November 4, 2008 - This is Disgusting; But If Your Preschooler is Stealing Things, What Then?

Is Your Child Stealing Your Things?

You found out that your ring or wristwatch is gone.  You don't suspect your six year old.  For goodness sake, he's still a baby! Besides, he has his own kiddie wristwatch.  But when you find your passport wallet in his school bag, you panic.  Your child is stealing from you!  How could this happen?
 

You shouldn't worry about your child becoming a criminal when he becomes an adult because stealing is always an experience every child goes through. Everybody at one point in their lives has stolen from their parents, siblings, and schoolmates. It could be motivated by loneliness or the need to have the things he cannot buy.  They steal crayons and candies while the older ones pilfer cash from their parent's leather money clip.

Children under the age of six steal because they do not understand why it is wrong to get things that belong to another.  They cannot comprehend the idea of "yours" and "mine."  If they want something, they must have it.  They get the things they want without being furtive about it. 

Likewise, if they admire an older sibling's favorite gadget or a parent's personalized business card holder, they'll take it, not because they want these things, but they want to be like the people they admire. 

Educate Not Scold

If you catch your preschooler, wearing your ring your child wants to be like you.  It is not the ring that fancies him, but you should call his attention that the ring is yours not his.  Scolding him without spelling things out will humiliate him, not teach him why what he has done is not right.      

Should this habit continues despite your efforts and your child starts to take money from your leather money clip, it is time to dig deeper to find out why.  Children who feel they are neglected or lonely often resort to stealing. This is a cry for help, and you should step in with loving understanding.  

If you feel inadequate to deal with the situation, seek professional help.  A child counselor can nip in the bud kleptomaniac tendencies.

November 4, 2008 - Beat the College Debt and Get the Best Paid Jobs

You Don't Need Those Expensive College Degrees

All right, doctors get the plum prize.  They belong to the $100K+ a year club. But look at what they have to do to get there - 8 years of college in a good university, years of internship and the tough prospect of facing a medical board exam before becoming a full-pledge doctor.  This takes rough sailing before you can think of ring bearer gifts. 

But there are college degrees that won't break your back paying off those college debts.  A bachelor's degree can earn you tons of money and engraved pocket watches in software engineering, fashion design and as a police supervisor.  All told, you get that cushy job in just four years, though it would push your career up the ladder if you have a post graduate degree, but that can come later. 

Community College

The local community college offers the chance to get a regular four year college degree.  If you enlist in a 2 year course of your choice, you can get a job immediately after and go back to a regular college for a bachelor's degree after you've saved up enough money for a formal IT course or any course you fancy. 

Online College Degrees

Think online college degrees.  If you are already working but want a college degree check out the options online.  Colleges and universities have online education sites for those who prefer to get a degree in engineering, nursing, IT, and fashion design during their off hours. 

Before queuing for an online degree, you should know that employers are rather wary of online degrees thinking that these are not good as traditional college diplomas. But this opinion will change in time.  Schools and universities worldwide are offering this opportunity for anybody who wants a college degree but don't have the time to go back to school.
 

Studying online can help you manage your time and money and avoid those costly education bills you'll have to pay when you get your first fat pay.  But by this time, you'll be enjoying plans for a nice little wedding and shopping for mantel clocks and other wedding trappings.

November 4, 2008 - Your Handwriting and Your Cross Pens Say a Lot about You

How Do You Cross Your Ts?

Body language reveals what you are feeling but your handwriting discloses how your brain works.  Handwriting analysts also add that your handwriting divulges your personality type by the way you cross your Ts and how you style your loops.  Observe how you cross your Ts when you are using Cross Pens or any other pen for that matter. 
 

If you cross your T after you write the complete word or cross your T before you go to the next letter you give yourself away.  Crossing the T after completing the word shows you are patient and too careful and awfully hard to convince; but if you cross your T before the next letter, you personify the type who always hurries and not afraid of risks.

If your Ts have long crosses and you have leather briefcases, you are demanding and overbearing.  Short crosses intimate that you're timid or very careful of your possessions.  Just by watching your friends cross their Ts, you can judge for yourself if they fit the prototype.

