150 UNIQUE EXPERIENCES AND ITEMS FROM NFL STARS HIGHLIGHT 'BACK TO FOOTBALL 2010 KICKOFF CHARITY AUCTION' TO SUPPORT NEW ORLEANS SAINTS GULF COAST RENEWAL FUND

NEW YORK, Sept. 2 /PRNewswire/ -- The NFL announced today plans for the "BACK TO FOOTBALL 2010 KICKOFF CHARITY AUCTION" to support the New Orleans Saints Gulf Coast Renewal Fund. The NFL and NFL PLAYERS partnered to assemble an unprecedented array of one-of-a-kind experiences and autographed memorabilia from some of the NFL's top stars, including Super Bowl XLIV MVP DREW BREES and Minnesota Vikings QB BRETT FAVRE, who will face off September 9 to kick off the 2010 season. Fans may bid on 150 experiences and items now through 10 p.m. ET Sunday, September 12 on www.nfl.com/auction .

SANTA MONICA, Calif., Sept. 2 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- ProCon.org, the premier, free, nonpartisan, public service website whose aim is to provide readers with unbiased research on the country's most debated issues has completed its authoritative pros and cons on whether the March 2010 health care reform laws are good for America, and how this legislation impacts the lives of all Americans.

The result is Health Care Reform ProCon.org (http://healthcarereform.procon.org/ ) which presents 34 commonly asked questions regarding the March 2010 health care reform laws along with responses from over 150 experts including President Barack Obama (pro), former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin (con), Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (pro), House Majority Leader John Boehner (con), AARP (pro), US Chamber of Commerce (con), New York Times (pro), Wall Street Journal (con), along with many physicians, economists, government officials, medical organizations, and dozens more. Add a comment

Program projected to save $3M in annual expenses

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (September 2, 2010) /PRNewswire/ — Children International, a Kansas City-based nonprofit organization, announces the Aidmatrix Foundation has completed implementation of a web platform enabling the charity to accept donated supplies to help poor children and families around the world. The platform was donated in part by Aidmatrix and is valued at $250,000. Use of the system is projected to save Children International up to $3 million in annual expenses while significantly reducing the amount of time and effort used in the procurement of gifts-in-kind donations, thus freeing up more funding to help children in need. Add a comment

Hamburg, Germany: Last minute reservations from four countries may sink the historic announcement of a network of marine protected areas over key areas of the mid-Atlantic Ridge and basin which was scheduled for the North-East Atlantic environment summit later this month.

The declaration, foreshadowed by the OSPAR Commission for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the North-East Atlantic since 2008, would have been the world's first declaration of a suite of protected sites in waters outside any national jurisdiction. 

“The sixteen Contracting Parties have been working towards a milestone achievement for several years, setting a global example to protect ocean wildlife and vulnerable habitats in international waters which is considered an unprecedented pilot by other coastal states worldwide,"  said Stephan Lutter, International Marine Policy Officer with WWF-Germany and WWF’s observer to OSPAR, the Oslo Paris convention on the north east Atlantic environment. Add a comment

Mayor Kicks Off Festivities Wednesday Evening at the Standard Hotel Biergarten

NEW YORK, Sept. 1 /PRNewswire/ -- March may have its green shamrocks and green beer, but the flow of hops and barley remains strong in New York throughout the month of September - especially when September is officially known as German-American Friendship Month.

Recognized by the Mayor's office for the fourth consecutive year, German-American - Friendship Month honors the German-American culture and the many contributions made by German immigrants by holding an entire month of celebrations, including the 53rd German-American Steuben Parade.

Mayor Mike Bloomberg will help to kick off the month of festivities with a private reception hosted at the German-style Biergarten at the Standard Hotel, September 1, 2010 from 5 PM to 7 PM. The Biergarten is located at 848 Washington Street in New York City. Add a comment

Families Are Encouraged to Get Back to the Table and Help Others Do the Same

MARION, N.Y., Sept. 1 /PRNewswire/ -- For the second consecutive year, Libby's Fruits and Vegetables is celebrating Get Back to the Table month by launching its annual Virtual Canned Food Drive in support of Feeding America and the increased demand on its network of food banks. This online food drive encourages families to rally their communities to help those less fortunate enjoy a meal together. Families who raise $1,500 or more for Feeding America will get their pantries stocked with a year's supply of canned vegetables from Libby's (1). In addition, Libby's Fruits and Vegetables will match up to $40,000 of donations raised by Dec. 13, 2010, to help provide more than half a million meals for needy families. Add a comment

--Nearly eight-in-ten workers living paycheck to paycheck, up from 2009-- --One-in-five report they have missed payments on their bills-- --Twenty-three percent started living paycheck to paycheck in 2009--

CHICAGO, Sept. 1 /PRNewswire/ -- As the effects of the recession linger on, one place it continues to have a tight grip is on workers' wallets. Nearly eight-in-ten (77 percent) workers report that they live paycheck to paycheck to make ends meet. Sixty-one percent of workers said that they felt they lived paycheck to paycheck to make ends meet in 2009. Workers went on to say that sometimes they are unable to make ends meet at all, with one-in-five (22 percent) saying they have missed payments on bills in the last year. This is according to a new nationwide survey of more than 4,400 workers by CareerBuilder that was conducted from May 18 to June 3, 2010. Add a comment

NEW YORK, August 31, 2010/PRNewswire/ -- "Read Me - I Am Magical" by Alinka Rutkowska is a revolution in the reading experience. It's not only a thoroughly researched piece of work on personal empowerment, happiness, love and general wellbeing, it's also filled with powerful exercises, which enhance your state of mind and as a consequence, your life. But what makes this book truly revolutionary, is the subliminal message embedded within its pages, making you feel absolutely incredible as you read. Add a comment

DALLAS, Aug. 30 /PRNewswire/ -- Some job seekers believe that they can be hired or fired based on their credit scores. But this is a myth.

