Sleep in style: Airline giving away $4,000 eye masks

Courtesy of Virgin Atlantic

The excitement of finding a crystal-adorned eye mask in an amenity kit may preclude sleep.

By Harriet Baskas, NBC News contributor

Travelers hoping to avoid jet lag on a long-haul flight often don black eye masks in hopes of getting some shut-eye.?

They may look bland, but they work.

But on Thursday, five lucky Virgin Atlantic passengers will be able to snooze in considerably better style wearing a limited-edition mask, decorated with $4,000 worth of Swarovski crystals.

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The airline introduced new amenity kits for its economy, premium economy and first-class passengers on Sept. 1. To celebrate, it's tucking five swanky Swarovski eye masks ? each with more than 3,000 red, white and blue crystals???in the amenity kits handed out in the economy section of five flights. The crystals were all hand applied (10 hours per mask) by Saima Anwar, an artist who also creates crystal eyelashes for celebrities such as Katy Perry.

Thursday?s winners could include passengers on any of the airline?s flights to or from 11 cities in North America, including New York, Chicago, Boston and Los Angeles.

Courtesy of Virgin Atlantic

Five eyeshades have been created to mark the launch of new amenity kits which are now appearing on board all Virgin Atlantic flights.

?As the majority of our flights leave at night, arriving in London in the morning, we want to make sure our guests are well rested to begin their days, whether they be traveling for business or pleasure,? said Chris Rossi, senior vice president North America.

Virgin Atlantic has been sweet on Swarovski for a while. Since 2003, the airline?s first-class cabins have featured Swarovski crystals on the cabin walls. Curtains adorned with more than 1,000 Swarovski crystals were recently added to the revamped first-class section on the airline?s A330 aircraft.

While only five passengers will score the cool, crystal-encrusted eye-masks, the new, complimentary amenity kits are sure to be keepers. Each economy class kit contains one of the airline?s signature red eyeshades decorated with one of six sunglass designs, including one with heart-shaped frame and another in a shutter style.

The premium economy kits are charcoal gray pouches made from recycled plastic bottles. The pouches have silk linings are designed to double as travel wallets.

Virgin Atlantic?s first-class passengers will be issued amenity kits made from the same recycled material, but their pouches will be big enough to be reused as holders for tablet devices or e-readers.

Related:?Virgin America pilots, flight attendants getting a makeover
Related:?Richard Branson ice cube means never drinking alone on Virgin Atlantic

Why upgrade an amenity that many other airlines don?t even offer to travelers in the coach cabin? ?To enhance the customer experience to travelers in any class by offering a number of on- and off-board amenities not found with other carriers,? said Rossi. ?

Or, as the airline states in a news release, because it?s ?all part of Virgin Atlantic?s commitment to sustainability, and going green (and gorgeous!).?

?Find more by Harriet Baskas on StuckatTheAirport.com and follow her on Twitter.?

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Source: http://overheadbin.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/09/04/13661771-4000-crystal-encrusted-eye-masks-for-five-lucky-virgin-atlantic-passengers?lite

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First lady's message: Obama is just like you

First Lady Michelle Obama waves to delegates at the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, N.C., on Monday, Sept. 3, 2012. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

First Lady Michelle Obama waves to delegates at the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, N.C., on Monday, Sept. 3, 2012. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

First Lady Michelle Obama waves to delegates at the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, N.C., on Monday, Sept. 3, 2012. (AP Photo/David Goldman)

First Lady Michelle Obama addresses the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, N.C., on Tuesday, Sept. 4, 2012. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

First Lady Michelle Obama addresses the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, N.C., on Tuesday, Sept. 4, 2012. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

First Lady Michelle Obama waves to delegates at the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, N.C., on Monday, Sept. 3, 2012. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) ? Michelle Obama's message: President Barack Obama is just like you.

"Barack knows the American Dream because he's lived it," the first lady told the Democratic National Convention on Tuesday in an address intended to reassure voters that her husband shares their values ? hard work, perseverance and optimism ? while also drawing a contrast between him and Mitt Romney.

Mrs. Obama never mentioned the president's Republican challenger, who grew up in a world of privilege and wealth.

But the point was clear as she wove a tapestry of their early years together, when money was tight and times were tough, when they were "so in love, and so in debt." She reminisced about the man who now occupies the Oval Office pulling his favorite coffee table out of the trash and wearing dress shoes that were half a size too small. And she told stories about a president who still takes time to eat dinner with his daughters nearly every night, answering their questions about the news and strategizing about middle-school friendships.

