Tungsten Carbide and Other Wedding Ring Metals

By Doug

Apr

28

Wedding rings are made from a variety of metals and they each have a special appeal offering. The most popular metals for rings are silver, gold, tungsten carbide and platinum or some combination of them. Copper is another popular metal for jewelry, including rings, though it is not a common wedding ring element. It is however, along with silver, a popular choice for turquoise jewelry and is a great aesthetic match. And while each of the metals has its own visual and symbolic appeal to consumers, they also have their own chemical properties and traits.

Gold has that standard symbolic touchstone appeal and while it will always be one of the top choices it may not always be the preferred. Chemically, it is the most malleable metal that is known and it is also the least reactive. Silver is another incredibly popular choice, and it along with gold is one of the traditional precious metals. It has the highest electrical conductivity of the elements.

Platinum is one of the rarest elements in the Earth’s crust and is extremely resistant to corrosion. Tungsten Carbide is the toughest of the metals and is about three times more stiff than steel. Because of its durability it is an extremely attractive choice and it typically has as a unique shiny hue that is particularly popular with men, though women also love it. All of these metals have their unique properties and aesthetic qualities and make great wedding rings. And of them, the tungsten carbide rings are greatly increasing in popularity with men and women for a variety of reasons.

Enjoying a Small Wedding

By Doug

Nov

16

Many brides are being forced to scale back their wedding plans due to financial considerations. The news is full of stories of people losing homes and jobs and cutting back on gas-guzzling cars, but it’s not talking about the couples who suddenly have less money available for wedding planning than their older siblings and friends had for theirs. With the right perspective, couples in these circumstances can look on the small wedding as a blessing rather than a straight jacket.

Cutting back on the elaborate stylings of grand weddings means that couples can focus on the real purpose of a wedding — celebrating the nuptials of two people in love. Finding ways to save money can provide an excellent excuse to involve family and friends in the wedding planning and execution — people who would have otherwise just been guests can instead share in the journey from engagement to wedding. Family members may have mad skills such as flower designing, cooking, decorating, or even the ability to alter a used wedding dress into a custom-fitted gown. This turns a wedding into a community experience instead of a spectator event.

Being forced to limit the size of the wedding has the added benefit of ensuring that the people invited are people who are truly important to the bride and groom. Instead of having to invite Dad’s business contacts or distant cousins that no one remembers, it will be a gathering of close friends and family who are intimately connected with the couple and genuinely care about supporting them in building a life together. That’s a much better atmosphere for starting off a marriage than the attention of barely interested strangers.

Manhattan Loses Corso to Shelley

By Doug

Jun

14

It is probably one of the most spectacular ways to end a journey as a poet, to be allowed that your ashes be interred with Shelley’s in Rome. Shelley was one of the great Romantics, in the true sense of the word. Broody, delighted, and utterly in love with the world, but also afflicted with personal tragedies. For Shelley, it was TB that led him to an early exit, and for Gregory Corso , it was cancer.

Corso lived one of the perfect poet’s lives. Although it’s not a life that anyone would willingly accept, if they knew the conditions ahead of time, it makes for some fantastic stories, and a biography that only gets better with time. He was born in Manhattan, in Greenwich Village, in 1930, and lived a lot longer than anyone would have suspected he could have. At age 71, the disease took him in his sleep, in what seems to be a rather peaceful ending to a life that was anything but that.

He was considered by many to be a kind of 4th wheel to the Beat generation inner circle. The only reason he never made it in as a full-fledged member was probably because of his age. He was ten years younger than the next youngest, and still green around the gills as a poet. However, his street cred was absolutely solid, with a history of petty theft and break-ins, and time spent in the Tombs, the scariest prison in all of New York. He even spent time in Bellevue , and that, for the Beats, was as good as serving in the Foreign Legion to the New Romantics.

His footprints here are not as easy to find as some of the other poets of his time, but the search makes them all the more beautiful. Visiting the city, staying at a boutique Manhattan hotel , and looking for signs of poetry and roses, the trail of Corso leads somewhere close enough to call it home.

