Wilbraham, MA, October 08, 2009 -- Muscle Beach®, the fitness brand based on the Santa Monica, California venue that launched the fitness movement, has added a personal training division to its growing portfolio of fitness businesses. Muscle Beach, an American institution and fitness icon, has long been recognized as The Birthplace of Fitness®. Today, it stands as the flagship brand of Multinational Brands, Inc., located in Wilbraham, Massachusetts.

According to Founder and Chairman, Daniel Tschirret, “It’s a natural progression for us to enter this market segment. Our objective is to develop relationships with fitness clubs, both domestically and internationally, to bring our prestigious service directly to their members.”

There’s an old adage that traffic starts with a brand that’s recognized and respected. According to Tschirret, “With a lineage spanning more than 75 years, there’s never been a fitness brand more recognized, respected, or trusted than ours. Because of this owners have responded to our service with open arms, and their members have more readily accepted us than they would an unknown service.”

He goes on to say, “No matter where we go, it’s a win-win situation for everyone. Club owners can’t wait for us to set up and start. They know that partnering with us is the easiest way to attract new members and retain old ones. As The Most Trusted, Most Respected Name In Fitness™, we add instant credibility and give them a distinct competitive advantage over everyone else.”

Gaining the public’s trust and respect doesn’t happen overnight. Tschirret adds, “To win people over, it takes a long glorious history and a proven track record. When you’ve been around as long as we have, people automatically trust you. For decades, our name has been synonymous with fitness excellence, which is why our clients know that they will always receive superior service, accompanied by the highest standards in personal training.”

To go along with their in-club service, Muscle Beach® also offers a personal training studio, and provides use of their brand name to freelance personal trainers.

Until now, no other fitness brand has ever been able to penetrate so many different aspects of the fitness industry. In addition to personal training, Muscle Beach® has a vast collection of fitness businesses, the fastest growing of which are fitness clubs, sports nutrition stores, and tanning salons.

The company will continue to corporately expand its personal training service across North America and plans to franchise in South America, Central America, the Caribbean, Europe, Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and Oceania. Qualified individuals or investment groups interested in developmental rights in these regions should contact corporate headquarters at 413-242-1111 or through musclebeachbrand.com.

About Muscle Beach®
Muscle Beach®, the flagship brand of Multinational Brands, Inc., is based on the legendary venue that served as the foundational launch point for the multibillion dollar fitness industry. It’s where fitness legends Harold Zinkin, Jack LaLanne, Joe Gold, Steve Reeves, Joe Weider, and many others, got their start. Its long legacy, deep lineage, storied history, and legendary reputation, have earned it unprecedented recognition, respect, and prestige. The brand was founded by Daniel Tschirret, BSBA, MBA, a 40 year fitness industry veteran, who is currently building it into the most globally dominant fitness brand of all time.

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As the Premiership season gets into full swing, Next Level Games; the Dorset-based board game Company is thrilled to announce it’s new Title Chase board game edition, officially endorsed by Manchester United.

The Manchester United Title Chase Board Game is the ‘must have’ game for all Manchester United fans and football enthusiasts alike!

Title Chase is the first-ever football management board game that realistically simulates a football season, allowing you to take control of your favourite club and attempt to steer them to title glory!

The Manchester United version of the game features star players from the current Old Trafford squad and a Man Utd themed game board, but still allows any player to manage any team of their choice and battle it out in this ultimate fantasy football game.

Players of all ages will become completely immersed in the excitement of football management and the thrill of the chase as the season progresses. Not only pitting their wits against family and friends, but also rising to the ultimate challenge of matching Sir Alex Ferguson and taking their team to title-winning glory!

The game allows you to play matches, earn money, buy the star players, go head-to-head against your mates & manage your team, your way. This fantastic board game will keep fans of all ages amused for hours and is the perfect family gift for fantasy football lovers and Manchester United supporters everywhere.

The Game Inventor and Managing Director of Next Level Games Michael Nottley says “We are absolutely delighted to be associated with Manchester United, the current Premiership title holders. As one of the World’s best supported clubs and with arguably the best football manager of all-time, Sir Alex Ferguson at the helm, there’s no better endorsement for our Title Chase board game”.

