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Restaurant.com Partners with New Restaurant Chains, Helping Generate More Traffic and Increased Profits

s NY Pizza; Ayhan's Mediterranean Cuisine; Harbor Inn Seafood Restaurant; Sunrise Pizzeria Family Restaurant; Serenitee Restaurant Group; and Little Bar Bistro Restaurant Group.

“We are excited to welcome these partners to Restaurant.com,” says Cary Chessick, president and CEO of Restaurant.com. “The more restaurants and locations we have to offer our customers, the more tables (and stomachs) we can fill across the country. Restaurant.com is truly dedicated to helping multi-unit operations succeed in each of their locations.”

Each new Restaurant.com partner has a custom web page on Restaurant.com featuring a personalized description of the restaurant. The profile includes type of cuisine, menu items, décor, pricing, and hours of operation for each participating location. Restaurant.com partners benefit from the program’s extensive marketing efforts that create greater exposure and increase customer traffic. The company never sends its restaurant partners a bill, only hungry diners.

“Joining the Resturant.com program has proven to be an excellent business decision for our restaurant group,” says Mark McDonough of Serenitee Restaurant Group. “Contrary to the urban myth, Restaurant.com customers are not ‘cheap dates’. They spend more as a percentage of their discount than Groupon patrons. I did the math.”

“We are very pleased with the business results we’ve experienced so far with the Restaurant.com program,” says Bill Menzel of Ayhan’s Mediterranean Restaurants, the leading restaurant group on Long Island for more than 30 years. “The quality of marketing and office support has been excellent, and the quality of customers has been very high.”

Theprogram supplies restaurant operators with recurring custom reports that combine data from each chain location. Operators can evaluate total and individual location-specific program results with information such as profit estimates, number of tables filled, web page traffic and more. Restaurant.com also sends surveys to guests to collect feedback about their dining experiences. The survey data can be used to help modify menu items, improve and reward service, plus support in-house incentive and loyalty marketing programs. Consultative marketing services are also offered to reveal best practices, lessons learned and tips for more effective interactive marketing.

Restaurant.com currently has nearly 500 chain locations among its rapidly growing network of more than 18,000 restaurants nationwide. In 2010, the company filled more than five million tables across the country and generated more than $340 million in incremental revenue for the restaurant industry.

For more information about how Restaurant.com promotional marketing services deliver profits for restaurants, visit .

About Restaurant.com is the trusted and valued source connecting restaurants and diners nationwide. The company offers savings at more than 18,000 restaurants nationwide with more than 45,000 daily gift certificate options. Restaurant.com brings people together to relax, converse and enjoy well-prepared and well-served meals at affordable prices. To date, Restaurant.com customers have saved more than $500 million through the gift certificate program. Restaurant.com has operated since 1999 and is based in Arlington Heights, Ill.

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Gerry Oher847-481-5523Email Information

Iraq delays purchase of US fighter jets

BAGHDAD – Iraq is delaying the purchase of 18 American fighter jets over budget problems and has decided to funnel the money into food for the poor instead, said the Iraqi government spokesman Monday.

Iraq, like, many Middle Eastern countries in the wake of the uprisings in Tunisia and Egypt, is under pressure to demonstrate its commitment to helping its own people. But delaying the purchase also leaves Iraq, which relies on departing American forces to protect its skies, vulnerable.

Ali al-Dabbagh told The Associated Press that the Iraqi government would postpone the expected purchase of the F-16 fighter jets and would instead use the money to beef up food rations. The Iraqi government gives food rations to many of its neediest citizens, who complain the rations have gotten smaller.

Al-Dabbagh said an initial partial payment of about $1 billion was to be spent this year on the fighter jets, but did not have an exact figure on the total cost of the deal.

"We need the money badly this year ... to finance other important items," he said. "We thought that we cannot afford to buy the F-16s."

Al-Dabbagh said that Iraq did not intend to purchase fighters from another country at a cheaper price, as some Iraqi newspaper reports had indicated in recent days. "We feel that it is one of the most efficient fighters in the world, and we definitely need them."

According to al-Dabbagh's Web site, the Iraqi Cabinet had been moving forward with the deal as early as Jan. 26 when it authorized Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, who is the acting minister of defense, to negotiate with the Americans about making the first payment on the planes.

