Is Marketing Out To Get You?

Sometimes is seems as though Event Marketing is targeted directly at you. This fall I received an email about a blogging conference that I was "invited" to attend. There would be blogging gurus in abundance, camaraderie with other bloggers, affiliates everywhere, and it would only cost a whole lot of money. Oh yeah, plus the airfare and hotel. But, according to the event sponsors I would learn the secrets to making money online with my blog. So, I considered the whole thing, but decided against it when I remembered that there are literally hundreds of "how to make money online" blogs out there, and there free.

The marketing gurus almost had me, but I think I used some better judgment in the end.

Check out the link above for some interesting info on what goes into an event like that.

The Red Chair

Now, I'm not too sure if the The Red Chair is actually functional, but it does look fairly interesting. The Red Chair is made from seven lacquered steel sticks and was originally shown in the “Five playful chairs” exhibition in 2005. The red chair was made in a limited edition of ten chairs totally and has been acquired by the prestigious Nationalmusem in Stockholm and The Röhsska Museum of Design and Decorative Arts in Gothenburg.

-Enjoy

The Spice of Life

Here's a cool Youtube channel my readers may enjoy: Johnny B. Wilson. Johnny describes his Youtube channel as him ranting, but quite a bit of his humor is insightful. In one video he talks about how all the people who make Youtube vids without getting compensation and at the same generating huge traffic for free. It was insightful and humorous, you should Watch it now.

-Enjoy

Lounge easy-chair

The Lounge easy-chair looks great, and with a name like that I just want to take a seat. As you can see in the images above, the Lounge easy has the choice of a swivel or fixed base. I can see the Lounge easy in a corporate or home setting, making it a versatile piece for any space.

-Enjoy

A site Zoie would love.

I just checked out a great clothing site, Heavenly Couture, that I am sure my little sister Zoie would love. Heavenly Couture is a clothing website that carries, stylish junior clothing for Seventeen dollars or less. I wish I know about Heavenly Couture for Christmas time, I would have been able to get Zoie a whole outfit for her, and probably kept the total under thirty five dollars. Take the Light weight Purple Zipup Hoodie pictured above, it only costs Thirteen dollars right now and could easily go with any of the pants or shirts on the site.

If your little sister or daughter has a birthday coming up soon I would definitely recommend a visit to Heavenly Couture.

-Enjoy

Dolphin easy chair

The Dolphin chair is great, both in design and style. Here's what the designer has to say about the Dolphin chair.

Easy chair for lounge habitat. An advanced moulding technique has made this particular chair possible: the seat and back rest are both moulded two-ways. The chair is an inspiration from the classic designs of the fifties. Choose between veneered, lacquered or upholstered.

-Enjoy

Police Gear

Here's a cool link for all you guys that like SWAT gear. LA Police Gear has all the tactical style clothing and accessories that may be hard to find (not your old navy gear). LA Police Gear carries flash lights, pants, holsters, side arm knives, and more from the top manufacturers in the field. So check them out and,

-Enjoy

UPS-able Upholstery

I just added some really cool, ups-able upholstery to the site, and they look great. Now you can put a large sofa in any room, even rooms with tiny doors on the fourth floor. The sofas, called convert-a-couches, take a tip from the futon industry in their manufacture and packaging. As if the whole package couldn't get any better, each convert-a-couch folds down into a full size bed.

So check it out and,

-Enjoy

Boston Living

I know the term Boston luxury apartments can be hard to believe. But with a good rental company like weRENTboston.com, nice apartments can be found in Boston. Just check out the link if you don't want to take my word for it. You'll find great spaces in Boston hot spots as well as more reasonably priced accommodations in the outskirts of the city. The layout of the apartment listings was easy to navigate and the small thumbnail image next to each listing gave you a feel for each apartment without the need to go any deeper into the site (a nice way to avoid an apartment that's not a match). I also liked the ability to selectively weed out spaces that won't fit your needs, such as the various sections of the site for, in example, furnished apartments or places with parking.

This is one of the sites you have to visit if you're planning a move to Boston.

-Enjoy

Modern Furniture - Again

Some of you may be breathing a shy of relief (or frustration) because I'm back on a modern furniture kick again. The Boomerang bench is a sleek birch and chromium affair that looks great. Head over to Lervik Design and as always,

-Enjoy

Violin Lessons

When I was younger I used to play the violin, fairly badly (I was 10), but I still enjoyed playing. Recently my little sister, Halley, started violin lessons and I thought I would share a great site that offers video lessons. The Academy of Music Performance offers three lesson series on their site (beginner, intermediate, and holiday courses), catering to all levels of musicians. Each series has individual lessons as well, focusing on individual songs before moving on to the next lesson. This style of lesson format allows the student to repeat as many times as necessary to feel comfortable with with the material at hand. The Academy of Music Performance site looks sharp and has a wealth on info for the casual browser or returning student.

-Enjoy

Earth Hour - 2008

About Earth Hour On March 31 2007, for one hour, Sydney made a powerful statement about the greatest contributor to global warming – coal-fired electricity – by turning off its lights. Over 2.2 million Sydney residents and over 2,100 businesses switched off, leading to a 10.2% energy reduction across the city. What began as one city taking a stand against global warming caught the attention of the world. If the greenhouse reduction achieved in the Sydney CBD during Earth Hour was sustained for a year, it would be equivalent to taking 48,616 cars off the road for a year.

This year the idea is going global, and this is your chance to participate. Visit The Earth Hour Site for more info.

-Enjoy

Cool Educational Toys

Here's a good link for all you "breeders" out there, here's a great link. Cool Stuff Express has some really Cool Educational Toys for your kids, so you can cram as much educational stuff in their heads and still make keep them entertained. You'll find crystal growing sets, ant farm toys, and, well, almost anything to do with nature.

So, head on over there and get your kids some educational toys today.

-Enjoy

Product of the Year, Sweden -2005

The Uddabo is a kitchen table with a planning bench at the end of the table top. It's described as a table for active people who need the kitchen table for more than a place to eat. The planning bench part can also be used for cutting bread and cracking crab claws. While I don't really think the crab claw part is very factual, the table does have an interesting look.

-Enjoy

Wrist Watches

Over the past few months, taking care of Noelle's grandmother from home, I've found that I really didn't have to pay a whole lot of attention to the time. Recently, however, my need to pay attention has peaked. To make a long (and boring) story short, I've been looking for a new watch, and I've really liked one Seiko Watch in particular. That's when I visited Bluedial.com, an online watch retailer that has a huge selection, cool design, and fast shipping options. And that's what really matters for an eCommerce site. One thing that I thought was very impressive was fast shipping, by default Bluedial.com ships everything second day air. That's incredible.

-Enjoy

Plastic Subway Animals

This is such a cool idea, it's a wonder that no one did this before. There's an artist who's been making animals (like the one pictured above) out of discarded plastic bags. He (or she) ties the bags to the ventilation grates above the subway lines so that when the subway rolls by underneath, the animal inflates and springs to life. Such a cool idea.

-Enjoy

Ocean Potion

Alright, I'm back on the Ocean Potion "Xtreme" Tanning Lotion kick again. As some of you may remember, Ocean Potion has some pretty great sun care products, and their Xtreme tanning products are no exception. Heres one of the great facts I found on their products:

All our formulas are PABA-free, cruelty free and many are fragrance free and hypo allergenic. We care about your skin too, with products designed to nourish, and keep your skin looking its best, longer.

Ocean potion is also holding a Spring Break contest where the top video submission could win $5000 dollars. So head over there and vote for my video and, well, I'd be most appreciative.

Getting on the Patriotic Band Wagon

Ok, I just saw a write up in the local news paper about my former employers business and I had to laugh. RZ is not stating that 90% off all the merchandise in his establishment is US made. I ran the warehouse and was responsible for all the receiving and I know that he is full of shit. He used to carry so much furniture and accessories from China, Vietnam and Malaysia, it was ridiculous.

But, I guess when you really want to appeal to your customers in a way that you can, you'll say almost anything to get people in the door. If only they knew, and if only the local paper that takes all of RZ's advertising money their readers may have gotten a truthful article instead of a sugar coated sack of shit.

So, if you're shopping in Northampton, MA for furniture, get ready to be lied to.

As always,

-Enjoy

Credit Card Offers, are they all shady? I think not.

Surprise is a word I don't often use when performing a review of sites that promote or share low interest rate credit card offers. Creditnet, however, shifted my opinion of credit card resource websites. Here's what swayed my opinion of Creditnet:

"Introductory rates often have stipulations, and you should always read the Fees, Terms & Conditions provided by the issuer before taking full advantage of the introductory rates. The issuer may review your application and credit history to determine the length of time the introductory rates will apply to you.

An introductory rate on balance transfers helps consumers save money by allowing them to transfer balances from high interest credit cards to the card with the introductory rate. Some issuers only offer this rate if you transfer your balance at the time of your application. Often, introductory rates are only valid as long as you pay at least the minimum payment on time."

I really appreciated that Creditnet is actually providing good advice for credit card holders. Also, the site layout and navigation was nice, and very easy to find what you're looking for. So, head on over and take a look at the excellent credit card offers that Creditnet has on their site.

-Enjoy

Street Art At It's Finest

I saw this image on another site, and I couldn't resist posting it here for my readers. Featured over at The Wooster Collective, a site that has a plethora (yeah I watched the Three Amigos last night, wanna fight about it?), a site that contains fine examples of street art. I think the image at the top of the post is definitely one of my favorites.

