Spending time or effort to look after their appearance is, understandably, not at the top of their to-do list. And, like many couples, they are counting on their strong emotional bond to keep things running smoothly. Maintaining a vital and satisfying relationship is important to them and, in the end, its what makes their efforts all worthwhile. They believe that everything else can wait.

But a recent Harris Interactive survey commissioned by Medicis Aesthetics tells us that the connection between caring for our physical appearance and the health of romantic relationships is actually stronger than we realize. In a previous post describing the survey results, Is Love Really Blind? we learned that looks play a clear role in long-term partner satisfaction. Somewhat surprisingly, they matter most in the first seven years of a relationship and become less important over time. We also learned that facial features play a larger role in keeping mates attracted to one another than do their bodies. But according to the survey, overall physical attractiveness — which is not the same as physical perfection — matters to both men and women.

Interesting statistics and information, but their value ultimately lies in what we do with it all. Below are some practical tips that can help you apply the survey results to your life:

Looks Do Matter: With any new information, the first step is accepting its validity. And in this case, it means absorbing an unpopular, but undeniable reality — looks matter and they impact relationships. As superficial as it may seem, its a truth most of us recognize instinctively, even if its one we hate to admit. So, while we like to believe, its what is inside that counts, clearly who we are and how we look matter to our partners.

Remember, for most of us, our first encounters with our mates involved physical attraction, from the initial exchange of smiles to that memorable first kiss. We become intoxicated by our mates scent, by the way they feel and the way they make us feel. Regardless of their objective physical appearance, they become beautiful to us. Our experience of our mate is most often based on a developing an interpersonal connection as well as an ongoing physical one. As the relationship evolves, the hope is that both will grow.

Our culture has come a long way in broadening the roles that partners play in each others lives. Women no longer simply attract a mate to stay at home and have babies. Men dont just seek a mate to produce and protect a family. But physical attraction still matters in the success of relationships. And unless we find a healthy way to take that into account, we do a disservice to ourselves — and our partners.

Not Just For Men: Ongoing mutual attraction is not only just for men. No doubt women are focused on their own appearance — wed have to be blind not to notice that — but the Harris survey shows that females care how their male counterparts look as well. And both care more about faces than bodies.

Most men and women pay careful attention to their appearance when first seeking a mate. While women may take more time choosing new outfits, makeup and hairstyles, men say they spend their fair share on looking their best, too. Guys eye gals and vice versa — at bars, parties, work, even church and school functions — giving each other furtive glances to determine if there is chemistry. Its a mating ritual that has gone on for thousands of years and one that continues today. Just ask anyone using a dating website how important a persons photo is in initially selecting a mate. And this is true for both men and women. Looks are what initially draw people together.

And, although we may think that men ogle womens bodies, it turns out both men and women are more focused on faces. The survey tells us that its eyes, skin and lips that are most often noticed and recalled by partners in relationships. While we may think that shapely, fit bodies are most important in attracting a mate, it turns out faces are and we might think more about taking care of them — protecting our skin, moisturizing, adding gloss to our lips, keeping teeth clean and making regular dermatology and dental appointments. It makes sense to maintain the health and appeal of our most precious physical assets.

Sustaining Physical Attraction: We know that successful relationships require positive emotional regard, but the belief that we can simply assume our interpersonal connection will override our physical one is risky, especially during the first seven years.

Too often, we take for granted that once a relationship is signed, sealed and committed, we can relax and feel safe and secure about our future. In fact, the marriage rate is declining and only about one out of every two couples report marital satisfaction. We also know that more men and women today are either single — or expect to be — than ever before in history. Marriage, as an institution, is becoming less appealing, and the glue that keeps partners married, less cohesive.

We have learned from the survey that how we look — as well as how we feel about how we look — is an important ingredient in the glue that keeps relationships satisfying. And unless we continue to nourish it, we risk diluting the strength of our bonds. Obviously, that doesnt mean we should focus only on our appearance and physical attraction — couples that do are at risk as well. But, instead of relying on good communication or interpersonal skills alone, we might attend to our own appearance and let our mates know the importance of doing the same.

