After a 20-year study, researchers say that Americans are living longer because of the decline in air pollution. The study encompassed 51 metropolitan areas and took place between 1980 and 2000. Residents in clean aired cities added an average five months to their life span. Air pollution causes shortened life span and contributes to cardiovascular and lung disease. Other complications linked to air pollution include: hike in blood pressure, heart attack risk and the chance of heart disease-related death. The government took steps in 1970 by passing The Clean Air Act “to set nationwide air quality standards and motor-vehicle emissions standards for the first time, and the federal government and some states have continued to take steps to tackle air pollution.” Researchers realize that others factors like increase in income and education can lengthen life span, so they used statistical techniques to take this into account.

In a post a few months ago, I came across a story of a small store being threatened by the recording industry for playing CDs. In late 2008, RAII (Recording Industry Association of America) decided to stop suing copyright infringers. Over 30,000 people were sued over the past few years, and now internet service providers will notify alleged copyright infringers detected by the RIAA that they need to cease their alleged infringement of the industry’s music. Three-time offenders face losing internet access.

In other news, Apple will cease copyright protection on their MP3s AND cut prices on some songs. Now, record companies can choose from three pricing tiers: $.69, $.99 or $1.29. Over 10 million songs will be available without DRM protection by the end of Q1. What does this mean? You can transfer music from one computer to another without having to log-in to your iTunes account to play or burn!

A Long Island surgeon has been going through a four-year divorce proceeding and has given his wife an ultimatum-return the kidney he donated to her or pay him $1.5 million in compensation. Dr. Richard Batista claims that he had to take harsh measures out of frustration with the negotiations with his estranged wife. In 2001, he saved her life by donating his kidney to her, but she filed for divorce in 2005. Batista claims his wife began cheating on him more than a year later. Maybe she should have just settled when the divorce began…

Brand-Aide was recently blogged about on the new website Everything PR, a webblog dedicated to reviewing and promoting public relations companies and services; corporate communications and marketing trends; as well as various social media aspects of the Web.

Check out the post here.

Inspired by a small, Southern Italian town for which it will be named – and by the ironic juxtaposition of its Charleston location - Ken Vedrinski’s newest restaurant will debut soon at the iconic Cigar Factory.

Named for his grandmother’s hometown, the new Ristorante Introdacqua (which loosely translates to “between land and water”) will focus on Italian seafood specialties. With seating for approximately 85 in the dining area, and 25 at the bar, the architecturally exciting restaurant will feature the chef’s signature, celebrated style. An opening date has not been set.

Ristorante Introdacqua will be the newest in the chef/proprietor’s list of credits. He recently opened Trattoria Lucca in downtown Charleston, which was met with immediate acclaim. Vedrinski also founded Sienna, a Daniel Island restaurant named one of the nation’s top 25 by Esquire magazine in 2004. Vedrinski’s Charleston career was launched at the five-diamond Woodlands Inn, where he developed a national reputation.

Tristan will preview Chef Deal’s second trip to the James Beard House in New York City with a special dinner and fundraiser in Charleston.

The preview dinner – which will showcase the entire menu that Deal will prepare the following week at the famed James Beard House – will take place on Tuesday, January 20, with hors d’oeuvre at 6 p.m. and dinner at 6:30 p.m. The seven-course menu will be paired with wine, and will feature sustainable produce from The Chef’s Garden. Tickets are $100 plus tax and gratuity. A portion of proceeds will be donated to Veggie U, a non-profit organization that educates children on making wise food choices that enhance nutrition, combat obesity and emphasize the understanding of sustainable agriculture.

The menu will feature: Charleston She Crab Soup, Duck Confit, Butternut Squash Terrine, Heirloom Beet Salad, White Tuna, Veal Short Rib, Foie Gras Pot De Crème and Mignardises.

Prior to the dinner, Chef Deal and The Chef’s Garden co-owner and farmer, Lee Jones, will hold a demonstration and discussion from 9 -10:30 a.m. at the Culinary Institute of Charleston’s Palmer Campus Demonstration Kitchen. Farmer Jones will discuss the principles behind sustainable agriculture from earth to plate, and Chef Deal will demonstrate his contemporary approaches using The Chef’s Garden produce. This event is free, but a reservation is required because seating is limited. Call 820-5074 to reserve a seat.