With a mix of personal anecdotes and policy talk, Mrs. Obama's speech was her most political yet.

"Today, after so many struggles and triumphs and moments that have tested my husband in ways I never could have imagined, I have seen firsthand that being president doesn't change who you are ? it reveals who you are," she said.

To that end, the first lady painted a portrait of a leader who knows the struggles of everyday Americans, who listens to them as president and who pushes an agenda with their interests in mind.

"That's the man I see in those quiet moments late at night, hunched over his desk, poring over the letters people have sent him," she said. "I see the concern in his eyes ... and I hear the determination in his voice as he tells me, 'You won't believe what these folks are going through, Michelle. . It's not right. We've got to keep working to fix this. We've got so much more to do."

She added: "I see how that's what drives Barack Obama every single day."

With such stories, the first lady sought to counter Republicans trying to paint Obama as something other than a typical American, and implied that it was Romney who couldn't relate to people trying to get by in tough economic times.

To be sure, neither Romney nor Obama fits the bill of the average, working-class American struggling with credit card debt and mortgage payments. Both are millionaires who live a privileged life few Americans will ever experience.

But each candidate is trying to convince Americans that they're best suited to run an economy hampered by sluggish growth and high unemployment. Polls show Romney leading on who voters say would best to manage the economy; but Obama has the advantage on who voters believe understands their economic challenges better.

As she stood in the center of the convention's blue-carpeted stage, Mrs. Obama's words went straight to the core of the contrast Democrats are trying to draw between Obama and Romney. They say the president is pushing policies to boost the middle class, while Romney wants to protect the wealthy and hope their success trickles down.

Once a reluctant political spouse, Mrs. Obama delved more deeply into the details of her husband's policies than she has in her previous speeches. She promoted his health care overhaul, push for tax cuts for middle income earners and the auto bailout. And she took on the economy, her husband's biggest political liability, arguing that he "brought our economy back from the brink of collapse to creating jobs again."

"In the end, for Barack, these issues aren't political. They're personal," she said.

The first lady, wearing a bright pink dress, drew thunderous applause from the crowd and chants of "four more years" that are more often reserved for the president.

At the White House, Obama watched his wife's speech with the couple's two young daughters.

"I'm going to try to not let them see their daddy cry because when Michelle starts talking, I start getting all misty," the president said at rally earlier Tuesday in Norfolk, Va.

Mrs. Obama likely will have one more turn in the convention spotlight later this week. She is expected to introduce her husband Thursday night when he accepts the Democratic nomination before a crowd of up to 74,000 and a television audience of millions across the country.

The Obamas' daughters, Malia and Sasha, are also expected to join them on stage during the convention's closing night, leaving voters with fresh images of the photogenic family.

While at the three-day convention, Mrs. Obama will also focus on shoring up support for her husband among key constituencies. She plans to speak to the party's African-American, Hispanic and women's caucuses and address a gay and lesbian luncheon. Along with the vice president's wife, Jill Biden, the first lady will also participate in an armed services event Thursday and put together care packages for U.S. troops serving overseas.

The first lady took the stage Tuesday as the most popular figure in this year's presidential campaign. She earns higher favorability ratings than her husband, his Republican rival, the other contender for first lady or either candidate for the vice presidency, according to the latest Associated Press-GfK poll.

In the poll, conducted before the Republican convention began, 64 percent of Americans said they had a favorable view of Mrs. Obama. The president came in at 53 percent favorable.

___

Follow Julie Pace at http://twitter.com/jpaceDC

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2012-09-04-Michelle%20Obama/id-b21c107af1c44b7fa7137e9dbc5b1ab2

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Discover Plaza Automotive's Dealer Quality Auto Repair Center

Whether you live in San Pedro or Palos Verdes, you won?t find another auto repair center that offers the advantages that Plaza Automotive does. ?Not only are they?San Pedro?s 2012 Business of the Year, they exclusively offer dealer quality auto maintenance and repair services out of this?one unique shop.

From Palos Verdes Drive North to Palos Verdes Drive South and to the Harbor, Plaza Automotive is the only auto repair center that can pamper the public with a full automotive maintenance and repair program, premium parts, and wash your car all in one location.

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Car Wash

Another service they offer takes your newly maintained automobile and completes your trip to Plaza Automotive with a Free?Eco-friendly Car Wash.

That?s right! ?If you have your car serviced through Plaza Automotive, they will wash your car for free?and without?harsh chemicals. ?Plaza uses a completely safe system called the Optima DS steam cleans both the exterior and portions of the interior of your car.