Beau Biden in the Hospital

By Doug

May

15

Beau Biden is in the hospital, although they have not yet released the reason why yet. At the time of the White House announcement Beau was awake, communicating with his family although he was still in the hospital. His father, Vice President Joe Biden was there as well to be at his bedside. Beau Biden gave up an opportunity earlier this year to become a Senator in favor instead to work on persecuting a pediatrician who is suspected of molesting over a hundred young children. It is hoped that the younger Biden will be on his feet again soon and able to get back to work.

Obama to Give Highschool Commencement Speach

By Doug

May

8

Obama is out there once again giving speeches. The biggest difference is that this time he is already president, although there are others. Last time his speeches were given at colleges, but this time it will be at a high school. This is not because he is moving down in the world, but because they won a contest in which the prize was him as their commencement speaker. This is part of his movement to show his support for exceptional schools and to provide support to those schools that need to improve.

Maintaining a Good Landlord Tenant Relationship

By Doug

May

7

Entering into a new rental agreement can be an exciting and scary time, both for the landlord and the tenant . It is the beginning of a long and sometimes difficult relationship, the tone for which is often set at that initial meeting. No matter which side of the paperwork you are on, it will take both of you to make the relationship and the agreement as pleasant and painless as possible.

One of the first things that both sides can do to make the relationship better from the start is to be informed of the laws, codes, and rights that the state mandates for rental agreements. While it is part of the landlord’s, or property manager’s, job to know these laws, it doesn’t hurt for the potential tenant to be aware of them as well. Not only will there be greater understanding when completing the rental agreement, but it will also help both sides keep their expectations in check.

The key to any good relationship is communication, and that includes the relationship between the landlord and tenant. The communication lines should be completely open when writing and signing the lease so that both sides understand and agree with it completely. When there is a problem or a dispute, both parties should be willing to talk it out and agree on a solution.

Regardless of the situation there will be times when you just don’t get along or can’t seem to get on the same page. This is why it is very important that you accepting of and get along with the person who will managing and overseeing the property because they are the ones you will be working and communicating with most of the time. If it is possible talk to family and friends about property managers they have used in the past and recommend. Every relationship requires work, but when it comes to your home you want the relationship to be as smooth as possible.

South Korea Walks Fine Line on Sinking Ship

By Doug

May

6

With one of South Korea’s ships having been sank not very long ago, South Korea President, Mr. Lee must walk a fine line between kowtowing to his conservative base, and keeping the country stable enough that people still want to invest in the country. While he has a straight forward message about what they are going to do now, the situation is a little more complicated than it might seem on the surface.

Keeping the Dream Alive

By Doug

May

5

The fascination with the automobile is something that seems to have been born even before there were cars. The machines caught on so quickly, and developed so fast, that it’s hard to believe they’re still an invention of the last hundred years or so. Most great-grandparents didn’t have cars their entire lives, which suggests how quickly they got into the public circulation, as well as the imagination of teenagers everywhere. The teenage fascination with cars is even more recent, where, in the 1950s, teens in post-war countries were growing up with these for the very first time.

It was a major shift in the consciousness of the public, and teenagers had a way to express their frustrations and get out some excess energy by putting it into their cars. The same sensibility has lasted to this day, and perhaps is even more prevalent now than it was back then. Whether someone is hanging fuzzy dice from a rear-view mirror, or souping up their Ford pick-up , the dream is still the same: to ride around in a mean machine. Definitions of what makes one car a potent street fighter have changed, and continue to change, but the mechanics of nostalgia are still the same.

It’s interesting to see how people, entering middle age, can re-visit their former teenage selves, when they get a wrench in their hand, but the change is almost visible. It doesn’t seem to matter, either, if they’re trying to renovate a classic, or working on maintenance with a Toyota pick-up repair manual in hand, it’s the manual effort of getting into the engine that sparks off the moment when the love of the car was born for the very first time. The 1950s might be gone, but there’s every reason to believe that the momentum of that particular moment in time hasn’t lost any speed. Speed is at the heart of car culture, whether it’s the tires on the road, or the voyages we make in our minds to a past that’s not so distant after all.

