Chery Automobiles: China’s Auto War Begins

China is laying plans at this very moment to begin shipment of passenger vehicles to the North American market by mid 2007. Chinese automobile manufacturer, Chery, yes read that again…the company sounds strangely like Chevy, is looking at bringing not just one, but a whole fleet of low cost production vehicles to our shores. Proposed prices will astound you and could potentially bring the U.S. auto market to its knees. Don’t think for even one moment that Japanese and Korean automakers will be immune from this flood of low cost cars. Chery vehicles have been designed – some say stolen – from current Asian models and will compete directly against the likes of Toyota, Honda, Nissan, and Hyundai. China’s long awaited war with the US – at one time expected to begin with a Red Army attack on Taiwan -- may be fought on an economic front instead.

Chery, a state-owned car producer formed in China’s eastern Anhui Province, is currently building a number of cars in China including the QQ – a compact car strangely similar to the Daewoo Spark [GM’ Korean division], as well as several sedans and a compact SUV. Indeed, recent charges made by Toyota, GM, and Honda have all alleged that Chery mimicked or outright stole designs from at least one of each automaker’s vehicles including the Honda CR-V. For the record, the Toyota case was rejected, Honda is still attempting to work out a solution with their case, and GM recently dropped its suit after the Chinese automaker agreed not to sell their cars in the US under the Chery name which GM has stated is too close to the Chevy name. Chinese courts have also ruled that the Daewoo Spark design was not registered in China, so GM dropped its suit.

At present, the Chery vehicle line up includes the tiny QQ; a compact SUV built jointly with Mitsubishi called the Tiggo; and three sedans: the Oriental Son, the Flagcloud, and the Windcloud. Recently, Chery unveiled a newly designed crossover vehicle along the lines of the Chrysler Pacifica. With an introductory MSRP of under $20,000 the Chery crossover will seat up to seven passengers and come equipped with both four and six cylinder engines. As you might guess the Chery crossover, if equipped similarly to the Pacifica, could be priced some ten thousand dollars less than the Chrysler model.

Current prices on the other models have not yet been set, but published reports this past summer indicated that a basic Chery could retail for as low as $6995 in the US, which would be some three thousand dollars less than the next lowest priced car, the Chevy Aveo [from GM’s Daewoo unit, naturally]. Of course, this particular pricing strategy has raised all sorts of alarms within the automobile industry, chiefly how to counter a flood of low cost cars invading the U.S. market. As some have pointed out, much like Hyundai’s introduction to the North America market during the 1980s, the Chinese cars are expected to initially have only a limited appeal primarily due to expected low quality levels. Still, it only took Hyundai less than one decade to begin to produce cars which consistently matched the quality levels of many American and Asian models. So, it could be just a matter of a few years before Chinese cars receive the positive press now given to many other Asian automakers, resulting in a sharp surge in sales.

While the Chery dealer network within the US has yet to be established, it is under development; a limited version of the dealer network is expected to be in place by Summer 2007 when the first Chinese vehicles arrive. A rapid expansion of this same network across the US and Canada has been planned over the ensuing years and although the Chery name will not be used in the US, you can expect that whatever name is selected these cars will impact the way many Americans buy their cars from that point forward. Oh, by the way, two other Chinese automakers -- Shuanghuan Automobile Manufacturing, LTD and Geely Automotive -- are also expected to export cars to the North American market soon after Chery makes its debut.

While it is too early to say, the opening of the lucrative North American automobile market to cheap Chinese vehicles could possibly shake the American economy in ways never anticipated. I, for one, shudder to think just how all of this might unfold.

Palestinian Leadership Saved By Suitcase Loaded With Cash

The Palestinian leadership, experiencing an ongoing cash crunch because the civilized world refuses to support its unachievable vow to destroy Israel, suffered the indignity of being assaulted by its own unpaid workers, who shouted “We are hungry!” But, just in the nickel of time, the Palestinian Foreign Minister managed to smuggle a suitcase loaded with $20 million in cash into Gaza. He had slipped in from Egypt, on his way back from a successful begging trip to Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei, China, Pakistan, Iran and Egypt. Evidently, he was not the first Palestinian emissary to attempt a cash run, but his predecessors ran into unexpected obstacles on the way across the border. Is this or is this not a ludicrous condition to bring a people to who have aspirations of statehood and an inalienable right to at least a pinky of dignity. But then the poor misguided slugs did vote Hamas in, so they did play a part in bringing such embarrassing travail on themselves. Question is, how long will Hamas keep its populace on the rack before the surprisingly elected organization realizes that, if it wants a state, the first thing it has to do is recognize the right of its neighboring state to exist. One wonders how long the inconvenienced Mahmoud Abbas, sensible and promising moderate that he is, can witness the indecisive idiocy and its debilitating effects without attempting to take effective action. Since he is dealing with such an misguided opposition, we must wish him safe passage through the intricacies of his far wiser enterprise.

Checklist Before Starting a Home Based Business

When you are looking for a home business opportunity, it is important to make sure that you are aware of all that you will be required to bring to the equation. This can help save you a lot of confusion and money by avoiding opportunities that require too much from you to get started. Here is a checklist of thing that you should consider before selecting a home business opportunity.

1. Do you need to get a license to run the business? Many states require that businesses get a license before they are allowed to open. This includes home businesses in many locations. Check with your local government agencies to see what you will need to have in place to start your own home business.

2. Do you need a zoning permit? If you have a home business opportunity that requires doing actual business with the public, you are going to need to make sure that you will not be in violation of any zoning laws. Most cities have very strict residential zoning requirements and it is not hard to violate them. Make sure that the type of business you want to start will be acceptable to run at your current location.

3. How much equipment will you need to buy? You’ll need to know exactly how much money you’re going to have to spend to get your business operational. While some home business opportunities require just a computer, others may need a special printer, extra software, additional gadgets or even heavy equipment. This can add up in a short period of time. Make sure that you are aware of all the expenses that you will incur before you start up.

4. Do you have enough space in your home to devote to your business? Running an informational company is one thing, but if you are going to be stocking products in your home, you’re going to need enough space. For tax purposes, you’re also going to have to have a room that is completely devoted to your home business. This means no kid’s toys, or anything from your normal family life can intrude on this room. If you don’t have this kind of space you may need to add on to your home to accommodate your business.

5. Will you need to purchase any insurance? If you are doing business with the public at your home, you will need to get liability insurance. This will help protect you if anyone falls on your property or injures themselves in anyway. If you will be storing products, you will need to have them insured in case there is a flood or they get damaged in any way.

Lastly, you may want to consider business protection insurance that will help you in the event of any copyright infringement claims or other common complaints. Don’t forget your own health insurance, or any insurance that you may need to provide for employees. This can add up quickly and increase your overall start up costs.

Polygamists March; Demand Volume Discount On Marriage Licenses

Polygamists, under attack even in the generally tolerant and Mormon-populous state of Utah, marched on Washington, demanding what they regard as their right to a volume discount in the purchase of marriage licenses. The demonstration was incited when a breakaway member of the Mormon Church, who is accused of seducing a minor female and matchmaking other minors females to older men, was buying so many marriage licenses that he had to rob a bank to pay for them. As a result of the armed banditry, he wound up on the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted List. The bearded leader of the march explained, “When people only buy one marriage license, we can see why they’d have to pay the full freight. But when you’re like us and buy them on a regular basis, it’s only fair that you ought to get a break on the price.” We were surprised in our assumptions, as usual, when we asked a female marcher why she, in this age of women's rights, would consent to be married to a man who has four or so wives. “It’s not like you think,” she told us. “I’m actually too independent to be married to any man full time. This way, my husband is so busy with his three other wives I only have to put up with him 25% of the time.”

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Microsoft Vista To Support Only Microsoft Products; Denies Monopolistic Intent

Microsoft announced today that its new Vista operating system would support only products made by Microsoft. The announcement immediately set off a tsunami of furious responses from all the other software companies and a renewed sharp eye from regulatory authorities. The company effusively denied that the move is in any way indicative of monopolistic practices. Microsoft CEO, Steven Ballmer, known to insiders from competing companies as The Embalmer, noted, “Since Vista is a Microsoft product, what reason on earth is there to support products made by other companies? If they want people to use their programs, they’re free to create their own desktop operating systems.” His announcement did not sufficiently palliate representatives of other major software companies. A representative from google lashed out, saying, “It wasn’t enough that the new version of Internet Explorer will have a default setting to MSN Search. Now, we understand when people click on options, there won’t be any. That just doesn’t seem fair, even though, I admit, he-he, google is the default setting in Firefox.” Questioned about the contentious issue, Bill Gates stated flatly, “I have always been very influenced by my last name, and, in this case, as it appears in the well-know phrase, ‘Sorry, the gates are closed.” It appears that the issue will finally be determined by how courts view the Microsoft insistence that other companies are still free to create their own desktop operating systems. As far as the American economy is concerned, the most significant development seems to be that, as a result of the pending flurry of lawsuits, zillions of lawyers are currently gleefully employed.

Charlie Brown Valentine And Other Favorites

I am sure that you all remember the many movies that were based on Charles M. Schulzs Peanuts comic strip. They started making them in the sixties and still make them to this day. The Peanut gang was so incredibly popular that it has attracted audiences across multiple generations. One of the newest stories to be adapted to a movie is A Charlie Brown Valentine. Below are some of our favorite holiday Charlie Brown movies.

1. A Charlie Brown Christmas this film is about discovering the true meaning of Christmas, through the eyes of Charlie Brown. As the story opens, Charlie Brown is depressed and frustrated because he sees all of his friends and family getting so caught up with the materialistic aspects of Christmas. He watches Lucy and Snoopy become obsessed with their presents and the holiday decorations, Schroeder only cares about the Christmas pageant and the rest of his friends are only concerned with writing their letters to Santa and what they will get as gifts.

