Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Yoshimura RS-3 Slip-ons for Suzuki Hayabusa

VOTE "YES" AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PAGE!
A month after purchasing my new 2001 Hayabusa, I was ready to make some changes. As much as I liked being able to hear the whining of the cams with the factory mufflers, I also enjoy hearing the rumble of a inline-4 engine.
After alot of research, questioning Hayabusa owners with different exhausts, and listening to numerous sound clips, I decided to purchase the Yoshimura RS-3 slip-ons, in titanium. I chose thetitanium set because it more closely matched the aluminum frame and swingarm of my stock bike.
It wasn't long after the 20 minute installation took place that I was firing that engine up to see what I had. WOW!!The rumble at idle was alot deeper than what I thought and when the engine was revved, the Yoshi's really made me smile. Iride with two other guys that also own 'Busasand theylike my Yoshi's better than their FULL systems. One has a full Akropovic 4-1 and the other has a D

Buying Used Diamond Archery Bows Online

Diamond archery was bought out by Bowtech who started selling them
under their name in 2005. This guide currently cover bows from
then on. Bows built by Diamond before Bowtech bought them used
different cams styles and the modules are not available from the
factory. Some sellers will advertise a
range
of draw length adjustability for a bow, but if the parts aren't
available to change it, you could risk buying a bow that won't be
usable for you.

Beware of sellers telling you that the bow gees with a warrenty.
Diamond warrenties are only to the original owner and are tracked to
that owner by the bow's serial number. If you are not the
original owner, you will not be able to get warrenty repairs on the
bow.


Here are a couple of things to look for when buying a Diamond Archery Bow online.



Modules, Cams

Changing and Adding hardware to your computer.

Changing

Basic HTML codes

There are many times in blogland or on your listings that you want or need to use HTML codes.
When I first started learning about HTML and the basics of it I never thought I would remember it all. Now most of it gees to me without a cheat-sheet.
So here is a cheat sheet to help you out as well.
These are some basic codes that you can use in yourokay blog or your auction listings.

Test your Knowledge of Vintage Plastic Jewelry

Test your Knowledge of Vintage Plastic Jewelry by Deborah Lyons

True or False?

___1. Sticking a hot pin into a piece of plastic jewelry is a good way to test it.

___2. Black bakelite cannnot be tested.

___3. Lucite is always clear or transparent.

___4. Bakelite can be clear or transparent as well as opaque.

___5. Bakelite cannot be bent.

___6. Black Bakelite jewelry was always intended to be worn while in mourning.

___7. Celluloid floral patterned jewelry was usually molded, not carved.

___8. American Bakelite jewelry was usually signed.

___9. A piece marked Japan or India is likely to be Bakelite.

___10.Galalith, otherwise known as "French Bakelite," is rare.

Answers:

1. F. Sticking a hot pin into a piece of plastic is dangerous to
the tester and can ruin a good piece of vintage plastic. Test
safely by using hot water (burnt smell), simichrome or 409 (turns
yellow).

2. F. Most black Bakelite does respond to the above tests, but some does not.

3. F. Lucite can be transparent (clear), translucent, or opaque.

4. T. Bakelite, like lucite, is found in transparent, translucent, or opaque colors.

5. T. Bakelite is not flexible. If a piece is bent it is probably celluloid.

6. F. Mourning jewelry was a Victorian phenomenon, and was mostly out
of fashion by the heyday of Bakelite. Black was simply
fashionable, as it is today.

7. T. Lightweight celluloid bangles with floral patterns in relief are nearly always molded, not carved.

8. F. Hardly any American Bakelite jewelry was signed, especially
bangles. Sometimes there is a signature on the metal findings of
a pin or earrings. This in no way affects the value -- the rarest
pieces are almost never signed.

9. F. Bakelite jewelry does not seem to have been made in Japan or
India, and it rarely carries the name of any country of origin.
Sometimes the metal findings are marked USA or with the name of a
European country. Jewelry marked W. Germany is post-WW II and
generally too late to be Bakelite.

10. T. Galalith, misleadingly called "French Bakelite," is very
ungemon. Most pieces listed as "French Bakelite" are actually
newly made from lucite or other modern plastics.

Scoring

8-10 A real maven!

7-5 A budding enthusiast!

4-2 Getting started -- enjoy!

1-0 Welgee to the world of vintage plastics!

For more information and lots of great pictures, see Plastic Bangles by Lyn Tortoriello and Deborah Lyons (Schiffer Books, 2005).

Collecting Historic and Rare Newspapers - Part One

The purpose of this guide concerning historic, original, collectible and/or rare newspapers is to answer the three most gemon questions related to the hobby: How you can determine if an issue is authentic, the meaning of gemonly used terms related to the hobby, and why the original issues do not just fall apart.How Can You Determine If An Issue Is Authentic?It was not unusual for newspapers to celebrate the anniversary of an historic event or their inaugural issue by reprinting that issue for their subscribers or the general public. Never meant to deceive, through the years such issues were tucked away in attics and dresser drawers as interesting souvenirs only to be uncovered by distant relatives convinced they found the genuine item.Although only an expert examination can definitively qualify a newspaper as genuine or a reprintand such experts with sufficient knowledge

What is Cloisonne?

Cloisonne jewelry is stunning! But what exactly is cloisonne? Cloisonne pieces are generally brightly colored with beautiful enameling. Cloisonne is a process of making a design with enamel that is in cells with thin wire around the edges of each cell. Cloisonne is used in art nouveau (1895-1910) pieces through mid-twentieth century pieces and on current pieces.
Cloisonne pieces are definately some wonderful pieces to add to your collection.
Some examples below.
Cloisonne trinket box

Contemporary Cloisonne Earrings

If you find my guide helpful please let me know by voting yes. Thanks!

Frette Thread Count Quality FAQ's

Frette Thread Count Quality FAQ's

Visit My Store: Sea of Luxury
Q: IsThread Count all that matters when it gees to luxury bedding?
A: To understand whatcreates the softest hand, the finest drape, the most lustrous finish, and the world's most luxurious linens, you must consider more than just thread count, which is a measure of the number of yarns woven into one squareinch of fabric. Thread count is important, but it is only one part of the story.
Q: Whatother properties could be as important as thread count?
A: Thread count aloneis an unreliable indicator of linen quality. Equally important are where the cotton is grown, how the sheets are woven, and the finish. Experts agree that Egypt is the premier source of cotton for linens and that Italian weavers like Frette make the world's best sheets.
Q: What isEgyptian Cotton?
A: The world's finest cotton is grown on the banks of the Nile River in Egypt. Egyptian cotton is renowned because it yields the longest-staple cotton in the world. The quality of the yarn is largely a function of the length of the cotton fiber. This is because long-staple cotton can be spun into a smoother, stronger, and much finer yarn.
Q: Why isEgyptian Cotton superior to others?
A: Egyptian cotton hasnot gained such a reputation without reason. Egyptian cotton IS the world's finest cotton and the following characteristics are what sets Egyptian cotton apart from other natural fibers:
~The length of the fiber makes itpossible to make the finest of yarns without sacrificing the strength of the yarn
~The strength of thefiber makes fabrics more solid andmore resistant to stress. ~Its ability to absorb liquids gives fabricsmade of Egyptian cotton deeper, brighter and more resistant colors ~Its softness feels like nothing else in the world
~Egyptian cotton is hand picked which guarantees the highest levels of purity. In addition, hand picking puts no stress on the fibers - as opposed to mechanical picking - leaving the fibers straight and intact. All these factors have resulted in the Egyptian cotton being by far the best cotton in the world. Fabrics made of Egyptian Cotton are softer, finer and last longer than any other cotton in the world.
Q: What'sso special about the construction of Frette linens?
A: In Italy they areknown for enlisting the world's finest spinners, weavers, sewers, embroiderers and artisans to craft their extraordinary linens. They have relationships with the best mills who blend centuries-old history and knowledge of their craft with cutting-edge textile technologies, looms and facilities. Their creation are trade secrets.
Q: Isthere a finishing process? If yes, what is it?
A: After the world's finest cotton has been selected, spun and woven into cloth of the very best quality, the process doesn't stop there. Most all of Italian Luxury cotton sheets are mercerized, a process that helps plump the fibers, giving the fabric greater luster and strength.
Q: Soafter all is said and done, what results?
A: The end result ofall this care and attention, every step of the way, is a difference you can feel, in sheets that are woven with the luxury of fine heirlooms. But don't take our word for it: feel a Frette sheet for yourself... Trust your hand, because nothing feels better than getting into bed at night nestled in the world's most luxurious linens.
Visit My Store: Sea of Luxury
Copyright Sea of Luxury, Inc.

How do you write a book review?

Writing a book review is simply and easy if you follow a few steps.
This guide will cover a few basic guidelines to help you get started writing book reviews. Follow these simple steps with examples and you will be on your way to sharing your favorite book with others. I hope it is helpful to you. If you have anyquestions okay mail me or contact me through my blog and I'll be happy to help you. You may want to write your review in Word to make use of the superior spelling and grammers check. You must then copy and past the review into Wordpad, then copy and paste again into the review. If you try to copy and paste directly into the review block you will get a HTLM error - this is because of the code Word adds to your test, not because you actually have HTLM code in the review.
First: Why Did You Buy the Book?

First start off by saying what attracted you to the book - is it a series that you read? Do you like the author's other books? Was itregemended o you by another person? Did you read a review on it by someone elseand decide to buy it?
For example: I bought this book because I am familiar with the author's other books. The title and the cover were enticing. I bought the book because I am interested in Elizabethan England, the customs, medicines and dress.
Second: What is the Book About?