KEY FEATURES
• Huge multiplayer interaction - for 2 to 8 players, aged 8 & over
• Play as Manchester United or any other club. Unlimited choice of teams, leagues and fixtures
• Buy real-life Star Players from the Manchester United first team squad
• Simple to learn & easy to play
• The first ever football management board game to realistically simulate a true football season
• Detailed instructions & game sheets help you manage your team you way
• A great night in for family and friends
• Creation of super-leagues via the Manchester United Title Chase CD-ROM

Visit www.titlechase.co.uk find out more or to pre-order the game for guaranteed delivery before Christmas 2009.
[END]

Editors Notes
For any media enquiries, review samples, imagery or to arrange an interview with the game inventor please contact Neil Armstrong, Cre8ive Wisdom on 0845 094 9948 or via email on neil@cre8ivewisdom.com

Orlando, FL, September 21, 2009 -- The United States Tennis Association (USTA) will offer a pre-conference, in-service workshop on teaching tennis in the schools for PE teachers attending the FAHPERDS (Florida Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, Dance and Sport) Conference in Orlando, Florida on October 8, 2009. The in-service workshop will show PE teachers how to introduce the fun sport of tennis to students at school, in non-traditional settings such as a gym or blacktop, with limited equipment and no prior knowledge of tennis. Teachers will enjoy a fun-filled 3 hours of hands-on instruction as a USTA trainer takes them through the same activities that they would use to introduce their students to tennis. Due to the physical nature of the workshop, attendees should wear comfortable clothing they can move in and tennis/athletic shoes.

PE teachers who attend the entire workshop and sign their school up for membership with the USTA (a $35 annual fee) will receive a free 8-lesson-plan curriculum written by PE expert Dr. Robert Pangrazi that gives them all they need to introduce their students to the sport—plus a free starter kit of tennis equipment for their school, which includes 9 age-appropriate rackets and 1 dozen transition tennis balls—a value of about $300. Also, as a USTA organization member, the school will be able to purchase additional equipment at deeply discounted prices. Every workshop attendee will also receive a t-shirt. Teachers will learn that, with the USTA’s resources, they can easily introduce tennis to their students, even if they have never played before, don’t have access to tennis courts, and don’t have the budget to buy equipment for every student.

The USTA school tennis workshop will be held at the Caribe Royale hotel in Orlando, location of the FAHPERDS conference, from 2 – 5 p.m. on October 8. It is free for FAHPERDS members who are attending the conference; for those not attending and for non-members, the fee is $50. To register online for the workshop, visit www.FAHPERD.org and click the box in the upper left corner of the home page; that links to the online registration process. Attendees may register up to the day of the workshop (October 8) and may do so onsite. For more information, call Rebecca Halpern of the USTA at 386-671-8928 or email her at halpern@florida.usta.com.

At the workshop, teachers will be shown the USTA’s cutting edge in-school tennis curriculum, which has eight easy-to-follow lesson plans created for teachers, by teachers that can be used in any school environment. Written in conjunction with renowned physical education expert, Dr. Robert Pangrazi, the lessons are: Based on NASPE standards.
Designed to fit unique time and scheduling needs.
Flexible enough to accommodate small and large groups.
Fun and challenging for all kids and adaptable for students with special needs.
Targeted towards grades 3-6 and can be adapted to higher and lower grade levels.
Able to be taught on any flat surface - No courts required!
Lessons include group activities and station teaching, so that all kids in a class are engaged and having fun.

Says PE teacher Leslie Fisher, Fitzgerald Elementary, Arlington, TX: “The USTA curriculum gave me as a PE teacher a valuable tool to not only teach a fabulous tennis lesson [even though she had never played tennis]…but also I have management tools for year-round that help me manage large groups of kids safely, and camouflage fitness as fun…It really has changed my PE teaching and my life.”

Ashburn, Virginia, September 21, 2009 -- I Am Modern Magazine, the world’s first and only reader generated content publication for moms, announces today that they see 158% revenue increase for year over year and 28% sales increase for quarter over quarter numbers. I Am Modern Magazine continues to thrive amidst the worst economic conditions and during a time when traditional media outlets are failing.

