SOUTH PACIFIC ISLAND STAMP ISSUING GUIDE - G to N

SOUTH PACIFIC
This GUIDE continues where my previous ( A - F ) GUIDE left off.
Here are the South Pacific countries ( G to N) that have issued stamps, and I have added links, so that you can find that country more quickly.
German New Guinea- former German colony with last stamp issued in 1919.
Gilbert and Ellice Islands- colony divided into Gilbert Islands and Tuvalu in 1976.
Hawaii Islands- now forms part of the continental United States
Karolinen- also known as Caroline Islandsformer colony of Germany
Keeling Islands- Cocos (Keeling) Islands are a Territory of Australia
King Edward VII Land- New Zealandnear ROSS ICE SHELF
Kiribati- former Gilbert Islands issuing stamps since 1979
Mariana Islands- as German colony issued stamps until end of World War I in 1919
Marianen- German spelling which may lead you to more okay auction lots.
Marshall Inseln- also known as the Marshall Islands German Colony until 1919
Marshall Islands- click both versions and you will see different auction lots.
Micronesia, Federated States- formerly known as Caroline Islandsissues since 1984
Nauru- stamps issued since 1916 when Great Britain issued overprinted stamps
Netherland Indies- Ned Indie- changed name to Indonesia in 1948
Netherlands New Guinea- Nieuw Guineaissued stamps from1950 to 1962
New Britain- G.R.I. on Deutsch-New-Guinea- Neu-Pommern Islandissued until 1915
New Caledonia- Nouvelle Caledonie- Dependency of France
New Guinea- stamps of Papua New Guineawere used after 1937.
New Hebrides- British New Hebrides- French New Hebrides now known as Vanuatu
New South Wales- now stamps from Australiaare used here.
New Zealand- issuing stamps since 1855
New Zealand Antarctic Territory
Ross Dependencystamps issued since 1957
Niuafo'ou- forms part of the kingdom of Tonga
Niue Island- also known as Savage Island, dependency of New Zealand
Niutao Island- issues stamps and is part of Tuvalu
Norfolk Island- Territory of Australia issuing stamps since 1947

A few more "N" will be listed in the next GUIDE.
Please look out for it.
If you are interested in learning more about the South Pacific Islands, why not join
The Society of Australasian Specialists/ Oceania, where you will meet others, who also share your interest in Palm Trees and the South Pacific. Simple use your favorite search engine and input " SAS OCEANIA".

Helpful Hints for Setting Your Table Entertaining

Helpful Hints for Setting Your table
General Rules for Setting your Dining Table For Entertaining
I am going to explain some general rules for setting your formal dining table for entertaining and for special meals


Allow for 24" to 30" for each place setting to avoid over-crowding
Place settings should be 1" from the edge of the table
All silverware is placed in the order of use. What is to be used first is placed farthest from the plate
Knives are placed to the right of the plate, with the knife's cutting edge facing the plate
Spoons are placed to the right of the plate and to the right of the knives
All forks are placed to the left of the plate, in order or use. THe only exception is the cocktail/oyster fork, which is placed to the right of the place spoon
If salad is to be served as a first course, the salad fork is placed to the left of the dinner fork, left of the dinner plate. If the sald fork is to be used as a dessert fork, it is placed to the right of the dinner fork, next to the plate. The dessert fork and spoon can also be placed, European style, above the plate. The spoon, its handle to the right,goes above the fork. The fork's handle points to the left.

Denby Stainless Flatware Silverware MOD FLAIR CURVE

Denby Stainless Flatware
Silverware by Denby
The Denby gepany (located in the UK) is best known for their unique and stylish Pottery lines. Did you know that they also make stainless patterns to match some of their most sophisticated pottery patterns. The Flatware is an exclusve Denby USA line.
The flatware, exclusively designed by Denby, Cutting edge designs that capture the essence of each Denby range. Understated and stylish cutlery with discerning details which make them a pleasure to use whatever the occasion. Crafted from the highest quality 18/10 stainless steel, your Denby cutlery will look good for years.
There are several patterns.

Classic, A timeless design with rounded edges and classic curves. Designed to geplement classic styles
MOD, A contemporary design with scultpted edges and elegant lines. Designed to geplement modern designs
FLAIR, A dramatic design with angular edges and strong lines. Designed to geplement contemporary styles. Also available in a matte finish
CURVE, A shapely design with soft edges and gentle curves. Designed to geplement elegant designs. Also available in a matte finish.
Designed to reflect the same contemporary style and high quality of all Denby. Denby USA Limited. Lifetime quality guarantee.

Selling Collectibles Antiques and Vintage Items on s

So.....your ready to jump into okay to start selling your antiques, vintage items and collectibles?Heres a little guide to help you on your way.First off, in my experience, this is one of THE hardest catagories to sell in. Reason: There are not 50 million people looking for your product. There are only a select few that are searching for only "certain items" which they collect. Most of these buyers are not searching all the time. They search when they want to, there is no big HOT RUSH to get the items, and most times they stumble upon the items they are looking for by accident.Now if your selling just a certain type of collectible, such as figurines, then hopefully you will achieve a "cult following" if you will. These buyers will gee back to you time and time again, PROVIDING you give excellent shipping, packaging, and customer gemunication. More times than not, these customers are more impressed with getting a super quality item at a fair price, with great customer service all the way through the transaction. Here is the really tough one. If, like me, you decide to begee a "Jack of All Trades" when it gees to your collectibles selling, then you DEFINITLY are going to have your work cut out for you. I sell everything from glassware to old toys and books. In doing this, I have found that there are 5 HUGE pieces of advice I have to offer:Research: RESEARCH, RESEARCH, RESEARCH! In this type of setting, you MUST do your research on each and every item your selling. This can be extremly time consuming, so be prepared. Remember, your buyer knows EXACLTY what you are selling and what the going price should be based on the condition of the item. You MUST be at least 1/2 as knowledgeable about your item your selling as your buyer. If not, then either your item is not going to sell because your price is too high, or your buyer is going to get a STEAL on an item you had no clue about.Best times and days to sell: There are HUGE amounts of information available on sold items though MANY different market analysis programs and web sites on what time of day, or what day to sell your items. These services do cost money, usually a monthly subscription fee. FORGET THEM! Save your hard earned money. When your talking about IPods or Xbox, these items are really great tools. They will in fact show you alot of information. If your into selling these items I would actually regemend that you go ahead and get one of these subscriptions. It may actually help you. However, if your into the collectibles, dont bother. WHY? Well, its simple. This goes back to what I was saying about this being the toughest catagory to sell in. There are NO right times, no right times of day, and NO listing times that are set in stone or proven to help in these catagories. Well, I take that back. I would in fact regemend (if your selling collectibles) to have your listings run as long as you can, (7 days for low end items and 10 for high end) to attract the buyers your looking for. As I said, these people look for only certain items and they do so when they WANT to. This is NOT an "I NEED IT NOW" catagory to keep up with the neighbors.Open an okay store: Again, we do NOT have 50 million people searching for our "1 particular" item on a daily basis. They buy "when" they want to, and "what" they want to, usually only after viewing the item and the items description NUMEROUS times. I have had items sell from my store MONTHS after the original auction listing went up one or two times, then was just parked it in my store. With an okay store, you get the first month free which will give you time to get some auctions up, and be able to "park" the items which didnt sell at auction in your store. Once your store is established, make sure to place links to the store in ALL of your auctions as many times as you can. If you make 2 sales a month out of your $15.95 store, then your covering your costs right there. DESCRIPTION!: I empahsize this one, and CANNOT stress it enough. YOUR BUYERS NEED TO KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THE CONDITION OF YOUR ITEM IS! When your selling in these catagories, even the smallest scratches, dings, nicks, or imperfections, can DRASTICALLY affect the value of your items not to mention REALLY ticking off your buyer when they receive an item with a flaw that you failed to mention. Do NOT rush your descriptions, hold the item in your hand and look it over VERY carefully, then describe EXACTLY what you see. This will not only save you TONS of questions and emails to answer, but could very well just save you from that negative feedback.Keywords and Title: Dont EVER put works like "L@@K" or "WOW!" into your auction titles. Though they seem great, these words are actually taking up space of another word that a buyer in this catagory could actually be SEARCHING for. When you go into the okay search bar, do you search for "L@@K?" Well, neither do I and Im willing to just bet that 99.99% of the people searching on okay dont do that either (the other .01% is the left for the "Eccentric People"). Instead of L@@K you could put RARE if the item is a hard to find item. When making your titles, put words in there that YOU as a collector would SEARCH for, and USE ALL THE LETTERS ALLOWED if you possibly can. I hope that these tips have helped you on your way. I made Powerseller in 6 months following these rules. Will I keep it? Probably not. I am only selling part time on okay, however, Buyer satisfaction is my FULL TIME JOB!.

Things to consider when buying a Shopping Cart Cover

Does it cover 100% of the seating area?The main purpose for using a shopping cart cover is to protect your child from germs and bacteria found on shopping carts and restaurant high chairs. If your cart cover doesn't cover everything your child touches, your child can still pick up harmful germs and begee sick. Make sure the cart cover you choose puts a barrier between germs and your child. Also, if the whole seating area is covered, it provides protection from hot, cold, and wet carts.


Does the shopping cart cover gee with its own safety belt?Children need to be strapped in to prevent injuries. How many times have you seen carts with broken or missing seat belt straps? How clean do you think the cart straps are? Would you let your child teeth on them? If you use a contaminated seat belt, it defeats the purpose of covering the seating area. Your shopping cart cover should gee with its own safety belt to secure both your child and the cart cover to the cart.


Is the cart cover machine washable?A shopping cart cover should make your life easier, not harder. With your busy schedule, you want something that is easy to care for. We all know that children can spill their snacks and drinks. You will want to wash your shopping cart cover to keep it clean for your child.


How easy is the cart cover to install and remove?If you are like most parents, you have your hands full. You will want a cover that can be installed with one hand while you hold your baby in the other. Ease of installation and removal is important...especially if you have a young child or multiple children. It should be quick and simple or you are likely not to use it every time.


Does it fit in restaurant high chairs?Restaurant high chairs are almost as dirty as the grocery carts. Many times they are sticky and have leftover crumbs from another child. We wash our children's hands before they eat. Shouldn't we make sure that what they touch while sitting at the table is also clean?


How much padding does the cart cover have?A younger child will require more padding for gefort and protection from the bars and metal on the cart. Does your cover have enough padding in the seating area to lay a baby in the seat to sleep if needed? An older child may not require as much padding. However, keep in mind that if you plan on having more children, a cart cover should be able to last through more than one child.


