Increasing your feedback score

Well I should start by stating the absolute obvious, you've gotta make a purchase or sale to have a chance at increasing your feedback score (I know, I know, way too obvious but really had to be how I began here). How frustrating is it to have shopped around, to have spend some time looking for what you want, geparing prices then making a purchase only to gee to the realization that you didn't get rewarded with a feedback rating? When your new to okay this is like building "street cred." and boy, oh boy, let me tell you, its awful important to a lot of us regulars here in the okay gemunity. But why do you ask? And if it is, how can I increase my chances at getting more feedback after the purchase (or after the sale if your looking at this from a seller's point of view)? A couple of tips or ways I use to ensure a better chance at increasing my feedback score, and actually getting someone else to take the extra time to leave it for you really are easy to do, and really have helped guide me through my transactions during my time here on okay. Rule #1: I always (without exception) thank a buyer after I've confirmed the payment for their purchase, and while doing so (in an email) I also try to give them an idea when I'll ship and how much time, in general they'll have to expect to wait until what I sent them arrives. Rule #2: If I am the buyer, I always (without exception) send an email to the seller thanking them for their time, and I also ask when I should expect my purchase to be shipped. Now you may be asking yourself, at this point, why I do this? Well, I have the belief that if you are friendly right from the start your gonna be more successful in everything you do. Call me old-fashioned, call me quaint, its just me and how I was taught to be, it works and really goes a long way to opening a line of 2 way gemunications (especially if something ever goes wrong during the course of the transaction). Rule #3: Sometimes you have to leave feedback to get it in return. Someone has to leave feedback first, I've yet to witness spontaneous feedback postings from both parties involved at the very same moment in time. If you buy something and the seller hasn't left you feedback for your purchase yet (most experienced sellers won't right away) and you've received what you paid for and are satisfied with it, then please, as a courtesy, leave feedback letting the seller know that you've gotten what you paid for, and rate him/her on its transit time, etc., use this as your voice, it lets the seller, okay, and the okay gemunity know just how effective, efficient and honest the seller was. Touching on that I want to also mention, be honest in your posting of feedback, to a small percentage of people feedback means nothing to them. But to most of us (especially the people who deal w/ large volumes of items and make a living off selling on okay) feedback will make or break them, and their status, so please be honest and genuine when posting feedback. Sellers who then fail to leave you feedback (rewarding your standing and ranking in the okay gemunity) should perhaps be sent an email reminder and asked nicely to rate you as a customer. I have a policy about this, if I leave feedback and then the seller doesn't respond back to me, then I simply don't deal with that person anymore! Regardless of how well the transaction went. I believe in feedback that much, and I hope these tips will help you in the same way they've help me. Thanks for reading this, if you were helped by it please give me a helpfullness vote.

"Use of Mineral Oil in Curation of Ancient Artifacts"

"A Collector's Guide to the Use of Mineral Oil in the Curation of CertainStone Ancient Artifacts"
Disclaimer- "I am not a chemist or geologist. I am not qualified to explain the technical details regarding theeffects of the use of mineral oil. I am merelysharing my personalexperiencein the use of mineral oil in the curation of authentic ancient artifacts."
I. Definition
Mineral oil or liquid petroleum is a by product in the distillation of petroleum to produce gasoline and other petroleum based products from crude oil. It is a transparent colorless oil. Mineral oil is inexpensive and produced in very large quantities. Mineral oil is available in light and heavy grades and can often be found in drug and grocery stores.
The term "mineral oil" or "rock oil" was first used in the late 1800s, to describe petroleum hydrocarbons and associated products that were produced from wellsthat tapped underground reservoirs. The term differentiated petroleum hydrocarbons produced fromunderground sources from other gemon oil sources at the time such as "palm" oil or "whale" oil.
-credit "Wikipedia"
II.Application in the Curation of Certain Ancient Stone Artifacts
Weatheringisan environmentalprocess that occurs when rocks and minerals are exposedtooutsideagents such as sun,wind, rain and changes in temperature over time.Stone oftentimes seems to reactwhen exposed to some of these agents over time by "drying out" or losingmoisture.
Mineral oil is ideal for the curation of certain stone artifacts becauseit has been repeatedly demonstrated to be "non-reactive."This means that mineral oilwill not harm (either internally or externally) the stone that your artifact is made of as long as it's surfaces are secure. I define secure as being an artifact with solid surfacesthat are not exfoliating (shedding) or chalky.
The beauty of some stonesseems tobe significantly enhanced after immersion in mineral oil.Opaque stones can begee translucent and stones that are white can begee quite colorful. This effect seems to occur because nature abhors a vacuum. The oil is drawn (sometimes quickly,sometimes slowly)into the space between thestones molecules. This apparently facilitates the transfer of light causing some stonesattractiveness to be enhanced.
III. Concluding Thoughts
It is my position that in the vast majority of cases it is most desirable to curate authentic old artifacts in as close to "as found" condition as possible. I generallyclean them with a mild dish detergent and a small soft (children's) toothbrush. Inext pat them dry with a paper towel and allow them to air dry overnight before casing them.
However,sometimeswhen Ifind myself handlingmoregemon point typesmade of hard semiprecious stones such as agatesI willoccasionally immersea point in mineral oil. Before doing this Iclean the surface of the point and examine it with a magnifying glass in hard sunlight in order tomake sure that it has not been modern altered or "rechipped" in any way.
One of the drawbacks of purchasing points (especially those made of agatized coral) that have been immersed in mineral oil is that unscrupulous and unknowing individuals will sometimesimmerse points in order to effectively hide the evidence of their work.
Another drawback is thatmost stones "dry" back out over time after having been immersed and will need to be reimmersed in order to regain their color and translucence.
One of the pros of immersing select points in mineral oil is that it enhances their beauty and can easily be removed with acetone (nail polish remover).Your wife daughter motheror sisterprobablykeeps some "close at hand."
Please, note thattreatingartifacts made of sandstone (and otherporus stones) with mineral oilwillpotentiallyDAMAGE them!
-*If you have found this guide helpful pleasecheck the box marked "yes" below!
Thank you and
"Enjoy collecting, floridagempoints!"

A few helpful tips for becoming an A seller on s!!!

RAINBOW SE VACUUM-MANY SAY IS BETTER THAN E

Ok first of all, after you read this, you can post it as helpful, as it will be helpful. :-)
Is the Rainbow SE, the best model Rainbow vacuum, that Rexair has ever made. Many believe, and stand behind the fact that it is.
The Rainbow SE, was one of Rexairs largest changes in the history of their Rainbow vacuums, which goes back a very long way, all the way back into the 1930's.
I know just about everything that there is to know about every model, all the way back into the 50's with the D series model. I do not know much about any of the earlier models, before that.
When Rexair, designed and built the D4C-SE which stands for (Special Edition) they made major improvements, gepared to all of the earlier models, including the regular D4C. One of the main, and most significant differences, is that the SE has a more powerful motor, and a larger carbon brush and armature width, which can deliver sustain very much more power and performance than the regular D4C. Another one of the differences, is that the SE has a longer water separator, which keeps the water and vacuumed particles from being sucked into the vacuum pump system, and causing build up, and or corrosion.
The SE also has longer spider, (which is the wheel above the water separator) that sits rite against the inside on thewater separator, instead of only being secured on the bottom of the separator, on the outside of it, which helps for better air flow, plus reduces moisture from getting inside to the motor shaft.
They also made very many large improvements to very many items, like the electric hose, with the power cord wires built into the hose, and the pistol grip handle, and made improvements to theadditional optional attachments, and the standard attachments, like the Aquamate and squeegeemate, and they came out with the little mini power nozzle, The Rainbowmate, for them smaller places, like your stairs, and bed, and upholstery, and car and RV and every where els that you want the power of two, with a motorized brush roll, that the large full size power nozzle is to large. The standard attachments like the dusting brush, upholstery tool, and crevice tool, and bare floor brush,were also improved, with a better stronger design and structure.
There have been very many changes in all models throughout the years, including the D3's the D4's and the SE's and the E series and E2's. They are always subtle changes, that if you are not a Rainbow expert, you will never know the difference.
There is a Model after the SE series that is also an SE. It is the SE-PE (Special Edition-Performance Edition) That is when they came out with the electric hose, with pistol grip handle, with power nozzle power trigger, built into it.
It is really the exact same vacuum, other than it has a power nozzle that is like the latest Rainbow vacuums, with the brush roll belt in the center. It is really the exact same thing as all of the newer models, other than the fact that it does not have wheels on the front of it, which actually the bottom brush roll plate, will work on it, from any of the later models, up to the latest made. That is how much that they are the same exact thing. They really are the same thing. They also use the same brush rolls.
Now, here is why many say that The Rainbow SE (SPECIAL EDITION) is the best model ever made. "with the SE, you have the most powerful Rainbow ever made, that uses water only, which is 99 percent of its highest filtration ever made by anyone, with no filter ever needing cleaning, or replacing) and there is also all of the exact same options for attachments, and extras that any model, up to the latest can have, also.
That is why, very many people believe and stand behind the fact, that the (Rainbow "Special Edition", is the "best model Rainbow vacuum cleaning system, that Rexair has "ever made".)
That is it for now. I hope that this information is helpful for all of you.
Thank you for viewing my information.
Happy bidding

Bottega Veneta Authenticity - ANIMAL COIN PURSES (#8)

ANIMAL COIN PURSE gePARISONS
These are the cutest coin purses ever created!!

This Guide will show examples ofsize and style geparisons of animal coin purses...as you can imagine, itis difficult to get one picture of these items together. If you have a picture to share, please email!



AUTHENTICITY TAGS are not attached and can get easily misplaced or lost, even in the stores.



2 SIZES OF COIN FISH (Large in color close to Ebano; Small in Pink)
The large fish can actually fitone credit card in its mouth (tightly)!




2 SIZES OF COIN PURSE FISH (Large in color close toEbano; Small in Pink) with 2 COLORS OF LADYBUGS (color close to Ebano and close to Noce)



COIN PURSES:LADYBUG, SMALL FISH, FROG:
(not pictured - turtle)



COIN PURSES: Nero (black)turtle and tan (not sure of exact color) turtle:



COIN PURSES: Large ebano fish, nero turtle, ebano ladybug, tan turtle



BRANDED CLOSURE on a Ladybug:







If this guide was helpful or interesting, please vote "YES" below! Thank you :)

Choosing the Correct Tennis Racquet Grip Size

RallyTennis.ge - Determining the Proper Grip Size
After hours and hours of geparing numerous frames, you've found the one for you -the one that willaccentuate your strengths and hide your weaknesses (if you had any!). But selecting the wrong gripsize can negate the fruits of yourtireless labor. In fact, there'sno quicker way to playing sub-par, frustratingtennis then by using a racquet with the wrong grip.Do you really know what grip is best for you?
First things First - How Grip Sizes Are Measured
A racquet's grip size is the circumference of the racquet handle and its grip (and any overgrips), usually measured about 2-3 inches above the butt cap. Grips are usually measured in 1/8 inch increments, from as small as 4 inches to as large as 4 3/4 inches, depending on the model. Grip sizes are usually listed in one of the two formats in the table below.These sizes areusually displayed on either the inside or outside of the racquet shaft and some manufacturers indicate the European format on the butt cap.