The Spotlight is Bright in Shanghai

By Doug

May

2

To be Shanghaied used to be a bad thing, but with the upcoming World Expo being held in Shanghai everyone wants to go there. Like Beijing got a total makeover for the Olympics, so too is Shanghai going to be getting for this Expo and it is expected to be spectacular.

Parenting With Disabilities

By Doug

Apr

24

CNN recently did a series of interviews with parents with disabilities finding out what they have to change to interact with their kid, as well as what is the same about such an experience as it would be for those without disabilities. In the past a lot of focus has been on children with disabilities, but the  whole thing is different when the parental unit, especially the mother has a disability that keeps her from being able to do everything she would otherwise be able to do. One mom who’s joints in her arms don’t work too well changes her son’s diapers with her feet, as well as doing a number of other things with them.

Jumper Saved By Stranger

By Doug

Apr

20

A man who jumped off a bridge today was saved by a complete stranger who after seeing him start to drown, took off his shoes and jumped in there with him. The video below tells the whole story as well as a few interviews. It has not been released who the man was who jumped, or why he did so.

Facebook is Announcing a New Feature: The Like Button?

By Doug

Apr

19

Facebook is announcing a new feature soon. There has been no official talk yet, but it looks as though all the rumors point in the same direction. Soon Facebook will be announcing a button that allows you to “Like” web pages. With it being a little colder than becoming a fan, and takes most of the same styling of Digg, one wonders how well this will work out.

The Best Type of Writing for Films

By Doug

Apr

13

When movies changed from silent films to talkies, the whole style of writing also changed. It turns out that there is a very specific style of writing that is ideal for script writing in modern films, and there are a number of people who go to school for it under a different name. Here is the full story because she can put it much better than I can.

Renaissance Festivals

By Doug

Aug

5

Every year in towns throughout the United States preparations are underway for their town’s annual Renaissance Festival. Depending on the state and the weather for that time of year, these popular festivals can be held most anytime. If you have never attended one of these medieval reproductions, you really need to make plans to do so. Plan to make this an all day event because this is an outing the whole family will enjoy. You will be transported back in time to kings and queens, their courts and their knights. It is truly a delightful experience as you leave the present and step into the far distant past. Get your event tickets and prepare yourself for quite an adventure.

There are acres of activities for your entertainment and dozens of vendors offering their wares. You will find many booths offering unique hand crafted items for sale ranging from low cost, simple, souvenirs to very detailed, exquisite and expensive pieces of art. Whatever your taste, whatever your budget you will surely find it at the yearly Renaissance Festival. And the food…you have to try the food. Steamed corn on the cob still in the husk, smoked turkey legs, you name it and you will probably find it here. As you walk around among the crowd and the succulent aromas fill the air, you will definitely find your way to one or more of the food booths, keeping in mind you have gone back in time. You are now in a different era so enjoy all that is being offered. Walk in the shoes of those from long ago.

Do not be surprised if you come across a jousting tournament with spectators choosing their favorite combatant, or the belly dancers, or maybe the circus catches your eye, the court jesters and jugglers, the magicians. Be sure and check out the many theatres and their performances. Stop and listen to the music, enjoy the flamboyant, colorful costumes, talk to the Renaissance participants, many of whom perform at numerous festivals throughout the country. Watch it all, smell it all, taste it all, remember it all. It’s a wonderful trip back in time.

No Children’s Theater Tickets

By Doug

Aug

4

Back in the day, when I was a teenager, my mother and I were standing in line to buy Children’s Theater Tickets. I remember, when finally, there was only a few more people in front of us for the ticket counter. They seemed to be together, like they were a family. If so, it was a huge family, like eight or nine children. They didn’t seem to be rich either; more like they were dirt poor cause their clothes seemed really worn and out of date, but they were clean at least.

My mother made a comment to me that I should be more like the children in front of us because they were well behaved. I just gave her a look, like ‘what? I’m well behaved!’, I mean, after all, I was just standing there, not doing anything wrong. The parents were in front of the children not even worried that their kids were miss-behaving. I noticed too that the parents were holding hands and they kept eyeing each other, like they were going to kiss, but held back from doing so.