Here's a few examples of the images you'll find on the Wooster Collective:





Check it out and as always,

-Enjoy

How can you become a better shopper

Ok, as a thirty year old guy, I view shopping as an in and out kind of experience. Just find something that looks nice and go with it. I avoid all the browsing / trying on (if I can avoid it), and sometimes just go with the first thing that floats my boat. Well, after checking out Jennifer's blog over at The Gift Therapist's Bargain Zone I saw maybe Jennifer has a few shopping pointers that I should take into consideration next time. For instance, right off the bat the blog launches into finding deals and what motivates them in their shopping.

This type of read got me thinking about my shopping tendencies and why I shop for certain items. So, when I saw the Subscribe to my blog RSS feature in the address bar I'd check it out and make a point to visit every once in a while.

Check it out and as always,

-Enjoy

Star Trek Shower?

Ok, I don't think I ever saw a shower on any of the Star Trek episodes, but if they did show one it would look just like the Cabin shower. It appears that the shower has wall nozzles, as well as a large shower head above. I also suspect that the shower may even have some sort of steam element since it is all sealed in.

-Enjoy

Luxury Apartments

In my recent apartment remodel, I can tell you, with 100% certainty, that a nice living space goes a long way in raising your quality of life. That's often the difference between an apartment and a home. Take for instance, a Bucknell Apartment listing at Lewisburg Luxury Rentals. The apartments in their listings look great; the spaces include a chef's kitchen, beautiful hardwood floors, Kohler fixtures, radiant-heated bathroom floors (very nice), central heating and cooling, in-unit Laundry, and energy-saving design features.

It's nice to see a company that wants to promote quality of living rather than a quick sell. Check it out if you're in Bucknell area.

-Enjoy

Glass Bathtubs?!

The Milo bathtub definitely has an extremely revealing design. Thick glass and dark woods blend well, but the whole feel is a bit to stark for my taste. The Milo is probably very comfy, but I still think it is more suited to the set of Dune than your typical bathroom.

What do you think? Feel free to share your opinion with the rest of the readers.

-Enjoy

There's still time for your Disney Vacation

Ok, I know it may be getting late in the season to be thinking about heading to Florida for a vacation (temperatures have been in the fifties here in Western Mass) but there are still some great opportunities to save big at the hotels near Disney World. Not just for a family either, the Lake Buena
Vista Hotels are just right for anyone headed to any of the Orlando conventions / events taking place this year. Take the AUA (American Urological Association) 2008 Annual Meeting, this year it's being held in Orlando and the Lake Buena Vista Hotels are just a stones throw away.

Not that your trip has to be all about business. The Orlando Vista Hotel is conveniently located at the entrance to the Downtown Disney® Resort Area as well as being just a half mile from Pleasure Island and minutes to the Orlando Convention Center, SeaWorld®, Universal Studios®, and the Florida Mall. Prime location, warm weather, plenty of adventurous activities. Can it get any better?

Well, I think so. There are also one hundred and seventy six Orlando area golf courses that'll just call your name. If you're into golf, that is ;)

So, while you may go to Orlando for the Convention, you'll definitely go back for all the amenities. I know I would.

Stunning Bathrooms

As my search through the internet marches on, I seem to have found a new trend (to myself at least) of wooden fixtures in for the bathroom. At first when I saw pieces like the Calypso Wenge I was shocked, but the idea grew on me the more I saw. The timeless look of the wooden bathtub and sink really tie in well with modern surroundings. I bet they would look good in a classic space as well.

-Enjoy

Are oysters funny?

What did one oyster say to the other about people giving pearls as gifts? Any guesses? The first oyster said that humans may as well just give a kidney stone as a gift, since pearls are just a pain in the gullet.

Seriously though, if you enjoy eating Gulf oystersyou'll want to get you facts straight before partaking, it's no laughing matter.

First, consumption of raw or undercooked oysters by at-risk individuals may cause serious illness or even death from Vibrio vulnificus bacteria. If you have liver disease, diabetes or a weak immune system, you should avoid raw oysters.

Second, oysters also provide a low calorie protein that are an excellent source of zinc, vitamin B-12, and omega-3 fatty acids.

So in moderation, an oyster may be just what you're looking for. But make sure you can handle them. Head over to Be Oyster Aware if you have any unanswered questions about eating raw oysters or the risk involved.

-Enjoy

Bean bag chair of a different color

I like bean bag chairs, who doesn't? Well, here's who, anyone out of their early twenties. So heres a bean bag chair for all the adults still holding on to that kid inside. Here's a description of the "sunk" chair by the designer:

SUNK is a bean bag. However SUNK is very different. It has a wooden frame to stabilize the square shape. Inside the wooden frame there is stretchable belt to make the SUNK comfortable when you sit in it. The balls inside SUNK is placed in a bag that can move around a polyether frame so that the armrest and back builds up when you sit in it.

-Enjoy

Do You Want A $20,000 Home Makeover?

Ok, if the title of the post didn't grab your attention, this should. You could win a twenty thousand dollar home makeover from TriScents. Right now your probably asking how and where, and rightfully so.

So here's the deal, from the official contest rules:

Once registered, entrants can submit an entry into the Promotion by creating and uploading their own video file, photo file and essay by typing the submission into the free-form text field included on the Promotion web page. VIDEO FORMAT MUST BE IN MOV OR WMV. VIDEO NOT TO EXCEED 2 MINUTES IN LENGTH AND 20 MEGABYTES IN SIZE. PHOTO FORMAT MUST BE JPG OR GIF WITH A MAXIMUM SIZE OF 500KB. ESSAYS MUST BE WRITTEN IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE WITH A MAXIMUM OF 250 WORDS.
To be eligible, submissions must include a video or photo and essay showing and explaining why your home needs a makeover from Renuzit Tri Scents and Tanya Memme. Entries will be judged on convincing explanation and demonstration of why your home needs a makeover and why Renuzit TriScents can help. You must visually show your home to be eligible.
The entry must be the entrant’s own work. Should you experience any difficulties with any aspect of the Promotion, please send an email to RenuzitTriScents@promosupport.com and your request will be answered promptly
Once you submit your Entry, you will be officially entered into the Promotion. Promotion entries cannot be revised or altered once submitted. Once submitted, all submitted components become the property of the Promotion Entities and will not be returned.

So, that's it a quick vid about how your stinky home (maybe you have dogs or live next to a paper mill) needs a quick face lift and how TriScents can help.

So, check it out and enter to win while you still can. And even if you don't win, you'll still be able to use the handy, downloadable coupons on the TriScents website.

People Chair

The People chair is really cool. It appears to be an office chair with a built in ottoman. Here's what the designer has to say about the design:

“People” is a very comfortable and still looks slim. It has an optimal seating curve with a high back. It has armrests and you can lean back and adjust the angle to your own liking. And People have a 100 % disappearing footstool. When the footstool is pushed in it is no longer a footstool it is a part of the seat. The footstool pleats it self on to the front of the armchair. The “accordion” footstool has a very low-tech construction. The only thing that makes the fabric to plead it self in the right way is by “learning” the fabric the right way to go. We do it once and then the footstool knows which way to go. The glass fibre “arms” that holds the footstool up has a very comfortable “trampoline” effect. The costumer’s leg will softly float above the floor.

-Enjoy

Marble Accents

I just checked out a site called Marble Unique, importers of fine marble products for your home. Marble Unique has an interesting selection of leading direct
importer of quality marble and stone fireplaces, water fountains, statues, and more
I checked out the marble fireplace page at Marble Unique and I was impressed with the vast selection. Some of the designs were a bit too over the top for my taste but they definitely have something for everyone. But, it's not just for the inside of the home, Marble Unique carries garden accents, pedestals, human and animal statues, as well as fountains. The only thing that I think needs a little work is the text on the home page. It's a bit hard to make out over the image, but other than that the site looks great and is easy to navigate.

-Enjoy

This will blow your mind

Well, maybe it won't but I still think the Andstretch looks awesome. The concept for this flat-pack paper rack is simple. With only a thin bendable plywood / plastic sheet and a rubber band the design was quite innovative. I truly enjoy the work over at Thorunn, it's always a new twist on a familiar idea.

-Enjoy

Wet basements anyone?

I am so tired of my basement this spring, what with the rain and melting snow creating a constant flow of water in every crack. I can't tell you how many sump pumps I've had to replace over the years, and after finding a site like The B-Dry System, I may have to act on my wet basement annoyance. Here's what B-Dry does.

The B-DRY® BASEMENT WATERPROOFING SYSTEM takes care of
-Wet Basement Wall Leaks
-Water Leaking At The Floor Wall Joint
-Water Leakage Coming Up Through Concrete Floor Joints or Cracks
-Wall Leaks in Stone Basements

How do they do it?
Through the use of a Rigid Sealer which provides a dependable waterproof basement sealer. A barrier is then formed between your wet basement walls and any wall panels,insulation or other building materials.

B-Dry Rigid sealer panels are formed from a special plastic-polymer. It provides for the special purpose of spanning cracks and other defects in your basement walls.

The concept is just what I've been looking for, and I hope to implement something like this before the next mud season rolls around.

-Enjoy

Mattress Fire Codes

I got a call today from a customer who wanted some additional information on the various fire codes that are involved in the futon / mattress industry today. As of July, 2007 every mattress or futon is require to be able to withstand an open flame for minutes without bursting into flames. The side by side demo in the video above is a great example of the difference this new law makes.

What it doesn't address, however, are the affects of such chemicals in our bedding. Feel free to comment and let me know what you think about the new laws.