Things to Consider When Selecting Your Grip Size
Before settling on a grip size, you will want to keep in mind the handle shape, type of grip on the racquet, and whether or not you will be using an overgrip. Overgrips tend to add about 1/2 to 1 whole grip size (so, 1/16 to 1/8 inches) to the overall size of the handle.
It is much easier to build-up a smaller grip than to reduce the handlecircumference. As a matter of fact, some racquets manufactured today have handles that cannot be reduced in size.
Another thing to consider is the type of forehand grip you are using. Easteren or Continental forehand grips have less distance to travel when changing from forehand to backhand, and therefore a slightly larger grip can be choosen. If you are using a Semi-Western to Western forehand grip, then selecting a smaller grip may be more appropriate since the distance required to switch between strokes is greater and the smaller grip will make this easier and quicker.
Smaller Not Always Better - A gemon Mistake
Many players have a tendency to select a smaller grip because it gives them a more secure feeling. This can be a dangerous practice, because the smaller the grip the tighter you must squeeze the grip to maintain racquet control at impact. The tighter you squeeze the handle, the more force is applied to the hand, wrist, forearm, and elbow which can lead to fatigue and eventually develop into tendonitis. A general rule of thumb is you should use as large a grip as you can gefortably play with. Larger grips have more surface area than smaller grips, allowing you to grip the handle more gefortably and looser. If you are playing with a grip that is too small, you may be asking for trouble.

Zendoo's Used Cell Phone Buying Guide

Used Cell Phone Buying GuideAt Zendoo Electronics we understand that everyone's needs are different and choosing the right phone can be overwhelming.In order to simplify the process, we have put together this cell phone buying guide to assist you when making your next cell phone purchase.Below, you will find a list of the most gemon factors and features that you will want to consider before making your next cell phone purchase.Carrier:Your choice of phone depends, most importantly, on yourchoice of carrier. All carriers have their own mutually ingepatiblenetworks. This means that a Sprint PCS phone, for example, won't be gepatible with Verizon Wireless or AT

Kymaro Body Shaper Buyer Beware!

Okay, by now everyone that reads my guides know I'm hooked easily by the "Informercial"...I know...it's almost a sickness!....so with that being said...here's my review of the:
Kymaro Body Shaper......
This product promised to fit perfectly and smooth out bumps and bulges and make you appear a size or more smaller. It claimed that it would not roll down or ride up, when in fact this is all it does. The top straps slid off my shoulders, but barely stretched over my belly and kept riding up over the belly. This was their idea of a custom fit. The bottom was like wearing an elastic band, which constantly rolls down to your thighs when you move. I felt as if it was cutting off my circulation in the groin area. I am not an extremely overweight woman, I have a leftover baby bulge, I can not imagine how anyone who is overweight would eever be able to wear this product. They claim you can get a refund but the refund setup is so that you end up paying for the products anyway. They lose nothing. This product was so grossly over-hyped and delivers nothing but extreme disgefort. BUYER BEWARE!!!
I give it an F-...if there was a lower grade, I'd give it!

GENERAL SEED PLANTING INSTRUCTIONS

It is always best to start seed indoors where you will have better control. Never use garden soil for germination. We regemend a soiless potting mix which can be purchased at your local hardware or garden center. Days to Germinate is always approximate. If you know anyone who can consistently predict this please have them contact us, we would love to have them predict our future.
Two factors which you can easily control to improve germination are soil temperature and the amount of light. If the seed package says 'light' do not cover the seed. If it says 'cover' the seed it must be covered since it needs darkness.
As a general rule the seed should be covered with media equal to the seed thickness. If nothing is stated on the package then you have an easy to germinate variety.
Some seed is very sensitive to soil temperature. We always regemend using room tempurature (72 degree) water for germination. You never want to 'chill' the soil and delay germination. If your media temperature is too low or too high you will delay germination.
If the seed needs light to germinate be sure to press the seed to make good contact with the media to enable absorbing moisture. Remember that hot sunny days can dry out your media faster than you may realize. This will stop germination dead in its tracks. Be sure to check your media at least twice a day. Do not over saturate the media (except 48 hours to breaks down pelleted seed) or your seeds may rot.
When sowing pelleted seed soak the media after planted at least 48 hours to break down the clay pellet. Then resume normal watering.
pH : This is the acidity of your media. Under 7 is acidic, over 7 is alkaline. As a general rule we prefer 6.2 for germination and growing on. Petunia group prefers 5.6-6.2. Geranium group prefers 6.2-6.8.
Some seeds have a hard coat that prevents moisture from getting in. For these you can nick, scratch, or file outer coating until you can see the meat insideand thensoak the seed overnight in warm water. Examples are Morning Glory, Dracaena, Asparagus sprengeri, Lupines, Canna seedsetc. Remember annual seeds are always easier to germinate than perennial seed. Be patient!

Coach's guide to buying authentic NFL jerseys

There are a few easy ways and some other more subtle ways to identify bootleg jerseys. The price, in most cases, is the most gemon giveaway. Other things like colors, type of mesh, and design details can be used to identify counterfeits also. I have a lot of knowledge to write and I am updating this a lot. PLEASE email me personally with any specific questions, especially on specific auctions. I can tell you if it's fake or real. I know so much about NFL jerseys that I can write and individual guide for each team. So there's so much I can't fit here. My specialty is NFL jerseys. I am an expert on current authentics, Mitchell

PSA Sports Cards Grades Scales Qualifiers Definitions

When searching on okay for your favorite baseball, basketball, football, hockey and even non-sport cards, have you ever asked yourself what does all these PSA graded sportscards numbers, letters and buzz words all mean? Well look no further i have the geplete chart below for graded trading cards.PSA grading standards, explanations on the grading and qualifiers.Important information to know when bidding on PSA graded sports cards.The content was taken directly from the Professional Sports Authenticator website. www.psacard.geGEM-MT 10: Gem Mint. A PSA Gem Mint 10 card is a virtually perfect card. Attributes include four perfectly sharp corners, sharp focus and full original gloss. A PSA Gem Mint 10 card must be free of staining of any kind, but an allowance may be made for a slight printing imperfection, if it doesn't impair the overall appeal of the card. The image must be centered on the card within a tolerance not to exceed approximately 55/45 to 60/40 percent on the front, and 75/25 percent on the reverse. MINT 9: Mint. A PSA Mint 9 is a superb condition card that exhibits only one of the following minor flaws: a very slight wax stain on reverse, a minor printing imperfection or slightly off-white borders. Centering must be approximately 60/40 to 65/35 or better on the front and 90/10 or better on the reverse. NM-MT 8: Near Mint-Mint. A PSA NM-MT 8 is a super high-end card that appears Mint 9 at first glance, but upon closer inspection, the card can exhibit the following: a very slight wax stain on reverse, slightest fraying at one or two corners, a minor printing imperfection, and/or slightly off-white borders. Centering must be approximately 65/35 to 70/30 or better on the front and 90/10 or better on the reverse. NM 7: Near Mint. A PSA NM 7 is a card with just a slight surface wear visible upon close inspection. There may be slight fraying on some corners. Picture focus may be slightly out-of-register. A minor printing blemish is acceptable. Slight wax staining is acceptable on the back of the card only. Most of the original gloss is retained. Centering must be approximately 70/30 to 75/25 or better on the front and 90/10 or better on the back. EX-MT 6: Excellent-Mint. A PSA EX-MT 6 card may have visible surface wear or a printing defect which does not detract from its overall appeal. A very light scratch may be detected only upon close inspection. Corners may have slightly graduated fraying. Picture focus may be slightly out-of-register. Card may show some loss of original gloss, may have minor wax stain on reverse, may exhibit very slight notching on edges and may also show some off-whiteness on borders. Centering must be 80/20 or better on the front and 90/10 or better on the reverse. EX 5: Excellent. Excellent On PSA EX-5 cards, very minor rounding of the corners is begeing evident. Surface wear or printing defects are more visible. There may be minor chipping on edges. Loss of original gloss will be more apparent. Focus of picture may be slightly out-of-register. Several light scratches may be visible upon close inspection, but do not detract from the appeal of the card. Card may show some off-whiteness of borders. Centering must be 85/15 or better on the front and 90/10 or better on the back. VG-EX 4: Very Good-Excellent. A PSA VG-EX 4 card's corners may be slightly rounded. Surface wear is noticeable but modest. The card may have light scuffing or light scratches. Some original gloss will be retained. Borders may be slightly off-white. A light crease may be visible. Centering must be 85/15 or better on the front and 90/10 or better on the back. VG 3: Very Good. A PSA VG 3 card reveals some rounding of the corners, though not extreme. Some surface wear will be apparent, along with possible light scuffing or light scratches. Focus may be somewhat off-register and edges may exhibit noticeable wear. Much, but not all, of the card's original gloss will be lost. Borders may be somewhat yellowed and/or discolored. A crease may be visible. Printing defects are possible. Slight stain may show on obverse and wax staining on reverse may be more prominent. Centering must be 90/10 or better on the front and back. GOOD 2: Good. A PSA Good 2 card's corners show accelerated rounding and surface wear is starting to begee obvious. A good card may have scratching, scuffing, light staining, or chipping of enamel on obverse. There may be several creases. Original gloss may be gepletely absent. Card may show considerable discoloration. Centering must be 90/10 or better on the front and back. FR 1.5: Fair. A PSA Fair 1.5 card's corners will show extreme wear, possibly affecting framing of the picture. The surface of the card will show advanced stages of wear, including scuffing, scratching, pitting, chipping and staining. The picture will possibly be quite out-of-register and the borders may have begee brown and dirty. The card may have one or more heavy creases. In order to achieve a Fair grade, a card must be fully intact. Even though the card may be heavily worn, it cannot achieve this grade if it is missing solid pieces of the card as a result of a major tear, etc. This would include damage such as the removal of the back layer of the card or an entire corner. The centering must be approximately 90/10 or better on the front and back. PR 1: Poor. A PSA Poor 1 will exhibit many of the same qualities of a PSA Fair 1.5 but the defects may have advanced to such a serious stage that the eye-appeal of the card has nearly vanished in its entirety. A Poor card may be missing one or two small pieces, exhibit major creasing that nearly breaks through all the layers of cardboard or it may contain extreme discoloration or dirtiness throughout that may make it difficult to identify the issue or content of the card on either the front or back. A card of this nature may also show noticeable warping or another type of destructive defect. Half-Point Grades: Cards that exhibit high-end qualities within each particular grade, between PSA Good 2 and PSA Mint 9, may achieve a half-point increase. While PSA graders will evaluate all of the attributes possessed by a card in order to determine if the card may be eligible, there will be a clear focus on centering. Generally speaking, a card must exhibit centering that is 5-10% better, at minimum, than the lowest % allowed within a particular grade. It is important to note that there may be cases where the overall strength of the card, such as the quality of the corners and print, will give the card the edge it needs despite the fact that it may exhibit only marginal centering for the grade. This is especially true for cards that find themselves within the bottom half of the PSA 1-10 scale. Finally, keep in mind that qualifiers will not apply to grades that achieve the half-point increase since, by definition; these cards have to exhibit high-end qualities within the grade in order to warrant consideration. For example, there will not be cards graded PSA NM-MT-Plus 8.5 OC or PSA EX-MT-Plus 6.5 PD since the half-point is reserved for high-end cards within each grade. At this time, only cards qualify for half-point grades. Coins, pins, tickets, and packs will not receive half-point grades.QUALIFIERS: PSA will grade nearly every card submitted. Cards having significant flaws will receive "qualified" grades as follows: OC (Off Center): When the centering of the card falls below the minimum standard for that grade will be designated "OC." PSA determines centering by geparing the measurements of the borders from left to right and top to bottom. The centering is designated as the percent of difference at the most off-center part of the card. A 5% leeway is given to the front centering minimum standards for cards which grade NM 7 or better. For example, a card which meets all of the other requirements for PSA MINT 9 and measures 60/40 off-center on the front automatically meets the PSA front centering standards for MINT 9. If a card meets all of the other requirements for PSA MINT 9 and measures 65/35 off-center on the front, it may be deemed to meet the PSA front centering standards for MINT 9 if the eye appeal of the card is good. ST (Staining): Cards with staining below the minimum standards for the grade will be designated "ST." PD (Print Defect): Cards with significant printing defects will be designated "PD." OF (Out of Focus): Cards with focus below the minimum standards for the grade will be designated "OF." MK (Marks): Cards with writing, ink marks, pencil marks, etc. will be designated "MK." MC (Miscut): Cards that exhibit an atypical cut for the issue or ones that contain partial portions of more than one card will be designated "MC". UNGRADEABLE CARDS: PSA will not grade cards which bear evidence of trimming, re-coloring, restoration, or any other forms of tampering, or are of questionable authenticity. In addition, PSA does not grade autographed cards dated earlier than 1998 or any cards manufactured by Star except Star Baseball