When the family in front of us reached the ticket window, the ticket lady asked them how many tickets and the father said it loud enough for my back teeth to hear, ‘I would like eight children’s tickets and two adults, please.’ When the ticket lady responded with the price of all those tickets, I saw the father looked down and then back at his wife. I then heard him ask, even though this time he was asking in a hushed voice, ‘How much did you say?’ Of course the price didn’t change, and I saw a look of such deep sadness come across the fathers face. He didn’t have enough money.

I didn’t know my mother was paying any attention to what was happening in front of us, but she was and she immediately pulled out a $20 from her purse and dropped it on the ground. Now, let me tell you, we weren’t that loaded with money either, my mother being a single parent. I watched my mother reach down and pick up the $20, then tapping on the young fathers shoulders saying ‘Excuse me sir, but this fell out of your pocket.’ The father looked straight into my mothers eyes and I could see a whole wordless conversation going on between the two. And finally, the father said, ‘Thank you, Miss. I thought I had lost it on the way here, you truly are a blessing.’

My mother and I didn’t get to see the Children’s Theater http://www.classicsonstage.com/that day, we ended driving home in silence, but we we’re both smiling.

The Art of Practicing Due Diligence

By Doug

Aug

3

Due diligence refers to the steps one takes, as an individual or a corporation, to ensure that the people or company with whom one becomes involved with are conducting ethical and moral business transactions. All those involved in any type of business or political venture owes it to themselves to make certain that their own practices do not become at risk due to being connected to those involved in criminal or unethical behavior. There are financial considerations as well, as when a company or a country becomes involved in behaviour that is not reputable, other companies or countries will cease to be involved. This is a domino effect. It is simply the way to become knowledgeable about what to look for.

There is an element to the process of due diligence that may strike some as sneaky or too secretive. But just as any rental service will check the credit history of a perspective tenant or customer, so should one check the history of those with whom they are about to conduct business transactions. This does not have to be an undercover operation, the one being “checked out” may be informed of the process, and if their is nothing to hide, this should never be and issue. When conducting investigations that relate to the practice of due diligence, be aware that although people may be one of the best sources of knowledge, they may also be some of the least reliable.

Never rely only on the opinion expressed solely of an individual. One who is skilled in the art of investigation will know that all evidence should be checked and corroborated by other forms of evidence. And it is important to remember that even official court documents do not present the entire background. The best way to observe and assess a situation is to experience as much as is possible of it, first hand. And for those in upper management, or those who will inevitability be held responsible, it is never wise to allow decisions to be made by others. The objective collection of evidence is the key to knowing that one did the research, practiced the diligence, and reached the right conclusion based on that evidence alone.

Starting a small business

By Doug

Jun

24

Starting a business is no easy feat. It takes time, money and a lot of hard work. But most of American workers are either small business owners or employed by a small business. So needless to say, success can be had in the small business arena. You just have to find your market niche. And with the job market the way it is currently, now just might be the perfect time to start that business that you have always dreamed of.

First off, think about something that makes you passionate. We all know that when we have no passion for our jobs, you just get bored and unmotivated. A job should be something you look forward to doing. Think about what you would do if you were to retire right now, and think about how you could make that into a business. If you have always wanted to own a boutique or love to play golf, think about how you could corner that market to make it some niche that consumers would enjoy and want to be a part of.

Think about times where you wished there was a service or product that you were hoping for. That’s what Steve Barbarich did.  He was in the market for a Jacuzzi hot tub and went about finding one online. When he bought one and it was delivered to his home, he was less than satisfied. When he attempted to get any kind of customer service from the retailer, they simply were totally unhelpful.  This experience prompted him to start his own luxury direct Jacuzzi hot tub company called choosehottubsdirect.com. Now he sells luxury Jacuzzi hot tubs for wholesale prices and excellent customer service. He went ahead and filled a void in the market.

If a small business is something you think you want to do, go ahead and go for it!