'The Real Yellow Pages' Directory From BellSouth For The New Roads, La., Area Arrives Via Mail Tuesday, September 15, Company Says

ATLANTA, Sept. 14 /PRNewswire/ -- It's that time again, and all the residents and business people in the New Roads, La., area can relax. BellSouth Advertising & Publishing Corporation (BAPCO) of Atlanta has not forgotten. Their new edition of "The Real Yellow Pages(R)" directory from BellSouth will be in the mail Tuesday (Sept. 15).

The Postal Service will deliver nearly 900 more prints of the new directory than the one it published a year ago, according to a spokesperson for the Atlanta-based publisher. A total of 20,812 copies of this book will be distributed between now and Monday, Sept. 28.

"We have always tried to tailor the contents and services offered in our directories to the needs of our customers," said Bryan Foster, BAPCO's vice president-marketing. "From research that we have conducted, we believe that we have again made this directory one that will be most helpful to the citizens of the New Roads area as they make their buying decisions.

"I believe our advertisers, andthe consumers who use this directory, are really going to like this book. We believe it is the most up-to-date, comprehensive and accurate buyer's guide in the marketplace today."

Foster went on to say that all business and residential listings for Morganza, Rougon and St. Francisville-Tunica also are included in this directory.

BAPCO has long been recognized as one of the largest -- and certainly one of the busiest -- publishers of telephone White Pages and classified advertising Yellow Pages directories in the world. Formed in 1984 as a subsidiary of BellSouth Corporation (NYSE: BLS), the company produced in 1997 in excess of 57 million directories in nine Southeastern states: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee.

The company also publishes several well-known niche directories, including the internationally acclaimed BellSouth Guia Export Directory and "The Real Yellow Pages(R)" Homebook.

BAPCO's electronic publishing affiliate is BellSouth IntelliVentures, which provides The Real Yellow Pages ONLINE, an electronic directory service available on the Internet at www.yp.bellsouth.com. For advertising information, visit the web site or call 1-888-438-7330.

  SOURCE  BellSouth Advertising & Publishing Corporation       -0-                             09/14/98   

/CONTACT: Hal Hayes, BellSouth Advertising & Publishing Corporation, 404-235-2140/

      /Web site:  http://www.yp.bellsouth.com/     (BLS)  CO:  BellSouth Advertising & Publishing Corporation ST:  Louisiana, Georgia IN:  ADV PUB SU:  MR -- ATM001 -- 2269 09/14/98 14:21 EDT http://www.prnewswire.com   

London legend plays Rooftop.

The artist that was once told by his school's career advisor to forget music and go get a job as a milkman, plays The Rooftop at Trilogy tomorrow night. Jazzie B - founder of Soul II Soul, a two-time Grammy winning act that emerged at the end of the 1980s from London - will be spinning on the roof of Dubai's premier open air venue a fusion of musical genres that promise to appeal to a wide audience. You may remember Jazzie B's 1980's hits with Soul II Soul, 'Keep on Movin' and 'Back to Life' (However Do You Want Me). The Londoner has not only produced a string of successful cuts for Soul II Soul, but he has also managed to produce and re-mix tracks for the likes of The Fine Young Cannibals, Maxi Priest, Public Enemy, Sinead O'Connor, Ziggy Marley and Destiny's Child. iLL Communications presents Jazzie B at The Rooftop at Trilogy on February 5. Doors open 10pm-3am. Tickets, priced at dhs125, are available at OHM Records Store, Time Out Tickets online and at the entrance. For more information and table reservations, call Kumar Asnani on 0507258277 or email kumar@electricmotel.com.

2009 Al Sidra Media LLC

Provided by Syndigate.info an Albawaba.com company

Angry online commenters can cause negative perceptions of corporations, MU researchers find.

COLUMBIA, Mo. -With the increasing pervasiveness of social media and online communication in the operation of most organizations and corporations, little is known about the potential effects of public expressions of anger displayed throughout various online sources. Now, researchers at the University of Missouri have found that angry user-generated comments on Internet sites can further perpetuate negative perceptions of an organization undergoing the crisis.

Based on her findings, Bo Kyung Kim, a doctoral student in the University of Missouri School of Journalism, urges public relations practitioners to consider angry user-generated messages as critical crisis information that has a direct impact on the public in general. She says evaluation is particularly crucial because of how much the public relies on unsubstantiated web-based information.