For example, you might consider telling your partner what appeals to you about their appearance. Do you like his eyes? Does her long hair turn you on? Surely, when you first met, there were lots of compliments in the air. How often do you express your admiration now?

On the flip side, partners also need to find ways to let each other know when something is bothering them about their mates appearance. Do it with kindness, but be genuine, like you would if you were commenting on a habit or behavior that is bothersome. How many times have you told your mate, Please put down the toilet seat or You need to cut down on your spending this month? Saying, I prefer your shirts tucked in, or Would you consider wearing your hair up tonight since I love it that way, are important pieces of information your partner may want to know, especially given that the result may fuel the much needed attraction in your long-term relationship.

Looking Our Best As We Age: We cant stop the aging process, but there are things we can do to prolong the health and vitality of our faces and bodies so we remain attractive to our mates. We have learned that an aging appearance is noticed by both men and women — and especially in the first years of a relationship.

As a result, from start of any relationship, it is important to practice healthy routines — avoid cigarettes and excessive drinking and maintain good sleeping and eating habits. As a marriage progresses and people age together, other factors may increasingly influence the way partners appear to one another. Good communication and shared interests probably help sustain attraction between couples as they age. Likewise, unhappiness often diminishes attraction. When relationships are new, emotional factors are less powerful influences on physical attraction, so it is especially important to pay attention to your appearance early on.

Some relationships suffer when couples believe that looks shouldnt matter as they get older. For example, men who develop a beer belly from too much drinking, or women who put no effort toward losing pregnancy weight sometimes take it for granted that these physical changes dont — or shouldnt — impact their relationship. Some men and women just feel they are too busy to care. But that approach is risky, especially given the fragility of todays marital bonds.

The Seven Year Itch: So, what have we learned about the Seven Year Itch? Clearly, there are many factors that contribute to a couples growing dissatisfaction during the early phase of a relationship. To reduce it to the loss of attractiveness is obviously too simplistic. These first seven years are often filled with starting families, building careers and firming the marital foundation. Young couples like Scott and Mary have a lot on their minds. But as this survey reminds us, they cannot dismiss the role that feeling attracted to one another plays in the success of their long term relationship. The key is incorporating this awareness into everything else that we know about how couples succeed — or dont — in todays culture.

For more information, please visit my website at www.VivianDiller.com and continue the conversation on Twitter at DrVDiller.

With Bayern to host Chelsea at Munichs Allianz Arena on Saturday, the 28-year-old was back in training on Thursday after missing two days earlier in the week.

I just had a bit of a cold, but I just wanted to make sure I didnt waste my energy, he said.

On Thursday, Robben took part in a 45-minute training session and said he would have to be bed-bound to miss the final against his former club.

Only a fever of over 40 degrees would keep me away from the pitch, said the injury-prone Dutchman.

I feel good. Its the biggest game of the season for all of us.

Were ready and were mentally well-prepared, because theres only one more prize up for grabs this season.

After Bayern were hammered 5-2 by Bundesliga champions Borussia Dortmund in last Saturdays German Cup final, Robben issued a rallying cry to his team-mates.

We need to exude optimism and our body language has to confirm that, said the Dutchman. Its an honour to be part of this. Theres no other topic of conversation in the town.

There are posters everywhere, and theres news of nothing else on radio and TV. Its a fantastic feeling.

Having played for the Blues from 2004 to 2007, Robben said he was looking forward to facing his former club.

I had a fantastic time there. Im always delighted when they do well, he said.

Theyve made it as far as the semi-finals in six of the last nine seasons.

This is the last chance for many of the older players. Theyll be really fired up. Im expecting them to come here and defend.

Bayern have a strong home record in this seasons Champions League with seven wins from seven.

Weve shown were one of the best teams in Europe, hopefully, by Saturday night, we can say were the best, added Robben.

