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Link: http://www.billboardmama.com/the-first-specialized-movie-reviews-iphone-app-is-now-launched-p-480.html

Los Angeles, CA (Marketwire-December 2, 2009) - MovieReviewIntelligence.com, Inc. announces the launch of the movie industry's first specialized movie review iPhone app, designed to provide moviegoers and movie industry professionals accurate real time movie reviews information in an easy-to-use format on the iPhone platform. The price of the app is $0.99.

Designed by Bay Area developer Appfam.com, the app gives you up-to-the-minute summaries of movie reviews for all current and upcoming movies in the U.S. and Canada. The first page of the app exhibits a list of current movies, with each movie's measurement of positive movie reviews. People can then click on individual movies for more specifics. The app can be found in the iTunes App Store by searching for "Movie Review Intelligence."

MovieReviewIntelligence.com provides the fountain of information that's used by the app. The site works round-the-clock - gathering movie reviews, analyzing hundreds of them and providing the most accurate, detailed and complete picture of the reviews.

David A. Gross, founder, editor and publisher of MovieReviewIntelligence.com proudly announces: "An iPhone app is a convenient tool for moviegoers and professionals who want to stay current and informed about what's playing; what they need to know about; and what they want to see."

"The app is designed for easy use," said Matt Bearson, founder and managing partner of Appfam.com. "You get the key information fast and then can click for more detail. This is valuable information that belongs on a mobile platform in real time. We're looking forward to doing more."

About MovieReviewIntelligence.com

MovieReviewIntelligence.com is the product of Gross' vision of providing moviegoers and film industry professionals the most accurate picture of movie reviews possible; the site was launched in June 2009. The website covers all films -- big, small, mainstream, indie, foreign and documentary. The critics included are chosen since they represent the body of film criticism that moviegoers see and read everyday.

MovieReviewIntelligence.com rises from other movie review sites for two reasons: (1) it is thorough and faithful to the critics, and (2) it is based on 10 years of meticulous research.

In addition, it's not affiliated with a movie studio or entertainment company, therefore, it's an independent web application. According to Gross, "this is the best site to rely on as a moviegoer. "It's the site I would have liked to have had as an executive at the studios."

About Appfam.com

Appfam.com was launched by Bearson in June of 2009 to develop iPhone apps that are fun information tools. Movie Review Intelligence App is the first commercial release of the company.

Simply go to the app's page at iTunes to know more about Movie Review Intelligence's movie reviews app.

Link: http://www.billboardmama.com/oahu-vacation-rentals-better-than-hotel-stays-p-479.html

A Hawaii vacation is a great option any time of year, but there is no denying that it can get expensive especially if you are planning to go with a larger group. For instance, hotel accommodations for a group of 12 on Oahu can easily cost you over $18,000 for a 2-week stay and that doesn't begin to address food costs. Plus, hotel stays tend to place you more in the middle of the typical tourist traps.

What you can do, on the other hand, is to find Oahu vacation rentals, which is a cheaper alternative and which will give you a more authentic Hawaii experience. The island is home to numerous homes which are extravagantly furnished and well-maintained by owners - also available for short-term rental. They range in location from mountain views to tropical garden views, with a large number of beachfront properties as well and they range in size from small apartments to sprawling houses, able to accommodate large groups for a fraction of the cost of a hotel. Although you won't have access to room service, you could very well cook your own food - which allows you to save tons of money.

The great thing about getting Oahu vacation rentals is that you're given a more up-close and personal view and experience of Hawaii while still being able to do what tourists set out doing in this idyllic island paradise.

The thing about vacation rentals is that they are often privately owned which also means that although there are plenty of them available, they are also more difficult to find. Good thing that there is Oahu Vacation Rentals (www.oahu-hawaii-vacation.com) , a website that helps you with your search. Oahu Vacation Rentals is not a realtor or a property manager; rather, they give you listings to help you connect with the people who want to rent their vacation homes to you. Whatever size your party is - may it be an intimate couple or a large group of twenty - there will always be something for you among those listings. Understandably, prices and terms vary as well; some rentals offer nightly rates, and some require a minimum stay of up to one month. But with this many options, you're more likely to find just the right place for you, your family or your clan; and chances are you will be able to pay less, and stay longer, than if you tried to go to a hotel.

If Hawaii is your vacation destination this year, you owe it to yourself to see if Oahu vacation rentals is the perfect choice for you. With all the beauty Hawaii has to offer, you want to experience it up close and personal, anyhow and maybe experience it longer.

Pacific Islands Reservations
571 Pauku Street
Kailua, Hawaii 96734
(808) 262-8133

Link: http://www.billboardmama.com/differences-in-hydroponic-systems-p-471.html

Hydroponic gardening (growing plants and food without soil) is getting a lot of traction among consumers, as more people take an interest in it. There are a number of hydroponic systems out there, designed to help grow different plants in various quantities. Hydroponic systems come in either pre-designed kits or units (great for beginners) or are sold in components (great for experienced growers who'll design their own system. Here are a few of the more common applications of hydroponics and how they function.

Ebb and Flow (also called Flood and Drain)
In this most common method of hydroponic growing, plants are placed in a growth tray over a nutrient container, and a pump is used to "flood" the tray(s) with the nutrient solution. The great thing about this system is that those that are not absorbed by the roots are drained into the reservoir and are being recycled. The Drip System, where a pump continually drips nutrient solution into the growth tray, is a variation of the Ebb and Flow System.