The revenue growth can be seen across all media platforms offered by I Am Modern Magazine including print, online and sponsored newsletters. The number of advertisers in the print magazine has increased to reach 65 generating robust revenue stream for I Am Modern. Web advertising revenues have also accelerated as IAmModern.com continued to attract record numbers of repeat visitors lured by frequently updated rich content, Facebook like registered member social media pages, lively conversations and locally relevant blogs. Sponsored newsletters reaching thousands of moms in the Metro DC have seen the steepest increase in revenues delivering e-mail open rates as high as 50% connecting local businesses with Metro DC moms.

"Amidst the worst economic turmoil certain trends have made themselves abundantly clear. The need to advertise is imminent and businesses must prioritize their marketing budgets and calendars and moms are still spending” says Hulya Aksu, Entrepreneur of the Year and CEO of Modern Mom Media Corporation. “It is also clear that the traditional way to advertise to the public doesn't work. As traditional publications file for bankruptcy, demographically and geographically relevant publication like I Am Modern Magazine is thriving. Most of our advertisers are of luxury non-necessity genre and they are seeing amazing returns on their investments."

Modern Mom Media Corporation is the publisher of upscale lifestyle magazine, I Am Modern, for all Metro DC area. I Am Modern Magazine brings a revolutionary breakthrough to print and internet publication featuring 100% reader generated local content with a quality national look and feel. IamModern.com website is the popular website owned by Modern Mom Media Corporation and it offers a social networking platform to local moms in Metro DC area. The website, www.IamModern.com, is rapidly expanding with hundreds of new members joining monthly, and it is the only media platform offering a Social Club that regularly meets once a month.

New York, NY, September 29, 2009 -- A Middle Eastern Bank has recently deployed Temenos Globus T24 Systems training for its branch managers from Edcomm Banker’s Academy. Temenos Globus T24 System Simulation Training (SST) for Branch Managers will be hosted and maintained by Edcomm Banker’s Academy’s own Learning Management System (LMS), Learning Link®.

Temenos Globus T24 System Simulation Training (SST) for Branch Managers, from Edcomm Banker’s Academy, is a computer-based, distance learning program, which can be delivered via Internet, Intranet or CD. The simulation program covers a series of real-world transactions including Check Cashing, Deposits, Balancing, Account Opening and Customer Searches – ensuring that branch managers at Banks, Credit Unions or Money Services Businesses (MSBs) are fully prepared to serve their customers.

Testing, tracking, administration, reports and certification are easily accomplished through Learning Link®, Edcomm Banker’s Academy’s full-featured LMS, which has an open architecture that builds on industry-standard SCORM and AICC compliance, but adds features and capabilities far beyond any competing products. Learning Link® maintains a complete record of every learning and administrative activity and offers a wide variety of customizable, real-time reports available both onscreen and in CSV formats for download and integration into any HR system. Learning Link’s servers have been issued a SAS-70 attesting to the quality of their security, business continuity and performance.

For more information about programs like this, or to find out how The Edcomm Group Banker’s Academy can customize any training program, log onto www.bankersacademy.com or call +1.212.631.9400.

The Edcomm Group Banker’s Academy is a 22-year-old multimedia education and communication consulting firm specializing in the development of creative business solutions that improve productivity, customer service and market share - providing bottom-line results. The Edcomm Group Banker’s Academy has had the privilege of assisting many distinguished clients with business solutions in the form of eLearning programs, classroom instruction, multimedia production and online and print based documentation. Edcomm Banker's Academy offers many off-the-shelf and customized courses such as Teller Training, Compliance Training and Systems Training specifically designed for Banks, Credit Unions and Money Services Businesses (MSBs).

The Edcomm Group Banker's Academy (www.bankersacademy.com) is headquartered in New York City with locations and representation throughout the world.

Leading brands and marketers come together in London on 26th October to challenge and explore the rapidly changing world of consumer engagement.

Today’s consumer has a newfound power with the rise of social media tools such as Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube, forcing brands and marketers around the world to find new ways to engage with their consumer. Brand profiles and reputations are no longer dictated to the consumer but on the contrary they are shaped and driven by consumer demand, which makes for exciting and challenging times for advertisers and marketers.

