Crain’s Detroit Business Names Trubiquity One of Metro Detroit’s Cool Places to Work

Troy, Mich. 07, 2011 Trubiquity, a leading provider of global Managed File Transfer and business process integration solutions, has been named one of the area’s Cool Places to Work by Crain’s Detroit Business. The award comes after an employee-led nomination process followed by a survey administered by the American Society of Employers.

“In the software and technology marketplace, it is critical to focus on creating environments that are conducive to working with our client’s complex needs but that also balance and support our team members, who ultimately determine our success in the marketplace,said Stephen Koons, Trubiquity Chief Executive Officer. “As a high-growth technology company headquartered in Metro Detroit, we take great pride in not only meeting and exceeding our customersneeds but also taking the time to invest in our team’s professional growth and personal well-being through a variety of programs. The team’s personal and professional fulfillment is an essential component of Trubiquity’s success.

With technology solutions in growth segments such as cloud computing, software-as-a-service, managed file transfer, community management and business process automation, Trubiquity balances entrepreneurial spirit with the deep expertise of a tech industry stalwart. The company’s growth and acquisition strategy has seen expansion into a new global offices, several new solution lines and dozens of new team members, with the heart of the company rooted firmly in Metro Detroit.

Meet Trubiquity in person at the Crain’s Detroit Cool Places to Work awards event on Thursday, November 10 in Dearborn, or at the Tech x 2 Engineering and Computer Science Career Expo at Oakland University on Tuesday, September 27.

About Trubiquity
Trubiquity is headquartered in Troy, Michigan, USA with West Coast facilities in Carlsbad, California, USA and international offices in Germany and the United Kingdom and an international network of resellers. Trubiquity provides Managed File Transfer (MFT) and business process integration solutions for automotive, aerospace, advanced manufacturing, retail, finance, healthcare and consumer goods industries and enables its customers to connect, move and share key business information with its global teams and valued partners. For more information, please visit http://www.trubiquity.com.

CardHub.com Ups the Ante with New Shopping Mall for Charge Cards

Arlington, Virginia 14, 2008 Building on the success of its initial launch of Card Hub, the combination of an "Online Shopping Mall" and "Consumer Reports" for credit cards, Evolution Finance, Inc. today announced the unveiling of a charge card comparison service within CardHub.com.

"Our new charge card comparison within CardHub is yet another manifestation of our corporate mission, which is to give more financial control to everyday people," said Evolution Finance CEO and founder Odysseas Papadimitriou. "We&39;re pleased to be the one-stop solution for anyone looking for credit cards and charge cards."

The new charge card comparison area within Card Hub highlights the rewards, benefits, and annual fees of personal and business charge cards.

Charge cards are credit cards that require the balance to be paid in full every month. Typically, charge card holders have excellent credit.

"Paying off your balance every month instills financial discipline. Charge card users are less likely to incur unnecessary debt, and are therefore more in control of their finances, which results in a stronger credit history," explained Papadimitriou.

Charge cards generally assess a larger annual fee than regular credit cards, but also tend to offer more benefits and rewards than credit cards.

About Evolution Finance, Inc. and CardHub.com
Considered one of the five hottest start-up companies in the mid-Atlantic region, Evolution Finance was created out of a passion to give more financial control to everyday people. Card Hub, its first service, is a credit-card search tool that puts credit card reform into the hands of consumers. Its one-of-a-kind dynamic search engine allows consumers to find credit cards and charge cards tailored to their credit history and needs.

Have More Month Than Money myOwnPayday Can Help

Potlatch, ID 5, 2010 2 Good Software, a developer of innovative, friendly software solutions for home and business, announced today that it has released a new entry in the personal finance software market. Named myOwnPayday, this program is an innovative approach to month-to-month personal finances that is unlike any program seen to date. myOwnPayday offers a new solution to personal financial management that actually works.

There are three traditional approaches to managing personal finances.

1. Budgeting.

2. Accounting based software.

3. Doing nothing.

To use a budget, a person decides beforehand how future income will be spent and then keeps track of every penny spent to measure their performance against their budget. Accounting based software is based on the premise that by keeping track of, and recording every penny spent, a person will accumulate a spending history that will reveal opportunities for improving future spending. The common denominator with budgeting and accounting based software is the detailed recording of spending. This requires discipline that most people find burdensome, and, therefore, resort to the third option. They live from paycheck to paycheck.

myOwnPayday offers a new, fourth option for month-to-month personal financial management. A person using myOwnPayday does not keep track of, and record every penny spent. Nor are checks entered and categorized. There is no pre-planning of spending, or waiting to accumulate a detailed spending history. Employing a new, innovative "forward focused" approach, this program is concerned solely with the issues of getting comfortably from this payday to the next payday while paying bills on time.

When it comes to managing month-to-month personal finances, it doesn&39;t matter how much a person earns. What&39;s important is that a person has a tool that immediately and continuously gives them a clear picture of where they are and where they&39;re headed. The first time myOwnPayday is installed and run, the user immediately begins to get exactly that ... a clear picture of where they are, and where they&39;re headed. Unlike other approaches to personal financial management, myOwnPayday gives a person the information they need to immediately begin making sound month-to-month financial decisions. The information needed to help a person get, and stay out of debt becomes clear. Persons having "more month that money" are able to find their way to "more money than month" in a short time.

Unlike the leading financial management software, myOwnPayday is very easy to use. As one user claims, "This is a sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeet! program. Very user friendly and so easy to use." A user in Great Britain put it another way by saying, "This is a &39;King&39; of a program." He went on to say, "More than, perhaps, ever before people are going to need to carefully plan their way carefully through the financial mazes that surround them. I believe (myOwnPayday) is a program that will be of great help in financial planning. (myOwnPayday) is the right tool at the right time."

Anyone interested in myOwnPayday can download a copy of the program from 2 Good Software&39;s web site at 2goodsoftware.com. myOwnPayday may be used free for 60 days. It is not unrealistic for a person to expect a dramatic turnaround in their finances during this brief program evaluation period.

2 Good Software has been successfully developing and offering user friendly software via the Internet since 1996. Backed by over 30 years of software development experience, 2 Good Software offers customers software solutions that fit.

Internet Finance International Launches TopTaxAdvisor.com

Chandler, AZ 24, 2010 With the 2010 tax season in full swing, there are a lot of questions and a lot of anxiety surrounding tax preparation, filing your taxes, how much you owe, what your tax rebate will be, which tax forms should be used and if you can file your taxes electronically with efile. TopTaxAdvisor.com was launched to provide individuals, families and small business with a single destination to answer tax questions, provide resources for tax preparation and offers several tax software solutions. In addition, TopTaxAdvisor.com provides a multitude of information relative to tax planning, investments and insurance products.

Millions of taxpayers will gain or lose tax benefits this year because of several tax law changes, new guidelines for claiming child-related benefits, and new tax breaks for hurricane victims. In addition, the Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT) is on track to catch an estimated 4 million taxpayers off guard this year, and millions more will miss out on claiming credits for their higher education expenses.

“Many people, including myself, believe that the preparation and filing of personal and business tax returns is a big time-consuming burden, typically wrought with feelings of confusion, anxiety and frustration. We launched TopTaxAdvisor as an online tax and financial destination that people can utilize whenever and wherever they are, to help relieve some of the pressure associated with this time of year. The Company has affiliated itself with some of the nation’s leading companies to offer the services, information and products found on TopTaxAdvisor.com, and believe that we’ve created an incredible mix of resources that are very useful,stated Chris Kern, President of Internet Finance International.

About Internet Finance International Corporation:

Internet Finance International Corporation was founded in 1992 on the premise of assisting small business owners with their business development and financing needs. While Internet Finance still offers these services on a very limited basis, the Company’s focus has shifted towards being an online business development firm and Internet media distribution network. With approximately 700 domain names and 15 leading Internet properties, the Company benefits from leveraging current technology to optimize the online experience in addition to acquiring strategic domain names and domain name portfolios serving specific market verticals and niches.

Check out http://www.toptaxadvisor.com to learn more.

Best Selling Author, Former Air Force Staff Sergeant Releases Financial Guide Discharged Into Debt for Military Members

Denver, CO 23, 2010 -Amazon.com Best Selling Author of Debt Dilemma, who is a former United States Air Force Staff Sergeant has written a financial guide for military members. Our troops are fighting a global war, but behind the scenes many are facing a financial war. This battle involves servicemen and women mismanaging their money versus acquiring the proper information to help them become better money managers whether single or married.

Taffy Wagner says, “As a former military member, how you were taught about money plays a significant role when you are in the military.It is not the armed forcesjob to teach you how to manage money; however, they offer assistance once you are deeply in trouble. She remembers receiving assistance from the Air Force Aid Society for extensive car repairs.

Several reasons military members get into financial situations are a lack of knowledge meaning they do not understand personal finances, impulse shopping, lack of planning for emergencies and poor management.

MSgt Clyde Evans of US Air Force, Security Forces states, “Discharged Into Debt is an excellent roadmap to planning today’s military personnel’s personal finances. This easy reader allows new recruits, as well as career members, the ability to plan, execute and actually witness positive income growth by just being a good steward of his or her military pay. Military personnel are stressed enough actively engaging the Global War of Terror, however, personal finances don’t have to be…

Discharged into Debt is written for military members of all branches of service. The Family Support Center at Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado Springs, CO is utilizing this book in its Personal Financial Management Program. For a review copy to consider utilizing at any military installation, contact through her website http://www.dishargedintodebt.com.

Discharged Into Debt may be purchased at http://www.dischargedintodebt.com.

Taffy W. Wagner is an author of five books, a motivational and inspirational speaker as well as counselor. Her newest book is Homebuyer&39;s Helper (JTW Publishing, LLC, 2010). Taffy resides in Denver, CO with her husband, Eric and twins, Erica and Cody. Invite Taffy to speak at your military base or event by contacting her via e-mail.

Your Personal Assistant LLC Unveils New Website, Services: On-Demand Personal Assistant Service Available in 10 Cities Globally

New York, NY 12, 2010 Your Personal Assistant LLC unveils its new website this week at http://www.ypanow.com , including a comprehensive list of services it provides to Clients in ten cities and counting.

With over 1200 experienced personal assistants, or “Emissaries,and offices in Los Angeles, Las Vegas, New York City, Washington DC, London, Zurich, Geneva, Hong Kong, Beijing, and Shanghai, with more coming soon, Your Personal Assistant is unique in its provision of on-the-ground, on-demand assistants, promising a higher level of service, expertise, and attention to detail than concierge services, call centers, agencies, or virtual assistant services.

Services provided by Your Personal Assistant include “anything that can be delegatedand come with a 100% satisfaction guarantee, including:

Business
nbsp; Car & Limo Service
nbsp; Courier Service
nbsp; Business Travel
nbsp; Conference & Events
nbsp; IT Services
nbsp; Computer & Software Training
nbsp; Accounting
nbsp; Administrative & Reception
nbsp; Reservations

Travel
nbsp; Reservations
nbsp; Accommodations
nbsp; Vacation Home Preparation
nbsp; Conference Logistics
nbsp; Destination Weddings
nbsp; Yacht and Jet Charters
nbsp; Theatre & Concert Tickets
nbsp; Restaurant Reservations
nbsp; Passport Assistance

Lifestyle
nbsp; Personal Shopping
nbsp; Personal Trainer
nbsp; Nanny Services
nbsp; Dog Walking & Pet Care
nbsp; Vehicle Service & Repair
nbsp; Repair & Delivery Management
nbsp; Golf & Tennis Reservations
nbsp; Private Chef & Grocery Shopping
nbsp; Personal Security

Your Personal Assistant Clients include entrepreneurs, investors, attorneys, executives, and retired professionals from industries including entertainment, real estate, finance, law, and more. One call instantly connects clients to their YPA Ambassador, who maintains their custom profile with everything from vacation home address to dog’s favorite food.