When an employer asks a credit bureau for information about job prospects, they are not given credit scores. They are given payment history and other credit facts.

Under FTC regulations, current and potential employers must obtain permission before pulling a credit report and provide a copy of the report to applicants who aren't hired. Add a comment

Kellogg School of Management professor predicts taxpayers will ultimately bear much of the $3 trillion in unfunded liabilities

EVANSTON, Ill., Aug. 19 /PRNewswire/ -- In recent months, discussion surrounding the financial soundness of state pension plans has been hotly contested. In fact, recent research by the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University suggested that pension programs in as many as 31 states are headed for run outs and financial disaster by 2030. A new paper predicts that taxpayers will bear a large share of the financial burden of the $3 trillion in unfunded legacy liabilities associated with state pension plans.

Today, Associate Professor of Finance Joshua Rauh of the Kellogg School is presenting this new paper, which examines the present value of state pension liabilities under existing policies and separately under several hypothetical policy measures, such as changes to cost of living adjustments (COLAs), full retirement ages, early retirement ages and buyout rates for early retirement. Add a comment

HEALTH HITS A HOME RUN WITH THE CARBLOVERS DIET, CHANGING THE WAY DIETERS THINK ABOUT CARBS

NEW YORK, Aug. 19 /PRNewswire/ -- Health debuted its first-ever diet book, Health The Carb Lovers Diet: Eat What You Love, Get Slim For Life (Oxmoor House; $24.95, ISBN 978-0-8487-3370-4), on August 3, 2010, and the book already took the #4 spot on the New York Times' best-seller list in the Hardcover Advice category. With more than 160,000 copies in print, and three printings - and counting, The CarbLovers Diet is poised to become the new go-to diet for people looking to lose weight quickly and effectively. Add a comment

British Gas is backing The Sun's Jobs for Heroes campaign by calling ex-servicemen and women to join its ranks.

As one of Britain's largest employers, British Gas wants ex-service people to retrain as energy experts, insulation fitters and engineers. And is keen to sign up high-calibre former military personnel and harness their self-discipline, motivation, technical know-how and great people skills.

Managing director, Phil Bentley, is backing the campaign. Phil said in The Sun last month: "Our ex-servicemen and women are great British heroes, and we are proud to have them join our ranks. Add a comment

Winning Community Receives $25,000 Donation and a 30-Minute TV Show About Their Town on WFN

TORONTO, Aug. 18 /PRNewswire/ -- Passionate anglers from more than 160 towns and cities across Canada heeded the call of WFN: World Fishing Network, by nominating their favourite fishing area in the hope of staking their claim to a $25,000 prize and the title of WFN's Ultimate Fishing Town. The first round of public voting is open at www.wfn.tv/fishingtown.

"The race is now officially on to find Canada's ultimate place to fish," said Mark Rubinstein, President and CEO of World Fishing Network. "From Kitimat, BC, to Pesable, PEI, over 160 communities have raised the rod to win. It's now in the hands of Canadians to vote for their favourite fishing community." Add a comment

This summer, mums and dads across Britain will spend thousands of hours on their hands and knees - making sandcastles for their tots and toddlers.

And, as always, sometimes their sandcastles will slide perfectly formed from the bucket to stand briefly as works of parental art. But more often than not they'll get stuck halfway. Or just collapse.

To help parents everywhere be 'forever sandcastle heroes' to their children, Butlins has created a guide to making the perfect sandcastle - guaranteed to work on beaches and sandpits the world over come rain or shine.

The UK's favourite holiday company has teamed up with Sand Guru Mark Anderson and is offering masterclasses at its three beachside Resorts in Bognor Regis, Minehead and Skegness.

Oil Change International Launches Accountability Campaign Demanding a Separation of Oil and Senate

WASHINGTON, Aug. 17 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- As 60,000 barrels of oil or more spilled into the Gulf of Mexico a day, the U.S. Senate voted to preserve subsidies to the oil industry. As the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Agency announced the planet has just come through the warmest decade, the warmest year, and the warmest April, May, and June on record, the Senate utterly failed to pass any energy, climate change, or even oil spill response legislation. Add a comment

Children's Author Gives Tips for Turning School Jitters into Excitement

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. Aug, 17 /PRNewswire/ -- This fall, millions of young children will be heading to school for the first time. To make the experience a positive one, Barefoot Books, the independent children's publisher, has created a guide for parents with tips to help their children start school with excitement. The guide, "Packing Backpack, Lunchbox, and Confidence: Tips for Sending Children Off to School," was created by Kathryn White, author of the new book Ruby's School Walk. Add a comment