-Enjoy

Baby Furniture & More!

Since I see what the majority of my site visitors are searching for (baby / kids furniture), I thought I'd share a review of Baby Mall Online. The majority of the items carried at Baby Mall Online consists of infant baby clothes, but they also have a fairly varied selection of bedding for your baby. I was really impressed with the prices and variety that I found. For instance, you can purchase a four piece crib set that includes a comforter, bumper, dust ruffle, and crib sheet for only $39.95. Baby Mall Online has sets for boys and girls (blues & pinks) in a variety themes as well. I liked the sports theme for the boy crib, especially since you can add matching blankets and room accessories to complete your set from the rest of the site.

Though it may be hard to see, the Andaglas lamp actually heats and burns in incense stick that rest near the bulb. Here's how the designer describes the process:

"The lamp lights up the smoke from the incense stick as it travels up the glass pipe. The lamp rocks a little bit on its round bottom, if someone touches it, and then the smoke starts dancing. The heavy smell of incense and the strange blueish light makes watching the lamp a mesmerizing experience."

Another ground breaking design idea THORUNN ARNADOTTIR Design.

-Enjoy

Spa or Detox?

With all the hype about celebrity break downs and addictions in the media this year, it's no surprise to me to see a new type of spa style Addiction treatment, Addiction treatment center on the rise. When I think of a detox center I tend to think of stark surroundings and spartan living quarters. Usually in an area far away from home where you would normally want to visit.

Well, Addiction Treatment is one of the companies that is making a change in how detox / rehab is being approached. Addiction Treatment offers top-notch caring and professional therapists who will pamper you with luxurious amenities found in only the best 4 star hotels. While you take your journey to better, healthy living you will be able to enjoy a healing massage, yoga and fitness instruction from a private trainer, walks along the world-famous beaches in Malibu California, surfing, horseback riding, and peaceful meditation in our gorgeous gardens.

While this may sound like a vacation, don't the the amenities fool you. Addiction Treatment is still about fighting your addictions, what ever they may be. Be it alcohol, drug, or any other type of addition, you will still get the treatment you need without the need to stay in a minimum security prison.

Sounds like a nice change to the system.

Interior Design With Concrete

Normally I don't really get into concrete in the home, maybe it's because I live in a 1920's duplex and don't think it would be worth the investment. But, I must say that the concrete counters, sinks, and bathtubs by Stone Soup Concrete have really caught my eye. Stone Soup works primarily in New England, but I'm sure they'd take on jobs outside the region for the right price. The bathtub shown above is assembled from 5 tongue & groove pieces, weighs 1750 lbs & has a 120 gallon capacity. Plus, it looks really nice as well. But that's all that matters, right?

-Enjoy

Health Care

Have you ever wondered how health insurance companies come up with their plans and pricing?

If you have let me introduce you to a company named HealthLeaders-InterStudy. With a focus on analyzing health plan trends HealthLeaders-InterStudy breaks down HMO, POS, Medicare, Medicaid, and PPO enrollmen, health plan market share, HMO financial data, hospital and physician networks data, executive contacts and vendor information for businesses.

With this data businesses can evaluate which health care plan makes the most sense for their employees and area. Hopefully the data provided by HealthLeaders-InterStudy will allow employers to get the best possible coverage for their employees and employees to get the most effective health care for their hard earned cash.

So, whether you're an employer or employee, you should be able to benefit for the services provided by HealthLeaders-InterStudy.

-Enjoy

Stone Sinks

Lately I've been checking out a lot of Stone Sink options for what I hope is a soon to be redone counter and kitchen sink. As you can see there are both modern and Antique Stone Sinks on the market today. Besides, I don't think I'd really want to use an antique. The modern version above looks great, it has a nice strong look and it must be quite substantial.

-Enjoy

Event Planners

When I was out in Las Vegas for the World Market, I went to a gala event for all the buyers and exhibitors that were attending. It was great, there were free drinks, carving stations, dessert stands, the works. And I'm almost 100% certain that the Las Vegas World Market couldn't have pulled it off without using a company like Innovative Entertainment, San Francisco event planners. Here's what they do. Well, Innovative Entertainment handles everything your event may need. Food, lighting, music, staffing, corporate event planning, event management, theme parties, dance bands, theatrical productions, interactive entertainers and games, environmental entertainment, virtual reality, as well as major headline entertainers can be arranged for you. The events they handle are both corporate or private, from wedding to fund raisers.

Definitely a stress lifting service for anyone who may be planning a major event.

Last Night

No, this post isn't about The Strokes. It is, however, about my fine dining experience last night at Sienna in South Deerfield, Massachusetts. Noelle and I finally went out together after a long period of taking care of her terminally ill grandmother. Marie (Noelle's grandmother) passed away on Saturday in her sleep, which was coincidentally her 92nd birthday. So, to make a long side tracking story short, after a year of care taking Noelle and I went out to celebrate Marie's 92nd birthday.

Here's a quick review of our Sienna experience. First our party consisted of Noelle, Bailey (Noelle's sister), Bev (Noelle's mom), Betsy (our friend) and myself. The mood and decor of the restaurant was very nice. We found low lighting and local artwork very pleasing and the music was spot on (a mix of jazz and African). We all stuck to beer with both our appetizers and entre's, Sienna has a nice selection of micro brews, which we were told rotates occasionally.

For appetizers Noelle had Caesar salad, Bailey went with fried oysters, Bev tried the Thai mushroom soup, and I had the wild boar sausage & shrimp over fried polenta. In a word the appetizers were great. I particularly enjoyed the wild boar shrimp combination, the loose style sausage was pan seared in a traditional tomato sauce and the shrimp were finished to perfection.

Next we had our entre's. Bailey ordered the flat iron steak over potato with shallot marmalade. The steak was cooked perfectly and finished with a demi glace and mushroom springroll. Noelle had a serving of the polenta with the tomato for a light meal and Bev had the crabcake. Both were great. I tried the pancetta wrapped venison loin, which came with sweet potato fries and asparagus. Let just say it was fantastic. I would highly recommend the venison to anyone.

Our desserts were also spot on, classic creme brule & cheese cake finished our dinning experience wonderfully. I would give Sienna a 8 out of 10 and definitely recommend it to anyone in Western Mass, whether you live in the area or just passing through.

-Enjoy

Golf in Vegas

As some of you may remember, I just got back from a conference in Las Vegas in January. The trip was hectic, and I really didn't have a whole lot of time for any recreational activities. Which was really too bad, as there are tons of Las Vegas golf courses that I might have checked out if I had the time. When I flew in to Vegas I saw quite a few courses, and when I checked out the Las Vegas Golf Authority website, I found some great prices and tee times at quite a few award winning golf courses in the Las Vegas area. So, if you have some leisure time on your next trip to Vegas you'll want to check out Las Vegas Golf Authority first.

-Enjoy

Sustainable Furniture Design

The Graphic Armoire is another stunning example of sustainable design. Gloss white laminate and kirei teaturing FSC cerified plywood. As usual Iannone's furniture features premium soft close dovetailed drawers. I really appreciated the contrast of the white laminate and the clean wood detailing.

-Enjoy

Rap Music

Now, I don't know a whole lot about your average rap artist, but RapArtists.com is a place to learn a little something. RapArtists.com has a nice layout which includes a forum, artist listing, new release section, and a top ten. Theres also a nice tie in to iTunes & Amazon music where you can buy and download the top ten albums. I really liked the layout and think the site will do very well. The only thing I didn't find was a sample clip section to the site. This really would have upped the ante on other sites.

-Enjoy

Bamboo Side Board

This Amber bamboo sideboard with bamboo inlay looks great. Clean modern lines fit well with the strong focus on environmentally friendly materials. Features bamboo plywood and FSC cerified plywood with a low VOC water based lacquer finish. Premium soft close dovetailed drawers cap off the whole package.

Something Every Business Needs

Ok, the title could be about, well, just about anything. But this post is about free ads at WhyNotAd. WhynotAD is a Web 2.0 Wiki Style Free Ad, Advertising and Classifieds Portal. In fact, whynotAD is the world's first all-in-one Web 2.0 Ad, Advertising and Classified - Free Advertising Portal.

The site is awesome, it's like a Craigslist on steroids. The homepage makes me want to explore. What's also nice is that most advertising is acceptable on the whynotAD Ad portal as long as the Ads are of "QUALITY" content. WhyNotAd does not allow ads that resemble spam or ads that are pornographic in nature. Which is great for your average user. I hate going on Craigslist and finding fifty work from home pyramid scheme ads. Hopefully the advertising on their site will be different.

Obviously theres no registration required for browsing, but advertisers will need am email to register. Also very revolutionary is the ad ranking system. People can vote for an ad or classified and this then increases the ad’s individual ranking. Ads with a higher ranking will of course rank higher in our search results and other interesting features!

To vote, simply move your mouse over the star rating and click on the rating you wish to give the ad or classified. Also nice is the feature that stops advertisers from finding loop holes in the system and boosting their own standings. But, usually it's only a matter of time before exchanges start taking place behind the scenes and advertisers find a way to boost their ranks.

Definitely head over and check it out. I think you'll enjoy it.

More Space Saving Designs

Philippe Malouin has done it again with the Unit. The space saving design is fantastic, combining your kitchen and bathroom. Developed with European flats in mind the Unit could easily be used in any area where space is at a premium. Very innovative and stylish.

-Enjoy

Is there a fight in the credit industry?

Wel, I wouldn't have said it if there weren't. As is turns out two companies that offer credit fraud protection services, lifelock and Experian, are exchanging blow both in and out of the courtroom about the measure taken by Lifelock to protect the consumer.

