Raving Toy Maniac

HEROCLIX ONLINE PRESENTS "SEASON'S GROOTINGS" HOLIDAY CELEBRATION

Gifts festive Holiday Objects and Figure

Hillside, N.J. - December 3, 2012 - WizKids Games today announced a special holiday celebration for players and fans of HeroClix Online, entitled Season's Grootings. As part of the celebration, developers have delivered a free Marvel Groot figure to all active accounts and are giving away several in-game objects including a festive Season's Grootings object, Holiday Tree, Ole Claus and Snowman. The celebration runs through January 2, 2013.

As part of the festivities, one Marvel Groot figure has been delivered to all active HeroClix Online accounts as of today. To claim their special gift, players will need to log in to their account before the end of the Season's Grootings celebration.

December 3, 2012 - (Sponsor Announcement) - Online retailer BigBadToyStore.com has several items of interest to collectors:

Igear Mini Warriors MW-05, 06, 07, 08
http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/list.aspx?list=11297

SXS Cold Weapons
http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/menu.aspx?menu=2810&category=8943

We've just listed two brand new Shared Exclusives!

BBTS Shared Exclusive - Platinum Series - Year of the Snake - Fall of Cybertron Omega Supreme = $99.99
http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/product.aspx?product=HAS22422&mode=re...

BBTS Shared Exclusive - Platinum Series - Year of the Snake - Optimus Prime = $79.99
http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/product.aspx?product=HAS22423&mode=re...

Order both and save $5
http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/product.aspx?product=HAS22424&mode=re...

Meijer, Random House Children's Books And First Book Bring New Books To Children In Need For Holidays

68,000 Brand-New Books Will Go to Children Throughout the Midwest

WASHINGTON, Nov. 30 2012 -- Michigan-based retailer Meijer and Random House Children's Books are joining forces with First Book, a nonprofit that provides new books to children in need, to give 68,000 brand-new, high-quality books to children from low-income families in Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and Kentucky.

"We're delighted that Meijer and Random House have stepped up to put new books into the hands of children who so desperately need them," said Kyle Zimmer, First Book's president and CEO. "We know that reading skill is the number one predictor of success in school, and now tens of thousands of kids will have new books in time for the holidays."

The books will go to children at local schools and community programs in First Book's national network.

New "Earth as Art" Book Illustrates Beauty Of Satellite Views

WASHINGTON, Nov. 30, 2012 -- A stunning array of images of our home planet, taken by Earth-observing science satellites, are featured in a new NASA publication. The book, "Earth as Art," is available in hardcover, electronically, and as a free iPad application.

The 158-page book celebrates the aesthetic beauty of Earth in the patterns, shapes, colors and textures of the land, oceans, ice and atmosphere. Images include snow-capped mountain peaks in the Himalayas, Arizona's Painted Desert, the Mississippi River Delta spreading into the Gulf of Mexico, a Saharan dune sea in Algeria, and Byrd Glacier in Antarctica.