Your Loops

Narrow loops for long but straight letter l belong to people who follow rules and they expect people to do the same. They are preoccupied with details and they take their sweet time before they can accomplish any tasks.  Rounded loops, whether long or short, reveals artistic inclination, laziness (sometimes) and generosity.  These people are generous with their feelings and their money.

Avoid people who write short narrow loops and an engraved business card holder because they are secretive and suspicious.  In love, they are never affectionate but well, they are good secret keepers.  Short but rotund loops reflect a kind heart, and person who avoids conflict. They are loyal and make good friends, but they will not hesitate to put you in your proper place.

Your Cross Pens

Watch people who use gold fountain pens; they love everything classic but will not hesitate to experiment. But a person with a silver pen is conservative and stays in the background.  The opposite is true with individuals who go for floral designs. They always want to get ahead in everything they do.  

November 4, 2008 - 90% Off Your Dream Car? This is (im)Possible?

Your Neighbor's Closed Guarded Secrets

A "new" BMW M6 has been added to your neighbor's garage and you're wondering how on earth is he able to afford those cars?  Last year, he parked a coupe on the driveway, and the other year a Dodge.  Now a BMW M6!  He must be onto something and he's keeping mum about it.  
 

Haven't you heard of police car auctions? Yes, you read it right, police car auctions.  Every month hundreds of cars are impounded by the police.  These cars figure in local crimes or are abandoned for unknown reasons and no owner goes looking for their cars.  The police auctions off hundreds of cars periodically instead of letting these cars go to rust.  

Hundreds of cars from SUVs, to vans and truck of all make and models are auctioned off.  Your neighbor got that BMW for $1,600 and that's several fractions off the actual cost of the car. But if you are lucky you can get a high performance car for less than that if you bid your way around smartly (or get it as groomsman gifts!).

Now that you know, start getting those local dailies and scan for police car auctions in your locality or in the nearest county.  If there is a scheduled auction, go and take a look so you can get the feel of the process.  Once you've educated yourself with the basics of the auctions, start saving those dollars in your money clip wallet for the best car deal of your life and your neighbor's closed guarded secrets are closed guarded secrets no more.

Preparing for the Auction

Before the auction, decide what type of car you need and settle on a budget.  This way you won't waste your time looking for the car, remember there will be hundreds of cars up for grabs.  In the first place, you are at the auction to buy a specific car, not liquor flasks, within your means. 
 

Call the police department holding the auction and ask for details and check if the type of car you want is available.  Also, bring a loaded money clip wallet and an experienced mechanic if you are not with car troubles.

November 4, 2008 - He's Been Acting Strange, Should You Cancel Your Wedding?

When He Wants Out

The announcement of a wedding is a prelude to an excited flurry of activities but not all couples make it to the altar date because someone opts out after some soul searching.  This is a dilemma because of the humiliation and pain it will bring; and whoever wants out suffers too.

If your fiancé wants out, it would be hard for him to tell it straight like it is because he knows how much this will hurt you and your families.  Instead of talking things out, he will behave differently, much to your dismay. 
 

He will evade your questions but his actions will speak for him. If he used to be affectionate, and made jokes about the groomsman gift you have bought together, he'll be distant and remote the next moment.  He will call to say he's sorry and promise he'll call that night, but he didn't.  If he takes to drink and becomes testy when you ask him what's wrong, you have a problem on your hands.
 
Opt in or Opt Out?

True, the wedding invitations have been sent out and some of the money you have advanced for the ring bearer gifts may not be fully refunded; but these things can be dealt with; the issue is your feelings; but being dumped now by a fiancé is better than being betrayed and divorced by a husband later.  

If your fiancé explains he is just jittery, consider that.  But if his behavior of loving you one moment and ignoring you for the next few days has put you off, take it as a sign that this man can treat you much worse when you are married. 

If the only thing holding you back from calling off the wedding is the shame of it all and the loss of the money advanced for the wedding expenses, you are risking your future.  Follow that persistent voice at the back of your head that is telling you to get out fast.  You can give him the engraved pocket watches you have bought so let him take the "spoils" of war and run for your life.