Al-Dabbagh said the postponement would not affect the departure of American troops scheduled for the end of this year. Iraq relies on American planes and drones to patrol and protect its skies, and the country's head of armed forces has said Iraq will not be ready to protect its own airspace until 2020.

An American military spokesman said the U.S. realizes that Iraq has to make tough budget decisions.

"The purchase of F-16s is one of many budget decisions they must make," said Col. Barry Johnson. "Any impact a decision to postpone the purchase of F-16s may have is just one of many factors the Iraqi government will have to weigh in considering its future security agreements."

Iraq has been rattled by protests in Tunisia and Egypt that have toppled governments there. In small-scale protests across Iraq, demonstrators have vented their anger at the Iraqi government, which they say is corrupt and demanded improved government services and more jobs.

Hundreds of Iraqis rallied Monday in central Baghdad, protesting the rampant corruption and the lack of government services that have plagued the country for years.

Despite sitting on some of the world's largest oil reserves, Iraqis endure electricity shortages that make summer almost unbearable and leave them shivering in winter. There are also water shortages, and garbage is often left on the streets. At the same time, Iraqis are infuriated by the high salaries earned by their elected officials, compared with ordinary Iraqis.

"We want reforms to take place," said Hanaa Adwar, an activist from the nonprofit watchdog group, al-Amal. "We have witnessed the popular revolution carried by Tunisian and Egyptian people that led to the toppling of their regime."

Many of the demonstrators carried banners that bore the image of a broken red heart, alluding to the fact that the protest took place on Valentine's Day. They shouted slogans saying Iraq's oil wealth should go to the people but goes to thieves instead.

"Government, you should take lessons from Egypt and Tunisia," demonstrators shouted as they walked through downtown.

On Sunday, al-Maliki met with government officials to discuss problems facing Iraqis, specifically the electricity shortage and the food rations, and vowed to address the problems.

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Associated Press reporters Hamid Ahmed and Saad Abdul-Kadir contributed to this report.

T & K Futures and Options Expects Corn Futures Prices to Hit All Time Highs.

T & K Futures and Options, Inc. believes that corn futures prices will test all time highs very soon based on supply and demand estimates. The recent USDA report showed that the United States has the lowest corn reserves in over 15 years.

Port St. Lucie, FL (PRWEB) February 16, 2011

T & K Futures and Options, Inc. believes that corn futures prices will test all time highs very soon based on supply and demand estimates. The recent USDA report showed that the United States has the lowest corn reserves in over 15 years. Increasing demand from ethanol use, a weaker U.S. dollar and increasing land and fertilizer prices are also helping to push corn prices higher in America.

China has been aggressively buying corn from the U.S. and others and ethanol production set a record high in December and January. These extremely tight supplies leave little room for bad weather or any other disruption that may harm U.S. crops. Poor crops from many of the corn producing nations around the world coupled with robust demand for corn may continue over the near future and keep upward pressure on corn futures prices for the next few months.

A weaker U.S. dollar and high corn prices are already forcing many food makers to raise prices to offset their input costs of expensive corn. Familiar names such as Kellogs, Sara Lee and McDonalds have already raised prices to consumers. Corn is fed to poultry, cattle and hogs and as many foreign economies begin to grow the protein consumption of its residents also begins to grow as people choose higher quality foods. Visitto learn more about corn futures and options trading.

The author of this article is a 17 year veteran of the corn futures and options markets and the president of T & K Futures and Options, Inc. Futures, options and foreign exchange products carry significant risk of loss and past performance is not indicative of future results. Visitto learn more about the mechanics of the futures and options markets.

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MICHAEL SMITHT & K Futures and Options, Inc.1-800-915-4716Email Information

Homeschoolers Converge on Illinois State Capital to Oppose Registration Bill

A bill introduced to the Illinois General Assembly by Senator Ed Maloney was met with opposition during its first reading in Springfield on Tuesday. Homeschoolers from across the state of Illinois converged upon the state's capitol building to hear the initial reading of SB136,

Twitter feeds following the reading (#stopsb136) reported thousands of homeschoolers (one report said as few as 1000 while another reported the number as high as 4000) assembled in the rotunda peaceably to show opposition by their presence.