"During crises, organizations need to make an effort to respond to negative online comments from users," Kim said. "They can contact the user directly, post a response on the site for all to see, or in extreme cases, remove the comments from the site. In any fashion, organizations need to monitor their online presence closely to prevent the negative perceptions from spiraling out of control."

For the experimental study, Kim measured participants' baseline perceptions of four automobile corporations. The participants were then read a news story about a crisis each automobile corporation was undergoing and and were asked the same questions about their perceptions of each corporation. The participants were then shown negative online comments from Facebook, Twitter, and other online message boards that were in response to each crisis situation. The participants were given comments both from victims of each crisis, as well as comments from the unaffected public. Finally, the participants were again asked to respond the same questions regarding their perceptions of each corporation. While there were no differences in participants' reaction depending on the platform of the online comments (e.g. Facebook, Twitter, etc.), Kim found that while both victim-generated and unaffected public-generated online comments affected participants' perceptions negativel! y, victim-generated comments had the greatest effect.

"Victims have higher credible perceptions for readers so I would definitely suggest that organizations should pay closer attention to content created by perceived victims of the crisis than content created by an anonymous source," Kim said. "We found that negative messages created by victims significantly increased the negative reputation of an organization, and were more likely to result in boycotts against the organization than when it was sourced to unaffected individuals."

Keywords: Transportation, University of Missouri-Columbia.

This article was prepared by NewsRx Health & Science editors from staff and other reports. Copyright 2011, NewsRx Health & Science via VerticalNews.com.

Cincinnati Bell Offers i-wireless Lifeline Service.

Discounted pre-paid cell phone service available to qualified consumers

CINCINNATI -- Cincinnati Bell, Inc. (NYSE: CBB) announced today that it now participates in the government-funded Lifeline program through its i-wireless prepaid cell phone service.The i-wireless Lifeline program provides qualifying customers assistance with their wireless telephone service needs.

"We're pleased to provide discounted wireless service to qualifying households with limited budgets," said Mike Vanderwoude, Vice President and General Manager of Cincinnati Bell Wireless. "A wireless phone is a necessity in today's world, providing safety and a mobile connection to the community. But there are many people who go without these benefits because they cannot afford the service. The i-wireless Lifeline program makes wireless affordable for an entire group of customers who have been kept out of the wireless market until now."

i-wireless offers three Lifeline plans to allow consumers to find the best fit. They are:

* Connect Plan - Provides 250 free minutes per month,

* Lifeline Unlimited Talk & Text Plan - Includes Unlimited Talk, Text and pay-per-use data for $28 per month, and

* Lifeline Mega Monthly Plan - Includes Unlimited Talk, Text and 100Mb of web access for $38 per month.

All i-wireless plans have no credit checks, contracts or hidden fees. Phones are available for as low as $19.99.

Currently, the i-wireless Lifeline program is only available to Ohio residents. However, Cincinnati Bell plans to launch the i-wireless Lifeline program in Kentucky with similar rate plans in the near future.

The Lifeline program is a Federal assistance program, which is funded by the Universal Service Fund. Lifeline service is limited to one discount per qualifying household. Ohio residents are eligible if they participate in one or more of the following programs:

* Section 8 Housing/Public Housing

* Medicaid

* Food Stamps

* Supplemental Security Income (SSI)

* Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP)

* Supplemental Security Disability Income (SSDI)

* Ohio Works First or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)

* Free School Lunch Program

* General Assistance/Disability Assistance

* Income Eligibility (Income at or below 150% of the federal poverty level)

To enroll in the i-wireless Lifeline program, consumers should visit a Cincinnati Bell retail store or a Cincinnati Bell i-wireless authorized distributor throughout the Greater Cincinnati and Dayton, Ohio areas. To find a location near you, visit www.i-ontheweb.com.

About Cincinnati Bell Inc.

With headquarters in Cincinnati, Ohio, Cincinnati Bell provides integrated communications solutions--including local, long distance, data, Internet, entertainment, and wireless services--that keep residential and business customers in Greater Cincinnati and Dayton connected with each other and with the world. In addition, Cincinnati Bell provides best-in-class data center colocation services to enterprise customers in the Midwest and Texas with fully redundant power and cooling solutions. Complementing the colocation products, Cincinnati Bell also offers complex information technology solutions like managed services and technology staffing. For more information, visit www.cincinnatibell.com.

Cincinnati Bell's i-wireless service is a pay in advance wireless service that offers affordable wireless service to customers in Greater Cincinnati and Dayton areas. With i-wireless, there are no credit checks, no contracts and no hidden fees. For more information, visit www.i-ontheweb.com.