Charlie Brown is disgruntled and ashamed of the fact that Christmas has become so commercial so he sets out on a journey to show everyone what it is truly about. He is given the task of picking out the perfect tree for the Christmas pageant which gives him a brilliant idea as to how he will get his message across to those he loves. He buys the tiniest and ugliest looking tree that he can find and brings it to the pageant. At first, everyone is stunned, but then, after a speech from his best friend Linus, he is able to teach everyone what Christmas is really about.

2. A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving this special opens with Charlie Brown getting ready to go to Thanksgiving dinner with his grandmother. Just before he leaves, Peppermint Patty calls and pretty much invites herself over to his house for Thanksgiving dinner. Charlie Brown can never get a word in with Peppermint Patty and before he knows it, she has invited a bunch of her other friends over too.

At first, he is upset, but with some coaxing from Linus he is convinced to have two dinners; one with his grandmother and the other one at his house with friends. The film shows how it all unfolds and how Charlie Brown pulls through for all of his friends and family to make sure they have the best Thanksgiving ever.

3. A Charlie Brown Valentine this special is much newer than some of the others and was aired in 2004. This film is all about the things that Charlie Brown has to go through when he wants to get the courage to ask the little red haired girl to the school dance for Valentines Day. Throughout the special, he realizes that Peppermint Patty likes him and wants to ask him to the dance. This is a true glimpse into what a Charlie Brown valentine is all about and what it means to him.

The Charlie Brown specials have been a mainstay in homes across America for decades and if this pattern is any indication, then it will only continue to grow in popularity as the years pass.

More things I have learned

Growing old does have one benefit ... experience. So, I am continuing here to share my vast pool of knowledge. Of course my girlfriend can't resist telling me I need to clean the pool, but heres the list anyway. 1. If you do anything that gets your hands wet, soapy or dirty, your nose WILL itch. 2. When you give your email out anywhere on the internet, you will soon learn all you never wanted to know about body part enhancements. 3. A cat does not love you. It simply allows you to live with it IF you pet, feed and clean it's litter box on a regular basis. Otherwise, you're history. 4. Your Co-Workers, on the other hand, DO love you ... at least as long as you continue to give them good stuff to talk about when you aren't around. 5. You are NOT the master of your fate. Your mother is. And when you get married, your wife is. 6. Life is beautiful .. Life sucks ... life is beautiful ... life sucks. Repeat as necessary. 7. There is a chip in all cars that keeps them from starting unless you stroke the dashboard correctly and sincerely mean it when you say "Come on baby .. you can do it". 8. Computers will only work correctly when you DON'T need them to. 9. A kiss is just a kiss, and a smile is just a smile, but a baby is forever. 10. There is no such thing as a ghost that can haunt you ... except in your own mind. 11. Nothing is carved in stone ... other than what will happen if you forget your other half's birthday or anniversary. 12. No matter how hard you try, you will NEVER be able to fold laundry according to your spouse's instructions. 13. Anything you think will happen, won't... and anything you think won't happen, will. 14. Love is a two way street .. unless you are on the freeway and then there may be lots of exits before you get somewhere.

Change in Capital Gains

If you own a property which you are planning to sell, be sure to consult a tax advisor or get informed about tax law before doing so. Many real estate agents also know the subtleties of property selling and taxation. Several small points can make the difference between having to pay capital gains tax or not.

Capital gains is something that not many of us worry about because we only have the one home which is often only sold in order to buy another property. Usually the next property will cost more money and will be a like-kind property so the question of capital gains tax never arises.

However, until now, there has been a little known tax clause which had taxed the most unsuspecting of people with capital gains. These people are newly widowed women, who suddenly find that they will now be taxed as a single woman. On top of losing a spouse, they also had to worry about losing a large chunk of their assets in the form of money from the sale of their family home.

When a home is sold, it has usually been the property of joint owners (most commonly husband and wife) and each owner is allowed to claim $250,000. This means that, for tax purposes, the average couple can exclude up to $500,000 of gain - provided that they have used the house as a principal residence for a cumulative two of the previous five years.

In most cases, being able to 'write off' a $500,000 profit margin means most of us are not concerned with capital gains tax.

But what happens when a spouse suddenly dies? The capital gains or the profit allowed on the sale of the house is now only one person's allowance of $250,000. If you and your husband were married in the 1940s and lived all your life in the same house, then death of one of the spouses would incur heavy taxes on the sale of the property.

The IRS has just stepped in to change this situation, but with all the mortgage rate controversy, it has slipped by almost unnoticed.

Until now, the only way to qualify for the full $500,000 capital gains allowance was to sell your home in the same year in which your spouse died. In other words, it would be the last year that you could file a tax return as a married person, so it would be the last year that any taxation could be applied to the married -deceased- spouse.

Apart from the shock of losing a spouse and thinking about selling your home all in the same time period - what happens if your spouse dies in November? You have one month to get your act together!

Theoretically, most husbands or wives inherit their spouse's share of the property at what is called a 'stepped-up' tax basis, but now that the IRS has introduced new legislation for the spousal death situation, everyone can breathe more easily.

The new change in the law, introduced at the end of 2007, now gives surviving spouses a full two years to claim the "double" allowance of $500,00 on capital gains, even though, by law, they are now single.

Senior Ticketed For Walking Too Slow; Others Try Rollerskates

An 82-year-old woman was recently issued a ticket in California for crossing a street too slowly. A police officer, who arrived on a motorcycle, told her she was obstructing traffic – and issued her a summons for $114. Responding to the uproar caused by the curious traffic ticket, the municipality has begun to wonder if it should work out ways to help seniors cross streets without fear of incurring a penalty. It is, of course, much too optimistic to hope that the municipality and the nation at large will speed to their rescue with such startling innovations as walk signs that last longer. As a result, seniors, alarmed by the pricy citation, particularly those who are living on social security, are taking steps of their own, as they frantically search for ways to hurry along. Of course, electric wheelchairs have long been an option. But many simply don’t see themselves in the undeniably helpful items, at least, not until they encounter accidents due to the other resources they’ve been turning to, for instance, roller skates. We also understand that bicycles have been selling briskly, particularly near retirement communities. Of course, those who are fortunate enough to live with more able partners have the luxury of looking into other options, such as little red wagons and, in rural areas, wheelbarrows. In a nutshell, seniors are turning to every possible mode of expedition they can think of, which generally means they’re equipped with the age-old facilitation of wheels. While these alternative modes of transportation might offer suitable answers during balmier times, there is some concern about what to do when snow and ice cover the ground. Among the more daring sorts, there is talk of skis, while others are considering ice skates. Until then, we can at least be glad that the dear recipient of the instigating ticket was not also issued points. Enough of those, and she’d have to be concerned about losing her walking license.

Champagne - All About The Fizz?

When it comes to celebrations like weddings, christenings, birthdays, engagements, garden parties or even if you have to launch a ship, there is only one thing that will fit the occasion, champagne. In fact whatever the event you can bring a sense of significance to any get-together by serving up a chilled bottle of this fizzy treat.

Champagne is a sparkling wine produced by inducing in the bottle secondary fermentation. This creates the bubbles which make the drink special. Many consumers call all sparkling wines champagne, but according to official EU rules, only those produced in a specific French ‘champagne’ region are legally allowed to call themselves champagne.

Most champagnes are a mixture of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes, although there are those that are made from 100% Chardonnay or Pinot Noir grapes, or from a unique house recipe. Champagne as we know it is usually a brut (this makes it fairly dry in taste). There are other sparkling wines, such as cava but they cannot officially be called champagne because they are not from the French region.

Initially wines from the region of champagne were still, the first sparkling wine was produced in the 16th century. There are now more than 100 champagne houses and 15,000 smaller producers in Champagne. More than 300 million bottles are produced every year and out of this France exports approximately 55%. The biggest consumers of this bubbly liquor are the United States, Germany and the United Kingdom.

Champagne is popular because it is seen as the drink of the rich and famous. This is where the vintages come in. The mention of “Cristal” at celebrity parties has led to the drink becoming more sought after. It is also synonymous with Royalty and events such as the Ascot races, the Henley regatta, and prestigious garden parties. Also major motor sports grand prix events have bought into the champagne life-style by allowing winners to celebrate by spraying the drink at trophy presentations. The sight of this expensive and majestic fluid going to waste has heightened the appeal of the drink and the idea that it represents success and celebration.

Champagne should always be served cold and poured into a champagne flute. True etiquette says that the glass should never be more than a third full. One point to be careful of when drinking champagne is that alcohol is absorbed into the blood more quickly than drinking still white wine. So be careful!

Steven Hawking Asks How Human Race Can Survive. NewsLaugh Presents Ten Ideas Called “Look, Dummy.”

