Insurance Quotes

With gas prices head through the roof, a site like Insurance 1 might just be able to help you save a little money on your car insurance. Here's how it works, you head over to the site, fill out the questionnaire which starts with your zip code and provides a summary of your life to the insurance companies, press proceed, and Insurance 1 provides you with a list of insurance quotes that are available in your area. It's as easy as that, you can find out if there are any better rates on your auto insurance. Maybe you'll be able to afford gas this summer :)

The site is clean and easy to use, so there won't be any problems figuring out how it works.

Lenovo (I know it's off topic)

I know this may be a bit off topic, but this has to be one of the best slaps in the face that I've seen in a while. Lenovo may be entering the market after the "Thin Macbook" but, it's not all that thin if you have to cart around a bunch of crap to use it. The video above had me rolling, so you have to check it out as well.

-Enjoy

"The" Art Gallery?

I just browsed the Park West Gallery website and I must say that I was impressed by what I saw. Not that I'm a huge art buff or anything, but I still know what I like. And, by chance, Park West Galleries have some very interesting works of art that I wish I could own, some great pieces by Salvador Dali to drop one name. But there are quite a few other artist collections on the site that you should see for yourself. The basic layout is nice, searching the galleries is extremely easy, and the art is, well, very pleasing.

So, if you're an art buff, head over and see for yourself. You won't regret it.

-Enjoy

Cheap Futons

I've seen quite a few searches this month by people searching Google for cheap futons this month. In and of itself it's not a big deal, everyone wants the best price they can get. But, it is important to remember that a bargain today may be a mattress that needs replacing in a few years. Luckily all my mattresses have 5 year warranties, but be careful, there are a lot of cheap imitations on the market today.

Have fun browsing the site, don't hesitate to ask about any of the mattresses you see on or off the site. I'm always happy to help.

-Enjoy

Are you getting bogged down by spam?

Obviously I'm not talking about the ham in a can thing here, so let me get to the point of this post :)

AppRiver offers a great Linux spam filter service that safely removes up to 99% of all unwanted messages from your email stream through proprietary spam identification techniques. The service is available on a multi-platform server level to eliminate spam from exchange, groupwise, notes, linux, etc.

How does it work?

The AppRiver virus protection system can easily be installed in just one day. No hardware or software is required to implement the program, and installation only takes a simple change of MX records within your DNS for every domain which will use the spam filter service. A service they'll take care of for you. Sounds nice right, no more emails about ED or other hassles.

-Enjoy

Melted Collection

This completely blue collection is as extraordinary at first sight as it is after close inspection. From afar, the forms look strong, fluid and natural. Even though their bright blue skin is deeply contrasting, the objects are by form connected to whichever surface they rest on. This makes the alienating Melted Collection adapt and become part of their environment. From up close, we notice that the edges of these objects are deformed and melted. The slight gradient of colour that follows the natural curves of the material indicates that these objects were in fact baked to achieve their final forms.

Toupees and Wigs

When I was younger my older sister, Courtney, had cancer and had to have her head shaved due to the chemotherapy treatments that she had to go through. So, when I saw a site about non-surgical hair replacement for women I knew I had to give them a thumbs up. Hair Piece Toupee is an eCommerce site totally dedicated to hair pieces for men and women. Having seen how hard it can be, especially for women, to lose their hair, services like the ones provided by Hair Piece Toupee can really improve self esteem and make people feel better. Hair Piece Toupee has quite a lot of info on their site, and their prices were fairly reasonable for an, all human hair piece.

Check out the site, and if you have very long hair you could make a donation to an organization the next time you get your hair cut. You'll definitely make someones day.

-Enjoy

Massage Tables

Yesterday I had my first experience with a new type of furniture, a massage table. Noelle and I recently ordered a portable massage table in the hope that it would make giving a massage more comfortable and easier on the person giving the massage. Luckily we were right, we were now able to lie flat on the table without wrenching our necks, you know how that happens if you lie on a bed or sofa right?

If you don't get massages regularly, you need to find someone to give you a massage right now. Anyhow, the model we purchased was an entry level portable massage table with heating pad for $150. It arrives fully assembled and sets up rather quickly.

I was a bit nervous at first about the stability but my fears were unfounded. The table provided a solid surface, and was actually a pleasure to use.

Medical Wear

Scrubs & Beyond is an interesting store I found that carries a wide range of "Scrubs" or medical uniforms. Aside from some of the great options Scrubs & Beyond carries, dickies scrubs & cherokee medical scrubs, they've recently added a new line from Katherine Heigl. I think the new line looks great, not just because it's on a model but also because of the nice floral designs and the light colors. For me it captures the feel of Miami. That doesn't mean Scrubs & Beyond is only about light and floral, they also have a nice selection of very traditional Scrubs for both men and women like the ones offered by cherokee medical scrubs.

If you're in the medical field you might just enjoy a browse at Scrubs & Beyond. The layout is nice, navigation is easy, and the prices aren't too bad either. So head over and

-Enjoy

Today I noticed I got Sitelinks!

It appears that Goodnight Moon Futon has finally been accepted by Google, at least in one sense. Google finally gave the site "sitelinks" in the Google Search Results for the term "Goodnight Moon Futon". It would be better to be on the first page for the tern "futon", but hey, it's a start!


-Enjoy

Luxury Apartments

I just checked out a site with a Bucknell Apartment listing and I must say that I was impressed. Just look at the images above, the apartment looks awesome. Hardwood floors, modern amenities, they have what most people are looking for. The listing site is called Lewisburg Luxury Rentals, their listings are located in Lewisburg Pennsylvania, mostly in the area surrounding Bucknell University and downtown Lewisburg.

All of the apartments at Lewisburg Luxury Rentals contain the followingL

Chef's Kitchen, Beautiful Wood Floors, Kohler Fixtures, Radiant-heated Bathroom Floors, Central Heating and Cooling, In-unit Laundry Facilities, and Energy-saving Design

Sounds nice, no? Head over and check out the other images in the gallery, I think you'll be impressed. Or Jealous :)

-Enjoy

Ray Lamp

Ray is a lamp, which has the capability to follow its owner on his/her heel. The cable of a hanging lamp is prolonged by 12 metres, thus enabling Ray to become a lying, hanging, or atmospheric lamp. The possibilities for using the device are unlimited, adapting to any method of playful arrangement. Think about all the things you could do with a lamp like that!

-Enjoy

Need a security system?

If you do, you may want to visit ITPlanet, a security surveillance system dealer. ITPlanet has a wide selection of security product options available for any space. Products that would be suitable for a home or business on almost any budget. And, ITPlanet has the whole operation covered, whether you need cameras, digital recorders, access control cards & panels, infrared Illuminators, motion detectors, mounts and complete systems. Phew, that was a lot to type, but its not even half the selection.

You might not even want this system for security. For instance, last year Noelle's grandmother, Marie, lived with us. She was a high fall risk and we needed to be able to check in on her at night to make sure she was all right. The problem, however, was that often she would hear us coming to check on her and it would wake her up. So, we bought a wireless camera, so we could check in on her without disturbing her at night.


Thus, we had the comfort of knowing that Marie was safe and sound, and Marie could sleep without being disturbed by our checking in. Everyone wins in a situation like that.

-Enjoy

Sectional Sofa

The Sophia Sectional Sofa is the only UPS-able sectional sofa that I have ever seen. It's also the only one I carry on the site! Modern, minimal styles and the ability to fit through any, and I mean any, doorway make the Sophia a totally unique piece of furniture. Check it out and,

-Enjoy

Is your warehouse a mess?

I worked for a furniture company in Western Massachusetts that had a warehouse that was totally out of wack quite a bit of the time. Part of the reason that they couldn't get it together was the fact that no one in the store wanted to learn a point of sale inventory system. They'd rather write down the sale, get the cash and move on to the next customer, and it didn't even matter if the item was in stock or not. They just didn't care.

What that that did was really screw up the warehouse. They really could have benefited from some supply chain management software for their inventory. Cadre Technologies has quite a few programs that can help many businesses get their front and back ends in synch and back on track. No more angry customers or warehouse workers. So, if your business could use a little tightening up, head over to Cadre Technologies. Their site is easy to navigate and info is easy to find. I'm sure they have the right plan for you and your business.

-Enjoy

Is Google just kicking the bees nest?

For the past couple weeks webmasters all over the world (maybe not all of them) have been in a tizzy over a predicted update to the Google algorithm and potential update to the PR toolbar. Webmasters are very focused on their pagerank, and the uncertainty of the update has gotten quite a few of them all worked up with nothing to do about it.

