NAM-flu isn't a myth after all !!

According to The Telegraph, men get sick because they don't have the hormones that boost women's immune system.

The study by Stanford University School of Medicine, examined the reactions of men and women to vaccination against flu. The team hopes that, in the future, this knowledge could be used to enhance resistance to common and serious lung infections and prevent flu developing into more serious pneumonia.

However, according to an earlier study, only one in five British women believe that the debilitating "NAM-flu" disease which temporarily leaves male sufferers prostrate on the sofa watching televised sports is real, meaning that NAMs can now work on the remaining 80% with this extra evidence.

The survey, which questioned 2,000 British adults about health and wellbeing, showed that misconceptions and old wives' tales, including the myth that eating carrots improves night vision, prevail among the population when it comes to beliefs about common illnesses.

More than a third of people said that sugar makes children hyper, and 37% said they believed we lose most of our body heat through our heads -- the most popular misconception of the survey, despite millions spent on consumer health and education.

However, the survey is weakened somewhat by its endeavours to show that when illness strikes, almost half of people agreed that men exaggerate their symptoms to get attention, with 38% also believing that men take longer to recover from illness than women.

NB. This additional indepth research on man-flu diagnosis and treatment can obviously now be added to a NAM's repertoire of fact-based rationale for persuading those unsympathetic stakeholders that need convincing of the obvious, in these unprecedented times

Have a gentle, comfy weekend, from the NamNews Team!

Normal? Moi?

                                                                                             Hat-tip to Adam Mehegan via Colin Doree

"BOGOF? What do you mean, BOGOF?"

Even a bent Applecloud has a silver lining...

Hat-tip to Simon Durrant and BendGate

Rare Pied Wagtail gives Tesco the bird

                                                                                                                         pic: Wild About Britain

The Telegraph reports that for the past few weeks a Pied Wagtail has been resisting all Tesco attempts at capture in their Gt Yarmouth store.

The company was even granted a licence by Natural England to bring in a sniper to kill the protected bird, prompting outrage from customers, environmentalists and a BBC wildlife presenter.

Because of the reaction, Tesco have decided to revert to more old fashioned means of trapping and releasing the ‘unwelcome’ shopper-bird into the wild….

Given their large-space redundancy and shopper attrition, a more lateral-thinking approach might be to optimise the traffic-building potential of the situation via innovative instore theatre.

In other words, why not set up a series of gentle faux-attempts to capture the bird, stretching over several weeks, shooting it photographically, and posting the ongoing results on YouTube? 

Incidentally, for those NAMs that cannot work a visit to Gt. Yarmouth into their  store-check schedule, a comprehensive BBC treatment of the Pied Wagtail is available here.

Update 23-09-2014: for bird lovers everywhere.
Apparently, the Tesco wagtail has now  been caught and released into the wild.
In other words it would appear that Tesco will not be pursuing the photo-opportunity route suggested above, and are probably preoccupied with other issues...

Hat-tip to Richard for pointing us at the article

Something for the weekend: Optimising price-pints via the 99 pack of beer!

                                                                                                 Youtube clip via Jake BC

Austin brewers Anytimeale website says it all: “It’s not only real, it’s an amazing deal: ninety-nine beers for $99. That’s 82 pounds of craft beer! Over seven feet of crisp, flavorful Peacemaker!”

Given the Amazonian logistics issues re getting the pack home from the store, perhaps there might even be an alternative route to consumer via some online provider?

Have another long weekend from the NamNews Team!

(Hat tip to Mike Anthony for the pointer to the Adweek article)

Still think the global retailers are ignoring Amazon?

                                                                                       Pic: via Jayaram Vengayil, via Fabio Ferraro

Coffee-break: Argentina - Germany Guardian Brick-by-Brick replay...

Source: The Guardian here

Shopping for exercise – how to burn up to 800 calories per trip…

A new article in Femail First and Promotionalcodes.org.uk describes 10 instore exercises with appropriate calorie counts, that will either revolutionise assumptions about shopping behaviour, or get you certified…

These include:
- Squats instead of bending to access the bottom shelf
- Trolley-lunging to express aisle-rage at giggling onlookers
- Arm-curls with tins to escalate the potential engagement
- Leg raises to demonstrate ‘if only’ world cup moves, or more aisle-rage
- Side-lunges into the chiller-cabinet to cool down and avoid retaliatory moves

In fact, the entire repertoire of gym-moves within the price of an enhanced weekly shop…

Alternatively, why not let your fingers do the walking, online…? 

I forgot about Price-comparison apps.....!

                                                                                                        pic: TheTelegraph

Andy Murray's Scottish restaurant has been criticised for selling alcohol at up to six times its retail value. 

NAM’s power-loss elimination at vital moments?

