Cute Obama T-Shirts

About the book
Amazon Best of the Month, November 2008: Now that he’s gotten us talking about the viral life of ideas and the power of gut reactions, Malcolm Gladwell poses a more provocative question in Outliers: why do some people succeed, living remarkably productive and impactful lives, while so many more never reach their potential? Challenging our cherished belief of the “self-made man,” he makes the democratic assertion that superstars don’t arise out of nowhere, propelled by genius and talent: “they are invariably the beneficiaries of hidden advantages and extraordinary opportunities and cultural legacies that allow them to learn and work hard and make sense of the world in ways others cannot.” Examining the lives of outliers from Mozart to Bill Gates, he builds a convincing case for how successful people rise on a tide of advantages, “some deserved, some not, some earned, some just plain lucky.”

Outliers can be enjoyed for its bits of trivia, like why most pro hockey players were born in January, how many hours of practice it takes to master a skill, why the descendents of Jewish immigrant garment workers became the most powerful lawyers in New York, how a pilots’ culture impacts their crash record, how a centuries-old culture of rice farming helps Asian kids master math. But there’s more to it than that. Throughout all of these examples–and in more that delve into the social benefits of lighter skin color, and the reasons for school achievement gaps–Gladwell invites conversations about the complex ways privilege manifests in our culture. He leaves us pondering the gifts of our own history, and how the world could benefit if more of our kids were granted the opportunities to fulfill their remarkable potential.

Order now: Outliers: The Story of Success

Get Fit and Have Fun at the Same Time!

Friday Toy Sale

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Why on earth am I featuring a BBQ in the dead of winter? Pfff, if you know me (of course I realize none of you don’t really know me but anyway…) I’m someone who WOULD feature precisely that: a BBQ during the dead of winter - because that is when it’s so great to have a BBQ! Set this awesome seasoned cast iron hibachi on a deck (place something underneath so it doesn’t burn your wood deck!) or somewhere safe, and BBQ away. NO. You don’t have to stay outside. Just barbeque whatever you’re having and eat indoors. Duh, just because it’s snowing outside, or it’s butt cold out there doesn’t mean you have to deprive yourself of the marvelous world of bbq. Get it?

Now, Order Your Seasoned Cast Iron Round Hibachi Grill NOW

How ’bout this: you can get a gift card for your friends and family, too - remember? And it’ll get there on time, presumably.

Shall well get those now? Yes.

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You didn’t think all you could do on your Nintendo DS Lite was to play Yoshi’s Island and Mario Kart all day long, did you? Or are you more of a Dr. Kawashima kind of DS game player? Whatever the case, get with the program; you can cook up a storm with Personal Trainer: Cooking on your trusty DS. It’s so wonderful because the DS is small and will fit on your counter while you cook and remind you about what you need to do to prepare some of the most tastiest dishes on earth. Check it out.

First things first: select a recipe. With 245+ to choose from, Personal Trainer: Cooking makes it easy to find what you’re looking for by helping you browse by country, ingredients, difficulty, cooking time, cooking technique or even calorie count.

Once you’ve found something that looks yummy, take a look at the ingredients. Out of butter or need to buy some cumin? Just tap them with the stylus to automatically add the ingredients to your Shopping List. Making several dishes tonight? Just keep tapping ingredients - your Shopping List keeps it all in one place for you. Now that you’ve got your ingredients, it’s time to start cooking. The DS Chef is there with you, talking you through every step along the way. Don’t know how to fillet a trout? Watch the demonstration video when you get to that step. Didn’t quite catch the last step? Just say “Repeat,” and the Chef will explain it again. You can pause the recipe at any time to consult the Cooking A-Z guide, and prompts will appear within recipes for specific terms you might need more information about.

Click below to get one now.

Personal Trainer: Cooking

Complete with a tin storage box to reduce clutter, this set of 11 round, stainless-steel cookie cutters comes in handy for all seasons. The cutters range in size from 3/4 inch high to 3-5/8 inches high, and they have rolled edges on top to protect fingers during the cutting process. They’re constructed to be long-lasting and are dishwasher-safe.