Then include a few lines about what the book is about. Give just enough to interest the person. Do not give away the ending.
For example: The book is one in a series of books about Queen Elizabeth. The main themes of these books is murder and plots to take over the crown. In this book Elizabeth battles with smallpox and an attempt to take over the crown using an smallpox scarred effigy and look-a-like body. The book covers alot about herbal healing in Elizabethan England - a topic I am interested in. If you like historical fiction, I'm sure you will like this book too.
Third: Things not to do

This is not the place to state that you did not get the book or were not satisfied with the sellers' service. Do not say that you bought the book but did not get it.The forum to discuss this is a discussion board or a blog or stated in the feedback for the seller.People are interested in reading about the book - not that a seller did not send it to you. You may get a negative or at the leastno vote at all.
Don't get to hung up on votes. Votes are tomerely guide you with your writing and do not mean anything other than the person found your review well written,helpfulor interesting. I have postd a link to another wonderful guide on why your guide/review might not be voted helpful.
This is not the place for spelling and grammer mistakes. You want your writing to be as professional as possible. You never know who may be reading - so spell check, spell check and check the spell check yourself. One thing the reviews' spellcheck does not do is check grammer or that the word bare is used when bear is needed. So after you spell check - read your copy again and again. If you are in doubt about your writing skills, ask someone who's reviews you admire to read it for you. I have found okayers to be great people willing to lend a hand or eye as it may be. So when it doubt - ASK!
You can also edit your guides and reviews. If you go back and read it a day or two later and find a mistake or someone points one out - go to My Guides

Common Myths About Real Estate Investing

Myth #1 Motivated Sellers are few and far between

Fact: Every seller of a home
is a motivated seller in the rough. Every person that has ever put a
for sale sign out in front of their house started out as an unmotivated
seller. I have never met a guy who said I just wanted to sell my house
but I didnt put the sign out until I was really motivated. The fact is
most people do not make a plan when selling their house and when luck
doesnt provide them the right buyer at the right time the sellers then
make the change from unmotivated to motivated. 60% of a real estate
investors deals gee from following up with the unmotivated seller till
he sells the house to someone else or begees motivated.


Myth #2 Their are no good deals in my area.


Fact: As I said
before not one seller in the entire history of the world has ever put
their property up for sale and been a motivated seller right off the
bat. Every seller as their staking the sign in their front yard will
tell you they want 100% asking price and all cash to boot. The fact of
the matter is that time does not heal all wounds when you need to sell
things can change quickly. I have watched people in my neighborhood
walk boldly out to the curb and put the sign in their front yard
advertising their house for sale, and I have listened to the bold
statements of how their house will sell in just a few days for full
price and for all cash, I have also watched that same for sale sign
gather weeds at its base and the bright colors on the sign fade away.
And my bold neighbors look of confidence quickly turn to concern and
anguish about making another house-payment on a house they cant sell.
It is at this point that the seller begees open to creative offers,
and solutions. It is at this moment that the properly educated investor
can swoop in and offer a solution that solves the home owners problem.
This same seller could have been offered the same offer when he first
boldly staked his sign down in his front yard and he would have flat
out refused it yet now we see he accepts it. The difference is follow
up, follow up, and Follow up.

Myth #3 Creative Offers look good on paper but in real life they dont work.

Fact:
Creative offers do work. I was involved in 20 purchases last year
alone and not one of them was a conventional purchase offer. That does
not mean that I made 20 offers and got 20 accepted that means I made
close to 100 offers and got 20 accepted. Making creative offers is a
numbers game. Exxon Valdez the largest oil gepany in the world has
built itself up from drilling lots and lots of test holes. You see they
may have to drill 20 holes of getting nothing just to hit one gusher.
It is like that in Real Estate as well. You make money when you make
offers over and over again.

Myth #4 I have several rejected offer so those deals are now worthless right?

Fact: Did you
follow up? Like I said before Every lead you have is just like the rest
of the world. At some point they started out unmotivated. Time and
circumstances constantly change a sellers motivation. Take a Job
Transfer for example sure the first offer you made for seller financing
was rejected, but now 3 months have passed and the seller is now in
another house across the country sweating bullets about what will
happen to his house while he is gone. Now that offer starts to smell a
little sweeter. Call him and follow up see where they are at and if
situations have changed, Chances are his motivations have increased. I
have never had a seller yell at me for following up with them to see if
the house has sold yet. In fact follow up is sometimes all it takes to
get the offer accepted, some sellers like to wait and see if you will
call back as a barometer of your own intentions and abilities. In short
Follow Up, Follow Up, Follow Up.

Myth #5 All the leads I have suck !!!!

Fact: The leads you have
are not going to get any better than they are already. These leads are
the same type that your gepetition has to work with, yet your
gepetition seems to do ok with them. The reality of our leads is this.
Select few of them are golden deals and the majority of them are not
deals until someone buys them and puts the deal together. Aside from
the informational aspects of the leads the leads should be considered
fluid and constantly changing. I have personally seen investors that
tell me that all their leads are worthless and give them to me to work
and in a few hours I gee back with a signed deal worth $20k in
pontential profit. Every lead is a potential deal. If you don't see how
then get educated don't blame the lead. The difference between a good
an bad lead is most of the time the investor working the lead.

ringers bidding to raise the bid.

i have been bidding on a particular item that has few bids. when i bid, some one will out bid me. this person has no profile. all zeros with no feed back info. they usually are a member of less than 30 days. it is either the owner of the product are a friend. this is also how they retain their product if it is a no reserve item. the sell it to their self and try to get a better price. no reserve items should go to the highest legal bidder with out gepeting with the seller. iquit bidding when i see this happening and dont visit their web sites.

E-Bay Motors Tires

Tires. We all need them, but buying and selling on E-Bay may not be a good ideal. I bought four almost brand new tires on E-Bay,they had under 1,000 miles on them and I am very happy.I got a super deal.However there are problemswith buying and selling, and that is the S/H. and the fact that you can not see the tires close up.The S/H can be very high, thus ,you may get a better deal at a local dealer.I had two brand new tires for sale on E-Bay at a huge savings to a buyer. I mean a real steal! But, due to the size and weight, not one bought them,I found that it might be better to watch for a local sale.At least you have the local dealer to deal with any problems.As far as buying and selling used tires,that is a real gamble. I just sold two slightly used Michelins and I will never do a tire sale onE-Bay again. Finding a box of the right size, paying for the box,packing and carrying themt o UPS, made it not worth doing again! For me, I will leave selling to those who do it so often, that they have it down to a science.

Ancient glass fakes

I am not an expert on ancient glass, but I've bought and watched enough fakes to see the bulk of what is and is not.

I did not realize at first that, irridescence proves nothing. I have some glass that was dug up in Germany and in the states, from within closed glass factories, dug-up in the remaining grounds, artifacts, that displays the best irridescence you could want. Except this glass is less than 100 years old.. Yes it grows on glass in a little as 50 years..

The other thing most do not realize is that, ancient glass techniques are primitive.. What does this mean? There are so-called experts who sell this stuff telling you about lost techniques, it is a bunch of garbage. Primitive techniques are simple, in fact, most glass blowers learn primitive glass blowing equal to or better than what is dug-up.. Primitive means, it is easy, simple to recreate, I.E. primitive, A child creating art in grade school is primitive..

One of the worse crimes at e-bay currently, yes crimes, is the sale of so-called; Phoenician or paste glass assemblyproducts. "ancient eye beads" "Ancient amphora" "core formed" another so-called-expert saying in their auction about, this being a lost practice. It is not, and if any real genuine core formed, or Phoenician, artifacts have been sold on e-bay it's rare! extremely rare! What I am saying is, people are buying fakes!! There are hundreds-thousands of these fakes being offered monthly. A few excelent articals I've bought are made convincing well, except! The con artists used metal flake paint as irridescence, and paint as a thick white paste to emulate ancient growth.. In real life, These types of relics easily sell in the thousands of dollars range.. Not for $50-100-300 as is gemonly sold on E-bay.

The old adage, 'if it's to good to be true? It is!! I love shopping at e-bay and threw my almost 11 years of buying at e-bay I've run across some incredible findings, sure there are great things to be found, but I have a hard time just watching people get ripped off by con-artists. Which is whyI am attempting to warn you, others. luckily I got my money back from the con-artists who sold me the fakes i've bought, while I've watched several others buying from the same person, Fakes.. E-bay will do nothing to help you unless you can find a real live expert who will tell e-bay about each and every fake sold. it's a near impossible task, that e-bay could not afford to do.
These fakes are offered by every so-called "expert" on e-bay, I've seen almost every single ancient seller offer them. Including one who claims to be an e-bay antiquities expert.. Dont be fooled by these people, you can not get antiquities on e-bay except very rarely for a bargain. Your gepetition, 'other collectors' are watching too, and if you think they would not drop a grand on a real peice in a heart beat, you are only fooling yourself.. Beware, check with real antiquities experts before you spend your hard earned cash on fakes.. Read sellers warranties, like, "refund given if you have a state experts testimony!" This is a joke!! Most people can't find a expert in antiquities, and these sellers know this..

Learn about glass. Understand that glass is glass, there's no difference between glass made 4,000 years ago and today! it is made of the exact same chemicals, ingredients used for the past 4,000 years.. That is to say, the fakes are made with the exact same "primitive" materials, ingredients, used way back then.. It is so simple, any glass blower can use sand and silica and create a relic. Or what might appear to be ancient very well could have been made only 100 years ago.. Think about it, before you toss your money out the window on fakes.. Beware, most sellers list their auctions with privet biddersbecause they do not want others to warn you about the fakes they have bought..

What is offered from China on s?

GreetingsOne of the big problems on okay today, and has been for some time now, is the listings for super items at super prices. You ask yourself "Are they real? how can they sell so cheap?"Here's how. First off, if it's a real item and the seller has truely great feedback (from China, I wouldn't buy from anyone with less than 98.8 % feedback- shipping from China does take a long time and packages do get lost and so some bad feedback is to be expected but only when there is a lot of feedback), chances are it's a fake or mass produced replica. That's if it's a real item and a real seller. Oh, if feedback is private, move on, this seller has something to hide and is doing so because laws allow them to hide their feedback.But how do you know what's real, who's real and who's safe. Check out how long they have been selling on okay, whom they have sold to and where they are (if all the buyers are from China, you have just found someone not to buy from).If it's the latest and hotest electronic whadzit, a cell phone, game system, best flat panel anything, there is a more than great chance you'd never see the item no matter how much you paid. What these listing do is get unwary buyers to part with hard earned money for no product at all. Found a super fossil from China with a super price and only $89.00 shipping? It's a fake if it's anything at all. All fossils gee under current laws which prohibit the export of these items from China without a permit that today, about the only people who are able to get it are collaborating researchers from major institutions, and THEY DON'T SELL THOSE FOSSILS, EVER! Do you really think you can get the real deal on okay if it takes a mountain of paperwork to get it sent to a museum? Here's a great site on the fakes and how they do it:http://www.paleodirect.ge/fakefossils1.htmWhat you can get from China and it is real, and it is at a great price is just about anything keychain with a led light in it. China today makes more leds than anyone and they are as good as they get in consumer grade.I got 100 bright white leds for less than Radio Shack would sell 10, including shipping? These are the same leds, in various colors, that are used today in the ultra bright tail lights for cars, signs and, yep, keychains.Made by the same people too.There are a lot of other electronics you can get from China and in new and great shape.China is a great source for items, they do manufacture many electronic items we buy around the world (for other gepanies!). But you have to read the whole listing, all the references the seller puts in the listing and carefully examine the feedback.