Veggie U. was created by Jones and his colleagues at The Chef’s Garden, which supplies the world’s top chefs with over 600 varieties of vegetables, micro greens and herbs. The produce grown at The Chef’s Garden differs from traditional methods because the soil builds year after year, and produce is grown without the use of fertilizers and pesticides.

Call 534-2155 to inquire or to make reservations. Seating is limited.

Tristan restaurant is greeting a New Year with economy-sensitive menus, wine specials and a happy hour.

Chef Aaron Deal is offering a new, $40, three-course prix fixe menu. Guests may choose from a selection of options in each course.

First

She Crab Soup

Parsnip Crème, Blue Crab Salad

Fudge Farms Pork Belly

Heirloom Baked Beans, Tristan Turnip, Organic Maple Syrup

Winter Radish Salad

Miso Egg Dressing, Lemongrass Vinaigrette, Baby Greens

Second

Local Grouper

Baby Vegetable Minestrone, White Lima Beans, California Olive Oil

Keegan Filion Chicken

Foie Gras Stuffing, Brussels Sprouts, Chestnut Veloute

Beef Flat Iron

Fingerling Potato, Baby Carrot, Pearl Onion, Cabernet Jus

Third

Crème Brulee

Vanilla Bean Custard, Violet Essence

Cheese Plate

Selection of Fine Domestic and International Cheese

Served with Traditional Accompaniments

To sweeten that already sweet deal, Sommelier Brian Austin has marked down more than 100 wines. Bottles priced $75 and less will now be available for half-off on Monday and Tuesday evenings from 6 to 9 p.m.

Tristan is also introducing a new Happy Hour program, Monday through Friday from 5 – 7 p.m. in the lounge. Specials include: $2 domestic beers, $3 import beers (excludes specialty and high gravity beers) and $5 specialty cocktails. There’s also a new bar menu available for those who want to snack and sip.

As 2009 dawns, businesses of every size face daunting challenges. Not the least of these is how to communicate in a world where social media, the internet, guerilla marketing and other new methods have emerged as essential – and tricky - tools.

Meanwhile, South Carolina’s unemployment rate has climbed to record highs – and its ascent continues. Amongst those shed from area companies: seasoned marketing, public relations and communications professionals with years of experience.

This confluence of events has encouraged one local business owner to create a program that “knits together” businesses who need marketing help with the marketing professionals who desperately need to work.

Brand-Aide is a new effort by Touchpoint Communications to link together area businesses and communications professionals. Its sole purpose, says founder Colleen Troy, “is to create a model of sustainability in our business community. We want to find a way to keep local businesses strong, and local talent solvent until the economy turns around.”

To that end, Troy has harnessed a network of newly unemployed communications professionals to serve on project teams. Brand Aide will serve local companies and non profits in need of help, by harnessing a “right sized” approach to their marketing budget and challenges. Clients will benefit from a “just in time” marketing team, often working at rates below what the market has borne in recent years.

No project will be considered too small for Brand Aide consideration. “If a marketing challenge is keeping someone up nights, we want to hear from them,” Troy said.

Troy notes that she receives calls daily from laid off professionals, who worry that their only option is to hang out a shingle. “Running a business is tough in the best of times. Nobody should have to create a company as a knee-jerk reaction to a layoff, when what they really want is to simply work,” Troy said.

Brand-Aide is launching this month with a number of “swat” team members ready to customize an approach for any project. Presently, the program is expected to last for six months – at which point economists presently predict an economic turnaround should begin.

There are two over-riding rules for Brand Aide participants: the program will not accept work from clients currently served by other marketing firms. “This is an effort to loosen new capital into the market, not take share away from another company,” Troy said. Also: Brand-Aide “swat team” members must live in South Carolina.

Troy has structured the Brand-Aide effort as a social business, meaning her firm will not derive profits from its operation. She has enlisted a team of experts to help review processes and ensure accurate bookkeeping. “At the end of six months, we hope everybody can go back to work full-time, and that we can start to charge more competitive rates for our local work. Until then, we just want to keep this region humming. We saw this as one way to help.”

Click here to view a video of Colleen discussing the program.