HOUSTON, Texas — A decade ago, only the most risk-tolerant consumers would consider making diamond engagement ring purchases through online channels, says Whiteflash. In those early days, the internet was hailed as a revolutionary way to buy small-ticket items, but most wouldn’t have dared to buy something as emotionally and financially significant as an engagement [...]

SAN DIEGO, Calif. — California author Jim Musgrave is featured on Sniplits’ beta test site. Anyone with a digital music player, smart phone or laptop understands the hunger for new content. Now, with the launch of Sniplits.com, there’s a new source for entertainment on the Internet. Sniplits(SM) is publishing audio short stories, packaged as DRM-free [...]

BOULDER, Colo. — Storytime Yoga’s first children’s show, The Peddler’s Dream, will air on Rocky Mountain PBS on Sunday, June 1 at 8:30 a.m. The half-hour show, produced by Flashback Media in Boulder, teaches children ages 3-8 yoga through storytelling. The Peddler’s Dream is a folktale from England, and teaches children about following their dream. [...]

SAN DIEGO, Calif. — Arclinea San Diego, and its full-service kitchen design showroom, has won a national design award by Nielsen’s Kitchen and Bath Business (K+BB) magazine in the publication’s annual awards program. In evaluating new showrooms from around the country for design excellence, the magazine selected Arclinea San Diego as one of the nation’s [...]

SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Author D.L. Carroll announces children’s chapter book, “Sir Licksalot & The Maverick Fools” (ISBN 1-60474-917-2) for Ages 9-12. Author D.L. Carroll intertwines alienation, adventure, and tween humor as the story of one boys struggle to fit in unfolds. This story demonstrates the acceptance of individuality and the power of friendship. Using [...]

MESA, Ariz. and LONDON, U.K. — Capital Market Technologies (OTCBB:CMKT) has reached an agreement with Better ATM Services, Inc. to license the rights to distribute Better ATM Services’ patented, groundbreaking technology throughout the European markets. Better ATM Services’ breakthrough process enables existing automated teller machines to dispense gift cards and other pre-paid media, premiums, and incentives from ATM trays - just like cash.

CHICAGO, Ill. — On the heels of last year’s farewell tour of the King Tut exhibit starts this year’s tour of the gilded likeness of talk show queen, Oprah Winfrey. “The Oprah Burial Mask” will debut in Chicago April 24th, near Oprah’s Harpo Studios at GARDENfresh Gallery, courtesy of NYC’s Leo Kesting Gallery.

TONAWANDA, N.Y. — The week-long experience of retired N.Y. firefighter Jim Thomsen after 9/11 at Ground Zero volunteering to search steaming dust and rubble for survivors, made him determined to develop a protective Air Shield that might someday reduce the danger of inhaling toxic dust. Just outside Buffalo, N.Y., he found the small workshop of Ted Arts, and as partners developed new technology able to protect against anthrax or other airborne terrorism attacks.

PARSIPPANY, N.J. — The Himalayan Salt Shop announced today that 2007 fourth quarter sales of its Himalayan Salt Crystal Lamps have doubled from the previous year. Coverage of these lamps in the November 2007 issue of Woman’s World magazine and the December 2007 issue of Harper’s Bazaar magazine helped fuel the increase in revenue.

GRANITE BAY, Calif. — Prepare Stay Defend (PSD), a California non-profit organization, has launched a web site that empowers homeowners against wildfires; they are the first organization of its kind to support homeowners, nationwide, through their educational web site and on-line fire training.

SANTA CLARA, Calif. — SecuGen is pleased to announce the immediate availability of an improved version of the Hamster Plus fingerprint reader. This newly upgraded device captures fingerprint images much faster than previously. In addition, the Hamster Plus now makes the Smart Capture feature available. Smart Capture automatically adjusts the sensor brightness to capture fingerprints from dry and moist fingers that have often been difficult to scan.

PHILADELPHIA, Pa. — J.M. Wick and Associates, Inc. has announced the release of P.I.T.: Personalized Income Tracking, a software program exclusively designed for personal at-home use of tracking tips for employees whose income is gratuity based, in addition to meeting the tip reporting needs of employers in the restaurant and hospitality industries.