“Your Personal Assistant has expanded my productivity and created more time in my life,says one longtime client, an entertainment industry executive. “My relationship with YPA began three years ago when I needed someone to walk my dog when I had an unexpected meeting. The relationship grew as I learned just how many more of my tasks could be delegated to the capable hands of YPA’s Emissaries. YPA’s ability to be in more than 1 place at the same time, their flawless performance, and 24/7 access, has given me more time for what really counts in my life.

Your Personal Assistant was founded in 2010 by a group of innovative investors discovered they could improve their productivity, performance, and quality of life by finding and sharing the highest quality personal assistants they could find. As they shared the insider service with family and close friends, demand quickly grew and Your Personal Assistant was incorporated. With a dedication to reliable, professional service and a reputation for doing whatever it takes to build a loyal relationship with each client, the YPA personal assistant promise challenges the disturbing trend of mediocre service and disappointing results.

Official Site http://www.ypanow.com

Ontario Document Management Company, MES Hybrid Document Systems Inc., Migrates Apollo Health and Beauty Care to Automated, Paperless Processes

Ontario, Canada 28, 2011 Ontario document management company, MES Hybrid Document Systems, Inc., announces a successful document automation transition for Apollo Health and Beauty Care, Canada’s largest private label and control label personal care manufacturer.

MES Hybrid Document Systems, a supplier of document scanning solutions since 1971, provided a solution to address Apollo’s current manual, paper-based processes. Experiencing significant growth, Apollo’s internal processes could not keep pace with the increased workloads.

According to Apollo, the new document management system improves customer response time by 75 percent. The company estimates annual savings of $12,110.00 from eliminating over 200,000 paper pages each year.

The new document management solution integrates with Apollo's existing business systems and automates internal processes. Specific functions affected by the transition involve finance, order processing, customer service, sales and marketing. Apollo can customize workflows to specific requirements, create a unified access point for documents, improve visibility into project status and eliminate considerable staffing hours previously devoted to tasks within these areas.

“We initially contacted MES Hybrid Document Systems to discuss solutions for email management and archiving,said the IT administrator for Apollo. “However, after an internal evaluation, they determined our real issues involved our manual and paper-based document processes.

“MES Hybrid Document Systems took the time to thoroughly understand our processes and requirements,they continued. “They delivered an automated, paperless solution with significant, quantifiable benefits.

Apollo has experienced major improvements in order processing, billing cycles, customer wait time, document availability, product artwork review processes, project status visibility and product launches. In addition, the solution improved email server function by eliminating the need for large file attachments.

“We’re happy we could help Apollo Health and Beauty Care achieve such meaningful results,said Kevin D’Arcy, vice president of sales and marketing at MES Hybrid Document Systems, Inc. “Our solution streamlined Apollo’s processes, reduced paper-based tasks and allowed staff to focus on the most important aspects of each project.

About Apollo Health and Beauty Care
Headquartered in Concord, Ontario, Apollo Health and Beauty Care is Canada’s largest private label and control label personal care manufacturer. The company operates significant distribution channels throughout the North American marketplace. In addition, Apollo serves customers in Central and South America, Europe and Asia. With a complete library of independently tested and fully National Brand Equivalent generics, the company services major brand clients in the mass merchant, food, drug and specialty markets. In addition, Apollo manufactures products on a contract basis for many national brand companies and marketing houses. For the eighth consecutive year, Apollo received the Platinum Award and for being recognized as one of Canada’s 50 Best Managed Companies.

About MES Hybrid Document Systems Inc.
MES Hybrid Document Systems has been successfully supplying and supporting document management solutions in public and private organizations across Canada since 1971. Offering a one-stop shop for everything from consulting, conversion services, hardware solutions and electronic/analogue document management systems. At MES Hybrid Document Systems our mission is to be the preferred supplier of ECM (Enterprise Content Management) and ERM (Enterprise Records Management) solutions to organizations looking to achieve the regulatory, productivity and sustainability benefits associated with such systems.

For more information about MES Hybrid Document visit http://www.mesltd.ca/.

Clipper Liberty Wind Turbine Projects Receive Debt Financing

London, UK and Carpinteria, CA 13, 2009 Clipper Windpower Plc ("Clipper") today announced that two wind energy projects comprising Clipper 2.5 MW Liberty wind turbines were among projects for which $191 million of financing was announced by First Wind on July 21, 2009.

An independent developer and operator of wind power in the U.S. and one of Clipper&39;s long standing customers, First Wind, obtained debt financing for three projects which total 202 MW of which Clipper turbines comprise 145 MW. Proceeds from the financing transactions will be used by First Wind to further their development activity and for general corporate purposes.

"This transaction is among the first financings supported by Liberty wind turbines," said Doug Pertz, President and Chief Executive Officer of Clipper. "Considering this funding was obtained in the midst of a significant downturn throughout the world&39;s credit markets, we view this financing as an indication of growing acceptance and confidence in the Liberty wind turbine design."

First Wind attained financing for its Milford wind energy project in Utah earlier this year. The project, which includes 58 Liberty wind turbines, is the largest in the state at 203 MW. Clipper&39;s 2.5 MW Liberty is the largest wind turbine built in the United States, and comprises over 50% U.S. content - more than any other utility-scale wind turbine currently deployed in the U.S. First serially manufactured in early 2007, the Liberty fleet is deployed in 17 projects throughout the U.S., with a total of more than 375 turbines, representing over 938 MW currently in operation.

About Clipper

Clipper Windpower Plc, http://www.clipperwind.com, is a company engaged in wind energy technology, turbine manufacturing, and wind project development. The Company designs advanced wind turbines, manufactures its 2.5 MW Liberty wind turbine, and actively develops wind power generating projects in the Americas and Europe. Clipper&39;s primary offices are in the United Kingdom and in California, USA. The Company&39;s 330,000 square foot manufacturing and assembly facility, located in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, is ISO9001:2000 QMS Certified. Clipper is a public company listed on the London Stock Exchange&39;s Alternative Investment Market (AIM). Clipper&39;s ticker symbol is CWP.

The ordinary shares of Clipper Windpower Plc are traded on the Alternative Investment Market of the London Stock Exchange and are not registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended. Such shares may not be offered or sold to residents of the United States or to persons acting on their behalf, or to other persons who are "United States Persons" within the meaning of Regulation S as promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, unless such shares have been registered under the Securities Act or there is an available exemption from registration.

For further information, please contact:

Business & Trade Press:
Mary Gates
Director, Global Communications
Clipper Windpower, Inc.
+1 661 301 0400

Investors:
Jenny Matthews
Investor Relations Director
+44 (0)20 7820 1078

JPMorgan Cazenove (Nominated Adviser and Corporate Broker to Clipper):
Patrick Magee
+44 (0)207 588 2828

Financial Press:
Patrick d&39;Ancona or Charlotte Kirkham
M: Communications
+44 (0)20 7153 1547 / 1531

Twelve-Step Formula to Financial Success in 2011

Silver Spring, MD (Vocus) December 27, 2010

A new year typically brings with it a renewed commitment to become more financially stable. Toward that end, the National Foundation for Credit Counseling (NFCC) offers consumers the following 12-step formula to financial success:

Review your credit report -- Much of your financial future depends on the contents of your credit report. Therefore, your first step should be to obtain your report, review it for accuracy and dispute any errors. Since you can access your credit report free of charge, there is no reason to neglect this important piece of your financial life. Consumers are allowed one free report from each of the three major bureaus once every twelve months. You can get all three at once, which is a good idea if a major purchase is on the horizon, or stagger your requests to check for identity theft. Access your report from http://www.annualcreditreport.com . Obtain your credit score -- The three digits that comprise your credit score are a major dictator of whether or not the lender will extend credit, and at what interest rate. It is likely that you’ll have to pay to purchase your score, but it will be money well-spent. Be sure to understand the range within which your score falls, as each score has its own scale. Further, take the necessary steps to improve your score. Remember, a high score equals a low interest rate, saving you significant money over time. Reduce debt -- If you’ve dug a deep financial hole, stop digging. Piling new debt on top of old is a red flag that you are living beyond your means. Lock up the credit cards until they’re paid in full, and meanwhile, reach out for help from a legitimate credit counseling agency sooner rather than later. Delaying only makes the problem worse. Commit to save -- Americans are great spenders and lousy savers. Without a well-funded savings account, you are on a very slippery slope, one that becomes treacherous with the next unplanned expense. Put 10 percent of each take-home check into a savings account. Find extra money to dedicate to saving by putting all raises, bonuses, birthday checks, and any other windfall monies into savings. This will create a cushion that should see you through most short-term emergencies. Get financially organized -- Create your own personal financial center where you can instantly put your hands on your family’s financial records. Your center doesn’t have to be a fancy home office. It could be an accordion folder. The point is that you know where everything is. Place original documents such as a will or your mortgage in a safe deposit box, and keep a copy at home. Avoid incurring late fees -- Pay your bills the day you receive them. This way you’ll never risk the creditor receiving your payment after the due date. Delaying could result in you being charged a late fee, a ding to your credit report and a lower credit score. The risk of delay is simply too great. If you travel for work or are a procrastinator, consider setting up online bill pay with payments large enough to cover at least the minimum amount due. Avoid paying overdraft fees -- A receipt stuffed into your car visor isn’t simply being unorganized. It can cost you. Many an account has been overdrawn due to neglecting to notate an ATM withdrawal or debit purchase. Get into the habit of recording each transaction into your check register on the spot. Also take the time to balance your checkbook each week, and reconcile your bank statement each month. Track your spending for 30 days -- Have everyone in the household who spends money participate in this exercise. Write down every cent that is spent, as it’s the small, miscellaneous expenses that often wreck the best of plans. At the end of the month, come together to review the spending. This is the only way you can truly know where your hard-earned money is going. Create a spending plan you can live with -- Once you’ve tracked your spending, you can then make conscious decisions as to how you want to allocate the money. Continue tracking with the new plan in place. Keep doing so until you find a plan that is right for your family. Make it too strict, and no one will stay on board. Make it too lenient and you won’t be accomplishing anything. Take advantage of free money -- Contribute the maximum amount to your retirement plan at work, or at the very least, meet the matched amount or you’re throwing away free money. Also inquire about the availability of Flexible Spending Accounts or Health Savings Accounts. All of the above can lower your taxable income. Have an annual insurance check-up -- No one wants to be over-insured. Nor do you want to be under-insured resulting in an unpleasant surprise when making a claim. Make an appointment with your provider and confirm that your coverage is exactly what you thought you were paying for. Inquire about ways to lower your premiums, and ask about any discounts for loyalty, good driving and the bundling of multiple polices. Investigate refinancing your mortgage -- Even though rates of late have been rising, they are still very low, potentially saving you significant money over the life of your loan. There are multiple online calculators that can help you evaluate the options. Do not extend the term of your loan, however, in order to get a lower monthly payment unless this is absolutely necessary to stay afloat.

“A new year can mean a new you, at least a new financial you,said Gail Cunningham, spokesperson for the NFCC. “Put one of the above steps in place each month, and at this time next year you’ll see that new financial you. Even better, put one tip in place each week, and you’ll be on your way to financial stability at the end of the first quarter of 2011.