The pricing of the first transaction took a half hour longer than Nasdaq planned. About 30 minutes later, the second- largest US equities exchange operator reported an issue confirming trades from the opening auction with the brokerages that placed them. Nasdaq later established an appeals process for investors whose instructions werent carried out.

Scrutiny of American equity markets intensified in March when Bats Global Markets Inc., the third-largest US stock exchange owner, withdrew its IPO after failing to trade on its own platform. Nasdaqs mishaps, on a day when the most anticipated IPO of the year eked out a gain of 0.6 percent, disappointed investors hoping to erase the memory of Bats.

It certainly wasnt their best day, Larry Tabb, chief executive officer of research firm Tabb Group LLC in New York, said in a phone interview. That said, it also wasnt a complete disaster. Nasdaq really needs to investigate what the challenges are and fix them quickly. There was a lot riding on this IPO and apparently it didnt go so well.

The US Securities and Exchange Commission said it will review the trading. Nasdaq spokesman Robert Madden didnt return calls and e-mails seeking comment. Jonathan Thaw, a spokesman for Menlo Park, California-based Facebook, declined to comment.

Treading Water

Facebook advanced 23 cents to $38.23 after surging as much as 18 percent. It fell as low as the IPO price of $38, which valued the company at $104.2 billion. More than 43 million shares were executed at that level, the second-most changing hands at any price except for $42, the opening auction price, data compiled by Bloomberg show. A total of 583 million Facebook shares traded.

Underwriters purchased shares to keep them from falling below $38, people with knowledge of the matter said. The bankers supported the stock amid Nasdaqs difficulties delivering trade execution messages, said one of the people, who asked not to be identified because the transactions are private.

Facebook was originally scheduled to open at 11 am At about 11:07 am, a Nasdaq official told market participants on a conference call that the exchange was delaying the opening. Aside from assurances that an update was coming, the phone line went silent until just before the first trade at about 11:30, according to two people who were on the call and asked not to be identified because the discussions were private.

Appeals Planned

Buy and sell requests that should have been filled in the opening auction, based on the exchanges rules, werent, while cancellations for other trade requests were ignored, they said. Their employers plan to appeal some of the results they received for orders sent to Nasdaq today.

Nasdaq began experiencing problems with its bid and offer quotes after the opening auction trade. By 11:31 am, the exchanges highest bid, or price at which market participants were willing to purchase shares, was $42.99, and its lowest offer to sell was $42.50, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. The quotes produced a so-called crossed market, where sellers appear to be asking less than buyers are willing to pay.

Other markets continued trading, usually with a difference of a few cents between their best bid and lowest offer. Nasdaqs quotes were marked as manual and not electronically accessible, which allowed brokers and other exchanges to ignore the venues prices. Its offer price later dropped to $38.01 and remained at that level, almost $4 below the highest bid, until 1:49 pm, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.

Dont Like

Clearly investors would hit the dont like button, Matt McCormick, who helps oversee $6.2 billion at Bahl amp; Gaynor Inc. in Cincinnati, said in a telephone interview.

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J., May 18, 2012 (BUSINESS WIRE) –
Amber Road, formerly Management Dynamics, a leading provider of Global
Trade Management (GTM) solutions, today announced that its Global
Knowledge(R) database of trade content was updated within
24 hours of President Obama’s signature on a presidential proclamation
putting the U.S.-Colombia free trade agreement (FTA) into force.

“Because the agreement specifies changes in rules of origin and HS
codes, it is critical for our customers to receive the updated content
immediately,” said Anthony Hardenburgh, vice president of Global Trade
Content at Amber Road. “In fact, the U.S.-Colombia FTA is affecting
20,681 HS codes and 858 rules of origin. This is a significant amount of
content that required collection, analysis and interpretation so it
could be implemented in our software at the time of the president’s
signature.”

Especially for organizations already doing business with Colombia, the
FTA could mean substantial reductions in landed costs due to
preferential treatment on thousands of items. In fact, over 80 percent
of U.S. exports of consumer and industrial products to Colombia will
become duty free immediately.