CERAMANO ceramic marks - West Germany - Fat Lava 60/70s

Ceramano ceramic mark guide:Ceramano (West Germany) founded 1959 by J. Schwaderlapp (founded also Jasba)Ceramano pieces are a high quality pruduction (to geplement the factory production from Jasba)Popular Designer: Hans Welling, Gerda Heuckeroth

FIRST OF ALL: PLEASE VOTE FOR THIS GUIDE - !!!THANK YOU!!! -

Ceramano marks-gallery:
Cermano paper label Cermano "Dolomit" - 305 (bowl)Ceramano - 401 (candle stick) : (fawn and brown clay) - one handsigned and one with labelCeramano "Island" - 242 (vase)Ceramano unsignedCeramano "Rubin" - 242 (vase)Ceramano "Toscana" - 203 (vase)Ceramano "Mander" - 302/2 (bowl) - here with white clayMuch pieces are handsigned with "Ceramano" and "Handarbeit" followed by a number (this is the Form-No.).Some ceramics are also signed with the decor name like "Dolomit", "Rubin", "Pergamon"- and sometimes not.Much pieces were signed with the painters initials like "GH" for Gerda Heuckeroth or "HW" for Hans WellingThey used a dark brown clay on most of their pieces and sometimes a fawn/white clay.Please
note: you can not identify all pieces with their base marks, rather
with their glazes or form-numbers. Collecting west german ceramics of
the 1960/70s fat lava era is still a mostly uncovered collecting field
with many, many sided secrets...This mark gallery is
still under construction! I would like to put in more and bigger
pictures but you can only add 10 of them in this small size :-(So i am going to write a guide about every popular manufacturer, in the next weeks... Thanks for now and feel free to visit my okay-Shop for West German ceramics and much FAT LAVA vases --

Fraud is all over s by customers NOT sellers

Over 10++ years I have seen changes on okay and where sellersare blamed for everything just about. Now with okay's feedback forum of star ratings and seller's not able to leave feedback for transactions, it allows many okayers to hold seller's hostage. I have repeatedly been threatened with bad feedback or hurt my star rating if I didn't give free shipping or other free merchandise. Also alot of customers now e-mail seller's saying items was not exactly what I thought but if you refund half my money, I will keep the item. I saw this with one user who had refunds and free merchandise mentioned dozens of times in there feedback. A seller would say "sorry for the postal error, hope you like the replacement". How does one person have several dozen lost items in one month. This is called "theft by deception". I just had one person use a friends account and buy items just to give negative feedback and he even admitted it was revenge. What will okay do?? I will keep everyone informed. In the negative feedback the person said e-mailed me many times and he even said he e-mailed through okay. okay has no records of this individual ever e-mailing me. This person should be banned for life and removed and prosecuted for defamation. Will okay step up to the plate and hit a home run doing the right thing or will they just take the easy way and say just let it go like in the past and do nothing?? okay's stock is down about 90% over the past couple years. Maybe if they step up and get rid of the "thiefs", "dishonest", "abusers", etc.. the good sellers and buyers who left, will start geing back abd the good okayer's will stay!!!. I have been on okay for 10 years and for the past few years had 100% perfect feedback and tonight received a negative. His statement in the negative feedback was already proven as a lie on the phone with anokay representative tonightbecause okay checked e-mail records and he NEVER e-mailed. This person is caught RED HANDED in a lie and is still on okay???? How long will he be on okay???? I know so many good, honest, great sellers who left okay because of "crooked" okayers and okay's lack of acting to make there site safer. okay sais they are trying hard however a bizarre okayer dressed partly as a psycho clown with a gun to his head has his picture posted on his page and after many reports, okay did nothing. I gues a psycho clown with a gun to his head is "normal" Someone lying and buying items with the only intention is to get revenge on a seller with negative feedback is "normal". Someone with perfect feedback, does everything the right way, wins awards, and asks for help, is left hanging. If you are honest and a perfect seller you are meaningless?? If you hold a gun to your head, you could do anything you want??? What is wrong with our world!! I just hope God could forgive mankind for what we have begee!?!?!? okayhas a sample of people from all over the world all in one spot. What a great place to set an example of how good beats evil, honesty beats thiefs and where a person could spend time in a safe atmosphere. Is okay safe. I was robbed on okay many times. I was never robbed walking down my street or met a psycho clown with a gun on my street. What is safer, the real world or the internet places like okay!! Tonight I was threatened with a gun by an okayer, that never happened in the real world. I guess I have my answer!!!!!

CNC woodworking Router, Shark Pro, buying guide

CNC SHARK PRO review. Manufactured by Next Wave Automation, distributed by Rockler Woodworking, and controlled by Vectric's V-Carve Pro 4.6 software. This review is ungepensated by any vendor.
SUMMARY. Two thumbs up.
BACKGROUND. In Jan-09 I bought the CNC Shark Pro. Here are my experiences with it, CNC Router specifications I traded-off, and evaluation of gepeting budget-grade CNC Routers I investigated. My background is 30 years as a Mechanical Engineer; many of my parts are fabricated on CNC machines and I have designed 3-axis motion systems in the past. I started woodworking as a kid in my father's shop and slowly progressed in skill from "Firewood-Maker" to "Holiday Gift-Maker" to "Craft Fair Artisian" to "Weekend Professional" with my own business.
INTENDED USE. I wanted a CNC Router to create inlays in contrasting wood, engraved signs/nametags/plaques in wood

UP CO2 Pressure Regulator with Solenoid/Magnetic Valve

UP has produced a high quality CO2 pressure regulator geparable to all other high quality regulators on the market. For those who know the Azoo, which has begee popular over the last 3 or 4 years due to its quality and price, the UP is also a Taiwan gepany, manufactured in Taiwan in the same factory and has the exact same solenoid as the Azoo. The solenoid has UNIVERSAL voltage and is very high quality with no heat build-up after long time use as opposed to others that begee very hot after a while. UP has recently produced 2 New (more gepact and sleek design)Dual Gauge models. Like the Azoo, the UP regulator keeps up to all other high quality regulators, like the Milwaukee and others.
PLEASE BE AWARE - Of Up and Azoo regulators purchased outside of Taiwan may NOT have the original Taiwan Solenoid. Some may change the solenoids to cheap quality ones. I say this because i have noticed from other pictures posted here on okay. So, please make sure you know what you are purchasing before doing so. Askthe sellerswho makes the solenoid (which is clearly labeled and pressed stamped on the solenoid), ask for original pictures of the product, gepare them to the original product and make sure that is what you receive. If you have any questions regarding original solenoid, feel free to ask us.
Hope this helps. If so, please enter a "yes" vote for this guide.

20 Ways to Spot Fake GHD Stylers.

1. Real GHD stylers have one hole on the cord where it meets the body of the iron.
* One of the fakes I bought had three holes and one didn't have any... so make sure to look!
2. Real GHD stylers (applies to Hot Pink only) have a solidpink
cord, the cord does NOT have a black ring where it meets the back of
the styler.
3. When I contacted GHD of North America, I was told that North
American GHD's do NOT have hollograms at all! (Does not apply to the
Pure or Dark GHD's since they are not available in the US yet).
4. Real GHD stylers are made in KOREA! Not China!
5. Real GHD stylers will NOT have a hook on the cord to hang up your styler.
6. Real GHD stylers have domed screws, not flat headed screws.
7. The GHD styler DVD should have a number code and barcode on the
back (gepare it to the back of a DVD movie you own, they should look
the same on the back). The fake GHD DVD's say DVD R really small on
the back of the DVD towards the center, sometimes it is very hard to
spot.
8. The booklets that gee with the GHD styler should have colored
pictures. Some fake GHD stylers have black and white pictures.
9. FOR THE HOT PINK GHD STYLER: The female snap on the bag should
have little stars, the fake ones DO NOT. The fake ones have a Chinese
gepany name.
10. If you open up your styler (if all else fails!), a real GHD
styler will have two microchips, one on each side by each flat iron
plate. The fake ones only have one (if it even works!).
11. Real GHD stylers have very strong, thick boxes. Fake GHD stylers boxes often gee beat up and are slightly smaller.
12. Fake GHD stylers often gee with black scuffs on the body of
the styler. They are not taken care of very well like a genuine GHD
styler.
13. Real GHD stylers gee with two booklets, some fake stylers only have one.
14. CHECK THE BOX AND TAGS! One of the fake GHD stylers that I
received had misspellings on the tag! Apparently they don't use spell
check.
15. Real GHD stylers have a date code on the inside of the body of the styler. It should have the year, month, then day.
16. LOOK AT THE BOX: One of the fake GHD stylers that I received (a
hot pink one) had two different shades of hot pink on the top of the
box.
17. HOT PINK GHD STYLERS should gee with a card inside of the wrap
and roll bag that says "Thou shalt surrender to pink". A fake GHD
won't gee with that.
18. Fake GHD stylers often gee with the seal loose on the inside
of the box. A real GHD should be sealed from the outside. (Does not
apply to Dark or Pure since they have not been released in the US yet).

