Silver deers and scented candles, both designed by Harry Slatkin for White Barn Candle Company. (NAPSA)—Holiday decor can be as much about delightful seasonal scents as it is about festive sights and sounds. A sprig of pine, a cinnamon stick or even apples and spice can trigger memories of holiday snowfalls and times spent around the fire with family and friends. Or, if you have a few guests on their way, some peppermint sticks and mint leaves hidden throughout the room can create a fresh and joyful atmosphere. Of course, if you don’t have peppermint, pine sprigs or cinnamon on hand, fragrant candles, oils, potpourri and sprays will do the trick, too. One line of home fragrances available at the White Barn Candle Company and Bath & Body Works is even meant to conjure warm images of Aspen in winter time. It’s called The Perfect Christmas. Here’s a closer look: Cozy Memories Set the mood with the Aspen Winter collection. It adds the festive fragrance of shimmering pine, crisp bay leaves, cinnamon and winter woods to the air. Or, brighten the room with the Henri Bendel Holiday—a bright fragrant blend of tea, cinnamon and nutmeg. Blended Aromas Four rich scents of Aspen, spice, tree and frosted cranberry will ensure that you and your loved ones enjoy The Perfect Christmas. Gifts Worth Giving The line also features scented mini-candles in jingle-bell flocked boxes. They can be great gifts for holiday hostesses or for just about anyone who likes to relax around holiday time. Similarly, the Silver Deer is a collection that includes a candle snuffer, tealight holder, glittered pillar candle and glittered tealights. Any of the pieces can make a thoughtful present. You can also find a ceramic hourglass vase in silver, along with glittered pillar and votive candles. Scented Decor The line’s spicy gingerbreadscented candle can add instant charm to a room, but so can the jingle-bell wreath framing a holiday wish candle or snowflake-illuminated wallflower with fragrance bulb. You may also want to consider the Aspen Winter Scented Sleigh Candle, which comes in either silver or gold. The line was designed by Harry Slatkin for White Barn Candle Company and is available in stores. Visit www.bathandbody works.com or call (800) 756-5005 for more information. The Guide To The Movies (NAPSA)—Whether you’re a “Fried Green Tomatoes” type of movie fan or “Attack of the Killer Tomatoes!” is more your speed, chances are your favorite movie is reviewed in the updated version of a classic movie guide. The book, called “Leonard Maltin’s 2007 Movie Guide” (Plume, $20), features reviews of more than 17,000 movies—including more than 300 movies that were not featured in any of the book’s previous editions. Each movie review includes comprehensive information on date of release, running time, cast and crew and MPAA ratings. It also features authoritative notations on format availCinema buffs ability, up-toare giving rave date indices of reviews to a new top directors and actors and movie guide. Maltin’s “Fifty More Films You May Have Missed.” Maltin wrote his first movie guide while still in high school. Since that first edition, his movie guides have become vital parts of many movie buffs’ collections. They’ve even been called “indispensable” by the Los Angeles Times and “Head and shoulders above the rest” by The New York Times. Maltin has published a companion volume, “Leonard Maltin’s Classic Movie Guide,” which focuses exclusively on films made prior to 1960. For more information, visit www.penguin.com. *** Unity to be real must stand the severest strain without breaking. —Mahatma Gandhi *** *** Being loved keeps you young. —Madonna *** Aborigines are thought to have been able to cross the Torres Strait from New Guinea to Australia, then at least 43 miles across, as early as 55,000 B.C. Before the Civil War, Oberlin and Antioch colleges were the only coed colleges to allow women to matriculate, but only in a special program separate from men. *** If you judge people, you have no time to love them. —Mother Teresa *** *** May you live as long as you wish and love as long as you live. —Robert A. Heinlein *** *** Love is the only thing you get more of by giving it away. —Tom Wilson *** A ship traveling through the Panama Canal from the Atlantic to the Pacific actually goes from northwest to southwest. 