According to the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR), tariff
reductions in the agreement will expand exports of U.S. goods alone by
more than $1.1 billion, and the International Trade Commission projected
the agreement will increase U.S. GDP by $2.5 billion.

“While trade compliance professionals understand the importance of
having up-to-date trade content and its critical role in applying for
preferential duty status, embedding this content into their business
process is another challenge,” said Scott Byrnes, vice president of
marketing at Amber Road. “Amber Road’s Global
Knowledge(R) is not only the most comprehensive collection
of trade content in the industry, but also the fuel that powers hundreds
of GTM implementations worldwide.”

As countries around the world continue to expand the scope of these
preferential programs, companies engaged in global trade need a GTM
vendor possessing both trade expertise and the ability to quickly
operationalize dynamic trade regulations. For more information on Amber
Road’s Global Knowledge(R), visit
http://bit.ly/LbtXSQ .

About Amber Road

Amber Road provides a single, on-demand platform that automates and
streamlines global trade. By helping organizations to comply with
country-specific trade regulations, as well as plan, execute and track
global shipments, Amber Road enables goods to flow unimpeded across
international borders in the most efficient, compliant and profitable
way.

For more information, please visit
www.AmberRoad.com
or call (201) 935-8588.

SOURCE: Amber Road

Amber Road
Media Contact
Kathleen Hickey
202-607-7553
KathleenHickey@AmberRoad.com
or
Amber Road Contacts
Annika Helmrich (US & Canada)
201-623-9471
AnnikaHelmrich@AmberRoad.com
or
Martijn van Gils (Europe & Asia)
31 (0) 207997790
MartijnvanGils@AmberRoad.com

Copyright Business Wire 2012

Financial Glossary

Words used in this article:

Compared to the huge mass of continental Australia, the island of Tasmania may
look pretty inconsequential. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Rosenkrantz was indeed a Danish Baron, and his memoirs open with his 1934 arrival in New York and subsequent ill-advised foray into Harlem at a time when, to be blunt, white people simply werent safe there. Yet luck was on his side – charming, disarming, and without a bigoted bone in his body, by chance he met John Hammond (the man who discovered Billie Holiday and Bob Dylan, among many others). Hammond provided an initial introduction to the black clubs with the hottest jazz around. Soon Rosenkrantz was a familiar (and often the only white) face in every jumping joint in town.

Harlem Jazz Adventures, adapted and edited by international jazz journalist Fradley Hamilton Garner, is a fascinating and exuberant account of Rosenkrantz encounters with the giants of jazz. Anecdotal chapters tell of his encounters with the likes of Louis Armstrong, Benny Carter, Duke Ellington, and virtually every player in each and every band that passed through town.

Escapades include a raucous Christmas with Errol Garner, keyboard cutting contests with Art Tatum and Fats Waller, a brief stint as a gigolo, pitching a song to the father of the blues himself, WC Handy – and the list goes on and on. Rosenkrantz loved musicians as much as he loved jazz itself, and was always happy to share his other love – booze – leading to all-night parties the likes of which most only dream of.

Indeed, Rozentkrantz – despite his modest protestations, an amateur musician himself – immersed himself thoroughly in his beloved jazz. For a time he owned a record store, though he was more interested in the freewheeling jam sessions the back room provided space for. A part-time journalist, he published his impressions of American jazz in Danish newspapers. He produced a handful of recordings, ran a home recording service for musician friends, and hosted a jazz radio show. The only thing he didnt do, it seems, is make much money from any of it; despite his noble lineage, Rozenkrantz, who loved to spread it around when he had it, was always scrambling for money. Still, as he himself writes,

. these gigs ended like most of my American ventures. Lots of fun, and money for everyone but me. But I am not complaining. No one had a better time than I did. I would do it all over again and go home just as happy.

Although its amply evident that he knows his way around a chord change, Rosenkrantz doesnt set out to analyze the music.

Let me say from the start that I am not a musician myself., I am not a critic, Im just a little layman with an ear for music and a heart that beats for jazz.

