(ARA) — You’ve made your holiday list and checked it twice, but what happens when the salesperson helping you is naughty, not nice? Crowded stores, long lines, low inventory and cranky shoppers rushing to find that perfect holiday gift can often lead to a “perfect storm” of bad service.
That’s why many retailers are ensuring [...]

(ARA) – With the brisk air settling and the end of the year quickly approaching, many people are eagerly turning their focus towards holiday preparation and excitement for the wonderful things to come. From gatherings with friends and family to building a snowman in the first snowfall, traditional activities will begin anew. But one tradition [...]

Dear EarthTalk: I understand that Toyota is planning to sell a plug-in Prius that will greatly improve the car’s already impressive fuel efficiency.  Will I be able to convert my older (2006) Prius to make it a plug-in hybrid vehicle? – Albert D. Rich, Kamuela, HI
Toyota is readying a limited [...]

Here at Blast, we have a bunch of traditional, odd, and downright original holiday plans. We thought we’d share them with you.
One of Blast’s great mid-year staff editions, Holly Jobbagy decided to combine video golf and teddy bears for her boyfriend.
“He’s especially into golf, and since he can’t play this time of year, I got [...]

Look at me I’m an elf!
Seems like an untrue statement for a woman who’s 5′10″ until you visit elfyourself.com and start the elfmorphosis.
By uploading up to four photos, you can create a whole group of elves for your dancing pleasure. It is easy to upload photos with tools there to resize and rotate and [...]

The Favorites
The Pogues “Fairytale of New York”
Christmas Eve in a New York City drunk tank, a down on their luck dueting Irish couple (Pogues singer Shane McGowan and Kirsty McColl) trade insults and heartbreak before the holiday magic sets in. My all-time favorite.
The Kinks “Father Christmas”
Blending economic reality with dreams of beating [...]

(ARA) – Parents looking to fill their children’s holiday wish lists have more on their minds this year than whether Johnny was naughty or Susie was nice. This year, parents are plagued by recalls of some of the season’s most-sought-after toys by big-name manufacturers.
The recent recalls of Chinese-manufactured toys have given a whole new life [...]