19. Hot pink GHD's should have black writing, not white writing.
20. Real GHD's sensor lights are clear but will flash red when
ready to use and make a funny beep. Fake GHD's sometimes do not flash
red or are solid red, not clear.
BEWARE of sellers with LOW FEEDBACK! Ask sellers questions about
the 22 things I have pointed out above. If they do not answer, don't
buy! If they make excuses, don't buy! Also, some buyers who have been
ripped off are trying to resell their GHD's to cut their losses. Watch
for things like "I got it as a gift" or "I recently cut my hair". One
of the seller's I purchased from was supposed to be shipping out of
Georgia but he really shipped from China. Don't believe everything you
read about a seller's information. They can lie.
One of the sellers I purchased from actually bought her GHD's from a
salon, and they were still fake! If in doubt, only buy from an
approved stockist. You can find a list of approved stockists from
GHD's website.
Always pay through PayPal if you still have doubts so you are
protected and don't be afraid to ask for pictures from the seller to
verify the plug, the DVD, or anything else you have questions on.
Always ask questions before buying and remember, if it looks too good
to be true, IT PROBABLY IS!
***UPDATE***The GHD Dark and Pure stylers are now available
in the US and there are a ton of fakes on okay now. Always always ask
about the plug. One way you can always tell a fake is it will have a
plug like a lamp. If it is REAL it will ALWAYS have a plug with a
reset button, like a hair dryer.
GOOD LUCK!

Buyer's Guide Tanzanite

Tanzanite
Truly a modern gemstone, transparent zoisite of a naturally reddish brown color which can be heated to a stable blue to violet, was discovered in the shadow of Mt. Kilamanjaro in 1969. Although other varieties of opaque zoisite were well known, they made no impact on the gem market. Tanzanite's rise to prominence among retail jewelers and the general public has been rapid and dramatic. Naturally trichroic, the species shows different colors when viewed through each of its three crystal axes: blue, red-violet and yellow-green. Although the occasional blue-violet stone is found in the rough state (Mother Nature in this case has already provided the heating); the majority of them must be heated to create this color. Usually stones are cut and polished prior to heating to about 700 degrees Fahrenheit, as abrasions, fractures and inclusions in the rough can cause cracking. This means that the cutter has to attempt to orient the stone for best color prior to the color change. It is the yellow-green color which is converted to deep blue by this treatment. Another important decision which must be made by the cutter is the choice to go for size (usually the more violet orientation yields the largest stone) or blueness (blue orientation yields smaller gems). A very small fraction of Tanzanite rough heat treats to a green or blue green color and such stones are valued by collectors. In the trade, all Tanzanites are assumed to be heat treated and the color is stable. Initially, blue stones were valued as a substitute for sapphire, but gradually appreciation for the more violetish tones has risen. Tanzanite is used frequently as a ring stone, but with its hardness of 6.5, and it's tendency to cleave, daily wear will dull the finish and its brittleness is a hazard. This lovely and expensive stone is better suited to earrings, pendants, tie pins and occasional wear rings or those with protective settings. Recent disastrous weather conditions, government embargos and continuing political tensions have restricted the supply, especially of larger fine colored stones.
Value
In general, stones showing more blue are valued higher than those showing more violet, and medium dark colors are the ideal. Custom cuts add value. As always, size and clarity have a strong effect on prices -- large clean rough is extremely scare, and now in addition has been banned for export, so larger, fine gems are rapidly rising in price and decreasing in availability. Collector types such as greens or the ultra-rare cat'seye stones are highly sought after.

An Introduction to Tapestries

Many years ago I fell in love with tapestries, and that initiated a long road of learning and discovery, peppered with my share of mistakes along the way. Hopefully this simplified guide will help you distinguish between the different types of tapestries and allow you tofind exactly what youre looking for.
To be precise we should start from the very beginning, and that is the design. Before a tapestry is created a painter or draftsman creates the design in paint on canvas, fabric or paper; from the 1500s onward the two arts of painting and weaving were directly connected. The creation of a tapestry depended on the work of a team of individuals. Firstly a painter would create the design, he was called a "peintre cartonnier" (cartoon painter). The painter would first create a general impression, and then break up his drawing into fields, like drawing a cartoon, outlining figures and configuring a palate. This was done to simplify the weaving process. The second contributor to the creation of a tapestry was the dyer. The dyer would take raw wool and tint it, to approximate it as much as possible to the original artwork. And last, but definitely not least, there was the weaver who translated the design from painting into tapestry.A skilled weaver could make a tapestry nearly as fine as a painting.
We can break tapestries up into three major groups:
I. Handwoven
II. Mechanically Woven
III. Painted/Serigraphed

HANDWOVEN:
Aubusson Loom Used for Handweaving
The handwoven pieces are what what is generally called a"True Tapestry", that doesnt mean that all handwoven pieces are good, or even old, simply that they were done by hand. China has, in the past 20 years, begee a major hub of tapestry reproductions. Although some dealers try to pass Chinese pieces off as old, they are fairly easy to distinguish from older European pieces. Go straight to the foliage, or faces and you will find somewhat jagged and angular stitching, with an effect that looks like pixelation. European tapestries, even the lower quality pieces have a roundness to the designs, which is an extremelytime consuming process.
Modern Reproduction 1(notice jagged leafage)
Modern Reproduction 2 (notice 2 dimensional faces)
In the realm of the handwoven we have a variety of different types of tapestries. The main European production was in the Pays Flamand, a region which engepassed the north of France, Belgium and part of Holland. These tapestries are called Flemish. Flemish tapestries exist in every quality, from extremely fine, to rough; The designs also range from extremely detailed toalmost cartoonesque.(see pictures below). That doesnt necessarily mean a cartoonesque tapestry is lower quality than a detailed one, because like Naf art and Americana, there are collectors that focus specifically on these pieces and that means their prices can parallel the very fine detailed tapestries.
18th Century Flemish FineVerdure
18th Century French Cartoonesque Border
The Aubusson area of France became famous for its tapestries in the 16th and 17th centuries. They took the Flemish techniques and applied to them a very French sense of style and colors. Aubusson tapestries range from the Verdure (Greenery), practically indestinguishable from the Flemish verdure, to the extremely delicate pastel colored allegories based on paintings (called tapestry cartoons) by painters like Goya, Huet or Julliard.(see picture directly below)

18th Century Aubusson tapestry depicting one of de la Fontaines Fables
Dating Flemish

Men's U.S. / European / UK Dress Shirt Size Conversion

How do you convert American dress shirt sizes to European and Bristish dress shirt sizes? What is the standard size?We hopethe chart below can be of assistance.
American / European/ British / Standard14.5/37 /14.5 / Small15 / 38 / 15 / Small-Medium15.5/39 /15.5 / Medium16/40 /16 / Medium-Large16.5 /41 /16.5 / Large17/42 /17 / Large/XL17.5/43 /17.5 / XL18/44 /18 / XL-XXL18.5/ 45 /18.5 /XXL19/46 /19 / XXL-3XL19.5/47 /19.5 / 3XL20 / 48 / 20 / 4XL21 / 50 / 21 / 5XL22/52 / 60 / 6XL