At Media140 London delegates will hear ‘warts and all’ stories directly from the brands who are out there engaging with their consumers through social media platforms. The event brings together experts and practitioners including; Tom Bedecarre, CEO AKQA, Paul Hoskins Head of Customer Experience EasyJet and Ted Hunt Digital Communications Manager from Innocent drinks, to share and debate with an audience of leading advertising, PR, brand and marketing executives.

Founded in February 2009, Media140 is an independent global platform creating unique multimedia conference-style events to explore the future of the real-time web and its impact on the media industry.

Media140 London sets out to get under the skin of these issues through keynote addresses and panel discussions. To be held at the prestigious Royal Institute British Architects (RIBA), after the success of the inaugural Media140 event held in May this year. Gordon Macmillan, Social Media and International Editor for Haymarket Brand Media says:

“With so much happening so fast Media 140 can play a pivotal role in the social media landscape in helping the industry understand what is going on and use that knowledge to meet the challenges we all face in putting this into practice.”

Confirmed speakers for the London event include;
• John Beasley, Head of Brand, Red Bull
• Mel Exon, Managing Partner BBH Labs
• Amelia Torode, from the award winning ‘Compare the Meerkat’ campaign
• James Hart, Director at leading fashion retailer ASOS.com
• Robin Grant, MD of We Are Social, the agency who put Stephen Fry on the social media map
• Noam Buchalter, Marketing Manager Pepperami, Unilever

Social Media is increasingly being recognised by brands as a influential marketing and customer engagement tool, Media140 panellist, Associate Editor for Marketing Week Ruth Mortimer says:

“When social media is used well, it can create a conversation between consumers and brands that works for everyone. But when social media is used badly by companies, it’s an intrusion that consumers resent. It’s vital for us to better understand and discuss how to operate in this fast changing and evolving environment.”

Media140 London aims to create debate and new thinking around this highly topical issue, and is set to be a must attend event for Marketers, Advertising Execs and Brand Managers across the UK.

Further information & Earlybird tickets (from £135) available at www.media140.com/brands

More about Media140
Founded in February 2009, Media140 is an independent global movement creating unique multimedia conference-style events to explore the future of the real-time web and its impact. We foster discourse, collaboration and innovation within journalism, media, advertising, entertainment, marketing, PR, gaming and technology industries.

The 140 reference in our name reflects the 140-character limit of Twitter posts and text messages.

We are a group of highly respected and well-networked individuals from leading media outlets, universities, agencies and brands who link together our peers to have real and productive discussions about the evolving world we work in. As industry professionals, we are people investing in pioneering ways to make change count for industry, audiences, consumers, brands and the bottom line.

In May 2009, Media140 held its first event in Southbank London, which discussed the impact of real-time news in the social media sphere on traditional UK media. The event had more than 250 participants, raised more than £7,500 for charity and became the #1 global trend on Twitter. The overwhelming success of the event compelled Media140 Founder, Ande Gregson to initiate similar events globally. Future Media140 events include Sydney, Bangalore, Dubai, Rome and New York.

www.media140.com/brands
www.aroundtheworldin140days.com
www.twitter.com/media140

Press, Media and Sponsorship enquiries:
To learn more about Media140 London, for speaking and panel opportunities, for interview requests and to inquire about sponsorship opportunities:
Sejal Parekh (sejal@media140.com)
+44 (0)7971 201 296
@holasejal (twitter)

September 2009 - BBC Scotland paid a trip to Clough Bottom Farm this summer to film an episode for popular CBBC’s children’s programme, ‘Ed and Oucho’s Excellent Inventions.’

The trip to the picturesque farm came after local girl, Mollie Balshaw, 12 invented a rainbow catcher machine to appear on the children’s television show.

The BBC spent several days searching for the perfect location for filming, before finally deciding that Clough Bottom Farm, Bashall Eaves was an ideal location for part of their shoot.

And for three days the production crew filmed across the stunning 360 acres at Clough Bottom Farm giving locals a sneak peak at what is to come in the brand new series due to be aired in January 2010.

The production crew filmed many different scenes throughout the Ribble Valley farm using some very inventive and creative methods.