If you need help making your financial dreams come true, reach out to a trained and certified counselor. To find the Agency closest to you, dial toll-free to (800) 388-2227, or go online to http://www.DebtAdvice.org . For assistance in Spanish, call (800) 682-9832.

The National Foundation for Credit Counseling (NFCC), founded in 1951, is the nation’s largest and longest serving national nonprofit credit counseling organization. The NFCC’s mission is to promote the national agenda for financially responsible behavior and build capacity for its Members to deliver the highest quality financial education and counseling services. NFCC Members annually help four million consumers through close to 800 community-based offices nationwide. For free and affordable confidential advice through a reputable NFCC Member, call (800) 388-2227, (en Espa&241;ol (800) 682-9832) or visit http://www.nfcc.org . Visit us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/NFCCDebtAdvice and on Twitter at http://twitter.com/NFCCDebtAdvice .

Essential Travel Takes Top Spot at Prestigious Travel Industry Awards

July 4, 2010

Essential Travel, a leading provider of travel products, has recently scooped a top accolade as leading travel industry figures voted its website, http://www.essentialtravel.co.uk, the Best Holiday Add-on Site at the prestigious Travelmole Awards at a ceremony in London.

Nearly 300 people from the travel industry gathered at the awards, which were held at Canada House in Trafalgar Square, London. The Travelmole Awards are now into their eighth year and saw record numbers of companies nominating themselves to be considered for a hotly contested award.

Simon Purnell, Managing Director of Essential Travel, said: “We’re absolutely thrilled with this award. Essential Travel is all about offering travellers great value holiday extras on one website. To be recognised by the travel industry as the Best Holiday Add-on Site is the ultimate accolade for us. Our customers are at the heart of our focus and the team will continue to work hard to deliver exceptional products that make our customers holidays safer, cheaper and easier.

Essential Travel is owned by Thomas Cook UK&Ireland, which also saw its sustainability website, http://www.thomascook.com/sustainable-tourism be shortlisted for the Best Responsible Tourism site.

Ends

About Thomas Cook UK&Ireland:
Thomas Cook UK&Ireland is the second largest leisure travel group in the UK with around 19,000 employees, a network of more than 800 high street stores (Thomas Cook and Going Places), leading websites (http://www.thomascook.com), and some of the world&39;s favourite travel brands.
These brands include Airtours, Club 18-30, Cresta, Cruise Thomas Cook, Direct Holidays, Elegant Resorts, Flexibletrips, Flythomascook.com, Gold Medal, Hotels4u, Manos, Medhotels, Neilson, Netflights, Panorama, Pure Luxury, Sentido, Style Holidays, Sunset, Sunworld Holidays, Swiss Travel Service, Thomas Cook, Thomas Cook Signature, Thomas Cook Tours and Thomas Cook Sport.
Thomas Cook Airlines operates a fleet of 44 aircraft from 19 regional airports to destinations worldwide.
Thomas Cook is an Official Supporter of the London 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games and the exclusive partner for UK short breaks and trips to the Games. Thomas Cook&39;s London 2012 packages will go on sale in 2011 and will include accommodation, transport and event tickets.
All Thomas Cook holidays are ATOL bonded, which means its customers are looked after whilst in resort or prior to departure should anything affect their holiday, that is out of Thomas Cook’s control, such as the disruption caused by the Icelandic volcanic ash in Spring 2010.

Thomas Cook also offers a range of financial services including foreign exchange, the Thomas Cook Credit Card, the Thomas Cook Cash Passport (a new generation of travellers&39; cheques), and a wide range of travel insurance policies. It is FSA regulated for its travel insurance, which is underwritten by White Horse Insurance Ireland Ltd.
Thomas Cook also has a leading publishing division offering a comprehensive portfolio of more than 300 independently authored travel guidebooks to 150 worldwide destinations .
Thomas Cook UK&Ireland is part of Thomas Cook Group plc (http://www.thomascookgroup.com).

R&R Mobility Announces Wheelchair Van Rentals Available Throughout the Southeast

Atlanta, GA August 25, 2011

R&R Mobility, a respected provider of wheelchair vans throughout the Southeast, has today announced the availability of handicap van rentals to meet mobility needs, ensure independence and help provide a higher quality of life for their customers.

R&R Mobility has today announced their wheelchair van rental program, which offers state of the art mobility equipment and accessible vehicles for those in need. This is an ideal solution for those traveling throughout the Southeast, as well as for those who require a wheelchair van for only a limited amount of time.

Customers will find a wide range of wheelchair van models available for rent, including the Toyota Sienna, Dodge Caravan, Chrysler Town&Country and even full size vans like the Ford E-250. All vans are fully outfitted with advanced wheelchair lifts, ramps, and tie-downs.

The rates offered on wheelchair van rentals vary and are based on both rental duration and mileage. For instance, a 1-day rental is $138.00, while a 2-6 day handicap van rental is $108.00 per day. Rental durations have been expanded all the way up to 29 days to ensure that all customers have a rental period that fits their needs perfectly.

All rentals come with 100 free miles per day. After that point, there is a fee of .30 cents per mile assessed. R&R Mobility has offered simple requirements for all rentals, as well. Starting immediately, the following requirements are in effect:

Driver must be at least 25 years of age

A valid credit card is required for the deposit

A valid driver’s license is required

Proof of insurance is required

To reserve a wheelchair van, customers must pay a 50% deposit, with the remainder due on pickup.

Finally, R&R Mobility has also launched a delivery program with their rental wheelchair vans. Customers within the metropolitan Atlanta area can have their rental van delivered to them and picked up after the rental period for $50 each way. Those outside the metro area can pay $1.25 per mile for drop off and pickup service.

To find out more about rental wheelchair vans available or to make a reservation, visit the company at http://RRVan.com

About R&R Mobility: R&R Mobility is an established company dedicated to providing those with physical disabilities gain the freedom available only through greater mobility. Through professional training and corporate partnerships, R&R Mobility is able to help disabled persons regain a sense of independence and control within their lives.

Dont Assume Costly Travel Insurance Pays Out Quicker and Other Basics from Squaremouth

St. Pete Beach, FL October 27, 2008

Chris Harvey is the CEO of Squaremouth, America&39;s fastest growing travel insurance comparison site, and an expert on travel insurance issues. With the Thanksgiving travel season nearing, he shares some basic tips for protecting costly annual vacations.

In this uncertain age of travel, you&39;d think consumers would be keen to protect costly investments in their vacations. But according to the US Travel Insurance Association, large numbers of Americans still travel completely uninsured, or rely on coverage provided by credit cards and employee benefits - not realizing these sources may offer only partial protection.

Employers, for example, won&39;t always compensate for lost luggage or aborted trips. Credit card travel insurance might only cover what was bought with the card.

There are some unusual sources of travel-related benefits as well. Homeowners or renters insurance may reimburse part of the value of lost, damaged or stolen property. Some resorts, airlines and hotel associations offer hurricane guarantees. Such a vast range of options for coverage from different sources can be confusing.

At Squaremouth, we&39;re committed to making sure you fully understand the travel insurance you buy. So this Thanksgiving, consider these basic tips to help you decide which policy fits your family best:

Don&39;t assume paying more means getting more. There are often huge price spreads between similar policies. This is because competitors try to match each others&39; coverage closely, yet they each have a "sweet spot" - a segment of the market to which they&39;ll offer a really good deal. Comparing policies side by side at squaremouth.com can show you exactly what each policy offers, so you&39;ll be able to choose options and a price that&39;s right for you.

Shop smart online. A reputable travel insurance comparison web site won&39;t present options you aren&39;t eligible to buy. It won&39;t pad its site with policies that companies no longer sell. At Squaremouth, we expeditiously remove obsolete products, and we lay out each benefit of each policy you&39;re eligible to buy within an easily searchable format. You can compare options side-by-side, and sort them by price, benefit or carrier.

Don&39;t spend more than you need to. If you&39;re a US resident traveling in the US and you have a company medical plan, you probably won&39;t need any extra health coverage. You may still want to consider getting trip cancellation or interruption coverage, though, which lets you recoup the cost of backing out of a trip. And you&39;ll need to confirm how much coverage your spouse and children receive through your work policy, or if third-party insurance is needed to cover them.

Insure a pre-existing illness. Travel insurance covers most emergency and non-routine health issues. But make sure to buy insurance that specifically covers your pre-existing medical condition. Squaremouth clearly shows every policy that allows pre-existing cover and we tell you the date you need to purchase the insurance by to qualify.

Don&39;t expect insurers to pick up the tab for your loss instantly. They won&39;t. As is true of any policy, until you&39;ve been told what that delayed flight, unexpected hospital stay or hurricane-routed hotel has cost you, you can&39;t claim for the loss.

Know all the coverage you already have. You may be partially covered through your cruise line, airline, charter company, credit card, home insurance or employee benefits policy. Knowing what coverage you already have will speed up the claims process, since you may need to track down refunds from those sources first. With medical policies, you could be asked to pay for treatment and be reimbursed later, or the insurer will cover costs up front.

It&39;s always a cash claim. If you cancel a trip booked with air miles, you won&39;t be compensated for the perceived value of those miles (though some policies reimburse the cost of re-banking frequent flier miles). Ditto your time share paid for a decade ago - you can&39;t recoup the value of those weeks. So don&39;t add in non-cash items when calculating the amount of insurance to buy. You&39;ll end up needlessly paying more.

Don&39;t buy the first policy your travel agent offers. Often, travel agents will represent only one or two insurers, and they collect a commission for every policy sold. Your choice of insurance will be limited. And you could end up paying more than you need to for less than the coverage you require.

Research who the best insurers are. If you are already on your vacation, this isn&39;t the time to find out you&39;ll need to haggle with your insurance company when problems arise. Before buying travel insurance, research who the reputable carriers are; the ones who can swiftly mobilize aid in a crisis. Squaremouth shows each carrier&39;s &39;AM Best rating&39;, an independent evaluation, and we only deal with insurers rated A- or higher.

Squaremouth&39;s Help and Advice section offers insider advice to help you choose the right travel insurance. For more, visit Squaremouth.com.

About Squaremouth
Squaremouth is America&39;s fastest growing travel insurance comparison site, helping customers instantly quote, compare and buy policies from every major carrier. Squaremouth has web sites in the US and UK, and an extensive network of partner sites worldwide. The company is headquartered in St Pete Beach, FL. Visit Squaremouth.com or Squaremouth.co.uk.

About our "Zero Complaint Guarantee"
The cornerstone of our commitment to customers is Squaremouth&39;s guarantee to remove any company from our web site until a complaint is resolved to our satisfaction. Squaremouth offers the broadest selection of insurance with an emphasis on quality and follow-up care in companies featured. We also factor in independent evaluation from the insurance industry watchdog AM Best.

Squaremouth offers products from the following travel insurance carriers:
CSA, Elvia, Global Alert Admin, Global Underwriters, HTH Worldwide, ITravelInsured, Medex, Medjet Assist, MH Ross, Multinational Underwriters (MNU), Seven Corners, Travel Guard, Travel Insurance Services, Travel Insured, Travelers Liberty, Travelex, TravelSafe and USA Assist.

Available Topic Expert:
Chris Harvey
charvey@squaremouth.com
Toll-free (800) 240-0369
Direct (727) 490-5802
U.S. travel insurance - http://www.squaremouth.com
U.K. travel insurance - http://www.squaremouth.co.uk
International Medical Insurance - http://www.squaremouth.com/international-medical-insurance

Expect More From a Dating Site ... For Free

Sherman Oaks, CA January 26, 2007

eRomance.com is a free dating site yes, but now its so much more than just that. Find a date, choose from hundreds of advice articles, reviews of the most romantic restaurants, cafes (think CitySearch), date ideas to help you plan a perfect date, romantic travel and weekend getaway ideas, horoscopes, love quizzes, free e-cards and more. The idea is to be a comprehensive resource for singles -- a concept lacking in the current web-o-sphere.