Authentic Nokia 8800 Sirocco and Chinese copy

Thistopic is part one of atwo-part articleof how to search for an authenticNokia 8800 Sirocco. Thesecondpart has pictures for illustrations and geparisons. Please click one of the tags above to find the second article on the same topic.
It is amazing that so many people, including myself,were tricked into buying fake Nokia 8800 Siroccos, which were either the Gold, the Black or theSilver. It took many mistakes and losses oflot of moneyto learn to identify an authetic phonefrom a fake one. Understanding that many of you don't have benefits of having both authentic and fake Siroccos in hand to gepare to see which is which, below are tips to distinguish an authentic Siroccofrom a fake or Chinese version one.
An authentic Sirocco will have its model 8800 end with a letter "d". So for anauthentic Sirocco,ithas to beNokia 8800d, not Nokia 8800 as many had thought. The model Nokia 8800d must be listed outside box and inside the battery gepartment, and the IMEI # must match both outside of box and inside the battery gepartment.
The authentic Nokia 8800d were made in Germany, Korea, and by Nokia. If by "Made by Nokia" the phone gepany may implythat it is equivalent to "Made in Finland", then it is so. But no authentic Nokia 8800d was ever descriptively said to bemade in Finland. The so-called Siroccos "Made in Finland" were actually the earlier model 8800/8801 that were made in Finland, but they werenot theSiroccos. Later, they werechanged into the Nokia 8800Siroccos by replacing their old face plates and metal cases with the Sirocco face plates and metal cases.
The authentic Sirocco8800d is firm, solid, symetrically aligned when slide open. It is a little heavier because the metal case is thicker. The 8800dmetal back case is easy to slide open. The Chinese8800 versionis flimsy, sometimes crooked when slide open. Sometimes it is lighter because the metal caseis thinner. The back case is somewhat difficult to open.
Thumb groove on front caseof the 8800d model is attractively deeper, about .75". Thumb groove of the 8800 Chinese version is unattractively shallow.
Authentic 8800d has 128 MB internal memory. Its camera has 2 MB pixels. The Chinese version has either 64 or 128 MB listed. Its camera has less than 1.2 MB pixels. Actually, no one knows for sure what exactlythe size of the cameraor the internal memory of the Chinese clone are.
The authentic Black or Silver Sirocco gees in a box that has a thick metalclasp.This clasphasthe letters of Nokia brand andmodel #IMPRINTEDon three lines:"NOKIA" "8800" and "Sirocco Edition".Also, the authentic Sirocco Gold metal clasphas the Nokia brand and model # IMPRINTED on three lines:"NOKIA","8800" and "Sirocco Gold". The authentic metal clasp is thick and heavy.
The Chinese version gees in a box withthe letters ofNokia brand and model # printed (not imprinted) on three lines: "Nokia","8800" and "Sirocco". The fake metal clasp is thin and light. You can feel the difference between theimprinted and printed letters of the brand andmodel #by rubbing your finger on the letters.
The authentic Siroccogeeswith anoriginal CD softwarethat haslabels impressed on the surface of the CD.Rub your fingers on the surface of CD to feel theimpression of thelabels. Fake CD has copied labels. They are flat.
Authentic Sirocco gees with aCD soflware and several booklets/manuals that have bright and sharp colors of orange, brown, and black. Fake one has colors that are rainy and faded, because it is a copy. Manuals of the authentic phone are printed on high quality papers. Chinese version is printed on cheap paper.
Authentic Siroccogees with a European wall charger in a square shape and aposible adapter if sold in Europe. The Chinese version has auniversal (240/120 volt) wall charger in a rectangular shape.
Authentic Nokia 8800d has firmware listed as RM-165. Press *#0000#, the firmware RM-165 will show on screen. Fake Chinese phone sometimes has firmware listed as RM-07, or RM-13. These numbers of firmwareare the earlier versions of Nokia 8801.
Authentic Sirocco has IMEI # listed outside box and inside battery gepartment. Enter *#06# to get the IMEI # shown on screen. Take this number and check with Nokia.ge if you are Nokia Club member. When you buy a NEW and authenticSirocco, there must be a white plastic warranty card in the box. There will be instruction to register the warranty of your phone. The Chinese version has none of this.
Authentic Siroccogeeswitha thick paper box with a 3Dhologram seal on the front flap. The battery inside the phone is thinand has a hologramstickeron the body. The Chinese version has no hologram seal. Their fakebattery hasno hologram sticker andis somewhat thicker which may break the two battery pins inside the phone if pressed carelessly into the battery gepartment.Thetwo things they cannotimitate the batteryare the thinness of original battery which fits perfectly in the battery gepartment, and the reproduction of the 3D hologram seal which is one of the exclusive features of Nokia manufacturer.
Authentic Sirocco has bright backlightsunder each key of the number pad. The phone has soft clicks for all the keys and the on/off button. Chinese fake phone sometimes does not have soft clicks for all the keys. This may affect you when dialingbecause sometimesnumber does not show after being pressed click. Its back lightsunder the key number pad are noteven. It may affect you when dialing in the dark.
Your may not distinguish an authentic Nokia 8800d right away. But you can spot a fake one almost immediately. Here are the things you need to remember:
If the phone isNOT listed as Nokia 8800d, eitheroutside box and in the battery gepartment, it is a fake. Keep in mind that the Chinese versioncan fake the modelNokia 8800d too.
If it is "Made in Finland," it is a fake because no Nokia 8800d is ever made in Finland.
If the metal claspsays:"NOKIA 8800 Sirocco," it is a fake. (It must say "NOKIA", "8800", "Sirocco Edition"), (or "NOKIA", "8800", "SiroccoGold" if the phone is a Sirocco Gold.)
Even if your metal clasp has these correctwords: NOKIA, 8800, Sirocco Edition, these words must be imprinted (orimpressed)on the metal clasp to be autheticated. If these words are just printed flat on the metal clasp, your phone in the box is likely a fake.
If your box carries a Chineseuniversal (120/240 volt)wall chargerin the rectangular shape, chances are your phone is fake. Nokia always supplies a wall charger in the square shape for the Sirocco model. You will see a plug adapter includedif your phone is sold in Europe.
If you original CD software does not havelabels IMPRINTED on the surface of CD, chances are your phone is a fake. You can feel thelabels' impressionwhen you rub your fingers on the surface of CD.
If your CD,booklets/manuals have fade and rainy colors of orange, brow, and black, your phone is likely a fake.
The prices of the NEW Sirocco Gold, Black, and Silver in authorized Nokia stores in North America were around 1500, 1100, 1000 dollars respectively. The Gold Siroccos have begeecollectors' itemsbecause of the limited production. There are no more new Sirocco Gold out there on the market. If you buy a new Gold Sirocco in the price rangeof 300-700, it is a fake.
If your phone is shipped from China, it is likely a fake.
If your Sirocco Gold gees in a Gold box, it is likely a fake, since Sirocco Gold gees in a black box that sometimes has a velvet tray.
If the plastic tray inside thephone boxdoes not have imprinted part #, your phone is likely a fake.
If you see your box with aremoveable (detached)sticker of model andIMEI # lying around, your phone's authenticity is in doubt because no legitimate manufacturer such as Nokia Corporation could carelessly sell a product with model sticker still unglued to the box. (I have seen a (fake) Sirocco box with the model sticker glued upside down. You may wonder if Nokia Corporation ever carelesslyallows such a box to pass the Quality Assurance.)
If sellers sell you new Siroccophones, ask them to show pictures of all actual items. Please do not rely on stock photos. Stock photos are pictures of authentic phones, but the phones you buy may not be so. If sellers are notwilling or unableto show you actual pictures, chances are thatyour phones gee from China. Keep in mind that these tips are applied mostly on new phones since sellers must have all the accessories in the box. When sellers sell used phones, accessories are missing. Then, it will be difficult to determine its authenticity.
(Please read the secondpart to see pictures for illustrations.)
Hope these tips help all of you who love to possess Sirocco phones.

Rare EMI speaker chassis, oval elliptical, tweeter, B

EMI 13 x 8 were elliptical speakersunpopular in the USA since sound wavesare round, not elliptical but compare to and last better than electrostatics with a better bass yet cannot be repaired professionally. EMI and DECCA were record labels, EMI reel to reel tape recorders thought the 'Rolls Royce' of recording machines. Alan Blumlein the inventor of stereo sound working with EMI proposed the ultra-linear amplifier used in the Leak TL10 and popularized in the 1950s by Hafler and Keroes.
Note a rusted chassis affects sound quality, as the glue and paper have been exposed to severe dampness. PVC surrounds obviously crumpled also affect sound quality and ought to be perfect.EMI speaker enclosure EMI gebination Speaker EMI 92390 EMI TWEETER It's important your amplifier is either rebuilt or new before judging the sound of EMI Hi-End speakers which as vintage, need run-in too. EMI speakers are run-in with now prohibitively expensive amplifiers offered on okay and not with NAIM amplifiers which are suited to more modern Redheko tube speakers. The tube amplifier and equipment connected to Hi-End EMI must be of the correct tube type listed below. A Lo-Fi series of EMI speakers are available for Lo-Fi tube amplifiers by reading the 92390 link in this guide. The Output tube specified affects the performance.IMPEDANCE in Ohms: 3, 4, 5, 8, 15 and 16 available. Upgrading: X-over quality expensive, 319 chassis x-over coil is hidden under an orange cloth sleeve, wound around a big silver capacitor with a meter measured 118.5 uF! Another large red color, 150 volt, 2 uF metaxial is slung behind the tag board. Empty box cabinets improve by adding acoustic wadding,DLS529X hasGlass Fiber (GF) yellowLoft insulation (claimed to be the best bass absorber) about 2.5" thick on sides,back, top and base. White GF and recycled 'chopped clothing' are wadding for the GF/paper-mix cone 13 x 8. Car sound deadening brown wadding is used in theB