Ok, that's not really true. What they should be doing is focusing on their site content. So, even though I doubt my blog is a destination for many webmasters, I'd still like to recommend constant writing or updating. PR doesn't do anything for traffic, just bragging rights. :)

Now, get too it!

Are your windows bare?

If so, you'll find some great affordable custom blinds at NoBrainerBlinds. NoBrainerBlinds has a great selection of Cellular, faux wood, roman, vertical, and solar shades. They also carry plantation shutters which I thought was pretty boss. For those of you who aren't familiar with plantation shutters here's a brief explanation. Plantation shutter are shutters (in case you hadn't guessed) that are attached to the inside of your window. Usually they only cover the bottom of the window giving you privacy and light at the same time. Plush, I think they look pretty nice as well.

The NoBrainerBlinds website has a simple design that's easy on the eyes, and their products seem fairly easy on the wallet. So, head over and take a browse.

-Enjoy

Have a great weekend everyone!

I'm almost done for the day and I'll be out of the office tomorrow for a full day of aikido and kenjutsu. The weekend in Western Massachusetts is supposed to be beautiful, so everyone has to shut off their computers or TV's and do something outside. Even if it's just sit there. I plan on taking my dog Jay for a couple long walks while the temperature is still bearable.

-Enjoy your weekend!

Teamwork in the Workplace?!

As sad as that is, often times that's a serious statement that a lot of people make regarding their workplace. At my last job everyone, and I do mean everyone, had great impressions of the two owners and often there was a large rift between the store staff and the grunts, like myself, that worked in the back of the house at the warehouse. Actually, there was an ongoing joke between the entire warehouse staff about everyone going to one of those teamwork seminars or some sort of management leadership training, not because it was a bad idea. No, it was because we could never see anyone that worked in the store actually "climbing over the wall" or well, any real physical activity.

I think they could take a few tips from Team Worx when it comes to having a workplace with some sense of equality or team work. Team Worx appears to have several programs, some for general staff and others for management. I bet a seminar could be fun, but it might not be everyones cup of tea. Check it out and have fun.

Wannabe, temporary table

The Wannabe is perfect for anyone getting ready for a big move. The designer, llot llov describes the Wannabe as such:

It's a piece of metal to be folded around a cardboard box. Very handy in the first days of moving into a new home until everything is settled- which always takes longer than one originally plans for.

Sounds handy for the times when your life gets disheveled after moving. Don't you think?

-Enjoy

Web Hosting

Here's a great offer I just found over at Concentric, a company that has some great shared web site hosting options. Now for the great offer, your first 30 days of web hosting over at Concentric are free. There are no setup fees, all you need to know is your domain name, password, and the billing option you want to choose when your 30 free trial is up.

As far as the plans at Concentric go, it looks pretty standard. You have plans of varying bandwidth, emails, and additional features available. But, also as usual, the price goes up as features are added. But if you didn't know that, well, you're a fool!

Webmaster Tools

Today I checked out my stats for Goodnight Moon Futon and I must admit that I am alway amused by the top search results for the site. For instance, this week one of the top results was the search term "Matt and Noelle". Theres only one instance of that term anywhere on my site, so it's interesting that it would appear in the results. On another note, it turns out that there is another couple named Matt & Noelle, do a search and you can see their wedding pictures. Congrats by the way. ;)

It's a window treatment day!

Today I've been a little focused on curtains and drapes, just in case you didn't notice. So, here's a quick heads up on The Curtain Shop Online, purveyors of a fine selection of curtains, window treatments, and bedding. The Curtain Shop Online offers free shipping on orders over $100, so it actually pays to purchase more this time. Their site looks pretty sharp, for a Yahoo store, and has that boutique quality that a furnishing site should have. The selection looks extensive, with various styles of drapes and curtains to choose from, not too mention all the matching bedding to go along with them. In fact, you could set up your entire accent scheme by heading over to The Curtain Shop Online and spending a couple hours thinking about what goes in your space.

-Enjoy

Best of the Valley?

It that time of year again when our local free paper, The Valley Advocate puts out it's list of the best places for everything in the Pioneer Valley. As I thumbed through the pages I noticed all the regulars, the businesses that have been in the number one spots for the past five or six years. But wait, aren't a lot of the best businesses in the valley hefty advertisers in the Valley Advocate? Hmm, I think so. I wonder if having a higher advertising budget could influence your standings in the best of the Valley "poll" that the Advocate throws every year to give a little back to it's money makers.

Maybe, what do you think? Feel free to let me know.

-Enjoy

Organic Tea & Supplements

After last night, I have been in need of some serious relaxation and rest. One thing I enjoy when I feel in need of a little recovery is a nice hot glass of tea, like the ones offered by Organic India. Organic India has quite an extensive selection, organic tea & coffee to fiber supplements can all be found. Organic India also has a great goal intertwined in their business practices:

• To provide our customers worldwide with exceptional quality organic foods and health products.


• To introduce a unique and successful business modality that is committed to service, sanctity and integrity and therefore harms no one and benefits all.


• To support natural sustainable Organic Agriculture practices that serve, honor and protect Mother Nature.


• To support the livelihood and well-being of farmers and tribal wild crafters in rural India.

How many companies can say that they are promoting sustainable agriculture in India and paying a premium market rate to farmers. I wonder if any of the big coffee companies can? Probably not. So, if you have a craving for soothing organic tea and positive change, visit Organic India.

-Enjoy.

April Best Seller

So far this month the best selling mattress at Goodnight Moon Futon has to be the Premium Futon. The Premium is a great all around futon mattress, it performs equally well as a bed or a sofa and provides a medium firm support. The Premium is made in the US out of cotton batting and a double foam core for years of lasting support and durability.

Designer Curtains

Here's a very nice Yahoo Store selling inexpensive custom curtains. The fabrics on Contempo Curtains look really nice. The Contempo Curtains website has a nice boutique design and feel, with pleasing fonts & a minimal design. There prices aren't too shabby either, a nice floral pattern starts at $49 per panel. That's not too much when you stop to think about how much the fabric costs if you were going to make you own curtains. Plus, it's a whole lot easier to have someone else do the work for you. All in all I liked what Contempo Curtains had to offer and would recommend you take a browse over there to see the selection for yourself.

-Enjoy

Russian Beer & Cranium!

Last night Noelle's sister, Bailey, can home for the weekend from Northeastern and we had a bit of a celebration. Obviously we played the board game Cranium, it wouldn't be in the post title otherwise. :)



For those of you who haven't played Cranium before, you need to find three friends and play tonight. You play in pairs and tasks are selected for your team to complete before you can advance. Categories cover four different skill sets: data, spelling, acting, and drawing with tasks that have to be completed in various ways. Examples include drawing with your eyes closed and spelling words backwards. Great fun!



Now lets discuss Baltika Beer. Baltika has to be one of the strangest things I've seen in quite a while, well, until I checked out their website this morning. Our Baltika of choice is their lager, which coincidently, is packaged in two liter plastic bottles. WAIT! Don't back out of the blog just yet! I know what you're thinking, "Plastic Beer Bottles?" Well I was skeptical as well when I first saw one, but then I saw that the whole bottle only cost $2.60! The beer itself was pretty good, not too dark or light with a nice flavor. And don't worry, you don't have to drink it out of a plastic bottle, we used pints. Which averaged out to about 70 cents a pint. So, give it a shot.

-Enjoy

Latest From My 3gb Group

Last week I followed a link to join 3gb community 3gb.biz, a new online social network and I wanted to give everyone a quick review as to how I have used their services to this point. Let me preface this statement by saying that I may be one of the worst social network participants in the history of the internet. Even though it's a social network I am definitely an anti-social lurker for the most part. So, this week I checked out the Blogger group I'm a part of over at 3gb and it's growing! This is very exciting, I posted a quick hello to the group (a big step for me) and put out a couple links. Hopefully I'll get a couple visitors.

Head over yourself and check out the cool services that 3gb has to offer. Their a social network the doesn't cram a bunch of ad's down your throat.

-Enjoy

Stickey Virus

Via Bergmans:

It clings to anything it touches: Objects, buildings, people, everything can be infected. The Sticky Virus has a great impact and spreading power. Especially at parties and other special occasions, people seem to be very vulnerable. Individuals are known to proudly display their infections, causing jealousy amongst uninfected bystanders. This allows the virus to rapidly spread through all willing subjects.

