Jewelry Central provides consumers with a superior alternative to shopping at a traditional retail store. The company offers thousands of independently certified loose diamonds, engagement rings and fine jewelry at exceptional values. In addition to the below retail prices, shoppers enjoy the extra convenience of browsing a vast selection of jewelry in one place from the comfort of their home or office. People are comfortable purchasing luxury items on the internet, and are buying less from brick and mortar retailers.

JewelryCentral.com provides a unique, simple and enjoyable way to buy engagement rings and fine jewelry. What makes the company a success is their dedication to customer service, and ongoing improvements to their Web site. To create a tangible visual experience, the company provides multiple views of each product, which can be enlarged to show detail. By making the buying experience more realistic, the company makes it easy to make an informed purchase.

This past fall, the company introduced 3D diamond movies to create a stunning visual experience for Web site visitors. Jewelry Central gives shoppers the option of viewing a beautiful three dimensional movie when looking at an individual diamond. Reviews of this new innovative content have been very positive, indicating increased customer satisfaction.

Each presentation shows how a diamond sparkles as light enters and exits the stone, while displaying flashes of color. This new technology dominates the Web in terms of having the most visually impressive presentation of a diamond. Most all other online companies do not offer their customers 3D diamond animations.

A famous animation studio in Hollywood, California developed this new technology. Animators built computer models to reproduce the facets and proportions of each diamond shape, and then used advanced CG technology to add color and produce the finished movies. Later this year, Jewelry Central will be introducing more animated content to enhance the customer experience.

Please visit www.jewelrycentral.com for more details.

With hundreds of venues to choose from (and growing by the day), BirthdayPartyReservations.com knows the nightlife ins and outs of birthday party destinations such as New York City, Miami, Las Vegas, Los Angeles and Boston. Within the next two months, BPR also plans to take their Website international by adding our friends up north (Montreal), and our friends across the pond (London).

To celebrate the grand opening, BPR is offering a FREE birthday package to one lucky winner. To enter, become a fan of Birthday Party Reservations on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/BirthdayPartyRSVP where you can also chat with frequent users of BirthdayPartyReservations.com and stay up-to-date with the hottest nightlife news.

Birthday Party Reservations loves to plan parties and special events. BPR staff have years experience throwing bachelorette parties, Bar/Bat Mitzvah’s and milestone birthdays. With event planning specialists ready and eager to assist you, there’s no simpler way to plan your big day.

If you’re planning to head out of town for a celebration, Birthday Party Reservations can also assist you by planning your entire itinerary. For example: Birthdays New York is a great way to celebrate your special day. With a complete guide to hotels in our featured cities coupled with a gift-giving page, BirthdayPartyReservations.com is a one-stop shop for everything you could possibly need to attend or throw a party.

Services include: pre-party planning, venue selection, venue site inspections, e-vite’s, and an overall great time. For more information, please visit the site or call 347.828.RSVP (7787).

The Spring 2010 Sentiment Report, a survey of 5,000 homeowners in the U.S. who are considering remodeling, also shows that the recession has had several impacts on U.S. homeowners. These include:

* The most popular projects in the past – remodeling the kitchen and bathrooms – have decreased in popularity, as adding a bathroom has taken the honors of the most popular project. This makes sense since, for many homeowners, updating an existing room can be put off because it is often seen as a “luxury,” while for many the addition of a bathroom is a necessity due to changes in the needs of the family.

* Interest in do-it-yourself projects, both the actual building as well as acting as their own general contractor, has remained steady throughout the economic downturn.

* Economizing on the cost of materials is growing in popularity at the same time, as fewer homeowners are reporting they will use expensive materials for their remodel. The percentage of homeowners reporting they will use average costing materials remains the same.

* The number of homeowners reporting they are “excited” about remodeling has climbed to an all-time high of 54%, which is primarily due to homeowners who aren’t excited about remodeling choosing to put their plans on hold to wait until the recession is over.

This may be a costly choice for homeowners since the cost to remodel now is as much as 20% lower than in 2006, according to a special cost to remodel study published earlier this year at www.remodelormove.com .

In essence, small businesses have to get creative when it comes to borrowing money. And, Business Cash Advance is helping them to do just that through a product that provides flexibility, immediate cash and short-term capital without strict credit requirements or collateral.

The underwriting criteria for cash advances are different when compared to other unsecured business loan products. These loan alternatives are based on the established volume of sales. A percentage of the borrower’s receivables are used as payment for the loan.

And, if the borrower makes no money one month, it pays nothing back. It only pays back when it has money coming in. It is business financing made easy. Small businesses are typically approved for cash advances in less than 24 hours.

These merchant cash advances are ideal for small businesses that are seeking working capital now. Seasonal businesses, retailers and restaurants are all perfect candidates.