November 4, 2008 - When Letting Go is Better than Hanging On

Everything happens for a reason, and these things happen at the right time.  If there is a time to grieve for a lost love, then there must be a time to let go of the people you love because clinging to a dying relationship can only make matters worse.  But when do you let go of someone who no longer needs or desires your friendship or love?
 

If a potential break-up is looking at you in the face, there is this tendency to believe otherwise.  You ignore the signs and plod on, dragging the carcass of love.  You continue to talk about marriage plans, your wedding gown, and the personalized Zippo as groomsman gift you think your partner would like for his friends.  When the bubble bursts, you are still surprisingly caught flat-footed.

Had you heeded the warning signs you could have saved yourself a lot of pain.  The trouble of the trouble is you want the relationship to go on but your partner wants out and the more you hang on the more he resists, and the more you suffer. 

Why You Should Let Go

There are myriads of reasons why you should let go.  The first is to salvage your self esteem.  If your man continuously cheats on you and verbally and physically abuses you, why are you hanging on? Do you blame yourself for his abusive behavior towards you that's why you stay on?  It's time you let go of your dependence on the relationship. Letting go here is the ultimate act of self love.

Sometimes, it's the other way around.  You can be the abusive partner and your man stays put.  No matter how mean you are, he continues to be a yes man. But you can't always have a good thing going - some things have to end.  Your man will leave you yet.  Perhaps you can salvage the situation by letting go of your controlling ways and constant nagging.

You should let go to give yourself a fresh start or give the relationship another try if it is your ways that needs mending and if your man still cares deeply about you.  Letting go of your negative attitude is your love sacrifice to reap love's rewards.  Then you can go on planning your wedding and the cigarette cases to buy.

November 4, 2008 - What's the Point of Getting Your Ex Back?

The Most Difficult Chase

No one knows your Ex like you do and if the urge to get him back is so strong, your briefcase for women knows what game plan to execute.  You know he loves himself too much, wants what he does not have, and hates to be controlled.  These universal human traits can be manipulated for your ends and knowing him that intimately, you know what weapons to use against him.
 

Certainly, you won't shower him with designer wallets just now.  The very act smacks of desperation.  No girl, you have to play it cool and act as if he is the least important Homo sapiens in the planet.  This means distancing yourself from him, staying pretty and attractive without having to dye your hair orange and if he flirts around, react as it's the best sight in the world to behold even if you want to scratch his eyes out.

He'll be puzzled and irked that you're not acting like a desperate shrew and he'll start thinking if he made a mistake leaving you. Hooray!  He expected you to tail him, clutch at him, call him day and night, and go running to his family and friends playing the tragic Ophelia act, short of drowning yourself in the tub crammed with peonies and lilacs.   

What Your Chase is All About

Getting back your Ex is actually about reclaiming your place in his heart.  You can have him back in your life anytime, but will he still have that space in his heart that was once your exclusive domain? That is the essence of everything when working to get your Ex back. His love or nothing.  So go girl, on the double!  
 

Take the middle road. Grovel at his feet and he will abhor you; roar like a lion and he'll run away.  Play the ingénue and he'll feel safe you're not after him.  But if he does not respond the way you expect him to, give it one more go but let go if it there is nothing in it anymore, like those empty laptop briefcases he left behind.

November 4, 2008 - The Office Romance: Dealing with the Realities

The Risks of a Romance in the Workplace

Spending 80 hours a week holed up in your office gives you more time getting to know your co-workers; this enhances your professional rapport with the bunch. But over time, you start getting to know your co-workers better, and before you know it, the professional relationship you shared with one becomes intimate. Suddenly you feel giddy with love, and your briefcase becomes the storehouse of little love notes, as well as business card holders.

There are a thousand or so articles telling you to drop the romance. Those articles are not at all baseless. True, the few weeks of the relationship might boost your productivity. You find yourself getting to work earlier. Your energy levels are up and you are constantly cheerful and easier to work with; it is not surprising you are questioning the dire warnings of office romance articles; after all, your office romance is not bad thing, just the opposite.

But a few months into the relationship, small arguments become magnified. Personal conflicts make professional life awkward; in the same way, professional disagreements affect your personal relationship. In a romantic relationship, angry emotions are hard enough to keep in check and adding both your egos into the drama makes things even worse.

