improved orthopaedic beds from DivanBeds.org.uk can help with that issue.

Owner Lee said this about their new orthopaedic beds: “Customers who need that little bit of extra help getting comfortable at night will truly love this range of orthopaedic beds. We also have a sale now on which means you can save up to £140 on selected orthopaedic divan beds.”

DivanBeds.org.uk has been on the cutting edge of contemporary and comfortable bed design for several decades. The typical price of an orthopaedic divan bed packages range between £179 and £369 for an adult double.

DivanBeds.org.uk boasts a wide range of divan beds from round beds to next day divans for under £100. Numerous designs are exclusive to DivanBeds.org.uk, using several years of expertise to source direct from the suppliers. This permits them to cut out the middle man and offer savings as high as 40%.

To view more details on the new collection of orthopaedic beds please visithttp://www.divanbeds.org.uk/orthopaedic-beds/

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