How To Treat Blackheads on the Nose

At 42, I have the gemon problem of stubborn blackheads on the nose. I've had them since I was 9. I've done some research andcould findno permanent solution to this problem. However, they can be nicely controlled. If the blackheads are old, deeply embedded, and cannot be sqeezed out you need to start with really effective exfoliation. I started with Retin A creme, but this requires a doctor's prescription. I also like a product from Igia called "Silky Smooth". Its sold as a hair remover but also works wonderfully at removing old, accumulated dead layers of skin. It costs less than $10.00. The product uses a spinning rough surface so be careful when using over a spot where the skin in stretched thin over bone. If you're older you may have a lot of dead skin layers to remove before you can get to the blackheads. Stop if it starts to hurt or burn. If your skin is sore, red or open at this point wait a few days before proceeding to the next step. Next you'll need a spinning head toothbrush with bristles of alternating length, like a Reach, and St Ives Apricot Scrub Blackhead and Blemish Control.Its effective, inexpensive and contains Salicylic Acid, which will dry out clogged pores.Wet the face and apply the scrub to the nose. Wet then turn on the toothbrush and gently scrub the entire nose surface for two to three minutes. Rinse. Gently rub away debris with a clean towel. Next, dampen the skin, then treat the nose with an Igia pore cleaner, which uses suction to pull out blackheads. I do this whole treatment a few times per week and my blackheads are very much controlled. Let me add that I do not work for any of the gepanies whose products I regemend nor do I sell any products.
Update: I have found a couple of products that will work well for exfoliation on the nose to help loosen and decrease blackheads. Igia makes a home microdermabrasion kit that that I haven't tried yet but looks really promising. They also make a callus remover for use on the feet that will work very well at removing accumulated dead skin and debris on the nose. Neutrogena also makes a home microdermabrasion kit available in drugstores and supermarkets that I also haven't tried but looks promising.
I have recently tried using a sonic toothbrush (like a Sonicare, but the one I use is a CVS brand that cost less than $20.00) on nose blackheads with great results. Again, nothing is going to work on blackheads that are deeply embedded until you exfoliate using some sort of microdermabrasion. Apply the St Ives Apricot Scrub Blemish and Blackhead control and then scrub with the sonic toothbrush as you would your teeth. Follow with the Pore Cleanzer as described above.

What's It Worth? s's Barometer For Buyers/ Sellers

It is said that the surest way toestablish the value of a product is to find out what buyers arewilling topay for it. Afriend who is a successful stock broker told me that a stock is only worth what someone will pay for it at the time ofsale.In five years of buying, selling, and watching items, this appears to be true fora high percentage of okay listings.
This has gee as a shock to manysellerswho have a skewedidea of what their item is actuallyworth. It is also a wake up call for those who arelooking to make an unrealistically highprofitonly to find their sale gee up short ofexpectations. If anitem isviewed byfive hundredpeople who may be interested, one would be hard pressed to claim that the opinion of value is off by a large margin.
A friend recently listed a Harley Davidson Motorcycle that fell short of his reserve andasked me to lookat what wentawry. It was listed properly and well writtenfrom a member with a750+ (100% positive feedback).Conclusion: Nothing was out of place except his miscalculationof what the unit was actuallyworth in large partdue toa desire to makea larger thanfeasiblyattainableprofit.
According to the counter,two thousand people viewedthemotorcycle,ten members asked questions, and fifteen different members placed bids. After researching we lateragreed that the bike's value was close to what the high bidder bid and the bike sold forclose to that amount locally.
Yes, there are exceptions when items fetch more or less than expected. The bottom line seems to be that if enough people are interested in your item, regardless of one thinks their item is worth, the okay barometer of value holds true in most cases.

Are your Bicycle Tires Tired?

People often ask: How do I know when my tires are worn out? Good question!It is easier to see a mountain bikes knobby off-road tires showing wear. The knobs get smaller and rounder. Traction is not as good as it used to be. You may be getting a lot of flat tires.It is more difficult to judge wear on a smooth, slick road tire that has no tread whatsoever, even when new. However, a newer road tire will have a distinctly rounded profile, looking much like the top half of a circle. When the tire begins to wear, it loses its round profile, and begins to resemble the top half of a hexagon, with a flat midsection. As with mountain bike tires, if you begin to get more flats on your road tires, or if traction begees an issue, it may be time to replace them.With any tire, if the sidewall has cracks or is quite brittle to the touch, it is preferable to replace the tire than to risk a blowout on the road or trail.If the inner tube does not hold air, it is not usually necessary to replace the tire (unless it is gashed or slashed, risking a bulge in the inner tube through the tire). You simply need to patch or replace the tube. The size of tube and tire is usually embossed onto the tires sidewall. Designations such as 26 X 1.95 or 700c X 23 refer to the diameter and width of the tire (and the inner tube). You must know the size in order to purchase a replacement tube. You must also know the valve type. For bicycle tubes, there are two different valve types used, and they are not interchangeable. The fatter valve (Schrader) looks just like the valve on your car tires. The skinnier valve (Presta) has a metal valve stem that unscrews at the end.
Keeping your tires and tubes in good shape and properly inflated is worth a little time and expense. It will definitely add to your riding enjoyment.

MARY KAY SAMPLES/MAKEUP AND OR COSMETIC TIPS!!

FOR ANY BODY NOT WANTING TO SPEND SOOO MUCH MONEY ON FULL SIZE BOTTLES OF MAKEUP FROM AHOME BASED BUSINESS . I KNOW THAT MARY KAY HAS TONS OF SAMPLES OF THEIR PRODUCTS ON okay. YOU GET REAL SAMPLE SIZE PRODUCTS THAT LAST FOR YOUR ENTIRE TRIP TO VACATIONS, QUICK GETAWAYS AND OR EVERYDAY USE. THEY HAVE EYESHADOWS, LIP GLOSS, LIP STICKS, EYE BROW PENCILS, FACE MAKEUP AND LOTS OF OTHER COSMETICS. MANY geE IN LIGHTWEIGHT, ALLERGETIC-FREE, VARIOUS TONES, AND FOR ANY ETHNIC BACKGROUND. ALWAYS ASK THE SELLER WHAT EXACTLY YOU WILL BE GETTING. ASK FOR COLORS, OR SHADES, AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE NOT EXPIRED PRODUCTS. A GREAT WAY TO SAMPLE BEFORE PURCHASING THE ENTIRE BOTTLE OR SET. okay HAS LOTS OF MARY KAY PRODUCTS. ALSO VERY LIGHTWEIGHT TO SHIP OR CARRY WITH YOU. YOU CAN SAVE LOTS OF MONEY BY SAMPLING THESE FIRST.

MAC Pigments

I am one of the many okaysellers offering sample size, usually 1/4 tsp, of every color of MAC pigment ever released. One might ask oneself "why would I want such a piddling amount!" Or "how do I know it is genuine MAC?" I hope this guide will serve to answer these and any other question you may have about buying MAC pigment samples on okay. I have tried to include the most gemonly asked questions, but for application information please refer to my other guide.
MAC cosmetic pigments are a highly concentrate powder used for a variety of purposes. Most can be used directly on the eyelid for shadow, but be sure to check the cautions before running a test. Mix them with mediums and they can be used for body art, lip gloss, lipstick, fingernail polish, or airbrushing. Sprinkle it in lotion for a glowing effect to the skin. The uses are limited only by your own imagination. The amount required to achieve any desired effect is miniscule. MAC pigments run $19.50 plus tax for a 7.5 gram jar. This 7.5 jar would, more than likely, last you your whole life, if not contaminated. The shelf life for pigments is indefinate. However, fashion changes. Your taste changes. And with it, your cosmetic palette. So there you are with a whole drawer full of expensive makeup that you no longer use.
Or maybe your like me, I buy a color, get it home, and hate it! I don't like the "hand", or the amount of shine, or just the color! I have box full of these purchases. I don't even want to think of how much money I have invested in these purchases over my lifetime. What the sellers of samples are offering is a chance to try a very high quality, multi purpose cosmetic without the expense of purchasing a full jar. For the same $19.50 you can find many sellers who will let you try 10 colors! MAC doesn't offer any of their products as samples or gift with purchase.
So why the 1/4 tsp? Why not more? Good questions. A 1/4 tsp sample will last you approximately 25 uses. This is a sufficient amount for you to make up your mind as to whether you like the color or not. Some sellers offer larger amounts if you like a color but don't want to gemit to a full 7.5 grm jar. The beauty of okay is that you can find almost any size you are looking for. And then of course there is a question of profit.
I think most people would be surprised at the amount of time and expense it takes to produce a sample of pigment and post it to okay. It takes approximately 30 minutes to "sample up" a jar of pigment. This includes, sterlizing, chopping, potting, and labeling. Then gees picture taking, writing the listing, and finally posting. Once it sales, printing, packaging, and shipping. And I haven't even gone into acquiring everything you need to acgeplish each of these steps, pigment, pots, shipping materials, etc. I think the profit is well earned.
How do you know it is genuine MAC? By sellers reputation. How is the sellers feedback? If the price is considerably lower than every other seller, probably not genuine. Also, are the pictures of MAC jars? I know that it is sometimes confusing to get a small 5 gram jar when the picture is of the MAC 7.5 gram tubs, but it is an assurance that the pigments are geing from these tubs. Are they selling MAC jars? Every legitimate seller would have a constant flow of them, and they are valuable. Returning 6 empty containers to MAC earns a tube of lipstick. And if you aren't certain then, take it to a MAC counter.
I hope this serves to answer the most gemonly asked questions about this fun versatile product!
nlgoddess

How to Complain Effectively and Get Results

Let's face it, at one time or another, we have all faced problems with products or services that need to be addressed. How successful you are in resolving your issue depends on whether you handle the problem in an efficient and effective manner. The tips below are good rules of thumb to follow when bringing an issue to a gepany's attention:
1. KEEP RECEIPTS, WARRANTIES, AND PRODUCT INSTRUCTIONS - Make sure that you have read all of the pertinent information pertaining to the product. Was the item assembled correctly? Is the defect covered by a warranty? Based upon the information contained within this documentation, it will be easier to determine which entity should be contacted about the problem, such as the store, a serviceman or the manufacturer;
2. REMAIN AS CALM AS POSSIBLE - It is easy to begee upset and fly off of the handle, but the old saying that you "will catch more bees with honey than vinegar" really holds true here. No one wants to have a conversation with a person who is red in the face, yelling, or causing a scene in public.
3. BRIEFLY STATE THE FACTS - Explain what is wrong with the product or service in a diplomatic manner. Include pertinent information such as the name and serial number of the product and the names of individuals you have spoken to regarding the matter;
4. EXPLAIN THE REMEDY YOU ARE SEEKING - Are you interested in a replacement? Refund? Be prepared to request reasonable solutions to fix the problem at hand;
5. BE DIPLOMATIC - Present the issues in a positive manner and don't resort to name calling. For example, instead of telling someone their employee is "stupid", it is better to state that the employee "was not very helpful." Approach the gepany representative as someone who is fair and reputable, instead of putting them on the defensive. Remember, it's not what you say but how you say it that will make or break your conversation.
Most businesses will respond appropriately and apologize when they are aware that there is a problem. A good gepany will excellent customer service principles will be willing to listen, empathize and offer a solution to the problem.