The financial experts at BusinessCashAdvance.com understand the importance of getting the economy moving; without lending, a spending freeze occurs. By offering this lending product, the company has created its own economic stimulus package.

If businesses accept credit cards and process at least $5,000 per month, they can qualify for this small business loan alternative. Home-based businesses do not qualify. These small businesses can turn tomorrow’s credit card receivables into cash today.

About Business Cash Advance:

BusinessCashAdvance.com is a premier provider of unsecured business loans for small businesses. When small businesses are unable to receive funds through conventional lending institutions to finance the growth of their business, Business Cash Advance is there to help.

The company funds small businesses throughout the U.S. and is located in South Florida.

The directory provides industry professionals an easier way to search for opportunities specific to their industry, media type and lead type with over one hundred different search variables. The Lead Pages’ proprietary tools enable media buyers to find opportunities in minutes with just a few simple clicks. Additionally, the site includes discussion forums and industry news resources providing additional opportunities for industry professionals to learn and connect.

Melissa Rosno, Managing Director of parent company 562 Media, stated, “After years of experience in Web development and marketing, our team realized that the task of finding specific performance based marketing opportunities was still not a simple one. In a rapidly growing industry it can be difficult to keep up with the launch of new companies and marketing opportunities. If we can help those media buyers and marketing managers that are seeking out these opportunities and save them time and money in the process, then we have accomplished our goal.”

For lead generation and performance based media or technology providers, TheLeadPages.com offers both free and featured listing options thus making it possible for all companies to participate.

“If initial results and industry feedback are any indication The Lead Pages is proving to be a valuable industry resource. We hope that media buyers and providers alike will see the value of their participation. We feel we have created a tool that will benefit both the companies seeking new marketing opportunities and those who provide these services alike,” said Rosno.

Lead generation and performance based industry providers are encouraged to submit their company information for inclusion in the directory.

Based in Long Beach, California, 562 Media, Inc. has been creating web properties since 2004. 562 Media has developed numerous proprietary solutions for the real estate, financial services, retail and B2B markets. The 562 Media team offers a unique blend of software, yellow pages, direct marketing and lead generation industry experience.

The new Website encourages supporters to share their ideas with the Congressman, participate in polls and attend fundraising events.

The site has been launched to coincide with the upcoming primary election, scheduled for February 2, 2010. The campaign hopes that this new site will aid supporters and curious voters in their quest for information regarding the Congressman’s views, plans and upcoming events.

Additionally, the site will serve as a starting point for the campaign’s new Web strategy to engage more voters.

Congressman Jackson’s campaign invites all interested parties to visit the new Website and assist the Congressman incorporating new ideas into his policy goals.

Interested parties can visit the new site at www.JesseJacksonJr.org .

In 2010, James Allen is expanding its inventory to include hundreds of new designer rings. From glamorous wedding rings to one-of-a-kind engagement rings, you’ll be amazed by the rich variety and elegant design of their dazzling new jewelry. At James Allen you’ll find amazing designer rings with certified diamonds that reflect graceful taste and refined sensibilities.

The thrill that comes from selecting the perfect engagement ring is incomparable. With so many different types of diamond rings to choose from, it’s fun to let friends take part in the excitement. That’s why James Allen has taken a huge step into social media – now customers can ask for their friends’ opinions, comments, raves and reviews on Facebook.

James Allen recently launched innovative 3D imagery, and the positive reception has been overwhelming – customers can truly experience every engagement ring on the Web site in a remarkable, near-tangible way. This year, James Allen will unveil even more exciting technological advances that will make 2010 seem like 2020.

“Why pay more for quality engagement rings at jewelry stores when you can enjoy the discount, convenience and 30 day money back guarantee of online shopping?” says James Schultz, Founder and President of JamesAllen.com. “We only offer the very best certified diamonds – each comes with a certificate from the American Gem Society (AGS), Gemological Institute of America (GIA) or the International Gemological Institute (IGI).

We’re also making improvements to our user interface that will provide every customer with unique search and purchase options. Now you can design your ring exactly how you want it – with no fuss – and for less than you think. We understand that every customer has different needs and preferences – that’s why we offer the best customer service in the business,” he adds.

“Loose diamonds, wedding rings, high quality engagement rings, design your own – whatever you’re looking for, James Allen offers the best for less.”

For details, please see www.JamesAllen.com .

“It appears that we may be seeing a surge of ‘shadow inventory’ properties appear on the market,” says Simon Campbell, real estate analyst for Bank Foreclosures Sale. “These are properties that, as of yet, have not been calculated into official inventory numbers. They include homes repossessed by lenders through foreclosures and similar actions and homes where owners are 90 days or more delinquent on payments.”

However, statistics do show that lenders may finally be closer to finding a solution for the home mortgage crisis.