Harry Backhouse, owner of Clough Bottom Farm, said, “To create the rainbow making machine the crew used a hose and mirror ball to create the rainbow, rigged up next to one of our cowsheds.

“Perhaps the most bizarre sight was watching 12 doughnut eating children and a cactus dancing along to Elvis tunes underneath the rainbow-making machine, and then later watching the children getting soaked by the hose - the children looked like they had a great time.”

The production crew made full use of the farm and stunning rural locations, filming by the Outbarn, a beautifully converted 17th century training barn, which can be hired for meetings, private functions and weddings overlooking Pendle Hill, as well as one of Clough Bottom’s cowsheds.

Clough Bottom Farm is a family-run working farm producing organic beef, situated in the heart of the stunning Trough of Bowland. Winner of the Lancashire & Blackpool Tourist Board Self-Catering Award 2009/10, it is home to three award-winning luxury holiday cottages, a thriving trees and shrubs nursery and a corporate training centre.

For more information on Clough Bottom please visit www.cloughbottom.co.uk or call 01254 826 285.

Notes to Editors

Situated in The Forest of Bowland – an AONB (Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty) in rural Lancashire, Clough Bottom Farm is a 360 acre organic working farm that has successfully blended traditional diversification with a conservation-minded, more sustainable approach to life and business.

Owners Harry and Jane Backhouse ensure each of their varying ventures is underpinned by a strong environmental conscience.

From the rearing of their organic beef herd, thriving tree nursery business and award-winning luxury self catering cottages, to the production of 10kg organic beef boxes and the provision of high-tech management training courses, everything they do is driven by a desire to safeguard the environment for future generations.

To book one of the four star holiday cottages at Clough Bottom, or to find out more about their trees and shrubs or organic beef, visit http://www.cloughbottom.co.uk or call 01254 826285.

London, UK, September 25, 2009 -- CEO and Founder Bruce Poon Tip of Gap Adventures, the world’s leading small group adventure tour operator, was honored with the World Savers Award for ‘2009 Winner: Tour Operator' during the third annual Condé Nast Traveler World Savers Congress in New York City today.

Since launching Gap Adventures in 1990, Bruce has been dedicated to corporate social responsibility and in 2003, started the Planeterra Foundation, a non-profit organisation dedicated to the development and support of small communities around the globe. Planeterra's range of projects, which span the arenas of health, education, employment skills training, cultural heritage preservation, and environmental conservation, help travelers find ways to give back to the people and places they visit. All projects have the central goal of helping local people through community development, achieve a sustainable way of life.
Highlights of projects include:

Peru Women’s Weaving Co-Op: Since 2005, Planeterra has been working with the Ccaccaccollo community to develop a women’s weaving cooperative. Most Gap Adventures groups are able to visit this community as part of the Sacred Valley Tour where they meet the women and learn about all the stages of the weaving process; from hand-spinning the wool, dying the wool using natural dyes, and participating in a weaving demonstration.

Brazil Community Reforestation Program: Planeterra is working with local communities in Southern Brazil to reforest their lands. This program, which will result in 450,000 trees planted by the end of the year, will provide communities and local farmer tools, so they can increase food production.

“We are thrilled to be honored with this prestigious award today and are pleased that the judges on the panel recognised Gap Adventures commitment to service and excellence,” said CEO and Founder of Gap Adventures, Bruce Poon Tip. He adds, “This honour is a testament to the dedication, creativity, and integrity of each employee here at Gap Adventures.”

As a result of Gap Adventure’s extensive commitment to sustainability, the Canadian tour operator was chosen by a independent panel of twenty-one judges, which includes academics, CEOs, philanthropists and non-governmental organisations for the World Savers Award. The judges assessed the degree to which companies exhibited social responsibility in five key areas: education, poverty alleviation, wildlife conservation, cultural and environmental preservation, and health.

About Gap Adventures
Gap Adventures is a world leader in the adventure travel industry offering small group adventures on all seven continents and beyond to more than 100,000 global travellers annually. The award-winning trips, which focus on culture, nature and active travel, are ideal for those with a sense of adventure – people who want to leave the beaten path and authentically immerse themselves in a local culture or environment to experience the real world in a sustainable manner. Demonstrating its ongoing cultural, social and economic commitment to responsible tourism, Gap Adventures established the Planeterra Foundation, as a way the company and its passengers can give back to the communities visited. For more information, please visit www.gapadventures.com and www.planeterra.org.