Instead we get colorful and intimate portraits of the men and women who made the music, all filtered through the happy recollections of a humble and unassuming rascal. Perfectly capturing the mood of the times, he takes us into the speakeasies and after-hours clubs frequented only by those in the know, places where musicians now regarded as titans of twentieth-century music would let loose after the official gigs ended.

Garner proves an ideal editor; its obvious that he genuinely likes his subject, and his translation from the original Danish sparkles. Hes scrupulously careful about accuracy – each chapter includes copious footnotes – but even his revisions are labors of love, gentle nudges rather than harsh corrections, and his notes are affectionate and warm.

Towards the end Rozenkrantz leads a friend on an elegiac journey through his old stomping grounds, the vast majority of the clubs and musicians long gone. An era had passed, and a saddened Rozenkrantz returned to Europe, passing away in 1969. True, jazz would no doubt have flourished anyway had Rozenkrantz never ventured into Harlem. But it couldnt possibly have been as lively without the genial Dane.

A fascinating and illuminating glimpse into a now-vanished golden age, Harlem Jazz Adventures is essential reading for anyone interested in jazz or music in general.

View the original article on blogcritics.org

Brothers must think sisters are clueless when it comes to men.

Steve Harvey jump-kicked his career with Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man, a book that proved so popular even church mothers flocked to the movie theater when the best-selling book was released as a film.

Now, Dr. Ian K. Smith, Chicago’s own celebrity doctor, is weighing in with The Truth About Men: The Secret Side of the Opposite Sex.

On Friday, Smith will kick off his book tour at the Crowne Plaza with a panel of three of the hottest black men on the planet: Boris Kodjoe, Hill Harper and Evan Shy.

“This event is to really have an open, honest dialogue of married and single men with women to talk about the issues that we all are having in relationships and the need for better communication,” Smith told me.

Although I found Smith’s book fascinating, I’ll leave it for a brother to review.

But obviously, there is a problem when it comes to black romantic relationships.

This week I received a call from a mother who seemed genuinely puzzled by her adult daughter’s behavior. The young unmarried woman already had two daughters by different fathers.

“Will you say something about these girls who are meeting young men who act like they are into them, and the women start disrespecting themselves and their family,” the mother pleaded. “Do the young men have gold or silver down there?”

And too many educated black women are living out their lives alone because they are unable to find a suitable mate.

Recent studies found African Americans are marrying far less and much later in life than whites.

“The numerical advantage is in favor of men when it comes to dating,” Smith pointed out.

“I have so many female friends and women I have met over the years who seem to have it all, but for some reason they can’t find Mr. Right. What I realized was they may have already found Mr. Right and didn’t realize it because they didn’t understand what these men were saying or why they were doing what they were doing,” he explained.

“Social media has changed the landscape and the way people communicate. Women tend to get the short end of the stick when it comes to social media because guys are the ones who want to text. Guys like to hide behind social media because of our insecurity. Guys don’t want to be rejected,” he said.

Here are a sampling of the things men want women to know, according to Smith’s book.

“If there’s too many rules in the beginning of a relationship, he’s gone.”

“He wants you even more when others want you.”

“Early use of the word ‘marriage’ is an instant red flag, even if you’re using it in the most innocent ways.”

“If you lose your body then you’ll lose him.”

“Men can overcome a lot of your physical shortcomings, but overcoming bad teeth is virtually impossible.”

And my favorite and one that I can testify to: “Sometimes it simply is what it is, and your constantly trying to find a deeper meaning than what he presents is an annoyance.”

“My book is nonjudgmental and does not say men are right or wrong or if women are right or wrong,” Smith said. “But if you want to understand your man, these are the things that he is thinking, and these are the things he is doing, and here is the reason why. It does not mean that women must adapt their behavior to the desires of men,” Smith continued.

“But if they really want to understand their man, this book is a perfect way to decode them.”