Is it really free Yes, the site is 100 percent free and no credit card is every asked for. This is a question commonly asked by new members. It seems the general public has developed fatigue from all the dating sites claiming to be free, only to find out that creating a profile was the only free thing about it. With eRomance, users can send unlimited messages and interact with the community to their hearts&39; content. Access to all of the content and community features are free, too.

GoVAULTPersonal Safes Slated for October 2009 U.S. Launch

Davenport, Iowa October 14, 2009

Twin State Design Products, LLC. today announced the national introduction of its new GoVAULT line of personal portable safes designed for the active youth, sports, outdoor and young adult lifestyle markets, according to Mr. Stephen Huber, company president. "Our new portable safes are great for today&39;s active and mobile youth and young adults. It gives both boys and girls a safe place to store their personal valuables like mobile phones, iPods, digital cameras, identification, credit cards and cash while they are playing or traveling. They are a great addition to a backpack or gym bag, giving you a secure place for your valuables when you&39;re on the go", Huber said.

The new GoVAULTportable safes are manufactured from strong ABS plastic and are impact resistant. Each GoVAULThas a detachable coated-steel cable, the kind used to secure laptop computers, that can be easily looped around a bag strap or stationary object and then both ends re-inserted into the safe. The 5" x 7" x 3" safes are weatherproofed for outdoor use.

"Once closed and locked, the contents are protected until you are ready to go", Huber added.

The GoVAULTpersonal safes are attractively designed in four colors - silver, pink, blue and lime green. The user can customize their personal safe with a range of padlocks. For overseas backpackers and airline travelers a TSA-approved padlock is recommended. The GoVAULT is a great gift idea and it likely to quickly become an indispensable safety enhancement for any active young person who wants convenient security for their valuables.

Look for the GoVAULTpersonal safes at major retailers and college bookstores in time for the 2009 holiday and school-vacation seasons. They are attractively priced. GoVAULT- Mobile, Agile. Simple. Secure. http://www.mygovault.com/

Twin State Design Products, LLC., headquartered in Davenport, Iowa, is an industry leader in the design, manufacture and distribution of personal vaults for the youth, college and active young-adult markets in the United States and globally. The company&39;s core product lines include the DormVAULT&174; tempered steel personal valuables and laptop safes for the college-age markets http://www.dormvault.com and now the GoVAULTline of impact-resistant, case-hardened lightweight personal portable safes for youth sports, outdoor and young-adult lifestyle markets.

For further information, please contact:
Mr. Stephen Huber
Twin State Design Products, LLC.
563 940 7462
http://www.mygovault.com

MobilityPass Launches New International Roaming Mobile Broadband Internet Access Service For Road Warrior and Business Travelers

Barcelona, Spain February 20, 2009

Are you Abroad In a Business Trip get "High speed Internet on the Move," the new 3G international high speed mobile Internet service from MobilityPass (http://3g.MobilityPass.com), provides travelers and business Internet users a way to instantly and safely connect wirelessly everywhere in 66 countries.

Presented at the mobile World Congress 2009, MobilityPass&39; new 3G UMTS Mobile Broadband service is a perfect solution for international business travelers and road warriors frequently on the move and in constant need of mobile broadband Internet to access in order to manage their email and mission critical information. Operating at incredibly fast connection speeds of up to 7.2 MB,

Ready to use with any unlocked Mobile Internet phone and any laptop, MobilityPass Mobile Broadband offers a plug and play solution that includes an International 3G / UMTS / GPRS / HSPDA / EDGE USB modem and the MobilityPass Sim data card to connect users from continent to continent while matching any standard.

MobilityPass makes use of dial-up, toll free, and WiFi to offer users the most comprehensive global Internet service that expands to over 160 countries (http://wififinder.MobilityPass.com). In order to significantly optimize mobile broadband usage, MobilityPass gives Mobile Broadband users access to worldwide high speed WiFi when at any of the 130,000 hotspots around the globe in major Hotels, Airports, Bars, Trains, Restaurants, Petrol Stations, etc.. making roaming Internet connections very "efficient."

Wouldn&39;t it be great if you could stay in touch and manage your current e-mails securely wherever you are Maintaining security online is especially imperative when using wireless Internet access. For this reason, MobilityPass insure your privacy and confidentiality with an extra layer of data encryption to secure the unified communication suite that include, SMS, push e-mail, fax, Internet telephony, files and emails backup and all other online and remote communications.

With MobilityPass Anytime, Anywhere internet access, travelers experience the ultimate freedom to roam the Internet. Not only does the 3G Mobile Internet access connect internationally, there is no contract, monthly fee, setup fee, or maintenance fee, and there is absolutely no billing for service not used, which means that users are able to truly pay as they go. MobilityPass also allows users to control costs by paying as they go and managing credit available on their data Sim cards.

From the United States to United Kingdom, France, Italy, Spain, Germany, Portugal, Greece, Japan, Hong Kong, Israel, and multiple other locations, MobilityPass is the ideal choice for conveniently and securely checking email, surfing the web, using instant messenger, video conferencing, and more, from anyplace in the world.

About MobilityPass:
MobilityPass has developed an unsurpassed reputation providing pay-as-you-go internet service to traveling clientele for the past eight years. Adhering to the highest customer service standards, the company has provided WiFi hotspots, broadband, dialup, toll free and 3G (UMTS) connections to individual roaming users or to entire companies on their corporate plan. To learn more about the company and the services they provide, visit: http://www.MobilityPass.com/Internet_services.html

Media contact:
NAME: Cyril Gana
PHONE: +1 360 843 11 25
http://www.MobilityPass.com

For a Relaxing Vacation, Plan a Trip That Fits a Budget

Columbia, MD July 30, 2007

The midsummer travel season is in full swing as energy prices continue to rise. Despite the increased cost of basic living expenses, families are unwilling to do without their annual summer holiday. While vacations are supposed to be fun and relaxing, consumers who are feeling the pinch financially will spend more time worried about breaking their budget than getting sunburned.

Agencies that offer CareOne Credit Counseling services provide great money saving strategies for families who enjoy traveling and don&39;t want to overspend.

Plan Early. The more time you give yourself to plan a vacation, the more money you can save in preparation for the trip. Save a set amount of money each month for your travel expenses. Planning ahead also enables you to spread out your payments for lodging and airfare months in advance of the trip. Keep in mind that airfares and hotel accommodations costs can increase significantly on short notice, so the earlier you make your reservations, the more money you&39;ll save.

Vacation later in the summer. Since July is one of the busiest travel months, bargains are usually scarce. Don&39;t forget that summer includes August and 21 days in September. Searching for bargains at the end of summer will help stretch for vacation budget.

Need two hotel rooms Get a suite instead. If you are traveling with your family and need more than one hotel room, check to see if there are suites available. Hotel suites are almost cheaper than two separate rooms. An efficiency suite will help you save even more by allowing you to cook some of your own meals instead of eating out every night.

Set Budget Limits in Advance. When you&39;re traveling, it&39;s easy to make "little" spontaneous purchases that end up taking a big bite out of your budget. Instead of getting into financial trouble and putting impulse purchases on your credit card, plan a budget for each day&39;s adventure and stick to it. Since you can&39;t be 100% sure what your day will bring, always include a few extra dollars for a "miscellaneous" purchase. That way you can take advantage of one-of-a-kind opportunities without putting a stress on your finances.

Small items can cost big bucks. Unexpected convenience spending can add up. Avoid purchasing drinks and snacks at airports, which are priced higher than at a grocery store. If you&39;re staying at a hotel don&39;t make in-room phone calls. Skip breakfast in bed and room service, which are often more expensive than if you went to a local restaurant. Don&39;t purchase commercial photos, and stay out of souvenir shops!

"Consumers don&39;t have to skimp on luxuries to take advantage of affordable travel opportunities that are exciting and fun," says Clarky Davis, spokesperson for CareOne Credit Counseling services. "However, one important consideration all consumers should keep in mind is that if you must use a credit card to pay for your entire trip, then you should postpone your vacation until you can afford the cost."

CareOne Credit Counseling services offer many more great budgeting tips on travel as well as other lifestyle issues on careonecredit.com. CareOne is the industry&39;s leading debt management program brand, linking consumers together with agencies that provide customized solutions, 24-hour account access, electronic payment options, strict privacy controls, and ongoing support and counseling.

Contact information:
Clarky Davis, Spokesperson
CareOne Credit Counseling services
8930 Stanford Blvd
Columbia, MD 21045
410-910-2750

UKs Outstanding Debt Overtakes Annual Salary Earning

Cardiff May 28, 2009

As the recession continues, new figures from Confused.com highlight the levels of debt British homes are exposed to, as people owe more than they earn in a year. Research from the comparison website identifies which region claims the dubious title of &39;debt dependents&39; where residents owe significantly more than they bring home.

On average, for every &163;1.00 earned in each year&39;s salary, a person will owe &163;1.02 in debts

Residents in Kingston-Upon-Thames are exposed to significant lending risk as they owe 169% of their annual income

People from Manchester owe 51% in debts of every pound earned in their annual salary

Surrey spenders are plastic fantastic with over &163;2,000 outstanding on credit cards

I.O.U&39;s
Today&39;s study from Confused.com identifies the nation&39;s debt demons in the midst of the worst recession since World War Two. The study provides a snapshot of average debt per person, compared with the average salary and goes on to identify which areas (out of the 137 investigated) owe more than they are earning in a year. Figures also highlight the average outstanding balances on credit cards, mortgages, loans and hire purchases from area to area.

Residents of the leafy and affluent suburb of Kingston-Upon-Thames are the Nation&39;s most indebted with the average owing 169% of their yearly earnings. In comparison, frugal Mancunian&39;s do a far better job in money management, with the average owing 51% of their annual salary as outstanding debt.

Plastic Fantastic
The UK&39;s lending responsibilities (including credit card and mortgages) differ from one area to the other. Residents in Surrey&39;s Camberley are the most happy in spending on the plastic with the average person owing &163;2,000+ on their flexible friend. Spenders in Dumfries however take a far more sensible approach to plastic fantastic with the average person having less than &163;750 outstanding on a credit card.

As credit becomes less readily available, residents of Chester-le-street are left with debts from previous credit, owing a whopping &163;3,340 for hire purchases and loans.

Gemma Stanbury, head of savings, loans and debt at Confused.com said: &39;This study provides a significant insight into the lending responsibilities and borrowing commitments of people in the UK. As we face continued uncertainty and increased financial pressures, it is good advice for all to become more aware of what they are spending and on what. Where spend and debt can be reduced, efforts should be made to ensure it is done.&39;

Switch and Save
Switching could literally save you hundreds of pounds. Typical &39;revert to&39; rates on credit cards are around 16%, meaning that a typical resident from Camberley could be paying over &163;320 in interest alone every year. By simply switching to a 0% balance transfer card you could pay no interest, giving you the chance to repay some or all of your outstanding debt.

Stanbury continued: &39;If debt problems are spiralling, debt management programmes are available which will allow consolidation of your debts, requiring a fixed monthly payment. Confused.com&39;s dedicated debt management service can liaise with your creditors and come to an arrangement that is agreed by both parties, and gets you on track to get out of debt.&39;

For further information please contact:
Press Office, Confused.com: 02920 434 398
Gemma Stanbury, Confused.com: 07725 499 058

Notes to editors

Debt data provided by Relax Group plc and Income data from ONS for 2008

About Confused.com:
Confused.com is one of the UK&39;s biggest and most popular price comparison services. Launched in 2002, it generates over one million quotes per month. It has expanded its range of comparison products over the last couple of years to include car insurance, home insurance, travel insurance, pet insurance, van insurance, motorbike insurance, breakdown cover and energy, as well as financial services products including credit cards, loans, mortgages and life insurance.