Twitter followers that were reporting during the session stated that at least three Senators made statements that homeschooling families considered insulting. Education Committee Vice-Chairperson and Assistant Majority Leader Sen. Kimberly Lightford (D-Westchester) said she likes time away from her children during the day and Sen. Iris Martinez (D-Chicago) wondered how many families are "hiding behind" home schooling but falling through the cracks. Sen. John Mulroe (D-Chicago) wondered why being required to fill out a piece of paper was a big deal.

It was reported that when Sen. Lightford asked, "How do we know where the homeschoolers are?" -- which is something SB136 would try to answer.

One regional school superintendent who supported the bill was reported by the Facebook page Stop SB136 as making a statement regarding being "concerned about homeschoolers with sinister intentions."

SB136 is an attempt to get an idea of how many homeschoolers there are within the state of Illinois and where they are located, but Illinois homeschoolers are suspicious of the motive behind the registration. Sen. Maloney, the bill's sponsor,: "What we want to know is where the homeschoolers are."

Some homeschool supporters have been concerned about Maloney's motives due to the fact that Maloney is a former public educator himself and has. These associations lead homeschoolers to question if Maloney has a bias against homeschooling due his background and relationship with teachers unions.

According to the. The website stated that there were reports that Maloney has already pulled the bill even though it is still in the state General Assembly system. Even if the bill is pulled, will it raise more questions and legal issues for Illinois homeschoolers?

The current status of SB136 in Illinois is uncertain--whether or not it has actually been withdrawn and if it has, whether it will be resubmitted with revision. Afor homeschoolers in Illinois was defeated in 1999 after Peoria State Representative Ricca Slone introduced similar legislation. After much opposition, Slone revised her legislation and eventually withdrew it. She was later voted out of office.

Tamara L. Morris is a lifelong resident of southern Illinois where she enjoys a quiet life in a rural area. After working for a local newspaper while studying journalism at a local community college, she developed a keen interest in the news and events that happen in her region and state.

Oil prices fall on questions about China demand

Oil prices fell on Tuesday after China increased key interest rates to help slow inflation in its growing economy. That raised concerns that the country's thirst for oil would diminish as well.

West Texas Intermediate crude, or WTI, for March delivery lost 60 cents at $86.88 a barrel in afternoon trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. In London, Brent crude rose 21 cents to $100.08 per barrel on the ICE Futures exchange.

Investors appeared to be more concerned about China than the ongoing anti-government demonstrations and strikes in Egypt. About 3,000 support workers at the Suez Canal demonstrated for better wages and working conditions, but operations at the canal continued uninterrupted.

China's central bank raised interest rates for the third time since October to rein in inflation. The country's inflation rate hit a 28-month high of 5.1 percent in November before moderating in December. Government leaders fear a sharp rise in prices for things like food and fuel could trigger unrest.

China is the second-largest energy consumer in the world, after the U.S. China's so-called "apparent oil demand" jumped 11.43 percent to a record 434.4 million metric tons in 2010 from the previous year, according to Platts, the energy information arm of McGraw-Hill Cos.

The figure is based on refinery and net oil product import data as reported by the National Bureau of Statistics and Chinese customs, Platts said. The Chinese government doesn't release actual oil consumption data.

China imports 5.5 million barrels of oil a day and uses about 10 million barrels a day, according to Michael Lynch, president of Strategic Energy & Economic Research.

Although many oil traders expected the interest rate hike, the concern is how much it might eventually reduce China's oil demand. "That was one of the main pillars of the current (oil) price," Lynch said.

Investors also are concerned about growing U.S. oil supplies while demand for oil and gas is still mediocre in the recovering economy. The government is expected to release its latest oil inventory report on Wednesday. Analysts surveyed by Platts expect crude supplies increased by 2.4 million barrels last week from the week before.

Lynch said demand for gasoline will probably stay weak, if prices remain around a national average of $3 a gallon. "Given that we have more than adequate inventories, it seems highly unlikely that we're going to see much tightness, I think, in the gasoline market."

Pump prices have risen along with oil prices since mid-November, when crude was around $80 a barrel.

The national average for regular gasoline was $3.117 a gallon on Tuesday, according to AAA, Wright Express and the Oil Price Information Service. That's 2.9 cents more than it was a month ago and 46.5 cents more than a year ago.

In other Nymex trading in March contracts, heating oil rose 1 cent to $2.7176 a gallon and gasoline gained 2 cents at $2.4733 a gallon. Natural gas fell 5 cents to $4.055 per 1,000 cubic feet.