Market Maker Surveillance Report. NVLS, SHY, KOS, CSCO, VMED, DELL, Bullishly Biased Price Friction For Wednesday, May 11th 2011.(Report)

M2 PRESSWIRE-May 12, 2011-BUYINS.NET: Market Maker Surveillance Report. NVLS, SHY, KOS, CSCO, VMED, DELL, Bullishly Biased Price Friction For Wednesday, May 11th 2011(C)1994-2011 M2 COMMUNICATIONS

RDATE:12052011

BUYINS.NET / www.buyins.net, announced today its proprietary Market Maker Friction Factor Report for Wednesday. Since October 2008 market makers are now required to be on the bid as much as they are on the offer and for like amounts of stock. This Fair Market Making Requirement is designed to prevent market makers from manipulating stock prices. On Wednesday there were 2370 companies with "abnormal" market making, 1295 companies with positive Friction Factors and 4040 companies with negative Friction Factors. Here is a list of the top companies with Abnormal Price Friction (bullish bias) in their stock prices. This means that there was more selling than buying in the stocks and their stock prices rose. NOVELLUS SYSTEMS INC (NASDAQ:NVLS), ISHARES BARCLAYS 1-3 YEAR TR (NYSE:SHY), Structured Products Corp. 7.25% Corporate Backed Trust Securities Class (NYSE:KOS), CISCO SYSTEMS INC (NASDAQ:CSCO), VIRGIN MEDIA INC (NASDAQ:VMED), DELL INC (NASDAQ:DELL). To access Friction Factor, Naked Short Data and SqueezeTrigger Prices on all stocks please visit http://www.buyins.net .

Market Maker Friction Factor is shown in the chart below:

Symbol Change Percent Buy Volume Buy %% Sell Volume Sell %% Net Volume Friction

NVLS $0.090 0.24% 1,104,727 32.06% 2,359,355 68.47% -1,254,628 Abnormal

SHY $0.090 0.11% 254,908 18.02% 1,012,480 71.59% -757,572 Abnormal

KOS $18.220 0.00% 3,212,982 18.32% 4,543,632 25.90% -1,330,650 Abnormal

CSCO $0.010 0.06% 49,408,655 47.74% 52,707,382 50.93% -3,298,727 Abnormal

VMED $0.050 0.16% 1,541,740 40.34% 2,280,049 59.66% -738,309 Abnormal

DELL $0.280 1.71% 13,627,494 46.28% 15,733,328 53.43% -2,105,834 Abnormal

Analysis of the Friction Factor chart above shows that each of the six stocks mentioned above had more selling than buying on Wednesday and their stock prices rose. The Friction Factor displays how many more shares of buying than selling are required to move a stock higher by one cent or how many more shares of selling than buying moves a stock lower by 1 cent.

For example, the chart above shows NVLS with 1,254,628 greater shares of selling than buying (NetVol) and the stock price was up $0.09000. This means the Market Makers were trading the stock in a way inconsistent with normal supply and demand (Economics 101); more selling than buying should cause prices to drop.

NOVELLUS SYSTEMS INC (NASDAQ:NVLS) - Novellus Systems, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, develops, manufactures, sells, and supports equipment used in the fabrication of integrated circuits. It operates in two segments, Semiconductor Group and Industrial Applications Group. The Semiconductor Group segment manufactures and supplies equipment used in the deposition of thin dielectric and metal films, as well as equipment used in complementary manufacturing steps, including surface preparation and ultraviolet thermal processing. Its deposition systems use chemical vapor deposition (CVD), physical vapor deposition (PVD), and electrochemical deposition (ECD) processes to form transistor, capacitor, and interconnect layers in an integrated circuit. This segments High-Density Plasma CVD (HDP-CVD) and Plasma-Enhanced CVD (PECVD) systems employ chemical plasma to deposit dielectric material within the gaps formed by the etching of aluminum, or as a blanket film that can be etched with patterns for depositing conductive materials into the etched dielectric. Its CVD Tungsten systems are used to deposit conductive contacts between transistors and interconnect; PVD systems are used to deposit conductive aluminum and copper metal layers by sputtering metal atoms from the surface of a target source; and Electrofil ECD systems are used to deposit copper to form the conductive wiring on integrated circuits using copper interconnects. The Industrial Applications Group segment offers industrial product range, including single and double-sided grinding, lapping, and polishing machines; double-sided machines, which operate in batch processing mode for flat surfaces; and inner and outer diameter surface grinders for cylindrical surfaces, creep feed grinders, through-feed grinders, and deburring systems. Novellus Systems sells its products primarily in Europe, the United States, Korea, Japan, China, Taiwan, and southeast Asia. The company was founded in 1984 and is headquartered in San Jose, California.