Title: Steven Hawkin The brilliant British astrophysicist, Steven Hawking, has invited people to submit suggestions to his Website via Yahoo on how the human race might last another hundred years. Given that the dinosaurs lasted about 150 million years and we’re worried about making it – given our 100,000-year-or-so history – to a mere 100,100, we decided we must, after all, be even less perspicacious about what it takes to survive than the lofty dinos. To moderate any possible abbreviation of our stay, we thought we’d present ten ideas that we call “Look, Dummy.” Since one of the delights of writing this informed laugh fest is knowing we don’t have a single reader who could be even remotely described as a dummy, these ideas are obviously intended for your amusement but might also serve as a convenience when you come across people who seem to have a certain impenetrability when it comes to what is gaspingly obvious. 1. Look, Dummy: A tree. You can’t make one, so don’t cut them all down. 2. Look, Dummy: A fish. You can’t make one either, so don’t catch them all. 3. Look, Dummy: An animal: You can’t make any of these either, so don’t kill them all or crowd them all out. 4. Look, Dummy: The atmosphere; You have to breathe it, so don’t poison it. 5. Look, Dummy: Water. You have to drink it, so don’t pollute it. 6. Look, Dummy: The earth. Looks great blue and white, in fact, like a natural Paradise. Not so nice black, in fact, more like a cinder. So make nice, not war. 7. Look, Dummy: Yourself. A mind, we trust; a body, no doubt; and a spirit or communicative feelings, we sense. When you do good things with them, you feel good. So do a lot of them, especially while you have the opportunity. 8. Look, Dummy: Other human beings. We’re all here because of the same Cause, so, whatever you do, don’t try to please that generous Cause by killing other people, especially for what your bent mind thinks of as religious reasons. 9. Look, Dummy: Men and women. One and one are two. Two generally make a half each, not three quarters and one quarter. So consider them as equal. 10. Look, Dummy, Life: No doubt we’ve got it. No doubt you take good care of it, you’ll last longer and have more fun – and, conveniently enough, be more likely to please whatever put it here.

CBS Big Brother 7- The BIG BUZZ FACTOR

The voting has finally closed- Houseguests can relax for a few moments- relaxed as one could get wondering if their summer will be filled with every moment of their live recorded in the Big Brother House, or if they will continue on with their current lives a little more separate from the public spectacle the others will be in. I have to wonder, how much promoting did each candidate actually have to do? How much influence is CBS going to have? And finally, what are the thoughts of how voting took Place?

Chicken George was by far the biggest spectacle of them all. Parading around in a Chicken Suit this man did all he could to capture attention. But for a guy who organized a rally against Big Brother while he was in the house, trying to get all the houseguests to walk out- could a chicken suit be washing away that dignity? Or is it just a gimmick? Have people voted for him? Or maybe he was perhaps trying to capture CBS's attention rather then America's.

Online communities have been bursting with interviews conducted with candidates, forums discussing voting, and live chats featuring housguests. The effort of campaigning could easily reside in the online communities as the ones in the forums are the ones that most likely would vote. Several candidates made personal vote banners, set up home pages, and made their presence known on the web.

VOTING- In this writers opinion- the voting system lacked some really important conditions that Internet savvy people exploited. CBS allowed you to vote as many times as you wanted- no limits per day nor did they put up codes you need to type in in order to vote. Thus, programmers-a-plenty built auto click programs inflating the votes to unbelievable numbers. Because of this, I don't think the results will be very representative of "America's Choice." But perhaps CBS was only trying to create the "buzz" factor for the show- and make candidates spend time and energy promoting it. How much of the voting results was CBS really going to listen to?

The bottom line is CBS wants drama- so CBS is going to get it... whether or not it be the public or the houseguests that create it- Big Brother 7 has Big Buzz...already...

Read articles like this and more at http://www.morebigbrother.com

Sit Back And Remember

Why is it, that any holiday, time off, or event, someone is sick? Do they plan it that way? I was sitting today, pondering, reminissing, and it came to my attention that every function I have ever attended had at least one of my family members sitting with the sniffles. I was 7 years old. It was christmas time, and I was sick with my appendix. That was a good one. Is it coincidence? Or is there some greater evil out there that enjoys watching suffering in times of joy. We should find him, and tell him we are NOT impressed. Timing is everything. There is a point, in every persons life, where everything seems to go wrong, and all you can do is sit there and watch it happen. But maybe it's a good thing. In fact, if nothing goes wrong, we won't know what's right. Perhaps what we need to do is change those tears of helplessness into tears of joy. That would be weird. "I love it when i get scarlet fever" Woops. Here is a good one. This time, evil chose to be more mean than ever. I will tell you the holiday AFTER I tell you what happened. I had the chicken pox, my youngest sister had the chicken pox, my other sister had scarlet fever, and my parents were sharing the flu. Get this.... Thanksgiving. Thats right. Usually at thanksgiving time we go around the table, taking turns saying thanks for whatever you are thankful for. What a task. I was thankful for oatmeal baths! It's funny how we are tested in such ironic ways. The outcome of our battles with nature shows what kind of person we can become, but what happens during the battle defines what kind of person we really are.

Cast Away

I am sure that there will be wags who glibly compare with similar Cast Away “Gilligan Island” and “breadwinner”, but, in tone, approach and common achievement, it is atypical Robinson Crusoe tale bears a strong resemblance to one of director Robert Zemeckis earlier efforts , contacts. No, not Cast Away space or messages from another planet, but, in essence, it was no link. Both films ask the same crucial existential question that Shakespeare pondered for years: Taking everything into account, what does that mean for humans? How do we cope with the loss, hopelessness and isolation, and still find the courage to face the next day? Love and the dream of a dead father Jodie Foster sustained contact. For Tom Hanks’ Chuck Noland Cast away, it is a promise by his smile equally lacking - and least favorite - wife to be.

Last time Zemeckis and Hanks together, a legend was born - with the idiot savant Forrest Gump. A brilliantly conceived trip in the second half of the 20 th century, Forrest Gump was part folksy feel-good drama, as part of a well-concealed satire. In 1994 blockbuster offers much more than his opponents, and even some of his supporters acknowledge. Those expecting Zemeckis and Hanks for reconsideration of the same territory in Cast Away will be surprised - apart from film Oscar potential, there is little interaction. Cast Away will not be crowd-pleaser that Forrest Gump was, but he is a better, more rewarding experience. And, just when you think that over, he defies expectations and metamorphoses into something different and more convincing.

Year 1995. Chuck Noland is excessive Federal Express run zips, which from one country to another for troubleshooting problems and streamline operations. His mantra is to do everything necessary to get his nomination package on time. In his younger days, he was known for stealing a bicycle child do after his delivery truck broke down. Fresh from a visit to Russia, Chuck enjoying Christmas dinner with his girlfriend, Kelly (Helen Hunt), and his family, when the call comes in: it needs in Malaysia. After some time, he in the air, flying through stormy skies over the South Pacific. Suddenly the plane is off course, yet another explosion, and Chuck finds himself submerged in the womb of the crashed plane. In inflatable life raft makes it to the surface, and it bears on the deserted tropical island, where he learned that survival without the attributes of civilization, is much more complicated than it be made of in books, on television and in movies. There may not be any people on the island, but something is making noise in the jungle at night. And as it is for food and drinking water? Without adequate funds, simple tasks such as opening a coconut or fire became herculean effort.

Cast Away is divided into three distinct steps: installation, the main story, and afterwards. Despite the fact that at the heart of the film is 75 - minute-depth experience Chuck and marooned, this is the third act, which does not offer simple solutions for complex situations that the film raises to the level of inciting new adventures fully satisfying drama. This film Red Planet could, if it has the courage to challenge the audience, rather than saddle them with worn-out, regurgitated plot.

In the crash, which occurred during the first half solved differently from almost any air disaster I have ever seen in motion pictures. Zemeckis employs digital effects, but do not show disaster (he uses them in the first place and then to create a perfect storm in style waves). We see the events from inside the plane, against the backdrop of wind and darkness, and this entails a truly eerie and disturbing situation. Later, when Chuck in the water, a sense of danger is palpable - especially during one unforgettable moment when the plane of rotation of the screw bears down on his little life raft.

The scenes on the island before the phenomenon of intelligence (unlike similar events chronicled in the lame Six days, seven nights, which used similar circumstances). About Chuck We follow his step-by-step way of survival, where even the smallest things, such as drink From coconut milk or using a MacGyver-like ingenuity in the development tool, a significant achievement. Zemeckis’ approach to this part of the movie is flawless. He never decrease of Chuck - no “Back to Memphis” scenes, which would violate the mood, and there was no random music. For more than an hour, the only sounds heard are the island’s natural noises (and a bit of dialogue, as Chuck volleyball starts talking to the ball, which becomes his lone “companion”). Moreover, the script does not cook any isolated areas-swallow, melodramatic situations or artificial conflicts. In fact, those expecting the usual adventure film may be disappointed. Cast Away always interesting, but not necessarily in a traditional manner.

By the time the 30 - minute epilogue comes, we are already deeply committed Chuck nature - a fact that makes the final difficult to cope with the dilemma. Once again, Zemeckis and screenwriter William Broyles Jr. avoided melodramatic, and manipulate clich s, which could reduce Cast Away, to a lesser film. They remain true to the characters and situations to the end, which is a literal and figurative crossroads. There is a kind of catharsis, but it will not be final, to meet all the spectators.

For his level of work, the role of the guests, it is not surprising if I Hanks earned another Oscar nomination. The film success rests with him because he is on screen more than half of the current time. It is one thing for an actor to win, playing for the other, a different matter for him to excel in no one else around, and virtually no dialogue to speak. In addition, the physical changes that Hanks had to take part in the play that sharp - he was forced to lose weight and get in quickly and emergency numbers (so much so that the “weight loss coach” is credited at the end). The actor is ready to go through the rigors Hanks survived certainly deserve any notice, especially when it turns into a top-notches performance.

The only other significant player Helen Hunt, which has become widespread in motion pictures, which are now “Mad About You” is behind it. This is his fourth film in four months (the other three: Dr. T and the Women, Pay It forward, and the Women Want). This time, it supports more player, but, despite limited screen time, it manages to develop Kelley in the flesh and blood of a man who is crucial to the film emotional foundation. Hunt Of all the recent departures, it is easily its strongest work.