Stickey Virus

My First Impression of Answering Services

So, in the past week or so I've been looking at some Answering Services to see if they were right for my business. One that I saw and really liked was MAP Communications. MAP Communications has been around since 1991, so they must have a fairly solid track record. MAP Communications is also employee own, which in my mind speaks volumes about the mission of the company. Employee's of a company with profit sharing usually work that much harder and care more about their work. It's not just some greedy CEO that's makes out when the employee's bust their humps. Hmm, maybe I should forward this to my old employer ;)

Another feature that I really got into was the Answering Services call center free 7-day trial. The free trial is designed to be a no pressure, no obligation evaluation of their services. Sounds great, right. You'll actually get to see if your customer service needs are being met without a dime spent. This feature will definitely give you a chance to get familiar with the system and confirm that it will meet your expectations.

Lastly, but definitely not least is the fact that MAP Communications actually has facilities in the US. How many times have you experienced difficulty dealing with a call center in India or some other far away land? Now, you might not have too.

Check it out.

Big Mama Bean Bag Chair!?

The Big Mama is totally unique. At first I didn't really go for the look of the whole thing, it's not too attractive to be shaped like a giant tube sock, but I warmed up to the idea after thinking about how comfy it must be.

Via Designer:

With her soothing soft features, the Mama Virus lures in all weary beings that lack rest and comfort. However, once embraced by the Mama Virus, it takes some willpower to escape from its relaxing lobes.

-Enjoy

Pro's & Cons of Credit Cards

Everyone has questions about the specific terms on their credit cards from time to time, and here's a great link to a page with credit card tips. Free Credit Score Online is an interesting site with a wealth of information related to common credit card questions. Questions about paying your taxes with your credit card, rebates, balance transfers and more are covered & answered at Free Credit Score Online.

Some of this info you could probably get through your credit card company, but that usually entails sitting on hold and waiting for the next representative. Your call will probably include a sale pitch as well. Which is why a third party may be a little more convenient and timely. Here's some additional info from Free Credit Score Online:

Nowadays you can meet credit card offers everywhere. They offer different rewards, such as cash back, airmiles, hotel rewards, fee free, law rate, etc. But when you take up all those wonderful offers, you will realize that your interest rate is very high. Thus, now you need to search for balance transfer plastics.
Thus, you need to lower your interest payments by transferring your credit card balance to another plastic. The fact is that it is the one of the easiest ways of reducing your credit card costs. To do this, you are to look for the best plastics. Search for things like low rate, no annual fee, rewards. When choosing be sure that you understand all the terms and conditions of your new plastic to avoid different problems in the future.
However, do you really want to change your current plastic? Think about it. If not, simply ask for lower interest rates. Tell your credit company that you have found another plastic with better interest rates and you will transfer your credit card balance if your company can't lower your rates.
By transferring your current balance to another credit card with lower interest rates, you can save a lot of money on interest. So, compare different balance transfer credit card offers and choose a card with the most beneficial features and terms.

Green Browser

Yesterday was Earth Day (in case you didn't know), and to celebrate Flock has released their new Eco Browser. The Flock Eco Browsers is 100% free and comes preloaded with daily news feeds from Treehugger, National Geographic, and Planet Green just to name a few. The browser looks pretty slick, and it promotes green living.

Check it out and do your part today.

-Enjoy

The Wick Effect

Today I'm cleaning out all the brush from my yard after the winter, and I decided to burn my brush pile this year. Well, because of all the leaves I had at the bottom of the pile I'm experiencing the wick effect. Here's how it works, all the leaves from last fall are all wet and compact from all the snow, and as such they are smoldering slowly, creating a lot of smoke and little fire. Two years ago I had a similar scenario burning a brush pile and the pile smoldered for almost two or three days.

So, how long do you think this pile will smolder? Leave a comment and let me know what you think.

-Enjoy

Credit Issues Anyone?

With the housing market taking a dive, and foreclosures on the rise bad credit credit cards & bad credit loans are increasing in popularity. That's where BadCreditOffers.com comes into the picture. BadCreditOffers.com is a leading comparison website for people with bad credit -- featuring credit cards, home loans, auto loans, personal loans, and much more.

So, if you've found yourself with less than perfect credit you may want to check out your options.

I just got inspired!

Though I'm only thirty, I was tonight inspired by a post I read over at Conntected Internet about retiring out of the country. I think the idea sounds great, I mean who wouldn't want to retire to a tropical beach in their latter years? I don't think I can name one person.

That in turn triggered a little deeper thinking about what people want. It almost seems as though the American dream has started to lean toward leaving America when it's time to retire. Not that I find the idea wrong, just an observation. I guess that natural though, who wants to retire to, I don't know, Duluth or Coffeyville Kansas? I'm sure you're all headed to Google to search that one. :)

But don't forget that moving to a new country has to be a lot of work. You have a new language to learn, drive on the opposite side of the road, and probably get a lot of shots. So, where would you all like to move on your dream retirement? I'd love to know.

Embarrassing Moments

Everyone has an embarrassing moment like the one shown above, but sometimes it's best not to hide in your shell like Gulf oysters. Speaking of oysters, did you know that provide a low calorie protein that are an excellent source of zinc, vitamin B-12, and omega-3 fatty acid. Well, if you're looking for more info on Oysters, head over to Be Oyster Aware and read up on the risks and benefits to eating oysters.

Twin Chairs

Inspired by a tree trunk, the clever Twin chairs by Euga Design offer an interesting combination of stackability and Yin/Yang-type unity. Made from oak scraps and veneers (and built from resource-efficient bent ply). When not in use as a chair, the hollow bottoms create a sneaky little storage space; when stacked, it looks like something that we'd like to hug. Truely a stunning design.

-Enjoy

Grandfather Clocks

One thing I don't see very often anymore are grandfather clocks. And there was a time when they were very common place. I remember my grandparents on my dad's side of the family used to have an old grandfather clock in their home. Just thinking about that clock brings a rush of memories from when I was younger, visiting their home, sitting by the fire and always in the background was the ticking of the clock. Their grandfather Clock had a pleasing tone that would sound on the quarter hours.


Now, if I were to choose a Grandfather Clock I would definitely go for a more minimalist style. Such as the one pictured above, I prefer a clean look that's not overly elaborate. I found the clock above in the Howard Miller Collection at 1-800-4CLOCKS. I was really impressed with their selection of all things related to keeping time, but the grandfather clocks are what really jumped out at me. The 1-800-4CLOCKS site has lots of info on their site, and if you found my grandfather clock choice a little boring, the have clocks that are, well, more grand. Clocks with more intricate woodwork and glass detail as well as modern and contemporary grandfather clocks. You know, something for everyone and every taste.

If you want more info, visit their site and take a browse for yourself.

-Enjoy

Unique Sofa

When I saw this sofa over at Thingz I knew I had to do a blog post about it. The graceful curve, minimalist back, and matching round ottoman make the design work so well. I'm not sure if you noticed the legs, I think the minimal brushed metal legs also compliment this design quite well. If you're in Arizona, I would definitely check out the Thingz showroom, but be prepared for some sticker shock. I bet it ain't cheap.

2008 Elections

This year theres quite a bit at stake in the elections. As such I have been following the news closely, and today I found a site for John Fleming. Now, I'm not the type of guy that wants to endorse anyone or give advise on how to vote, but I must admit that I liked the layout of the campaign website for Dr John Fleming. On his site he describes himself as a Regan republican, and promotes fiscal responsibility (I though Regan ramped up the deficit) and promotes his faith. So, there's quite a bit of info on the John Fleming for congress site, I would recommend you use that info to make an educated decision this year when you vote.

But remember, all sites have an agenda, political sites maybe more so. So, take everything into account when you venture into the political battlefield of the internet.

As always,

-Enjoy.

More Japanese Baths

Takumi has once again out done themselves on this bath in North Seattle. The attention to detail is amazing. Everything looks so clean and crisp, I really dig that space.

-Enjoy

Credit card news

Here's a pretty cool link to some credit card news at Credit Card Guru. Credit Card Guru is a great blog with all the info you'll ever need to know about the credit card industry. Here's a quick press release from the site:

There is no doubt that everything in our society changes and nothing can be done with it. For example, do you remember what games you used to play in your childhood? Toy soldiers, teddy-bears, hide-and-seek… Today children are no longer into special games for kids. Children of the twenty first century want to grow up as fast as possible. Nowadays, children use the Internet, play different computer games and watch reality shows. When it comes to different plays, they make to believe brokers, credit card holders and creditors.
However, Monopoly is still popular with children. More than that, more and more money-oriented games appear on the toy market. Today children have many opportunities for intellectual and emotional growth. There are a lot of different games that can entertain children. But more and more kids prefer "adult" games to others. They play different games based on money and finance. Do you believe that these games are harmless for your kids?
Many children want to play credit card deals now. Is it the right time for teaching them the basics of credit card management? The fact is that when children play with plastics, they don't go into details concerning credit card use. They don't know when they should use a rewards credit card or when to get a balance transfer plastic. They wouldn't realize what type of credit cards is better. Actually, children don't need to know all the details of credit card use. However, don't miss the moment when your children turn into teens. And it will be the best time to teach your children the basics of money management.