“The question now remains,” says Campbell, “about how fast can they work to stem these potential foreclosures. Until we see a reduction in the number of foreclosures, we cannot get too hopeful about restoring housing industry stability.”

Even with this progress, unemployment remains at a record high. And congressional leaders continue to look for ways that millions of people who have lost their jobs will be able to stay in their homes. For instance, U.S. Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.) wants $3 billion to be allocated to such a program to help stem foreclosures.

About Bank Foreclosures Sale:

Bank Foreclosures Sale is a leading foreclosure listing service. It provides real estate investors with a large database of up-to-date foreclosure listings throughout the U.S.; listings are refreshed daily. Cheap foreclosure listings are readily available in all regions.

Bank Foreclosures Sale also offers customer support service via e-mail to real estate investors who navigate its database of foreclosed homes. Over the years, the company has worked to assemble a team of real estate experts with practical experience in the foreclosure industry. They have developed a large network of resources throughout the real estate industry.

For more information, visit: www.BankForeclosuresSale.com .

Why, in our electronically interconnected age, are curricular and budgetary decisions in school districts made on the basis of the standard model of one teacher in a classroom of 30 students, which hasn’t changed in 2500 years?

Why do educational systems in North America, for example, leave students largely ignorant of the history and cultures of huge swaths of the globe, like Africa, Asia, and the Islamic world? In foreign language study, why do French and Spanish represent 85 percent of classes taught in America, and Chinese less than 1 percent, despite the fact that in the 21st century China has a far greater influence on the planet socially, economically, politically, and culturally?

Why is Environmental Science largely ignored in most schools? Or economics? Why are geometry and calculus, which are thought to build problem-solving skills but are of little practical value to most students, still taught instead of Java, BASIC, or HTML, which could develop the same skills but also be immediately useful?

The group grew organically out of various on and offline discussions occurring among students, postdocs. research fellows and professors at Teachers College at Columbia University, the University of Tokyo, the Ecole Polytechnique in Paris, Kansas State University, the Graduate School of Education at Harvard, Hong Kong University, and the University of Cambridge, among others.

Comments are welcome, and can be made on the site or by writing futureofeducationinstitute@gmail.com.

Visit: www.instituteforthefutureofeducation.org .

“Even with the slower economy, ardent authors and small publishers continue to give voice to their muse in print,” said PNW editor Christopher Laird Simmons. “And, thanks to breakout products like Amazon’s Kindle, e-book versions – which were a gimmick a few years ago – are swiftly becoming ubiquitous.” Simmons has been a working journalist for 25 years, and has written widely on the topic of publishing, marketing, and e-books.

The following list of books are provided as “worth a look” for media and booksellers, as well as avid readers of new and unique literary content.

* New Book Exonerates Thomas Jefferson in DNA Controversy over Slaves and Sally Hemings

In this startling and revelatory new book, William G. Hyland Jr. shows not only that the evidence against Jefferson is lacking, but that in fact he is entirely innocent of the charge of having sexual relations with Hemings. “In Defense Of Thomas Jefferson: The Sally Hemings Sex Scandal” (ISBN-13: 978-0312561000, Thomas Dunne Books, 320 pp., hardcover; also in Kindle edition – ASIN: B002UL3392), has just been published by St. Martins Press and concerns the major historical controversy surrounding Mr. Jefferson and his slave, Sally Hemings. “In Defense” claims to definitively destroy the cultural myth that Jefferson had any relationship with Ms. Hemings.

* Rock Star’s Rainbow – They Threw Him Out A Plane, But They Couldn’t Throw Out His Story

“Rock Star’s Rainbow,” by author Kevin Glavin (ISBN-13: 978-0982546604, Kevin Glavin Publishing, 500 pp., paperback), is a new novel chronicling a recent and mysterious scandal involving one of the nation’s most cherished “icons.” The far-fetched story begins in August 2009, when a renowned entertainment reporter is thrown out of a plane over Los Angeles. At the time of his unfortunate death, he was completing a manuscript detailing the strange personal life of the most secretive mega star of our time – “Rook.” The quixotic adventure journeys from L.A. to Amsterdam, to India, and back. Along the way, Rook struggles with celebrity excess, re-ignites with his old flame, gets mixed up with the mafia, and must rescue the daughter he never knew he had. From the heights of hedonism to the depths of despair, this topical parody explores the “beast of fame.”

* New Book: Murder Mystery Solved on Montana Forest after 175 Years

In his latest book titled, “Saving Eden” (ISBN-13: 978-0979129391, EnDeavours Publishing, 386 pp., paperback; editor: Nathan Condron), set in the Tobacco Valley, Montana author David C. Deavours shares a message of environmental awareness through a fictional story full of mystery, adventure, romance and tragedy. Deavours relocates his main character, Nate Stone, from his Southern Appalachian home and plunges him into the wilds of Montana’s Kootenai National Forest, where Nate suddenly finds himself enveloped in an unsolved murder mystery dating in the early 1800s.