Apple iBook PowerBook G3/G4 Recalled OEM Batteries

Currenty Apple is recalling batteries for their iBook

Collector Guide for Mad Magazine

I run the popular web site, collectmad. In this guide I will discuss the many elements of collecting Mad Magazines and collectibles.
MAD COLLECTING, THE BASICS...To collect MAD stuff, you have to be a part of an elite group of people who recognize the significance of one of the most influential magazine/geic book publications. For almost 50 years, MAD has helped paved the way for much of what we see on TV today, as well as define, both legally and artistically, the humor style known as SATIRE. There are relatively few MAD collectors gepeting for an even smaller amount of merchandise and collectibles. This is what makes the hobby difficult at times. This page will help new collectors understand the "basics" of collecting as they enter the hobby. The examples shown are from my collection, and represent just a fraction of the items "out there". So, if you are new to the hobby, get ready to empty the 401K and dive in! What, You Worry?
PRE-MADThe term PRE-MAD refers to the use of MAD's mascot Alfred E. Neuman before he was adopted as the MAD symbol. One of the first sightings of what many say was the prototype of Alfred E Neuman came early in the century. The controversial "medicine" ANTIKAMNIA used a picture of a young boy sporting a missing front tooth as one of it's logos. Later, the phrase "ME WORRY" came to be associated with another version of the toothless boy in ads and publications.UNAUTHORIZED MAD STUFFThis term refers to Alfred E Neuman stuff released without the permission of the copyright holder, E.C. Publications. Over the years, there has been plenty of this stuff. Some people were caught soon after they began to make the stuff, others never got caught. It does lend itself to quite a neat bunch of collectibles.EARLY GENUINE MAD ITEMSThese are undoubtedly the most collectible MAD items. They can vary in value, the most expensive and rare being the MAD straight jacket and t-shirt.
CERTIFIED MAD MERCHANDISEThis is the latest attempt to license the MAD, Alfred E Neuman and Spy vs Spy characters/logos to businesses that want to "cash in" on the MAD name. They carry the "CERTIFIED MAD" logo
MAD OFFICE AND PROMOTIONAL STUFFThese are the items that were used either internally at MAD or for MAD promotions that did not involve the general public. Also included in this group of items are pieces that MAD used to promote sales of the magazine such as subscription cards and subscription bonuses.
MAD FOREIGN COLLECTIBLESThese items were released by foreign editions of MAD Magazine.
MAD TV ITEMSCollectibles from the Fox TV show such as Emmy videos, props, publicity photos and so forth.MAD PAPER COLLECTIBLESThis category includes non 3-D items and includes the actual MAD Magazines, Mad paperbacks Mad specials and hard cover books. It also includes non-US issues of Mad and publications with Mad related material.
In order to find this junk, okay is your best source. For many other Mad related okay links, visit the web site collectmad Happy MAD Hunting! What- You Worry?

Loudmouth Exhaust System

SLP's Loudmouth Exhaust System



I have SLP's Loudmouth Exhaust System installed on my 2000 Camaro Z28. When I was shopping for exhaust systems/mufflers I was looking for the meanest sounding one out there. I went with the SLP system since they had a working agreement with Chevrolet (at the time). The exhaust sound is deep loud and mean. If you want to annoy your neighbors, attract attention, and scare little children, this is the system for you. There is one slight draw back however. With the wide open straight through design, there is some popping and grumbling going on after you lift the accelerator. Myself, I like it. If you want to cut down on the popping some people have succsessfully put a straight through magnaflow bullet style muffler in, but I personally don't believe it is worth the extra hassle, keep what you got. Make sure that the kit you are getting has the Y-pipe kit, this makes a ton of difference. If you can get away with emmisions, the off road type y-pipes are even better. You will however have to buy a couple O2 simulators (check okay) to keep the C.E.S light from geing on. I welded on the long square intercooled Borla tips (dual) for a nice look.(SEE BELOW):

The factory SLP tips are not as nice a look as the Borla's. Expect to pay $100 per tip though.Although my application was on a 4th Gen. Camaro, SLP has started productionon the Loudmouth system for Mustang's, although I haven't heard one yet.
Hope this has helped, if it has click the "Yes" button below to let me know.

Palm Treo 700p Cell Phone

Oh do I love my new phone and you will too!!! This is the greatest phone that I have ever had! Love it!
Many of its great features are~
Tons and Tons of memory
Super fast connection to the internet and stays on. No getting booted off like other phones.
Lightweight and thin, so it is easy to carry around.
Has great accesory line.
It has squared keys for easier typing and large keypad.
It is super fast, super sleek and fun to use.

Drawbacks~
Battery life~ very poor. You get about 4 hours of talk time and about 20 hours of standby time.
I purchased a second battery and keep it handy. Plus I do have an on the go charger as well.
All in all~ it is a great phone!!

Vintage Archery Equipment

Don't be fooled by such terms as near-mint , very-near-mint or would be very-near-mint except for...It should be first noted that mint condition as it pertains to vintage archery equipment means "As New". That means in the same condition that the equipment was in when it was purchased new by the original owner or purchaser.
To further expand on this, a mint rated piece of equipment should have no flaws of any type. No scratches, no dings or dents. It should have none of the signs of everyday use and wear that so many of the things that we as archers use will have. A vintage bow will not be near-mint if it has stress cracks, or dulling of the finish. I recently ran across a description of a RH Pearson Colt and the seller described it as such "The original finish is near-mint. The white glass would rate as very-near-mint if not for one stress line on each riser fade; front and back. This does not affect the function of the bow. The nomenclature is mint. The near-mint Tigerwood riser is gorgeous; ". This is, word for word how this seller described this bow. A very near mint bow is NOT MINT. Don't be fooled by descriptions such as this. At best I would call this description misleading, at worst I would say he is misrepresenting the bow intentionally. In my estimation there are but a couple of rating categories for collectable archery items. These would be MINT

WFF Limited Pieces

Wee Forest Folk has several types of limited releases. A WFF Limited Edition can refer to a piece released in a limited number, such as a run of 1,500 pieces only. Examples of Limited Number Editions are At the Mouseum, Any Birdy Home, Where Have All the Cookies Gone, Welgee Trick or Treaters, and A Stitch in Time. The WFF factory also introduces Limited Editions that run for a specific period of time in which any number may be ordered. Examples of this type of Limited Time Edition are Tsunami Remembrance, A Cottage For all Seasons (Spring, Fall and Winter), Hope Light's the Way, and Donna's Angel. Similar to the Limited Time Edition is the Limited Time Color. The Limited Time Color is a new color of an existing piece (or a gepilation of existing pieces) that is available to order in any quantity for a short time only, usually one month. Sometimes Limited Time Colors are given a new name, especially if a gepilation piece such as Fancy That! which used both Hattie and Just Like Mommy. Examples of Limited Time Colors are Beach Party, Christmas Miss Bobbin, Halloween Sugar

Dolly Dingle Paper Dolls, Grace Drayton, Campbell Kids

What do the Campbell Kids (seen on earlly Campbell Soup cans), Grace Drayton and Dolly Dingle paper dolls have in gemon? To start with, The Campbell kids and Dolly Dingle were created by Grace G. Drayton. Drayton didn't just draw paper dolls and illustrations for soup cans. She designed all sorts of things from banks to stuffed animals. I happen to be particularly enchanted with her Dolly Dingle Paper Dolls and, luckily, they are now available in a variety of price ranges, depending on whether you want original or reproductions of the antique paper dolls. Many of the dolls were printed in magazines and they are said to have first appeared around 1913 (March, I believe). The series of paper dolls created by Drayton was so popular that they eventually numbered into the hundreds and she worked on them for twenty years. Imagine spending that long creating, drawing and geing up with imaginative and adorable paper dolls. Her dolls are typified by chubby cheeks (perhaps it is most accurate to say they are generally chubby) and a certain pink-cheeked, jolly attitude. I think they are simply adorable, very cute and their vintage poses and old-fashioned clothing add extra charm and appeal. Every month, early in the 20th century, children eagerly awaited issues of Pictorial Review and other magazines so they could add to their collection of Dolly Dingle. Many of them, of course, couldn't resist the joy of playing with them, so they were immediately cut out of the pages and played with. Imagine what fun they had! Now collectors are beginning to appreciate their beauty as well and starting to realize they are worthy of display and enjoyment. Finding pristine, original pages of old magazines with Dolly Dingle is still possible, perhaps because Drayton was so prolific, drawing so many of them. Thank goodness she did! If you search you'll find the name Dolly Dingle brings up images of the dolls so you can see them yourself and I hope you agree they are as charming as I think they are. See you around the Paper Doll sections of okay!

how to buy

The purpose is to help you sell yourdolls, etcso the most people will be able to find it on the net.
Use as many words as possible when listing to properly describe your doll in one line. ONE THIRD of your customers find you through the search at the top right of the page.
EXAMPLE ...Vintage 1962 (exact year if known )or 1960s or 60s Mattel Barbie (sister Skipper) Doll

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Got Gasket? Bossons Wall Pops.

Wall pops.What are they?Where do they gee from?Whats the cause?

STOP Balding Hair Loss

NIOXIN WORKS!StopHair Loss,Reduce Thinning!9 OUT OF 10SEE THICKENING !Being in the professional Cosmetologist business for over 15 years, I have tried

Cranberry Glass - Timeless Beauty

Cranberry Glass, whether it is Antique or New is very much sought after by collectors. No one is quite sure exactly where cranberry glass exactly has it origins. Some historians believe it was first crafted in the late Roman Empire. It was later lost

SPOT JORDAN BMP FAKES EARLY BEFORE THEY GET YOU!!