Japanese Design

Have you noticed a theme this week? With my studies of Aikido and Ken-Jutsu back in full force my interest in Japanese design has also been piqued. And that's when I found Takumi and their beautiful work. This classically inspired living area in one of their projects is truly stunning. Just look at the detail on the drawers under the stairs and how great the fire pit in the center of the room looks. I don't know about any of my readers, but I could definitely live in a space like this? Let us know below:





-Enjoy

Free 7 Day Answering Service Trial!

As a small business owner I've seen quite a few Answering Services and haven't really paid that much attention. That's because I'm fairly small at the moment and don't a have the need yet. It's nice to have no overhead and be able to handle everything yourself :) Today though, MAP Communications caught my eye due to their seven day free trial of their answering services. Who wouldn't be into that? The services offered by MAP Communications are pretty comprehensive; toll-free, automated on call rosters, voice mail, live operator, call screening and many more services are offered.

MAP Communications also has design specialists who will help you integrate their services with your existing site. Their site has some great info as well, you can watch a demo call or introductory video to help answer any questions you may have. I also dig that MAP Communications is employee owned, it's great to see a company share the wealth with the staff that makes the whole thing happen. It must beat a Christmas bonus and cheap diner :)

The MAP Communications website looked pretty killer, I sure they put a lot of time and funds into having a professional web presence. Which I bet paid off, because it makes me have quite a bit of confidence in what they had to offer.

Check it out and,

-Enjoy

Japanese Bedroom

Here you can see a beautiful example of a Japanese style bedroom by Takumi. Notice how good the futon looks in a room where it was meant to go. And, it actually looks as though the owner is using it in a traditional manner by placing the futon mattress directly on the floor.

The room it self looks great was well, open and airy with a gorgeous post & beam construction. The Shoji screens play into the design as well, and compliment the natural look of the post & beam. Truly a beautiful space.

-Enjoy

Loans

Here's another site I found offering High Risk Personal Loans. Personal Loans Pros is an online company that specializes in, you guessed it, Personal Loans. Here's a quote from the site that will give, I feel, some pretty good insight on their mission:

Personal Loans Pros can offer you fast approvals, fast cash and will help you get your credit back on track. Right now is a good time to apply for personal loans with bad credit, interest rates are still low, and lenders are more lenient than ever.

The site looks legit and is easy to navigate. Info was in abundance and also easy to find. So, head over and check them out for yourself.

-Enjoy

Elliptical Japanese soaking bath

This Double seat stainless steel elliptical Japanese soaking bath by Diamond Spa's looks amazing. But, it also looks slightly misplaced at the bottom of those stairs like that. I mean, come on, all your heat is going to go right up the stairs :)

Still, I would love to own a bath like that, maybe after I make my millions off this blog :D

-Enjoy

Electric Heaters

I know this time of year most people don't think too much about their heating needs. But, this may be the perfect time to prepare for next winter. Since the price of heating oil is only going to climb higher, electic heaters may be a good way to supplement your oil home heat. That's where a company like Gas Heaters Online comes in to the picture. Gas Heaters Online has a large selection of of electric and (obviously) gas heaters for your home or workshop. The heaters themselves are available in a few designs, from industrial to faux fireplace. My teacher has a gas heater in his house and I must admit that I want one as well, if only I had the space. I could really see myself sitting and reading in front of a nice gas stove in the winter, that would be great.

Japanese Soaking Bathtubs

I've been really into traditional Japanese design themes lately and this stainless steel circular Japanese soaking tub is amazing. All Japanese baths made by Diamond Spas are fabricated with a bench seat for maximum bathing comfort. Even without the bench this bathtub looks great.

-Enjoy

The world is big, but at least your phone bill isn't!

It seems that everyday technology is making things easier, but usually not cheaper. Luckily things have changed a bit for international calling. Take the india phone cards at Therichcom.com. Customers can use Therichcom's web site to search for best phone cards to call from United States to virtually anywhere in the world with much cheaper rates than from large companies like at&t, sprint, etc. For example, there are numerous calling cards on the site that offer a 2.7 to 3.5 cent per minute calling rate with no connection fee.

Therichcom also has a great search function on their site that allows you to search for rates to various countries. It really narrows down the results and gets you to the info you're looking for faster. You can narrow the card results even further by selecting what amount you'd like to purchase as well as whether or not you'd accept a card with a connection fee.

All in all the site looks fairly good and is very easy to navigate. The one thing I didn't go for was how the search results display. The result page had four hundred and thirty six cards, way too much to really go through. In fact I'd be surprised if anyone went to the bottom of the page unless they wanted to see how many options there were. Heck, I'd be surprised if anyone got too the fifteenth card before choosing.

-Enjoy

It gorgeous out today!

Today is one of those spring days that just makes me want to, well shut off the computer and take my dog (Jay) for a nice walk. It's one of those perfect days where it's not too warm and not too cold, the sunny is shinning and there's hardly any clouds in the sky. I would say it's almost perfect. So, I recommend that everyone turn off your computers this afternoon and take a stroll outside.

-Enjoy

Pictures are Church Fundraising?

If you're thinking about having some church fundraising for your parish you may want to consider offering Picture Perfect Portraits. By offering to use the church as a photo studio for the day you can make quite a bit for your local parish and you parishioners can get their family portraits taken care of. It's a win win situation. I would probably hold a bake sale a the same time for a little boost to the fundraising.

How do you make your designs a little sexier?

Here's how: put a skinny model in her underwear in the picture!

Personally I think the designs at Büro für Form look pretty great on their own, but apparently they felt the need to spice up a few of their pieces a little bit. In the pictures above it's hard to tell if the designer is showcasing the work or the girls. But, this is a common tactic used by a lot of European designers and manufacturers that I've seen in the past. So check out the site, for the girls or furniture. Whatever floats your boat, it's still a good site. :)

-Enjoy

Designer Shingles

About six years ago I helped my roofer friend remove our old, worn out shingles and reapply a new layer of shingles. Well, I helped in that I carried the majority of the bundles up to the roof and I scraped a ton of shingles off the roof. Let me say right now that I will never get involved in replacing a roof again. It was one of the hardest jobs I've ever had to do, and my hat is off to all you full time roofers out there.

Now that I got my mandatory rant out of the way, I must say that the house looks great with a new roof. The old shingles were peeling up and just didn't look to hot after forty or so years. I was quite impressed by the variety of shingle options on the market today. Noelle and I spent days looking online at different colors and textures, and one of the sites we visited was GAF ELK. The site setup is quite nice and we just wanted to Explore GAF Roofing Options! I liked the Camelot shingles due to their slate like appearance. And the performance factors was impressive on the Premium Designer Shingles.

Every GAF-Elk Premium Designer Shingle includes a lifetime (50+ year) ltd. warranty against manufacturing defects, plus Smart Choice® protection (non-prorated reimbursement for replacement materials and installation labor) for the first ten years, and 110 mph wind coverage.

I know that may not be as important in western Massachusetts as it is to somewhere in Florida, but that type of warranty is very impressive. Having a shingle system on your roof that can make it through extreme conditions like the ones in the warranty would really give peace of mind. Especially since you're sleeping under that roof.

You should also browse GAF ELK if you're looking for stone, ductwork, decking, or specialty fabrics, they have it all.

-Enjoy

Leni

The Leni is a loungers best friend. Designed for sitting, leaning, lounging, or reading. I dig the sleek design and two colors shown at Büro für Form. Check out their site.

-Enjoy

3gb - an online community

Yesterday, or maybe the day before, I wrote a post about 3gb, an online community and today I paid them another visit. It appears that the community is growing and I decided to join a group. This is a first for me, I generally tend to be a lurker when it comes to forums and social networks but today was different. The vibe was positive and I think joining a blogger group was a good thing.

If you feel like you want to join 3gb community www.3gb.biz click that link and sign up for free.

Finally, the move is complete

Today should be the last day that I ma involved in moving my mother-in-law, Bev. Noelle and Bev recently updated our rental property and today Bev was able to be moved in. The day went smoothly and no one got hurt in the process, so things really turned out well. Also, now that a major hurtle is out of the way, I should be able to post more on my blog, which is awesome.

I'll be bringing more of the furnishings, designs, and rants that you've come to love on the futon blog.

Get ready to,

-Enjoy

Traveling To Kauai?