Confused.com is not a supplier, insurance company or broker. It provides a free, objective and unbiased comparison service. By using cutting-edge technology, it has developed a series of intelligent web-based solutions that evaluate a number of risk factors to help customers with their decision-making, subsequently finding them great deals on a wide-range of insurance products, financial services, utilities and more. Confused.com&39;s service is based on the most up-to-date information provided by UK suppliers and industry regulators.

Confused.com is owned by the Admiral Group plc. Admiral listed on the London Stock Exchange in September 2004. Confused.com is regulated by the FSA.

Addison Avenue FedCheap Mobile Calls from South Africa During the World CupTop Three Reasons Why a Traveler Shouldn’t Buy Travel Insurance Through Their Cruise Line, Warns SquaremouthSpotya!&194;™ Partners with PriceGrabber to Provide Online Product Comparison Shopping ServicesThe No Baggage Challenge: SCOTTEVESTs multi-pocket travel clothing replaces all bags on this record-setting around-the-world triperal Credit Union and junaio Launch Free ATM Locator for Users to Visually Find Nearby ATM Machines from iPhones

Palo Alto, CA May 12, 2010

Addison Avenue Federal Credit Union and metaio today announced the availability of a free visual ATM locator channel on the junaio 2.0 augmented reality platform. Accessible via metaio’s junaio application on the iPhone 3GS platform, the ATM locator channel visually shows users where all ATM machines are in a several mile radius on their phone to take the hassle out of finding an ATM when it is needed fast anywhere across the United States.

Augmented reality is a technology that overlays digital content like graphics or 3D models on real objects through any video output. Junaio is an open mobile augmented reality (AR) platform that allows users and developers the ability to create content channels using some of the industry’s most advanced mobile AR technology.

“Our members are connected and on-the-go and they expect tools that support that lifestyle,said Stu Fisher, senior vice president of eCommerce at Addison Avenue Federal Credit Union. “Even with more than 300,000 ATMs across the country, finding one when you need it can be a challenge. The visual ATM locator solves this problem and shows people which ATMs are free vs. fee by looking at the horizon through a mobile device.

Anyone can use the visual ATM locator channel. Addison Avenue provided the database the channel pulls from, but the content is not Addison Avenue specific. In fact, the application displays every ATM in the country, meaning that all banks and credit unions will be included in the results. A perk for Addison Avenue members is that the 28,000 free ATMs available to them will be highlighted to help them save not only time but money.

To try out the visual ATM locator, download the junaio application to an iPhone 3GS and subscribe to the visual ATM locator channel. It is that simple. Point your phone at the horizon and ATMs will be shown via a digital overlay from the live view of the camera on the phone. The ATM locator will be available on Android soon.

“The visual ATM locator channel is the first of its kind in the US,said Lisa Murphy, product marketing manager for junaio. “We are excited to see the technology being used in such a practical way and to add banking to the extensive list of categories we offer including culture, games, shopping, food, news, travel and nightlife.

About Addison Avenue Federal Credit Union

Based in Palo Alto, California, Addison Avenue Federal Credit Union is a nationwide, full-service financial institution serving more than 150,000 members. Addison Avenue offers a range of services to the employees and family members of its sponsor companies such as Hewlett-Packard, Cisco and Agilent TechNew York, NY August 19, 2010

Around the world in 42 days ... with no bags Travel author Rolf Potts says he can pull off this record-setting feat, thanks to SCOTTEVEST Travel Clothing (SeV). SeV is known for clever clothing designs, patented features and multiple, purpose-driven pockets developed to save travelers time and money. The average traveler can avoid extra bag fees by supplementing or replacing - their carry-on bag with a stylish jacket or vest from SeV&39;s extensive line. But it&39;s clear that Potts is not just an average traveler as he embarks from New York on the first leg of the six-week No Baggage Challenge starting this Saturday, August 21st . His only companions: a videographer/producer to help him document the challenge, and his SCOTTEVEST wardrobe loaded with every travel essential he needs for the trip. (see list and diagram below)

While traveling around the world is a classic theme, and “traveling lightis a popular concept, this is the first time these ideas have been combined to such an extreme. “We don&39;t believe that a true around the world trip without bags has ever been successfully completed, let alone professionally documented,explains SCOTTEVEST CEO&Founder Scott Jordan. “Even with the 30+ pockets in Rolf&39;s SeV outfit, it&39;s an ambitious undertaking to say the least. I&39;m looking forward to watching the adventure unfold week by week.

To bring the experience of baggage-free travel to the audience at home, Potts and his traveling companion will share the six-week journey through frequent updates in video, photos and words at http://www.NoBaggageChallenge.com. Viewers can follow along as the trek takes them from New York to Paris, from Cairo to South Africa, and from Bangkok to New Zealand before returning back to NYC via Los Angeles. Sponsoring the duo&39;s round-the-world airfare and travel arrangements is the BootsnAll Travel Network, the one-stop indie travel guide dedicated to connecting independent travelers through their network of websites, blogs, forums and online tools.

“When Rolf told us about the idea behind the No Baggage Challenge, we knew we wanted to be involved,explains Sean Keener, CEO of BootsnAll. “BootsnAll connects independent travelers as they plan around the world trips, so we knew our community of travelers would be engaged and excited by this it’s a trip that I want to go on!. Rolf is gonna rock and roll on this challenge.

So how did Rolf Potts get lucky enough to go on this trip of a lifetime Potts is the author of Vagabonding: An Uncommon Guide to the Art of Long-Term World Travel and has reported from more than sixty countries for the likes of National Geographic Traveler, the New York Times Magazine, and the Travel Channel. He advocates a style of travel that incorporates many of the same concepts at the core of the No Baggage Challenge. SeV clothing, according to the veteran traveler, beats any other form of luggage, hands down. "On this trip," Potts says, "I believe it&39;s better to pack an open-minded attitude than a suitcase full of dubiously useful gear. And SCOTTEVEST is the ideal outfitter for that kind of journey."

Wearing his SCOTTEVEST Tropical Jacket/Vest, a pair of SeV Ultimate Cargo Pants, a long-sleeve SCOTTEVEST Q-Zip Performance Pullover, and an SeV Performance T-shirt, Potts will begin the trip carrying the following on his person:

iPod Touch and earbuds

Wireless foldable Bluetooth keyboard (for blogging drafts using the iPod Touch)

Toothbrush

Passport

Credit and debit cards

ID cards

Small digital camera

Tiny deodorant and toiletries ("A good social gesture," according to Potts)

Two to three pairs of super-lightweight quick-dry socks

One to two extra SeV Performance T-shirts

Extra SeV Underwear (“Prototypes made just for us,Potts notes. “We&39;re putting them to the test before they&39;re even on the market.

A small bottle of concentrated detergent (for daily washing of socks, underwear, and Performance T-Shirts).

"This is really the extreme in traveling light," Potts continues, "and that&39;s very appealing to me. I&39;d been dreaming about a no-baggage trip around the world for some time. This vest is what makes the trip make sense. All the SCOTTEVEST clothing is designed for travel; it allows me to travel lighter and more flexibly, taking only what is absolutely necessary, so I can focus on the journey, without the countless micro-hassles that baggage would present."

About SCOTTEVEST

SCOTTEVEST is the owner and sponsor of the No Baggage Challenge, and is one of the world’s leading travel clothing companies. SeV specializes in stylish jackets, shirts and pants with a unique hidden pockets for travelers, and a patented system of conduits and pockets for carrying, using and enjoying personal electronics. In 2010, SCOTTEVEST became the first clothing company to provide a pocket for the iPad. Visit them at http://www.SCOTTEVEST.com

About BootsnAll Travel Network

BootsnAll Travel Network, founded in 1998, is a community of over 30 online travel guides and resources thSan Diego, CA July 25, 2005

Spotya!&194;™ (http://www.spotya.com) today announced the launch of its new product comparison shopping portal - Spotya! Shop N&39; Compare. Through a co-branding agreement with PriceGrabber.com, shoppers can save time and money by using Shop N&39; Compare to find the product they are looking for at the best price. In addition to product pictures and descriptions, Shop N&39; Compare provides ratings of both merchants and products. Products can be searched based on many different options, including price range, color, brand and product type. A wide variety of product categories are available, and most popular products are highlighted on each page. Shop N&39; Compare helps shoppers make the best buying decisions.

PriceGrabber&39;s extensive product comparison features are accessible throughout Spotya&39;s product review channels. Spotya&39;s users will benefit from PriceGrabber&39;s innovative features, including:

StoreFronts - Using PriceGrabber&39;s StoreFronts service, consumers and small merchants without Websites can list products for sale across the entire PriceGrabber network.

Shopping List - PriceGrabber&39;s Shopping List feature allows users who are shopping for multiple products, to easily identify the cost impact (including tax and shipping costs) of buying all of the products from a single merchant or making several independent purchases from a variety of stores.

BottomLinePrice - In addition to listed merchant prices, estimated tax and shipping costs are displayed based on the buyer&39;s zip code for easy best-value comparison.

Pricing alerts - Buyers can track pricing and availability of any product or category in the PriceGrabber database. The buyer customizes a shopping agent to "watch" a product or category until it reaches a desired price. The agent then notifies the buyer via email, with a link back to the desired product or category on the PriceGrabber site.

Product&Merchant Reviews - Customers submit their own reviews on products and relate their experiences with PriceGrabber&39;s online merchants.

Side-By-Side Product Comparisons - Easy-to-view chart of self-selected products for a simple and quick comparison of features to find the product that best fits your interests.

"We were looking for a strong brand to partner with to offer top notch comparative shopping capabilities to our customers," said Sara Lubben, President of Spotya! "The addition of PriceGrabber&39;s online shopping will provide our customers the tools to make purchases that will best suit their needs. Our partnership with PriceGrabber makes the buying process easier for consumers, allowing them to be smarter shoppers and make good purchase decisions."

Spotya! offers a distinctive feature to its online comparison shopping experience - Spotya! QuickCash&194;™. Spotya! QuickCash provides short-term loans (without requiring a credit check) for Internet users who wish to shop online, but are short on cash or don&39;t have a credit card. QuickCash customers have the option of loading their funds onto a Spotya! MasterCard, providing the ability to shop online immediately. For good credit, no credit or credit-challenged customers, Spotya!&194;™ is a fun way to buy online.

About PriceGrabber.com Ltd.

PriceGrabber.com is a leader in comparison shopping and is widely recognized as one of the best and most useful sites on the Internet by industry leading publications including PC World and PC Magazine. Savvy shoppers who value their time, money and privacy use PriceGrabber&39;s various channels to find the best deals on a wide range of products and services. In 2004, PriceGrabber was named the 5th fastest growing company in the United States by Deloitte&39;s 2004 Technology Fast 500, and the fastest growing in Los Angeles by Deloitte&39;s Fast 50. PriceGrabber&39;s innovative comparison shopping services make it a valuable ally for any shopper; they include: BottomLinePrice calculations, Storefronts marketplace, merchant ratings and reviews, detailed product information and reviews, side-by-side product comparisons and email notification of the best prices and availability on the Internet. For merchants, manufacturers and partners, PriceGrabber.com provides unparalleled marketing and sales opportunities to 18 million active, qualified and ready to buy shoppers on a monthly basis. PriceGrabber&39;s vast database of consumer comparison shopping habits is available for companies seeking in-depth product and market analysis. The company offers comparison shopping in English (at http://www.pricegrabber.com), Spanish (at http://www.preciomania.com) and Portuguese (at http://www.precomania.com) as well as international sites in CanSt Pete Beach, FL (Vocus/) February 15, 2011

Knowing where to buy travel insurance for a cruise could eliminate one mistake many travelers make. Squaremouth.com, America’s fastest growing comparison website for travel insurance, recommends comparing multiple policies before a purchase. “Purchasing the wrong travel insurance policy could result in a higher premium with lower benefits,says Chris Harvey, Squaremouth’s CEO.