* Professional gauge pastry and cookie cutters with a plain edge.
* Set of 11 in a reusable storage tin, ranging in size from 7/8″Dia to 3-3/4″Diameter
* Stainless steel.

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Additionally, gluten is also used as a binder in some pharmaceutical products (medicines, supplements, vitamins and more) and there can be starch in unidentified food starch, caramel coloring, modified food starch, hydrolyzed plant or vegetable protein. Therefore, it is absolutely imperative that you avoid items where the ingredients are of questionable origin or are listed as simply “natural flavorings, flavor extracts, or spice extracts” as gluten may be used in processing them. Yes, we did wish they would be more precise in labeling, but the industries haven’t reached that level of enlightenment, unfortunately.

Since it’s oftentimes so very difficult to find gluten-free foods, I’d like to offer a place where you can find lots of gluten-free items in one place. Note: Always verify that the products are truly gluten-free. Click below and you’ll find all kinds of goodies just for you.

Gluten Free Food for You

* Full-color 3-D spinning globe
* 7 touch-sensitive areas allow you to select information about all 7 the continents
* 10 activity buttons
* Hundreds of facts about people, music, clothing, customs, geography, food, animals, inventions and languages
* Built-in LCD screen visually reinforces the learning
* More than 20 minutes of audio entertainment
* Narrated by a cheerful character

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This brilliant diamond in a bezel setting sparkles and catches the eye because of the clarity of 12 (in gem language, that is), color J (also gem lingo).

It’s surround by a white gold setting and 16 inch chain, which will be gently displayed a proud owner’s neck for all to admire. Isn’t it sweet?

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Lenox Holly Damask 60-by-104-Inch Tablecloth

Cyber Monday is a day where you can shop online, free of shoppers angst and at the same time receive some of the best prices on all kinds of items. Many online stores will also offer free shipping on Cyber Monday. There are deals to be had, so get shopping! Online, that is.

Don’t know where to start?

Click here to find the best bargains online

Get it now: Rougie Block of Goose Foie Gras with 3% Truffles (Pate) 5.1 oz 145 gr French luxury Rougie

The story: Bella Swan’s move to Forks, a small, perpetually rainy town in Washington, could have been the most boring move she ever made. But once she meets the mysterious and alluring Edward Cullen, Bella’s life takes a thrilling and terrifying turn. Up until now, Edward has managed to keep his vampire identity a secret in the small community he lives in, but now nobody is safe, especially Bella, the person Edward holds most dear.

Deeply romantic and extraordinarily suspenseful, Twilight captures the struggle between defying our instincts and satisfying our desires. This is a love story with bite.

Click here to find out more about Twilight

What is Scrapbooking and Where Did it Come From?

With the advent of affordable paper, precursors to modern scrapbooks became available to a wider array of people. Beginning in the 15th century, commonplace books, popular in England, emerged as a way to compile information that included recipes, quotes, letters, poems and more. Each commonplace book was unique to its creator’s particular interests. Friendship albums became popular in the 16th century. These albums were used much like modern day yearbooks, where friends or patrons would enter their names, titles and short texts or illustrations at the request of the album’s owner. These albums were often created as souvenirs of European tours and would contain local memorabilia including coats of arms or works of art commissioned by local artisans. Starting in 1570, it became fashionable to incorporate colored plates depicting popular scenes such as Venetian costumes or Carnival scenes. These provided affordable options as compared to original works and, as such, these plates were not sold to commemorate or document a specific event but specifically as embellishments for albums. In 1775, James Granger published a history of England with several blank pages at the end of the book. The pages were designed to allow the book’s owner to personalize the book with his own memorabilia. The practice of leaving pages to personalize at the end of books became known as Grangerizing. Additionally, friendship albums and school yearbooks afforded girls in the 18th and 19th centuries an outlet through which to share their literary skills, and allowed girls an opportunity to document their own personalized historical record previously not readily available to them.