Tips to Go

The decision to get into a relationship with a work colleague is yours because ultimately, you know what is best for yourself. These tips might help you see the better perspective before heading hastily into a romantic relationship at work: * Check your company' allows dating between co-workers, and superiors and subordinates. Most companies have formal policies regarding the matter. * Be considerate of your colleagues. Consider how they will react and how your romance might affect your professional relationship with them. * Be discreet. If you want to avoid workplace gossip, keep your relationship to yourselves. * Be the professional that you are. Even when your relationship comes out in the open, avoid public displays of affection.

But whatever you decide to do, always keep your heart in check and organize your thoughts the way you organize the stuff in your engraved money clip. Just like any relationship, there are no guarantees to a happily-ever-after.

November 4, 2008 - Hand Me Downs and Appalling Legacies

Hand-Me-Downs, Love Them or Hate Them

Who loves hand-me-downs? Not you nor them; but when the once-loved rejects are stuff that have eternal appeal like a vintage leather attaché case, a 1960s buckled boots, or an ounce of the remains of a Clive Christian No. 1 in a more regular bottle, you'll drool. But if you are stuck with a three legged sofa way past its prime and your older sister's bland outfits, you can only implore the heavens to save you from another similar fate.

If you hate hand-me-downs, be aware that there are hand-me-downs that are more terrible. These are not the stuff you usually deplore; remember the two year pants of an older sibling who was then a head shorter than you were? You had no choice but to wear it!

The hand-me-downs syndrome seem to run in large families, but it is also encroaching on smaller family groups; with spiraling prices and job cuts running wild, the hand-me-down tradition is getting off the ground again.

Disastrous Legacies

Each generation passes on to the next its heritage. The next generation will be living the same old conflicts, passions, and fears. They will get new downloads, new hatreds and new passions. This time though there's a new threat added to the mixed bag - a toxic environment. The next generation will have to live with it or put things right.

How about you? What are you going to pass on to your children? How about the lessons you learned? But will the next generation learn from the present mistakes? Will your children rather save their money to buy their homes, or get a mortgage they cannot afford and start the motions of another recession? Some things never change at all. 

The children of the future will be smoking, drinking, driving under the influence, battling credit card woes, and go to war. They will also love the same things, expensive suits, jewelry, the imported rolling briefcase, and business card holders. They will also want peace, love and hope. How about sending them off on the right path so the old conflicts and fears won't rear their ugly heads in the future?

July 30, 2008 - A Briefcase for Women that Spells Work and Play

We are all expected to play as well as look the part in the corporate world. For five days a week, you are stuck with blacks, whites, and grays, not to mention stiff briefcases. There is not much room for self expression, much more fun. Well, that was only true before. Now you can infuse your own style and fun to work with chic briefcases and laptop briefcases that are perfect for dragging from work to a girl's night out. Click here to check out the trendiest laptop briefcases.

A briefcase may be the generic accessory for the career-oriented, but you don't have to stick to boring, old-fashioned briefcases. Search the web, or take a walk around the mall, and you'll be surprised to see the sleek and fashionable briefcase for women, and well, for men, too, of course. The same goes for laptop cases. Click here if you want to see the latest briefcase for women.

Add fashion to the office role, and be more the executive the entire Monday to Friday routine, without the drag. The number of totes available allows you to mix that serious suit with a bit of color and fun, and the bags are perfect for showing off your individual style without trying too hard.

You can have the vibrant feminine colors, avant-garde designs, quality leather, and exquisite workmanship. The interiors are designed to accommodate all the little things you need at work and play. Why not also make your bag truly your own by having your initials engraved on the front side of the leather case?

There are padded compartments and room for folders and books to keep your things organized. The zippered pocket makes it convenient to dig up documents when you have to hurry.

Flaunt your style with the right style that packs a lot of wallop. You will never go back to the dreary manly totes everybody seems to have. With a girly briefcase that is fun for work, you can't wait to show it off at the office, right? Visit this site for more of the chic briefcase of your dreams.