ISHARES BARCLAYS 1-3 YEAR TR (NYSE:SHY) - ISHARES LEHMAN 1-3YR

Structured Products Corp. 7.25% Corporate Backed Trust Securities Class (NYSE:KOS) - Structured Products Corp. 7.25% Corporate Backed Trust Securities Class

CISCO SYSTEMS INC (NASDAQ:CSCO) - Cisco Systems, Inc. designs, manufactures, and sells Internet protocol (IP)-based networking and other products related to the communications and information technology industry worldwide. It offers routers that interconnect public and private IP networks for mobile, data, voice, and video applications; switching products, which offer connectivity to end users, workstations, IP phones, access points, and servers; application networking services; and home networking products, such as adapters, gateways, modems, and home network management software products. The company also provides security products comprising span firewall, intrusion prevention, remote access, virtual private network, unified client, Web, and email security products; storage area networking products that deliver connectivity between servers and storage systems; unified communication products to integrate voice, video, data, and mobile applications on fixed and mobile networks; video systems, including digital set-top boxes and digital media products; and wireless systems. In addition, it offers optical networking products, cable access and flip video products, service provider VoIP services, Cisco TelePresence systems, Cisco Unified Computing Systems, physical security and video surveillances, digital media systems, and building systems. Further, the company provides technical support services; and responsive, preventive, and consultative support services for its technologies. Cisco Systems, Inc. has strategic alliances with Accenture Ltd; AT&T Inc.; Cap Gemini S.A.; EMC Corporation; Fujitsu Limited; Intel Corporation; International Business Machines Corporation; Italtel SpA; Johnson Controls Inc.; Microsoft Corporation; Nokia Corporation; Nokia Siemens Networks; Oracle Corporation; SAP AG; Sprint Nextel Corporation; Tata Consultancy Services Ltd.; VMware, Inc.; BMC Software Inc.; and Wipro Limited. The company was founded in 1984 and is headquartered in San Jose, California.

VIRGIN MEDIA INC (NASDAQ:VMED) - Virgin Media Inc., through its subsidiaries, provides of entertainment and communications services in the United Kingdom. The company operates through three segments: Consumer, Business, and Content. The Consumer segment offers cable broadband Internet, television, and fixed line telephone services under the Virgin Media brand to residential customers; mobile telephony services through Virgin Mobile, a mobile virtual network operator; and broadband and telephone services to residential customers through third-party telecommunications networks. The Business segment provides a portfolio of voice, data, and Internet solutions to commercial customers, including analog telephony and managed data networks and applications, as well as supplies communications services to emergency services providers. The Content segment operates various television channels, including Virgin1, Living, Bravo, Challenge, and Challenge Jackpot; and owns a 50% interest in the companies that comprise the UKTV Group, a series of joint ventures with BBC Worldwide. The company was formerly known as NTL Incorporated and changed its name to Virgin Media Inc. in February 2007. The company was founded in 1993 and is based in New York, New York.

DELL INC (NASDAQ:DELL) - Dell Inc. designs, develops, manufactures, markets, sells, and supports computer systems, as well as provides related services worldwide. It offers desktop PCs; notebook computers, mobile workstations, and smartphones; servers and networking products; storage solutions, including storage area networks, network-attached storage, direct-attached storage, disk and tape backup systems, and removable disk backup; and printers and displays. The company also provides third-party software products, such as operating systems, business and office applications, anti-virus and related security software, and entertainment software; and peripheral products, such as printers, televisions, notebook accessories, mice, keyboards, networking and wireless products, digital cameras, power adapters, and scanners. In addition, it offers infrastructure technology services, as well as customer deployment, asset recovery, and recycling services; IT consulting, strategy and enterprise consulting, implementation for prepackaged software applications, and research services; applications development and maintenance services; and business process services, such as claims processing, product engineering, payment and settlement management, life insurance policy administration, receivables collection, and call center management. Further, the company provides financial services, including originating, collecting, and servicing customer receivables related to the purchase of its products; and financing alternatives and asset management services. It serves corporate businesses; government, education, and healthcare organizations; law enforcement agencies; and small and medium-sized businesses, individual customers, and retailers. The company sells its products and services through its sales representatives, telephone-based sales, and online at dell.com, as well as through indirect sales channels. Dell Inc. was founded in 1984 and is headquartered in Round Rock, Texas.