Experian's complaint states

"LifeLock's scheme costs Experian millions of dollars every year in processing large numbers of improper initial fraud alerts, mailing mandatory notices to consumers, and providing free credit reports to consumers who are not eligible for such reports,"

What Experian doesn't say is that they also provide such services and that Lifelock is one of their competitors. Sounds a little fishy to me, having to sue your competition for (according to Experian) over zealous protection of the consumer. Experian also doesn't state that they are losing sales and profits since Lifelock offers a $10 a month protection plan, with recurring alerts on any questionable credit activity. Most alerts expire after three months unless reinstated (which Lifelock does automatically). Experian claims this automatic reinstatement bogs down the system, and costs them money, which they don't like.

Sounds like someone cares more about their profits than protecting the consumer.

Multi-Purpose Household Items

The Hanger Chair definitely compliments the Grace Table in its utilitarian design and innovation. I thing more designers should gear their products towards double duty, and space saving. The only downside I can see is that you won't have a hanger for your clothes while the chair is in use. Other than that, their cool.

-Enjoy

Web Conferences

Heres a cool service for all my business readers. I know we've all signed up for the latest and greatest webinar, and some of us have even used web conferences to meet with reps from all over the country. Well WiredRed is a new options, to me, that has some really great features and pricing. Their entry level web conference plan allows up to 5 concurrent (simultaneous) users with unlimited usage. That's only $350 a month, but you can also sign up for the year for $3000. WiredRed also offers video conferencing, secure instant messaging, and alert messaging. I use an unsecured chat program for my eCommerce site, but I can really see the benefit from a chat which is secure. It would be nice to take orders in that manner and should really boost customer trust.

Inflatable Table

The Inflatable Table by Philippe Malouin has to be one of the more innovative ideas I've seen in a while. Here's what Philippe has to say about the design:

"Grand furniture pieces are marvelous, although rather tricky to transport. handle or store. I admire the capacity of inflatable furniture to decrease its size to modest volumes. Inflatable furniture has many disadvantages such as stability, rigidity, the control of its shape etc. Inflatable chairs and couches have been around for a long time. I am trying to move toward this concept from a different approach: inflatable tables do not exist because of the limitations of inflatable furniture, starting with the fact that flat surfaces are difficult to achieve."

But don't just take my word on how cool the Inflatable Table is, watch the video below.

Digital Picture Frames

Do you have a big family photo collection but only space on your desk for one frame? Well, you need to pick up a digital photo frame and rotate many images in only one frame. Here's how it works, the digital photo frames at Digital Frames Direct use back lit flat panel technology to display a series of digital images which you load into the frame via the USB port on the frame. Frames are powered by a power adaptor, so theres no need to mess around with batteries.

I really liked the digital photo frame idea, they save space and allow so much versatility in what you can fit on your desk. Also nice were the prices, the frames were quite affordable for a complicated piece of technology.

-Enjoy

Piasa Room Divider

The Piasa Room Divider is made from sustainably harvested (FSC-certified) beech (pictured), maple, or pine, & cotton rope. The stunning form of this screen comes from the simplicity of its materials: just wood and cotton rope. Shown here in beech wood at a length of 3 meters, other lengths – and woods – are available.

-Enjoy

Cool College Plug

I just checked out a couple promotional Kettering Stickman videos, and I have to say that I really enjoyed the whole concept. Kettering University, a school that has a fantastic mechanical engineering program. But, back to the Stickman videos. In one sentence I thought they were great. The dry humor really fit what Kettering was trying to convey, and the simplicity of the animation was perfect. It's the perfect balance that I would expect from one of the US News Best Colleges. As a matter of fact the US News and World Report has ranked Kettering University as "the #1 University in the nation for Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering" in its annual "America's Best Colleges Guide for 2008

You'll see one of the Kettering Stickman Videos above, and I think it was definitely my favorite. The video describes, fairly well, the collegiate process for quite a few people. The humor was dry, as I stated before, but still gave me a few laughs and quite a few smiles. Check out the video above and feel free to visit the Kettering website to view some of the other great videos. You'll get a kick out them, and maybe find a new direction or new path in life.

-Enjoy

"Pounce" Cat Tree

The "Pounce" Cat Tree is made from 100% corrugated cardboard, 35% minimum recycled content. Adhesives comply with ASTM-D 4236 non-toxic materials standards for consumer products. The surface is treated with a zero-VOC, non-toxic paint. This is definitely a designer cat product, for a sheik cat.

-Enjoy

Gantry Cranes

I just checked out Gantry Cranes by Shuttlelift, specially Industrial Lift suppliers. Gantry Cranes are quite versitile working in the marine industry, fabricated concrete lifts, steel mills, modular buildings, wind power generation, and the aerospace industry. What I thought was really cool was the cranes ability to roll over the object it lifts, saving space and energy.

Georgie Table

Handmade in Brooklyn, NY the Georgie Table is made from bamboo, stainless steel rod (legs and bolts). Finish of linseed oil (70%) and spar varnish (30%). In addition to being made of renewable and recyclable materials, Georgie's unique production process greatly reduces construction waste.

Backwood transportation

My buddy Dan and his girl friend Diane live way out in the boondocks in Western Massachusetts. Well, as boondocky as you can get in Massachusetts anyway. So, back to the post topic, Dan owns an A-Frame house down a dirt road that's more than a mile into the woods. As such they don't plow in the winter and use a four wheeler to converse the icy, snow packed road. I thought they might like Texas ATVs, a site that primarily focuses on quad and ATV racing but also has a lot of info on off roading and off road vehicles. Texas ATVs has a forum, riding areas section, page for events, and upcoming events calender. One feature I also liked were the latest daily videos. The videos showed just what an ATV can do, or can't.

Hammocks

The Sling is one cool looking hammock. The Sling is made from 100% unused, reclaimed nylon seat belt webbing; stainless steel frame and mounting hardware. I like to look of the woven nylon, it reminds me of a reed basket or something.

-Enjoy

What If...?

Do you like oysters? How about pearls? Which do you like better? Recently I saw a documentary on the discovery channel about the harvesting of pearls, both genuine and cultured. It was really an interesting process, but I still feel bad that the oyster has to be removed from the water and opened. I suppose it could maybe relieve an irritant that the oyster had under it's shell. Who knows. But, what if oysters didn't produce pearls? Would people be as interested in eating them? I guess it could be worse for the oyster though. If they produced gold or diamonds they'd be extinct by now.

Now let's change the course of this post, do you eat oysters? Well if so there are a few facts everyone should know about eating undercooked or raw Gulf oysters. Whether you eat oysters in moderation or by the dozen, these delightful mollusks provide a low calorie protein that are an excellent source of zinc, vitamin B-12, and omega-3 fatty acids.

While not a serious threat to healthy individuals, consumption of raw or undercooked oysters by at-risk individuals may cause serious illness or even death from Vibrio vulnificus bacteria. If you have liver disease, diabetes or a weak immune system, you should avoid raw oysters.

Bamboo Utensils

Here's a really cool eco friendly find for your table top. The Bamboo Utensils are beautiful and also extremely durable. They also feature a handy little built-in spoon rest on the back of the handle. A set of six is only twenty bucks which is also nice.

-Enjoy

Portable Air Conditioners

When I saw a Portable Air Conditioner over at Top Air Conditioner, the first thing that popped into my head was the theme song from Meatballs (are you ready for the summer). The second thing I noticed and really liked is the fact that these air conditioners don't need to be placed in a window. Since I'm the one who lugs the air conditioners around in my house to install them in the windows I thought the air conditioner on wheels thing was a great idea. All that's needed is a window to pass an exhaust tube through, or for spaces without a window a small exhaust hole. Well, sign me up. I'm tired of balancing a heavy air conditioner and installing it by myself.

-Enjoy

Our New Wiiner Is!

Since I didn't hear from Roadracer within 48 hours, I've chosen a new winner. Katie from Kingston, Ontario Canada is the winner of a brand new Chinese Poem futon cover.

But, the contest rules still apply, if Katie doesn't respond within 48 hours a new winner will be chosen.

So for everyone else who entered the contest, keep your fingers crossed. It's not over yet.

Is it time to get away?

For the past six months or so, Noelle's terminally ill grandmother (Marie) has lived at our house in preparation for her passing. Last week Noelle and I made a pact to take a vacation after things have calmed down at our house (things are quite stressful in situations like this one). So, I have been checking out travel sites to see just whats available and was so tempted to book an Alaska cruise tour at TravelStoreUSA.com I could taste it. I mean what a better way to get away? I don't think I could find a farther place to go than Alaska. Here's what TravelStoreUSA.com has to say about their Alaskan cruises.

"* The coastal scenery is stunning, and most of southeastern Alaska is protected when cruising the Inside Passage, making for a calm, relaxing and enjoyable journey. Seeing whales and eagles is not uncommon.
* An Alaskan Cruise Tour is an easy way to enjoy a relaxing and comfortable vacation while experiencing fantastic scenery and historic ports of call.
* The coastal scenery is stunning, and most of southeastern Alaska is protected when cruising the Inside Passage, making for a calm, relaxing and enjoyable journey. Seeing whales and eagles is not uncommon.
* Glacier cruises enable you to cruise close up to Alaska's immense glaciers, often witnessing a calving where large blocks of ice break off in thunderous sound and fall to the water.
* Alaska’s towns were built on the waterways and coastlines, and some, such as the capital of Juneau, are only accessible by boat or air.
* The dock is often located near the center of town, so walking to the heart of things is relatively easy and enjoyable, and walking out of town for a nature hike is easy."