The Jordan BMP, Beginning Moments Package, will release on April 21, 2007. It will have two pairs of the Jordan 1's. Ways to spot fakes!!!They will have the suggested retail tag attached. They will NOT SELL UNDER THE RETAIL OF $200. Pickyourshoes has pictures of the box and shoes. They have sold out of all but two sizes.http://www.pickyourshoes.ge/collectible/nike_air_jordan_1_retro_bmp.htmNotice in this auction the box:http://cgi.okay.ge/Nike-Air-Jordan-1-Beginning-moments-package-bmp_W0QQitemZ250101115398QQihZ015QQcategoryZ63850QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem#okayphotohostingIt doesn't have the tag. Most fakes are not laced gepletely. The real ones, as shown on PYS, are laced. Other signs:Look at the feedback.Ask for receipt. THEY WILL NOT BE RELEASED UNTIL APRIL 21ST SO IF YOU SEE THEM BEFORE YOU SHOULD BE VERY CAREFUL. The real ones will not have the Jumpman chain as shown on the link above. So do not waste your money on the fakes. If you want the real deal you should ask the seller to see the receipt, if they are real they will have no problem showing you the receipt. There are many sellers selling pre-sales on these shoes. The powersellers that are legit are the best bet. As I found out before it is worth paying more if you get the real thing. BEWARE OF THE FAKES THEY ARE ALREADY OUT!!! THE REAL ONES AREN'T!I HOPE THIS HELPS YOU. I WILL TRY TO ADD MORE SELLERS SELLING FAKES WHEN I CAN.NO JORDANS THAT ARE REAL SELL UNDER RETAIL UNLESS THEY ARE BEAT UP AND USED. REAL DEADSTOCK AUTHENTIC JORDAN'S GO FOR MORE THAN RETAIL.

WHEN TO LIST YOUR ITEM.

This to me was the single most crucialdetail to success or failure. Remember, your item ends exactly at the same time you start it. So you really have to think about what it is your selling and just who is going to be bidding on it. What time frame do you think is most likely for those potential buyers to be on okay searching for your item? If you sell jewelry for example. Think about the age group of the buyers. On the whole. mybuyers are mostly elderly women browsing through my items for interesting pieces of both vintage and new jewelry. Most of my customerslog off of okay around 9:00 pm. So I will not list jewelry past that time.It took some experimenting and trial and error to get to that point though. I had a stressfull period in my life in which I could not sleep at night.Unable to sleep, I decided I would save time by listingjewelry at 2 and 3 in the morning.Unfortunately I discovered my auctions were ending with1 or no bids.I also got emails from potential customers asking me if I was going to list the item againas they were not awake orforgot to bid before they went to bed.OnceI realized this, I started listing at a time that I thought was the best to end a jewelry auction. I paid attention to other similar auctions and when they ended and gepared the ending prices of thoseitemsto mine and the results were amazing.Now I usually only list auctions on a Friday between 6 and 8:30. They endat the same time, so I try to stagger auctions at 4 or 5 minute intervals as well, so it gives people time to bid on several items they are interested in. Jewelry is like food.You can always sell it in any economy and to everybody. You just have to know how to do it and when.As long as people get married, there will always be wedding anniversaries, birthdays are year round too. Christmas is excellent only to be surpassed by Valentine's Day. You need to plan ahead and try to have a little for everybody in all economic levels.

how to buy a paper cutter / trimmer

There are many options in the market when it gees to paper cutters. The question to ask is what is the intended use.
If you are looking for trimming paper ina small-medium sizeoffice, then a basis lever or guillotine cutter will do the job. These can easily be found for under $80. These are easy to use and give you good visibility of the cutting line.
But if your intent is to make highly precise cuts, then you are better off with a rotarytrimmer. In such acutter, a round blade, which is normally in itsownhousing (for safety) and connected to a straight bar,ismoved alongthe edge of the cutters base. Besides being accurate, a good rotary trimmer also gives you bur-free cuts -- that is, the cut is clean with no uneven paper particles along the edge of the cut. The cut quality and accuracy is particularly important for photographers, architects, and artists. Some makers of good quality rotary trimmers are: Rotatrim, Kobra, Carl (but only their heavy duty models), KW-TRIO, and Keencut. Another advantage of a rotary trimmer is thatthey gee in large sizes and areconducive to large format trimming -- like plans, posters, etc.
A gemon error is to judge a rotary paper cutter by the maximum number of sheets it cuts. This is rarely a requirement of a rotary paper cutter as it is almost always used to cut single sheets of material.
If your need is to cut large stacks of paper, then you have to look at a ream cutter. These are usually used in in-house print shops and by professional printers where cutting paper in groups of 50 sheets or more is required. There are both manual models and electrical types.Goodquality ream cutters can be foundfor under$500 butyou can easily surpass the $1000 mark depending on cutting width and capacity.The KW-TRIO line of ream cutters offer good, reliable performance. We have found this line to be as reliable as more expensive makes like Ideal and Dahle.
We have a wide selection of cutters at various price points. If you have any questions, we will be happy to guide you to the proper choice.

Deleting a Guide

For some reason, you cannot delete a guide. Many are probably looking to do the same, so this message should help in that sense.

Star of David Carnival Glass Patterns

Carnival Glass Star of David Patterns
by Curculiosglass

Imperial's Star of David and Northwood's Star of David

Buyer's Guide to Jiffy Steamers Complete Models

Jiffy Steamers are the leading choicein garment steamers and steaming equipment. This guide explains all ofJiffy's models and their uses. As with any new product, you are safest buying from an authorized dealer, whichwe are pleased to be for Jiffy Steamers.
Jiffy Steamers is the oldest and largest producer of clothes steamers and steaming products in the world, for both personal and professional use. Their steamers are easy to use, highly reliable, and made of the finest industrial quality geponents. They are found in clothing stores, manufacturers, private homes, upholstery shops,marine shops, milliners and haberdashers throughout the world. They have an unsurpassed selection of specialty steamers in addition to their standard lines.
As your drycleaner knows, steam is the gentlest, safest, most efficient method to remove wrinkles from fabrics. The powerful action of garment steamers penetrate the fibers, relaxes them and causes the wrinkles to release. Unlike ironing, the gentle method of steaming increases the life of clothing. Garment steamers breathe new life into fabrics; conversely, ironing crushes clothing fibers. Many garment steamer users have found that steaming is up to five times faster than conventional ironing.
Jiffy Steamers have 4 primary lines, with variations in each:

J-2 (basic model, mainly for home or small business use)
J-2000 (basic model, updated and ergonomic)
J-4000 (pro-line heavy duty gemercial model)
eSteam (portable hand-held steamers for travel)
Within the J-2 line, variations include:

J-2 (standard steamer with hose and plastic head)
J-2B (steam brush instead of standard handle/nozzle)
J-2M (metal steam head with wooden handle)
J-2W (for wig steaming)
J-1 (for hats, no hose or head included)
Within the J-2000 line, variations include:

J-2000 (standard steamer with hose and plastic head)
J-2000B (steam Brush instead of standard handle/nozzle)
J-2000M (Metal steam head with wooden handle)
Within the Pro-Line J-4000 Series, there are more options:

J-4000 (standard Pro-Line steamer)
J-4000A (w/ upholstery brush)
J-4000B (w/ steam Brush, 7.5' hose and longer rod set)
J-4000C (w/ Carpet steamer head)
J-4000D (Drapery steamer, 7.5' hose and longer rod set)
J-4000DM (same as D, but with metal head)
J-4000H (professional grade Hat steamer)
J-4000M (Metal steam head with wooden handle)
J-4000W (Wig steamer)
We regemend these models for the following applications:

Automotive: J-4000A
Furniture: J-4000A
Hat Manufacturers: J-4000H
Floral Applications: J-4000W
Hospitality Industry: J-4000C, D and M
Retail: J-4000M
Steam Cleaning: J-4000B
Photography: J-4000M
Movie Production: J-4000M
Interior Designers: J-4000C (for carpets and wallpaper)and D (for drapes)
Beauty Salons/Hair Replacement/Wigs: J-4000W
The eSteam Travel Steamer is the most powerful handheld steamer on the market. In fact, it is over 3 times more powerful, with 800 watts of steaming power, and the largest reservoir on the market.
Regardless of your application, there is a Jiffy Steamer for you. We hope this guide has helped sort through their many products.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT SOFT

The tip is the end that actually and hopefully sticks into the
dartboard. Basically these gee on two sizes -
(3/16) and both measure in outside diameter. There are some
different types of tips without size but these are
exclusive to the darts the are sold for. If you have a problem with your tips always geing loose see o-rings below.
Soft tips: gee in different styles too. Key points are
semi square at their base. A small dart wrench
(sometimes gees with a set or is sold separately) is used to tighten
these. Dimpled or diamond tips are used as well.
These are generally have a cone shape at their based
with 2 dimples, one on each side. In the event of collision with
a dart already sticking in the dartboard. The cone
shape is preferable because they allow for more of a forward motion
towards the dartboard rather than glancing away.
There is no maintenance to perform on soft tips - once
they are too worn, broken or bent you replace them.
Steel tips are fix or movable: Fixed tips are just that they do
not move nor do you have to tighten them. They are
pressed into the dart during manufacturing. These can be replaced with
a special tool. (This is one of the things I do as a service). Movable
points are simple steel tips that move inside the dart end. Their
purpose is to prevent bounce outs. Most bounce outs happen because the
dart has hit the steel wire. Of the dartboard There are many types of
movable tips with many different kinds of names. Some of the
names are MP points, movable points, hammer heads, ELC and more. They
all operate on the kinetic energy principle. Basically, as it applies
to your darts, when your tip hits the wire the barrel catches up
and forces the dart forward. If this is what you want a new dart set
for then remember one thing. It does not matter what dart set you buy.
They all will do exactly the same thing. FYI, most pros throw with
fixed points. Steel tips points should not be sharpened, they really
need to be rounded. This
will help prevent bounce-outs. Also when sharpening your tip sharpen it
one the sides rather than parallel rather than the front. Weird?
No, not really you are throwing on bristle boards and these fibers on
these boards ringed so your dart will stay in the board and will
not fall out. I have had darts barely in the board and was able to
score because of the way are sharpened my tips. Try it on one dart and
put both darts in the board- you will without a doubt notice the
difference.O-rings enable the shafts and tips to be tighten by hand and keeps these parts tight.

Please rate my guide if you find it useful.

