RELEASE UNDER EMBARGO UNTIL OCTOBER 8, 2012 @ 1800

Olympic gold medal success celebrated with rowers awarded new Audi Q5s by BankLink together with Giltrap Group

Auckland, 8 October 2012: BankLink, principal partner of Rowing New Zealand, together with the Giltrap Group today presented Rowing New Zealands Olympic gold medallists with the keys to new Audi Q5s in recognition of their outstanding achievements at the London 2012 Olympic Games.

Single sculler Mah Drysdale, coxless pair Eric Murray and Hamish Bond, and the heavyweight double scull duo including Joseph Sullivan each received the keys to their new cars at a private ceremony hosted at the Giltrap Audi Showroom on Great North Road in Auckland. Sullivans crewmate, Nathan Cohen, who was unable to attend, will be presented with his car at a later date.

Richard Reese, BankLink General Manager of Operations, said; BankLink is a long-time supporter of Rowing New Zealand and we wanted to recognise and celebrate the exceptional success of our Olympic gold medallists.

Watching our rowers compete in London clearly showed once again the effort and dedication of these athletes. We believe it is important to formally recognise and reward their achievements at a personal level and to hopefully provide an incentive for them to continue on to Rio 2016 and replicate their success.

BankLink, together with Giltrap Group, has gifted the gold medal winning rowers the use of the Audis for two years or, as an incentive to stay on in the sport until the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, for four years if they continue with rowing.

Sir Colin Giltrap, Executive Chairman of Giltrap Group Holdings Limited, added; The presentation of these Audi Q5s is an acknowledgement of the hard work and hours these rowers put into their sport every week. Our rowers have achieved some of New Zealands greatest sporting successes in recent years and were proud to be able to show our support of these amazing athletes in this way.

CEO of Rowing New Zealand, Simon Peterson, added; BankLink is an incredibly supportive and hands-on principle partner for Rowing New Zealand. Having a sponsor that not just provides funding to our programmes, but that goes the extra mile to support our athletes at a personal level is invaluable.

Our rowers spend a great deal of time on the road each day travelling to training sessions and events and being able to get there in the comfort, safety and style of an Audi Q5 is something that I know will be appreciated by all of our gold medallists.

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Olympic gold medal success celebrated with new Audi Q5s

LONDON, October 8, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --

Since her birth in the early 70's Hello Kitty has become a billion dollar a year brand, but it is only in the last year Sanrio's brand has moved into the world of high end fashion, with its Milan based Pynkiss label. Since then the brand's innovative, experiential, multi-channel 'shoppertainment' approach has seen Pynkiss shortlisted for The Field Marketing and Brand Experience Awards 2012 and the stratospheric global growth of the high end Pynkiss label has taken even the brand owners and licensors, Sanrio, by surprise.

Pynkiss, first launched at Milan Fashion Week in 2011, has since opened a raft of stores in the Middle East and Asia fuelled by demand from stockists and franchisees. Pynkiss has ambitious plans to expand its global presence further, with more stores set to open in the US, Europe and Asia. The stores that have already opened have had their shelves stripped bare within hours, and the flagship stores had to restock twice within the first 3 days of trading.

For a business only one year old, Pynkiss has performed exceptionally well against global retail projections. In 2011 the global retail market saw composite retail growth of 5.3% for established brands and Pynkiss has conformed to growth trends achieving a 4.9% increase since September 2011, within its first 12 months of trading.

There has been significant growth in retail sales across African and Middle East regions, with a steady 9.3% increase over the last 2 years, and Pynkiss' presence within the Middle East has contributed to its 4.9% total sales increase. With Pynkiss set to expand across the Asian and Pacific markets, they are looking to contribute to the 4.7% retail sales growth in these regions. A recent study found Africa and the Middle East had generated the highest compound annual growth out of all regions, and Pynkiss has also enjoyed commercial success after beginning its retail operation in the Middle East, with sales in this region exceeding all expectations.

Roberto Lanzi EMEA President of Sanrio says, "A brand that can strike a chord across so many differing cultures in its first year of trading, shows that innovative consumer experiences like 'shoppertainment' are where the global retail sector must head. The consumer wants and expects more than simply browsing and they wish to be engaged with in unique and personal ways. That is just what Pynkiss offers for consumers. Not only do the statistics back this up but a nomination for a 'shopper connection' award within the first year of trading, alongside such well respected brands as Blackberry and LG, is further iteration that this strategy works. This endorsement is beyond our most optimistic predictions for Pynkiss and to say we are delighted is an understatement!"