For more information, go online to www.truthaboutmentour.com

But it was more like cooperative teamwork Wednesday when more than 50 veterans from the Army, Navy, National Guard and Marines learned together how to prevent and extinguish wildfires at the California Conservation Corps Placer Center in Auburn.

On the third day of a four-day training program, the vets learned how to lay down hose when they battle a fire, clean up after fires to ensure they will not reignite and use flares and other firefighting equipment.

Its a good program because not only do you get to spend more time with veterans, you also get to spend more time with different types of veterans, said Jacob Delaney, 21, who served in the Iraq War. All around you start to realize the different jobs and the different branches that everyone comes from, and their experiences will help you in the long run.

The four crews of veterans came from San Bernardino, San Diego, Placer County and South Lake Tahoe. They all arrived at the Placer Center on Friday and have been living in tents on the training areas lawn.

The program is a partnership between the CCC and the US Forest Service. After the training, the veterans will return to their counties and clear brush and other fire hazards in forest areas near population centers for the summer. Many of the participants hope to get an apprenticeship with the Forest Service to train as wildland firefighters.

The Forest Service spends $2 million on the veterans program, and another $680,000 comes from the state.

This is the first year that veterans in the program did more hands-on training in the field than in the classroom, said Michelle Carbonaro, a US Forest Service instructor.

Its more than I expected, said Jason Howerton, 23, who served in the Army as a medic for four years. Its very similar to the military in a lot of ways, as far as the way it is broken down and the way that discipline is instilled.

The 11 veterans in the Placer crew ran up a hill Wednesday and yelled instructions to each other while they fled an imaginary fire in a safety drill. When they got to a safe area, the veterans needed to pull a tarp shelter over themselves, which in an actual wildfire would be made of aluminum foil and silicon that would reflect radiant heat.

Instructors yelled at the veterans to hurry and tried to grab the shelters out of their hands to simulate wind. A few who took too long to cover themselves were told they were dead and had to sit out.

Its a real adrenaline rush, said Delaney, the Iraq War veteran. Your heart starts to race, and you start getting hotter. Getting into the shelter is hot and miserable. But that is your only lifeline, inside that shelter.

We try to make it a worst-case scenario, said Jim Moody, a Forest Service firefighter and instructor for the Placer crew. A lot of things can come down to it. The guy who is a few seconds ahead could be the one that lives.

copy; Copyright The Sacramento Bee. All rights reserved.

The session gives a basic overview of the process involved in foster care and adoption and an understanding of the characteristics of children in the child welfare system.

Men and women both felt less satisfied with their partners once a friend of the opposite sex appeared attractive to them, researchers from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire discovered. Still, theyre unsure if these friendships actually hindered romantic relationships, or whether people sought out platonic liaisons as their relationships were already flailing.

More related to this story

• Im jealous of my husbands female friend
• Hes flirting with a thigh-stroker, but wont let me have guy friends
• Science confirms chicks dig bad boys

Attraction in friendship is happening, and its persistent, lead author April Bleske-Rechek told Postmedia News Misty Harris, who wrote that: Notably, this seems to occur even when both parties claim genuinely platonic intentions.

Chalk it up to evolution, the authors write in the study, published in the Journal of Social and Personal Relationships.

Because cross-sex friendships are a historically recent phenomenon, mens and womens evolved mating strategies impinge on their friendship experiences.

And men seem to be leading the charge: Men have evolved to be far more sexually opportunistic, said Dr. Bleske-Rechek, who teaches psychology at the school.

In one of two studies making up the research, 88 opposite-sex friend pairs were separated and then grilled on their friendships. Men highballed their female friends attraction to them, while women lowballed it.

The second study involved 400 adults aged 18 to 52, who were asked to list the costs and benefits of their opposite-sex friendships, as well as how fulfilled they were in their current romantic relationship. Younger women as well as middle-aged participants of both sexes reported the greater their attraction to a friend, the lower their satisfaction with a romantic partner.

What has your experience been with platonic friends of the opposite sex? Has it encroached on your romantic relationships?