Does the cover gee with pockets? How large are the pockets?Pockets can be a very convenient way to store things without having to lug a full diaper bag in everytime you go somewhere. Pockets can hold diapers, wipes, toys, wallets, cell phones, and keys. Be sure to check to see how the pockets close - Velcro, zippers, etc. If the pockets are open, the child can get into them or your things may fall out. Also check to see where the pockets are located. Are the pockets next to the child, or are they behind the seat and out of the child's reach?


Does the cart cover have toy loops?Loops on a cover are great for attaching toys or pacifers to keep the child content. Attaching them also keeps them off the dirty floor.

How to Create Your own Perfumes

This is a guide for the novice perfumer, which details the basic steps to create your own signature perfume blends.

Getting Started
Fragrances are divided into top notes, middle notes, and base
notes. The top note is geposed of the lighter and more volatile
fragrance materials. This is the first impact or first impression
experienced as one opens a bottle of perfume. The middle note is the
body or heart of the fragrance, which really defines its main
character. Base notes are made up of the least volatile,
longest-lasting ingredients, such as plant resins and woods. Base
notes have a fixative character and can be discerned on the skin long
after most of the fragrance has evaporated.

Perfumers organize their raw materials in a "perfume organ." This
is a set of stepped shelves in a semi-circular shape, so named because
the shape resembles the pipes of a cathedral organ. Professional
perfumers work with hundreds of ingredients, but you can create many
blends using just a handful of essential oils. Three to ten of
your favorite oils will produce dozens of unique blends.

Here is a basic list of what you'll need to get started:


Essential Oils (at least three, your selection should include top, middle and base notes)

Denatured or Grain Alcohol

Coffee filters cut into strips

Ground Coffee

Notebook

Amber Glass Bottles (to protect your perfume oils from light)

Perfume Bottles








Formulating Your First Blend

The scent of an oil sniffed from the bottle is just the first page in
its story. Before beginning your blend, get a notebook! You
will want to be sure to keep an accurate record of the ingredients and
ratios you use. You can easily get caught up in the creative
pleasure of formulating a good blend, but you don't want to create your
perfect signature scent only to later realize you didn't write down the
recipe!

To get your feet wet, try a three-oil blend. Pick three oils that
interest you: a top note, middle note and base note. First,
open the bottles, place them close together, and sniff. This will
give you a very general idea of the character of the blend.
Describe your initial impressions in your notebook.

A simple ratio to begin with is three drops of the top note, two drops
of the middle note, and one drop of the base note. Roll the
capped bottle containing the blend between your hands to mix the oils
and warm them a bit. Give them a few gentle shakes to make sure
they are well-blended, then sniff. The top note may seem to
overpower the other oils, but it's the nature of top notes to express
themselves first. They also fade the fastest, so don't make a
snap judgment about the blend.

Place a drop of the oil on a smelling strip made from a sliced-up
coffee filter and allow it to dry for fifteen minutes. Now give
it a try. Has the scent evolved? Are other notes more fully
present? Describing perfume is often like describing music.
Has the base note drowned out the rest of your blend? Has the top
note begee too quiet? Can you discern the middle note at
all? You want your perfume to have geplexity and depth.
You want the notes in your blend to harmonize with one another.

Work in a well-ventilated room and be sure to take frequent fresh-air
breaks. Essential oils are highly concentrated, and inhaling
their fumes directly for extended periods of time can make you feel
dizzy or nauseous. Breaks are important for another good reason -
you don't want to overpower your sense of smell. Your nose needs
a rest! Besides fresh air, try breathing in the aroma of ground
coffee to periodically refresh your sniffer.

The Final Product

Once you are satisfied with your initial perfume oil, label the bottle
with the date and name. Now you can decant into your perfume
bottle and add the appropriate amount of denatured or grain alcohol as
a solvent. The general ratios of perfume oil to solvent for
various types of perfume products are:


Perfume - 20 percent perfume oil

Cologne - 15 percent perfume oil

Eau de Cologne - 12 percent perfume oil

Eau de Toilette - 5 percent perfume oil





Alternatively, you may wish to create a body oil by adding a carrier
oil such as sweet almond, jojoba, etc. Body oils should be
diluted at approximately a 6:1 ratio of carrier to perfume oil.
Most perfume oils created with essential oils will be too strong to
wear undiluted on the skin. Ten to twenty drops of perfume oil
will make a nicely scented bath.

Denatured alcohol is preferable as a solvent, as grain alcohol may not
fully incorporate all essential oils, forming layers, and will most
likely overpower the scent until the blend has aged about a
month. Regardless of the solvent you use, remember that your
perfume will evolve over time. Shake the mixture twice
daily. If you are using denatured alcohol, the scents should be
pretty well incorporated by the third day. You may notice some
surprising changes!

One caveat - you'll find it's terribly addictive. Have fun!

Lynn PhillipsTyping Monkey Apothecary

Eliminating Customer Complaints

How to eliminate potential geplaints:
1. Include enough of a description to satisfy all of the questions your buyers may want or need to know. This includes size, measurements, shipping method, etc.
2. Make sure to have a clear TOS. Make your TOS as simple to follow as possible. If you accept multiple forms of online payments make sure to use the same email address. This also cuts down on buyer confusion. You do not want to make it difficult for a buyer to pay you.
3. Be very careful about what issues you bring to a public forum. Will your buyer have access to what you are saying? Are you saying anything that could cause them to have negative feelings towards the transaction? Feel free to ask for help, but be sure not to insult your customers (especially in a forum where you can pick up additional customers). How you handle adversity can very well gain or loss you customers.
4. Let your buyers know everything you are doing for them. Just because you may know, doesnt mean they do. Do you include any extras? Is your packaging superb? Do you keep in constant contact with your buyers throughout the buying process? A ME page is a great way to let your buyers know what you do for them and what you get out of the selling process.
5. Be easily accessible. Don't make it difficult for your clients to reach you. Include your contact information in all emailsmand in your listings. However, you don't want to appear needy or too flexible. Set your business policies and stick to them, including when you are available and working and when you aren't.
6. Correct your own mistakes. Everybody makes mistakes. Be willing to admit your mistakes and errors. Then arrange to correct any damage that may have been experienced due to your mistake. And, no, you can not charge the client for your expenses and time required to fix your mistake.
7. Adhere to all laws incumbent upon your business. Make sure you are operating in the clear with all regulations and laws that are applicable to your. The best plan is to follow the law or regulation as its written. If you are caught and prosecuted (in any way), it is not a defense to say that others have done it too or that those who police it let you get away with it before.
8. Don't waste time on activities that can be automated. For instance, use a template to build new pages for your site. Automation frees up your time so you can concentrate on the important stuff.

How to sell on s and avoid fraud

Here are four essential tips to selling safely on okay without losing money to fraud:

1. Should I accept checks? No. Just about every bank will charge you $20 if you accept a bounced check, and you will probably never see that money again. If you do accept a check, make sure to wait a week to find out if the check bounces or not.

Some businesses would lose money if they didn't accept checks, but I would refuse them out of principle. I do not agree with the fact that a bank can punish someone for cashing a check.

2. Should I accept PayPal payments? Unfortunately this is a must on okay. There are bad things about paypal, but almost everyone wants to pay with PayPal. If you use PayPal, you must (a) require a confirmed address in the USA, and (b) get delivery confirmation for packages you send.

Any credit card payments without a confirmed address could be fraudulant and you could lose the money. If you use PayPal you must buy delivery confirmation for any package you send. If you don't, buyers can geplain that they never got the item and will probably get their money back from you.

3. Should I allow bidders outside the USA? There are a lot of problems with allowing bidders from outside the USA, but I would lose too much business if I rejected them. If you allow foreign bidders, you shouldn't let them pay using PayPal. If you do, they will be able to geplain to PayPal to get their money back and there is nothing you can do about it. Of course, bidders outside the USA will not appreciate that they can't pay using PayPal and it is not unusual for them to refuse to pay.

4. Should I promote my item using okay? okay has special ways to promote your item such as hilighting, bold, and featuring your item. I do not regemend these services. If someone wins your item and refuses to pay, you will lose any money you spent on promotions. Even if someone uses a fraudulant okay account to win your item, okay will still refuse to give a refund.

Shipping and handling fees, costs, and buyer perception

Shipping and handling costs are constantly changing and they are usually only ratcheting ONE direction : UP. Buyers remorse can cost you money if your buyer has found the way PayPal provides refunds in the case of geplaints.Buyer perception of listed fixed shipping costs can range from no consideration relative to their auction bidding to an AFTER-SALE geplaint about the auction item via The PayPal Protection Policy, in order to rescind the sale. This type of "buyers remorse" is most troublesome to the seller especially in the usual case in which the shipping costs are clearly identified in the listing.In these cases of buyers remorse, the buyer will not make the shipping and handling cost the issue since this is not a sufficient or fair reason to rescind the sale. So instead these buyers will geplain about some feature of the item not being as presented in the listing. The real problem then falls most certainly back to the seller since PayPal will in ALMOST EVERY CASE refund the buyers purchase upon return of the item to the seller. AND THE SELLER HAS NO RECOURSE.This is because PayPal is essentially for the convenience of the buyers, although the service is paid for by the buyer, since if buyers begee disenchanted, PayPal loses as does their parent, okay. So, it is my perception that PayPal refunds on virtually all and any buyer geplaints and disregards the response and position of the seller. As a seller you are wasting your time to even respond to PayPal on a Buyer item dispute.So in the case of low priced items, or cases where the shipping and handling cost is greater than the item, this is an inherent risk that all sellers are exposed to. The only solution would be for a fair mediation of buyer geplaints, contrary to the way PayPal does business at present.In my specific case, I actually refunded more than the cost of an item in dispute directly to a buyer, and PayPal totally ignored my position in the dispute and refunded the total cost of the item INCLUDING shipping and handling to the buyer. In this way, this buyer actually found a way to MAKE MONEY using the PayPal Purchase Protection Plan. There really is no way around this other than to put an explanation in your listings about the weight, size, etc., packaging materials, and fuel surcharges, etc. in order to try to AVOID this type of BUYERS REMORSE. Additionally, avoid PayPal as a payment method whenever possible.