For as long as he works in Hollywood, Robert Zemeckis will be linked to Forrest Gump. How good movie that, as was, it was not his best work. In many ways, and Cast Away us stronger and more compelling features. For the year, which was not known for strong theater-will experience Cast Away at the top of the heap. It has all the characteristics of a great picture: well-developed characters, solid drama, adventure unconventional, and intelligent script. At almost two and a half hours, it is the perfect length - not too long and not too short. Whether or not Cast Away earns any Oscar nominations, then among my picks, as one of the best films of the year.
Click here to download Cast Away movie…

Things I have learned

Never, under any circumstances, take a sleeping pill and a laxative on the same night. But if you do, sleep in the bathtub ... If you are extremely drunk and swear you will never drink too much again, you will forget this when you are sober. If you had to identify, in one word, the reason why the human race has not achieved, and never will achieve, its full potential, that word would be "Government." There is a very fine line between "hobby" and "mental illness." If you don't understand this, try putting up your own blog. You'd better get all your sex here on earth because there won't be any in heaven. People who want to share their religious views with you almost never want you to share yours with them. You should not confuse your career with your life. Or, work to life not live to work ... but if you can't follow this, email me your ladies phone number and I'll keep her occupied while you are busy. Nobody cares if you can't dance well. Just get up and dance. We all need something to laugh about... Never lick a steak knife, or a frozen metal object. But, if you are dying of curiosity, go for it and get ready for some incredible fun. The most destructive force in the universe is gossip. Next would be women's talk shows... You will never find anybody who can give you a clear and compelling reason why we observe daylight savings time. Even if you don't follow it, you'll be back in sync with everybody eventually. You should never say anything to a woman that even remotely suggests that you think she's pregnant unless you can see an actual baby emerging from her at that moment. There comes a time when you should stop expecting other people to make a big deal about your birthday. That time is age eleven. I have nothing against the institution of marriage ... I'm just not ready for an institution yet. The one thing that unites all human beings, regardless of age, gender, religion, economic status or ethnic background, is that, deep down inside, we ALL believe that we are above-average drivers. A rich man's joke is always funny. A person who is nice to you, but rude to the waiter, is not a nice person. (This is very important. Pay attention. It never fails). Always forgive your enemies. It will drive them nuts. The trouble with being punctual is that usually, nobody is there to appreciate it. Your friends love you anyway. But if you have none, I will be your friend for a small phenomenal fee... Thought for the day: Never be afraid to try something new. Remember that a lone amateur built the Ark. A large group of professionals built the Titanic, and politicians run our government.

Cassie’s Creepy Candy Store - Review

Cassie’s Creepy Candy Store by Sheila Sauvageau-Smestad is a 40-page storybook for children that will be a favorite for the Halloween season – when candy is not only unavoidable, but is abundant. Halloween is also an appropriate time to purposefully gross out the kids, with humor and light-hearted fun.

The author employs a simplistic rhyming scheme and a good text flow for its readers, which will get the children uttering "EW!" and have a giggle or two. This is a very unique story line with strange and unusual goodies like Chocolate Spiders and Bloody Eyeballs that enrapture and delight children. Cassie’s Creepy Candy Store will work well for school or library reading kids groups as well. I definitely enjoyed the talent of illustrator Kelly Berg, who captured expressions, moods and emotions so gracefully and yet used a simplistic style. As an additional bonus, two fun games and an interesting treasure hunt adventure await children at the end of the book.

If you are looking for a book that will teach a useful moral life lesson – this isn’t for you – but what you will find is a light-hearted entertaining story. Cassie’s Creepy Candy Store is a book to be read just for the fun of it.


ISBN#: 0976773228
Author: Sheila Sauvageau-Smestad
Illustrations: Kelly Berg
Publisher: A Better Be Write Publisher

Tom Cruise Renounces Scientology; Becomes Muslim Fundamentalist

Tom Cruise, the biggest male box-office attraction in American cinema, that is, until he recently displayed a variety of astonishingly off-putting antics, has now taken another dramatic step in his imaginative quest to end his career, which was largely based on his once seemingly cute and innocent appeal. Much to the dismay of his millions of fans, the film icon has renounced scientology and become a Moslem Fundamentalist. Troubled by his apparently self-destructive behavior, we were able to arrange an interview. NewsLaugh: You seem to be behaving in rather odd ways lately, Tom. What’s behind it all? Cruise: You have no idea what it’s like to suddenly find yourself the most popular movie star in the world when you can’t possibly see any reason you’d reach such a pinnacle. So what happens is you get this really subliminal desire to take yourself down. NewsLaugh: Oh, so that’s why you’ve been acting like a jackass? Cruise: Exactly! I don’t feel I deserve the celebrity, so I’m trying to destroy my career any way I can. NewsLaugh: Actually, you’re doing an outstanding job. Cruise: Well, you know, whatever it takes. At first I tried just jumping up and down on Oprah’s couch and acting crazy in love. But, come on, that was way too sweet to do the kind of damage I was hoping to do. NewsLaugh: So you began to emphasize your strong belief in scientology? Cruise: Well, came out about it in the most offensive ways I could think of. NewsLaugh (pointing to his new beard and white turban): Why the Islamic Fundamentalist turn? Cruise: Glad you asked. My new picture, Mission Impossible III, opened at $34 million. Of course, it was projected to open at $45 mil., but $34 mil. is still way more than I deserve. So I decided I had to do something really radical to finish off my career. NewsLaugh: You’re certainly chose effectively. It would be hard to imagine anything that would alienate more fans. Cruise: So isn’t it great? I’m only holding back on one thing. Notice the white turban? NewsLaugh: It’s a little hard to miss. Cruise: Right. I picked it because, as you know, the good buys always wear a white hat. I don’t plan to switch to black unless I see that I still have some box-office appeal. NewsLaugh: Why can’t you just get back to being the nice, excitable guy you appeared to be in films like Jerry McGuire? That's obviously what your fans want. Cruise: You really think so? NewsLaugh: Of course. Is that how they came to know and love you? Cruise: But, given my present state of mind, how can I possibly do that? NewsLaugh: True. Hey, just a suggestion, but maybe you should examine your present state of mind. Cruise: You think so? Well, first let's see how the beard and turban thing work out.

Care And Use of The Dunk Tank

The dunk tank is one that can be made of plexy glass or that can be made of glass. No matter what the walls of your choice dunking tank are going to be made of you want to be sure to clean and dry out the dunk tank before putting it away each time. As you put the dunking tank away every season, if you have it dry and moisture free, it is not going to crack in the cold, and it will not rust where there may be any metal on it.

The dunking tank is one that can come apart to be stored in pieces that are flat, or perhaps you want to keep it al together and put it away as a box. Without tearing the dunking tank apart, all you have to do is put it in a closet, and close the door until next year when you want to get it back out for a bit of fun again.

If you have an act that you put on for children or for parties, you can use a dunk tank as part of the act if you like. The dunk tank can be filled with all types of things. For small children, colored water is going to be best, or it could be sand, or small colored balls. For those who are a little older, water, oil, jello or even something that is yucky like spaghetti sauce or noodles could fill the dunk tank. For those who are looking for real excitement, you can fill it with snakes, worms, and mud, something that looks like blood and guts or manure. These are ideas that are along the fear factor theme, and you can use them to raise lots of money or cause all types of laughter at the party you are holding.

Where can you purchase a dunk tank?

A dunk tank can be purchased online or offline, or you can also find all types of plans to build one on your own. If you want to purchase a dunk tank online, look for the measurements, and be sure that you know how big a tank you are getting, what accessories (such as the balls) are included, and how much freight will be to get it to your house. If you are looking to save a little money, and you are handy in building things, you can purchase the plans with a few accessories online, and then build a dunk tank yourself.

It will take a few hours, and a bit of money, but you can build a dunk tank that will be similar to what you can purchase online. The dunk tank that you build may be a little smaller, a little bigger or a little more colorful, but the end result is that you are going to put something together that is going to be fun for all that come to use, know and get dunked in that tank!

You may be in love if...

One of the most common human experiences that two or more (depending on how ambitious you are) people can share is love. But, it’s not always easy to tell if you are in like, lust or full blown, forever loving. With that in mind, I’ve created this list of signs that you may be crazy in love! 1. If you’ve ever stared deeply into the eyes of your significant other for more than 10 seconds without cracking up hysterically … you may be in love. 2. If every person in your life tells you that she/he’s no good and you’re mailman, pharmacist and local news station agrees, yet you think they are “just jealous” … you may be in love. 3. Guys: if you’ve taken the pictures of the other women in you’re life off the walls, like the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition posters, Playmate of the month calendar, Monster Truck Rally 2005 … you may be in love. 4. Ladies: men can produce excessive amounts of eye watering, nose burning noxious odor from almost any food or drink, and then aren’t above sharing it with others, especially at night. Knowing all this, and you STILL want to sleep in the same bed with him … you may be in love. 5. If your significant other asks you how they look in their new retro polyester lime green outfit and you say they look hot … you may be in love…. or you have a really strong self preservation instinct. 6. Guys: if you’ve ever given up washing and waxing that new car you just bought to watch “Sleepless in Seattle” with you’re girlfriend/wife for the 20th time … you may be in love. 7. If you always remember every anniversary and birthday of your partner, and you’re not female … you may be in love. 8. If you think the underwear and socks you get for your birthday and Christmas every year is a pleasant surprise … you may be in love. 9. If you thought the Sears Tool Set and rolling cabinet you got for your birthday was great idea, and you’re not male ... you may be in love. 10. If you are taken to Burger King for a romantic dinner, and that doesn’t bother you … you may be in love. 11. If you notice your local florist starts arriving at work in a limo since you became a customer ... you may be in love 12. If hearing "Honey, wheres my clean underwear?" brings tears of joy to your eyes ... you may be in love But the easiest way to tell if you are in love is this: If there is no one on this planet that you would rather spend everyday of your life with than the one you are with … then you ARE in love!