How could you resist? Check out all the nice options they have on the site.

-Enjoy

Recycled Side Table

The Recycled Side Table is designed to be used either upright (as shown) or on its side. Either way, the slots and openings in the form create space for storage as well as visual interest according it's designer. I think this table was taken from the movie BeetleJuice.

-Enjoy

Glass Repair

When I worked for a popular furniture store in Massachusetts (at least in the owners mind) someone broke one of the large windows in the front of the warehouse. Well, normally he would have cheaped out and made the warehouse guys take care of it, but this was actually dangerous. This job called for professional glass guys like the ones that work for Valiant Glass. A professional glass company, like Valiant, can handle emergency glass repairs, glass insurance claims, and can custom cut replacement glass for tables or shelves.

Luckily, my old boss didn't make the delivery guys tackle that project, unlike the time when he had us remove a wall to the warehouse. He had us take down a wall in fiddle with the structure of the warehouse and install a door without an Easthampton Construction permit or a licensed contractor on site. I wonder if that door is still in use?

Knit Chair

The Knit Chair is amazing. Made from wood panels and cotton rope (which holds everything together), this is one of the most inventive chairs I've ever seen. Quite a stunning piece.

-Enjoy

Connecticut Courier Services

There are times in business when time sensitive documents need to be rush delivered and the mail or big box parcel companies just don't fit within your needs. Or maybe you're looking for delivery fulfillment services, have you thought about subcontracting out to save money and scheduling headaches? Well, if you've been in need of either of service, MDCS, a Hartford courier service might be able to step in and meet your delivery needs. The secure warehouse MDCS runs in Connecticut also provides customers with a convenient, affordable option to traditional storage methods. Storing your company's products at the MDCS warehouse allows you to cut one more stage out of your shipping process, as we can handle all your product shipments and deliveries.

Check it out if you're thinking about expanding your operation.

Cortica Chaise

The Cortica Chaise is as sustainable as it gets, made from pure cork (reclaimed waste material from the bottle-stopper industry), non-toxic marine-grade adhesive, and a small amount of polyurethane. The Cortica is a full-size chaise with a place for head, heels, and everything in between. Since it's made of cork, a renewable material, it's lightweight, naturally waterproof (and buoyant!), and impervious to rot and mold. The Cortica can be used indoors or outdoors.

-Enjoy

Soap making supplies

A few years ago, Noelle and I made soap as gifts for Christmas. People probably thought we were just being cheap or something, but the soap we made was really nice. We were kind of limited in what we could do by how we were giving the gifts, but we could have done some cooler gifts had we known about the gars or lip balm tubes available at Elements Bath & Body. Let's face it, giving homemade lip balm as a gift can be kind of hard if you don't have a container to put it in.

Elements Bath & Body has everything you'll need if you're interested in making your own soap, balms, or scented oils. Check it out.

-Enjoy

Soli e Lune screen

It's rare that I find a screen (mostly Shoji) that I really like, but the Soli e Lune screen is definitely an exception. I also don't find many screen that cost $18,000 either though, so maybe you have to dip into your children's college funds in order to have a stylish home. Anyhow, I digress, the hand silk-screened designs are stunning. I really enjoyed finding this one.

-Enjoy

Is the internet aimed at anyone in particular?

I just read a really though provoking article by Jordan McCollum, over at Marketing Pilgrim about a internet content marketing study. Here's a quick quote

"Do you feel that most content on the Internet is aimed at your age group? If so, you’re not alone: more than half of Internet users agree, according to a new study by Burst Media (PDF).

The study found that around three-quarters of Internet users aged 18 to 34 believe that web content is primarily focused on their age groups. Another 55% of Internet users between 35 and 44 believe that it’s focused around their age group. After 45, however, there is a decline, with a little more than 1 in 3 of the 45-54 group agreeing, just over 1 in 5 of the 55-64 group agreeing and about 1 in 8 of the 65+ group agreeing."

It got me thinking about the issue, and I think the way a person would answer that question has a lot to do with the mentality a lot of people have about everything being about themselves. At least that's what I think sometimes.

-Enjoy

Are you remodeling?

At the moment Noelle and I are in the middle of remodeling our income property. Our tenants had lived in the two bedroom apartment we own for almost fifty years and recently, when the husband passed away, the apartment became empty. So, we decided that this was the time to remodel, the apartment is vacant and in need of about thirty years of updating. In our search around the web, we found American Home Craft, a company that carries everything, besides the labor :), you'll need for your remodel.

American Home Craft Inc. sells cabinets, counter tops, windows, doors, siding & more. The options are many, which is great, but they are located in Marion, Ohio. So if you're in their area and in need of a little remodel yourself, check out the site and bring some spare time, you'll need it for their broad selection.

We have a winner!

Our futon cover contest is now officially over and we have a winner. And the Winner is Roadracer. Here's what Roadracer said about the free futon cover we're offering...

I could really use this, my wife bought a leopard print cover awhile back and besides its worn and faded condition, I never liked the tacky design.

So, Roadracer has 48 hours update his blogger profile to allow email contact in order to claim his prize. If it is not completed by then, a new winner will be chosen.

Do you need checks?

When I started my business I chose to use a large check binder instead of a small check book. I probably wouldn't have made that choice if I knew that a refill would cost me forty nine dollars. What I should have done, as usual, is head over to Vista Print to check out their discount checks. The options at Vista Print are, as usual, quite extensive (at least in my opinion). Vista Print carries Business Wallet Checks, Personal Wallet Checks, Three-To-A-Page Checks, and Computer Checks.

The options that can go into each style are fairly in depth as well. Take the business wallet checks for instance. I checked out the options and there were like three or four pages of different theme options just under that category. Plus, things can be customized with personal or business logos, etc.

To sweeten the deal, Vista Print has a promotional code “BlogFreeChecks08” which can be entered at the checkout in order to get twenty five free checks.

-Enjoy

Funky Seating

The Helix Chair is a very unique looking piece of furniture. You'll notice I didn't say classy. The Helix is available in either red or dalmatian print.

-Enjoy

Tomorrow's the big day

If you haven't signed up for the futon cover giveaway, this may be your last chance. With almost twenty entries, your odds of receiving a free futon cover are pretty good. And, it's pretty painless to enter, just post a comment and you're in.

-Enjoy

Does Anyone Out There Like The Rodeo?

Now, I just want to say that I've never attended a rodeo, but every so often I see one on TV and I have to admit that I do find it amusing on occasion. This isn't to say that I endorse or like what happens to the animals at the rodeo, I actually enjoy it when the animals get the upper hand on the guys that try to ride them.

When I went to Las Vegas in January, I thought I might be in luck since the National Rodeo Finals are being held there. Well, unfortunately I was out of luck. When I checked out the official National Rodeo Finals tickets website I saw that the big show doesn't go down until December of 2008. One reason that I'd like to go (no it isn't related to Borat) is that I hope they have some awesome barbecue on site. I mean, BBQ and rodeo goes together like peanut butter and jelly, at least in my mind. And I really like BBQ.

So, if anyone knows if the BBQ goes down, let me know. If I'm in Vegas this December I know where to go. Plus, maybe I'll see one of those rodeo clowns get what they deserve. :)

-Enjoy

Sterling Silver Flatware

I've shared quite a few furniture finds today, now here's a great flatware set. The style of this flatware set is very whimsical and funky, but still classy. Now, I know the price of silver has increased over the past few years, but I don't think I know anyone who would pay the asking price for this set. Though, that may just say a whole lot about my standing in the world. Who knows.

-Enjoy

Restaurant Furniture

I spent about ten years in the restaurant business before getting into furniture, and once I saw that much less was expected from residential furniture. Think about it, how many residential dining chairs do you expect to hold people of various weights for twelve or more hours a day, have an extremely durable finish, and be solid for years? I can't think of many companies, and I've worked with quite a few high end ones, whose seating needs some adjustment.

Enter Affordable Seating, an eCommerce site specializing in restaurant furniture and commercial bar furniture. Affordable
Seating has quite a few chair and stool options, many of which ship in seven to fourteen business days. Their site is easy to navigate and I'm sure you'll be able to furnish your restaurant with the nice products there.

Ordinary Tete a Tete set

Similar to the Traditional Beer set (previous post), the Ordinary Tete a Tete set is another great looking set made from recycled plastic. The table and stools look heavy duty and very traditional.

-Enjoy

Recycled Plastic Table & Benches

When I first saw the Ordinary Beer set I thought I was looking at some heavy duty, wood furniture. I was shocked when I read that it was made from recycled plastic. I don't know about you but I could definitely see myself having a beer at this this set. :)

-Enjoy

Printers and Postage

Are you one of those guys that has to run out to the post office every time you want to send a package out via USPS priority mail? I am too, and I've been putting some serious thought into one of those services that offers postage and online stamps at your business location or home office. But, in order to sign up for one of those services, you'll need to look into postage label printing options.

Here are a few that you may be interested in:


The LabelWriter 400 Turbo:
At only $139 the LabelWriter 400 Turbo is the starting point for your postage printing needs. You don't need any ink or toner and it's capable of printing 55 labels per minute. You'd have to be pretty busy to need more than that.


The LabelWriter Twin Turbo:
The same great speed of the 400 with two size options.


LabelWriter DUO:
Lastlym the DUO combines the features of 400 Turbo (for die-cut paper labels) with the versatility to print permanent nylon, plastic and polyester label cassettes.