Contact:
Gareth Hamilton
Gap Adventures
London, W2 7QN
PO Box 60561
004-479-6911-7270
garethh@gap.ca
http://www.gapadventures.com

Seattle, WA, September 24, 2009 -- With the release of the LPM Voice’s 25th free monthly issue of their Seattle, WA music magazine, brings with it two new very exciting announcements. The magazine released their new mobile phone webpage www.lpmvoice.com/mobile which allows free subscribers to view and interact with the magazine from any where in the world. The magazine also started their first ever print publication for distribution in Seattle with a total of 10,000 copies to be distributed in the near future. The magazines newest release can be viewed for free by visiting www.lpmvoice.com.

Seattle Music Magazine LPM Voice announces new Mobile phone website as they release their August 2009 Issue. LPM Voice also starts to print their magazine for distribution in the greater Seattle area. The LPM Voice Magazine recently covered 2009’s “Capitol Hill Block Party” concert event which had over 30 bands playing on three different venues. Bumbershoot 2009 captured by Seattle magazine to showcase new mobile website.

About LPM Voice:
Focusing in on the music of Seattle by bringing only the best in today's music straight from the scene to your screen. Their 100% online magazine is completely dedicated to the readers because they know with out people like you that we wouldn't be able to do what we love.The magazines newest release can be viewed for free by visiting www.lpmvoice.com

Contact:
Jeremy Elkins
LPM Voice Magazine
5201 142nd Pl NE
Marysville, WA 98271
425-754-1597
contact@lpmvoice.com
press@lpmvoice.com
http://www.lpmvoice.com

Loveland, CO, September 24, 2009 -- Lifetree Adventures today announced their Christian travel destinations for 2010. With 16 destinations including Vanuatu and Peru there is now a destination for everyone.

Volunteers will be able to walk among biblical ruins and help bring in a harvest to feed hungry Israeli children, or live on an Amazon riverboat cruising up the Ucayali River and then stopping at an Indian village to help build their church.

The 16 Christian travel destinations for 2010 include:

Alaska Christian Travel Itinerary
Volunteers will journey into the Alaskan bush where they will live in a village and work alongside men, women, and their families. Experience everyday life in the Alaskan wild, and spend time learning about their traditions. Life in the village is very hard, and the time volunteers spend with them, showing God’s love to these amazing people, will make a difference for years to come. http://www.lifetreeadventures.com/alaskafamily.asp...

Costa Rica Christian Travel Itinerary
From cool, moist rainforests to sun-kissed beaches, Costa Rica offers something for everyone seeking adventure. This land is stunningly beautiful and peaceful—there hasn’t been an army in Costa Rica since 1949. http://www.lifetreeadventures.com/costarica.aspx

Egypt Christian Travel Itinerary
Volunteers will see the Great Pyramid, the only Ancient Seven Wonders of the World” still standing, ride by camel among the pyramids, walk through massive temples in Luxor, and be transported back to a time when pharaohs ruled the land. http://www.lifetreeadventures.com/egypt.aspx

Israel Christian Travel Itinerary
In Israel the word “old” should be used sparingly— most of its cities’ ages are counted not in centuries, but in millennia. Israel is home to many UNESCO World Heritage Sites, and of course there is Jerusalem—a historical and spiritual home to the three main religions of the world. Christian travelers with Lifetree will serve in homes and help at a food bank. http://www.lifetreeadventures.com/israel.aspx

Kenya Christian Travel Itinerary
In the capital city of Nairobi, volunteers will work alongside Christ’s followers who selflessly help some of the city’s poorest people. The work that needs to be done includes: feeding programs, healthcare, vocational education, providing homes for children of parents who have died of AIDS, and empowering church leaders with training seminars. http://www.lifetreeadventures.com/kenya.aspx

Mazatlan Christian Travel Itinerary
Volunteers will make a real difference in Mazatlan as they help build a home for a well-deserving family. Not only will they learn a couple of new skills, they’ll dig into the Mexican culture and feel at home in a suburb of Mazatlan. You’ll make new friends as you work alongside the people who will live in the house once it’s done. And you’ll take home wonderful memories of your service to people in need. It will be an unforgettable trip. http://www.lifetreeadventures.com/mazatlan.aspx