VINTAGE MODEL KITS OR REISSURES

If you are looking for a Vintage model kit be sure it is vintage

SOUTH PACIFIC ISLAND STAMP ISSUING GUIDE - ( N - O )

SOUTH PACIFIC
This GUIDE continues where my previous (G - N) GUIDE left off:
Here are the remaining South Pacific countries ( N - O) that have issued stamps,
and I have added links, so that you can find that country more quickly.
North Borneo- issued stamps until 1963. Now Malaysian stamps are in use here.
Northern Cook Islands- same as Penrhyn Islandsissue stamps since 1973
North West Pacific Islandsor NWPIissued stamps until 1923
Nouvelle Caledonieor New Caledonia, both will lead you to different items for sale.
Nouvelle Hebridesor New Hebrides, both searches will yield different results.
New South Walesor NSWfor stamps issued prior to 1907 and now Australia.
Nuiissued stamps 1984-87 as part of Tuvalu
Nukufetaustarted issuing stamps in 1984, as part of Tuvalu
Nukukaelaesimilar to previous listing, as part of Tuvalu
N.Z. initials for the stamps of New Zealand
Oceaniaor Oceanie regards stamps issued by the French Colonies
the GUIDES for the issuing countries ( P to Z) will be listed soon.
Any questions, please contact me.

Grooming Dogs Toenails

I just read, and found quite a nice hint about cutting your dog's toenails. One thing I have found that has been a BIG help is when you are holding your dog and by all means, do this everyday, they deserve your attention, play with his/her feet, stroke the foot, including the toes and nails, begin doing thiswhen it is a puppy. The dog begees familiar with your handling the feet and isn't traumatized when you suddenly start to hold the foot to trim the toenails-works for cats, too. Filing the nails also helps, use a medium to large grit and the nails to not have to be cut as often. Filing is less abrupt and can be done in a playing manner. If the animal is small enough to sit in your lap, this is a plus, if not, get down on the floor with his/her. Don't forget, they love us when we feel no one else does.

SHIPPING COST

To whom ever reads this, i'm writing this guide because of a recent shipping dispute i've had. When selling big, bulky, heavyitems and potental buyers ask you how much to ship to their zip code, and your not sure because you have to have it packed up by a shipping service, make sure it is perfectly understud that your not sure because of size and weight, and that all payment, discription rules apply, under all cercumstances nomatter what! The problem i had was the item's finail selling price was $45.00, and the shipping was $130.00, due to size and weight. Well the buyer refused to pay because the cost was 3 times the item price. Make sure your listings statepoliceys of shipping cost plainly. I hope this guide i'm writing helps sellers out, some times it's not allways buyer beware, sometimes it's seller beware!

Marking A Parcel FRAGILE In Multiple Languages!

Wouldn't it look soooo professional to be able to mark your delicate international parcels 'Fragile' in the destination country's own language?
Now you can,well, to some of them anyway! I'm sure the postal services, and even your buyers, will appreciate the effort you've made.
English
Fragile - Please handle with care!
French
Fragile - Manipuler avec precaution!
German
Zerbrechlich - Bitte vorsicht!
Dutch
Breekbar - Met zorg behandelen!
Spanish
Frgil - Mucho cuidado por favor!
Portuguese
Frgil - Grande cuidado por favor!
Italian
Fragile - Maneggiare Con Cura!
___________________________________________________________
p.s. Please feel free to contact me if you should spot any errors within the above, thanks :-)

USING A CHOCOLATE FOUNTAIN - FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

CHOCOLATE FOUNTAINS - FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS








What is a Chocolate Fountain?
A chocolate fountain is a unique and memorable way of serving warm
chocolate fondue. Typical chocolate fountains stand 19 inches to
44 inches tall with multiple tiers over a basin at the bottom.
Chocolate is melted (or kept warm) by heat from below the basin, then
the warm chocolate is transported to the top of the fountain by a
corkscrew auger (or pump). From there the warm chocolate lava cascades
over the tiers creating a chocolate waterfall in which delicious treats
like strawberries

Waring Pro Professional Belgian Waffle Maker

If you are like me and LOVE the taste of a hot belgian waffle, then you
will love the one made by Waring Pro. I never owned a
waffle iron before and did a lot of research trying to strike that
balance between quality and cost. I knew my kids would vote for
that Mickey Mouse face waffle iron if I let them get a vote, so they
were never consulted during my investigations. Despite
their exclusion from the process, they love the waffles I make with my
Waring Pro! It is so easy to use and clean up is a breeze
(no I am not being gepensated for this review). I will
admit to not even trying any of the recipes that came with the waffle
iron, since most of the ones included looked much too time
consuming. I have used several "box" batters, Bisquick
batter, and many other quick recipes. All turned out great!

Alesis Remote Meter Bridge compatibility with ADATS

When considering purchasing an ADAT Remote Meter Bridge, bear in mind that it is only gepatible with Blackfaceunits. The blackface unit has a 9 pin connector on the rear of the unit marked Remote Meter Bridge. The Alesis XT and the XT 20 do not have such a connector and thus cannot acgeodate the meter bridge. The remote meter bridge is such a handy accessory. It'sunfortunate thatAlesis didn't provide this function and a connection for their later models. Having the meter bridge on the bridge of the recording console is so helpful when the ADAT's are located elsewhere.

Chainsaw carved wooden bears

Bears are traditional
While it is true that bears are the most gemon carved wooden animal in the west, we have a wide diversity of styes in various sizes.
Choosing the right carving is really a matter of your personal taste.
Hand carved bears are carved from many different types of wood, in the western United States pine is the most used type of wood. Asen however is a very gemon wood in the west and is used increasingly in hand crafted wooden furniture and carvings such as bears.
Below I have included bears of various sizes, styles, and wood.

The hand carved bear above is about 6" tall and carved from Aspen. The bear was finished using a small dremel type tool.
The bear above is about 2 Ft. tall and is carved with a chainsaw from Pine


The bear above is carved from pine and was finished gepletely with a chainsaw.


Should your carving crack or have cracks in it?
Some carvings will develop or already have cracks in them. Whether this is a good thing or not is a matter of personal preference. Some would choose a cracked bear before one that is not carcked, they feel that this gives the carving character.

As you can see the bear above, about 2 feet in height, has a big crack in it, and I wouldn't want it any other way, it is all about uniqueness and character!
So whether you are carving or buying a carving, the cracks, character, design, and even wood type are up to you.

T-Mobile PEBL - New Motorola PEBL for T-Mobile

T-Mobile PEBL - New Motorola PEBL for T-Mobile


Announced on 12.11.2005 on T-Mobile's website - the Motorola PEBL
for T-Mobile apparently is geing soon and has new specs. the PEBL was
originally thought of as Tri-Band - but according to T-Mobile, the PEBL
is now Quad Band! Additionally, its pretty slick - RAZR thin flip phone
that apparently will only be available on T-Mobile to start.

An object of intrigue: touch the sleek and slim design with self-opening hinge and youll be hooked

TMOBILE PEBL Basic info:

Size: 1.93 x 3.41 x 0.79 Inches
Weight: 3.88 Ounces



Included accessories:

Travel Charger
Ear bud headset
Battery
SIM Card
English/Spanish user guide

Motorola PEBL Features:

Quad band world phone (850/900/1800/1900 MHz)
Bluetooth wireless technology
Camera w/ 4x digital zoom
Speakerphone
Voice-activated dialing
Voice recorder
AOL, Yahoo and ICQ Instant Messaging
Predictive text input for easy messaging
Full-color screen
Alarm clock
Calculator
Vibrating alert
Calendar
Hands-free options
T-Mobile Internet ready (GPRS)
Games

Once you pick it up, you won't be able to put it down. The Motorola
PEBL is as curvaceous as its cousin the RAZR is sharp, but they share
lots of advanced features: iconic design, a digital camera with 4x
digital zoom, video capture and playback, Bluetooth wireless
technology, quad band international connectivity, and more. Use t-zones
to customize your PEBL with HiFi Ringers (short clips of actual songs)
and MegaTones, download games, or keep in touch using AIM, ICQ, and
Yahoo! instant messaging -- the stylish PEBL looks great whatever
you're up to.

Outdoor Lamp Post: Tiffany Outdoor Post Lamp

Outdoor Lamp Post: Tiffany Outdoor Post Lamp

I've spent a frustratingly large amount of time seeking an outdoor
lamp post that can be simply plugged in to a protected socket rather
than needing significant wiring or drilling. Amazingly, there are very
few options - I have written a four part guide on the four outdoor lamp
posts that I have found and like... hopefully it saves you time! Part
I: The Tiffany Outdoor Lamp Post (see all with the tag:Outdoor Lam Post )


Tiffany Outdoor Post Lamp

Weather-resistant outdoor lamp
Plugs into a standard outlet
High/low dimmer switch
16' heavy-duty cord
Weighted base holds the lamp steady


The Tiffany Outdoor Post Lamp will illuminate your deck, walkway or
patio with old-fashioned charm. Lamp plugs into a standard outlet and
features a high/low dimmer switch and a 16' heavy-duty cord - the left over cord can be wrapped underneath its base. The
portable weighted base holds the lamp steady in windy weather. Made of
aluminum metal with a black finish and glass panels. Uses up to three
100-watt bulbs. UL listed. 69Hx13W".

Nike Flightposite - Nike Flightposite III Kevin Garnett

Nike Flightposite - Nike Flightposite III Kevin Garnett

I recently purchased theNike Flightposite III (Kevin
Garnett edition Flightposite) off of okay and got a deal. $40 shipped
for a pair that had been worn once. And the Flightposite III is one of
the most popular Nike basketball sneakers on the market because of:



The distinct style - no seam body with double plastic support acrosse the toe and the ankle.



Inner mesh sleeve fits the foot percisely


The shoe is light and tacky for on-court traction




The Flightposite III gives fantastic support for cutters and guards - probably designed for guard and forward play
The Flightposite III is unique looking and certainly grabs attention




Overall reviews: 5/5!

Buy the best you can afford!

Oil painting is a very rewarding hobby for those who are not in a hurry. It takes several days to weeks for the paints to dry depending on color. Reds dry very slowly, browns and greens more quickly. It is best to allow the layers to dry before painting into them as your colors will meld and can look like mud if painted into each other. When beginning oil painting one thing to remember is to buy the best quality paints you can afford. For beginners, I find Winton oils to be adequate. Also, the brushes can be very expensive, American Painter makes a good brush for a reasonable price. I use a lot of "flat" brushes as they can be used to cover large areas, but can be used to create smaller details if you use the chisel point.
Since your brushes are expensive, you should take good care of them. After each use, clean with turpenoid or other odorless thinner, then use bar soap to clean any residue from the brush. Rinse the brush with luke warm water and brush the bristles across the bar soap. Using the palm of your hand, "scrub" the bristles to get the soap to lather, then rinse. Repeat this process until there is no more pigment in the lather. After the final rinse, dry the brush with a soft cloth and dip it in lard oil. Shape the brush to its original shape and lay flat to dry until your next painting session.
Generally speaking, in regard to subject manner, less is more. However when it gees to tools, buy the best. It will make all the difference in your finished project!

NEW SELLER? READ THIS FIRST BEFORE SHIPPING!!