The options don't end there, but that's all I have time to review today. If you're interested in more printer options for you or your business head over to DYMO and check out all the options they have to save you time.

Frametable - folding table

I don't think I'd be interested in paying $2,410.00 of a folding table, but I do like the look of the Frametable.
The structure is made from polished die cast aluminum, the top is anodized aluminum alloy with panel edged with polycarbonate sheet. So, if you think you'd like to pay more for this table than you would for a Yugo, have at it.

-Enjoy

Do you need a hand with your website?

If you answered yes to the question in the title, you may want to check out Jezweb.com.au. Jezweb is a company that specializes in graphic design and hosting as well as web site design in Australia. They can help you with Logos, content or dynamic database driven websites, Search Engine Optimization, & other website related services.

One thing I really liked about Jezweb was there approach towards the design of an eCommerce website. Here's a quote from their site.

Jezweb will design a website that works for you as an online sales rep, that is, your website should save you time with enquiries, generate profits that are a multiple of what you invest in your website and give you greater market reach

Jezweb has some very good customer feedback as well as a blog on their very nice looking site. Feel free to check it out and share your feedback here if you'd like.

-Enjoy

Oak Gabbiano

Here's another version to the Gabbiano washbasin. This version is made from natural oak, according to the website. I'm not too sure how they can say that, wood and water don't really mix (well boats I guess). All in all, I still think it looks great.

-Enjoy

Gabbiano Washbasin

When I first saw the Gabbiano Washbasin I couldn't figure out how it worked. From the front view it looks as though water from the tap will spill out onto the floor. Little did I know, that the Gabbiano has a glass plate at the front of the basin. I love the way the designer used the clear glass to show off the nicely curved Corian sink.

-Enjoy

Office Chairs

One item that's often overlooked in the workplace are good office chairs. When I first started my own business, I skimped on my office furniture and my office storage. I really regret having made the cheapo mistake. Here's a great example: while I was developing my eCommerce site, which took about six months of trial and error html coding, image processing and a cart setup, I sat in a really cheap desk chair sold by a Scandinavian company. I bet you know the one. Well, that chair was great for about two or three weeks and then it got very uncomfortable. The foam was compressed down to about one tenth of the original thickness and the seat was super hard.

One chair that I really liked is a chair called the Stealth Mesh Chair. The Stealth goes through quite a bit of testing. The Stealth was tested through 500,000 cycles using a weight of 150kg onto the seat, and 50kg onto the back, this simulates 10 years of use (8 hours a day) in a severe contract environment. Top quality, high density, long-life fire retardant foams are used in all Stealth chairs. But that's not what I like the most, though it does help. What I really like is how cool it looks.

Spoon bathtub

At first I thought the Spoon Bathtub was a weird looking sink. Then I looked at the dimensions and realized that a person could fit in it. the Spoon Bathtub is made from Exmar material, composite of resin and quartz powder.

-Enjoy

Credit Cards Across The Big Pond

Over the past seven years of my involvement with eCommerce, I've processed quiet a few sales that were made on European credit cards. While it's not a huge deal, it is worth noting that their are some differences with the UK credit card system and the system here in the US. Specifically in the fraud protection and security area of things. Here's how it works in the US, a customer makes a purchase and the merchant then verifies all the information in a verification system. This can be done either manually or an automated process. Some merchants (like my former employer in Northampton, Massachusetts) prefer the manual approach because they can lie about a card being present and thus, get better processing rates. This is also less secure, in my opinion, but if you're unscrupulous it can save you some money.

Anyway, if everything matches you're good to go and the sale proceeds. UK cards are different, however, companies are not as free with the info and the verifcation process is, in my opinion not as through. The customers information is much more secure however, and they can get the best credit card deals available because of that. Just a small adjustment can make a big difference in fraud rates and the consumer can usually benefit.

Chiocciola Shower

The Chiocciola Shower is amazing. Made from matte finish acrylic screen and exmar composite made from resin and quartz powder in white satin or sand finish. The Chiocciola Shower can be configured for either left or right hand entry. I wish I had a view of the shower from the side, but the above shot looks a lot like a sea shell.

-Enjoy

Does your business deal with bad parking?

If you answered yes, you may want to check out a car barriers for your parking lot. I think we've all had to deal with people parking badly, it sometimes seems that unless you have great signs and directions to your lot people will park almost anywhere. Well, that's where Traffic Guard Direct comes in. Traffic Guard Direct has a wide variety of traffic control devices - "Bollards and Bollard Vehicle Barriers" that will keep unwanted vehicles out of restricted areas. Now areas like walkways, bike paths, sidewalk, & many others can be kept clear for pedestrians and authorized traffic.

-Enjoy

Ghost chair - Clear glass chair

The Ghost Chair looks amazing, but I'd be afraid to sit on it. The Ghost is made from 0.5” thick curved glass, so it must be sturdy enough to hold a person. Well, most people anyway.

How's Your Mortgage Interest Rate?

Do you all remember last month when the fed lowered interest rates? Everyone in the Mortgage market thought this would jump start the housing portion of the economy, what with lower mortgage rates and all. SO, Noelle and I were planning to refinance to take advantage of the situation and what did we find?

To our surprise the mortgage interest rates were back up! Did this make sense to anyone else? The fed lowers rates and the banks follow suit for about a week, and then things get jacked back up again. Not only did the interest rates go back up, it almost seems like the interest rates are higher than they were before.

Did I miss something here? Maybe, because I always thought that when the fed lowered interest rates, the banks always followed. Why? Because if you actually want to stimulate growth in the market (which at the moment seems to be a bit shaky) you have to sweeten the deal to bring in new home buyers.

So, what do you think about the current mortgage rates? Did interest rates go down in your area for like a week and then sky rocket back up? Or did things stay low?

Feel free to share, I'm very curious.

The Rope Arm Chair is a very unique piece of furniture. Even though I find the design facinating, I have a hard time seeing if in use in anyone's home. Well, maybe the queen of knitting could use a chair like this one. At the moment this chair is part of the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art, New York

The New Face Of eCommerce - SilkFair

With all the turmoil around the net in the past month about a popular web auction sites seller feedback policy (we won't name any names) a lot of people have been looking for new avenues to sell their goods online. One such avenue is SilkFair, a new, all inclusive site that that provides some pretty handy services. SilkFair takes care of everything a seller needs:

- when a sellers sets up their store, SilkFair provides a unique URL with every store.
- Payment options are integrated into their services, options include Google Checkout, PayPal Standard or Express Checkout and Authorize.net
- Feedback - One feature I'm glad SilkFair included is feed back. This is the one tool that sellers and buyers have to assess the situation that they're about to enter into. A valuable tool.

Upon my first visit, I decided to sell an ottoman size (21"x28") to test out the site. Let me start off by saying the process was easy, there were no listing fees, and the whole setup took place on only one screen. No jumping around to multiple screens and selecting categories or images or any other steps to drive a seller crazy. You can see my futon cover sale here.

Polder Sofa

The Polder Sofa is a stunning piece of furniture. “Polder” refers to the artificial land reclaimed from the sea by means of dikes and drainage canals. The Polder sofa comes in five different color variations, each upholstered in a carefully selected set of fabrics and matched with a particular high-tech thread, prescribed by the designer, Hella Jongerius. Additionally, each of the buttons on the sofa, made in natural materials, is completely unique.

Boating Supplies

If you're an avid boating enthusiast you may encounter the need for some fiberglass boat repair. American Marine Supply can help you with a great selection of quality fiberglass and gel coat repair products. Here's how it works. Repair kits permanently repair nicks, gouges and scratches in fiberglass hulls and decks. Blends hundreds of colors and cures glass-hard in 1 hour. Special release paper and no-run polyester gel makes slick, no-sand finish quick and easy. You mix colors directly against hull or deck for perfect match. American Marine Supply can also provide other repair products for your boat,if a fiberglass gel kit isn't really what you're looking for.

Kits can also also repairs countertops, appliances, bathroom tubs and sinks.

-Enjoy

Flap Sofa

The Flap Sofa is quite a stunning piece. It's more of a sectional, with taste, as opposed lots of seating. If you have an extra $22,000 you should definitely check it out.

Business Feedback Surveys

Did you ever wonder just how well your website or business preformed? Or maybe you're curious about the impression your site leaves visitors with? If you fall under any of those two categories you'll want to visit Service Intelligence. Service Intelligence offers customer service surveys, site evaluations, mystery shoppers, exit interviews & more. Definitely a service that can help improve your business and your overall customers' shopping experience. If you don't care about either of those two things, well, it's about time that you started. It only takes one bad impression to lose a sale, and get a bad reputation.

I'm about to move over to a new URL

The time has come for the Futon Blog to move to it's own unique domain has come. Soon instead of visiting the Futon Blog at the back end of Goodnight Moon Futon, you head over to http://www.futonblog.com

It's really quite exciting. See you there soon.

Memory Foam Mattresses

One item I don't carry on my site are Memory Foam Mattresses, partly because I don't have a whole lot of experience with them and I usually like a super firm mattress. One site that specializes in memory foam mattresses OvernightMattress.com/Real-Reviews, and there selection looks quite impressive. Over Night Mattress.com has a 120 night in house trial, which is unheard of. I don't know of anyone else that does that. Over Night Mattress.com also has some nice mattress reviews from actual customers, which is nice for perspective shoppers. Well, at least if you have the same taste as the reviewer anyway. :)

As a web designer I have to say their site looked nice, clean, and very professional.