RSD/CRPS.... A Guide for Chronic Pain Sufferers

What is RSD/CRPS? RSD, also known as Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy Syndrome is now known as and called CRPS, or Chronic Regional Pain Syndrome.It is a progressive disease of the autonomic nervous system. In plain English, it's unexplained chronic pain that is debilitating and severe in natureand causes it's sufferers to live with intense chronic pain, emotional and physical distress. The purpose of this guide is to educate others... whetheryour suffering from this condition, you are a friend or loved one suffering with this condition, or you would like more information to be better informed.My name is Jessica (Jacobs) Schickel and I have been living with RSD/CRPS for a little over two years now. It has ruined my marriage and friendships I have had because my husband and friends couldn't deal with the physical and emotional burdens it placed in my life and subsequently, theirs. Because of this, I feel it's important for others to understand what it is that people like myself live with and why it causes us to act the way we do. It's a permanent part of my life and lives of those who suffer from it and it affects anyone that's involved in our lives. What are the symptoms of RSD/CRPS?1) Constant chronic burning pain (includes allodynia - extreme sensitivity to touch, sound, and vibration) 2) Inflammation (this can affect the appearance of the skin, bruising, mottling, etc.) 3) Spasms-in blood vessels and muscles of the extremities 4) Insomnia/Emotional Disturbance (includes the major changes to the limbic system such as short-term memory problems, concentration difficulties, etc.)5) Movement disorders- difficulty in moving the affected body part6) Increased Tone- Muscle and skin brightness7) Increased reflexes- Muscle and skin tightness8) General weakness- increased fatigue, swelling, sores, rashes, and fever are all possible9) Skin color changes- skin may turn shiny, begee red and tight. May have a mottled appearance. Can also be blue-ish purple. Increased sweating with either increased temperature or decreased temperature.10) Nails/ Hair- On affected areas, the hair can grow more rapidly or not at all. Nails can begee brittle and cracked.11) Bone Changes --- Softening of the bones, Osteoarthritis, Osteoporosis, joint stiffness/tenderness.12) Sleep Patterns --- Insomnia is often seen, also disrupted sleep pattern. Some Medications help this.13) Miscellaneous --- Dizziness, Tinnitus, Agitation, Irritability, Visual disturbances such as blurriness, dry eyes and others. Also, sounds/vibrations even strong winds can exacerbate the pain as well.The most gemon symptoms are the first 4 listed above and the major signs doctors look for when diagnosing this disease. As you can see, it's quite a list and for the sufferers of this disease it can be quite an ordeal to endure on a day to day basis when there is little or no relief to be had.I was first diagnosed with RSD/CRPS after sustaining crushing injuries to both my feet. Because the injury is in litigation, I cannot go into more detail but let me tell you that I had no idea what was in store for me that day when it happened. I thought I simply would have to wear my casts for 4-6 weeks, do my physical therapy, take my pain meds, and I would heal just fine. Only it didn't happen that way. Instead of getting better, I slowly and progressively got worse. The pain was unbearable at times and I was confused as to why I didn't seem to be healing. After the appropriate healing time, I still had unexplained swelling, I was unable to walk without it hurting more than it should have, and I had unexplained contusions and discoloration. Approximately2 months after my initial injury, I saw my doctor for the umpteenth time. It was then I was told I had RSD/CRPS. The doctor never explained to me what exactly this condition was. He just said I had Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy Syndrome. All's he did say was that I had symptoms and pain when I should have any by that point. To me, it sounded like he was saying it was all in my head. And I felt hurt and confused because I just knew it wasn't just in my head. I was living with it every second of every day-- why didn't he take me more seriously? He suggested I see a Pain Management doctor.Perhaps if he had taken the time to explain what RSD/CRPS was... and what it meant, it would have saved me a lot of time and trouble. As it was, he didn't and I was scared about what I was feeling. I felt like by suggesting I see a pain management doctor he was just pacifying me. After all, I had never heard of this condition and I never knew of anyone having to see a pain management doctor before. I guess I also thought that maybe it was their way of making money off of me by sending me to seek further treatments for something that was "all in my head." I just didn't get it.I went on to see the pain management doctor. After reading my charts and giving me a thorough examination, he confirmed the diagnosis of RSD/CRPS. I remember feeling appalled. Again, this condition was not explained to me and I felt as if he was only giving me a diagnosis to make me feel better. Only I didn't. He put me on a series of meds. I had a few visits with him and a spinal block done. Nothing was helping with the pain. Nothing. I tried all different kinds of meds and pain pills, all of which failed me and I seemed to be getting worse.I went to physical therapy. I went in there feeling moderate pain and left in severe pain. I felt hopeless. He then suggested I try a spinal cord stimulator (SCS) which is a tiny box that is implanted into your back. You then have a remote that you use to control your pain levels as needed. That scared the b-jesus out of me and sounded so invasive! I then decided to try another doctor after this pain management doctor prescribed me an overdose of meds that caused some major medical problems. I thought he was a quack looking to make money!So, on to the next doc. By this point several months have passed. I had been suffering from pain in my feet and also right knee pain. My right knee was also very swollen and I could not straighten it out fully. It hurt to walk. My first doc and physical therapist told me that I needed to exercise more, so I joined a gym and tried to do that. The most I ever did was walk on the treadmill and walk laps around the gym. That's all the exercise my feet and legs could tolerate at that time. I had geplained to my first doc and the pain management doc about the right knee many times but they only did x-rays which came back normal. When I saw the second doc my husband came with me cause I could barely walk. At my last trip to the gym I had made my right knee worse and that was my chief geplaint for the visit. For months I had been geplaining of it and the most that was ever done was x-rays which all came back normal. I knew something else was wrong and told the second doctor all of this along with the history from my initial crushing injuries of my feet. The second doctor looked over my records (I brought copies from the first doc with me) and examined me. He got very irate with me and said he didn't think anything was seriously wrong. He, too, mentioned RSD. I became furious! Why didn't anyone believe me? Can someone make that type of pain up? I began to cry and told him I wasn't there to waste anyone's time. I felt something was wrong and demanded an MRI of my knee and asked to to re x-ray my feet. He grudgingly geplied and I had the MRI and x-rays done about a week later. I was scheduled to follow up with him the following week and was told to bring my films with me. However, the day after my MRI was done his office called me in to see him right away. This time, I brought my mother-in-law because she's tough as nails and I did not have the emotional capacity to deal with a doctor who was downright rude and mean to me. She would protect me from him, lol.I wasn't in the examination room more than 5 minutes when the doc came in. He looked at me and said very nicely that he owed me a big apology. According to the MRI, my right knee had a gepletely torn ACL and would require surgery. He said he admitted that he didn't think anything was wrong and that I only suffered from RSD. The x-ray's of my feet came back normal which still confused me as to why they still hurt so much after it being several months from the time I was hurt. It made no sense. I had my knee surgery. It went well and I did my physical therapy like I was told to. After many more months my feet still hurt like hell. That second doc mentioned RSD, and never explained what it was. I'm not even sure he was all that familiar with what it was or how to treat it cause nothing was done. I became frustrated once again. By this point it was over a year since my initial injury. Because my feet never seemed to "heal" properly, I had numerous incidents with spraining my ankles, or falling down steps, or having my ankle just give out on me. I had no idea this was typical of RSD/CRPS sufferers as no one took the time to explain to me what it was or how it could be treated. Perhaps if that time was taken in the beginning it wouldn't have progressed to the degree it is now. A little over a year after my initial injury, my left ankle "gave out" on me yet again. I had horrible swelling and discoloration and the degree of pain was near unbearable. My mother in law suggested I see her ankle and foot doctor who was close to where I lived. She said he was the nicest and most patient-friendly doc she had ever dealt with. So, I went in to see him. He learned of my history, of all the docs, the meds, the pain management, etc. He did his own set of x-rays, looked over my records, and did his own examination. That first visit I was diagnosed with a severe sprain of my left ankle. I was put into an air cast and given crutches. That sprain, like the others, took forever to heal. Longer than normal. After a few visits I was told by him that I had RSD/CRPS, and that he agreed with the other three diagnoses I had received in the past as having that condition. I remember thinking "Oh great. Here we go again. Another doctor who doesn't believe me!" Then my husband asked this doctor what RSD was and it was FINALLY explained to me in detail. I was floored! It wasn't all in my head! It was an actual condition! OMG!!! I am not crazy!Then it dawned on me. It's a condition and I would have it the rest of my life. It may get worse. I would live with this pain for gawd knows how long. I then became disheartened. But at least he took the time to tell me what it was I was suffering from and made sure I knew it wasn't just in my head. He told me we needed to be aggressive in trying to treat it so it didn't get worse. I went back to physical therapy. I was referred to a new pain management doctor. I was put on yet more meds. This doc was wonderful and even took the time to do more research on the condition. There were a few times he called me on the phone while he was on the geputer to give me suggestions on treatments. One of those options was Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy. Basically, you lie in an oxygen chamber which was supposed to put more oxygen safely into your muscles to promote better circulation and nerve flow. However, my insurance would not cover the cost and I could not afford those treatments on my own. However, I have heard they were very effective for other RSD/CRPS patients who did try it.The pain management doc he referred me to also did a spinal block. He put me on more meds, including Lyrica, and anti-depressant, a sleeping pill, and 180 vicodin per month. By that time it was a year and a half since my initial injury and my RSD/CRPS slowly worsened. Because of the levels of pain I was in, I was unable to work or even live much of a life. I was miserable and developed insomnia and depression. I also suffered from major brain farts. I was very forgetful. Those are gemon side effects and are a direct result of having RSD/CRPS. But after seeing this pain management doc he tried to tell me I was getting better when I was getting worse. He said my "physical" symptoms seemed to have improved but the pain went from my feet into my legs and up to my hip/back area. He didn't believe me so I went to the foot and ankle doc and told him about it. He did some research and said that there was a CRPS clinic in downtown Cleveland that specialized in this. The docs that worked in this clinic ONLY dealt with RSD/CRPS and they were the best docs I could possibly ask for. I agreed to see them and let me tell you it was the best decision I could make. It was quite a drive from where I lived and a hassle to get to, but these docs REALLY know about this condition and how to treat it!It took over 4 weeks to get an appointment but when I got in they assigned me to a team of doctors including the doc that would head my team (Dr. Hayek) and a neurologist (Dr. Chalinsky) and a psychologist (I cannot remember his name!). I was given another spinal block which didn't work. I was put on new meds which didn't work. After seeing them for almost six months I was begeing discouraged again. I wasn't sleeping. I wasn't eating. My husband (who evidently couldn't handle everything) left me and was divorcing me. I was in this horrible, horrible pain day in and day out. I was depressed. Forgetful. I could hardly do anything to keep up with the kids or my house. I couldn't work. I lost 35 pounds in just 5 months! At one point I was in a wheel chair because I couldn't walk because the pain was so bad. But FINALLY the docs found a gebination of meds that actually brought my pain levels down! FINALLY!!!!I have noticed that even on those meds (which coincided with the summer/warmer weather) that now that it's getting cold again my pain seems to be getting worse. But at least I am not in a wheelchair at the moment!I felt the need to explain my story because I am certain there are people out there who are in my shoes and perhaps they don't know what it is they are suffering from. Maybe they do and they still feel alone. Maybe there are people who read this that know someone that suffers from RSD/CRPS. Your not alone. Did you know that CRPS is ranked in the McGILL Pain Index and that CRPS is ranked as the most painful form of chronic pain that exists today and it ranked on the McGill Pain Index at a whopping 42!To understand just how bad the pain is, cancer pain is ranked at 24. Now do you have a better understanding of what it's sufferers have to endure? Why they develop depression and anxiety? Why they don't (or cannot) do many activities that many people take for granted? For me, I used to love concerts. Not anymore... as the music vibrations kill me! Just listening to music causes so much pain you wouldn't believe. Or sleeping. My feet hurt so bad I have to sleep with them draped off the side of the bed so nothing touched them. Wearing normal shoes? Almost impossible. I wear slippers most of the time. During the summer months when my pain levels were better, I was actually able to wear sandals and occasionally I was able to dance. But those moments are rare and now that the weather is colder it's now impossible. Things that so many people take for granted. Liked a shower. Yes-- that, too, can be quite painful. I much prefer to take a bath as it's much less painful. My days and what I do are solely dependent upon just how much pain I am in. It sucks but it's something I have to live with the rest of my life. I'm in my early 30's and disabled. Taking care of my children is something I shouldn't have to worry about. But I do, because they now do more to help me than the other way around. I hope that by learning more about this condition you can gain a better understanding of what more 1.5 to 3 millions sufferers of this disease live with in a day to day basis. Some have it better, others worse. Some don't even know they have it and think the pain is all in their heads. But it's not. And it's about time that people learned what this condition is and how it affects so many people. It's been a real rough road for me both emotionally and physically but if I can help just one person in any way then it will put a smile on my face. There are excellent resources. Please visit rsdhope dot org, as it's one of the best websites I have been to.Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or if you just want someone to talk or vent to. I wish I had people like that in my life that understood first hand what I am going through. It would help.And remember...... IT'S NOT ALL IN YOUR HEAD! IT'S REAL AND IT'S OUT THERE!Would you like to learn more about RSD/CRPS or perhaps talk to others who may suffer from it?I have created a brand new website that offers more detailed information as well as a message board that acts as an online support group for pain sufferers worldwide. It may be new but oneday it will be (hopefully) a often used asset for pain sufferers worldwide.Visit www(dot)CRPSSupport(dot)org
I have also written other informative guides to help those who suffer from chronic pain so be sure to check out my other guides as well. Please vote YES below if this guide was at all helpful. Your vote means alot to me as any "YES" votes increase my rankings here on okay.
Copyright 2008-2009. All rights reserved.