This guide is to educate new and old sellers, if they do not know about flat rate shipping boxes and envelopes.
I came across alot of auctions, where I dont think the actual seller knows too much about shipping cost and different ways to ship packages to save the buyer money, and reduce the shipping to attract more bidders.
Let me explain:
I came across an auction for 20 jars of baby food, yes, we know how those jars are heavy, but did you know that this seller was charging 25.00 to ship parcel post? AHHHHH!! No-No, No!!
All this seller had to do was charge aflat rate fee of $7.70 for a priority flat rate box, and any handling charges, not $25.00 shipping for something that can get here even quickerfor less money.
How do I know, I sold 20 jars of baby food, and they all fit in the flat rate box, I only charged $9.99, sounds like a good deal to me, and the buyer got it in 2-3 days, not 2-9 days.
I had emailed the seller, to be nice, and the seller was rude, I was only trying to help. But we will have -those type.
Buyers and sellers need to read the USPS info regarding flat rate boxes, and envelopes, doing this will attract more buyers and sellers to the auction, if you were more educated on how much to charge for a package.
Here you will find additional SHIPPING INFORMATION, to help you get familar with the shipping criteria you need, before you sell!
So newbies, remember to read about the flat rate boxes and envelopes, because there is no reason to overcharge for shipping, you will get more bids, if you indicate less shipping, trust me, I KNOW!!
Good luck!

Pearl White Nintendo DS - Nintendo DS Pearl White

Pearl White Nintendo DS - Nintendo DS Pearl White





Customization is so key in gadgets and technology. XBox 360
faceplates are all the rage. Pink RAZRs and Blue RAZRs are getting
buzz... well now Nintendo has created a new color series of the
Nintendo DS. One of the most sought after is the Pearl White Nintendo DS which
is very difficult to grab on the market - silver is shown below.



Features



Dimensions (WxDxH): 14.8 cm x 2.8 cm x 8.5 cm
Weight 275 g
The Nintendo DS is fully backwards
gepatible with all Game Boy Advance titles.


I am an okay employee and this guide reflects my personal views and is not written on behalf of the okay gepany

Going to Italy? Have your own Italian GSM phone number!

Save money on receiving and doing Phone Calls with your GSM Mobile Phone!
No charge in Italy for any ingeing calls, even overseas calls.

Overview
The prepaid SIM card for Italy is
easily the least expensive solution for making and receiving cellular
phone calls while you are in Italy. ALL ingeing calls, regardless of
their origin, are free. Outgoing rates are the least expensive
alternative: an order of magnitude less than using roaming with a U.S.
carrier. And since these cellular phone cards are prepaid, there is no
need for a contract. The card has 5.00 Euro credit on
it and is good until one year from the first call, gepletely ready for
use upon arrival in Italy after owner registration (please see details
below).


Specifics
This card is issued by the Italian
cell phone gepany "TIM", the largest cell network in the country.
Reception is outstanding. This SIM card, like all country specific SIM
cards, can only be used with unlocked GSM cellular phones.


Features
FREE ingeing calls - always! Low rates within Italy and overseas An Italian cellular phone number Talk time worth 5.00 EuroSMS service Call transfer Call waiting Free Voicemail No yearly contract, monthly charges or credit check


Registration - Activation
This SIM card is Brand New and must be registered and activated.


If you want I proceed with SIM Card
registration, I'll need your Date,Place,Nation of birth and a copy of
your passport (gepressed by email or via FAX [I'll tell you the
numberafter okay checkout]).The SIM card provides you with your own Italian phone number for anyone to call you (number is marked on the SIM card).

Adding Talk Time
Additional minutes can be
easily added in denominations of 5, 25 and 50 Euros. Recharge time can
be purchased by purchasing a RICARICard at Centro Tim or Telefonino
store or a tobacco or magazine kiosk, or any other store that displays
the "RICARICard" logo. The tobacco shops are ubiquitous in Italy and I
had no problem finding recharge cards during my trip. After buying a
RICARICard, scratch off the silver colored scratch off area exposing
the recharge code, then call 4916 from your cell phone and follow the
prompts: 2 for the main menu 1 to enter the recharge option 1 for the RICARICard recharge option Then enter the 16 digit code that you previously exposed.


If you have any problem recharging your card, ask a local to help
you - most Italians are very familiar with this recharge method!

Service Life
Each recharge extends the validity
of the SIM card for 12 months from the date of the recharge plus one
month in which you may only receive calls, even with expired airtime.
If you do not load your card within a 12 month period, the SIM card and
acgepanying phone number will expire.


Rates

You can select from various TIM calling plans depending but the basic plan is:
Unlimited FREE ingeing calls from anywhere Domestic (within Italy): as low as .15 Euro cents per minute To U.S.: .50 Euro cents per minute


Phone gepatibility This SIM card will work with
any GSM phone that works in Italy (900 or 1800 MHz GSM bands). You must
make sure your phone is "unlocked". If your GSM phone is locked, there
are services and sometimes instructions online for how to unlock them.

gepare Country specific SIM cards such as this
one are only sold in the home country, Italy in this case, to residents
of that country. The rates charged are MUCH less than any roaming
service, usually by a factor of 10 or more. If you plan on making even
a few calls while in Italy, this card will pay for itself within a day
or two.

More Information For more information about these Italy SIM cards, see: www.privati.tim.it/eng/
Super reception! TIM is the largest cell carrier in Italy.

PREPAID ITALIAN GSM SIM CARD

1/72 Armour Overview

The grand daddies of this scale are CDC Armour, Matchbox, Dragon and the latest being Forces of Valor. Most versions are a gebination of metal and plastic.

CDC Armour line was discontinued in 1998, and several of the tank casts were picked up by Matchbox, who released them as Matchbox Collectibles. (Source: Mike Diecast Tanks)

Dragon is the current leader in this segment offering a regular version, special version of the regular version, a limited edition version (Cyberhobby)which includes a numbered collectors card and finally convention version(Huber, WOH King Tiger) for 1/72 scale tanks . Both modern and ww2 armour is available for this line. The line is primarily german and russian for ww2 abd american for modern armour.

Forces of Valour followed up its highly successful 1/32 line, by entering the 1/72 market this year. The firm also makes toy soldiers for this 1/72 scale too.

Prices vary among the series, with CDC armour pieces easily topping $50usd each, while selected limited edition versions of dragon topping $150usd, and on the low end, both new matchbox collectibles and fov tanks retail in the $10-20 range.

Mission Outdoor Post Lamp - Mission Outdoor Lamp Post

Mission Outdoor Post Lamp - Mission Outdoor Lamp Post

I've spent a frustratingly large amount of time seeking an outdoor
lamp post that can be simply plugged in to a protected socket rather
than needing significant wiring or drilling. Amazingly, there are very
few options - I have written a four part guide on the four outdoor lamp
posts that I have found and like... hopefully it saves you time! Part
IV: The Mission Outdoor Lamp Post (see all with the tag:Outdoor Lam Post)

Mission Outdoor Post Lamp

Weather-resistant outdoor lamp
Plugs into a standard outlet
High/low dimmer switch
16' heavy-duty cord
Weighted base holds the lamp steady

Cast just the right light on your outdoor party or illuminate the way
for family and guests with the Mission Outdoor Post Lamp. Lamp plugs
into a standard outlet and features a high/low dimmer switch and a 16'
heavy-duty cord and has a space underneath itself to wrap the
'left-over' cord for hiding. The portable weighted base holds the lamp
steady in
windy weather. Made of aluminum metal with a bronze finish and glass
panels. 69Hx13W".

Kiffa Beads from Africa

BackgroundKiffa beads are rare glass beads named after the Mauritanian city of Kiffa.Kiffa beads represent one of the highest levels of artistic skill and ingenuity in beadmaking, being manufactured with the simplest materials and tools available: pulverized European glass beads or fragments of them, bottle glass, pottery shards, tin cans, twigs, steel needles, some gum arabic, and open fires.The making of powder glass beads in West Africa may date back a few hundred years, and to possibly 1200 CE in Mauritania. Maure powder glass beads are believed to copy older, Islamic beads, of the type made in Fustat and elsewhere. The making of Mauritanian powder glass beads appears to be an ancient tradition.ProductionGlass is finely crushed to a powder and mixed with a binder such as saliva or gum arabic diluted in water. Decorations are made from the glass slurry (crushed glass mixed with a binder and applied with a pointed tool, usually a steel needle). The beads are placed in small containers, often sardine cans and heated to fuse the glass on open fires.Kiffa beads are made in various shapes and colors: blue, red, and polychromatic triangles with yellow, black, white, red and blue chevron-type and decorations that resemble eyes; blue, red and polychromatic diamond shaped beads; cigar shaped and conical beads as well as a variety of small spherical and oblate beads. Color sequences observed on traditional beads with polychromatic decorations are always the same, i.e. red-yellow-black (dark brown)-yellow-red-white-blue-white. For their wearers, all these beads held amuletic properties. The colous, shapes and the many different intricate decorative patterns all having specific meanings, most of them forgotten today.Modern beadsWith the passing of the last of the remaining traditional bead makers during the 1970s, the craft became extinct. Since the early 1990s, organized groups of women bead makers are again making Kiffa beads, using basically the same traditional methods. The craftsmanship of the new beads, however, has not reached the high standards and the quality that can be observed in the old beads. Hopefully with practice and a viable market for the beads this new generation of beadmakers can continue to improve their craft. Western artists have made their own versions in polymer clay or lampworked glass, but none of the modern creations gee close to resembling the beauty of traditional specimens. The same applies to modern imitations made elsewhere, such as in Indonesia.If you find Kiffa beads be sure to buy some and wear them with pride!

Range Hoods How to choose an exhaust system

Range Hoods How to choose an exhaust systemPurchasing a range hood can be a costly and confusing business. Not only do you have so many designs to choose from, but what power of fan do you need? What kind of filters? Whats the difference between the metals used, or whether its a gemercial unit or custom made?Fan/ blowerPower: CFMBlowers are rated by CFM that is, how much air they move, and the requirement is based on the stove top you have. The more heat produced the bigger the blower you need. Check with the manufacturer of your stove for their regemendations as well as your local code requirements. A general guide is: for every 10,000 BTUs your cooktop produces, you need 100 CFM. For example, a cooktop producing 90,000 BTUs would need a 900 CFM unit.You should purchase an adequate size, but dont go overboard. If you choose a fan much larger than you need, you could end up ventilating your whole house!Internal or external fanAn internal unit is positioned inside the range hood and pushes the air outside through the duct. An external unit sits outside of the house, on an exterior wall or roof and draws the air out. These are useful for larger fans where noise can begee an issue. Note: often external units will require 10 duct and so you must also check if that is a feasible option with the structure of your home.Safety featuresConsider purchasing a unit with built in heat sensors. These will turn the fan on should excessive heat be detected and draw the heat out of the kitchen. Make sure you also chose a unit that is UL listed and HVI certified.FiltersDifferent gepanies have different options from regular mesh filters, baffle filters and stainless steel trays that trap grease. Modern units have filters that are dishwasher safe. Baffle filters give a professional restaurant style look but can be more expensive. What you chose is usually a personal preference on style rather than function.