July 30, 2008 - Burn That Bra but Not That Wallet

Your Bra or Your Wallet?

So you thought that power sports bra of yours works fine? You are in for a shocker. Not all sports bras are equal, and you might just be damaging your breasts with that inferior bra you are wearing.

Results of studies show that women are jogging their breasts to perdition, and for every mile they jog, their breasts bounce 135m. What if you jog three miles daily? That would be an unbelievable 405m a day! A daily jog for 5 days would make that would 2025cm! On the treadmill, the breast moves 9cm for every stride; multiply this with 200 steps. Here is another bomb - your breasts will sag faster than you age if you are not using the right bra.

If you are fussy with your wallet, you should give the same attention to your sports bra. You want your wallet to have all those slots for every credit card you have. You want something smarter than your partner's money clip wallets - click here to know what I mean.

But when it comes to bras, you settle for the same thing. Hey, sports bras come in different designs; they do not have to be always pulled over your head to qualify as a sport bra. Make that change now before you get those sagging breasts.

Breast Reduction or a Better Sports Bra? Women with large breasts suffer from back pains and trust a breast reduction surgery to solve their problem.

Women seeking this treatment run in the thousands each year, not knowing that a good fitting bra with strong support can solve the problem.

Like the purse, bags, shoes, and wallets that you can get by clicking here, a good sports bra should bear the hallmark of good design for the purpose. The ideal sports bra should fit perfectly to support your breasts. This should stretch horizontally and vertically to provide horizontal and vertical support.

It should have larger straps, seamless cups, and well-placed seams. Hooks should be covered with clothing to prevent skin irritation. Check out the armholes - these should allow your arms to move freely. Now you know.

You can now burn that useless bra and splurge on sports bras and cash clip wallets. Click here for more details.

July 30, 2008 - Cross Pen Struck

Love it?

Ironically, they are called Cross pens when they are just the opposite. Click here to see why. They are the best friends who can help you impress skeptical clients. Ask anybody who has a Cross pen about this. They will admit they cannot write without it, much less preen without it.

Oh, the opinionated nerd in the adjacent cubicle started an office romance by surprising the admin assistant, a young miss with specs and a toothy grin, a Cross pen desk set such as the one you can find if you click here! She was the envy of the office while the novelty lasted, and what do you know - they are still together after six months!

Curious about the turn of events for this unlikely couple, I rolled out a clandestine survey to unearth why people can be hooked with a pen in this age of emails, Cross pen or not. Okay, I have this nice Cross Apogeen pen - click here to see it. It feels good on the hand, and the ink flows smoothly when I cross my Ts and snake my Ss. There is no screeching and jarring here, and I know I also look smart when I have to sign IOUs. But here are the surprising finds from the covert survey.

Status Symbol - People 'fessed up that a stunning pen rate them a second look. After the initial head to shoes look-over, they get another inspection because of their sable or lacquer pens. This always boosts their already inflated or sagging egos.

Value for money - Brand pens are not cheap, but their superiority in design and craftsmanship make them endearing and lasting items.

Corporate image - The chrome and lacquer pens strikes a balance with their shiny suits, giving them that cool unhurried executive look.

Best gifts to give - Buying pens for gifts eliminate mismatches. Everybody needs a pen, and the classier it is, the better for his or her dirty little secrets.

No gender-bias - Pens are not gender conscious. Pick one up, and give it to your boss or landlady, no worries. Either one will love it.

No wonder we cannot get over these pens. Find out more about the wonders of a Cross Pen by clicking here.

July 30, 2008 - The Wackiest Names Ever

What's in a Name?

When a NZ judge decided in favor of Talula Does The Hula From Hawaii to change her name, several adults with ridiculous names surfaced. But none had wackiest name as the poor Talula, a nine-year-old girl teased to no end about her unusual name. Poor girl, but not anymore.

It is startling how her parents could conjure up a name like this to mark her for life. Perhaps their honeymoon in Hawaii was so spectacular that they had to have a living testimonial to that singular experience.

How would she have dealt with a business card case such as the ones you can find if you click here hiding her kilometric name embossed in a crisp business card? There would not be any business card bearing her name in full; it would be plainly TDTHFH, and even these initials would vie for a place of honor in the Guinness Book of Records on name oddities.