1. Choice - “Travelers embarking on a cruise should be warned of the possible disadvantages of purchasing travel insurance through their cruise line,says Harvey. Many cruise lines only offer one travel insurance option. It is usually inferior to third party products and can be much more expensive as it could include large administration charges. To avoid this, Squaremouth recommends searching for travel insurance on a comparison engine. This will provide a traveler more options with better policies for less money.

2. Cash Refund - Having the ability to cancel and receive a cash refund is another reason many travelers purchase travel insurance from a third party. For instance, the ‘Any Reasonbenefit, available on Royal Caribbean’s CruiseCare, only offers a cruise credit for up to 75 percent of the trip cost. This benefit applies if a traveler chooses to cancel their trip for a non-covered reason. The a href="http://www.squaremouth.com/travel-insurance/information/travel-insurance-cancel-for-any-reason-benefit.html" onclick="linkClick(this.href)">Cancel for Any Reasonbenefit available with policies appearing on Squaremouth, will allow a customer to cancel for a non-covered reason and receive a cash refund for up to 75 percent of the trip cost.

3. Medical Evacuation - “Medical evacuation coverage could be more important for cruises than any other type of vacation,said Harvey. Most cruise lines only cover up to $50,000 in medical evacuation. A single incident might require an airlift from the ship, transportation to multiple medical facilities and even a flight home. If a travel insurance policy does not provide enough coverage, the balance of such an expensive ordeal becomes the responsibility of the traveler. Squaremouth recommends comparing policies that offer between $100,000 and $500,000 of medical evacuation coverage.

About Squaremouth
Squaremouth is America’s fastest growing travel insurance comparison site, helping customers instantly quote, compare and buy policies from every major carrier. Squaremouth has web sites in the US and UK, and an extensive network of partner sites worldwide. The company is headquartered in St Pete Beach, FL., with offices in Fort Wayne, IN. Visit Squaremouth.com or Squaremouth.co.uk.

About our May 15, 2010

With thousands of excited England supporters heading to South Africa in the summer the risk of being caught out in the mobile roaming trap is greater than ever. The UK mobile networks may have reduced roaming charges in Europe but users can pay up to &163;1.40p/min to make a call and over &163;1.00p/min to receive a call when roaming at the South Africa World Cup finals. However, savvy supporters can now avoid the roaming rip-off with a South African SIM card, from roaming solutions provider 0044.co.uk, that provides free incoming calls and calls to loved ones, or envious mates back in the UK, from as little as 32p/min saving as much as 80% of call costs.

With local and international calls being made and received, plus texts and picture messages being sent every minute by fans, the big UK networks are set to make a fortune out of the roaming charges they apply to calls made in South Africa. Adopting a local South Africa SIM or a global SIM for the trip makes a lot of sense given the roaming penalties that can be experienced. 0044 has introduced new SIM card solutions via a dedicated web site at http://www.southafricasim.co.uk to help fans avoid falling foul of these hidden charges. The new SIM cards can help travellers stay safe and in touch and make great savings during their visit. The 0044 SIM cards tackle the problem by reducing the cost of a call to only 32p/min and all calls can be received for free. With a South African SIM card users can opt for a pay-as-you-go or account based deal and even access the internet via their handset or a USB based solution. The SIM cards can be bought on-line before departure and come with a new number, free starter credit and work in any unlocked phone.

Angus MacLeod of 0044 Ltd commented, “Over the years we’ve managed to help thousands of people avoid roaming charges by providing a simple and easy to use solutions for travellers. However, with big sporting events like the World Cup in South Africa it means that there will be many new travellers planning to make a specific trip and undoubtedly they’ll want to take their mobile to stay in touch whilst away. The South Africa SIM card and global SIM that we can provide will not only ensure they stay safe but that they can use their mobiles when abroad without paying a huge penalty.

Zero Complaint Guarantee
The cornerstone of our commitment to customers is Squaremouth’s guarantee to remove any company from our website if there is a customer complaint that cannot be resolved to our satisfaction. Squaremouth offers the broadest selection of insurance with an emphasis on quality and follow-up care in companies featured. We also factor in independent evaluation from the insurance industry watchdog AM Best.

Squaremouth offers products from the following travel insurance carriers:
Air Ambulance Card, CSA, Global Alert Admin, Global Rescue, Global Underwriters, HCC, HTH Worldwide, IMG, ITravelInsured, Medex, Medjet Assist, MH Ross, On Call International, Seven Corners, Travel Guard, Travel Insurance Services, Travel Insured, Travelers Liberty, Travelex, TravelSafe and USA Assist.

AVAILABLE TOPIC EXPERT:
Chris Harvey
charvey(at)squaremouth(dot)com
Toll-free (800) 240-0369
Direct (727) 490-5802
U.S. travel insurance http://www.squaremouth.com

ada and the United Kingdom. PriceGrabber is headquartered in Los Angeles, CA.

About Spotya!

Spotya! is a web portal focused on shopping and shopping related services. Additional services offered by Spotya! include Spotya! Travel - a travel service where users can make hotel, car rental, air and vacation arrangements; Spotya! Mail - free email provided to Spotya! customers, offering mail boxes with 100mb of storage; and Spotya! Mall &194;– a directory of over 1500 online stores offering products and services for purchase. Spotya! was founded in 2004 and is headquartered in San Diego, California.

For more information, please contact:

Spotya!

Cameron Olthuis

858-537-0880

camerono@spotya.com

at connect and encourage independent travel. BootsnAll has over 3.6 million unique visitors per month and 100,000 community members. BootsnAll&39;s purpose is to cultivate an organic community that encourages independent travel. Visit them at http://www.bootsnall.com and http://www.rtwblog.com. Your one-stop indie travel guide.

About Rolf Potts

Rolf Potts has reported from more than sixty countries for the likes of National Geographic Traveler, the New York Times Magazine, Slate.com, Conde Nast Traveler, Outside, National Public Radio, and the Travel Channel. A veteran travel columnist for Salon.com and World Hum, his adventures have taken him across six continents.

Rolf is perhaps best known for promoting the ethic of independent travel, and his book on the subject, Vagabonding: An Uncommon Guide to the Art of Long-Term World Travel (Random House, 2003), has been through twelve printings and translated into several foreign languages. His newest book, Marco Polo Didn’t Go There: Stories and Revelations From One Decade as a Postmodern Travel Writer (TravelersTales, 2008), won a 2009 Lowell Thomas Award from the Society of American Travel Writers, and became the first American-authored book to win Italy’s prestigious Chatwin Prize for travel writing. Visit RolfPotts.com here

For high-resolution images or interviews please visit http://www.scottevest.com/company/press_kit.shtml or e-mail mediarelations(at)scottevest(dot)com.

If immediate help is required, please call SeV media contact Thomas O&39;Leary at (914) 924-0338.

nologies. Members from communities across the country utilize Addison Avenue banking services including: checking and savings accounts; investment services and credit cards through a secure online banking solution, a 24/7 call center and 23 branch locations. For more information, please visit: http://www.addisonavenue.com.

About junaio

junaio is a mobile augmented reality platform that allows users and developers the ability to create content channels in the real world. Users can flip through channels like entertainment, nightlife, travel and many others and see information digitally displayed around by simply pointing their phone. With junaio’s open API, developers can create state of the art augmented reality applications. junaio is available as a version for the iPhone and for Android. The Android version includes natural feature tracking which allows image recognition and thus totally new fields of applications, especially in the consumer market. For more information, please visit: http://www.junaio.com or http://www.metaio.com.

About metaio:

As the leader in Augmented Reality technology, metaio develops software product for visual interactive solutions between the real- and virtual world. Based on the software
platform Unifeye, 3D-animations can be integrated seamlessly into live-video streams respectively into pictures of the real-user’s environment. Founded in February 2003, metaio currently employs 60+ people at three different locations. The head office of the company is based in Munich. The subsidiaries metaio Inc. located in San Francisco, CA and metaio Asia respectively in Seoul. Until now metaio has worked for more than 340 renowned clients out of different branches and areas. Among them are: BMW, Daimler, Siemens, Toyota, Peugeot, EADS, Bertelsmann, KUKA, LEGO, MINI, Popular Science, Focus Features and Volkswagen. For more information, please visit: http://www.metaio.com.

Cheap Flights Engine Skyscanner Traffic Spikes 283% As Flyglobespan Collapses

December 19, 2009

Travel search site Skyscanner has already reported an 283% rise on searches for

Flyglobespan went into administration last night (16th December 2009), cancelling all flights.

“It’s terrible news for the 3,400 stranded passengers, for the 90,000 people who have paid for flights with the airline and for Flyglobespan employeessaid Barry Smith, Skyscanner co-founder and Business Director.

“It’s been a disastrous week for the airline industry what with the BA Xmas strike announcement, which saw a peak in searches for http://www.skyscanner.net/flights-to/nyca/cheap-flights-to-new-york.html [flights to New York __title__ flights to New York" onclick="linkClick(this.href)">cheap flights and now this. Skyscanner is assisting affected passengers by helping them to find replacement flights.

“Searches on Flyglobespan routes have already gone through the roof and will continue to rise over the next few days. We saw a 269% rise on user traffic for XL Airline routes following its collapse in September 2008; the spike on Flyglobespan routes has already overtaken this."

According to a statement on Flyglobespan’s website, customers who have booked a flight through Globespan Airways Limited operating as Flyglobespan are unlikely to be covered by the ATOL scheme.

Customers who have paid by credit card or Visa debit card should contact their card issuer in the first instance to determine whether they can claim a refund.

Skyscanner has set up a dedicated help page offering links to alternative flights on all Flyglobespan routes.

About Skyscanner:
Skyscanner is a leading travel search site based in Edinburgh, Scotland. Skyscanner provides instant online comparison on flight prices, including flights to London for over 670,000 routes on over 600 airlines, as well as car hire, hotel and holiday price comparison. With Skyscanner, users can browse without having to enter specific dates or even destinations, and Skyscanner is available in 20 different languages including French, German and Spanish.

Tourists This Winter Expect to Save Money on Trips to Winter Sun

November 22, 2010

According to a report by Halifax, British tourists are planning their holidays later in the year in order to save money. Ken Stannard, Halifax Director of credit cards, says: “Low season holidays hold a great deal of appeal for those that are looking to get away but still make the most of their money.The report estimates that over eleven million people are planning to head out on holidays within the next few months. Travel experts were not surprised by this news as they reported observing a large flux of travellers booking holidays in Greece and other warm locations for the last months of 2010.

Richard Bray of Travelmatch, the online travel specialists, says: “This confirms something we have known for a while. The end of the year is low season and prices come down significantly. Our customers are very savvy in this respect and look to book during this period as they know they can get great deals.

According to the report, a quarter of people taking holidays during this period are doing so in order to save money. A further 14% believed they could travel further with their money at this time. Additionally, 23% of those surveyed stated they were planning on travelling in order to get some winter sun.