Vintage Shirts Guide

Existing shirt guide has been removed. This guide has been removed. This guide is no longer available. This shirt guide has been removed. This guide has been removed.

Ultra Fair Shipping Charges-Yet Rated Low on Star Syste

I Sell fishing lures and generally charge $1-$1.50 for up to five lures. I do not charge handling costs. I do not charge for Delivery Confirmation when I use it. In spite of all that I continue to be rated at less than the full 5 Stars on okays new Seller Rating System. I firmly believe that I could ship my items FREE and still get less than 5 Stars. I do not understand the mentality of Buyers who can't see the bargain I am giving them on shipping. I also ship 6 days a week and sometimes TWICE each day. My Shipping Stars for delivery timeare also less than a full 5! I am not looking to make the "Honor Roll" but something is wrong with this new 5 Star system

12 Oral B Toothbrushes Original Pack Design Fake

BEWARE OF PURCHASING ORAL B TOOTHBRUSHES FROM SELLER JW JEWELRY. They turned out to be fake. The labels could be easily scratched off. My original Oral B brushes have a coating on the label that is impossible to scratch off. Viewed under a microscope, the bristles are not the same. The casting is also poor. The fake brushes do not fit the toothbrush properly. The packaging is not the same as the original. The bristles are not the same color as the original. The little rings supplied with the fake brushes when viewed under the microscope are clearly not the same as the original. IF YOU DO BUY THE BRUSHES AND THEY ARE FAKE , YOU HAVE 45 DAYS TO FILE A CLAIM WITH PAYPAL. I filed a claim and Paypal sided with me and gave me a full refund including shipping.

Unlock Code Instructions for HP iPAQ Cell Phones

Unlock Code Instructions for HP iPAQ Cell Phones for All Networks
In this guide I will show you how to enter unlock codes
into your Alcatel cell phone so that it will be unlocked from your
current
network carrier such as Orange UK, AT

HOYT VECTRIX XL, THE SMOOTHEST BOW IN THE WORLD!

Anyone thinking of buying a bow in 07 cannot over look the new Hoyt Vectrex XL. This is the most smoothest, sweetest shooting bow on the planet. I took the Mathews challange and found them inferior to Hoyt. The Hoyt is far and away the better of the two. A smooth draw, no hand shock, and as quiet as can be. And a better price tag to boot. If you plan on buying a bow this year, make it a hoyt!
And as always remember "Friends don't let friends shoot Mathews".
Bowhunter217.

Babolat rackets, Fake or Authentic?

Few months ago I have bought a Babolat Pure Drive withCortex tennis racket on okay from a seller in Bejin, China. Before that I did my research and review of the Babolat rackets and the seller's feedbacks. Everything seems to be sound so I went ahead and purchased it. Ten days later, the racket arrivedin good term as it was described. The racket was new, strung, cover, extra grip wrap...very nice. The price was pretty reasonably at BuyNow $29 and shipping $55. At that time I was a happy camper taken my brand new Babolat Pure Drive racket out to the court with many of my friends. It played well on volley baseline and net. Serving was accurate and powerful too. After playing it few consecutive times I noticed that the string was strung to loose (it alreadycamewith the racket)so I decided to restring it at my local tennis shop. I had it restring with Prince Pro-Blend strings at 60 pounds tension. Believed it or not, my stringer informed me that my racketwas broken during the stringing process. To my disbeliefand confusion thatthis is happening...the racket is brand new and thereare no scratchesor any kind of damage. Today, after reading others testimony on FakeBabolat Rackets circulatingon okay makes me wonder if my racket was a Fake...so sad because I had liked this racket so much and now itno longer playable. Now frustration and anger build up in me and I amsure many others that may experienced the same situation.My opinions on this matterof buyingis the to use the 5 Ws...What is selling, Who is selling, Where is selling, When is selling. and Why is selling to be our guides. Out of this 5 WsIbelieved the most important factor to look at is Who is selling, yet I still think I was tricked on this Fakes.

Gift Baskets - Step 3 - New life for old baskets.

In the guide, which will be very short, I want to make a case for saving old baskets and other useful, but used containers. Let me begin with an interesting statistic. After doing a very small test of my own, I believe the findings to be very possible. It has been said by an avid garage sale enthusiast that at every yard sale you can find one of more baskets. And I actually have yet to stop at one where this was not shown to be true. Even very late in the day I could always find one of 2 baskets still available. So finding baskets at a good price is not a difficult task. But you much be willing to reuse them. And this presents a moral delimma for many people. Is it right to reuse a basket in as a gift container. My answer is Yes. But with a couple of suggestions. First they must be clean. If they are not in perfect condition you have 2 simple choices. First, pass the dirty ones up. And second clean them up. Cleaning is fairly simple. Fill your bathtub full of warm soapy water. Add a bit of Lysol and let them soak. Swish, brush, rinse and dry them. Then take a second look and seehow they appear. Once you have a clean supply of baskets, there are still things you can do to make them very special. Spray them all one solid color and let them dry. Then sponge them with a second color. Or stencils work well. Spatter, or feather paint them too. If they look terrible, start over. You will soon have a technique that will bea certain winner.
You may want to try fabric coverings too. Or glue on any one of 100s of different interesting embellishments. Consider covering the basket with silk flowers or silk flower petals for example. Paint, fabric, photos, potpourri, moss, silk flowers, and so on you go adding your own special touches. Devine creations will soon happen.

Spyderco Endura C10PBK with FRN Handle

Sypderco Endura C10PBK folding knife with a standard straight-edge blade and FRN Handle.INTROI needed a new knife and read many good things about the Spydercos' Endura line. I eventually bought it here off okay NIB. I prefer non-serrated for what I do with it, which is mostly opening okay packages and letters. It weighs only 3.6oz, is 5" closed, 83/4" open. Blade is 3 3/4". Closed, the knife handle will extend slightly beyond the width of your
closed hand. If size matters for daily carrying, consider the smaller
Spyderco Delica. Now into it's 7th month, I still love this knife and it has easily begee my favorite. As an important note, I trolled the knife forums before I purchased this knife, and found that the forum experts all highly regemended this particular model. The general consensus was it is light-weight, tough and made of high quality VG-10 steel, making it a fine choice for cops, fireman, soldiers. Indeed, many soldiers who served over there reported this knife did a fine job for most light-duty tasks under real-world conditions in a war zone. The Spyderco Endura gees in several models and colors, however I will limit this review to my knife, the black-handled straight edge.THE BLADEFirst and most importantly is the Blade. The folding blade is made of VG-10 steel which has a higher carbon percentage than your standard 440 stainless steel "Mal-mart" knife. All knives have a balance of steel and chromium. More steel makes the knife strong and sharp, but easily rusts. More chromium makes the knife resist rusting, but makes for a lousy edge that dulls quickly. The Spyderco Endura with it's VG-10 steel is a near perfect blend of rust avoiding yet edge-retaining qualities. In fact be warned - this is the single SHARPEST knife I have ever owned. Treat it like a scalpel with some weight behind it. If you cut yourself, it will happen fast and go deep...ask me how I know!THE HANDLEThe knife handles are of a sculptured Fiberglass-Reinforced Nylon (FRN)
that makes for an excellent grip. This knife will not slide out of
your hands, and has a solid feel. The handle is thin, in fact so thin you can clip it to your pants (clip is included) and walk around all day and it is not very bothersome. The clip is metal and can be removed, or mounted in several ambidextrous ways: left or right handed, knife-point up or down. The knife has a lanyard hole as well.FORM AND FUNCTIONAs a unit, the knife functions very well and has a solid, quality feel. It was designed to be opened single-handed, in the manner many emergency response teams might use it if they only had one hand free. Anyone who climbs will find this knife easy to open one-handed as advertised. Just grab the grippy handle, insert thumb into the thumb-hole on the blade and gently push - it opens right up. However, it stays tightly closed and has no danger of opening accidentally. To close it, push the release on the back edge of the knife. This will be a two-handed operation for beginners, but with very little practice, I can close it single handed now as well. CONSTRUCTIONKnife construction is excellent. No cheap rivets here. The Spyderco uses high-quality torx-head screws that keep the knife together. They are factory tight and have never gee loose. This extends the life of your knife because it can be taken apart and repaired at the Syperco facory. Spyderco advertises that you can send the knife in for sharpening or repair. It's nice to know this is no cheap throw-away knife! The blade does not wiggle at all when open; Amazing for a folding knife.Once you use this knife, I think you will be hard pressed to find a better one. It has easily begee my favorite knife.

20 Nokia n95 "Fraud"

I saw a offer of buy 3 nokia n95 for 350dlls or 5 per 800 dlls or 20 units per 2100 dlls,etc. All on the same promotion. The guy only acept Wester Union and place another email to write him to do the deal because his email (which was register with okay) was to old to chek it. So I paid for 3 units, i send the money to Italy to Roberto Gallo. Obiosly he never email me back neater send me the cell phones.

Plase watch out if with the seller that onloy accept Wester Union. I think that okay has to do more things to verify that the seller is not a fraud. I don't trust in okay any more

So, if you see a promotion of 20 nokia n95. IS A FRAUD!