Outrageous Names

Here are the ludicrous names given to helpless babies - Sex Juice, Midnight Chardonnay, No. 16 Bus Shelter, Keenan Got Lucy, Russell Sprout, Barb Dwyer, Drew Blood, and Violence. It may be fun to give amusing names, but it gives a child a bad start in life.

Just imagine getting primed for a job interview and you are called from the line-up, "Sex Juice?" The twittering and the giggles will not stop, and the interview won't get to the point - "Ah, what a strange name, are you sure it is spelled S-E-X J-U-I-C-E?" You fish out a business card from one of those sleek business card cases like the ones you can get if you click here to confirm the interviewer got the spelling right. Oh jeez!

Getting a Name Change

Getting a name change is much easier than getting a sex change. If you are in this mess, go to the nearest federal court. A legal name change is granted by the court after confirming that the name change is not for dubious reasons.

With a name like Sex Juice or Talula Does the Hula From Hawaii, the court will grant the name change fast. With a new name, you will love that leather business card holder for your brand new business card. Click here for those stunning card cases.

July 30, 2008 - Stuck with the 60s Zippo Lighters

Remembering the '60s

If you were born in 1969, you caught the tail end of a socio-cultural and political revolution. This was the decade of the Mersey beat, sexual liberation, and starved-looking models (read: Twiggy). This decade also spawned the Vietnam Zippo lighters that would become stuff of urban legends.

The Zippo lighter that you can find if you click here, invaded the Navy, Army, and Air Force, and most survived with etchings of personal quotes lifted from songs, political mumbo-jumbo, and inspirational messages. Some were professionally engraved, while some bore the marks of penknife scratches. The lighters also posed a nude girl in a wineglass, maps of the infamous Danang, and boasted of US Navy, Army, and Air Force insignias.

The engraved Zippos, found when you click here, have inspired the collection of the 1960s lighters, becoming collectors' items and inspiration for music. Such is the power of the lighters, and most collectors are still stuck in this decade, hunting for vintage Zippo circa 1960s.

The Stories

The Zippos have amazing stories to tell. These were used for different reasons and life-and-death situations. These heated rations in helmets, lit up campfires and explosives, signaled positions, and the cavity in the lighter stored salt to replenish the body salt lost while on long patrols. These details were contained in letters to the Zippo Company from soldiers pleased with their magnificent all-purpose lighters.

Staff Sergeant Naugle was whisked away from danger by a rescue helicopter because he was able to signal his position with is lighter, and Sergeant Martinez's life was saved by the lighter in his chest pocket when it deflected a deadly bullet.

Zippo moments in Vietnam have lived to tell their tales. The lighter was the one thing the average soldier needed to survive in Vietnamese jungles - so much so that soldiers could spot a fake a mile away. If it could take on the wind, it was genuine. The lighters also became an indispensable ID to identify soldiers in the different parts of hell that was Vietnam - one was an American soldier if one had a Zippo in his hand.

For a return to the '60s Zippo lighters, click here.

July 30, 2008 - MacCain, Obama and Your Patriot Money Clip

Patriot Games and Politics

You do not have to slug it out to show you are a rabid patriot, ready to give an arm and a leg for your country in war and peace. You can show this off with, of all things, your money clip! Click here for samples. A shiny nickel clip with the stars and stripes prominently displayed on the top side of the clip proves you are a dyed-in-the-wool American patriot like McCain and Obama.

Senators John McCain and Barack Obama may have differing views on patriotism. MacCain hopes to put the country first in everything, while Obama hopes to nurture his faith in fellow Americans. Perhaps they have different money clips to show what they are talking about. Click here for the latest designs.

But for the average American, patriotism is living the American ideals through an economically unstable time. This is proof that patriotism is alive, though it purveys different meanings for different people.

For Obama, it is the belief that Americans can do great things if they put a mind to it. McCain begs to be different; he believes that Americans should put the country first before their personal ambitions. At a closer look, the two presidential wannabes are saying the same thing, but from different perspectives.