Caperucita Roja: Un Símbolo Sexual

Casi todo el mundo ha leído el cuento de caperucita roja "Little Red Riding Hood" alguna vez. ¿Es posible pensar que esta niña inocente era como un símbolo sexual para los hombres del siglo 17? Por lo menos en nuestro siglo esta pequeña niña es un ejemplo de una niña desobediente que por no hacer lo que su mamá le dijo entonces le pasó lo que le paso. Pero lo bueno es que al final aprendió la lección.

Como decía anteriormente. Caperucita roja fue escrito en el siglo 17 por Charles Perrault, quien en esa época escribía cuentos de hadas que eran dirigidos para la clase baja de ese tiempo pero no exactamente para los niños. Hay que tener en cuenta que en el siglo 17 (aunque suene increíble) los niños no eran reconocidos como niños sino como pequeños adultos. No había ropa para niños, cuentos o juguetes, sino que todos compartían los mismo, tanto los adultos como los pequeños adultos.

Si leen la versión de caperucita de Perrault se van a dar cuenta que la forma en el que está escrito este cuento es de una forma fría y sin distinción de edad. Por ejemplo, y volviendo a nuestro tema, el lobo en ese cuento, después de comerse a la abuela luego le pide a caperucita que se quite la ropa y se meta a la cama con él. A esto le podemos dar diferentes interpretaciones ya que como adultos, que un hombre le pida eso a una mujer deja muchas cosa que pensar.

También Perrault describe a caperucita como la niña mas linda que puede existir. El color rojo de la capa de caperucita tiene un significado fuerte, puede ser amor, o símbolo sexual. Al final del cuento de Perrault podemos ver que él hace como una advertencia a las niñas, que no le pongan atención a los lobos que están en el camino pero lo que quiere decir en realidad es que no deben fijarse en aquellos hombres que les dicen cualquier cosa. Esto también va dirigido a los hombres de ese pueblo (el lobo) que solían aprovecharse de las señoritas del pueblo (caperucita) entonces en la moraleja del cuento es como una advertencia para las niñas y también para los hombres del pueblo.

A diferencia del cuento de caperucita roja de Perrault podemos ver la versión de los hermanos Grimm, esta versión fue escrita 120 años después del de Perrault, aquí ya podemos ver que en el cuento de los Hermanos Grimm el color rojo no es un símbolo sexual pero si es un símbolo de amor y familia entre la mama de caperucita, la abuela y ella. Además nos podemos fijar en que el lobo no le dice a caperucita que se meta a la cama con él ni mucho menos, las escenas eróticas ya estan borradas y es un cuento que los niños pueden leer, aunque este cuento tampoco fue escrito para niños.

En el cuento de los Hermanos Grimm también podemos ver que hay dos formas de final, en los cuales se puede aprender de la moraleja. Y la moraleja es que las niñas deben hacerle caso a sus padres cuando ellos dicen algo porque si no lo hacen puede que las consecuencias sean graves como apostar mucho dinero en Juegos de casino y perder o ganar todo.

En otras versiones mas nuevas, ya cada autor adapta el cuento a diferentes cosas personales, lo importante es que ya no vemos a caperucita como un símbolo sexual y además este cuento es uno de los favoritos de los niños de hoy que se puede leer con tranquilidad sin ver sexo y erotismo en el.

Yanking my date through an Israeli security services lie detector…

I was on holiday in Blackpool when I picked up my first advice on finding love. While waiting for my sister to recover after her stomach churning rollercoaster ride, I stuck 20p into a Love-O-Meter outside a sports pub. After my coin clicked down the pegs, the fiberglass female’s face flashed and shook like the washer-dryer under my sink, before requesting I stick my thumb into a gooey gum-filled finger hole. A strip of yellow paper popped from the slot. “8/10. You’re hot, but not too hot, big boy! But that’s enough for some lucky lady!” A top twenty percent score surely meant I’d meet a world-class soul-mate. But here I am fifteen years later in London, and after a few serious (and several scary) relationships, I’m still waiting for that mechanical maiden’s prediction to come true. Only two months back, after ending a three-year relationship with my former flat-mate’s sister, I re-joined the nation’s throng of nine million singles. Strangely, it was the ex’s womanizing brother that helped ease me back into the dating scene. Davis had the mastered the art of pulling women on dating sites and had been working them well before they became socially acceptable (three years ago I wouldn’t dream of hitting the online personals). But after ‘playing the virtual field’, David found his dream girl, dated her for five months and has since booked his white wedding at Farnborough Castle for next year. Given the amount of talent he could choose from, I wasn’t surprised to hear that he put Lisa through a fairly extensive evaluation process. What I couldn’t believe was that he hooked her up to some sort of voice machine to test her sincerity. “You gotta screen ‘em before you meet ‘em. If you can’t tell if she likes you, put her through the Passion Meter.” I was curious to see how love-testing had evolved since my Love-O-Meter experience. The only problem was that I had to hit the online dating scene to find out. When David told me to go to try the Passion Meter at www.datingdonut.com, I was sure I’d find fake photos of fit females and fabulous men concealing some sad lot secretly stuffing themselves with pies, chips and (of course) donuts. I first decided to do a bit of online research and quickly discovered online personals had become the most popular method for singles to meet in this country. According to the Times, 3.6 million Brits used an online dating site in 2005 and the online dating market in this country is set to grow to around £50 million in two years. Incredibly, already over 65% of single people now used the internet to meet people and half of them believing they will meet a suitable partner on the internet. And (not surprisingly) over 30% lie about their looks or personality in their profile. So how many honey-dipped hotties would secretly be jelly-filled jollies? On first impressions, www.datingdonut.com looked like all the other dating sites. After clicking past the beefy bloke posing with a bombshell brunette with a perfect smile, I was offered up the standard photo-album quality close-ups, various mug-shots cropped from bikini beach holidays, and a few grainy granular images sent in on flashy 3G phones. I was pleased to find the website did hold a lot of dating profiles in all age categories, and while there were a disproportionate number of 26-35 year-olds, I was particularly amazed with the number of over 55’s who had either dumped their spouses, or were now living out some sort of post-retirement cyber-cheating fantasy. In the end, I was able to get what I wanted done on the site pretty quickly. The client registration and search was simple to do, the WAP site on my mobile actually showed me several full-photo candidates, and I was able to send off some SMS messages to some prospective dates on the first attempt. But most importantly, I found Jenny, a 28 year-old heath care manager from in Hampshire, who would be my subject for testing the Passion Meter. I dialed in to the Passion Meter then phoned Jenny’s number. As soon as she picked up, the technology was supposedly analyzing 129 emotional layers in her voice including excitement, confusion, stress, concentration, anticipation, eagerness and passion would be then analyzed to capture Jenny’s feelings. Passion Meter was developed in Israel and was originally designed for the secret security services industry before being approved for commercial use here in the UK. All I had to do was call and ensure I kept Jenny on the line for five to six minutes to ensure the service had enough data to analyze. Jenny was an absolute gem of a girl. After plowing through the where-you-live, what-you-do, what-you’d-really-like-to-do routine, I found her clever, interesting, chilled out, and (most importantly) keen to have only a casual relationship. In the end, I was so engaged that I’d completely forgot about the Passion Meter. When my mobile beeped after five minutes, I struggled to come up with a strong reason to hang up on her in 60 seconds without her thinking I’d lost interest. I certainly wanted to speak with her again. I decided to tell her my boss was on the other line needing some contact details (this showed my sense of loyalty, my level of professionalism, the fact I had a job). Based on her tone and interest level, I thought she was keen enough to meet me, but not desperate enough to use my number which undoubtedly showed upon on her mobile screen. Two minutes later a call came summarizing her confidence, concentration, expectation levels and overall passion rating. Although the final report sounded like it was coming from some anorak systems analyst was moonlighting as a love doctor, the results certainly matched my impressions of Jenny’s interest level. "Embarrassment level was 'Normal'. Although your friend was embarrassed from time to time, this is only expected in long calls. Your friend's concentration level was VERY HIGH during this conversation. Normally, this is a very good indication as it means that your friend is 100% with you during your call... If you can't think of any reason why your friend will be angry during the call, this indication is very promising...! Anticipation level is HIGH - Your friend was expecting something to happen during this call... if other indications are negative, it might be that your friend was too busy to speak now, but if love level is high, maybe it is time for you POP THE QUESTION??? HIGH EMOTIONS WERE DETECTED THROUGHOUT THE CONVERSATION and this means, most likely, that LOVE IS DETECTED! - Our advice? Proceed with caution! Be polite, and try to make the move!” I decided I would indeed “make the move” and have since planned a coffee meeting next weekend at my favorite North London gastro pub. But I’m left with one final dilemma; do I reveal that I had put her through a CIA-style clearing procedure before deciding to blow a £1.50 on latte for her? I guess I already have secrets to keep from my dear dating donut….

Call Me Mommy ~ Book Review

Retired police captain, Marshall Frank, has written another excellent read in his latest work, Call Me Mommy. Marshall is definitely a prolific writer – he has authored five books and hundreds of short stories and essays to date.

I would classify Call Me Mommy as a tragic suspense saga. Marshall succeeds in making the book more realistic by using elements of some factual events within the story line.

The main character, Laura is fooled into having sex with a callous and selfish boy while she was still in high school. Lloyd was ill prepared for fatherhood and was forced into marriage with a girl he did not love. His greed and animosity is apparent from the beginning. Lloyd ruthlessly ripped Laura out of his home and his life when he arranged through corrupt contacts to have her committed to a mental health clinic. When released from this prison sentence, she discovered she lost all rights to see her son.