Nutrient Film Technique (NFT)
In this method, the plant roots are suspended in a constant "film" or flow of nutrient solution, which is sent into one end of the tray by a pump, drains out the other end into the reservoir and is recycled. This is a highly effective hydroponic system for nourishing roots, but is also more technical and high-maintenance, since the roots aren't anchored in a medium and are totally reliant on the solution.

The Water Culture System
The oldest hydroponic systems, and one of the simplest, a platform of planters simply floats in the nutrient reservoir while the roots of the plants dangle in the solution. Sometimes, an air pump is added to the system to oxygenate the solution. The Water Culture System is certainly an easy as well as inexpensive way to start a hobby in hydroponic gardening.

The Wick System
This is one of the few systems that doesn't use a pump. A wick (such as an oil lamp wick or candle wick) simply draws the nutrient solution from the reservoir to the growth tray, where the plant roots absorb it. This more passive system is low-maintenance, but it can often over-soak the roots, resulting to a smaller yield.

Aeroponics
This variation of hydroponics is more technical, but very effective. The plant roots have no anchor or medium; exposed to the air, they're continually sprayed with a vapor-mist of solution, allowing for quick absorption and loads of oxygenation. This system is sure to generate large, quick-growing plants when done accurately.

These are just some of the proven hydroponic systems. As you can see, some are more complex than others, and some more effective. Choosing the method for you primarily depends on your time, budget and overall needs.

Link: http://www.billboardmama.com/hydroponic-gardening-misconceptions-p-470.html

Hydroponic gardening (growing plants without soil) is a growing but largely misunderstood practice. Some view it with suspicion since they associate it with growing illegal plants; some see it as an overreaching of science; some see it merely as a novel-but-expensive hobby. In reality, however, hydroponics is a system that several hobbyists, gardeners, farmers and even nations utilize to grow strong and healthy plants. To clear things up, let us discuss the common fallacies.

The first misconception is that hydroponics is used to grow controlled substances in secret rooms. Internet sources don't seem to help since they associate the concepts of hydroponics and illegal activity. But that's precisely because those spreading that information know how to use the Internet-not because every hydroponic garden is an illegal one. Statistics suggest that only a tiny percentage of hydroponic gardens grow these controlled substances. A large number of plants and vegetables do very well in hydroponic environments, and there are many good, honest gardeners using hydroponics to do just that. For instance, in Canada and Holland, farmers are making use of hydroponics to grow food on a larger scale. Thus, saying that hydroponics is bad because of its connection to illegal substances is the same as saying that soil is bad. In other words, farming, whatever the method, is still farming - and hydroponics is just one of the alternatives.

Second, many people believe that hydroponic gardening is unnatural or artificial because it foregoes the use of soil. The truth is, there are no genetic or chemical alterations in hydroponics, and no natural processes are disrupted. All the normal ingredients for growing things in nature are supplied to the plants just the same as if they were planted in soil: light, water, nutrients, and an anchor for the roots. It is just that soil, which acts as a medium for all of these ingredients except light, is replaced by other root-anchoring methods; and nutrients, water and light are supplied in ways that optimize health and growth. Hydroponic plants, in fact, can be healthier and stronger than those grown conventionally-and without the use of additives. The process is more complex, but the result is still the natural production of plants and food.

Others erroneously believe that hydroponic gardening is merely an expensive hobby-a fad of sorts that has no real point. While hydroponics is indeed a fun pastime (and a growing business) for hobbyists, it can also be very useful. With hydroponics, growing plants and food in almost any setting becomes a possibility - regardless if it is winter, in the polar regions, in contaminated soils and even in space. More significantly, this alternative method in farming makes the yield and quality of food-bearing plants better - as a result, food is made readily available to third-world nations and in places where famine is rampant.

So maybe, there's more to hydroponic gardening than meets the eye; there is absolutely more to it than these common misconceptions might lead us to believe.

Link: http://www.billboardmama.com/understanding-what-general-hydroponics-is-p-469.html

The concept of general hydroponics is a puzzling one for many. By default, a number of people associate it with something highly technical - what with having laboratories, the alteration of a natural process thereby turning it into something unnatural. To understand this concept better, let us break this down into its basic components.

The word "hydroponics" comes from two Greek words that mean "working water." In this sense, the significance of water in plant health is highlighted, because in reality, it is through water, and not soil, that nutrients are fed to the plants. At its simplest, hydroponics is the growing of plants without the use of soil - instead, a water-based solution is utilized.

Let it be known that there's barely anything artificial about this process. There are no genetic manipulations and no chemical enhancements in hydroponics. Instead, the concept deals with breaking down the process into the basic building blocks. There are four elements that plants need for growth, these are: water, light, nutrients and anchor for roots. With the exclusion of light, the other three elements usually occur through the soil - but then again, soil isn't the one responsible for feeding the plant roots, but water. Soil, however, is essential because it provides an anchor for the roots and it's an effective medium where water feeds the plants.

In general hydroponics, all these elements are still present, but these are taken care of by the grower. Indeed, one can say that the natural process is not disturbed, it is just broken down into parts. A different medium is utilized to anchor the roots (like vermiculite or coconut) and water-nutrient solutions are sprayed or washed to the roots. Lighting can either be natural or artificial - grow lights as they are referred to, designed to maximize the parts of the light spectrum.

With hydroponic growing, the grower is given more "influence" over plant growth because he can manipulate the natural elements in order to maximize growth rate. Yes, it is more complex a process than just putting seeds in soil and watering them; but hydroponic growing can generate some very healthy plants and flowers and food when it is done well. General hydroponics is not about growing plants in an artificial manner; rather, it is about having more control of the natural processes of plant growth. But everything grown by a basic hydroponic process will be natural.