Loyalties

Perhaps, like them, you have your own view of patriotism. Patriotism in the streets and everyday life is different from the realities in the war zones, but you can be a patriot by:

* Supporting the young soldiers in Iraq

* Lobbying for legislation to improve the conditions in the warfront

* Lobbying for war to end

* Rally for a better way to handle the war

* Giving donations

* Paying taxes

* Going green

But look around; watch the nickel and enamel clips or leather money clips showing the Army, Navy, and Air Force insignias. These are sprouting everywhere because people are onto patriotism. On the political front, whatever their differences, McCain and Obama share your hopes - the safe return of the patriots from all war zones and victory.

Be a patriot at the home front now. Get started with your own brand of patriot money clips by clicking here.

July 30, 2008 - Wine and Wine Flasks: Of Men and Wine

Besotted

Wine continues to weave its magic and enchant future generations. Its history is as old and romantic as the ambrosia of somber Olympic deities. The liquid gold wantonly intoxicated gods and men, but was highly revered as a ceremonial drink fit for royalty and high priests.

Wine continues to besot the human race, and no history of any nation is replete without the mention of wine in local mythology and history. Often, the commingling of myth and history makes it difficult to separate fact from fiction.

On the lighter side of wine, the Persian Omar Khayyam speaks of wine and how it completes a man's life even without the trappings of luxury:

"Here with a loaf of bread beneath the bough, A flask of wine, a book of verse - and thou Beside me singing in the wilderness And wilderness is paradise enow"

Man so loved wine that they discovered ways to transport it - pig bladders, earthen jars, brass, and wooden casks - and these evolved into every imaginable design and design man could think of.

How It All Began

The Middle Ages saw the evolution of the drinking jars and pots to smaller wine carriers that could be transported without the mess of breakage and spillage. Convenience, the mother of invention, necessitated the invention of smaller wine containers for the medieval Lords and Ladies who enjoyed a drink. Precious metals like gold and silver were fashioned into vessels befitting their social stature, and these containers are now prized by collectors for their historical value and rarity.

Through the centuries, these wine containers evolved further to be the common man's portable jug. The use of stainless steel to replace gold and silver made it possible for the working class to have their own wine containers without the steep cost of expensive flagons.

Again, necessity required the manufacture of smaller flasks disguised as a cell phone or a cigar flask. The smaller and the more clever the design, the better. Today, these items are favorite executive and groomsmen gift items.

Give the gift of mythic magic; give wine flasks. Click here to get a quality flask you can be proud to give away.

July 30, 2008 - Travel Alarm Clocks: Love Them or Hate Them, but Don't Leave Them

Buzz, Ring, or Morning News

If you are terrible at waking up early, mornings can be catastrophic, especially if you are on a business trip. With no one to shake you out of the sheets to get you to the meeting on time, what can you expect? Avoid disasters of this variety; get a partner with a built-in clock alarm system, or splurge on an alarm clock that is cool and on the budget, yet can shell-shock you out of bed without remorse.

Now which should be your choice? The warm body, or an impersonal alarm clock? Anyway you choose, there is pampering to do. Both can have Monday tantrums. In fairness to your alarm clock, it does not go berserk over bad hair days, nor does it have to tag along all day. Leave it on the shelf; it is there when you get back, ever faithful as a lamp post. But leave the warm body behind because you'll never get a moment's peace.

If you are not traveling with a warm body, trade all the world time clocks that you can get when you click here for unique and nautical table clocks like the ones you can see when you click here.

Time the alarms two minutes apart, and park them in different places near the bed but far from your reach. In the morning, expect to be jerked out of bed by screaming viragos. You may kick one, but you cannot vanquish all; the reserves will drive you nuts. As for the warm body, you cannot slap it off or kick it to shut it up, or there will be hell to pay.

Your alarm clocks and that warm body can drive you mad with their strange behavior, yet you need both. Why your clocks go off when you have just hit the sack is as mysterious as the rise of the killer tomatoes, and why you have to wake that body up to wake you up is as frustrating as re-growing hair on a bald head. Well, you cannot have it all.

The warm body, or your clocks? Love them, hate them, but do not leave them. Discover why you cannot do without travel alarm clocks by clicking here.