Freeform sofa & ottoman

The Freeform is another stylish European made piece. The fabric is a removable creme fabric cover in 100% wool and the legs natural maple. Nice, sleek lines and subtle colors do go very well together.

Web Hosting Review

If you're looking for a reliable web host, or maybe want to compare web host features, I just found a site where host stats can be found. Take, for example, a 1and1 Review. You can find the general web host features, ratings, up time, pricing, bandwidth, and a category called trust factors. I really liked trust factors. :)

I found it very interesting that 1&1 has over 7 million customers and 1&1 currently serves over 9 million domain names at its 40,000 server strong worldwide data centers. That's the kind of info you won't alway find on a web hosts site.

Have you got $30,000 for a cool sofa?

If you've got an extra thirty grand, then I've got the sofa for you. The sofa is made in Italy and is constructed from Upholstered in chromium tanned Fiore bovine leather, structure in steel with chrome-plated support base with brushed steel feet and polyurethane padding. I'm not sure if it's worth the 30K, but it is pretty cool.

Free Internet For Life!

I just checked out an online auction where one luck bidder could win high speed internet for life. You did read that right, I did mean to type the word "life". The auction is going to be held on March 12th. That could be an amazing deal, unless the winner gets hit by a bus tomorrow. :) You can pre-register with a valid email, by doing so you'll be entered into a Nintendo Wii give away. I'm sure you'll recieve offers and what not from Charter, but the winner will receive a Nintendo Wii Console, Wii Stand, 5 Sports games ( Boxing, Baseball, Tennis, Golf and bowling), 1 Remote Controller, 1 Nunchuk Controller, 1 Sensor Bar, 1 Wii AC Adapter, 1 Wii AV Cable. You are ready to play, no other equipment needed. So Click Here for a Chance to Win a Nintendo® Wii™!.

While you're there, you can pre-register for the auction to receive Charter High-Speed® Internet for Life. Registration for bidding on the Charter High-Speed® Internet for Life offer will require that the visitor qualify for the offer by zip code – must be in a Charter serviceable area. If you're out of the Charter area, you're out of the auction.

The complete auction rules can be found here

Wednesday Speed Links

Here's a little speed link action for your home:

PadStyle: Nice blog about all things trend and design related.

Blink Decor: Great interior design tips and ideas.

Apartment Therapy: Focused on helping city dwellers make the most of their 300 square foot apartments.

-Enjoy

Door Handles

Most people don't put a whole lot of thought into their door handles. Usually they want them to open, lock, and be sturdy. Well, at least until they're broken, and then people usually cheap out on replacements. Anyway, Noelle and I have been in the process of making improvements to the inside of our rental income property and we were looking at door knobs and handles the other day. We checked out the local hardware store and didn't find anything that really tickled our fancies (where did that come from).

To the internet: We found a really cool British site called Door Chic that specializes in nice door knobs. Take the handle pictured above. It has a nice brushed chrome assembly with a chestnut leather grip. And thats just one example out of many. Now, it could just be me, but I don't think I've seen a store that sells high end door hardware, and it's too bad that the Atlantic Ocean is between us. The site design is crisp, clear, and easy to navigate. Check out their selection if you're in the UK or willing to pay shipping rates to the US.

All in all, they had the some nice furnishings that I will I could use in my space.

I think we've all been pretty productive - here's a time waster.

If you've been a little too productive today and feel like wasting a little time on something less stressful, I'd recommend Alien Disorder. While it's not that inventive or innovative, it is entertaining. I think I played for like twenty minutes after a long day of writing and it flew by. Try it out if you have a couple minutes at the end of your long day.

Are you Ready For Easter Yet?

If you are, your better off than I am. Luckily you still have time left to buy your Easter presents, and save money at Coupon Chief.com with one of their promo codes. Coupon Chief.com is a huge site that shares promotional discount codes from leading retailers like Amazon, Marriot Hotels, Orbitz and many, many more. With the available coupons you can save more off already great prices on all the gifts on your wish list. For instance, I've been looking at a new gym bag to put all my aikido, kendo, and ken jutsu gear in. I found one that I like on Amazon and I plan on saving a little more off the retail price with a promtional discount code from Coupon Chief. I think I've earned an Easter present this year for myself. :)

Modern Furnishings

When I look at a stylish spot like the one pictured above, I tend to think that they really don't exist. Well, maybe in a photo shoot. Anyway, Steel Bridge Lofts can help you organize your space in a manner that might look like the one above.

Check out the site, you might just get some inspiration for your space.

Unsecured Business Loans

Lately I've been p[laying with the idea of finding a physical location for my business, and to do so, I'd need a business loan to get the operation going. Enter AfsLoansOnline.com and their Unsecured Business Loans. You're probably asking yourself what are Unsecured Business Loans? That's a good question, heres a good answer. Unsecured Business Loans are loans between $10,000 - $250,000, that don't require a huge amount of collateral to get approved. There are no application fee's, no upfront fees, no hidden charges, and most loans are approved or denied withing 24-48 hours. You can also apply right online, making the whole process that much easier.

Concrete Light Bulbs?!

The Concrete Light Bulb Hook is quite the conversation piece, it brings surprising materials and texture to an everyday shape.These handmade pieces of art will add a sleek industrial look all while providing some extra hanging space. Create your own art installment with a grouping!

Garden & Patio Furniture

One style of furniture that I don't have a whole lot of experience with, but is a large part of anyones furnishings is outdoor tables and chairs. Like this Hartman Garden Furniture over at Online-Garden-Centre.com. The blending of metal, woods and rattan really do something for me (I like mixed mediums). The site itself looks very professional, and well thought out. If you plan on spending time outside this summer, maybe your space could use a little style.

Concrete Bowl

Function and beauty meet again with this sculptural concrete bowl. The eggcrate pattern creates great visual contrast against a heavy and distorted form. A true converstation piece with room for your personal display! The bowl looks almost soft!

Everything you need to know about your iPhone

Last week I checked out my friend, Edwins', iPhone when I went out to the restaurant where he works. I must say it can do everything, browse the internet, make calls (obviously), google maps, play music and videos, everything! My brief brush with Edwin's iPhone got me curious and little did I know, iphones can do more. Enter Planet iPhones, a forum all about iPhones and the iPhone mods you can put on your iPhone.

Planet iPhones is a great resource for all you iPhone owners out there. They have downloads for your phone, like themes and skins, iphone wallpapers, media (ring tones, sounds, etc), and applications for your iPhone that you may need to reinstall. I really liked some of the iphone wallpapers

But, thats not all you can do at Planet iPhones. The forums are a great place to look for advice about your iPhone. Troubleshooting, tutorials, file mods, they have a category for almost all of your iPhone needs. One feature that I thought was really cool, that you don't see on very many forums is a live chat feature. You have to be a member, but a positive live chat experience can make a forum or website so much more interactive. If you own an iPhone, and want to customize, troubleshoot a problem, or just see what other iPhone users are doing to their phones, Planet iPhones is a good place to start.

Futon Contest Update.

Here's a quick update on the Futon Cover Contest, being held by the Futon Blog right now! Comments and entries are coming in and the entries have almost reached ten people. With only eight days to go, don't miss your chance to get a free, full size Chinese Poem Futon Cover.

Savings Accounts

I hope to see more sites like the Australian one I just found that compares Savings Accounts. The site compares the varying account options from different institutions, allowing consumers to make an educated choice about where they deposit their money. Also listed on the site are high interest savings accounts, where you can actually get a return on your money, not just let it sit in someone else's hands. The design looked nice and the site was easy to navigate, so check it out and hopefully we'll see some web sites like that one pop up in the US market.

Enjoy

More Mission Furniture

Relax in casual luxury with this The American Mission style living room chair. This handcrafted Mission style furniture piece features a number of customizable options to make it the ideal seating choice for your living area. Enjoy comfort, beauty and years of durability in a finely constructed, Amish-made chair.

Trivia Games

Here's a press release from 247trivia, an online game site where you get to test your whits. Have fun and enjoy.


247trivia.com Brings the Thrill of TV Game Shows to the Internet

Trivia game-shows are a huge hit on TV. Now they are arriving on the Internet in a big way. Leading this trend, 247trivia.com lets its members participate in online game shows and win cash prizes.

With trivia game shows on TV being viewed by huge audiences worldwide, it is little surprise that online trivia games are emerging as a big trend on the internet. Several new websites are being launched every month and all of them seem to be gaining ground rapidly, leading industry observers to predict that online trivia games may well enjoy high growth rates for years to come.

247trivia, a pioneer in the field of game shows on the Internet, is leading this trend by offering its members online trivia games that simulate a game show experience. The flash games include captivating game-showesque graphics and music scores and have players from around the world meet and compete in different categories of knowledge. To make the game show atmosphere complete, the site is now offering cash prizes in daily tournaments, so players can win money like on TV game shows.

Many trivia fans who love to watch trivia game shows on television are discovering that they no longer need to be just spectators; they can be the contestants in sites like 247trivia.

"I can't believe how addictive these games are," says Jennifer Davis, a trivia player on 247trivia.com. "And I keep meeting many other regular players who seem to log on as much as I do. I love watching Jeopardy on TV, but here I am actually playing and even winning money."

247trivia holds several daily tournaments with free entry and cash prizes, as well as a weekly Grand Slam tournament with prizes that grow as more players join to play. Players can also win money in cash games in which they pay an entry fee to join the game, and the winner takes the whole pot, minus the website's facilitating fee.