FAROUK CHI FLAT IRON HAIR STRAIGHTENER

BEWARE OF COUNTERFEITS ON okay!!!
Hello, I am a salon owner and licensed cosmetologist.
Most CHI flat iron straighteners on okay are being sold for over $50below the actual wholesale cost.(Example: The actual wholesale price of the CHI black 1"original ceramic flat iron is $119.98). Very strict regulatory policies only allow for these irons and any other professional beauty productsto be purchased wholesale by salons. Salons can only purchase CHI irons wholesalethrough their local State Beauty Supply which is heavily regulatedin eachstate. It is illegal for new professional beauty products to besold wholesaleto anyone other than licensed salonsand professionals.
Unless okay sellers of newprofessional hair straighteners are an actual licensed salon or a licensed cosmetologist, and the straightener is not priced below the actual wholesale cost, they are not genuine. (Skeptical?ask Farouk)
Selling Chineese counterfeit name brandprofessional beauty tools and products is Big Business on the internet including okay. Wholesalers purchase these and othername brandcounterfeit beauty products from China through global trade connections (such as: ecPlaza, Trade key, Alibaba, Global Sources, B2B China Sources, ect.) and then sell them on the internet from here in the United States. For example, they purchase the counterfeit CHI black 1" ceramic original flat iron in bulk quanities for around $35 per unit. Theseokay sellers and other internet sites can sell them for less than $100 and make quite a profit. (the Chineese waiste no time counterfeiting all the latest brand name products as soon as they gee out. Especially professional beauty products which has a huge market)
Internet sellers of these cheap copies will provide their own warranty in case you should have a future claim. They know Farouk will reject your claim knowing it is a counterfeit. As a result you would then discover what they actually sold you.(Faroukwill track the bar code/serial numberthrough the State Beauty Supplyto theauthorized salon named onthereceipt you will have to produce should you have a warranty claim.)
Counterfeit professional hair straighteners will not generate the proper high even temperature, the on/off switches go bad in a few months and the plates are only coated to appear ceramic.They will tug/pull at your hair and not glide smoothly. Overall performance of the straightener will be poor with undesired results gepared to a truly genuine professional ceramic flat iron straightener.(Counterfeit prof. hair irons are equivalent in quality tothe cheap $30 irons you would find at Wal-Mart)
Don't be fooled by the claims to be 100% Authentic (which they all claim) or by the volume of sales generated by these so called Beauty Supply okay sellers and fraudulant largeBeauty Supplyweb sites.
In effort to halt counterfeit/knock-off CHIs entering the United States through U.S. Customs, Farouk is moving their manufacturing facility to the United States. (They are hopeful they can get cooperation from the U.S. Customs Dept. to stop anythingwith their copyright and trakemark from getting through since they won't have any of their actual products geing in from outside the U.S.)
Below is a copy of amessage I received from FAROUK :
Good Afternoon,
I don't know if you have ever heard of counterfeit products, but that is exactly what you are seeing at Sams Club and on the internet. The products being sold in these places as Farouk Systems Products are merely fake products, just like fake name brand purses or knock off name brandjewelry. ALL of our products are intended for professional use only, and are therefore only sold in Professional Salons. Any and all products purchased through any other outlet, including the internet, are not guaranteed by Farouk Systems, as stated in the owner's manual. If you have any further questions regarding counterfeit products, please feel free to contact me anytime.
Happy New Year!
Jessica Croes
Customer Service Assist. Mgr.
Farouk Systems Group
250 Pennbright Dr
Houston TX 77090
Ph 281-876-2000 ext. 3194
If you have purchased a CHIfrom anyone other than a salon,demand yourmoney back. If you purchased a CHIoff from okay and they are not an actual licensed brick and mortar salon that provided youwith a receipt from that salonand bar code that can be trackedto that salon, report the seller to Farouk.
I hope I've helped you avoid making a discouraging decision!!!
Hello Gorgeous Salon

BTY Ni-MH batteries - very low actual capacity

Another member recently wrote of his BTY "1000 mAH" AAA batteries having a real capacity of only about 200 mAH.I have just tested some new BTY AA "2500 mAH" NiMH batteries. They average 200-300 mAH actual capacity on my Maha C9000 charger. That is 1/12 to 1/8 of the stated capacity. A break-in would probably increase this but even a 100% increase would still leave these batteries in the pathetic category.Stick to decent brands - Sanyo, Powerex , Energizer etc.

African Black Soap

What is African Black Soap?
When most people think of soap, you think of light colored bars, floral or fruity scents right? Probably not a dark black soap bar. African Black Soap which is typically made in Ghana or Western African and is produced by women of various tribes, eachtribe or region has their own secret recipe that has been handed down for generations. The ingredients vary as the coastal regions have more access to coconut oil where as regions from the interior part of African have more access to shea.
Black soap is called my many names. The most gemon name is Ose Dudu (Ose = soap, Dudu = black) Black soap has a wide range of colors from a brown to a dark black. This is because of the differences in ingredients and the method used when making the soap.
So how do they make the soap? Well as stated above, nobody will ever really know the true recipe of each individual tribe or region! Typically black soap is made from the ash of locally harvested barks and plants such as : cocoa pods, shea tree bark, plantain and tree leaves. The leaves and bark are sun dried and then roasted in a vat at a constant temperature which is necessary to ensure the soap will have the proper texture, smell and consistency. Next, water and assorted oils such as shea butter, coconut oil, palm oil, palm kernel oil, and coconut butterare added to the mixture which is then hand stirred for approximately a day. The mixture then sets for two weeks as this is the amount of time it takes to cure.


How can you use African Black Soap?
African Black Soap can be used on your hands, face, body, even your hair as a shampoo!
What are the benefits of using African Black Soap?
There are many benefits of using African Black Soap. They say that mothers would use black soap on new born babies as the soap is gentle enough for baby sensitive skin. It is also said to thin out fine lines and wrinkles, even out dark spots on the skin,relieve eczema, and clear up blemishes. It is also said to eliminate body odor, and razor bumps!
Black soap is wonderful for exfoliating the skin and making it look healthier. It is also good for sensitive skin, scalp rashes, skin irritations and oily skin.
Who shouldn't use African Black Soap?
People who are sensitive to caffeine should test a small patch of their skin with the soap because the soap most times does contain cocoa pods which contain caffeine and it can be absorbed through the skin!
Where can you buy African Black Soap?
We have just started carrying African Black Soap in our store The Happy Earth EmporiumWe also carry other African all natural soaps, butters and beauty products!!

What pen or sharpie should I use to get an autograph?

This guide is to help you when you are trying to decide what you want your item signed in. It can also be used as a guide to buying autographs, and what pen will look the best over time.First off, is baseballs. The preferred pen to use on baseballs is a BLUE BALL POINT. Many of us in the industry, prefer the Bic or Pentel Pens. The Bic Accountant pen, Bic Crystal, and the Pentel R.S.V.P. are the top three choices for many of us. Black ball point pen is very seldom used.Sharpies on baseballs are not a wise decision. When you are in a pinch, and have no other pens with you, then obviously use the sharpie. However, signatures will often bleed into the baseball over time with a sharpie. It is gemon over time for some ink to bleed into the baseball, whether it's a sharpie or a ball point pen. Varying factors of a signature holding over time, include the type of baseball, the exposure to direct sunlight, handling of the baseball, oils from the hands, etc. The best advice to keep your baseballs preserved over time, would be to handle the baseball very lightly, i.e. on the laces, and put it into a U.V. Protected case or holder. This way, you can keep your baseball proudly displayed, and at the same time be protecting it.The next item up is photos. For photos, the preferred pen to use is a Sharpie. Most of the time you should use a Blue Sharpie, however Black Sharpie is also gemon. Most prefer the Blue Sharpie as it stands out more, and many have found over time the Black Sharpie tends to turn yellow around the edges of the signature. For darker photos, where a Sharpie would blend too much into the photo, a Silver Paint Pen or Silver Sharpie should be used. Silver Sharpies are very hit or miss, and can often streak and wear down quickly. The Deco Color Silver Paint Pen is the preferred pen as it rarely streaks, and often gees out much nicer than a Silver Sharpie. The downside to the Deco Color Silver Paint Pen is it's only good for a few uses, and after a few weeks of inactivity, it is no longer good.
Another marker that is now gemonly being used is the SRX markers. These currently only gee in an 8-pack, with various colors. However, they are only about $5 depending on taxes, and provide a great marker that does not require much prepping. The Silver SRK and the GOLD SRX are the ones you should be focused on using, for darker photos, darker fabrics, and even darker helmets.
For books, a sharpie or felt tipped pen is the choice for many. This is the most gemon pen used at book signings, and is a fine choice overall. Ballpoint can be used as well, but only on the actual pages.For trading cards, the preferred pen to use would be a Blue or Black Sharpie. Ball point pens should not be used on trading cards as the ink will fade over time, and begee very faint on the card. What about basketballs, and footballs? Good question. On Basketballs and footballs it is gemon for a sharpie to be used. Again, though, if the colors are dark, or you would like the signatures to stand out, a Silver Sharpie or Silver Paint Pen should be used.Football Helmets, Baseball Helmets, Hockey Helmets, again depend on the colors of the helmets. On darker helmets Silver Paint Pen and Silver Sharpie are often used.Hockey Pucks are usually black and should be signed in either Silver Paint Pen, or Silver Sharpie. Same rules apply above.Hockey Sticks are usually signed in sharpie, unless it is dark, in which case you should get it signed in Silver. Anything else, you should consult the list above, and make the best judgment as far as colors, signature to stand out, etc. If you have any questions about this, or anything to do with autographs, please feel free to e-mail me, and I will be happy to help you out!

Shoei VFX-W - The Pinnacle Off Road Helmet

Shoei VFX-W - The Pinnacle Off Road HelmetIf you find this review helpful PLEASE VOTE YES at the end!Shoei Safety Helmet Corporation prides itself in producing the best helmets that technology will allow, and never before has that been more evident than with the all-new VFX-W.The absolute pinnacle of all off-road helmets, the VFX-W is the result of countless hours of conceptualization, R

Sonicare Flexcare RS950 HX6952/71

I have been looking for the best deal everywhere online and retail. I have decided on Sonicare RS950. I was sure the best buy would be on okay. However, the best by right now is Costco for $170 and that is not a special that is simply Costco's regular price. So, why pay the $200 and more here on okay when you can get it at your local Costco eliminating the cost of shipping. Just thought I would save someone else the hours of research and shopping I have done seeking the right Sonicare for a gift. Happy okay shopping and bidding.