If you're at all like me, you might be feeling the need for a vacation after a long winter. Somewhere sunny and sandy maybe? With deck chairs, definitely deck chairs. Sorry, I ramble. If you are looking to jet off to a tropical locale you might want to check out the Kauai Travel Blog over at Hawaiian Beach Rentals before you make any travel plans. The have some great info on Kauai vacation rentals and some quite useful Hawaii Vacation Info. For instance, I found a great looking rental that sleeps six people for $600 a night. That's not too bad if you have a five friends you'd like to travel with. What I also liked about that particular rental was the description of the view, you'll see 40 miles of ocean and 25 miles of beach for anywhere in the house. As if that weren't enough, you have a private deck and the beach isn't too far.

Check it out and,

-Enjoy

Piccolo Grande

At first sight the Piccolo Grande looks just like classic outdoor furniture in teak wood,but by sliding the structure, the staves separate and double in length,
transforming a small table in a big one and a small bench in a big bench. Another nice find.

-Enjoy

HD Radio

I'm a bit behind the times, so when I heard the term iTunes tagging I had to check it out and see what the whole things about. Here's the deal, with an iTunes Tagging enabled HD Radio™ receiver you can you simply hit the “tag” button. The songs info is then saved on your iPod, ready for you to purchase from iTunes. All you need is an iPod, HD Receiver, and a subscription to your favorite HD Radio Station. And you won't be lacking for station options, there are now a wide variety of new country music stations, alternative stations, classic rock, & more. I checked out HD Radio's website and was amazed by all the HD Radio Stations on the market today, I did a quick comparison of the Florida High Definition Radio stations and what was available in Massachusetts, let just say that Florida has a lot more than Mass. But, that's what you get when you compare one of the larger states with a smaller one.

Missing

These, Missing Chairs are quite stunning. Comprised of seven different chair styles, the combinations of placements can be quite numerous and unique. Here's a quote from the designer:

Missing was born from the idea that the chair never lives alone
but is nearly always part of a greater object: the chairs.
Nobody&co. presents Missing, a collection of seven chairs,
each one different from the other, with which it is also possible
to obtain angular compositions and a bench.
And an optical illusion around the table.

-Enjoy

Tropical Getaways

After participating as a caretaker for Noelle's grandmother for the past year, Noelle and I have been seriously considering taking a vacation, maybe even a tropical getaway. Neither of us have been to Hawaii so I've been looking at a Hawaii Travel Blog to get a feel for such a trip. That's where Hawaiian Beach Rentals comes into the picture.

Hawaiian Beach Rentals is a great resource for Oahu Vacation Information. I enjoyed reading the guest reviews of the Oahu vacation rentals. The reviews, to me, were refreshing. It's always nice to get information that isn't in ad copy. The design of Hawaiian Beach Rentals is pretty slick. Soothing blues and beach scenery makes me want to explore the options the site has, too relax in one of those picturesque spots. Navigation was simple, and info was fairly easy to find.

The only two gripes I had with Hawaiian Beach Rentals was the pricing structure on the site and a lack of info just related to the islands. Now, this could just be me, but I like to see pricing online rather than call about a listing. I also think the site could benefit from a brief glimpse of activities separate from the rental, you know let visitors know what they can expect on their trip. Besides sunny beaches and drinks you sip out of coconuts.

Relax

The Relax armchair and stool are constructed with cold processed polyurethane foam with inner structure in steel. The armchair is available with or without head-rest and with or without arms. The top covering can be completely slipped off. The feet are sand blasted cast aluminum.

SEO Blog

Let me start by saying that Stylish Design is a very nice looking blog covering web design topics, but that should really go without saying for any blog or website that offers web design tips. The layout is fantastic, and it really makes me want to explore the site. As you explore Stylish Design you'll find a wealth of informative posts that range from Google Adsense & Design to a history of how top-level domains was initial setup. Site hierarchy is one subject that is touched upon at Stylish Design which is especially useful when it comes to building a site that has content optimized for Adsense.

The layout, as I stated before, is very pleasing. Stylish Design does sport some ads, but they are not distracting and don't jump out in an aggressive manner. They are, however, on a light beige background which does differentiate them from the rest of the page content.

The one thing I would have to change on Stylish Design is the lack of a top commenter pluggin / widget. (I know, I'm one to talk. You visit my new Wordpress Blog if you'd like to leave a comment. I'll duplicate this post there.) I find that having a top commenter widget brings a lot of traffic and gets your readers involved, and coming back. There's something about having your link on the sidebar that keeps me coming back. Maybe the "dofollow" link. Other than that, I highly enjoyed Stylish Design and would recommend it to anyone.

Check it out and, as always.

-Enjoy

Divina Chair

The Divina Chair is made from molded polyurethane foam with a metal structure included. The sweeping arm increases the function and joins an upholstered back. The arm can support up to 30 Kgs. Plus it looks pretty good!

-Enjoy

Web Articles

Articles online have become a pretty powerful method for advertising and finding information in the past few years. Articles that are written with keywords in mind can generate valuable links and traffic to any given site on any given topic. Take, for example, an article I found over at Web Articles on Windows XP common problems when I did a search for an uninstall question. The article over at Web Articles has some great info, but the other resources I found at Web Articles was even better. Their site is full of free content that could come in so handy whether you need content for a website or you're looking for informational resources.

Another nice feature is the ability for users to submit their own work. This practice can and will generate links back to your site and should help to promote some targeted traffic to your websites.

From trash to genius!

Arzu Firuz designs very wonderful accent pieces out of what would otherwise be trash. Take the "Moucharabieh" project; patterns were cut into ratty old tarps mimicking the open sky. I really dig how the light shinning through the tarps falls on the walls or the floor. Another great find.

-Enjoy

Sales Leads

The Lead Dogs specialize in one thing – getting you the high-quality business to business sales leads that you're looking for. Since 1994, companies like Microsoft, Adobe, Shell and Orbitz have outsourced to The Lead Dogs to generate, manage and nurture sales leads that turn into revenue. If big names like that go with Lead Dogs, just imagine what they can do for you.

-Enjoy

Speed linking:

Here's a few links to some of my favorite blogs:

Adesblog has a great post about how to blog when you're lazy.

Brown Thoughts is a great place to waste a little time in your day. They always have a cure for productivity.

Superaffiliate.com is a great source of marketing lingo and a general good read.

-Enjoy

Online Communities

In the past few years online social networks have become a powerful force on the internet. Often social networks are places where one can meet new friends or old, upload your photo albums, join groups, blog, chat with other members and hear last mp3's. Here's another burgeoning group that is in the process of growing, 3gb communities. Right now the community is great, it's not full of ad's and other distractions. So head over and join 3gb community www.3gb.biz today.

Asian themed futon covers coming soon!

I have new swatches on the way from a new manufacturer, and it's very exciting! Soon I'll be adding almost two hundred new futon covers to the site from a company I found at the Las Vegas World Market last January. So stay tuned and check back if you're interested in great new materials and styles.

On a side note: it was extremely nice to be able to travel and put a little effort into finding new products for the website, something I always wanted to do. The hands on approach really made the difference.

As always,

-Enjoy

Fundraising methods

I've seen quite a few fundraising methods, from bake sales to auctions, but I think the two types of fundraisers that I like the most are sales of magnets & silicone bracelets. Whats great about magnets and bracelets is the customization that can be put into both products. It's the kind of method that makes a lasting impression, rather than being forgotten after a rice crispy treat is scarfed down. Can you see you cause on everyones arm or bumper, you'd get money towards your cause and some free advertising. It's a win win situation for everyone. So check out ARC Marketing and start your fundraising today.

-Enjoy

Rhythm Convert-a-couch

The Rhythm convert-a-couch is another one of the great new ups-able sleeper sofas that I found in Las Vegas this January. Designed like a futon, the Rhythm can fit through any door, folds down into a full size bed, and looks great. The Rhythm is super comfy, looks great, and goes anywhere. Check out the next step in the evolution of the futon frame.

-Enjoy

How do you calculate your handicap?

If you don't know how to figure out your golf handicap, Nethandicap can help. Nethandicap is a website geared towards serious amateur golfers providing USGA golf handicap software to help them figure out their handicap. If you are not quite a serious about your game you might not need the services provided by Nethandicap, unless you plan on playing in sanctioned tournaments requiring a USGA Handicap Index, that is. NetHandicap offers both a USGA Handicap Index as well as a Recreational Handicap so you can participate at whatever level you're ready for. Check it out, now that the snows gone you'll be out on the course shortly.