"Online trivia games have been around for years, but in recent months there has been a big surge of interest and our community of trivia lovers is growing very rapidly. We are trying to keep everyone happy with new games and special offers as well. Whenever we ask our players what kind of promotion they would appreciate the most, they ask for more Freeroll tournaments, and we are happy to oblige with several new tournaments added in the past month," says Nick Roberts, 247trivia's community manager. "But we also like to offer promotions with an added value. Last month, for example, we cooperated with another website in a promotion in which we balanced out the paper used in the books read by our leading players by planting trees in under-developed countries," Roberts added.

The selection of games in 247trivia includes upfront multi-player trivia quiz game-shows as well as more sophisticated trivia games that require strategy and thinking and not just good trivia skills. There are also different games for sports trivia and entertainment trivia with different graphics and rules that are suited for lovers of these special categories.

To experience the thrill of a game show on the internet, visit our website at www.247trivia.com.

247trivia.com is the leading online trivia games site on the internet, with tens of thousands of players in its rapidly growing community of trivia lovers, 247trivia offers its players non-stop trivia games online with the best flash based multiplayer trivia games that offer a real game-show experience.

http://www.prweb.com/releases/trivia/games/prweb674423.htm

Another Radiohead Tuesday

I'm on a bit of a Radiohead kick today, so I wanted to share one of my favorite videos with you. The song is called Just, and it's one of the best Radiohead Songs (IMHO). If you can tell me what the guy say at the end, I would be very impressed.

Mailboxes - From Fancy to Plain

Last year some punk kids smashed my mailbox in the middle of the night. So I did what most people do, I called the cops, who filed a report and then I went down to the local hardware store to get a plain old, boring mailbox. Well, today I wish I had looked around a little first because SeatleLux.com has a huge selection of very unique mailboxes.

The Mailboxes they carry range from wall mounted to curbside, and are available in a wide variety of styles. And the mailboxes aren't just for the home, they also carry multi-family boxes for condos or apartments. Did the plow take out your mailbox post this winter? Have no fear, they have matching posts as well.

Radiohead and NIN are changing the world

I just heard that Trent Reznor of NIN is following in Radiohead's footsteps by offering free music downloads on NIN.com which is very bogged down right now. I'd give it a few days before you ever try it. I think that offering music direct to you fans is awesome.

Way to go, NIN and Radiohead.

Insurance Quotes

I just saw a news story the other day regarding the change in Massachusetts insurance laws. For the past twenty or thirty years the state of Massachusetts has regulated the prices of insurance rates, and as such cut out the competition. So, if you're a good driver your insurance rates could potentially be higher than they should be. This covers car or Truck Insurance, and in my opinion bails out people with bad driving records. When the governor addressed the issue this year the insurance company responded by saying good drivers will pay more under that system, thus trying to scare everyone out of the idea. I think it'll definitely back fire on them, and people will look to other, potetially out of state sources for insurance.

I hope in changing the insurance laws in Massachusetts, the market gets opened up to internet based insurance companies. Their rates always seem so much lower than what your local agent can (will) quote you and shopping around was never an option. Each company had the same rates based on your driving record, so the whole system was fixed. Hopefully things are changing for the better.

We'll see how it turns out.

Morris Chair

The Morris Chair is the perfect example of the mission furniture designed by Gustav Stickley. Stickley ran a chair factory in the 1880s who's primary focus was mission furniture. The Morris is a heavily imitated piece that has a timeless quality.

Plan Ahead

Have you started planning for your future? If you haven't you may want to take a look at Diamond Bay Investments. They boast a twelve percent return on a hard money investment, but they can also help with other services as well such as loan underwriting and processing, title and escrow, hazard and flood insurance when necessary, & current tax payment verification. They are also involved in giving back to the communities which they serve, definitely a plus. Check out the site or contact them for details.

Art Deco Chair

Tonight I did a quick search for art deco furniture and I found the very cool chair above. Featured in the Treadway/ Toomey galleries, who seem to have an abundance of art deco furnishings. Quite a nice find on a slow Monday night.

Enjoy

Fashion Schools

Has anyone been following Fashion Runway? I have to admit that Noelle and I watch it occasionally, I make my own martial arts uniforms and I think the construction of clothing is quite interesting. Noelle, I think, likes both the drama and the nice clothes. One thing that's not discussed very often is the education that the contestants have under their belts or how to go about getting into the industry.

One place you may want to start at is Fashion Schools, a company that helps you find new york fashion schools. It goes without saying, that any site with an eye towards design had better be able to back it up with a good site design. Well Fashion Schools won't disappoint. While they're definitely pushing the whole fashion schools new york thing, they also have nice fashion related content. They have some informative articles, designer bios & more. As well as quite a few links to fashion school in new york as well as other fashion institutes around the country.

Enjoy your browsing.

Crazy Night

Last night I had one of the craziest experiences of my entire life to date. Well, it was definitely on one of the top ten. My wife, her terminally ill grandmother, and myself were sitting in our living room watching TV last night when the grandmother, Marie, started chocking. So, that's when the panic set in! Noelle had no idea of what to do and obviously Marie was going to be no help.

So, I jumped up and performed the Heimlich maneuver. Now, this was the first time in my life that I've ever had to do such a thing, and I should thank my fourth grade science teacher (Mrs. Murry) for making that lesson stick. Luckily, Marie survived and the night continued from there slightly rattled but intact. I think I may have actually squeezed a little life back into Marie, because she was quite a bit livelier after the whole experience.

What's the lesson? Learn the Heimlich while you still can!

Inventory Software

Commander Business Management Systems, an inventory management company, has recently developed a motorcycle microfiche inventory and parts system for motorcycle dealers and mechanics alike. The program looks very nice, but then I really enjoy checking out schematics and 3d blue prints. With their software, part name, item numbers, and the location on the bike can be seen and ordered from your computer. The thought that went into the program looks to be thorough as well. So, if you're tired of flipping through part catalogs, check out the software and you might just be able to stream line your whole process.

Blogging goals

I just read a great post over at The Blog Entrepreneur about improving what we (bloggers) do on our blogs. The post itself was quite thought provoking and it really got me pulling a little self evaluation about the quality of my blog posts.

In doing so I had to agree that in order to be a great blogger one has to figure out their strengths and weaknesses. This is great advice, and I am going to take it. Hopefully it'll help me improve the futon blog and give my visitors as much quality posts as I can.

If you get the chance visit the above link and check out another nice blog.

Motorcycle gear

About four or five years ago, I owned a 1985 Honda Shadow, a great bike that I still miss today. But I've gotten ahead of myself. I had to trade my bike for some body work on my truck after I got into a fender bender. At the time I was pretty ill prepared for bike ownership anyway. I didn't really have a nice jacket, like the ones at The Bazaar Online. They carry tons of men's motorcycle jackets at great prices. A nice bike jacket is more than just a stylish accessory, it'll also save you if you take a spill. At least from road rash that is. The Bazaar Online is easy to navigate and has quite a lot to look at too.

Cool Stool

The Pillow Stool is quite unique and innovative. Well, kind of anyway. I used to have a small camping stool that used to look somewhat similar but definitely not as nice. Over all though, I think it's a pretty cool new find. Check out the link to find more interesting products.

Vacation rentals

I stayed in a hotel last month on my recent trip to Las Vegas for the futon expo, and today saw a cool advertizement for Rocky Point vacation rentals. How are the two tied together? Well, Oceana has a nice section to their site that offers weekly rentals for trips instead of staying in a small hotel room. I think that sounds great, a whole apartment for any extended stay. Oceana has a sharp looking site, and lots of options for travelers. Check it out.

Don't miss your chance to sign up

I looks as though my futon cover give away is starting to finally get noticed, and people are signing up. The drawing to determine the winner takes place on March 12th, so don't forget to sign up if you want something for free. The odds of winning are pretty good at the moment as well.

Wood Suppliers

The other day I was looking for alder for a new project I'm about to start when I found a site that carries pressure treated wood. The Pacific Wood Preserving Company seems to be on the right track, with an emphasis on environmentally friendly harvesting practices. It's nice to see companies that don't just go into an area and destroy it. They make some pretty heavy duty lumber products, telephone poles, rail road ties, and more. The site was easy to navigate, and there was a wealth of information. The only gripe I have is a lack of pricing.

After a brief hiatus, I finally went back to aikido

I haven't been to aikido much this past month, with things at home taking up a lot of my free time this past month. But, I'm happy to say that I went to aikido and ken-jutsu yesterday and it was great. First my sensei, Don, taught an hour of aikido basics and then my sword teacher, Peter, taught another hour and a half of ken-jutsu.

After almost a month off the mat, my body is definitely feeling it today. My teachers, both of whom are twice my age, put me to shame. I could hardly keep up.

If anyone of my readers are in the Brattleboro, VT area and wish to join us for aikido or ken-jutsu training feel free to drop me a line.

Looking for a good deal?

Lightinthebox.com is a site I just checked out, that carries quite a few products (mostly imported) that are sold for significantly reduced prices. Light In The Box Seems to specialize in electronics but they also carry some goods for the home as well as clothes, jewelry, toys and more. One of the items that really caught my eye was the i32 Hi-Phone Touch Screen Dual SIM GSM Cell Phone/iPhone's Brother. The phone looked great, and was quite a bit less than I could find an iPhone for.

Check it out, you may be able to find a deal on something you've wanted to buy.

Moke Chair

You've probably seen a few chairs in the same style of the Moke chair in the past few days, so I thought I'd add another . I really dig the shape and design of these chairs. The green cashmere slatting really sets this one apart in my opinion.