This well-written novel is an emotional story of a mother with a deep level of compassion, commitment and loyal endurance. Her self-sacrificing efforts might not save her son, but she may be able to save her grandson and have a little taste of revenge as well. Through it all, Laura remains a strong individual who learns to make room for true love and sexual passion.

Call Me Mommy is tastefully written; full of action and suspense with elements of underground crime, professional corruption and vengeance."

ISBN#: 0974727865
Author: Marshall Frank
Publisher: Harlan Publishing

~ Lillian Brummet - Book Reviewer - Co-author of the book Trash Talk, a guide for anyone concerned about his or her impact on the environment – Author of Towards Understanding, a book of poetry. (http://www.sunshinecable.com/~drumit)

What Causes Anguish in a Married Woman?

A humorous look into the not so secret inner workings of the female mind, good for a laugh. Even though if you ask a woman if she is a typical woman she will say no, chances are if you ask her significant other he will probably say that she has many of the stereotypical traits that men are always making fun of, but confronted with this insight the woman will not only deny this, but will give examples of how she is not like other women. Here, you will be able to examine and appraise some of the more common ways in which women behave in all their dealings with their men. 1) She can and will confront her partner when she feels she has grown in size. But, for him, his reply must always be similar. 2) She will talk against her own kin. But, under no circumstances can he indulge himself in such behaviour as well. 3) Women also enjoy bashing their significant others family, and if he does not agree then he is blind and stupid. 4) If a man makes a mess but does not clean it up he is being lazy, but when the a woman leaves a mess it is ok because she is just tired. 5) She is allowed to claim that if he is annoyed by her behaviour, he can leave. But, he can, under no circumstances, claim the same thing. 6) When he barks out at their kids, he must control himself because she never does the same. In her case, it is their kids who must learn how not to anger her. 7) When a Woman asks her significant other to make her a cup of coffee it is no big deal, and is expected to be done with out a complaint, but if a man asks a woman for a cup of coffee the woman will come back with "I am Not Your Slave". 8) When the partner does not respond, the woman shouts and asks him to do so. But when he does, the woman shouts and asks him to shut up. 9) She will raise hell the moment he fails to comply with her important requests. But when he argues on the same lines, she will state that the same moral does not apply because each and every issue is crucial to her. 10) If he goes out and spends cash on something, she will claim that is a spendthrift. But, when she follows suit, the reason is that life is worth living to the fullest. 11) The partner does not know how to say sorry. The woman does, but, it is just that there is never a reason to say it. 12) The partner has got to nurture the relationship. But, on the other hand, the woman is tired and needs her beauty sleep. Closure: Let it not be argued or mentioned that a man is more than a woman because the opposite is the case. Women have more brains, are funnier and have a much better sense of fashion and humane characteristics. All I have done above is pointed out some of our female oddities, and such have not degraded women, but rather empowered them.

Buying a ticket to ‘Disney on Ice’ through a broker

It makes for great family fun and it offers a friendly atmosphere for both children and parents. The Disney on Ice performances showcase many of Disney’s greatest figures, from Mickey Mouse to Cinderella, and you can watch as they skate around the ice arena through bright lights and uplifting music. Disney on Ice has been a staple attraction for several years and they are known for putting on captivating stories about the central themes that the Disney movies are known for. From Aladdin to The Lion King, Disney on Ice performs to the delight of the crowd and the happy squeals of the children. However, since the event is such a popular performance, tickets often times sell out…even if there are over 10,000 per showing.

There is a safe, convenient way to get front row tickets though and it doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg. It’s called a ticket broker. Ticket brokers often have dozens of tickets to the Disney on Ice performances and they are as varied as front row to bleacher seats. Brokers often sell Disney on Ice tickets in groups because families are the biggest demographic of spectators. If you are worried about getting five or six tickets to the next Disney on Ice performance and you want them in the same vicinity just let your broker know and they will take care of it. Why choose a ticket broker over the regular ticket office? Ticket brokers give you the flexibility and freedom of choosing exactly where you want to sit, how many tickets you want and how late you buy them. That’s right, you don’t have to commit yourself to front row tickets months before actual performance. You can contact your broker just a week or two before the concert begins and you will still be able to get prime ticket options.

What are some of the more popular Disney on Ice performances? A few performances have gained popularity recently and tickets to them have been even harder to get a hold of. Some of these performances include: Finding Nemo, Cinderella and Beauty and the Beast.

What is the best way to buy Disney on Ice tickets through a broker? The internet is the easiest and best way to buy performance tickets through a broker because you can often get the best deals on line and you can usually get a better idea of where you will actually be sitting during the performance. Most brokers keep detailed layouts of the Disney on Ice arena’s and have clearly marked seat sections so buyers can see where each seat is before clicking “Purchase.” This helps clear up any discrepancies when you attend a performance and there will be no surprises as to what seat is yours.

Whether you want your kids to sit up front or whether you are just happy to get a few tickets to the performance, Disney on Ice offers a great family adventure for any family outing.

Warning: This Article is a Waste of Time

Today's topic, ladies and gentleman, is: Time. We're going to talk about time today because I never seem to have enough of it. And I figure that if I dedicate a whole article to the subject of time and stress some of it's finer points, then perhaps Father Time will show his appreciation by granting me a few extra hours each day. This will allow me to be able to complete a couple more important tasks each day such as hitting the 'Snooze' button on my alarm clock at least 15 more times each morning. And speaking of snoozing, there will be none of that during today's lesson which will begin right now: Time is defined by the The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language as: 'A nonspatial continuum in which events occur in apparently irreversible succession from the past through the present to the future.' This definition leads us to the obvious question: If a definition contains 20 word, 5 of which contain 10 or more letters, and it still doesn't make much sense, isn't it time to get another dictionary? Of course, dictionaries aren't the only people who have trouble with time. The ancient Mayans, for example, struggled to understand time for centuries and never got it quite right. One look at their calender clues you in to this fact. The Mayan calender had 18 months, one of which was called ChikChan (short for May), and each month had 20 days. There was even one month, Wayeb, that had only 5 days. As you can imagine, this horribly inaccurate calender made scheduling important events like the Super Bowl next to impossible. It also left them wide open to insults from other ancient civilizations, like the Sumerians for example, who had fairly accurate calenders. The Sumerian calender had 365 days per year and even incorporated a leap year. Sadly, there was no Presidents Day, Martin Luther King Day, or Arbor Day incorporated into the Sumerian calender which is why the Sumerian civilization was eventually wiped out. Such flagrant calender discrimination, even in the Dark Ages, could not be tolerated. Since we have covered all pertinent information available about calenders, I think it's high time we expand our understanding of time by discussing another mechanism by which we mortals judge the passing of it. But first, does anyone know where the phrase 'high time' comes from? Is there such a thing as 'low time'. Feel free to ponder these questions quietly as we move on to discussing: The Clock. A clock, for those of you who don't know, is defined by The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language as...Wait a second! Let's not even go there. We're already pretty confused as it is. Let's just all agree that a clock is a device that has lots of numbers and two arms and makes it's living by juggling minutes and seconds. I feel the extreme need to insert a time cliche here. This cliche makes absolutely no sense whatsoever and probably has pagan, barbaric origins, but I think it summarizes what we've learned thus far in our discussion. So here goes our first time cliche 'A stitch in time saves nine'. And now back to the show. There have been numerous different kinds of clocks throughout history. Many of them made absolutely no sense whatsoever. A good example of this is the ancient Egyptian water clock, which was basically just a bowl with a hole in the bottom of it. There were markings on the inside of the bowl that measured the passage of 'hours' as the water level reached them. One of the obvious problems with this clock was the fact that whenever working-class Egyptians wanted to get off work early they would keep taking little sips of water from the bowl/clock throughout the day. This was one of the reasons it took so long to finish the Pyramids.That and the lack of power tools. Time doesn't permit us to talk about the other types of ancient clocks like obelisks, sundials, and hemicycles. And there definitely isn't time to go into merkhets. Speaking of merkhets, a close cousin of the clock is the watch. The watch is the time-telling device that most of us use today. We do not however, use it to tell time. We use it to do numerous other tasks that watch manufacturers have incorporated into watches like instant messaging, reading email, and fast forwarding the DVD player. There's even a new watch on the market that comes equip with a radiation detector. And you laughed at the Eyptians for drinking from their time-telling devices. Obviously, time is not something that can be explained in just one lesson. There's a ton of more interesting stuff we could go into about time but, frankly, I don't feel like taking the time to look it up right now. I believe I've achieved my goal of using as many time cliches as I possibly could in one article and now, I think it's time to call an extended timeout on this whole time subject. I'm sure when I do write the follow-up to this article that it will be just in the nick of time. Probably sometime around Wayeb 1st.

Bronze Statues Make Great Corporate Gifts

Bronze statues are very beautiful and will definitely capture the attention of those that see them. You will often find them in front of different corporations as a symbol of their unity. They are very common corporate gifts because they can be sculpted into a variety of different types of designs. They can include a logo or animal that represents the business. Other times they can be to symbolize a partnership.

Bronze statues vary in size so they can be found inside of the building or outdoors. Either way they are a very lovely addition and they work well for any type of business. They don’t go out of style and they are very durable. They make a nice addition to any type of business décor you may have in the business.

There are plenty of unique styles of bronze statues to choose from and you can see plenty of them online. You might see some you like just by visiting different types of businesses. You can also have them custom made so they will make the perfect corporate gift with individual designs.

The cost of bronze statues depends on who they the artist is that sculpted them as well as the size of the statue. Bronze is relatively cheap but when you are talking about a very large statue the cost increases due to the overall weight of the project, not to mention the tie and creativity the artist put into the work.