Bray, whose company specialises in helping customers find their ideal holiday, concludes: “These findings highlight the two major reasons to travel at this time of year. First off, with winter settling in, everyone is quite eager to get a bit of sun; and secondly, people want to get the most value for their money. Lots of our clients are booking cheap Zante holidays and other great trips over the next few months for prices that wouldn’t necessarily be available at other times of year. We think this is one of the best times to get away, especially to warm destinations, and it’s exciting to see that borne out in Halifax’s report.

About Travelmatch:
Travelmatch is a new travel discovery engine that helps inspire customers by matching their requirements to a wide range of holidays, hotels, flights, cruises, villas or city breaks. Unlike other travel sites, customers are not required to choose a destination, date or budget before they can begin searching. Customers are able to make informed decisions by exploring photos, user reviews, maps, events and activities and other fun things relevant to their chosen travel product. Travelmatch, which closed its first funding round in 2010, is based in Notting Hill, London.

Personal Finance Site MoneyNing.com Now Offering Tips and Pointers on Salary Negotiations

Irvine, CA 27, 2011 Personal finance website MoneyNing.com offers salary negotiation strategies to those in the process of securing employment in its latest post entitled 4 Pointers on Negotiating Your Starting Salary at http://moneyning.com/.

A recent report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) indicates that finding employment is taking nearly twice as long as it did in 2007. This isn’t a big surprise with 13.8 million Americans out of work and the unemployment rate hovering close to the double digits.

So, when college grads or the long-standing unemployed finally land a job, securing the right salary and benefits package may not be the first thing on their mind. For many, simply having a job is a relief after months of searching; however, as Emily Guy Birken points out in her guest post on MoneyNing.com, “Only you have your best interests at heart in this negotiation.

With that in mind Birken goes on to give four very specific tips to those in the midst of salary negotiations. Birken urges readers to do some sleuthing before the interview and come prepared with a solid understanding of not only what their experience and education are worth to an employer, but also what those in the same field are generally earning.

Birken also suggests that when offered a position of employment, it’s wise to wait before accepting, “When your prospective employer has given you the offer, thank him for the opportunity and make it clear that you’re very interested in the position, but that you need some time to think it over.

MoneyNing.com was launched by David Ning in 2007 and has been offering up practical, straightforward money management tips ever since. The blog enjoys a monthly readership of over 300,000 and a growing Facebook fan page. Content from the popular blog has been featured on the NYTimes.com, Time.com, and USNews.com.

David Ning is an author, trusted advisor and founder of MoneyNing.com as well as a regular contributor to the “ON RETIREMENTsection of USNews.com. Ning focuses on money tips for those seeking to build wealth slowly over time through smart management of their capital resources.

Subscribers of MoneyNing.com have access to a growing library of personal finance information including David Ning’s free eBook How to Save Money on Everything, a weekly newsletter, and a 7-part mini e-course full of useful money tips.

Visit http://moneyning.com/ to subscribe to MoneyNing.com.

Or, to read 4 Pointers on Negotiating Your Starting Salary in its entirety go to http://moneyning.com/career/4-pointers-on-negotiating-your-starting-salary/.

To learn more personal finance tips visit http://MoneyNing.com/.

American Express Travelers Cheques and AAA Sign Exclusive Agreement: AAA Members Can Enjoy Convenience and Peace of Mind of Traveling with American Express(R) Travelers Cheques

NEW YORK&WASHINGTON February 27, 2008

"I&39;m delighted to forge a partnership with AAA, which like American Express has long provided peace of mind to travelers," said Wesley Wright, general manager of American Express Travelers Cheques, North America. "I look forward to offering AAA members American Express Travelers Cheques for an extra measure of safety and security while they are on the road in North America or traveling abroad."

"AAA&39;s more than 50 million members have grown to trust the AAA brand over the past 105 years, in part through fostering relationships with dependable, steadfast companies like American Express," said Tom Wilt, managing director of partnership programs at AAA. "This new relationship with American Express will provide our members with the best travelers check product available, while keeping their currency secure by using American Express Travelers Cheques while traveling."

American Express recommends travelers carry Travelers Cheques as part of a diversified "travel wallet" that includes local currency, credit and charge cards, and a prepaid travel money product. Unlike cash, Travelers Cheques are fully refundable if lost or stolen. With 24/7 customer service and a global refund network, Travelers Cheques can be easily and quickly replaced, usually within 24 hours.(a)

In addition to travelers checks, participating AAA clubs offices also will offer American Express(R) Gift Cards.

For more information on American Express Travelers Cheques, visit http://www.americanexpress.com/travelerscheques.

About American Express

American Express is a leader in consumer prepaid products. In addition to the 117-year old American Express Travelers Cheques - the preeminent brand welcomed worldwide - the Company issues other prepaid products including the Cheques for Two, Gift Cards, Gift Cheques, and a range of corporate incentive prepaid products through American Express Incentive Services.

American Express Company (http://www.americanexpress.com) is a leading global payments, network and travel company founded in 1850.

About AAA

As North America&39;s largest motoring and leisure travel organization, AAA provides nearly 51 million members with travel, insurance, financial and automotive-related services. Since its founding in 1902, the not-for-profit, fully tax-paying AAA has been a leader and advocate for the safety and security of all travelers. AAA clubs can be visited on the Internet at http://www.AAA.com.

(a) Replacement Cheques and refunds are available at American Express and partner locations around the globe, subject to local laws and cash availability.

The 19th Annual Freddie Awards Offer Frequent Flyers an Opportunity to Speak Their Minds

Colorado Springs, Colo. February 14, 2007

Frequent travelers from around the world are invited to cast a vote in the 19th Annual Freddie Awards, which are designed to award excellence among frequent travel programs in the airline, hotel and credit card industries.

Since 1989, InsideFlyer magazine has served as the primary sponsor of the Freddie Awards, and has partnered this year with Points.com, Award for Mortgages and Real Estate, Priority Pass, Executive Travel SkyGuide, American Express Incentive Services, ICLP and Loylogic to present the event for the 19th consecutive year.

"The Freddie Awards are highly coveted in the frequent travel industry because the winning programs are selected by frequent travelers themselves," said InsideFlyer Editor and Publisher, Randy Petersen. "And the Freddies continue to grow in popularity among the public. Last year, a record 390,000 frequent flyers voted, and we expect that record will be broken this year." Voters rate hotel, airline and credit card programs in nine categories: Program of the Year, Best Award, Best Bonus Promotion, Best Affinity Credit Card, Best Newsletter, Best Award Redemption, Best Elite-Level Program, Best Customer Service and Best Web Site.

The Freddie Awards are determined by value voting, a system in which voters rate the value of their program choices on a scale of one to 10. Programs with the highest average score and at least one percent of the popular vote in each category are awarded Freddies. In essence, Freddies are awarded for quality, not quantity.

The awards are named after the late Sir Freddie Laker (1922-2006) who attracted fame, and a knighthood in the United Kingdom, for his pioneering marketing ideas within the travel industry in the 1970s.

Freddie Award balloting is conducted entirely online at freddieawards.com. Voting concludes on February 28, 2007 at 11:59 p.m. MT.

A Freddie Award ceremony will be held April 26, 2007 at the Crystal Gateway Marriott Hotel in Arlington, Virginia, at which this year&39;s winners will be revealed. The winners will also be announced in the May issue of InsideFlyer magazine and online at freddieawards.com.

RMS, Inc. and Travel America, Inc. Forge an Exclusive Partnership with Travelocity Incentives to Offer a New Perk

Grapevine, TX June 1, 2009

Rennhack Marketing Services, Inc. (RMS) and Travel America, Inc. today announced that through forming an exclusive partnership with Travelocity Incentives, they now offer Travelocity hotel gift cards at less than retail value to businesses in the financial services, furniture and other industries. The cards are available in $25, $50 and $100 denominations and can easily be used for customer service and employee satisfaction initiatives as well as employee reward and retention programs.

"Customers and employees love perks. In this weak economy, incentive-based programs are a cost-effective tool to help motivate employees, deepen customer loyalty and drive business results. We are proud to add another brand-name incentive to our portfolio and offer a solution that helps businesses strengthen customer retention and employee satisfaction," said Michael Howe, President and CEO of RMS and Travel America.

The Travelocity hotel gift cards are available to consumers online and at more than 50,000 hotel locations worldwide. These cards can also be customized with a brand identity by adding a logo or a picture on the front of the card.

About Rennhack Marketing Services, Inc. (RMS)
Since 1976, RMS has been committed to supporting the financial services community with branded merchandise-based incentive programs that attract and retain customers. Today, the company supports banks and credit unions in all 50 states and ships about two million incentives annually. Through our unwavering commitment to customer service and quality incentives, we help deliver a measurable return on marketing spend. For additional information on RMS, visit http://www.rennhack.com.

About Travel America, Inc.
Travel America is the leader in specializing, creating and delivering intelligent, powerful and cost effective travel premiums and incentives to many industries across the United States and Canada. With our A+ rating with the BBB for excellence in customer service, Travel America has proven its commitment to clients and travelers for the last 12 years. For additional information on Travel America, visit http://www.travelamerica.com.

2011 Prepaid365 PreNew Billing Module from KDS Brings Control Over Travel InvoicesGphone.net Delivers Low Cost Worldwide Phone Calling Card For Mobile Phone Userspaid Card Awards Winners Announced

March 29, 2011

Launched in 2009, this is the third edition of the fast growing annual Prepaid365 Consumer Awards with over 128 prepaid cards entries across 22 categories being voted for by over 37,000 consumer respondents and Prepaid365 subject matter experts in the business categories.

Divya Sharma, Marketing and PR director at Prepaid365 commented "The prepaid industry continues to grow and so do the Prepaid365 Awards. We had 22 award categories as opposed to 14 from last year and the consumer response has been absolutely astounding. We have always maintained that raising consumer awareness is key to increasing the adoption of prepaid credit cards as a payment mechanism in the UK and the Prepaid365 Awards are all about providing prepaid industry stakeholders a platform for that consumer recognition. Whether it is prepaid MasterCard, Visa or Maestro prepaid cards, Prepaid365 remains the consumers first resource to review and compare prepaid cards. "

Winners on the night included

Best Prepaid Card - Neteller Prepaid MasterCard

Best Newcomer Prepaid Card 2010-2011 - Kalixa Prepaid MasterCard

Best General Spend Prepaid Card - Cashplus Prepaid MasterCard

Best Travel Prepaid Card - Caxton FX Prepaid Card

Best Unbanked Prepaid Card - Secure Trust Bank Prepaid Card

Best Payroll Prepaid Card - Freedom Eagle Prepaid Card

Best Privacy Prepaid Card - Splash Plastic Prepaid Card

Best Incentives/Rewards Prepaid Card - Virgin Money Prepaid PAYG Card

Best Gaming Prepaid Card - Neteller Prepaid MasterCard

Best Youth Prepaid Card - Splash Plastic Prepaid Card

Basic Back Account with Prepaid Card - Think Banking Prepaid MasterCard

Best Online Shopping Prepaid Card - BaBeeCard Prepaid Card

Best Free Prepaid Card - O2 Cash Manager Prepaid Card

Best Gifting Prepaid Card - Starbucks Prepaid Card

Best Moneyshare Prepaid Card - Payzone Worldwide Money Prepaid Card

Best International Prepaid Card - PCS Prepaid Card

Best Prepaid Card Innovation - Neteller Virtual Prepaid Card

Best Prepaid Marketing Campaign - Travelex Prepaid Marketing Campaign

Best Prepaid Card Website - Escape Travel Prepaid Card

Best Prepaid Card Design - BaBeeCard Prepaid Card

Best Programme Manager - Small Programmes - Prepaid Financial Services

Best Programme Manager - Large Programmes - Payment Card Technologies

Mark Horgan, Director at Travelex said: &39;As the global currency specialist with over 34 years experience, Travelex prides itself on being an industry leader. The prepaid market has become increasingly competitive, especially here in the UK, so this is a great honour and tribute to our market leading Cash Passport product. To be acknowledged by consumers at the Prepaid365 Awards for our work in educating consumers on the benefits of prepaid cards is testament to the hard work the team put into this campaign. Further, the fact that this award was voted by the public is a wonderful commendation, so thank you to everyone who took the time to vote.&39;

Dan Starr, Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer at Optimal Payments (NETELLER) said: "We are delighted to win yet more consumer awards at the Prepaid365 Awards for the NETELLER Net+ card. Prepaid365 provide the industry with comprehensive information on the prepaid market and are helping raise consumer awareness of prepaid cards; a mandatory site bookmark for all prepaid stakeholders."