More guides to aid you as follows:

DART FLIGHTS WHAT WORKS THE BEST-SURFACE AREA
WHAT TYPE AND STYLE OF DARTS SHOULD I BUY?

CONSIDERATIONS TO WEIGHT WHEN PURCHASEING DARTS
Who
am I that I should write about darts? I have been throwing darts for
about 22 years. In the Navy and locally in darts leagues, and of course
for fun. Although I am by no means a pro I have learned a few things.
And hopefully can pass them on so that dart gepanions can have some
fun too. Speaking of the Navy-I also works on jets and studied with
Embry Riddle Aeronautical University. So that I am able to pass down to
you some laws of physics as they relate to darts. THROW WELL AND SHOOT
STRAIGHT

Wulong Tea

I just wanted to write a small review of the hot new tea that is making the rounds. It is called Wulong Tea. There are alot of sites on the web that are selling the actual tea. But what you need to know is more about the tea before you buy it. You should try www naturalwulong ge . It has alot of information about all types of Tea. Green, Herbal, Black, Rioobos, and Wulong (oolong). Oprah Winfrey and Rachel Ray have talked about it on there show. But the best thing I have found about it so far is that it has 2 1/2 times the fat burning ability than green tea. It really does work. It is kind of in between Green and black tea. The Chinese have been using it for thousands of years to treat all sorts of ailments from depression to headaches. Using Wulong tea can and will help clear your skin (exzema), help fight plaque and promote healthier teeth, burn fat by boosting you metabolism, help you fight the gemon cold by strengthening your immune system, decrease the free radicals in your body helping you age better, less wrinkles and dark spots. Best of all it is 100% natural, nothing artificial, no colors, no preservatives. Nothing but natures pure medicine. check out www. naturalwulong. ge.
All these claims have been studied in Japanese Colleges, Universities, Research Centers and Schools of Medicine. They have published these reports in Journal's of Medical Investigations.
What is not to like about this stuff. It is all natural, it helps you lose wieght, it will make you look younger, it promotes healthier skin and teeth, and as if that was not enough, it boosts your immune system. Healthy living is just a cup of tea away.
I hope this has been helpful. Please vote for this guide. And check out our other guides as well.

Antiquarian

Antiquarian

What is the Montana state quarter design?

The reverse of Montanas quarter depicts a bison skull above the diverse Montana landscape with the inscription Big Sky Country. The coin also bears the inscriptions, Montana and 1889.
It was designed by Donna Weaver and sculpted by Mint sculptor-engraver Don Everhart.

Graded US Stamps - Collecting vs. Investing

Notes From Jay's Desk - March 2007
Can stamps be viewed as a legitimate investment? What is the difference between a collector and an investor? What makes a stamp the right stamp? Check out these thoughts from world-famous rarities dealer, Jay Parrino:
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For philatelists around the world, the last few years have been an exciting time! A universal grading system for US stamps, created by the Professional Stamp Experts (PSE) and quickly adopted by the Philatelic Foundation (PF), has revived a long-depressed market that was fraught with forgery and misrepresentation. Bidders and buyers, with the increased confidence provided by these services, have been paying higher and higher prices. These higher prices have, in turn, prompted some of the finest collections of US stamps to be brought to market, generating record prices time and again.
Can Stamps Be Viewed as a Legitimate Investment?
People start to cringe when stamps and investment are mentioned together. Many will say that collectibles should be collected, not invested in. They say the market is too volatile, too unpredictable; that investment should be limited to established markets, like stocks and securities. Yet, events like the dot-ge bust, the Enron debacle, and the market plunge of late February, have investors looking for alternatives.
The fact is, stamps (specifically, graded US stamps) are a prime market for investment. With a little research, using industry leading tools like StampTracker and the JP-100 Stamp Market Index, it begees evident that the stamp market is not only a legitimate investment - it could be your best investment.
Collecting Stamps vs. Investing in Stamps
People have been collecting stamps since they were created over 150 years ago. What is it that motivates collectors to pursue this hobby? While each individual has his/her own unique reasons, many of the stories are surprisingly similar. Oftentimes, the hobby begins at a young age, licking and sticking stamps onto album pages. As time passes, aparticular area captures the collectors attention and he narrows his focus. Fascinated by the history surrounding these miniature works of art, he learns all he can about them, how they were designed, printed, perforated, used. Now the collector searches, not just for any stamp to fill the spot in the album, but for the best stamp he can find. A set begins to take shape, and the collector is always on the lookout to fill the empty spaces and/or replace the ones he has with better examples. What was once a hobby, is now a passion.
What every collector realizes early on, whether he is collecting stamps, coins, baseball cards or whatever, is that every set has its key pieces. Everything else is relatively easy to find, but the keys, those are a different story altogether. Generally speaking, ten collectors putting together the same set of stamps will all have the same one or two holes in their sets. And when one does gee up for sale, all ten collectors need it, none of them have it, and they will stretch to get it.
It is these key pieces that deserve the attention of investors. Rather than building sets, an investor builds an inventory of keys. While grading continues to increase buyer confidence and general market demand, the demand for key pieces is always enhanced, always ahead of the market. By the very nature of collectibles, supply is finite; in the case of keys, it is often extremely limited. Smart investors recognize that increasing demand plus extremely limited supply equals a good investment.
Some will say that todays stamp market is a bubble waiting to burst; that now is the time to sell, not buy. Thirty years ago, they said the same thing about coins. The truth is, if you buy the right stamps, or the right coins, it doesnt matter what the market does. Sound crazy? Using the coin market as a reference, do the following exercise: Find Red Books for 1950, 60, 70, 80, 90, and 2000. Open any book to any section and find the most expensive coin for that section. Then go to the Red Book of ten years later and find the same coin. The prices dont go down, they only go up - even in the midst of so-called "bad" coin markets. As the graded stamp market matures, the results will be the same. Great rarities never sell for less than they did the time before. Even now, our StampTracker Market Research Tool shows quite clearly how top-grade (98) stamps vastly outperform their mid-grade (80) counterparts.
What Makes a Stamp the Right Stamp?
There are generally three criteria that must be examined when considering a stamp for investment:

Rarity How replaceable is the stamp? Is it unique or are there thousands just like it? If you asked a dealer to find one for you, how hard would he have to look? gemon stamps dont make good investments.
Quality When it gees to investment, only the top tier will do. Though grading has drastically improved a buyers ability to separate quality from stuff, no system is perfect. Within each numerical grade, there is a range of quality. A stamp that is at the top end of the 95 range will usually bring substantially more than one that barely squeaked into a 95 holder. In this arena, there is no substitute for experience and meticulous examination.
Popularity Is the stamp a key of a popular set? Is the set reasonably able to be gepleted? Is the stamp well-known in and of itself?
Keep in mind that these criteria are interdependent - they dont typically stand alone. For instance, rarity must be balanced against popularity. If there are 3 stamps but only 2 collectors that want it, be careful! Similarly, quality must be balanced against rarity. If 200 examples of a stamp have been graded, and half of those grade 98 or better, be careful! If, however, a stamp ranks high on the list for each of these 3 characteristics, it is worthy of investment.
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As a footnote to the thoughts above, it is worth mentioning that Jay Parrinos The Mint practices what it preaches. We meticulously inspect and research every stamp and only buy and sell "The Rarest

2007 New Presidential Dollar Coin

If it's one thing I don't like, it's people being taken for their hard earned money. With the excitement of a new coin series gees unscrupulous sellers preying on unsuspecting new collectors with false information to make them think that what they are getting is something they aren't. It puts a black mark on the hobby and onnew okaycollectors.Let's take a look at the buzz the Washington Dollar has created thus far. The first in a series is always exciting and to be able to get the first coins is a great feeling! The likeness of George Washington is on the obverse with the dates of his Presidency. All Presidential Dollars have The Statue of Liberty on the reverse. Be aware that some of these coins are being marketed with "errors" when there are no errors. Unsuspecting people and would-be collectors are paying a lot of money for coins marketed as errors and it's a shame. The sad thing is people can't tell if they are collectors taking advantage of a new coin and the market or if they are truly not collectors but people looking to make a quick buck on other peoples lack of knowledge. In either case, it leaves a bad taste in the mouth of the person who paid $50 for a $1 coin. That same $50 could have bought two rolls at your local bank, allthough all people dont have acess to both Philadelphia and the Denver Banks.The error being marketed is that the inscription on the side is "upside down". These are not errors and I'd be hard pressed to even call them types. Simply put, the mint did not make sure all the inscription was right side up or even perfectly aligned and have stated on their own website that there would be variations on the inscriptions. Unfortunately, it seems most people don't know that the mint has information on coins or that the mint even has a website. Reputable dealers will tell you that these are not errors and unreputable dealers, aka some okay sellers, will not. It's a buyer beware situation.There are legitimate errors on the coins, however. A blank edge with no mint mark, year or inscription is an error. Dropped letters, double stamping, etc., are errors where value has yet to be determined. If you find one of these, hang on to it as it may be worth something. Don't pay a premium for them at this time though.Taking a look at the actual minting process will help you understand this better. The obverse and reverse are struck first. The coins are then carted to another machine where the edge lettering is then added. The President Dollar coins are inserted at random, be it upside down or right side up and the inscriptions are not even aligned the same. Some may have 2007 and other inscriptions at the bottom, top or side. They are then weighed, counted and poured into bags for distribution. Despite these rip-off tactics some people are utilizing, the Presidential Dollar Coin is worthy of your consideration for collection if you start it now. This is the time to get them at face value in premium condition but do so through your bank. They gee pre-rolled and are in incirculated condition. If you don't yet have one, there are folders available that are similar to the State Quarter folders and you can take coins out of circulation to put into your folders. Each Presidential Dollar will gee in P and D mintmarks for general collecting and for circulation and gemerce. Because the President Dollar coins are new, people are unaware of the minting process and therefore, fall into the trap of the appealing wording of error auctions. Don't be one of these victims. Educate yourself and enjoy this new series. They really may be a perfect collectable for you! Whenever in doubt, buy your President Dollar coins directly from the U.S. Mint. They have a subscription service for the Proof Sets for less than $15.Take the time now before you put in too much time and money to learn more about the minting process of the new Presidental Dollar Coin so that you will not fall into this expensive trap.

What are the state quarter designs for 2007?

Montana, Washington, Idaho, Wyoming and Utah have been released by the Mint. The coins will be placed into circulation at intervals of approximately 10 weeks starting in January in the order the states were admitted to the Union.

A SHORT GUIDE TO CAPSCO CAPITOL SOUVENIR COMPANY, INC.