Peru Christian Travel Itinerary
For over 25 years Group Workcamp’s ministry partners have been reaching the people of the Ucayali River by boat. But recently they completed a new, large sailing vessel—the Evangelista—to expand their work of bringing the good news to the people on the river. This boat will be travelers’ home away from home. Be a part of a ministry expedition to serve, share experiences, and even learn from villagers. Volunteers will help educate, develop relationships, take part in construction projects, be a part of church activities, and micro-business development will make an impact on the community. http://www.lifetreeadventures.com/peru.aspx

For more information, or to reserve a spot on the new Christian travel itineraries, travel agents and travelers can go to http://www.lifetreeadventures.com or call 800-747-2157 Monday through Friday MST.

Lifetree Adventures is a new division of Group Workcamps Foundation, a leading non-profit mission organization offering Christian travel trips for youth and adults for over 30 years. Lifetree offers Christian travel options to Kenya, Thailand, Peru, New Orleans, Israel, Mazatlan, Ecuador, Costa Rica, Uganda and Vanuatu with new destinations being constantly added. Through Group Workcamps, over 250,000 volunteers have provided more than 7 million hours of volunteer service to projects in hundreds of U.S. and international locations.

Birmingham, UK, September 24, 2009 -- Telco Communications have been expert providers of mobile telecommunications for businesses since 2003, and have now received an official accreditation from telecommunications giant Orange.

In service and cost, Orange offer a brilliant service whatever an individual businesses needs are. Since accreditation, Telco Communications can offer the best Orange business tariffs to their clients. Of all their phone networks, Orange consistently comes out on top.

Often Telco Communications offer source their 'Deal of the Month' from Orange, including unlimited Orange to Orange calls, unlimited landline minutes and free voicemail as well as freebies like free insurance, free texts, over 1000 free cross-network minutes and 2MB of data to surf mobile internet.

It's no surprise that many clients choose to upgrade to Smart phones so they can take advantage of Orange mobile internet. The Orange network also covers 99% of the UK so keeping in touch is easy.

"We're delighted to have an Orange accreditation and it also means our clients benefit from the comprehensive services Orange can provide," says Sean Smith, Operations Manager at Telco Communications. "We're confident we've got a telecommunications solution to suit any business - visit us online or get in touch to select a package to select the best package for you."

To find out more about Telco Communications please visit: http://www.telcocommunications.co.uk/ or contact them on 0121 222 4180.

About Telco Communications:
Trading since 2003, Telco Communications are a leading provider of telecommunications services. Offering business mobile phones, B2B mobile deals and business mobile phone contracts at competitive prices they also pride themselves on the quality of their customer care services.

08 September 2009 – Xoticar.co.uk, a leading vehicle hire site which gives travellers the most optimum value world wide vehicle hire, is staging a party for its 5th anniversary with a website re-launch. The site has overseen continuous growth over the past five years to become one of the premier car rental websites.

Www.xoticar.co.uk offers travellers its powerful car hire database which provides car hire at over 8,000 locations worldwide, with deals sourced at leading car hire providers like Budget, Europcar, National, Maggiore, Citer, SixT, Europa, Crown, Aguira and more. The site has welcomed still more providers to its database as part of the re-launch.

The mission statement of Xoticar.co.uk is to steer travellers to the very best car hire offers wherever they are headed to.

Www.xoticar.co.uk strives for continuous improvement and to accomplish this it updates its car rental listings around the clock, meaning that customers get the greatest bargains available.

Xoticar.co.uk is owned by Foxy Leisure Ltd, a provider of popular, value-conscious consumer websites across multiple commercial sectors. The re-launched website offers enhanced user-friendliness and a much cleaner design, matching the company’s transparent approach.

Jane Finch, spokesperson for www.xoticar.co.uk, comments, “5 years is a long time in the online car hire sector and we’ve built a strong reputation and loyal customer base in that time. No matter what the customer’s car hire needs are, we will find them the very best deal wherever they are headed.”