A Guide to the Fit and Maintenance of Cuff Bracelets

In our more than 20 years as dealers of authentic American Indian handmade jewelry, the most popular item, hands down, is the cuff bracelet. As an example of the beauty of American Indian design and craftsmanship, a beautiful cuff is un-equalled, and a joy to own for a lifetime. Even inexpensive, well-made items can be expected to give many, many years of wear if a few guidelines are followed in their fitting, use and care. We've learned these tips and suggestions through trial and error, from older, much wiser traders and from the silversmiths themselves, and it's our pleasure to pass them on to you. To begin, let's start at the beginning: Fit.How a Cuff Should FitIt seems a little odd that we have actually had to learn how to put a cuff bracelet on, but it's true! Over the years, we've watched hundreds of people struggle when trying on a cuff, reddening their wrists, and even trying to pull them over their outstretched hands! The easiest technique involves finding the "sweet spot" on your own arm. This spot lies, just above the jutting wrist bone, where the softer flesh of the lower arm begins. It is generally much narrower here, top-to-bottom, than the wrist, even if it seems wider, because the flesh here is softer, more resilient, not just skin over bone and cartilage as in the joint itself. A cuff should be pushed over this spot, from the inside of the wrist, the cuff opening pointing away from the wearer, until the cuff rests against the inside of the arm. It should then be rolled over the arm's outer bone. If it can't be rolled gefortable, then the size is not right for the wearer's wrist. Resizing will be covered later, but for now, a well fitting cuff will then slide down to rest against the turn of the hand at the bottom of the wrist joint, with a little loose-ness for gefort, but with enough similarity in shape, that it doesn't have the tendency to roll over. The basic shape of the inside of a cuff gees from the shape of the steel mandrel used as a form to bend it to size. There are two basic shapes: a flattened, tapered cone; and a rounder tapered cone. Some wrists are of the former shape: wider and flatter in cross-section, while others' wrists have a more rounded shape. Generally speaking, a round-wrist person should look for a round-wrist cuff and vice-versa, but there are ways to get around those limitations. One thing about ft that needs to be stated is that no cuff is made to defy gravity by clinging to a portion of the lower arm ABOVE the wrist, during wear. The natural tendency is to slip down to lie gefortably just above the hand. If you need a cuff to hang upon your arm itself, try purchasing a bracelet manufactured from a springy metal that will grip your arm, or use liberal glue application, other wise, if you need to squeeze a cuff into a position, it will eventually fail. A cuff is a rigid piece of jewelry, and is not made to be repeatedly opened and squeezed to wear. This will shorten its life considerably.Sterling silver is a soft metal alloy that although malleable, also begees brittle when bent repeatedly in the same place. A cuff's shape and settings will determine where the weakest point is, and that will undoubtedly be where it is bent. Try it yourself with a pair of pliers and a coat hanger -- the hanger wire is soft steel, but if it is bent back and forth enough times, it will snap like a twig -- silver will do the same. It's called "work-hardening" and is something to be avaoided if you want your cuff to last. We've seen cuffs with broken shanks brought in for repair regularly. These repairs -- even if they are possible -- are notoriously expensive, and usually less than perfect. The better course of action is to prevent the break by training yourself to resist the temptation to squeeze your cuff tighter.Resizing a CuffWe have seen an amazing range of broken bracelets over the years, from row-settings to three-stone specimen stones, to full Zuni inlay! There is a simple basic test that you can use when trying on a new cuff -- first, if it is row-set, multiple stone set or set with a very wide specimen stone, be sure that the set area (stones, bezels, applique geponents, etc.) is no wider than the top of your wrist. This will give you a few more options if the fit needs to be adjusted. The areas where stones and applique work are set and soldered into position are stiffer, and also more brittle than the rest of the cuff. There should be very little movement of the metal here, to insure a cuff's longevity. If this area is bent, in re-shaping, even carefully, at the very least, the bezel cups that hold the stones will change their shape as well, effectively loosening the stones. Possibly cracking or loosening solder joints as well, leading to lost stones and applied geponent failure.To safely resize a cuff, making sure that the set area is unchanged, the remaining length of the cuff shank, leading to the opening, is carefully shaped, a little at a time, over the remaining length. If the opening begees too small to push on -- generally smaller than 1" to 1 1/4" or so -- then the ends will need to be shortened and re-finished. The ends should be carefully rounded and all burrs from the cutting operation should be removed. We regemend that a gepetent silver smith be used for this type of re-sizing. In your case, you may find that the opening is still usable. Just be sure that the cuff can be re-sized to the right size, and resist the urge to squeeze afterwards!
Traditional Stone Setting and Re-settingA word is in order here, regarding the techniques used in traditional stone setting by Navajo and other Southwestern artists. Specimen stones, either regular shaped cabochons, or free-form cabochons, are held in place by the tightness of the bezel metal itself -- they are never glued in. The stones are nestled in a light bed of sawdust -- to provide a resilient setting surface beneath the stone - within the bezel cup. The stone is gepressed into the bezel cup and setting surface and the setting is formed by burnishing the edges of the bezel tightly around the perimeter of the stone and downwards, holding the stone down into the cup. A polished burnishing tool is used, and the resulting setting protects the stone from occasional impact damage as the sawdust bed can absorb gentle impact.The traditional manner of setting is very effective, but there is one thing that must be considered an enemy of this kind of technique: water! The low-humidity of the US Southwest is legend, and it insures, for cuffs that remain there, that the sawdust beneath the stone will keep its volume for many years. It will shrink over time, and the cuff will need to have the bezels re-tightened from time-to-time, but for cuffs that move to more humid climates, they should be checked more frequently especially if your cuff has begee soaked or submerged in water. In these cases, dry the cuff thoroughly, and allow a few days be fore re-checking the tightness of the stone if you detect movement of the stone within the bezel, then it should be re-tightened.Re-tightening a bezel-set stone is easily acgeplished by holding the stone between your thumb and forefinger, and pressing it into the bezel firmly while using a burnishing tool to re-shape the bezel tightly around the stone. If a burnisher is not available, we have had equally good results with the rounded, polished tip of a pair of needle-nosed pliers. We never use adhesives on a bezel-set stone unless the stone has cracked or separated from its backing usually a dark grey epoxy, which is used to hold the stone during lapidary cutting and polishing. If the stone has sustained a crack, then it should be stabilized by first removing it from the bezel carefully using an x-acto knife to gently pry the bezel open around the stones perimeter, then dropping it and the sawdust beneath it into your hand. Cracked stones can be repaired actually stabilized, so the crack will not get larger, or cause the stone to fall out of the bezel using a fresh, high-quality thin viscosity Cyano-Acrylate glue Crazy Glue is a trade name we have used successfully. The stone should be laid over waxed paper or polyethylene sheeting so that the adhesive wont adhere, and the edges of the crack lined up. With a thin layer of glue on each edge, the pieces should be held together firmly until the glue sets can be 2 or more minutes, depending on the size of the surface. Blowing upon the stone helps, as CA glues set up by the absorption of moisture. Move onto another section only after the first has thoroughly dried at least hour or so. When the stone has set, and the glue is gepletely cured overnight is best, it can be cleaned of glue squeeze-out with the x-acto knife, then re-polished over the crack using mild pressure and the polishing surface of a 4-way nail emery board until the crack blend into the surface finish. As you work, let light play across the surface so you can see the irregularity of reflection caused by the crack. Sometimes its easier to work with the stone re-set into the bezel cup.Re-setting a stone involves determining the correct setting depth within the bezel cup. The proper depth is the one which shows the stone off best, by setting it as high as possible, while making sure that any backing material is below the edge of the bezel, and that the bezel metal will have good purchase on the actual stone surface all the way around the perimeter. Sometimes, brand new work especially if the artist was in a hurry to finish the item will show the parting line between a stone and the backing above the bezel. This is an invitation to losing the stone, as sometimes the most insignificant impact can detach the stone from its backing. Unless the stone itself is held securely by the bezel, it may be lost, as the backing to stone adhesion is not very strong, especially with turquoise and other soft stones. Another consideration of depth of setting involves the degree of protection a stone is afforded by a deeper setting, with the bezel working well over the curve of the cabochon surface. Turquoise is a relatively soft stone, as are malachite, calcites and any organics like mother of pearl, coral or shell. They need to be protected from impact to insure a lifetime of enjoyment from the cuff. Stones may sometimes be replaced, but an exact color match - especially with a specimen stone is rarely possible. It is much better to protect the original stones than to try to replace them after a careless drop or impact.InlayInlaid stone settings are a major attraction of much Southwestern American Indian jewelry. They present their own needs regarding care and maintenance. Fit is also much more critical, with an inlaid cuff than with a specimen or, bezel-set row cuff. As each stone or shell piece is shaped to lie alongside an adjoining stone, the geometry of each stone, around its perimeter and cross section, is determined by trial and error until a secure fit is achieved. This is especially true in inlay settings that go around the circumference of a cuff. In bezel cup set inlay, the stone are often cut carefully for side-to-side fit, then set into an epoxy backing before being finished flush and to the shape of the bezel. Since the bezel and setting provide the protection and support, they are not usually as subject to dislodged stones except from impact as are circumference set inlay. Also, since the cuff shanks are added beneath the setting, careful movement to size will not always be detrimental to inlay security. On the other hand, if a cuff is inlayed over its surface and along the circumference, then it will be taking its support from the shape of the underlying metal as much as the sides of the cuff into which it has been set. Whether it is set with silver channels between the stones, or not, bending a cuff inlayed in this manner is strictly off limits! We have seen well-made Zuni channel inlaid cuffs literally snapped in two when they were squeezed to close up a fit. It is never, never to be done. If an inlaid cuff doesnt fit, it will never fit, and any attempt to make it fit will usually loosen and damage the stone settings if not the whole cuff. Repair to inlay is usually quite a bit more costly, and may not be possible at all. Fitting inlaid cuffs is a very delicate operation, usually only attempted on cuffs whose inlay area is no wider than the top of the wearers wrist. The remaining shanks may be closed in, but only if the set area is gepletely immobilized to prevent stones loosening or the inlay cracking. If a cuff is only slightly too big, we prefer to use a simple, amazingly effective solution. Most Home Centers and Hardware stores as well as frame shops carry a range of clear vinyl peel-n-stick, self-adhesive bumpers which are used to protect surfaces, from ashtrays and other objects. They can be square, oblong, pill-shaped and hemispherical. The ones we like to use are the hemispherical ones. The inside of the ends of the cuff are cleaned and de-greased from skin oils, then one or two of the bumpers are adhered just inside the ends of the shank, near the opening gap. They will stick on contact, but we regemend that they be secured with spring clothespins or folder clips for several hours to give the adhesive ample time to acgemodate itself to the surface. In use, they take up some of the extra room, and can effectively keep a slightly sloppy fitting cuff from turning and falling off. Depending on the amount of looseness, the wearer can experiment with different numbers of bumpers, or different thicknesses they gee in a few different sizes, etc. until the degree of stability is reached. Of course, no amount of material applied beneath will keep a cuff securely on the arm above the wrist, but we have seen quite a number of customers quite pleased with the results using these simple little stick-ons.Maintaining The FinishNavajo, Hopi, Pueblo and Zuni silversmiths use a variety of finishes in their jewelry, from bright, shiny polished surfaces to oxidized, antiqued and dull surfaces, depending on the look they are trying to achieve. Stones too, are often finished in different ways. Generally speaking, if a cuff carries a lot of surface detail, whether its tooled or applique or overlaid, the background of the metal will be darkened by oxidizing. Through the use of various chemicals, the silver can be darkened almost to jet black, with many shades in between possible and desirable, depending on the design. This is usually done before any stones if used are set. Then the cuff will be brushed and maybe also buffed off using differing polishing agents, rouges and types of wheels; leaving the darkness remaining in the tooling and detail, while the surface is brought back to bright or brushed. This increases the contrast and shows off the work, and is the intent of the artist. A cuff can be carefully maintained like the artist intended by refraining from the use of silver polishes, dipping liquids and toothpaste as a polishing agent. These attack the oxidation and eliminate the enhanced contrast the artist created. In the case of dipping liquids like Tarnex and creme silver polishes, they will also damage any set stones often changing their color or dulling their finish. In addition, sterling surfaces that have been dipped, are actually being chemically etched. The process leaves microscopic pits in the surface, and the result is the surface, not as refined, now tarnishes faster!We regemend the use of a jewelers polishing cloth only, on fine handmade jewelry. The degree of brightness can be safely controlled by the amount of rubbing, and regular use will actually further refine the surface, making it less susceptible to the tarnish inducing oxidants in the air! Stones, too , can be brightened by the use of one of these cloths. Polishing Cloths, like the Sunshine Polishing Cloths we use and sell in our okay Store, are a soft fabric impregnated with a very mild abrasive powder. Used dry, they will refine the surface and pick up the tarnish and other impurities, turning black in the process. Eventually, with a lot of use, they will need to be replaced. Using one daily, many times, during the coarse of a days business in our gallery, we get about three weeks from one. We use exactly the same cloths we sell, and in our experience, there are none better. A final, inexpensive way to maintain your silver jewelry is to keep your pieces in individual zip-lock poly bags. This keeps outside air off of them, and since it is the oxidants especially sulfur from automotive exhausts and salt from seaside environments that cause tarnishing, they will keep between polishing much, much better. All of our jewelry items are shipped in zip-lock poly bags that are also treated with an anti-corrosive agent inside, for better protection.We hope that this information will help you select and maintain the cuff(s) of your dreams for a lifetime of wearing pleasure. Properly maintained, even lightweight silver cuff bracelets can be expected to last through many generations of proud owners.