Amit Sharma, CEO at prepaid marketing consultancy Emotion Associates and founder of the Prepaid365 Awards commented that "The great thing about consumer awards is that the endorsements actually mean something for prepaid industry stakeholders - you are getting things right. From the originators like Splash and Cashplus to the innovators like Neteller and Kalixa, the Prepaid Card industry is in excellent health and continues to grow. As with all maturing markets, as the market grows, so does the competition and the innovation and the incentives and that means better value for consumers and that can only be a good thing."

Prepaid365 is the UK&39;s leading prepaid card portal online to review, compare and buy prepaid credit cards representing an encyclopaedia of information on prepaid cards, providers and all things prepaid including prepaid MasterCard, visa prepaid cards and free prepaid cards. To review and compare prepaid cards for Money Transfer, Travel, Gaming, Shopping, Payroll and Expense management, Privacy, Gifting and Business, visit the Prepaid365 prepaid portal.

What the Winners Said

Dan Starr, Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer at Optimal Payments (NETELLER) said: "We are delighted to win yet more consumer awards at the Prepaid365 Awards for the NETELLER Net+ card. Prepaid365 provide the industry with comprehensive information on the prepaid market and are helping raise consumer awareness of prepaid cards; a mandatory site bookmark for all prepaid stakeholders."

Rupert Kainzbauer, Head of Issuing at Vincento Payment Solutions, says: "On behalf of the Kalixa team, I&39;m delighted that consumers voted for us as the Best Newcomer Prepaid Card at the Prepaid365 Awards. It means a lot to us because these awards are about consumer choice, and we&39;re grateful to all the hard work put in by Prepaid365 educating the consumer and championing the prepaid industry as a whole."

Rich Wagner, Chief Executive Officer, APS was delighted with the award wins and commented that "APS is honoured to be recognised as the Best General Purpose Card category for the 3rd year in a row. As with Prepaid365, APS never rests on its success. In 2011 we are further improving our Cashplus product with the introduction of faster payments, an integrated bank account, and the rollout of the highly anticipated and desired Direct Debit functionality. We believe this award and those won over the past 2 years with Prepaid365 show the immense credibility we have built as the primary payment&39;s innovator in the prepaid industry today."

Andrew Swailes, Head of Communications, Caxton FX: "The Caxton FX card was the first of its kind, and ever since then we have strived to continue to offer a unique product in what is now an immensely competitive field. I am delighted that Caxton FX has been recognised as the market leader. We have always tried to put the customer first and make their life as easy as possible - since the day we started the greatest percentage of card sign-ups has come through clients recommending our card."

Philippe Hardy, Sales Director of White Eagle (Europe) Plc, commented "I am pleased to accept this award on behalf of the team at White Eagle. We are passionate about delivering an exceptional service and to be recognised in this way increases our determination to produce and deliver quality products to meet the needs of our customer."

Gilles Coccoli, Managing Director at PrePay Solutions, comments: "The Splash card has a well established heritage, being the first of its kind to be launched in the market. We&39;re delighted by these wins and the consumer recognition at the Prepaid365 Awards."

Grant Bather, spokesperson at Virgin Money commented "We are delighted to have won the Prepaid365 Best Incentives/Rewards Prepaid Card. Prepaid cards can help users to budget as well as providing a host of uses, including as an alternative to pocket, or travel money. We anticipate that the market for prepaid cards will continue to grow in the coming years and we look forward to continuing to innovate in this sector."

Steve Muirhead, Head of Service at Thinkbanking said: "We are delighted, and very grateful, that so many of our customers voted for us at the Prepaid365 Awards- evidence, perhaps, of how we make their lives easier. Thinkbanking is more than just a prepaid card or basic banking facility; it is in fact a current account like no other. Our unique budgeting service enables customers to ring fence the money they need to pay their bills, which gives them peace of mind. Thinkbanking isn&39;t just aimed at the more than 1.4 million people in the UK paying more than &163;500 a year in bank charges or the 6 million plus Brits who struggle to keep to budget each month, but also at those that just want somebody else to manage their finances so they don&39;t have to."

Gemma Johnson, founder and CEO at BaBeeCard, commented that "we are delighted to have won consumer recognition at Prepaid365 Awards for a third year running. BaBeecard continues to flourish and looks forward to new and exciting developments in 2011. Our premise has always been to deliver exceptional value to our customers and the awards are recognition for those efforts over the last 12 months. BaBeecard&39;s aim to help families save money, remains one we are passionate about, with the recession having left many families struggling not least due to inflation which continues to rise. Despite the recent March budget specifically claiming to &39;raise the standards of families&39; with some helpful concessions, families will actually be hit harder than single earners over the next two years, due to the tapering away of tax credits for incomes of more than &163;40, 000 and the imminent removal of child benefit from higher-rate taxpayers. Financial saving for Families has never been so important."

Philip A&239;m, CEO of Creacard expressed his delighted with the result stating "we are extremely proud to have launched the first prepaid card in France, but much more proud to receive this consumer award at the Prepaid365 Awards, which for us is primarily the recognition of a successful project that&39;s both secure and reliable. We hope that the French market for prepaid will grow successfully for PCS products and that our customers will find in this product an alternative to traditional means of payment, with additional services that will enrich the offer in the coming weeks."

July 19, 2004

GPhone.net announces the release of its new World Passport dual mode callback phone card and worldwide toll free access calling card in one. Regardless of country, the World Passport allows callers using mobile phones and regular phones the ability to bypass expensive local phone London, UK February 11, 2010

KDS, an international leader in Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) travel and expense management, is today announcing an enhanced billing module for the company’s ‘KDS Corporatesolution.

The new module enables the reconciliation of supplier invoices and traveller expenses, adding control, saving and simplicity to travel and expense management.

The new KDS billing module meets a vital need of procurement executives: to gain visibility over the total cost of a trip. The end-to-end solution allows organisations to reduce the time and effort needed to reconcile actual spend.

Why the need A true story...
Jo books and immediately invoices a trip to New York next month. As often happens, however, the meeting has to be rescheduled and she cancels the booking. The airline refunds Jo but, as a busy executive, she forgets to pass the refund back to her company. Finance departments don’t like it when that happens!

With the KDS Corporate billing module in operation, Jo’s company would have been alerted about the trip cancellation.

Travel services are paid via credit cards (both personal and corporate), lodge cards (corporate account) and cash. The job of the finance and procurement departments is to understand who spent what money on which services. However, working through and reconciling an extensive list of claims from multiple travellers on a single supplier invoice whether covering airfares, hotel stays, car rentals or any other travel service has until now been a long and painful task.

Yves Weisselberger, chief executive officer of KDS, says: “Without our new billing module, most of our clients had to wait for their travel management company’s report and spend hours analysing the data to match every booking against the invoice.

“Knowing the real, total cost of a trip has long been a goal of the travel procurement process. With KDS, that goal can now be achieved by every organisation.

Billing for lodge cards
Lodge cards (or a travel account) are payment tools that centralise payment for the procurement of travel services. Although lodge cards considerably improve many aspects of the travel and expense process, the reconciliation of lodge card invoices with traveller bookings is nonetheless much improved with the new KDS billing module. Organisations can now better monitor their supplier contracts, their travel policy compliance and any savings that are being missed.

Not all travel services are paid for via credit cards or lodge cards. Organisations have direct contracts with suppliers for the procurement of services such as hotel rooms, car rentals and railway travel. These negotiated contracts provide organisations with lower prices and administrative overheads, and with simpler procurement processes. However, breaking down the invoices for each traveller can be a time-consuming process. The new KDS billing module simplifies that process of reconciling traveller expenses with invoices.

KDS Corporate closes the loop on travel procurement from trip planning and booking to payment and reimbursement. Travellers manage their bookings and expenses in a quick and streamlined manner, while the procurement and finance departments stay on top of travel spend, controlling and reconciling every booking.

About KDS:
KDS (http://www.kds.com) is a leading international provider of Travel&Expense (T&E) management systems for private and public sector organisations. KDS’s unified Software-as-a-Service (SaaS)-based technology addresses the full range of T&E requirements, from travel policy definition and enforcement, and the online self-booking of travel, through to automated travel expense processing and invoice reconciliation. With each stage handled seamlessly by KDS’s fully-integrated technology, clients achieve significant efficiencies and cost-savings. KDS offers the industry’s most extensive back-end connectivity to financial service and travel providers (airline, car, rail and hotel), ensuring optimised pricing and up-to-the-minute inventory control.

company and hotel long distance and international calling rates. The new offering works in any country in the world and is available by instant online signup using a credit card and offers simple monthly credit card billing. For a limited time new customers also receive 30 minutes of free calls when they sign up.

The new World Passport offering is ideal for regular phone users, mobile/cellular phone users and users that travel and need to place calls from any available touchtone phone.

For further details, please visit http://www.gphone.net .

Paul Smith, managing director, EZPay Ltd, the operator of the Escape Travel Money Prepaid Card, commented: "Winning one of the top awards in the prepaid business within 12 months of the Escape Travel Money Card and website launching is fantastic news. We&39;re really proud to have overtaken traditional players in the prepaid sector so quickly, and thrilled that our efforts to offer the best option for consumers looking to save money and enjoy simple and fee-free spending abroad have been recognised. The Prepaid365 Prepaid Card Awards win is a significant signal that our customers, and our industry, are enjoying our no-nonsense approach to business as much as we are."

Mark Horgan, Director at Travelex said: &39;As the global currency specialist with over 34 years experience, Travelex prides itself on being an industry leader. The prepaid market has become increasingly competitive, especially here in the UK, so this is a great honour and tribute to our market leading Cash Passport product. To be acknowledged by consumers at the Prepaid365 Awards for our work in educating consumers on the benefits of prepaid cards is testament to the hard work the team put into this campaign. Further, the fact that this award was voted by the public is a wonderful commendation, so thank you to everyone who took the time to vote.&39;

Noel Moran, CEO of Prepaid Financial Services Ltd expressed his delight with the results commenting, "We are delighted to have been recognised with these two awards. We are particularly proud that we have been recognised in two fields which have been our key focus from day one. Since its inception PFS has strived to offer corporate clients flexible low cost entry into the prepaid market. Our purpose built prepaid software platform is constantly tailored to improve our offering and meet the requirements of our clients."

Ian Clowes, Managing Director of PCT commented that "the award recognises the amazing efforts of our highly knowledgeable and dedicated team who help to turn clients&39; often complex visions into successful prepaid solutions. Award wins such as this reinforce the premise that we are providing our clients with expert programme management from concept to delivery."