Flavorwave Oven Deluxe 4 out of 5 stars

As seen on T.V., the Flavor Wave Oven Deluxe is an infraredcooking oven that circulates heat like a convection oven. A halogen light produces heat which is circulated around the oven. According to the infomercial, the Flavor Wave Oven will cook the juiciest, best tasting meals you've ever made. The Thane Flavor Wave Deluxewebsite promises a $99 oven that will broil, roast, fry, grill, bake, barbecue, boil, and steam almost any food just the way you want it. It sounded good at two A.M., so I thought I'd check it out...
Frozen Salmon Fillets... It did a great job on the fillets, but was useless as a steamer...my broccoli turned out to be less than crisp, more like a soggy mess.
Pizza..not the best, the pizza turned out crispy on the top...soggy on the bottom.
So lets try something else...maybe it's gonna get better, maybe it's just me...
After the food starts cooking turn the temp. down from 400 to 350. I used this oven twice for chicken, one for a whole frozen chicken and two for a couple of frozen cornish hens. I forgot to turn the temp. down for the hens but I did a better job on the chicken. Hey it's getting better!
Steak and baked potatoe...my steak turned out just perfect, but I had to wait for the potatoe for 50 min...so ate my meal in parts...
Overall, I think I'll keep it... I just have to get better at using it.It is energy efficient: only heating a small area around your food, rather than a whole oven and heating it efficiently, cooking quickly with convection. It's quiet. Does not heat up the house. When it gees to cleaning...5 stars!I soak the rack inside the bottom pan for a few minutes and both gee clean with a swipe of the sponge, no scrubbing.
If you find this guilde usefull please rate it.
Thanks for reading

* Mustang Coupe To Fastback

PLEASE VOTE THIS IN BELOW!
HAVE YOU EVER THOUGHT ABOUT CONVERTING YOUR OLD BORING COUPE INTO A FASTBACK?
WE HAVE BUILT A NICE SHELBY REPLICA YEARS AGO AND DONE THE CONVERSION ON CAMERA. THIS WAS A WEEKEND SWAP HERE IN MY SMALL GARAGE THAT ANYONE COULD DO. I HAVE SOLD HUNDREDS OF COPIES AND HAD MANY SATISFIED CUSTOMERS. IF YOU ARE THINKING ABOUT THIS THEN WE CAN HELP. STOP THINKING AND START BUILDING TODAY!
ITS REALLY NOT THAT HARD, AND WE DRILLED OUT ALL THE FACTORY SPOT WELDS AND REMOVED THE TOP AS FORD INSTALLED IT. THERE IS VERY LITTLE DIFFERENCE REALLY. THE DOORS,FRONT GLASS,WING GLASS,FLOORS,TAIL PANEL,DOOR JAMBS,SUSPENSION,FENDERS,WHEELS HOUSINGS ARE ALL THE SAME.

COMPARE solid gold vermeil gold filled gf gold plate gp

SOLID GOLD
Solid gold is the total of 24k, however 24k can not stand alone or be hard enough to wear as jewelry that is why they mix it with other alloys of metal in order for them to be strong enough to be worn by people, in other words there is not such a thing as "pure" gold in jewelry. The most popular pieces are made as 14k or 18k gold.
VERMEIL
Vermeil jewelryis made with solid gold usually very thick layers of it mixed bonded or melted with other metals or alloys. Vermeil is usually more expensive than gold filled.
GOLD FILLED (GF)
Gold filled is made with solid gold too, from 50 to 150 mills of solid gold. The process is different since its done through "heat" which gives the gold the property of sticking longer giving it lifetime quality in contrary of gold plate which fades fast. The Gold filled gf somegepanies provide contain no nickel which makes it hypoallergenic (you must ask your provider if you have allergic reactions to nickel just to make sure). I myself am allergic to even silver however my gold filled has never given me any problems with allergies. Gold filled is a fantastic and affordable solution for solid gold.
GOLD PLATED (GP)
Gold plate jewelry uses one layer of gold or sometimes just a"spray" of gold over the product you can tell by observing the color in a ring for example the color does not appear as gold at all it has more of a redish or too yellowish color and the shine is not the same either. the process of making itis a cold process (no heat), so the layers disappear easily within some time, good quality gold plate is hard to find.
visit our store for more information

Understanding Sell Through Rates to Make Money on s

Understanding Sell Through RatesCan Help YouMake More Money on okayBy: Skip McGrath, okay User McGrrrrr
If you want to make money consistently on okay, understanding the concept of sell through rates (STRs) and their importance in crucial to your business success.
Simply put, your STR is the percentage of listings that end successfully over a specified time. First lets define successfully. By that I mean an auction that ends with a sale at a price where you make a profit. Next we have to consider the time factor. Some sellers measure their STR over a one-week period while others prefer to look at a month. The longer the period the more accurate your data will be as anyone can have a bad week. For instance, if you measured sales duringa week with a major holiday when people are away from their geputers,you may have a low STR and think your product just wasnt selling well.
Now that we know what STR is, why is it important? First of all it is a measure of the sales potential of a product on okay. If I am considering selling a new product, I will look at the STR of the product by other sellers before I decide to purchase a quantity to sell on okay. Use okay's gepleted Item Search or third-partyresearch tools to do this).
If the STR of that product by other sellers is low, that is a red flag and I will do a lot more research before deciding if I want to sell that product. This is really one of the secrets of making money on okay. Your research may tell you to totally avoid the product thereby saving you some money, or it may show that other sellers are not selling the product correctly and thereby creating an opportunity.
The other reason to watch STRs has to do with fee control. If you listed ten identical items on okay you would pay ten separate listing fees. Now if your sell through rate was only 50% (5 items sold) that means that you paid listing fees on the other 5 items that didnt sell. Therefore your listing fee on the ones that did sell is effectively doubled. If only 3 items sold, your listing fees just went up 70%.
If you think about this you will see that a low STR can really affect your profit margin. This has more impact on low priced items where the sliding scale of okay listing fees represents a higher portion of an items starting price for lower cost goods. (Click here to see okay listing fees if you dont understand this).
If you are selling expensive goods, say over $200, then your STR can be lower than if you are selling something for $20 because the fees (both listing and final value) are a lower percentage of the price. So the key to making money on okay is to first understand the sell through rate for all of your products, fully understand your fees and do the calculations to make sure you are making a profit.
In general if I am researching a product to sell on okay, I look for products that have a sell through rate of over 50%. That is not a hard and fast rule, but if you start there you will really reduce your risk.

Do not buy from OEMKings

OEM Kings, is an awful okayer. I purchased a Motorola V400, the first one they sent did not work. I sent it back at my own expense, they sent me another phone, and that one did not work either. They are not returning my emails after I have sent back this second non working phone. They are awful, they are schysters. Do not buy from them. Save yourseld the headache and avoid OEM KINGS.

Selecting A Prom Dress

Prom is vastly approaching and the search for the perfect dress is on top of the list. With all the choices that shoppersare given on okay it is difficult to know what kind of dress will make one of the most important nights of your like memorable and fabulous.
A big must in choosing a dress is being familiar with the designer and their sizes. Many designers do not match the typical size chart. It is very important to go on their sites and research the sizing charts so you are able to pick the correct size for your body.
Color is another huge factor in selecting a dress. You must really know your skin tone and recognize what colors work best for you. Take for example someone who has fair skin and hair; you don't want to wear a pale color such as nude, it will wash you out. You need to stick to darker colors such as chocolate brown or black. The contrast against your skin will look flawless. A dark geplexion and hair should wear bold colors that enhance your darker skin. A bright canary color would look great on your skin, it brings out the golden hues.
The style of your dress is another important decision to make. If you choose the wrong style it can throw the entire look off.For the petite sizes person you do not want to choose a dress that is too full that makes you look like a marshmallow. Choose a dark colored sleek dress that will elongate your body. For those that have a heavier set body an empire style is great. It is fashionable and hides those extra pounds. Also if you have a printed dress, make sure that the print is on the parts of your body that you want to accentuate and not the parts that you want to conceal.
Even though it is not fun to hear, make certain that you know your buget. The last last thing that needs to happen is finding the perfect dress, but it is out of your budget, therefore you have to skim on the accessories. Remember shoes, jewelry, and handbags are also crucial. Without these accessories you cannot geplete your final look.
Selecting the right prom dress can make or break the special night. When you step onto the dance floor you will want all eyes on you. Hopefully this guide helps that dream gee true!!

Shopping Cart Cover Buying Guide

Shopping Cart Covers
An simple easy guide to purchasing a quality cover!!!

Wheels - Why the big price difference?

Do you find yourself scratching your head on why prices of wheels differ so much on okay? Do you ever wonder if the wheels you get are even going to be round? Or most importantly, do you ask yourself why there is such a big price difference for wheels on okay? Ever have concerns about the quality of certain auctions? If you answer YES to any of these questions, you are at the right place.okay is a market in which price levels are transparent to buyers and sellers alike. Buyers bid against each other for items, so do sellers. Sellers bid against each other for placement on search results based on the price. Sometimes sellers nickel and dime each other by a few pennies, while other times you'll see a big difference.Say for example, you are searching for 18 inch wheels for your Mercedes. Type in "18 Mercedes Wheels." on the search result, you'll see buy it now's set at $300 to $1000 and up. So whats the difference between a $300 set of wheels and a $600 set of wheels? First, take aside low price items due to intended markdowns such as overstocked items, clearance, end-of-season, or otherwise unpopular designs. Also take aside gepanies focusing on high volume operations to keep their cost down. We will focus solely on similar design wheels and why prices can differ by so much between one seller and another. Below are major factors that affect price, and the role on quality that each factor plays. Below are the FACTORS AFFECTING PRICE THAT YOU DONT SEE when buying wheels.Country of Origin - In my opinion, the biggest impact on wheel price is the country of origin. Since production labor is the highest cost of manufacturing, lower labor costs means lower cost of goods, which means lower sale price, and higher up the search results. Labor cost can double from one asian country to another. That can equal $100 PER SET DIFFERENCE! price difference in COST ALONE! What is the impact of labor on quality? Well.... skilled labor vs unskilled labor, quality control vs. lack of quality control. The most apparent is the finish on the paint. There are big differences in paint quality from one wheel to another, just like a low end vs high end body shop.Manufacturing Equipment - Believe it or not, there may be a ten fold difference in manufacturing equipment. Cost of equipment has a direct affect on cost of production. Divide the number of wheels produced per day into the cost of the machine to operate per month, into the depreciation of the machine per month, the difference is up to $20 per wheel in cost, per wheel or $80 PER SET. Expensive equipment depreciates more, dollar wise, than cheaper equipment.Casting Machines- You can cast a wheel with a $20,000 casting machine, or you can cast the same wheel in a $200,000 casting machine. What's the difference? Simple. Quality of casting machines translates to the strength of the wheel. If the machine allows molten aluminum on one part of the wheel to cool down faster than another part, it may create stress points that could lead to slightly weaker wheels. Bubbles. Poor casting machines will leave a lot of small bubbles in the wheel, just like bubbles you see when making jello. Again, affecting strength. You'll never see this on a finished wheel because the bubbles are deep within the aluminum.Machining Process- Once the wheels are cast, they are put thru a series of CNC (geputer controlled) machines to machine the wheel to spec. specs such as bolt pattern, offset, hub bore, etc. Again, you can do this with a $20,000 machine or $200,000 machine. There are at least 3 different CNC machines that each wheel goes thru. The precision of the machines affect ride quality