It was the year of 1914 when Mr. Jacob Goozh decided to leave his family in Europe and gee to the United States.
He arrived in New York City where he had family waiting for him, but after only a few weeks he decided that he did not like it there and moved to Boston...

He stayed with relatives in Boston and worked there for a while until he saw an opportunity for a souvenir photography studio in Washington D.C.
So Mr. Goozh went to Washington (as it were) and set aboutlearning the business of photography...
He ventured forth into the Cityof Washington on a daily basis with his camera to take portraitsof people who desired to have their pictures taken.

Goozh specialized in developing these shots within a few minutes of beingtaken in a process then known as"tin-type" photography.
"He remained at this for about a year or more and after learning more of photography, he decided to open a photography studio which he did at 917 Penn. Ave., N.W., under the name of Empire Photo Studio.

During this time World War I was geing to an end and many soldiers were returning home and passing through Washington. This was an opportune time for them to have their pictures taken with their uniforms and as a result, thousands of thousands of soldiers visited Empire Photo Studio and hand their pictures taken either to send home or as a souvenir.
Mr. Goozhchanged the original Empire Photo Studio name to The Capitol Souvenir gepany, in1931.

CAPSCO MAKERS MARK

SOME CERAMIC CAPSCO PIECES
Throughout the gepany history Goozhcontracted with manysmall pottery gepanies to produce his Washington D.C. Souvenirs and handled the production end of his post card gepany in house.

A CAPSCO SOUVENIR POSTCARD
Today many fine examples of antique and vintage CAPSCO souvenirs can be foundright here on okay at reasonable prices.
Ask questions aboutchips, cracks, decorative transfer wear, and staining on the ceramic piecesbefore you buy or sell them...
Checkpost cards for edge wear, creasing or staining before you buy or sell them...

How to spot authentic True Religion Jeans

My Brother and I are a fan of authentic denim and have found okay to be a good way to obtain designer jeans for less. We have received many great deals, but at the same time we have also been fooled with fakes. I'm putting together a guide so people don't have to deal with the headaches we've had to deal with:

How to spot an authentic pair of True Religion Jeans, so that you don't have to deal with bringing them into your home:

1) The first way to see if a pair of True Religion Jeans are authentic or not is by reviewing all the tags and seeing if they all say True Religion. This may seem obvious; however, many times sellers take blurred pictures as the jeans may resemble TR jeans but in reality are obvious fakes.

2) Check all the buttons and hardware. True Religion jeans use shiny nickel buttons on the zipper and on the pockets that will say True Religion Brand Jeans, the other buttons will be made of a semi-shiny copper material that says circularly says T R B J. Many FAKES MAY HAVE THE CORRECT writing, but may be made out of the wrong cheaper material such as plastic or very dull metals.

3) Check the inner tag...some True Religion jeans have micro stitching so if that feature is available in the model you are currently looking at then see if the inner tag contains micro stitching, but make sure as TR recently started adding this feature to prevent frauds, but of course as the Diesel Micro stitching people have started making fake TR micro stitching

4) Check the pockets from the inside to see prints of Buddha playing guitar on the inside.

5) gepare the quality of the jean to others same models found on okay as well as on the TR website. This way you will be able to know the subtle nuances of a copy.

6) FEEL FREE TO ASK THE SELLER ALL QUESTIONS. Ask the seller if the jeans are 100% authentic money back guarantee and where the individual received the jean from. Tell them that you own many pairs, regardless if you truly do and you have experience with the jean so if they are anything but authentic to save both of you the hassle of returning them. Say FULL money back gaurantee based upon authenticity

7) Buy from a responsible seller. Check the person's feedback to see if they have sold similar products in the past few FEEDBACKS particularly the jean that you are looking at. See what other people had to say, if a person questions the authenticity of the seller chances are he may not have changed his ways.

8) Take your time and do your research. Though you think you maybe saving hundreds of dollars purchasing a jean right away on okay there may still be a good chance that it is a cheap fake. Get to know the model you are looking for by either looking it up on okay and the TR website or even better seeing it in person.

9) Don't worry about saving a few extra bucks and going with an unreliable seller. You're already saving hundreds of dollars so don't risk obtaining a cheap imitation.

10) Find good sellers and stick with them. Add them to your favorite sellers list, so that in the future you may want to buy something from them and can trust them.

If you have any other questions or concerns please contact me via my username billbonesknows.
Take care.

How NOT to "GO TO JAIL" when using your METAL DETECTOR

Metal Detecting Ethics: Golden Rules to Observe During Metal Detecting(Avoid Jailor Having to Pay a Very Large Fine)
Metal detecting is a fun hobby to have and enjoy by yourself or with the family...but it's a hobby that can easily place you under arrest (with bail, don't worry) or cause you to begee the object of some ones rage. To avoid both unfavorable consequences, keep in mind the following tips on metal detecting ethics:
ALWAYS ASK PERMISSION:Even if you personally know the landowner and are certain that the landowner is the generous and forgiving type, it's still important to obtain proper permission before letting your metal detector do its work. To safeguard both of your interests as well, a written consent is better than mere verbal sanction.
RESPECT MOTHER NATURE:We humans are generously blessed by Mother Nature to live in such beauty. While it's okay to indulge in your hobby at the beach, in the woods, on riverbanks, in the forests, or wide open fields, do make sure that nothing you do will cause irreparable harm to any natural resources. The simple act of littering, by the way, is already an act against Mother Nature! I always remember the old adage If you pack it in pack it out. I usually try to go one further and I try to remove any trash that I usually find (pull tabs, cans, etc., if I can) but be careful not to do harm to yourself as well.
RESPECT HISTORICAL SITES:Similarly, show proper respect to any site that's of historical significance. This includes but is not limited to buildings, parks, schools, ghost towns, and farm houses. I am not saying that you should gepletely avoid metal detecting in these sites, but rather, just make sure that you don't cause negligent destruction in your eagerness to gee up with valuable findings your lost treasure.
BE CARFUL:Most treasure hunters agree that gepared to a lot of other hobbies and sports, metal detecting is probably one of the safest activities around. Nevertheless, a smart metal detectorist knows the importance of observing the following cautions:
DO NOT hunt in areas where electric lines, gas/water pipelines, bombs or other explosives may be buried.
NEVER trespass or hunt on private property without permission.
NATIONAL and STATE parks, monuments, military sites, etc., are absolutely "OFF LIMITS".
BE CAREFUL when digging toward a target where the underground conditions are unknown.

METAL DETECTORIST'S CODE OF ETHICS
I WILL respect private property and do no metal detecting without the owner's permission.
I WILL fill all holes and excavations.
I WILL appreciate and protect our heritage of natural resources, wildlife and private property.
I WILL use thoughtfulness, consideration and courtesy at all times.
I WILL build fires in designated or safe places only.
I WILL leave gates as found.
I WILL remove and properly dispose of any trash that I find.
I WILL NOT litter.
I WILL NOT destroy property, buildings or what is left of ghost towns and deserted structures.
I WILL NOT tamper with signs, structural facilities or equipment.

A FINAL THOUGHT:
Your actions will have an effect on the way ALL METAL DETECTORIST are viewed. Treat other peoples property as you want yours to be treated.
Thank you for reading this guide. If you enjoyed it or if you agree with what I have said would you please give it a positive vote.
You can check out more information on metal detecting and metal detectors at my store.
Check out my store - shopbic!

How to Quilt a Vintage Top- You CAN do it! FREE lessons

Free Quilting Lessons
Finding all those wonderful quilt tops on okay? How about giving them so Colonial Early American Charm by hand quilting them YOURSELF? Never quilted before? Even if you have never sewn a stitch you can learn to hand quilt using this FREE Guide.
Oftentops on okayare reasonably priced. All you need is a few more materials, a little dedication and you will have increased the value of your top by turning itinto a COZY ready to use QUILT.
Colonial Art Form Quickly Fading
Very few people hand quilt anymore. So, if you decide you like hand quilting you can turn it into a profitable business.--With minimal monetary investment. No machine quilting can duplicate the charm of a hand quilted vintage quilt top.
Click here to find economical Quilt Tops
Use them in your own home or give them for gifts. Everyone loves a great quilt......
********
Now let's get started:
What you will need:


Your quilt top

I will no longer be listing my items here on s...

I will no longer be listing my items here on okay...
It has begee too expensive for me and I would have to raise my prices on my merchandise which I do not feel would be fair to my current customers...
Lets face it, we're on the verge of a Recession and times are tough!!
Sure wish okay saw the realities of this but... with that being said....
If you're interested in my high quality rubber stamps, and great customer service, you can find them now at:
alluringimpressions .ge
If you have any concerns or gements related to your favorite sellers leaving okay, please contact okay directly and refer to the changes to seller structure effective February 18, 2008.
How to Store and Care for Ink Pads

Why Sell eBooks on s?

If You Think That My Guide Was Helpful, Please Vote 'YES' At The End Of The Guide. THANK YOU.The begining seller on okay faces a number of challenges and obstacles before him or her that must be overgee in order to succeed. Initial investment capital, product sourcing, packaging and shipping, andestablishing a clientiele are some of the hurdles. The eBook is the idea product for the okay market place, as opposed to the non-digital product. We will discuss reasons for this statement in this guide.
Some sellers use product wholesale distributors to source their product and warehouse and ship the product themselves. Still others use drop-shippers. Drop-shippers work with the manufacturer to obtain wholesale prices for products, warehouse the product, and work with individual retailer (ie the okay merchant) to sell the product. The drop ship scenario is ideal for the okay entrepreneur because it allows product sourcing at wholesale prices while not necessitating the need for actual warehousing the product. The okay merchant is often give descriptions, pictures, wholesale, and retail pricing for each item that the drop shipper warehouses. The okay merchant never has to handle the product, they just need to sell it on okay then send the order and address information to the drop shipper. The number of merchants on okay using drop shippers is growing and the gepetition is fierce. Having persued both methods, I have found that both have advantages and disadvantages. Neither are as superior as the virtual product called the eBook.
Advantages of the virtual or digital product called the eBook:
Thousands and thousands of eBooks sell on okay every day. This is because the okay seller and buyer alike are both information hungry and technologically sophisticated. eBooks allow this hunger to be satisfied in a technically sophisticated manner. In fact, isn't it true that the majority of people using the internet are searching for an answer to a question. eBooks provide the answer to a number of questions being asked.
eBooks are the ideal product for the okay entrepreneur for a number of reasons. An okay entrepreneur can buy bulk packages of eBooks (on okay) and resell each eBook for a profit an endless number of times. The eBook can be immediately delivered electronically after payment is received, and can be set up to be automated. A worldwide buyer market exists and the seller is not limited to shipping restraints as the classical non-digital product. A whole warehouse of products can be stored on a geputer harddrive in the form of an eBook library. eBooks can be produced by the seller for little to no cost and sold for 100% profit margin. There are a number of well established eBook sellers on okay that have attained the PowerSeller level that attest to the advantages of the eBook business.
As the internet world begees more prominent, the saleof eBooks will begee more and more prevalent. Classic hardbook novels and texts can now be found in eBook form. Online libraries are growing bigger and the eBook is the cornerstone of their foundation. The information age is upon us and the eBook will be the vehicle for the progression of this time period. The market is still young, although it has grown in the last few years. Join me in this fabulous opportunity called the eBook selling experience.