                                                                                              pic: Daily Star
The world’s first pair of wireless mobile-charging trousers will be unveiled on Tuesday as part of a new collaboration between British fashion designer Adrien Sauvage and Microsoft.

The trousers, described as a “wearable chino” by Mr Sauvage, have been fitted with a wireless charging plate from the Nokia DC-50, dismantled and reassembled within one of the front pockets of the trousers.

As you know, wireless-charging technology utilises induction charging via an electromagnetic field to transfer electricity between two objects. The charging pocket uses energy, sent through an inductive coupling to the phone, which then uses the energy to charge the phone battery.

Priced at over £200 a pair, the trousers will obviously appeal to NAMs that need to be switched on at all times.

However, the combination of an induction-charge (rather than a hard-wire connection) in such close proximity to even more vital equipment, may cause risk-averse NAMs to settle for more traditional methods of maintaining their mobility…

Best use of a shop window postcard space

Chip Shop Awards 2014: one of the winners
Entrant: Boxer
Brand: Mens Health Clinic
Title: Erectile Dysfunction
Credits: Paul Martin

Networking departed passengers...

The supercool quiet dude nursing a vodka tonic in the next seat could be already at his final destination... This could explain the failure of your skilled efforts in trying to network with a fellow airline passenger, possibly causing you to revert to LinkedIn for a slightly higher response rate...

According to a new BBC documentary* dead passengers on British Airways flights are seated in first class and disguised using 'sunglasses and a vodka tonic' out of respect for the departed, given the limited on-board alternatives available.....

This obviously raises the issue of why networking sometimes fails.

Essentially, proactive networking is more about giving than receiving, meaning that on balance the target gains more in the short and medium term from the process.

Eventually, networking results in some reciprocation - a ratio of ten to one initiatives satisfies professional networkers - or else some other more persuasive method is required if the target is that important, and alive to your initiatives...

In the long term, the networker can begin to draw from the joint pool, whilst continuing to top up the reserve...

Anything else is selfishness, doomed to result in unproductive dead-ends...

(Let me know if you want a free copy of our networking notes for NAMs)

*A Very British Airline, BBC2 iplayer

Now is the discount of our winter-tents?

Aldi have launched two ranges of low-cost camping gear - for adventurers and family campers.
However, to the undoubted relief of retail camping specialists, the products - ranging from head torches to satellite TV kits - will only be available at Aldi's UK stores for a limited period and once stocks have sold out they won't be replaced....

However, if this camp-gear approach to instore theatre makes an impact.....

Shop-window pulling power?

                                                                                          pic: Girls at Her.ie desk via Joe.ie 

Michelangelo's David showing signs of weakness in the ankles..

Recent BBC reports indicate that the development of hairline cracks in Michelangelo's statue of David indicate risks of collapsing under its own weight because of strain on the sculpture's "weak ankles".

In fact, some would say that the statue has not been the same since its three month’s loan to the US for exhibition at Washington’s National Gallery of Art to open 'The Year of Italian Culture….'

Temporary relief to find a windscreen-note on your damaged car?

                                                                                                            Source: HPM

Red Bull - for that extra lift when you really need it!

                                                                                           pics: Eddie Mitchell
A man survived an 80ft (24m) fall off a cliff when his car careered off the road and plunged into the sea near Brighton at midnight on Saturday...

The car ‘miraculously’ managed to avoid the concrete promenade at the foot of the cliff after it came off the A259 road near Roedean.

The driver told a fireman at the scene that ‘he just had a Red Bull and it… made him fly’…..

Nasa explains mysterious “light” on surface of Mars shown in rover pictures...

Hammer & Nails, the Nail Shop for Man-NAMs

                                                                                                                                           pic: LA Times
Given the increasing rigors and need for perfection in managing major accounts, it is vital that male and female NAMs operate on an equal footing...

This new service in LA is designed to ease sore muscles of athletic and active men. The Sports Pedicure features hot stones, Hammer & Nails Signature Scrub, foot and leg massage, reflexology, and a hydrating mint clay mask, which stimulates blood circulation. It also includes nail trimming and shaping, cuticle oil and grooming, moisturizing, hot towel wrap, and paraffin treatment.

In fact, all those little things that make a difference to the busy man-NAM, who may feel that out-of-sight is out-of-mind...

Too busy?
For those NAMs not wanting to sacrifice an entire afternoon in a busy schedule, the salon owners have responded to requests from loyal clients who want to stop by and receive a quick treatment before a big meeting, by designing the Express MANicure/Pedicure, that includes nail trimming and shaping, light cuticle grooming, and moisturizing treatments.

Hammer & Nails currently have 1 outlet in LA, with plans to open further branches throughout the US.

Hopefully, it won't be too long before the company respond to pent-up demand by increasing their foot-print to include the UK...