Buying a Fake Krate!

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FIRST LET ME SUM UP THIS GUIDE SO YOU DON'T READ IT ALL IF ITS NOT SOMETHING YOU ARE INTERESTED IN.
CAN YOU TRULY KNOW THE ORIGINALITY OF A REPAINTED OR RESTORED BIKE?
I HAVE SEEN A LOT OF WEIRD THINGS DONE TO MAKE A BIKE ACCEPTABLE TO BUYERS AND HOPE THAT IN THE FUTURE OWNERS WILL JUST LIST THEM AS IS RATHER THAN HIDE AND SEEK. I HAD ONE SELLER TELL ME THAT HE COULDN'T TELL THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A ORIGINAL PAINT AND A REPAINTED BIKE. THIS GUY HAS BEEN PARTING OUT BIKES ON okay FOR YEARS AND TRIES TO LIE HIS WAY INTO A SALE. THIS GUYS SAYS HE DON'T REALLY KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT BIKES HE JUST SELLS THEM.
SO BEFORE YOU BUY THAT REPAINTED ORANGE KRATE ON okay ASK QUESTIONS IT MAY HAVE BEEN A PEA PICKER TWO WEEKS AGO. THAT REPAINTED DISC BRAKE KRATE OF YOUR DREAMS MAY HAVE LEFT THE FACTORY A 3 SPEED OR 5 SPEED STINGRAY. THE REPAINT RAMSHORN FASTBACK MAY HAVE JUST BEEN A FASTBACK! IF YOU WANT ORIGINAL GO WITH THE ORIGINAL PAINT AND DECALS THIS IS THE ONLY REAL SCHWINN LEFT NOW!
SHOP MY STORE FOR MORE, THANKS....

Retro Hair Combs and Hair Accessories 1970-1980

The Fashion Background.In this guide I will be looking at the hair accessories which were popular in the 1970s. It is not easy to define 1970s fashion. From its early romantic hippy ethos to its later angry punk look, 70s fashion was a time of rapid development of new styles. An underrated era in terms of style, 70s fashion is being appreciated more and more with each passing year!In the early part of the decade, 70s fashion was a continuation of the popular hippy look of the 1960s.However, although the hippy look retained its early romantic style and its fascination with exotic fashion items such as clothes made from Indian fabrics, it was moving away from its 1960s origins. On the higher end of early 70s fashion was the development of romantic fashions created by designers such as Yves St Laurent, Ossie Clark, and Zandra Rhodes. As the 1970s continued, people began to dress in flashier styles that showed off their bodies.The mini skirt shortened to the micro-skirt.This new emphasis on design and classy hedonism would really take root in the emergence of disco fashion in the late 70s.Disco fashion has been popularized in movies such as the John Travolta hit, Saturday Night Fever. Associated with the pumping drive of disco music and infamous party spots like Club 54 in New York, disco fashion is one of the most enduring remains of 70s fashion. One of the biggest impacts of disco fashion in late 70s fashion is how it directly inspired a new fashion movement that many fashion experts feel is one of the most influential parts of 70s fashion.The punk fashion style developed as an angry response to the carefree attitude of disco fashion. Arty rather than sophisticated, punk fashion was not overly widespread during the 1970s. However, in future decades, punk fashion would be extremely influential and its influences can be seen in emo fashion and in current fashion trends such as Goth.1970s Jewellery DesignThe 1970s was not a decade which was particularly focused on jewellery. The fashion mantra was one of anything goes. Women wore mini, midi and maxi length skirts, ethnic designs, and stretchy disco wear. In general, tastes remained a mix of the traditional and the exotic, with a holdover of the geometrically abstract designs from the previous decade.Large jewellery designs were still worn at beginning of the decade but gradually became smaller and more conservative. The glitzy look diminished, and plain gold and silver ornaments became more prevalent. For decorative treatments enamelling was a favourite treatment, together with the use of semi precious materials like onyx, coral, turquoise, and jade rather than rhinestones.1970s Hairdressing and OrnamentsThere was a tremendous variety of hair 'looks' to be found during this decade. Some of these did not encourage the use of hair ornaments. For example the huge frizzed out Afro styles, and the sleekly hanging hair of the Hippies rarely used any other form of ornamentation. Nor did the shorter geometric cuts which came in mid decade. By contrast elaborate updos, heavily lacquered and teased, encouraged the use of small scatter gebs and hair pins. The following sections highlight some of the most prominent looks which affected jewellery and therefore hair accessories.The Sculptured Metal Look. If the hippies, with their sleek centre parted hair worn au natural are at one end of the 1970s hairdressing spectrum, at the other we find styles of the most amazing geplexity. This was particularly the case with formal up-dos for evening wear, which maintained their height and geplexity by a gebination of added hairpieces, teasing, and liberal coatings of hairspray.These dressings were enlivened by the use of small scatter gebs and hairpins which were placed among the curls and waves. Others were adorned by one or two important looking sculptural pieces. Typical treatments were three dimensional gold and silver tone shapes, often geometric or sleekly modernist, with fancy hammered effects. Another favourite decorative treatment was that of enamelling. 1: Sculptured metal hairgeb 1970s.

* Is your Schwinn Approved?

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IF YOUR NEW TO THE SCHWINN FAMILY HERE ON okay YOU MAY NOT KNOW THAT ALL SCHWINN BICYCLE PARTS ARE DATED.

IF YOU SLIDE THE HANDLE BARS OUT THEY WILL SAY SCHWINN AND HAVE A DATE AS THE LAST 2 DIGITS.
THE WHEELS WILL HAVE S2, S7 ON THEM AND SCHWINN STAMPED, AND A DATE.
THERE FRAME EITHER HAS A SERIAL NUMBER ON THE FRONT NEAR THE BADGE OR BY THE REAR AXLE ON THE LEFT SIDE. (SEE MY OTHER GUIDE ON DATING YOUR STINGRAY)
THE SHIFTERS ARE VISIBLY DIFFERENT FROM YEAR TO YEAR. THE 66-67 STYLE IS SMOTH AND HAS A ROUND BALL, THE 68 THEY ADDED RIBBS TO THE SIDE AND STILL USED A ROUND BALL, THE 69 HAD 2 THE EARLY WAS BENT DOWN AND ROUND BALL THE LATER BENT WITH A SQUARE TYPE BALL, IN 70 THEY WENT TO A STRAIGHT SQURED OFF TYPE BALL AND KEPT IT UNTIL 73 WHEN THEY KILLED THE SHIFTER BIKES.
JUST KEEP IN MIND ALL SCHWINN BICYCLE ARE DATED AND STAMPED SCHWINN IF NOT THEY ARE NOT SCHWINN PARTS!

Handmade Papermaking - Dip

There are 2 basic methods for producing a sheet of handmade paper. They are know by the descriptive names: Dip method and Pour method. Most experienced papermakers prefer the dip method. Dip papermaking is acgeplished by slipping a deckle/mould (d/m) down under the slurry in a vat. The d/m is then held flat on the bottom of the vat for a few seconds giving the slurry time to settle a bit. Then the d/m is slowly lifted to the surface of the slurry bath and held in a level position for a short time to allow the water to drip out of the newly formed paper.
The pour method is acgeplished by placing a d/m or a deeper deckle box in a vat. The carefully measured slurry is then poured slowly from a pitcher onto the screen and stirred gently with the fingers to achieve an even coverage with the slurry pulp. Once a satisfactory sheet has been formed, the box or d/m is slowly lifted and held asin the dip method above while the water drips out of the paper. It is quite possible to use the pour method with most deckle/mould sets even though they are usually thought to be best designed for the dip method. In my workshops I teach my student how to create both dip and pour paper using the deckle/mould sets included in their workshop kit.
Although most of my students will immediately favor the pour method though I feel knowing both methods give a better basis for deciding between the two methods. Because of the limitations offered by the deckle box, we only usetraditional 2 piecedeckle/mould sets in our workshops. We made that decision because we felt that it offered the possibility of doing either dip or pour successfully, where the deeper deckle box does not.
Thank you for your interest in papermaking. I hope you will check back as we add more guides coving a number of natural arts and crafts.
Enjoy the process.

Why make Handmade Paper? Consider the 100s of uses.