Founder and CEO, Chady Jriege commented at the launch of Pynkiss' huge Facebook online birthday event. "The impressive annual sales of 2011-12 has led to rapid expansion in the behind the scenes operation to facilitate further growth, with both distribution and production having to drastically intensify output by as much as 50%. The design studio and showroom has a new space at Via Morimondo, in the prestigious Milan fashion district as eager stockists and buyers seek to stock the brand or negotiate store franchise options. Pynkiss is fast becoming the must-have brand for babies, kids, teens and adults alike."

Despite the icy current financial climate Pynkiss has enjoyed a two-fold increase on turn-over for the brand in the last nine months alone, hitting what Mintel describes as 'average annual sales' figures for more well established brands in just two-thirds of the time. So it seems that on the first birthday of Pynkiss the high end brand will have more to celebrate than merely being a year old - and a grown up competitive, commercial Hello Kitty is finally coming of age.

For further global information/images requests please contact Philip Allan at Xpert Communications, London on +44(0)207-978-0580 or phil@xpertcomms.co

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Sanrio's Hello Kitty Pynkiss Label Celebrates a Year of Stratospheric Success in a Fiercely Competitive Global Market

ScienceDaily (Oct. 7, 2012) Expanding production of palm oil, a common ingredient in processed foods, soaps and personal care products, is driving rainforest destruction and massive carbon dioxide emissions, according to a new study led by researchers at Stanford and Yale universities.

The study, published online Oct. 7 in the journal Nature Climate Change, shows that deforestation for the development of oil palm plantations in Indonesian Borneo is becoming a globally significant source of carbon dioxide emissions.

Plantation expansion is projected to contribute more than 558 million metric tons of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere in 2020 -- an amount greater than all of Canada's current fossil fuel emissions.

Indonesia is the leading producer of palm and palm kernel oil, which together account for more than 30 percent of the world's vegetable oil use, and which can be used for biodiesel. Most of Indonesia's oil palm plantation expansion is occurring on the island of Borneo, also known as Kalimantan, which occupies a land area nearly the size California and Florida combined. Plantation leases, covering 32 percent of Kalimantan's lowlands outside of protected areas, represent a major land bank that is slated for development over the next decade, according to the study.

In 2010 alone, land-clearing for oil palm plantations in Kalimantan emitted more than 140 million metric tons of carbon dioxide -- an amount equivalent to annual emissions from about 28 million vehicles.

Home to the world's third-largest tropical forest area, Indonesia is also one of the world's largest emitters of greenhouse gasses, due to rapid loss of carbon-rich forests and peatlands. Since 1990, development of oil palm plantations has cleared about 16,000 square kilometers of Kalimantan's primary and logged forested lands -- an area about the size of Hawaii. This accounts for 60 percent of Kalimantan's total forest cover loss in that time, according to the study's authors.

"Despite contentious debate over the types and uses of lands slated for oil palm plantations, the sector has grown rapidly over the past 20 years," said project leader Lisa M. Curran, a professor of ecological anthropology at Stanford and a senior fellow at the Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment. By combining field measurements with analyses of high-resolution satellite images, the study evaluated lands targeted for plantations and documented their carbon emissions when converted to oil palm.

The study's researchers generated the first comprehensive maps of oil palm plantation expansion from 1990 to 2010. Using cutting-edge classification technology, developed by study co-author Gregory Asner from the Carnegie Institution's Department of Global Ecology, researchers quantified the types of land cleared for oil palm plantations, as well as carbon emissions and sequestration from oil palm agriculture.

"A major breakthrough occurred when we were able to discern not only forests and non-forested lands, but also logged forests, as well as mosaics of rice fields, rubber stands, fruit gardens and mature secondary forests used by smallholder farmers for their livelihoods," said Kimberly Carlson, a Yale doctoral student and lead author of the study. "With this information, we were able to develop robust carbon bookkeeping accounts to quantify carbon emissions from oil palm development."