-Enjoy

Live Chat Again

I always get a kick out my websites live chat feature, it helps me give a personal touch to my customers. Here’s how it works, when a customer visits my site I can see where there browsing and where they came from. If a customer needs help, they can click on the chat icon in the upper right hand corner of the site and I can chat live with them. I can also send a chat invitation to customers who I want to touch base with.

So, now let me get to the point to the post. Today I have seen my former employer snooping around my sites. I’m not going to elaborate on how I recognize them, but let just say that I know there gig. I find this funny because my former employer, lets call him BIG-R, fired me after I informed him of my intention to start my own futon business in the form of an online store. BIG-R told me that I had no skills, no drive, that he would work “black-magic” on me, and that it was his goal to destroy me.

LOLOLOLOLOL! You should be laughing now too. :)

Anyway, after all the insults and put downs as well as an attempt at some physical intimidation (while firing me BIG-R got really close to me, he’s a large guy), I find it quite funny that would visit my site so often today. I mean why would he bother with such a no talent loser right? Maybe I’m not such a loser after all if I’m the focus for the day.

As an aside, I did have a nice chat with one of my former coworkers today. I sent them a chat invite and had a very civil chat. Even though I know this coworker bashed me after he found out that I planned to do my own thing, I still had to be a nice guy and say hello.

I thought you all may enjoy my story, and if you’ve ever been in a situation like that I’d love to hear your story as well. So, feel free to comment and share your tale.

Is anyone else ready for a spa weekend?

This week has been quite busy for me, and I am beat. I've been writing like a mad man, adding new content to my website, and helping my mother-in-law move. Phew, that wore me out just typing about it. Anyway, I got to thinking about getting a massage from my massage therapist when I found Medical Spa dot com. Their site is killer, it makes me want to relax at spa Atlanta, the colors are soothing and the design is spot on. If only I lived in Georgia, I think Noelle and I would definitely hit that place for a little r&r. After taking care of her grandmother we need it. But, we're stuck in New England for the moment and fortunately we have a great masseuse here that takes care of us. If you're in the Atlanta area check it out and as always,

-Enjoy

In Loving Memory Of Homest Simplicity

I really dig the Bench pictured above from the Disturbance Portfolio. This piece was probably my favorite because of , well, it's simplicity. I also got a laugh out of bit of humor in the text carved into the bench as well.

Check out the gallery, you may like it.

-Enjoy

Secure Shell

Secure Shell, or SSH can be an extremely important feature of any business with an online presence. Typically, SSH is used for secure data transfers or remote computer operation. Usually this secure service is provided by vendors for SSH and there's a great list of providers at Howto. All the major terms related to SSH are explained in detail and quite a few providers are listed on the page linked. Here's a preview of the info you'll find over at Howto:

- MindTerm (http://www.mindbright.se/mindterm) MindTerm is a multiplatform, pure-Java implementation of an SSH client. It supports both SSH1 and SSH2 protocols and runs on Java-enabled browsers (specifically Netscape 4.7x and Internet Explorer 5.x). It is supported on Win 9x/NT/ME/2000, Mac OS 7+, Linux (kernel version not noted in documentation for UNIX environments), Solaris, and HP-UX. User licenses are charged on a per-user basis, and the application is distributed as binary only (sorry, no source code). Still, if a non-OS–dependent SSH client is needed, this may be useful.

-Enjoy

How do HDPE's relate to furnishings?

Here's how.

You may have noticed my previous post about HDPE's and asked yourself how that fits into a furniture blog. Well, the bench pictured above is made out of recycled HDPE high density plastics. It looks pretty good and it will last almost forever. I love finding products that are made from renewable or recycled materials.

-Enjoy

High Density Polyethylene

High Density Polyethylene, or HDPE most remembered as the material invented in the 50's that made the hula hoop. Since then, HDPE has gone on to be used in many industries outside of kids toys. Now is used in many settings: food packaging, laboratory and health care applications, non carbonated beverage bottles, cutting boards, garden furniture, tanks, drums, laboratory equipment, shopping bags, toilet seat covers, manhole covers & more. Often times you'll find HDPE Film or pellets as a common commercial form. Both film and pellets are easy to transport and work with, although you will occasionally see HDPE sold in scrap form as well.

A very versatile material.

Carpet inspired by tiles

The Iznik Carpet tile is a silkscreen printed carpet tile collection inspired by oriental ceramics. You can create unique paths by combining the tiles together. I was especially impressed by the carpet up the wall pictured above.

-Enjoy

Wool shawls

Here's a press release some of you may be interested in. Pashmina International is an international producer of some very stylish Merino Wool Shawls. It seems as though Pashmina has some fairly high standards and practices. Plus the Shawls look pretty nice. What differentiates Pasmina International Wool Shawls from other, cheap imitations is the pure merino wool. Merino is a breed of sheep that produces very fine wool, used to make the finest of woolen and worsted cloths. The wool yarn from fleece of merino sheep is short, fine, strong, resilient and takes dyes well. Thus producing a finer, longer lasting product.

-Enjoy

Pure Merino Wool Shawls Hot for Summer 2008

As climates warm, it's time to put away the thick winter jackets, look to lighter shoes, and fold up insulating cashmere scarves in preparation for warmer weather. Cameron Diaz, Madonna, Kelis and Sheryl Crow have this year taken up the merino wool brand and are heavily pushing it.

Sheffield, UK (PRWEB) March 25, 2008 --
As climates warm, it's time to put away the thick winter jackets, look to lighter shoes, and fold up insulating cashmere scarves in preparation for warmer weather. It's time to look for alternative accessories to match the summer months' climate.

The beauty of merino wool apparel is that it can be worn almost all year round. The only time one would not want to wear merino wool is when it is sweltering outside, and for most people, that is in the heat of July and August; even then, a merino shawl with a vest or t-shirt will work wonders. When the weather is warm, there are plenty of lightweight merino wool clothes that will keep cooler than typically thought possible.

The production of wool is a valuable endeavor and there are many countries that are involved in raising sheep for merino wool. Australia is the number one wool producing country followed closely by China and New Zealand. Other countries that are known for their wool are Argentina, Turkey, Iran, England, India, the Sudan, South Africa and the United States. Organic wool is experiencing a boom in demand although this blend of wool is rarely produced. Most organic wool originates in Australia or New Zealand.

Pashmina International is proud to announce their initial range of Merino Wool shawls, produced from Indian and Australian flocks. The shawls measure 28"x80" (70x200cm) and weigh in at 120gsm; tough, durable, and beautifully smooth, while light enough for summer usage. They're machine washable, and should last a lifetime. The worsted wool is pure, and not a mixture.

"So many companies market 10% cashmere, 90% goat's wool items as 'pure cashmere', or offer simply fine normal sheep's wool as merino - and the consumer suffers", says Camilla Field of Pashmina International. "We stick to our guns and only offer 100% merino wool shawls - and they are SO soft!”

The merino shawls are available in four colors: Black, Oyster, Pink Coral, and Rich Turquoise. Pre-orders have already taken a large part of the supply for these items, which are offered at Pashmina International's standard direct-from-factory pricing.

Design house Unconditional, who supply clothes worn by the likes of Cameron Diaz, Madonna, Kelis and Sheryl Crow have this year taken up the merino wool brand and are heavily pushing it, as well as other natural fibres such as cashmere. Their proviso is to stick to items produced as naturally as possible, using pure high quality fibers and natural dyes, and the celebrity endorsement is a significant stamp of approval for merino wool.

Pashmina International specialises in genuine cashmere/silk pashmina shawls and scarves. Free worldwide shipping is available on every order, and all the garments are fuzzy, soft, and lightweight. There are no artificial fibers in the scarves, and Pashmina International operates a strict no-child-labor policy, which includes strict standards and personal factory checks.

http://www.pashminainternational.com/mewosh.html

Ajar

The Ajar is quite an optical illusion. The darker outer layer makes you think the door is, well, Ajar! All the while you're safe and sound.

From Wis Design:

An outer door which appears to be slightly opened. A door that always welcomes you inside, but still makes sure you’re safe and sound behind it.

-Enjoy

Boxing

For those of you who haven't read my profile, I'm an Aikidoka (guy that studies aikido) and have been for the last ten years. As such I do enjoy checking out what other martial arts incorporate into their fighting systems. One such style that is very interesting to me is boxing. There's something about the exchange that happens in a boxing ring that is very honest and not at all like what happens in the dojo. Boxing is a window, for me at least, into what happens in a real fight. There are blocks, jabs, hooks, people get bloodied, and tired.

One thing that I don't really go for is all the drama that surrounds most main stream matched today. The whole production gets turned into a soap opera. Take the Mayweather / De La Hoya fight this year. The whole thing was slated as a pay per view event, though you could buy Mayweather vs De La Hoya tickets if you wanted to go to the fight, a belt was up for grabs and a rematch is already planned for September 20th, 2008.

