Multitasking

    What is the first thing you notice when you walk into a shop? The products displayed (展示) at the entrance? Or the soft background music?

    But have you ever notice the smell? Unless it is bad, the answer is likely to be no. But while a shop's scent may not be outstanding compared with sights and sounds, it is certainly there. And it is providing to be an increasing powerful tool in encouraging people to purchase.

    A brand store has become famous for its distinctive scent which floats through the fairly dark hall and out to the entrance, via scent machines. A smell may be attractive but it may not just be used for freshening air. One sports goods company once reported that when it first introduced scent into its stores, customers' intension to purchase increased by 80 percent.

    When it comes to the best shopping streets in Pairs, scent is just as important to a brand's success as the quality of its window displays and goods on sales. That is mainly because shopping is a very different experience to what it used to be.

    Some years ago, the focus for brand name shopping was on a few people with sales assistants' disproving attitude and don't touch what you can't afford displays. Now the rise of electronic commerce (e-commerce) has opened up famous brands to a wider audience. But while e-shops can use sights and sounds, only bricks-and-mortar stores (实体店) can offer a full experience from the minute customers step through the door to the moment they leave. Another brand store seeks to be much more than a shop, but rather a destination. And scent is just one way to achieve this. Now a famous store uses complex man-made smell to make sure that the soft scent of baby powder floats through the kid department, and coconut (椰子) scent in the swimsuit section. A department store has even opened a new lab, inviting customers on a journey into the store's windows to smell books, pots and drawers, in search of their perfect scent.

    Poteet Strawberry Festival

    Poteet, Texas, USA

    April 11—April 13

    Description:

    The Poteet Strawberry Festival is one of the oldest, most popular events in the state and is recognized as the largest agricultural festival in Texas as well as one of the most exciting, dynamic festivals in the Greater Southwest. The 100-acre site, which is located on Hwy. 16, 20 minutes south of San Antonio, offers free parking, clean public restrooms, handicapped accessibility, complete RV facilities, and tent covered activities during the fun, filled Festival Weekend.

The Poteet Strawberry Festival includes fourteen areas of continuous, family entertainment featuring concerts with nationally known Country Western and Tejano stars, dancers, gunslingers, clowns, puppets, regional bands, various contests, and rodeo performances. These activities are included in the price of a $10.00 admission ticket. Children aged 12 and under are admitted free of charge as well as active, reserve and retired military with proper ID.

    Performers:

    Craig Morgan, Pam Tillis, Rick Trevino

    Location:

    Poteet, Texas

    Directions:

    30 miles south of San Antonio on Hwy. 16

    Times:

    The Festival Grounds will open at 6:00 pm Fri. and at 10:00 am both Sat. & Sun.

    Admission:

    Adult $10.00

    Children 12 & under / active, reserve, and retired military personnel with proper ID are admitted FREE

    Website: http://www.strawberryfestival.com

    Telephone: 830-276-3323

    Email: nitaharvey@sbcglobal.net

    When most of us look at our hands, we might notice that we need to clean, or stop biting our fingernails, and that's about it. But if you ask a doctor, he can see a whole lot more. Everything from poor diet and stress to serious kidney (肾) problems can be revealed by a glance at your fingernails.

    There are about 30 different nail signs that can be associated with medical issues, though may indicate more than one problem, according to Dr. Amy Derick, a clinical instructor of dermatology at Northwestern University.

    Here are five of the things a doctor can tell about your health based on your fingernails.

    ⒈People who aren't eating well and lack vitamin or dietary may have thinner than normal nails, which are more likely to break.

    ⒉Horizontal lines are associated with serious physical stress. They frequently occur in people who have gone through chemotherapy(化疗).They can also occur after some illnesses, injuries, or with severe malnourishment(营养不良).Interestingly, there may be an altitude connection too. They've also been found in people who dove 1,000 feet and others who participated in an Everest exploration.

    ⒊Vertical lines, however, are generally not such a big deal. Some people are more genetically prone to them than others, but they're commonly associated with aging.

    ⒋When people lack iron, their nails can turn spoon-like. Instead of curving down and covering the finger normally, they'll start to rise up on the sides and front, like the part of a spoon that holds liquid.

    ⒌Kidney and liver problems can create “half-and-half nails”, where one part of the nail is white and the other part dark or pink, according to Derick.

    Doctors note that because disease diagnosis is complex and some symptoms can be associated with different diseases, you should always see a medical professional if you are concerned about something you notice.

    Family Fun in Canadian Museum of Nature

    Bring the whole family to rediscover our fully redecorated museum.

    WHAT TO SEE AND DO

    Check out What's On for all the events, educational activities and HD movies happening during your visit. Care for birds, dive down into the depths at the helm (舵柄) of a research submersible(潜水器) or explore a cave… on the first floor. Don't miss our gallery play areas on the third floor when visiting with kids. By visiting here, your children will learn more about nature. Check out Our Exhibitions which presents our special exhibitions and our galleries. Be sure to stop at our Nature Boutique on the second floor for a vast selection of games, books and nature-related souvenirs from 9:30 am until the museum closes for the day.

    HOURS, ADMISSION, SERVICES AND MORE

    The Canadian Museum of Nature provides a lot of information, images and videos on our websites about nature, such as http://www.nature.ca/en/family-fun and http://www.expeditionarctic.ca/. The museum also participates in several social networks. Follow us on Facebook, YouTube, Instagram and Twitter.

    We Brits love the idea of a real Christmas tree but not so many of us like the realities of dragging (拖拽) a 7ft Norway Spruce through the house and leaving needles all over the place.

    If you count yourself among the reluctant group, then it may be time to go fake (假的) . After all, buying an artificial Christmas tree needn't mean accepting defeat. There's a huge range of choices and sizes, including pre-lit trees, which will save you the frustration of trying to string your own lights.

    Another big advantage of choosing an artificial Christmas tree is cost: artificial trees can last for decades, so they work out cheaper than paying for a real tree every year. Like now retailers (零售商) are offering great deals at the moment: at Tesco, there's 25 percent off artificial Christmas trees. Meanwhile, you can take advantage of the current 3 for 2 offer at Argos to fill your house with not one, not two, but three. You may perhaps partner up with friends who are also looking to invest.

    Of course, keep your tree for years and years and it will start to pay you back in terms of carbon footprint; however, a “real” one will always have to be transported, used and dealt with every year.

    Are there any downsides? Yes. You might think you're saving the planet, but a fake tree is actually not an environmentally friendly option. Most are made in factories in Asia, resulting in some serious air miles to reach the UK. They're made from metal and plastic, and many end their lives in landfill (垃圾填埋).

    Another problem with a fake tree is that they don't look very natural and of course you won't get that lovely pine smell either. You'll also need to find space for storage.