The research team gathered oil palm land lease records during interviews with local and regional governmental agencies. These records identify locations that have received approval and are allocated to oil palm companies. The total allocated leases spanned about 120,000 square kilometers, an area slightly smaller than Greece. Most leases in the study occupied more than 100 square kilometers, an area slightly larger than Manhattan.

Excerpt from:
Oil palm plantations are clearing carbon-rich tropical forests in Borneo, researchers show

Expanding production of palm oil, a common ingredient in processed foods, soaps and personal care products, is driving rainforest destruction and massive carbon dioxide emissions, according to a new study led by researchers at Stanford and Yale universities.

The study, published online Oct. 7 in the journal Nature Climate Change, shows that deforestation for the development of oil palm plantations in Indonesian Borneo is becoming a globally significant source of carbon dioxide emissions.

Plantation expansion is projected to contribute more than 558 million metric tons of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere in 2020 an amount greater than all of Canada's current fossil fuel emissions.

Indonesia is the leading producer of palm and palm kernel oil, which together account for more than 30 percent of the world's vegetable oil use, and which can be used for biodiesel. Most of Indonesia's oil palm plantation expansion is occurring on the island of Borneo, also known as Kalimantan, which occupies a land area nearly the size California and Florida combined. Plantation leases, covering 32 percent of Kalimantan's lowlands outside of protected areas, represent a major land bank that is slated for development over the next decade, according to the study.

In 2010 alone, land-clearing for oil palm plantations in Kalimantan emitted more than 140 million metric tons of carbon dioxide an amount equivalent to annual emissions from about 28 million vehicles.

Home to the world's third-largest tropical forest area, Indonesia is also one of the world's largest emitters of greenhouse gasses, due to rapid loss of carbon-rich forests and peatlands. Since 1990, development of oil palm plantations has cleared about 16,000 square kilometers of Kalimantan's primary and logged forested lands an area about the size of Hawaii. This accounts for 60 percent of Kalimantan's total forest cover loss in that time, according to the study's authors.

"Despite contentious debate over the types and uses of lands slated for oil palm plantations, the sector has grown rapidly over the past 20 years," said project leader Lisa M. Curran, a professor of ecological anthropology at Stanford and a senior fellow at the Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment. By combining field measurements with analyses of high-resolution satellite images, the study evaluated lands targeted for plantations and documented their carbon emissions when converted to oil palm.

The study's researchers generated the first comprehensive maps of oil palm plantation expansion from 1990 to 2010. Using cutting-edge classification technology, developed by study co-author Gregory Asner from the Carnegie Institution's Department of Global Ecology, researchers quantified the types of land cleared for oil palm plantations, as well as carbon emissions and sequestration from oil palm agriculture.

"A major breakthrough occurred when we were able to discern not only forests and non-forested lands, but also logged forests, as well as mosaics of rice fields, rubber stands, fruit gardens and mature secondary forests used by smallholder farmers for their livelihoods," said Kimberly Carlson, a Yale doctoral student and lead author of the study. "With this information, we were able to develop robust carbon bookkeeping accounts to quantify carbon emissions from oil palm development."

The research team gathered oil palm land lease records during interviews with local and regional governmental agencies. These records identify locations that have received approval and are allocated to oil palm companies. The total allocated leases spanned about 120,000 square kilometers, an area slightly smaller than Greece. Most leases in the study occupied more than 100 square kilometers, an area slightly larger than Manhattan.

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Scientists show oil palm plantations are clearing carbon-rich tropical forests in Borneo

Jamie Carragher has a job for life at Liverpool.

Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers has assured the former England defender there will be a place for him at the club to pursue his coaching ambitions when he does stop playing.

Carragher is no longer an automatic choice for the club he joined at the age of 13, but Rodgers said: "Jamie still has a lot to offer this club - and he is in such great physical and mental condition that he could carry on playing here for a few more years.

"Of course, the time comes for even the greatest players to sit down and think about what they want to do once they have stopped playing.

"Jamie is a great student of the game. He can go down whatever route he wants and I am sure the club will sort that out for him when the time comes.

"Whether it is coaching, scouting, or recruitment is up to Jamie. But whatever it is there will be a role here for him because he is an iconic figure at Liverpool."