The rematch is being held in Las Vegas at the MGM Grand Arena, and will probably be quite an event. Plus, it's in Vegas so theres a lot to do if the fight only lasts a couple rounds (you never know). So head over and check it out, you might have a good time.

-Enjoy

Easel Chair

The Easel Chair is an interesting looking piece by Wis Design. The designer thought the chair looks quite a bit like an easel but I really can't see it. Maybe they were thinking about a picture frame, I could have seen that comparison. Regardless, the Easel Chair does look pretty good, if a bit rigid.

-Enjoy

Stylish Design

What is Stylish Design? Stylish Design is a web development related blog I just stumbled across that looks awesome. Let me start by saying that Stylish Design has a great layout that just made me want to explore the site. Columns of varying widths that break into differing heights are very compelling and appealing to the eye. The content is also informative, though some of it was over my head. Most of what is being discussed over at Stylish Design was code, at least on the home page, so if you are into programming it won't be for you. But for the professional or hobbyist, there are some great tips and stimulating discussions on html, servers, and other back end web design concepts.

Head over and tell me what you think of Stylish Design.

-Enjoy

Decades Chest Of Drawers

The Decades Chest of drawers is made out of discarded drawers, found and rescued from flea markets. A mix of different styles from earlier decades, with woods and knobs of various kinds are combined in a single piece of furniture. The old drawers are enhanced by the new frame in white lacquered MDF.

-Enjoy

Buyers can control fabric prices

Design Diva, an online supplier of discount velvet upholstery fabric and other upholstery grade materials has just implemented one of the coolest pricing ideas I have ever heard of. It's called Vote Up Count Down. Here is how Vote Up Count Down Works:

-Anyone with an account can log in and "Vote Up" as many fabrics as they would like.
-The fabric with the most votes goes onto Count Down mode, where it gets cheaper every second.
-The only thing that can stop a fabric in Count Down mode is someone buying it! It will then be replaced by the fabric with the next most votes.

That's it! And don't worry, you'll get an email notifying you whenever a fabric that you "Voted Up" goes onto Count Down mode.

So head over to Design Diva fabrics and start voting on all the fabrics that catch your eye, you may be able to get a better price if you do.





-Enjoy

Cloud Chair

The Cloud Chair has some great ideas integrated into the seat and base interaction. Apparently the entire seat unit sides on the base allowing the seat and back to be interchangeable.

An upholstered easy chair, with a sliding sitting angle. Under frame in black painted metal.The chair is constantly adjustable so that the seat can become the back support and vice versa. Everybody, regardless of length or size, can find their own favourite position in this chair.

-Enjoy

Does Your English Make A Difference?

In the business world it is sometimes important to have a solid grasp on Business English. While this may not pertain to every facet of the working world, it can make a huge difference to executive level employees that want to make a great first impression. The is where ELT steps in. ELT's Business English Course is geared toward executives and professionals with basic, intermediate or advanced level Business English skills. ELT Business English Course focuses on the following:
- Business and Technical Writing in Business English
- Oral Communication in Business English
- Business English Vocabulary
- Accent Reduction for Business English
- Presentation Skills in Business English

If you feel you could benefit from a once over on your English skills in your work place interactions, ELT can definitely help you out.

Reusable Furnishing

The Vanity Easy Chair is an eco friendly design. It utilizes leather from old jackets in the quilting on top of the chair. Plus, it looks great. Here's a quote from the Designer, Wis Design:

An easy chair draped in bits and pieces of old leather. Out of style jackets and coats are given an opportunity to shine again in a contemporary piece of furniture. The quilt of worn leather with natural patina provides a greater value, and makes the modest chair to appear fashionable. A footstool made in the same way complements the chair.

Area Rugs

Here's a nice find I'd like to share with you for a site that carries some nice looking area Rugs. The Company's name is Nilima Rugs, and their selection looks great. I especially liked the Modern Rugs over at Nilima, from abstract to geometric. But don't fret, Nilima also has some great classically designed rugs available as well.

The site is nice and was quite easy to navigate.

-Enjoy

Contests are the way to go.

Everywhere I turn on the web these days it seems that everyone is having a contest to promote their blog or website. At first I didn't really go for it, but I think the idea is growing on me. So, I think I may offer a free month 125x125 of advertising on the Futon Blog, for two advertisers. Just leave a comment here to be in the running. Here are the rules.

1. There can be only one entry per advertiser.
2. No Porn or Gambling websites.
3. Anonymous comments will not count, you must enter your email in your comment.
4. You must provide a 125x125 image for the site.
5. The two winners will be determined on the 18th of April using the Random Integer Generator.

So, lets begin.

Zycon

You might be asking yourself right now "What is Zycon"? Well, Zycon isn't a what it's a who. Zycon is a manufacturer directory where all types of product manufacturers are listed. Most of what Zycon is involved in has industrial applications, items like temperature chambers, adhesives, grommets, gears and the like. Whats also nice is that Zycon has a free listing option for manufacturers. After looking at the wide range of producers on the site it had definitely paid off. I would highly recommend a visit to the Zycon directory for anyone in an industrial field or maybe even a free listing depending on what part of the business you're involved in.

Check it out.

Saturday Night Out

Tonight Noelle and I went out to eat at Big Mamou's in Williamsburg. Big Mamou has been a staple in the Pioneer Valley for years, in fact it may be one of the only Cajun restaurants in Western Mass. Noelle and I used to go to the old location in Springfield and since Chef Wayne just opened a new spot in Williamsburg we thought we'd give it a shot.

Now for the meal. All of the signature dishes were still on the menu, craw fish quesadillas to blackened sirloin tips. Everything was very good, but it definitely wasn't the same as the old location. Maybe there's not as much soul in the food or something. Still good enough that I would go back, but things were slightly different.

So, head over to Big Mamou and give it a shot, I think you'll enjoy it.

Have You Lined Up Your College Funding?

For those of you who may have been like me, you probably haven't put a lot of thought into how you're going to pay for college. Luckily, Scholarships.com may be able to help you out, they've have a wealth of info on their site about all sorts of college funding available. Whether that funding is coming from a scholarship like the Gates scholarship or the various financial aid programs out there, Scholarships.com can help you find the appropriate option for your criteria. The site is easy to navigate, you can search by state, scholarship, or financial aid, which really helps narrow your results. So, head over there before it's too late, otherwise you'll be paying off student loans till your fifty.

Classic Stool With A Twist

The Kitt’ Stool uses kitt to glue little pieces of high quality wood together. Although the seat looks hard like wood, it is flexible like a pillow because of the flexibility of the kitt between the wood. This stool combines a nice modern base with a traditional butcher block style seat that holds a surprise.

A very cool idea and (IMO) one that looks good.

-Enjoy

Satellite Internet

If you are outside of any area where high speed internet is regularly available, you should try Hughes high speed access or the Wild Blue ISP if DSL and cable are not available in your area. For example, my friend lives up in the foot hills of the Berkshires, so the only internet he can get up there is via Satellite. They had almost considered VOIP for their phone service, but it turned out that they were able to get service so they stuck with a traditional land line.

But, at least they are able to get their high speed internet in the middle of nowhere.

-Enjoy.

Chair and Stool made from Trespa & tierips

This chair and stool set is quite unique. Tierips are used to construct this stool and chair. Little holes in the material provide room to join loose pieces of trespa without using any glue. Available as "do"it yourself" version and readymade.

-Enjoy

Modern Furniture

Spacify has some really nice, modern BEDROOM FURNITURE for anyone who's interested. Talk about a modern feel, Spacify.com has the same modern feel as their furnishings with clean lines and a minimalist design. Head over if you're interested in ultra modern bedroom furnishings. I especially liked the low profile beds and their matching case goods.

-Enjoy

Kit Table

The Kit Table takes butcher block to the next level. The Kitt' Table uses kitt to glue pieces of high quality wood together, enable the wood to expand or shrink without cracking. I really like the look of the Kitt, and could see a variety of different woods being used in it's construction.

-Enjoy

Health Insurance Providers

Here's another health insurance link for everyone else who's in the same boat as me. You see, last year Massachusetts passed a mandetory bill stating that everyone is required to have health insurance. Well, now companies like CVTY are offering Coventry insurance in all states. Finding a plan for your area is easy, for instance you can click the state link at the bottom of the each page like the one forfor Coventry Health Georgia residents. Since CVTY provides insurance to every state, residents can simply click on their state link at the bottom of the homepage to find out which plans are available.