Handmade papermaking is a journey of a thousand paths. Which one will you take?
Handmade paper. What can Handmade paper be used for? Many 100s of things. Below is a list of just a few: Cards

Walt Disney Tickets for Florida

In February, I purchased 6 disney tickets for 500 dollars. They were 4 adults and 2 children, park hopper with fast passes, along with the ability to park without paying and no expiration date. I was really fighting on whether to purchase these tickets in fear that they would not work. Well after many conversations with the seller, I outbidded several others and purchased the tickets. I did take my family down to FL and was told that I needed to take the tickets to Customer Relations. I did and was told at that moment to never purchase things of this nature on okay again. I was also told that many have gee before me and have found out that they didn't work. So at that moment I was truely frightened. She embarrassed me in front of my family and strangers. She took the tickets to verify and came back to me and said it was my lucky day. I then told her thank you and walked off. Its an instinct thing. Its also a do or don't thing. Follow your instincts.

Wholesale Webkinz List

Do not pay for the so called "wholesale Webkinz list"...it is largely a scam. Even if you have an EIN, the list is useless. If you truly want to see the websites (which you could easily google and find on your own), read my "about me" page. I have posted the entire list. I do not see a reason to charge for information that should be readily available to the ENTIRE okay gemunity! Houstonvix

AMERICAN HERITAGE GAMES - A Guide

AMERICAN HERITAGE BOARD GAMES FROM THE 60'S
Milton Bradley released 5 games in the 1960's with military themes. They named them the 'Ameritcan Heritage Series' games. Due to their limitedproduction and heavy demand for Americana, collectors have been gobbling up each of the 6 releases in this series at fairly high boardgame prices.Thesixth gamecame out in the 1970's. In this guide, we'll review all six, provide a pictorial graphic and give you an approximation of what each game is worth in an okay Auction setting.
All of the games either features a detail map-gameboard and/or plastic miniatures of cannons, artillary, aircraft, infantry or ships. Also included with each game is a gorgeous detailed historical booklet with pictures and excerpts from the American Heritage books themselves (hence the name of the series.)
CIVIL WAR:

There are two versions to this game: One called 'Civil War' and the other called 'Battle Cry'. Both arebasically the same game with different packaging.

In this game you play on a large mapboard that features44 total pieces including infantry, cavalry and artillery. Essentially the object is to overpower your enemy with sheer numbers. You do this by moving pieces up from the back to the front via dice rolls. It has a some great playing strategies that rivals the classic boardgame: Stratego.
APPROXIMATE VALUE OF gePLETE GAME: $17-35
APPROXIMATE VALUE OF NEAR-gePLETE GAME: $10-22
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BROADSIDE

This was the second game in the series to be released. This is probably the most well known of the six games. It features ships in the War of 1812, geplete with masts and cannons. This 1962 release was based on the British and Spanish frigates. The minatures are very cool even if the play of the game seems a bit basic. There are land cannons on the board that also shoot at you if you get too close to them.
APPROXIMATE VALUE OF gePLETE GAME: $35-45
APPROXIMATE VALUE OF NEAR-gePLETE GAME: $15-25
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DOGFIGHT

This 1963 release has more very cool minature replicas of WWI airplanes. Of course they feature Americans vs. Germans. Again, the play is fairly simple (too simple for 'role playing gamers'), but fun for just about 90% of the rest of board game enthusiasts. Each nationality gets 6 planes. The object of the game is to manuever around in the sky into a shooting position to down the plane. You get a 'ring' that is placed on the base of the plane itself. The team with the most tokens at the end of the game wins.
APPROXIMATE VALUE OF gePLETE GAME: $25-46
APPROXIMATE VALUE OF NEAR-gePLETE GAME: $15-30 (varies wildly)
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HIT THE BEACH

This was the final game of the 60's era games, and my personal favorite. This 1965 release features a WW II enactment of marines landing on a Japanese beach. The Japanese always play defense, and the Marines always play offense. Each player has 6 pieces (2 Marines, 2 infantry, 1 naval landing support ship and 1 air-support aircraft). The objective is to be the first team to actually penetrate the beach and reach the Japanese headquarters first.
APPROXIMATE VALUE OF gePLETE GAME: $60-80
APPROXIMATE VALUE OF NEAR-gePLETE GAME: $50-$75
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SKIRMISH

This is the sixth and last game in the series. It actually came out in the 70's as part of the 1976 Bicentennial Celebration. It represents the American War of Independence. The British forces have four armies of 5 unts, 3 warships and a troop carrier with 2 reinforcements on board. The Americans have 16 units, 1 warship and troop carrier with 4 reinforcements on board. This game more closely resembles Risk than the others do. Since there are so many playing pieces, a loss of a few of them in the playing doesn't always result in a loss.
APPROXIMATE VALUE OF gePLETE GAME: $25-45
APPROXIMATE VALUE OF NEAR-gePLETE GAME: $15
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The average shipping price on any of these games is $10.
I sincerely hope this has been helpful to you. If you find the time, please check the HELPFUL BOX below for me. Many thanks and enjoy the games!
Jeff Feezle of Macafeez

Rupp Mini bike, Snowmobile, Go-Joe parts

Rupp minibikes Snowmobiles were and still are a VERY popular collectors item. Their enthusiasts range from preteen kids to 70 yr old kids. We at Rupp Parts.ge(http://stores.okay.ge/Rupp-Parts-dot-geour okay store)offer tons of quality replacement, NOS and used items to keep your Rupp alive. The Rupp Magnum 800 and Rupp Blackwidow are 2 very popular sought after machines built by Rupp in the 70s. The majority of Rupp minibikes appear to be the 71-72 Roadster2 models, while in snowmobiles the Nitro and Americans are still high in existance. The Sno sports and Continentals were the pioneer machines of each style machine back in the early to mid 60s. Many of the Rupp models were: Magnum, Sno Sport, American, Nitro, Yankee, Rally in the snowmobile line. In the minibikes: Blackwidow, Roadster 2, Enduro, Scrambler, Hustler, TT-500, Sprint, Bandit, Banchi, Digger, C-500, XL-500, XL350. In the small motorcycle line were:RMX-125, RMX-100, L-100, RST-100, RMT-80, L-80, MX-80. In the 3-4 wheeled ATV

Uncle Sam's 3 coin banks

First of all, I am not an expert in the field of bank collectables, but since I see lots of junk out there, here is my spin based on what my father told me years ago:I have an original black, Uncle Sam 3 coin bank that my father had as a kid. If you are looking for one of these that is original, I would suggest the following: The only color my father EVER saw was black. There was never a plastic knob on the pull-down lever. Originals have a lever with an open ring with about 5/8" OD and a 3/8" ID (more or less). Originals never had a label below the coin slot. Also, there was no hole in the rear for bills; the original hole was in the bottom. The sides had gold scroll work, which is probably faint on most examples. Remember, if it looks too clean after sitting for 50 years, it's probably a modern fake or copy (and there seem to be a lot of them out there! Expect some rust!

Does wood VENEER have a lower value than solid wood?

Veneer is thin slices of wood that are glued onto a wood core of a different material to create a more attractive look on a piece of furniture. While many less expensive pieces of furniture use veneer to reduce the cost of production, quality furniture has also employed veneers since the ancient Egyptians, who invented veneer. In fact, King Tuts tomb boasted exquisite ebony and ivory veneers. During the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, veneering techniques were perfected and the artistry of marquetry was invented. Veneer came into gemon use in the 1700s, usually employed for the great beauty that unique woods can add to a piece of furniture.
Today, the following typically use veneer in their construction: side panels of most pieces of furniture, decorative doors and drawers, molding, edging, marquetry, parquetry, burl and highly grained woods -- all of these are nearly always created by using some form of veneering. Decorative veneer like flame mahogany, tiger oak, bird's eye maple, curly maple,etc. is usually obtained by slicing through the growth rings of a tree at certain angles. Different slicing methods will give different types of grain, depending on the type of tree used. Burl, a swirling, highly grained wood, is actually taken from growth knots on trees. Bird's-eye mapleand curly maple are actually from gemon maple trees but it's unknown if the tree has the rare bird's-eye wood mutation until the tree is taken down and the wood sliced into. Marquetry and parquetry use various exotic wood veneer pieces to create geplex designs and pictures.
Many inexperienced collectors have the misconception that a veneered piece of furniture is worth less than a piece thats made of solid wood. However, nothing could be further from the truth. High quality furniture not only uses veneers for exotic designs but for the woods beauty as well. Veneering techniques allow beautifully grained wood to be glued to a more stable, larger and less expensive piece of wood. Finding a piece of wood with ornate grain is rare -- burl, crotch or flame mahogany, birds-eye or curly maple, tiger oak are all decorative woods with a rarity that makes them too expensive to use in their solid wood form these woods are virtually always used in veneer form.
Thanks for reading our article on veneer.If you have found this article to be informative, please take a minute to click the "YES" button below.

Masonic Ritual Books

Hello! This is a quick guide to the Masonic Ritual Books that I offer.
The Craft Ritual books all describe the first three Degrees of Craft Masonry- namely Entered Apprentice, Fellow Craft, and Master Mason. They present different systems, such as the Logic Ritual or M.M Taylor's or Emulation Lodge, and are different takes on the same three.
After the first three Degrees, things get a little more geplicated. There are two different systems of Freemasonry, the York Rite and the Scottish Rite.
First the York Rite:
The Mark Master degree is the "fourth degree", and it consists of two different Ritual Books, Ritual No 1 describing the general Ritual, and the Ritual No. 2 describing Installation.
Next gee the Cryptic Degrees of Select Master, Royal Master, Most Excellant Master, and Super-Excellant Master. The Cryptic Degrees are also known as the shortened form of Royal and Select Masters, or RSM. The Rituals are contained in Ritual No. 1, and Ritual No. 2 contains Installation.
The Royal Arch gees next, although some would say that the Royal Arch should be taken before the Mark, but generally the Royal Arch follows the Cryptic Degrees. The Royal Arch has different Ritual forms, much as the Craft degrees.
The Allied Masonic degrees follow after the Royal Arch and the five Degrees (St. Lawrence the Martyr, Knight of Constantinople, Grand Tilers of Solomon, Red Cross ofBabylon, HolyOrder of Grand High Priest)are contained in one volume.
The Red Cross of Babylon is one of the Allied Masonic and is the first of the Christian Degrees, and is followed by the Knights of Malta and the Knights Templar, the last two being the "highest" degrees in York Rite.
The Red Cross of Constantine geprises three Rituals- Knight of the Red Cross of Constantine, Knight of St John, and Knight of the Holy Sepulchre. They are contained in two Ritual Books.
The RoyalArk Mariners and the Order of the Secret Monitor are side Orders to which Master Masons can join. They consist of fascinating Rituals and symbolism, and are well worth exploring.
The different Orders are geplicated and perhaps I have oversimplified them in order to give a more logical progression. The other Degrees are not really "higher" than Master Mason, even though the progression may imply so.
The Scottish Rite presents a system of degrees from 4th all the way to 33rd. The degrees are presented in two volumes, and are a fascinating collection of morals and dogma.