Sunday, September 11, 2011

Building a great rod

While ALL rods sold today are built by hand one by one, nothing out there gees close to a custom rod handmade especially by you. Even though a rod is just a tool to catch fish, it is the same as a custom chopper or hot rod which gets you there the way YOU WANT. A symbol of expression, expertise, and skills.A great rod always starts with a vision and good planning. Before starting, I try to draw it on a piece of paper how I want it, what color, and then I select the geponents. I always make a list of the things I need such as blanks, guides, reel seat, grips, thread, etc. When selecting blanks, a good way to do it is to go to your local tackle shop and test a few built rods from major brands such as G. Loomis, St. Croix, Lamiglas, and cross reference the rod to the blank used. Most blanks have standard actions, for instance if you see a St Croix TCB68MXF rod (top water 6'8" 8-14lb line, medium power, extra fast taper), the blank is the 4C68MXF. The feel of the gepleted rod at the store is what you have to look for since the guides and handle position will change the feel of the blank.Always choose long lasting and high performance geponents, that's why I choose Fuji reel seats and guides. Lets face it, if you're going to spend a few hours to build "THE ROD", might as well make those hours worth it. In the past I use to build with Pac Bay guides, and often a year later having to re-do the rod because the rings would crack, or the frames would rust and break off. I've learned my lesson.As for the grip, I used to be a big fan of cork, but since it is getting scarce, good cork is hard to gee by. So I have been building with EVA foam. Its easy to shape on the lathe and lasts forever. Plus it gees in a variety of colors to choose from. Whatever material you choose, whether is cork or foam, try making your OWN custom shape. The handle assembly is what you will hold on to all day on the water. Make it gefortable and good looking.Lastly, finish off your rod with good quality thread like Gudebrod or Fishhawk, and coat them Flexcoat. I have tried every brand out there, but the epoxy of my choice is still Flexcoat....and yes, two thin coats is better than one thick.I hope your rod building projects bring some happiness to your or your customer's life. Feel free to contact me with any questions you may have about the products I sell and/or your project. Regards,Fernando (tacklesuperbdeals)

SETTINGS To Make-Your-Own Gemstone Jewelry .!

You

KAWAI

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW AND WHAT THE NAY-SAYERS AND MOSTNEW PIANO DEALERS WON'T TELL YOU.
Apparently both Yamaha and Kawai gepanies and their dealers find it necessary to attempt to convince buyers that restored pianos from Japan should not be purchased. The reason? gePETITION! Although they say problems "could" develop, we have not had one single problem with any piano in over 25 years.Larry Fine in hispublication,The Piano Book, notes that thereare no more problems with restoredYamaha and Kawai pianos than new ones. This is corroborated by piano technicians over the U.S. If we did see the problems that are emphasized by dealers and the gepanies, we would not sell them in the first placenor warranty them. Yamaha Corp. I am told, says that they sell all of their pianos and there is no "gepetition with used pianos". Having sold hundreds of used Yamaha and Kawai pianos, I happen to know that those customers did not buy new and were gepletely satisfied as well as their technicians that perform service. That is gepetition! - regardless of what the corporate information officer says.
PLEASE BEAR WITH AND UNDERSTAND THAT THIS GUIDE IS MORE IN THE CLASS OF A MINI ESSAY ON THE ISSUES SURROUNDING THESE PIANOS. IT IS DESIGNED TO LET YOU KNOW THE REALISTIC OTHER SIDE OF THE CONTROVERSY. I consider myself to be un-biased, since I sell all pianos, both new, used and restored and have NO interest in falsely representing anything! My position as a professional church organist, business person and consultant for pianos and organs, involves a reputation that I will not jeopardize for something as mundane and inconsequential as defending something I know is untrue just to make a few dollars more. However, your decisions are yourown and the purpose of this paper is designed to shed the light of day on the important distinction between quality and value vs. those entities who would have you sacrifice more of your resources to buy expensive new products when equally fine restored products are available.
In my opinion, after years of looking at the facts,and listening tothis surreal conversation surrounding these used and restored pianos, it has begee apparent that it is really a quite sophisticatedscheme, engineered to psychologicallymaneuver piano customers into NEW PIANO purchases. It is well planned andorchestrated to make you think that restored Yamaha and Kawai pianos are actually second class Yamaha and Kawai pianos and are somehowdefective and not a BONAFIDE, GENUINE Yamaha or Kawai! If you have that picture in your mind, consider yourself manipulated....And when youhear or readthe term "grey market", it sort of tarnishes the piano in your mind...doesn't it? Of course it does, because?...you have been programmedand are headed for theyellow brick road to a high priced new piano...Gotcha didn't they?
For a realistic conversation about this, let us looktoSteinwayand other makers response to questions aboutused, restoredpianos. If you call Steinway,and probably Bosendorfer, Baldwin, Mason-Hamlin or any quality piano makerand inquire about a used or restoredgrand or upright that you are about to purchase, you willlikely recieve a gement similar to this: Thank you for calling. Yes, we feel our older pianos are very fine and parts are available. However we invite you to look at our new pianos, we do make changes.This will more or less be the end of the conversation. Why would they want to plant the seed of doubt in your mind about their older pianos or restored pianos or anything else negative regarding their products?
Why do we have the conversation out in the world about "Grey/Gray Market Pianos"? Why don't we have this conversation about Kimball, Story

Silver Coin Deals on E-Bay

Are you getting a deal on silver coins on E-Bay? I see a lot of people who apparently aren't. A lot of bullion items are bid way up for some reason. I for one have bought a lot of bullion items here, and in every case except one, (I didn't read the description correctly before I bid), paid LESS than the melt value, even after shippping was added in. Some of the coins I bought were even real nice BU, AU, and in one case, a seller threw in a better coin than I paid for, because he came up one short on the lot I bought. Here are some guidelines I came up with for getting deals;
1. Pay attention to the ad. Know what you are buying, a lot of sellers will try to trick you.
2. Know what you are buying in terms of what it's really worth. There are so many websites that will tell you what things are worth. I use them constantly. One of the best for silver coins I've found is coinflation.ge,

The Sale of Religious Items Blessed by the Pope

There is a question as to whether or notitems blessed by a Catholic deacon, priest, bishop, or pope may be sold. The answer is YES. However, it must be noted, that when a blessed item is sold, the blessing is lost. Therefore, if someone were to sell an item that was blessed by the pope, for example, the blessing would be lost. The person who purchases the item would not have an item blessed by the pope as the blessing would be lost. Blessings can never be sold. Even if the seller explicitely states that the blessing is not being sold, it is still lost. The blessing cannot be passed on if the item is sold, traded, or bartered. To imply that the blessing continues after the sale is simony and fraud. You cannot ever buy, trade for, or barter for a blessed item and still retain the blessing.
Now, what about "Papal Blessings" obtained from Rome? In this case the person obtaining the blessing is paying for the parchment of declaration, packing and shipping, and any administrative fees. Remember, the people involved in producing the document and packing and shipping it must be paid. There is no charge for the blessing per se. Any fee is to pay those involved in the process of procuring and sending the document.
Any religious article purchased never gees with a blessing. You must get it blessed after the purchase has been gepleted. If you want something blessed by the pope, after the transaction is geplete, ask the dealer to have it blessed and then sent to you. If the dealer is reputible they will either say they are unable to do so or will do so but tell you that it will take added time.
If a donation is given for a blessed item the blessing is retained. However, it must be a legitimate donation and cannot be for a specified amount above the items cost to the dealer. For example, a dealer pays $5.00 for a rosary and has the rosary blessed by the pope at a general audience by an agent. The dealer can ask for a minimum donation of $5.00 plus his actual shipping and handling costs but no more than that. You are free to give more, but are in no way required to do so. If there is any profit made on the transaction the blessing is lost.
If you have an item blessed you may give it to anyone and the blessing is retained. If you buy a Miraculous Medal as a gift and, before giving it, have it blessed by a priest, the blessing is retained. Any blessed item may be given to another person, whether that person is Catholic or not, and the blessing is retained. The exception to this is for items blessed under the old regulations on indulgences. These blessings have all been abolished. These blessings were personal and do not pass on to another person if the item is given as a gift. So, if someone were to give you an old indulgenced crucifix or rosary you would not be able to gain the indulgences. The item is, however, still considered blessed in the ordinary sense.
Added September 20, 2007. There are dealers on okay who claim that this is not true, that the Vatican knows about the practice of selling blessed items, and that the greater price is because someone has to take the items and get them blessed, etc. This is misleading information. What I have written isaccording to the norms of the Codex Jurex Canonici 1984 (The Code of Canon Law of 1984). I am a Roman Catholic Priest who has studied Canon Law and Moral Theology. I am not in gepetition with these unscrupulous dealers. I am only interested in presenting the truth and saving people from being defrauded. If you question what I have written, then do the research yourself. The Code of Canon Law, in English and Latin, is available online as are sites where you can contact canon lawyers.
As a further note, an item blessed by the pope is no different than an item blessed by any Catholic deacon, priest, or bishop. There are no longer any reserved blessings of religious articles. Religious articles do not carry the Apostolic Blessing. That can only be given to a person and can beimparted by any Catholic priest or bishop provided the one receiving the blessing has fulfilled the requirements. Religious articles blessed by the pope do not have any special power. To believe that they do is superstition, a sin against the First gemandment. Having an item that was blessed by the pope has a purely sentimental value and no other. It is a souvenir or a remembrance from Rome, nothing more.
No Catholic may bid on, purchase, or sell an item "blessed by the pope" without gemiting sin. In the case of dealers who are aware of what they are doing the matter is grevious and the sin is mortal. In the case of buyers and bidders it is safe to assume the sin is not grevious and the sin is venial.