Don't wait till you're sick or hurt to get signed up, check it out today.

-Enjoy

Light tree

I think Lervik sums up the Light tree pretty well in their description. So as always , Enjoy.

A tree made from over 2000 meters of fibre optics, moulded together on a steel frame. The light of the tree can shift in colours and in darkness it can perform the function of a street lamp post. Models are available for indoor as well as outdoor use from 150 cm up to 400 cm. In 2003 the Italian high-fashion clothing company Ermenegildo Zegna acquired 120 light trees for their world wide boutiques. The light tree has also toured around the world in different design exhibitions. The lighttree has been acquired by the prestigious Nasjonalmusem in Oslo, Norway.

Wrought Iron Furniture

My friend Carl, the chef / owner of a restaurant in South Deerfield Massachusetts was looking into building a patio off his restaurant for outdoor dining this summer. As you (my readers) may know, I am in the furniture business but I don't carry anything rated for restaurant use. So, when I was asked about furniture for the patio, I recommended Contract Furniture, purveyors of restaurant wrought iron furniture. Contract Furniture has a huge selection of durable looking restaurant furniture, so finding a style of any restaurant shouldn't be a problem. The site looks great, has a wealth of information, and is easy to navigate.

So, check it out and...

-Enjoy

More Design from Lervik

Lervik designed the The Whiteroom in Stockholm. After an extensive renovation with an entire new planning and a modern interior the White Room soon became one of Stockholm’s most popular night clubs among people between the ages of 20-25 years. The elements in The Whiteroom are very typical of Lervik and one of the reasons I so enjoy their work. Hopefully you enjoy it was well, because I'm not done with Lervik yet. :)

-Enjoy

Any Sports Addicts Out There?

Here's a link for all you baseball junkies out there, a forum for baseball picks. Addict Sports has quite a few topic categories for your chatting pleasure. Fantasy leagues, stats, avatars, the works. So, check it out if all the sports programming this spring doesn't satisfy your
sports craving.

Brighthandle Evolution

The next generation of Brighthandles have improved with longer light time, more advanced LED technology, easier installation and integration with electronic systems. A more unique design communicates a variety of messages to a person passing through a door, using the language of red and green. Made out of aluminium and plexus glass, with LED technology.

-Enjoy

The Sedona Method

I've done a few posts this year about a new program I've seen, The Sedona Method. The inventors of the Sedona Method describe the process as The Secret works with A New Earth, a process that helps the participant let go of their ego and walk that way they want to in the world. Here's what the Sedona Method says about moving forward with your issues holding you back:

"Because of the momentum of your habitual ways of thinking, feeling and behaving, you may often feel like you are trying to move forward with a rubber band around your waist. So the closer you get to attracting what you want into your life, the pull of your old thinking is so strong, you seem to snap back into your old patterns."

Here's how it works. The Sedona Method is a simple, powerful, easy-to-learn and duplicate technique that shows you how to uncover your natural ability to surrender – or let go. It naturally shows you how to let go of the tendencies that cause you to flee from freedom as opposed to whole heartedly embracing it.

As an aikidoka I find soem great similarities to the heart of the Sedona Method and O Sensei's teachings. It struck a chord if you will. If you want to hear more about the Sedona Method, visit today to get a free DVD and CD with a little more info.

-Enjoy and be happy.

Brighthandle

Brighthandle, the luminous doorhandle that communicates with coloured light, was first launched at the Furniture Fair in Milano in 2001. It received great response, and almost a thousand people from 43 countries showed interest in purchasing the doorhandle. Brighthandle was awarded “Hardwear product of the year” by an American magazine and featured in magazines all over the world.

In the fall of 2001, a company, Brighthandle AB, was formed by Alexander Lervik and Fredrik Arnander to further develop and sell the doorhandle. In July 2006, the company were sold to Assa Abloy, the largest lock producer in the world. The doorhandle is now launched in Europe and the USA .

Is it too soon to get ready for Halloween?

Since Halloween is one of my favorite holidays I'm inclined to say no, so for everyone else out there like me here's a great link for Halloween costumes. The collections on at InCostume.com vary from sexy (Leg Avenue Costumes) to more traditional (generic mens collections). The costumes look great, I really like that InCostume.com carries a great line of couples costumes. It's nice to be able to coordinate someone else to be able pull off a costume theme. So head over and check out InCostume.com and get your costume ready for this Halloween.

-Enjoy

Wordpress Ideas

Ok, I just set my wordpress blog on a stand alone domain but I'm having some trouble setting things up. For one thing I really want a top comment widget on the sidebar, but I can't figure out where to find one. I also am looking for a really cool theme, but to stand out I definitely need to do a little customizing of my own.

Anyhow, if anyone knows where to find a nice comment widget, please let me know and post a comment here.

Car Loans

Here's another business offering Auto Loans, Best Leading Lenders [dot] com. What Best Leading Lenders provides are the best possible rates on auto loans all over the country. What's really nice is that the whole process is handled online. Here's how Best Leading Lenders describes their loan process:

Best Leading Lenders online auto financing services provides you with the lowest available rate on auto loans and high approval rates for sub prime or bad credit auto loans. Regardless of what your past or current credit situation is or has been, you can qualify for an auto loan at an affordable rate through our special finance services. Bad credit car loans or special financing is not only for poor credit. There are many circumstance which can be classified as high risk, such as self employment or commissioned employees. Our special auto loan financing services can help most individuals have are classified as high risk.

Auto financing should not be time consuming! We have streamlined the process of getting approved for a car loan with our instant online processing which dramatically cuts down on the time needed to obtain an approval for auto loans. If you have ever sat around at a dealership waiting on a finance approval, you certainly know that it's not fun and very stressful! When it comes to car loans there is no need to worry any longer because you can have your auto loan approved before arriving at the dealership. When you have your approval before hand this not only cuts down on your stress level but it also gives you more bargaining power when negotiating the price of your new automobile.

So, check it out and,

-Enjoy

Pandora Alarm Clock

Pandora is an unusual alarm clock designed for people who don’t manage to get up immediately and constantly hit the snooze button so that in the end there is no time left, neither to shower nor to have breakfast.

Once the alarm is switched off, an animation will be laser projected onto your ceiling. After falling asleep again you will be awaken by different sounds which make you open your eyes and look at the ceiling. Instead of showing you the time in numbers, the animation will tell you a story in a count down mode. In changing images you will see what you should be doing at different stages instead of sleeping and there will be catastrophic consequences if you don’t get out of bed.

Could you see your face on a Holiday Card?

Now, I don't have a whole lot of experience with Custom Photo Cards, in fact the only time I've really heard about anyone making a custom photo card was the Seinfeld episode where Elane showed a little cleavage in her Christmas card. So when I found Cards Direct I thought I'd explore a little.

What's Cards Direct you ask? Cards Direct is a nice company that can take your favorite images and transform them into a card for any occasion. Most of you are probably only thinking about a service like this for the Holidays, and those might just be the worst option. I couldn't imagine getting all dressed up and taking a picture (and you know someone has to where a Santa hat), making it into a card and sending it to all my relatives.

I could see a babies first birthday, maybe a first communion, or any other occasion where a personalized card could really come in handy. Maybe you should leave your camera at home on your twenty first though. That could turn into a terrible card.

Anyway, head on over to Cards Direct and maybe whip up a card of you own.

-Enjoy.

More Modern Chairs

Here's another modern modular chair, the Random. It does have a few options in how it can be configured, but random is a little over stated. Here's what the designer had to say about it.

A modular seat system that allows the user to convert the furniture in to different seating solutions such as single easy chairs or wider sofas. The user can vary the arm-rests and assemble them in the middle of a sofa module. Different types of fabrics can be used on arm-rests and seats. The modular system also includes corners and angles. Chassis in chromium or silver lacquered.

-Enjoy

Moving out of the country?

My friend, Rick, just moved down to Belize last winter. He sold his restaurant and took off to live on the beach and start his own bed & breakfast. Well, that whole plan never panned out and Rick actually got a job running the kitchen at the largest resort in Belize. So he was set, except for all the stuff he had to move down, and with the lease on his storage unit running out he was in need of some fast international moving.

So, I went online and looked into some moving companies for him and that's when I found Internationalmovers.com. There site was easy to navigate, easy to get a quotes, and it looks as though they can take care of all the details for you.

Transit modular seating

The Transit modular seating is a different kind a of module system where the beam is placed on the floor. The seats “grows” up from the beam in a slender way which gives a high comfort and resilience. The beam on foot is silver lacquered metal. The Transit can bolted to floor or left freestanding. Seats are made from laminated birch, which can be veneered or upholstered.

-Enjoy