For further information please see www.xoticar.co.uk.

About Foxy Leisure Ltd.
Foxy Leisure was founded in 2004, specialises in developing cutting edge new media business and Internet ventures and has an established heritage in the sector. The company employs an experienced team of new media professionals who create and maintain innovative web solutions across a range of industries and business practices.

Denver, CO, September 22, 2009 -- The average museum retail store attracts more than 85,000 visitors and boasts net sales of more than $200,000 annually according to findings in the 2009 Museum Store Association Retail Industry Report. Median visitor and net sales values are each up 16.5% since the previous study was conducted in 2006.

“Museum store managers need to know where they stand compared to their peers – today more than ever,” emphasized MSA President Meta Devine. “As a leader in the specialty retail industry, MSA believes it is critically important to identify benchmarks and share the strategies successful stores are using.”

The 140-page report is based on more than 400 completed surveys and identifies key financial, operations and staffing benchmarks. Statistics include average inventory, visitors per square foot, gross margin and employee salaries. To account for the variations in museum store revenues, the report includes hundreds of supplemental charts that break out the data by museum type (i.e. history, art, science) and into five gross sales categories.

For the first time, the Report also explores best practices in areas such as sales growth, marketing and merchandising. For example, stores reporting sales increases are significantly more likely to focus on inventory controls than those reporting sales declines. Similar correlations are examined between sales / profitability and other factors, such as store hours, recency of store renovations, sales goals, changes in the number of vendors used and the number of items for sale.

The 2009 MSA Retail Industry Report is now available and retails for $249 for MSA members ($349 for non-members). To order, go to http://www.museumstoreassociation.org/pubs/09MRIR.cfm or call (303) 504-9223.

The 2009 MSA Retail Industry Report was brought to you in part by the following industry supporters: Champion Level – Andoniadis Retail Services, and Supporter Level – New York International Gift Fair and PartnerShip.

Seattle, WA, September 09, 2009 -- Demand for wood pellets and investments in pellet plants continue to grow despite the global financial crises and tight credit markets. In some countries, the current slowdown in the economy has actually had a positive effect on the biomass industry because politicians have often favored bio energy and pellet-heating projects in governmentally funded economic stimulus packages.

The bio energy sector is attracting a lot of attention from the forest industry, timberland owners and, increasingly, from interests with limited past participation in the forest resources sector; many of these companies have historically have been in the business of fossil fuels.

The biggest expansion in the use of forest-based biomass has occurred in Europe, mainly as a result of the decision by EU to reduce dependence on fossil fuels and use a minimum of 20% renewable energy by 2020.

Sweden is currently the biggest consumer of wood pellets in the world, consuming over 20% of the world’s production of wood pellets. In order to meet the demand from a fast growing market, the country produced almost 1.6 million tons in 2008 and imported another 300,000 tons mainly from other countries in Europe but also from Canada. There are no signs portending any slowdown in demand for wood pellets, and the annual growth is expected to be between 8% and 10% in the coming years.

There are currently over 450 pellet-producing plants in Europe with many new projects planned over the next few years. The United Kingdom, Denmark, Sweden and Germany are some of the countries that are expected to have the fastest growth in forest biomass consumption (both pellets and wood chips) over the next ten years. These countries will both invest in domestic production capacity and increase imports.

Pellet prices have trended upward the past seven years, as reported in the Wood Resource Quarterly. Prices in Sweden have generally been higher than in Central Europe, but in 2009, prices fell the most in Sweden, resulting in a convergence with prices in Germany and Austria. Wood fiber costs are expected to increase later this year, which would result in higher production costs for many pellet manufacturers. As a consequence, it is probable that wood pellet prices will start moving upward again this coming winter after a few months in retreat.

Global timber market reporting is included in the 50-page publication Wood Resource Quarterly. The report, established in 1988 and with readers in over 25 countries, tracks sawlog, pulpwood, lumber and pellet prices in key regions around the world and also includes regular updates of the latest developments in international timber, pulp, lumber and biomass markets.

Press Contact:
Hakan Ekstrom
Wood Resources International LLC
P.O. Box 1891
Bothell, WA 98041
1-425-402-8809
info@wri-ltd.com
http://www.woodprices.com