5 Green Windows: Improving Views, Maintaining Our Environment (NAPSA)—Today’s environmentally-conscious consumers want to build their homes with sustainable, recycled or energyefficient materials. When it comes to windows, you can choose products that will both stand the test of time and effectively manage the sun’s rays with energy-efficient glazings. The following tips can help you select a window manufacturer with environmentally-friendly products and manufacturing processes: • Understand The Numbers. The window industry uses certain criteria, developed by the National Fenestration Rating Council as a guide to understanding the energy efficiency and performance of a window or door. U-Factor measures the rate of heat loss through the window. The R-Value measures a window’s resistance to the passage of heat. The Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC) is the fraction of available solar heat that passes through a window. Windows in warm climates should have low SHGC, while windows in cold climates should have higher SHGC in order to bring in the heat of the sun to heat a home. Research the UFactor, R-Value and SHGC numbers appropriate for your area online or at the library. • Choose Energy-Efficient Glass. Insulating glass and lowemissivity coatings significantly improve the energy efficiency of your windows and save you money on energy bills. • Materials Matter. The material of a window’s frame plays an important part in a window’s overall performance. Two great options are wood and pultruded fiberglass. Wood, desirable for its warm, traditional look, provides solid energy efficiency. As wood is a renewable resource when managed correctly, ask questions about the manufacturer’s commitment to purchasing from reliable Energy-efficient windows are not only friendly to the environment, they can save you money by lowering heating and cooling costs. lumber suppliers who subscribe to groups such as the Sustainable Forest Initiative. Pultruded fiberglass frames offer superior energy efficiency, because fiberglass expands and contracts at the same rate as the glass in temperature extremes, decreasing stress cracks or seal failures. Silica sand is the primary component in the manufacturing of fiberglass and is an abundant and renewable resource. • Durability. Choose durable windows and doors that have the quality craftsmanship and strength to last. For example, Marvin Windows and Doors manufactures durable extruded aluminum clad wood windows with a commercial grade finish for superior protection against dents, scrapes and fading, meaning that your windows will look new for years. In addition, look for a company with environmentally responsible manufacturing processes. Companies such as Marvin Windows and Doors that actively promote recycling, clean manufacturing and waste management are often recognized by government or industry awards. To learn more about Marvin’s environmental commitment, visit www.marvin.com or call (888) 5378268. Mermaid Helps Save Life In The Ocean (NAPSA)—When it comes to saving life in the ocean, one new spokesperson may be right in her element. Ariel from Disney’s “The Little Mermaid” is appearing on new public service announcements that share information on how to care for the sea. Over half the nation’s population lives along the coast, while many others visit the ocean each year, yet few Americans are aware that the health of the oceans is currently at risk. Nor do most know that people can play an important role in keeping the oceans clean, no matter where they live. Marine debris, such as fast food packaging, cigarette lighters/butts/packaging, beverage containers and disabled or waste fishing gear, enters the ocean directly when discarded near the coast or indirectly via rivers, streams and storm drains that ultimately flow into the ocean. Discarded plastic bags, which comprise over 50 percent of dangerous marine items, are consumed by marine mammals such as sea turtles and whales, leading to choking and starvation. Thousands of seals, sea lions, whales, dolphins and sea turtles also become entangled in plastic debris and lost fishing lines and nets; this destroys habitats and causes skin lesions, ulcerating wounds, suffocation and death. The PSAs feature Ariel and Flounder, characters from “The Little Mermaid,” discussing the The ocean truly is “part of our world,” says Ariel, in “The Little Mermaid.” You can help keep the oceans clean. beauty of the oceans. The ads remind viewers that no matter where they live, life in the oceans depends on them. “The good news is that the problem of trash in our oceans is one that can be solved,” said Lori Arguelles, president and CEO of the National Maritime Foundation. “As this campaign points out, each of us can make a huge difference by being more aware of how we dispose of our trash. The ocean truly is ‘part of our world’ and the characters help make that connection, especially to children.” The PSAs encourage viewers to visit a new Web site, www.keep oceansclean.org, to learn how to protect the oceans. The announcements are being created through a partnership with the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation (NMSF), the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Environmental Defense and the Walt Disney Company.