But that?s only part of their services?Plaza Automotive will detail, wash and wax your car, motorcycle, boat, RV, toy hauler and trailer. ?Additional services like leather and vinyl conditioning, carpet shampooing, engine detailing and more are also available.

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A Business Case for Adopting Social Networking | DCR Workforce ...

Mankind has always been ridiculed for inventing the machine first and becoming its slave later. The list is long? electricity, automobiles, locomotion, flying, telephone, television, computers, mobile phones, Wi-Fi ? not to forget refrigeration and air-conditioning! But the Internet transcends them all in the way it has grabbed the total attention of the homo sapiens ? social networking tops the list of favored online activities, be it from a PC, notebook, tablet or smartphone! Microsoft?s purchase of the Enterprise Social Networking platform Yammer, at $1.2 billion is an affirmation of the potential of social networking in today?s world.

Businesses are not lagging behind in taking advantage of this medium to reach out to their customers, using innovative marketing methods. Millions of companies are offering a 10% discount to anyone who takes the trouble to say ?I like? on their Facebook page! This is effective marketing as one can attract people who are already interested in becoming their customers by giving them the best incentive possible to come over and buy that product. ?Companies who already have a social marketing strategy as well as those that have none so far are all looking at the possibilities and seeing how they can carve out their share of this virtual pie.

Blaming social networking for its negative impact on workplace productivity is out of vogue. Companies are forging ahead, using effective workplace policies to curb unwanted use of social networking and inappropriate contact between the personal and the professional while retaining the ability to use social networking for business purposes.

The importance of communication within? the team at a workplace can never be disputed, and social networking is outstripping the use of email by offering a window of opportunity for instantly and briefly communicating, and immediately resolving issues.

Employees with professional and technical skills are allowed to use social media even for personal use by some companies. While work places have varied mindsets on the matter, depending on whether they are Gen Y, Gen X or baby boomers? ? the opportunities for networking offered by social media ranges across different options:

• Personal use. (Job hunting, networking, messaging, photo/video uploads, sharing common interests)
• Use at the workplace. (Advertisement, Hiring, Marketing, networking and seeking vendors/suppliers)
• Enable sharing of opinions and expertise; providing guidance to colleagues, friends or general public
• Allow collaborative effort among the members of a team.

Social media ?hold-outs? may be jeopordizing the futures of their companies by not taking advantage of this essential approach to business.? Their competitors will have faster access to critical business and market information.? They are unable to tap into the increasing pool of technical and professional talent who exclusively use social media as a vehicle for identifying potential employers.? They deprive their clients of a convenient and fast way of communicating with them for purchases, customer service, and information regarding new products and services. And, their company?s institutional knowledge will continue to be bound by geographic constraints. Keeping employees and customers happy is also an essential requirement for any organization; and in today?s world, social networking is a way of life and is considered as important to life as breathing; with many who have never lived in a world without Internet and others who cannot imagine such an existence anymore!

Source: http://blog.dcrworkforce.com/business-case-adopting-social-networking?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=business-case-adopting-social-networking

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Letters: Treating Osteoporosis (1 Letter)

[unable to retrieve full-text content]A letter to the Editor.

Source: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/04/health/treating-osteoporosis.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

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Brain Diabetes: The Ultimate Food Scare Your Health Journal | Your ...

From News Scientist?..

Big trouble lies ahead if Alzheimer?s is proven to be a form of diabetes

THE human brain evolved to seek out foods high in fat and sugar. But a preference that started out as a survival mechanism has, in our age of plenty, become a self-destructive compulsion.

It is well known that bad diets can trigger obesity and diabetes. There is growing evidence that they trigger Alzheimer?s disease too, and some researchers now see it as just another form of diabetes (see ?Food for thought: Eat your way to dementia?).

If correct, this has enormous, and grave, implications. The world already faces an epidemic of diabetes. The prospect of a parallel epidemic of Alzheimer?s is truly frightening, in terms of human suffering and monetary cost.

This outcome will not be easily averted. Few people need to be told that too much high-fat, high-sugar food is a health hazard. And yet sales of fast food remain healthy (or should that be hefty?). Part of the reason is ?future discounting?, another evolved feature of the human brain that makes us value short-term rewards over long-term risks.

What can be done? One option is to call in the lawyers. Some moderately successful attempts have already been made to sue food companies for their role in creating the obesity epidemic. If a causal link between fatty, sugary food and Alzheimer?s can be established, it is highly likely that more lawsuits will follow. Such actions have their place, but this is a laborious and expensive way to enact change.

To read the full story?..Click here

Source: http://www.lensaunders.com/wp/?p=3995

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