About BUYINS.NET

BUYINS.NET, www.buyins.net , monitors trading in all US stocks in real time and maintains massive databases of short sale and naked short sale time and sales data, short squeeze SqueezeTrigger prices, market maker price movements, shareholder data, statistical data on earnings, sector correlation, seasonality, hedge fund trading strategies, comparable valuations. Reports include:

REGULATORY & COMPLIANCE NEWS

Friction Factor -- market maker surveillance system tracking Level II market makers in all stocks to determine Price Friction and compliance with new "Fair Market Making Requirements"

RegSHO Naked Shorts -- tracks EVERY failure to deliver in all US stocks and tracks all Threshold Security Lists daily for which stocks have naked shorts that are not in compliance with Regulation SHO

INVESTMENTS & TRADING

SqueezeTrigger -- 29 billion cell database tracks EVERY short sale (not just total short interest) in all US stocks and calculates volume weighted price that a short squeeze will begin in each stock.

Earnings Edge -- predicts probability, price move and length of move before and after all US stock earnings reports.

Seasonality -- predicts probability, price move and length of move based on exact time of year for all US stocks.

Group Trader -- tracks sector rotation and stock correlation to its sector and predicts future moves in ALL sectors and industry groups.

Pattern Scan -- automates tracking of every technical pattern and predicts time and size of move in all stocks.

GATS (Global Automated Trading System) -- tracks all known trading strategies and qualifies and quantifies which are working best in real time.

DISCLAIMER:

BUYINS.NET is not a registered investment advisor and nothing contained in any materials should be construed as a recommendation to buy or sell any securities. BUYINS.NET has not been compensated by any of the above mentioned companies. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Please visit our web site, www.buyins.net , for complete risks and disclosures.

Contact:

BUYINS.NET

Thomas Ronk

800-715-9999

tom@buyins.net

www.buyins.net

((M2 Communications disclaims all liability for information provided within M2 PressWIRE. Data supplied by named party/parties. Further information on M2 PressWIRE can be obtained at http://www.presswire.net on the world wide web. Inquiries to info@m2.com)).

IROBOT CORP (NASDAQ:IRBT), Up By 5.29% ($1.93) From $36.490 After BUYINS.NET Report Predicted Strength After Earnings.

M2 PRESSWIRE-April 27, 2011-BUYINS.NET: IROBOT CORP (NASDAQ:IRBT), Up By 5.29% ($1.93) From $36.490 After BUYINS.NET Report Predicted Strength After Earnings(C)1994-2011 M2 COMMUNICATIONS

RDATE:27042011

BUYINS.NET, www.buyins.net , a provider of unique trading technologies, released a report on Monday, April 25th 2011 stating that IROBOT CORP (NASDAQ:IRBT) was expected to be Up After its earnings release. Click here to view the BUYINS.NET report:

http://www.buyins.net/releases/?sym=irbt&id=162608

At the time this story was written, IROBOT CORP (NASDAQ:IRBT) is Up By 5.29% ($1.93) From $36.490 since the BUYINS.NET report was released.

The movement of stock prices in the days and weeks leading to and following earnings announcements may follow a predictable pattern. Most companies stock price histories show random or unpredictable movements around earnings dates. But some seem to repeat the same pattern quarter after quarter, year after year. The specific technology used to make these predictions is available for a low monthly fee at

http://www.squeezetrigger.com/services/strat/mh.php

IROBOT CORP (NASDAQ:IRBT) - iRobot Corporation designs, develops, and markets robots to the consumer, government, and industrial markets in the United States and internationally. The company offers consumer products, such as floor vacuuming robots, floor washing robots, gutter cleaning robots, pool cleaning robots, and programmable robots. Its government and industrial products include 510 PackBot line of small, unmanned ground robots; the 310 small unmanned ground vehicle (SUGV) and 320 SUGV multi-purpose ground robots; and the 210 Negotiator, a rugged robot that performs basic reconnaissance for public safety professionals for state and local police and first responders. The company also provides its 500 PackBot products in various configurations, including EOD configuration to conduct explosive ordnance disposal, hazardous materials, search-and-surveillance, and law enforcement tasks; and ICx fido explosives detection configuration to screen packages and dangerous items, as well as offers iRobot 1KA Seaglider, an unmanned underwater vehicle that is used on long endurance oceanic missions to measure temperature, salinity, depth-averaged current, and other data for oceanographers and military planners. iRobot Corporation sells its products through chain stores and national retailers, as well as through the Internet to consumers, the U.S. military, and other government agencies. It has strategic alliances with The Boeing Company to develop and market a commercial version of the SUGV that is being developed under the Armys BCTM program; and Advanced Scientific Concepts, Inc. for exclusive rights to use its LADAR technology for unmanned ground vehicles. iRobot Corporation was incorporated in 1990 and is headquartered in Bedford, Massachusetts.