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Liverpool boss Rodgers: Carragher can do his coaching here

Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7HMxWHjVsJQ

05-10-2012 17:26 Search Juicers - Detox diets are so difficult at times. Last time I did the lemonade cleanse or master cleanse and the results were great but man was it a tough one. This time, it should be easier since I'm doing a juice fast. Juicing provides your body with micro nutrients and makes you feel fuller so it's a much easier way for me to tighten, tone when added to my workout regimen. Gotta look good for my upcoming trip to Daytona during Biketoberfest. Not to mention I will still have plenty of energy for my workouts. I usually eat a pretty clean diet of mostly vegetables and fruits and low fat, unprocessed foods so this cleanse won't be hard at all. Don't get me wrong.... there are times when I just have to get busy on a medium rare filet mignon, baked potato and all that but in order to stay in shape, be healthy and stay away from doctors and prescription drugs, a lifestyle that includes healthy eating habits and regular fitness is key. We're on Facebook - Twitter - Thanks to Jason Shaw over at for the awesome background music. Released under Creative Commons license 3.0 http

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Juicing for health and my juicing recipe - Video

Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wqALgo3rxM0

06-10-2012 06:03 if you enjoy health and fitness travel then you will love the Fresh Start Fitness Bootcamp in Chiang Mai Thailand. Here is a short video taken at one of our bootcamp holidays of an aqua water class.People travel from all over the World to attend our life enhancing fitness holiday. Most of our customers come from Australia, Hong Kong, Singapore, Dubai and the United Kingdom.

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Health and Fitness Travel Opportunities in Chiang Mai Thailand. - Video

Bob Andres - MCT

Denise McColister, 55, of Georgia says a retirement that was on track 10 years ago was derailed by an unexpected disability, job loss and erosion of her homes value.

ATLANTA -- A decade ago, Denise McColister envisioned a comfortable retirement around the time she turned 62.

At 45, I felt really secure, the Dallas resident, now 55, recalled. Back then, her husband made good money, and their house was paid for.

Then he became disabled and their house, which they had borrowed against, plummeted in value. Now, instead of padding her financial cushion, shes working a part-time call center job while hoping for a better position. Theres no retirement in sight.

Ill probably be working until Im called home, she said.

Many Americans have had to adjust their retirement dreams since the recession and housing bust. For some, like McColister, the question is whether they can ever retire.

Over 55? Retirement iffy

A study by the Employee Benefit Research Institute determined that 1 in 3 households headed by people now age 55 to 64 wont be financially prepared to retire even by age 70. Lower-income people face the biggest problem.

Its generally accepted that the effects of layoffs, flat-lined pay, declining property values and a turbulent stock market have eroded wealth to the point where many can no longer expect to stop working when theyre 65 let alone earlier.

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Retirement roadblocks mount for many

Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4_m4ZJNJX7Q

03-10-2012 20:02 Dave Burgis the founder and director of the National Health and fitness Academy is interviewed about personal training and having a successful personal training business. Dave Burgis is known as an industry expert and gives his opinion on questions asked by the students of the National Health and Fitness Academy.

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Dave Burgis Interviewed about Personal Training success. - Video

PHIL DOYLE/Fairfax NZ

IN THE BLOOD: "My parents have always had their own businesses and together as a family we have another two businesses over and above Spaceworks," says Lizzi Hines.

As a single 28-year old mum, with no assets, and living with her parents, Lizzi Hines took a massive leap of faith when she bought an office design agency in 2006.

Many straight-backed accountants would advise strongly against such a move. Hines' accountant did, and her lawyer. Cash is king when starting or buying a business, right?

Not according to Hines. As a junior designer at Auckland-based Spaceworks she knew "in her gut" she was making the right move to buy the business and had the backing of the company's founder.

More to the point she had the support of her number one advisers - her parents, a lawyer and an accountant. It took a month of selling her business proposition every day at the bank, for them to finally lend her the money.

Hine's parents were overseas on a cruise in Europe during the bank negotiations. "They tell this story of waking up every morning and turning on their phone and hearing beep, beep, beep with all my crazy emails and texts," she laughs.

Fast-forward six years; Spaceworks has not only survived the recession, through diversifying its client base to other industries, but in the past two years has doubled turnover each year.

The company provides services throughout the country, and has also completed projects in Australia and the South Pacific, where it eventually wants to have permanent hubs.

Why did you become an entrepreneur?

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Entrepreneur has designs on success