PRICE, Utah — This year, Santa can’t wait for Christmas. A small, but dedicated group of rock art preservationists in Utah - the Nine Mile Canyon Coalition and their allies - are fighting to preserve what may be the original Santa Claus. Nine Mile Canyon: Located high on the side of a sheer cliff in a rugged place in central Utah is an ancient petroglyph that dates back over 1,000 years.

BOSTON, Mass. — IObit’s Advanced WindowsCare Personal has passed 10 million downloads and ranked in top 50 most popular software at largest download site in the world, Download.com, representing a significant milestone for the best PC repair utility only two years since 2006, and has taken the opportunity to thank its most fervent fans for their work in supporting IObit.

ATLANTA, Ga. — Southeast Food Services News (SFSN), the leading food service publication for the southeast, announces a new look and feel that promises to enhance the publication’s already information-packed features. Each issue is packed with pictures and stories featuring new products and services available to food service operators.

CINCINNATI, Ohio — Edward A. Lyon, founder of TaxTuneup.com Inc., announces release of his 2008 Celebrity Deductions list. Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes called taxes “the price we pay for civilization.” But he never said we have to pay retail! As April 15 approaches, let’s take a look at what some of our favorite bold-face names might deduct this year.

NEW YORK, N.Y. and LONDON, U.K. — Costing the global pharmaceutical industry an estimated $30 billion per year and causing an estimated 125,000 deaths per year in the United States, patient non-adherence is a looming issue in the healthcare industry. Eularis has responded to this problem with a new report, available today, titled, “Ensuring Profitable Patient Adherence Programs.”

NEW YORK, N.Y. — BackstageBroker.com is proud to announce the launch of their event ticket comparison website. Backstage Broker does not sell tickets, it “brokers” ticket buyers with the best providers in the secondary ticket industry.

LYNN, Mass. — Independent laboratory testing of the formula that NevaSlip(TM) anti-slip floor service uses to make architectural stone and tile floors slip resistant shows it to be 100% environmentally safe, even as it gives those floors a Static Coefficient of Friction (SCOF) rating that meets or exceeds current federal ADA regulations.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — American Idol’s season six brought Antonella Barba into public view. Despite leading in Internet polling and search engines, Antonella was eliminated (sounds like a fate known by certain politicians). Now Antonella is back in the spotlight but not for glamour or show biz. The senior at Catholic University is reaching out to the new generation of voters by singing the National Anthem, promoting talking avatars, and addressing first time voters on their essential participation for a better democracy.

CARPINTERIA, Calif. — Holland Scott Gallery today announces the debut of the Environmentally Responsible Green Energy Fine Art Lamps. These lamps combine energy-efficiency technology with fine-art design. Elegant photographic floral images and art-deco linoleum patterns from the 1930’s are the result of energy efficient LED (Light Emitting Diode) lamp technology and the Giclee (zhee-clay) fine-art printmaking process.

MANHATTAN, N.Y. — The Los Angeles Music Network’s “LAMN Jam” heads for the Big Apple. Launched three years ago in Los Angeles (where performances continue), LAMN Jams go beyond traditional showcases by featuring artists performing original songs, followed by instant professional critiques from a panel of industry experts. This year, artists will perform for $20,000 in prizes.

SEDONA, Ariz. — Phyllis Johnson Innovative Strategies, LLC announces Sedona Romance Travel, an online travel newsletter that captures the spirit of Sedona. A personal journey that guides the reader and describes why Sedona is a special place for romancing the spirit and nourishing the soul. A place where lives and relationships can change forever.

AUSTIN, Texas — Willie Nelson appeared Monday, February 4, 2008, on the nationally-syndicated Alex Jones Show in a ground breaking interview where the country music legend said the twin towers were imploded on 9/11. “I saw those towers fall and I’ve seen an implosion in Las Vegas - there’s too much similarities between the two, and I saw a building fall that didn’t get hit by nothing.”