About BUYINS.NET

BUYINS.NET, www.buyins.net , monitors trading in all US stocks in real time and maintains massive databases of short sale and naked short sale time and sales data, short squeeze SqueezeTrigger prices, market-maker price movements, shareholder data, statistical data on earnings, sector correlation, seasonality, hedge fund trading strategies, comparable valuations. Reports include:

REGULATORY & COMPLIANCE NEWS

Friction Factor -- market-maker surveillance system tracking market makers in all stocks to determine Price Friction and compliance with new "Fair Market-Making Requirements".

RegSHO Naked Shorts -- tracks EVERY failure to deliver in all US stocks and all Threshold Security Lists daily for which stocks have naked short positions.

INVESTMENTS & TRADING

SqueezeTrigger -- 28 billion cell database tracks EVERY short sale (not just total short interest) in all US stocks and calculates volume weighted price that a short squeeze will begin in each stock.

Earnings Edge -- predicts probability, price move and length of move before and after all US stock earnings reports.

Seasonality -- predicts probability, price move and length of move based on exact time of year for all US stocks.

Group Trader -- tracks sector rotation and stock correlation to its sector and predicts future moves in ALL sectors and industry groups.

Pattern Scan -- automates tracking of every technical pattern and predicts next move in stocks.

GATS -- tracks and quantifies known trading strategies.

DISCLAIMER:

BUYINS.NET is not a registered investment advisor and nothing contained in any materials should be construed as a recommendation to buy or sell any securities. IROBOT CORP (NASDAQ:IRBT) has not approved the statements made in this release. Please read our report and visit our web site, http://www.buyins.net, for complete risks and disclosures.

Contact:

BUYINS.NET

Thomas Ronk

800-715-9999

tom@buyins.net

http://www.buyins.net

((M2 Communications disclaims all liability for information provided within M2 PressWIRE. Data supplied by named party/parties. Further information on M2 PressWIRE can be obtained at http://www.presswire.net on the world wide web. Inquiries to info@m2.com)).

New accessories convert men to body washes.(SUPPLY SIDE)

NEW YORK -- More and more men are switching from bar soap to shower gels and body washes, a trend helped along by the availability of more masculine bath accessories.

Many women use body washes along with mesh sponges that help produce a lather and exfoliate the skin. But some men found the sponges, also known as "poufs," off-putting.

A customer review of a mesh sponge on the Amazon.com web site, which ran under the heading "deal with it," details the problem. The reviewer described being out of bar soap and thus forced to use his wife's liquid soap "and this poofy thing." He found that he actually liked it, and felt it got him cleaner. So he got his own pouf (white, he said, rather than the available lavender or "taffy pink") and added that he used "some of the more manly liquid soaps to balance things out."

Although still visible (at press-time, at least), that post is actually several years old, and men squeamish about using poufs today have more masculine options available to them.

Last year Procter & Gamble Co.'s (P&G's) Old Spice brand launched a pouf-like body sponge encased in a rubber grip, which it called the Deck Scrubber. Unilever Axe brand introduced its own version, the Axe Detailer Shower Tool, in 2008. And Unilever's Dove Men+Care line also includes the Active Clean Shower Tool.

All the men's body scrubbers feature a mesh side for building lather and a scrub side for deeper cleaning.

Attention-getting advertising has also helped raise the profile of men's body washes. Old Spice has devised a series of ads (which have become viral hits on the Internet) that actually cater to women; P&G's research indicated that 70% of the shower gels used by men is bought by the women in their households.

Axe has courted potential male customers more directly, with ads designed to appeal to the sensibility of young men.

Axe recently launched a "One Night Only" concert series, featuring exclusive shows announced only hours before they happen via the brand's social media sites.

"Axe is known for delivering unexpected and memorable experiences that help bring guys and girls together," says marketing director Mike Dwyer. "The 'One Night Only' concert series delivers in signature style by partnering with some of today's top artists to headline secret, exclusive shows that promise to be unforgettable.

The concerts promote a new line called Axe Music, which includes a body spray, shower gel and shampoo.