Many employers choose to give their employees smaller bronze statues as a token of appreciation or as a Christmas gift. They can include a name plate with the name of the employee or a small message engraved into it. These bronze statues are the property of the employees and they can choose to keep them in their offices or take them home to display.

If you plan to purchase a large amount of bronze statues you should order them in advance. This way they will be sure to have enough of them available to fill your request. It is a good idea to buy some extra that you can give out to business contacts as well if you want to offer them a gift from your company. Make sure you check into getting a discount when you buy a large number of them.

Many online sites that offer bronze statues offer free brochures they will mail to you with the collections that they offer. This is a great way to see them and to even ask around to find out if they are something your employees would be interested in receiving as a gift. Even though you can see the pictures on their sites you may want something you can study in your own hands before you make a decision.

Bronze is very durable as well so you can be sure it is a corporate gift that is going to survive in an office or home environment. Showing your employees that you really appreciate their efforts is a great way to help them to feel happy in their role for the company. As a result they will be more productive and generally plan to stay with the company longer than those employees that don’t feel their efforts are appreciated.

Valentine's Day Cards

Valentine’s Day is celebrated every year on February the 14th. This day is celebrated to express love. For lovers it is the most important day as they can express their deepest feelings to their loved ones. On Valentine’s Day we honor all those people who we love the most. Love is the most beautiful feeling in which our heart does the talking. To express this beautiful feeling millions and millions are spent on cards, flowers, gifts and candies every year. The best way to express the impact of love is the Valentine Card. The Valentine Cards are one of the most special attractions of the Valentine’s Day. The history of Valentine cards dates back to the Middle Ages. It is said that while in prison Charles, Duke of Orleans wrote a poem to his spouse whom he loved the most. A Valentine Day card gives your loved one the message that how much you love them and how important he or she is in your life. The most important thing in the card is the message the colors and other things provide a supporting value. A Valentine Card can be very helpful when someone is expressing his or her love for the first time. This is a very special occasion for many people and requires a lot of courage. A Valentine card can be very helpful in this time as it can easily convey your message in an appropriate manner to your loved one. A Valentine card can be given with a valentine gift also. Another way to impress your sweetheart is to give a handmade valentine card. You can decorate it with pictures of your own choice, glitter or any other type of crafts, while you can also write the message which can be taken form online or offline source. Adding a poem can also be very romantic. “Be my Valentine” can be a best message in your handmade card. Everything which you think about your loved one should go in the card. Another way is to create your card online or electronically. There are various websites which allow you to create cards of your own choice. These websites provide different types of fonts as well as covers. You can also write your own message as well as from one of their verses inside the card. This is a perfect way to express your true feelings. It must be kept in mind that you should order your card before time so that you can review it for errors prior to the arrival of Valentine’s Day. There are many valentine cards with different themes available in the market. It is very difficult to choose one from a very large list, as you want a very special card for that very special person. The card must be perfect in all aspects from the cover to the writing style to what the message it conveys. The most prominent of them are Miss You valentine cards, Kiss You valentine cards. But you should always go for a unique card, a card that just says “I Love You” can also do the trick. Nowadays the Valentine E-cards are getting very popular. The main reason is that they are free of cost and have are available in a huge variety. A free valentine e-card is a very wonderful way to express your romantic felling t your loved one and know how you fell about him or her. The best thing about such cards is that these cards can be sentimental as well as funny. These cards can be used in many different ways and purposes depending upon you that you use them for which purpose. Another unique feature of such cards is that they are available throughout the year.

Broadway Shows

Broadway shows refer to the most premium form of theatrical performance (both musicals and plays) staged in the theatrical district of Broadway (namely Midtown, and the theaters in and around Times Square). Not all theaters in that area qualify as Broadway theaters. This classification is determined by the terms and conditions of the Actors Equity guild. The 39 large theaters that qualify as Broadway theaters and stage Broadway shows have a capacity of 500 or more seats.

Broadway shows have tremendous mass appeal and are generally produced by professional production houses like Fox, the Walt Disney Company and the Schubert Organization, and theater groups like Manhattan Theatre club. They are extravagant shows involving expensive production and rely heavily on commercial success; they are mostly performed by stage artists. However, with the huge popularity they command have even movie actors are roped in easily for premium shows.

The Broadway shows are the mother of the American musical theater and have achieved worldwide popularity. Their mass popularity has drawn actors from foreign lands to perform at Broadway shows. People from across the globe vie for a sneak peek at a Broadway show. It is the most popular tourist attraction and engagement in New York. There are many touring Broadway shows across the country. Tickets to premium shows are available at premium prices.

For those not stationed in Broadway or the deal hunters’ online booking, Broadway clubs for subscribed tickets, and various other options are available. The official website for Broadway information, www.livebroadway.com, provides exhaustive information regarding these shows. Some other websites that provides online information are www.ebay.com, www.newyork-lasvegasshows.bz. and www.playbill.com. Playbill is a club that provides various benefits and free information, news to its members, and discounted and subscribed tickets to popular shows. Acclaimed Broadway shows are bestowed Tony Awards.

Some popular Broadway shows running this season are The Phantom Of the Opera, Wicked, The Lion King, Hairspray, Mama Mia, Chicago, and The Producers. Famous TV show host Oprah Winfrey showcased her first Broadway production, "The Color Purple". The shows range from musicals, dramas, comedies, contemporary shows, family shows and many more. However, children below six years of age are not usually permitted to attend such shows.

Supreme Court Rules On Where Fish Can Swim

The Supreme Court ruled in favor of two Michigan land owners who maintained that fish had no right to swim in the water on their property and, as a result, the developers should be able to grace the wetlands with a shopping mall and a condominium. Until now, the courts had generally maintained that fish have certain inalienable rights and that among them is the right to swim in and out of any waterway they can navigate. The ruling was, however, not the resounding victory the land owners had hoped for, because it only applied to newly arriving fish; the ones already located in the wetlands could continue to swim there. The splintered outcome opened the dam to more litigation in the lower courts, and attorneys for the ACLU vowed to defend the rights of all fish to enter and exit any wetland at will. The ruling also muddies the Clean Water Act and may spur debate on whether or not fish should be permitted to swim in water at all, since their presence may shock people who look into a glass of water before they drink it. Coming down solidly against the fish, Justice Scalia maintained that fish rights had gone "beyond parody," because they now seemed to cover even "man-made drainage ditches and dry arroyos in the middle of the desert." Justice Stevens, however, wrote that the wetlands "had surface connections to tributaries of traditionally navigable waters" and so the fish should be able to swim there without undue hindrance. Justice Souter wondered why Congress would permit fish in rivers but rule them out of waterways and wetlands that feed them, maintaining, "All you've got to do is let a fish swim into a tributary before you can arrest it for trespassing." But Justice Scalia shot back that such logic would grant fish the right to swim in "a storm drain, because during heavy rains it could be considered navigable." He went on to say, "I suggest it's absurd to call storm drains 'waters of the United States.' They're drainage ditches. When it comes to waters of such magnitude, we should confine the swimming rights of fish to goldfish bowls."

Songwriter Confessions #2

Any real Beatle fan knows that Stu Sutcliffe was the original bass player,who died of a brain embolism before the Beatles became famous. But what if it hadn’t been Stu with the deadly weakness, but rather…? There is very little time left now. The meeting will take place in a matter of hours: an event so significant for future generations that nothing can be allowed to change it in any way. I have found the boy: a cheerful soul with wide eyes that question the world with amusement. He does not yet know the path that is set for him, or the tiny thing inside his brain that brings me here through the oceans of time. We agreed that it is a task that must be done for the peace of souls everywhere. From my place of concealment across the square I wait for him to appear on this cloudy day. In the skies I see a vortex that promises more storms but the people around me, simple people with low reception levels they do not understand, pass by in their life patterns. Once the boy is in sight, my timing will allow me to meet him at the shop window where he pauses without exception every day to stand and admire. I am programed with every trace of memory from the projection undertaken by the finest minds in our universe. There are no randoms not accounted for: no variations not calculated to the infinite degree. I see him now. The boy comes around the corner whistling a tune of his own making, with eyebrows high in delight as the activity in the square greets his vision. For a moment he slows as he passes the shop they call the baker, but then resumes his journey across the square directly towards me where I stand close to the shop that intrigues him so. Every step he takes is more important than he can ever know, but his cheerful smile shows none of this as he reaches the window of the store that sells instruments of music and stops with hands in pockets to stare in familiar routine. If he were to look at me, he would see only another boy his own age, but his attention is unwavering and complete on one of the items in the window. He leans forward until nose touches glass. Hofner…he says out loud to nobody. Loovely, he says and his focus is so complete that I take three swift steps towards him, swirl the cloak of transformation over him and the deed is done. I turn away from the shop window and resume my journey. In my mind are random thoughts of how to get enough money for the music instrument, with bursts of spontaneous melodies in the background. A part of my mind sees images of playing a guitar sitting on a bed in a small but friendly room. I walk on. It is 30 minutes later and I have come to an open field which a small festival has filled with music, banners and the chatter and laughter of two hundred people. I have only just reached the first stall when someone calls my name and I turn to see my friend Ivan smiling at me while the activity of the fair flows around him. Come over here, he says, I’ve got someone you should meet. I follow him deeper into the fairground to stop in front of a small and rickety stage barely three feet off the ground. Sitting at the corner with legs dangling over the edge is a skinny youth in a black shirt and jeans with hair combed back in extravagant sculpture and a cigarette dangling from the corner of his thin-lipped mouth. His left hand is adjusting the tone of the strings of the guitar he cradles on his legs while his eyes measure me with care. Hey, Johnny…Ivan says with a measure of casual excitement to the skinny figure…got someone you should meet… he’s a guitar player too… Johnny squints through the smoke of the cigarette at me. Oh yeah?…he says. Yeah…says Ivan and throws his arm around my shoulders. Johnny…says Ivan…meet Paul McCartney… Copyright – Bill Dollar 2005

Broadway Set for Record Year in 2006

You can experience the crisp and emotional songs of musicals, the beauty of design elements and the excitement of a character coming to life before your eyes. New York City's Theatre District is known for its world-class performances. Broadway is New York's top entertainment draw. This year, the Great White Way continues to showcase the popular favorites from 2005, while several new plays are also slated to open.