* Falling Apart: Newly Released Book Depicts ‘Anti’ Bernie Madoff Character

The media is saturated with real-life accounts of financial scoundrels such as Madoff, Sanford, and Rothstein making people sadly aware of men who strive to cheat their clients through alleged criminal schemes and outright theft. Such is the story line of husband and wife co-authors Ken and Tammy Brown’s “Falling Apart” (ISBN-13: 978-1605943954, Llumina Press, 224 pp., paperback; also available in hardcover). However, the man in this book is innocent. Set in today’s world of financial disintegration, “Falling Apart” is a timely book that depicts the horrors one man faces as his life crumbles to dust and ashes.

* New Book Helps Women Find Peace and Happiness after Abusive Male Relationship

A Step Beyond Publishing announces its first non-fiction, and potentially controversial book: “I Apologize to All Women in the World – From Man” (ISBN-13: 978-0979972409). The author, Billy Prowell, inspires women to accept their roles as dignified creations of God and to reject the assumed role, imposed by men, of indentured servant. This new book provides readers with a process to heal and inspires the wounded to rebuild their lives without harboring hatred in their hearts. Through thought-provoking letters and 11 different relationship examples, readers will gain insight into the egotistic behaviors of men and the gullibility of women.

* ‘Party Line’ May Touch the Very Dreams of its Readers

Sageous Press has announced the release of “Party Line” (ISBN-13: 978-0578035932, Sageous Press, 328 pp., paperback). a new novel by Peter A. Luber. This, Luber’s second foray into the realm of dreams, establishes a unique vision which serves not only to entertain but to enlighten the reader as to the depths of his or her own consciousness. His first work, “Oneironauticus,” was published in 2008 by Sageous. The narrative of “Party Line” consists of the dreams of seven troubled, doomed, or inspired individuals. Each dreamer’s personality and experience form both the content and style of their respective chapters. This creates a reading environment that truly portrays, rather than simply describes, the nocturnes and relationships of the major characters.

* The Unbearable Sadness of Zilch – New Novel Exposes Hollywood Hyper-reality in Intimate Private Investigation

No one is innocent … not in this town. In this town, the apocalypse has come and gone, lifting the veil of innocence like a great velvet curtain in an old movie house, where the only victims that don’t return for the sequel are the gods themselves, struck out long ago by the big blue pencil. In this town, every man, woman, and child takes the limits of his or her own field of vision to be the limits of the world. In his latest novel, “The Unbearable Sadness of Zilch” (ISBN-13: 978-1440158261, iUniverse, 160pp., hardcover; also available in paperback), Konrad Ventana explodes the myths behind the so-called Star Machine with a whole new level of intimate private investigation.

* Unique Booklet Helps Readers to Discover in Thirty Minutes or Less How to Accomplish Everything One Desires

A new booklet by author, motivational speaker, and business expert Marty Niedelman, “Rx For Success” (no ISBN), is a clear concise manuscript to help anyone achieve their goals and aspirations. Many people work hard and struggle to survive. Others do things in a certain way and have all the wealth and fame. Marty has combined the knowledge of many motivational books, tapes, courses, and lectures. He feels in essence, everyone is saying the same thing in different ways. By reading his booklet in thirty minutes or less, people will reap the benefit of reading many books which could amount to thousands of pages. Available in eBook and print editions.

* Authoritative Guide to Long Term Care Insurance Now Available in Electronic Editions

Almost for sure, you or a family member will need expensive long term care someday. How will you pay for it? What public or private insurance options are available to you? Now you can get those through the print or Kindle edition of “Dignity for Life: Five Things You Should Know Before Considering Long Term Care Insurance” (ISBN-13: 978-0615142531; also Kindle Edition – ASIN: B0030GFC4K) by Cameron Truesdell, CEO of LTC Financial Partners, LLC (LTCFP), one of America’s most experienced long term care insurance agencies. The latest edition is also available for iPhone, using the Kindle for iPhone App.

For more information on these and other books and entertainment publishing you likely have never heard of, visit: http://publishersnewswire.com/news/publishing-news/book-news .

To read a timely article on “The Present and Future of e-Books,” originally published in Nov. 2004, featuring a round-table of authors and publishers, visit:
http://publishersnewswire.com/2004/11/20/PNW988_090234.php .

Publishers Newswire is an online publication, part of the Neotrope News Network. Books to Bookmark(TM), Books2Bookmark(TM), Publishers Newswire(TM), and Neotrope, are service marks and trademarks of Neotrope(R), Redondo Beach / Torrance, Calif., USA. All rights reserved. All other trademarks acknowledged.