Continuing on from 2005 into 2006

At the Majestic Theatre, Phantom of the Opera continues to break attendance and ticket sales records. The show arrived on Broadway on January 26, 1988. On January 9th, 2006, the musical became the longest running play in the history of Broadway with its 7, 486th performance. Phantom won several Tony awards, including best musical, best performance by a lead actor (Michael Crawford as the Phantom) and best performance by a featured actress in a musical (Judy Kaye as the opera diva Carlotta Giudicelli). Additional Tony’s were awarded for lighting, scenic and costume design.

At the St. James Theatre, The Producers opened in 2005 and continues to enjoy sold out performances. The Producers has won more Tony awards than any other show on Broadway. This Mel Brooks musical is about a Broadway producer and an accountant who convince various elderly women to invest in a Broadway show. They over capitalize the show, taking in more money than they can ever payback even if it was to become a hit. They produce a musical that they are sure will never make it past opening night and make plans to take off with the money. Their "best laid plans" go awry. The Producers will run through 2006 and will continue to delight ticket buyers.

The Color Purple opened at the Broadway Theatre on December 1, 2005, and has been sold out every night since. This production has been said to stir the soul. The Color Purple grosses about 2 million dollars a week in current and advanced sales. It is considered to be one of the top 5 revenue producing musicals on the boards. Some predict that in 2006, The Color Purple may top all current musicals in ticket sales.

Other plays that broke records are Beauty and the Beast, Doubt, Jersey Boys and The Lion King. Beauty and the Beast , at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre, set a record in sales of $1,229,825 and is the 6th longest running show of all time. Doubt broke records for the Walter Kerr Theatre. This play has won both Tony and Pulitzer Prizes. Jersey Boys at the August Wilson Theatre continues to be considered Broadway’s freshest and newest musical. The Lion King, another Tony winner, will be moving to the Minskoff Theatre in June 2006. This play’s record sales breaking momentum is sure to continue.

Coming in 2006

Mary Poppins, the extremely popular 1964 Walt Disney film, has made its way to Broadway. Performances will begin in October or November of 2006 at the New Amsterdam Theatre. Mary Poppins has had a tremendous run in London and will no doubt become very popular in New York.

The Wedding Singer will open on April 27, 2006 at the Al Hirshfeld Theatre. This musical is based on a very popular movie, which focuses on a man named Robbie Hart who sings in a band that performs at weddings. His desire to find the girl of his dreams comes at one of his wedding gigs when he meets an enchanting young woman. They become friends but she is engaged to another man. If the Broadway play is as close in popularity as the movie, tickets will be difficult to obtain.

Tarzan, another popular movie, is set to open on Broadway during the month of March. It is the story of a boy raised in the wild by animals; it was first a novel written by Englishman Edgar Rice Burroughs. The popularity of Tarzan in literary or film form.

On March 12, 2006, Ring of Fire, a musical tribute to country legend Johnny Cash, opens at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre. This year Walk the Line, a movie about Cash, won several Golden Globes. If it can hold the boards, this play has the potential to bring innumerable country music fans into the Barrymore.

Broadway’s success in 2005 has rolled over into 2006. As many as 30 new shows are slated to come to Broadway in 2006. Some will be huge hits and many more will close in less than a week. Is the next Phantom of the Opera waiting in the wings? Only time will tell.

Bridal Jewelry: Common Mistakes

The Engagement Ring

Shopping for the perfect engagement ring can be very exciting, yet thought provoking. For most couples, an engagement ring is intended to serve as a permanent fixture in their relationship. With this said, it is important for the couple not to select a diamond engagement ring that is too trendy. Selecting bridal jewelry that is too up-to-the-minute may cause the bride to grow out of her ring in a couple of years. The best engagement ring is one that is timeless.

Bridal Accessories

The average bride will choose a bridal jewelry set to wear with her wedding gown. However, it is important that the bride refrain from choosing bridal jewelry before she has selected her wedding dress. Hence, bridal accessories are supposed to enhance the dress--not the other way around. This important factor follows the age-old question--What comes first, the chicken or the egg?

Something Borrowed

Inheriting a family treasure from mother, grandmother, or even great-grandmother is a kind gesture--especially when it can be worn on the bride's wedding day. Although wearing a family heirloom for bridal jewelry is sentimental, it may not be a practical choice. As mentioned earlier, the purpose of accessories is to enhance the overall appearance of the wedding dress. If grandmother's antique pearls conflicts with the style of the wedding gown, it may be best not to wear the heirloom. In this case, it may be a good idea to agree to wear the borrowed jewelry to the engagement party, rehearsal dinner, or on the honeymoon.

Something Old

This could easily apply to something that you received from your mother, grandmother, etc.. but it can also be something that brings back pleasant early memories. How long did you know your future husband? Maybe your bridal jewelry is a reflection of the first present he gave you (visit to a fabulous beach). How about beach themed jewelry for you and your bridesmaids.

Something New

Even if you choose to make an heirloom as the center of your bridal jewelry, complement it with some of the elegance of modern Swarovski crystal accessories or the latest designs in pearls.

Bridal jewelry is a significant element in preparing for marriage. As a symbol of everlasting love and an enhancement for the bride's wedding attire, it's important to avoid common mistakes that many brides have made in the past. When it comes to selecting the perfect bridal jewelry, the bride should choose wisely!

Article written by Michelle Lindsey

Studies Show Teenage Drinking Kills Brain Cells; Oh, That Explains Everything

We always knew teens often walk a bit on the wild side, and we had the inclination to misbehave abundantly ourselves. Now we know at least part of the reason for our wiliness. Studies suggest that alcohol causes more damage to the developing brains of teenagers than researchers previously thought and injures them more than it does adult brains. The research also suggests that heavy teen drinking may undermine the neurological connections needed to avoid alcoholism. "There is no doubt about it now: there are long-term cognitive consequences to excessive drinking of alcohol in adolescence," said Aaron White, an assistant research professor in the psychiatry department at Duke University. "We definitely didn't know five or ten years ago that alcohol affected the teen brain differently. Now there's a sense of urgency. It's the same place we were in when everyone realized what a bad thing it was for pregnant women to drink alcohol." Alcohol also seems to do damage to the frontal areas of the adolescent brain, which are vital for controlling impulses and thinking through consequences of actions, which are abilities many addicts and alcoholics of all ages are disastrously lacking. Fulton Crews, a neuropharmacologist at the University of North Carolina, states, "Alcohol creates disruption in parts of the brain essential for self-control, motivation and goal setting.” So when a teenager gets behind the wheel of the family car without permission, inhabits the wee hours without a considerate call, or otherwise drives his or her parents to drink, think if alcohol might have flowed into the equation. There is some good news on tap. Crews noted that adult alcoholics who stop drinking can recover cognitive function in time, and, fortunately, the same may be true for quaffing teenagers. The brain is remarkably plastic, and, given the inveterate proclivities of teens, what a fortuitous thing that is. It’s almost as if nature knew beforehand the likely content of adolescent doings. Future studies may show that the teenage brain, while more vulnerable to alcohol, may also be more resilient. So best not to drink at all until your brain is grown but for those few who can’t resist, keep in mind, less booze means more brains. And more brains, of all things, distinguished behavior.

Bow To The Army Classics

Sporting a manly ring can boost any man's confidence. Army rings, military rings, and navy rings are among men's top choices. There is nothing like the power and authority (even imaginary) associated with what these rings represent that is appealing to most men. However, all rings are not created equal. The market is flooded with rings that are of low quality. So before investing your cash in these flimsy imitations, here are a few things to look and ask for in buying an authentic, classic ring.

Quality products are made from quality materials. Before being blinded by a ring's gold sheen ask if that ring is made from solid gold. Be wary because some manufacturers use cheaper metals such as brass. The finished rings are then given a thin gold plating. Cheaper price for the same look right? Be careful though because platings are easily scratched and prone to wearing off. Over time, your golden ring will have a mottled appearance of patches of gold and brass. Since you are buying army rings, military rings, and navy rings for their powerful appeal, buy one whose appeal would last. Classic rings are made of solid gold. Meaning, the price you pay for them is worth it since they will last long. Their value as an investment would also fetch higher rates as time passes.

Classic army rings, military rings, and navy rings are characterized by having solid backs. They are not hollow like the cheaper rings. The classic rings' solid backs also gives them substantial weight to resist pressure. They are made for longer wear because the risk for crushing them when bumped, or any deformity is minimal to almost none. They are also less likely to irritate your skin than rings that were hollowed out. Classic rings are also more comfortable because of their solid back structure. Better or even perfect fit is guaranteed because classic rings are largely custom made.

Cheaper rings are mass produced unlike classic rings. As a result they have pits, uneven surfaces, and ugly marks. On the other hand, classic rings are hand crafted. This means that there is more attention given to details. Finishing is done by a master polisher. The rings, especially the army rings, military rings, and navy rings are carefully polished to give them depth and bring out their classic beauty.

In the final analysis, cheaper army rings, military rings, and navy rings are only good if you don't intend to keep and wear them for long. However, if investment, quality, and long-term use are what you had in mind, forego buying cheap rings. It would be better for your finances and worth your investment to buy classic rings. After all, when it comes down to it, classic rings have the best value and quality worth their price.