The advent of modern photography began with the first permanent photograph created by Joseph Nicéphore Niépce in 1826. Photography became available to an ever-widening population with the invention of George Eastman’s paper photographs in the late 1880s and the mass production of the Kodak Brownie, a camera designed to be simple (and inexpensive) enough for a child, in 1900. This allowed the average person to begin to incorporate photographs into their scrapbooks.

Old scrapbooks tended to have photos mounted with photomount corners and perhaps notations of who was in a photo or where and when it was taken. They often included bits of memorabilia like newspaper clippings, letters, etc. With the availability of printed material it is likely that the content of scrapbooks shifted away from one’s own hand-writing or drawings or those of one’s family members toward commercially available printed mat ephemera, memorabilia collections and journaling. Modern scrapbooking has evolved into creating attractive displays of photos, text, journaling and memorabilia.

Modern Day Scrapbooking

Marielen Christensen of Spanish Fork, Utah is often credited with reviving interest in scrapbooking in the United States. She began designing creative pages for her family’s photo memories, inserting the completed pages into sheet protectors collected in 3-ring binders. By 1980, she had assembled over fifty volumes and was invited to display them at the World Conference on Records in Salt Lake City. Marielen and her husband AJ authored and published a how-to book, Keeping Memories Alive, and opened a scrapbook store in 1981 that remains open today.

In addition to preserving memories, the hobby is popular for the strong social network that scrapbooking can provide. Hobbyists, known as “scrappers” or “scrapbookers,” get together and scrapbook at each other’s homes, local scrapbook stores, scrapbooking conventions, retreat centers, and even on cruises. The attendees share tips and ideas as well as enjoying a social outlet. The term “crop,” a reference to cropping or trimming printed photographs, was coined to describe these events. In the late 1990s, many scrappers in the US opened stores to turn their hobby into a business.[citation needed] Within approximately 5 years, many of those stores were forced to close due to a downturn in the economy and the fact that many store owners mistakenly assumed that loving to scrap was enough to run a retail store.[citation needed] Many owners simply didn’t know how to run their stores. During this time, more multi-level direct sales companies were formed. Several were closed due to mismanagement, while others weathered the tough times. It also gave rise to a new breed of business - the home-based retailer. Companies arrived to provide information for individuals who wanted to break out of the direct sales mold and go out on their own. While vendors had traditionally stayed away from the home-based market due to fraud, they began to warm to the idea of the non-traditional sales channels as a way to get their products in front of more consumers through home parties and workshops. Working with a company like this enabled them to tap into legitimate home-based retailers.

The scrapbooking industry doubled in size between 2001 and 2004 to $2.5 billion with over 1,600 companies creating scrapbooking products by 2003. Creative Memories, a home-based retailer of scrapbooking supplies founded in 1987, saw $425 million in retail sales in 2004. In the US, this hobby has surpassed golf in popularity: one in four households has someone playing golf; one in three has someone involved in scrapbooking.

Shop for Scrapbook Materials by clicking here: Scrapbooking

“Out of the thousands of new releases that came into our cubicles this year, we’ve chosen our 100 favorites, from an elegant pop-up alphabet and a deliciously dishy guide to fragance to an enthralling biography of an iconic leader and an encyclopedic history of a sport and the world that plays it. Here they are, so click below.”

Best Books of 2008

And if you are of the mindset, “the sky is the limit,” then this is the gift you ‘d purchase. It’s the top of the line set, the Mercedes of tools, if you will.

What’s the big deal, you ask? It includes the following tools: Chisel and Punches, 27 Clamps, 2 Electrical Crimping Pliers, 5 Files, 12 Gear Pullers, 41 Hammers, 16 Hand Sockets, 417 Hex Keys, 85 Holesaw Set, 17 Impact Drive Tools, 24 Impact Sockets, 187 Knives, 2 Miscellaneous Tools, 23 Pliers, 63 Pry Bars, 6 Ratchets, Drive Tools, and Accessories, 58 Saws and Saw Blades, 36 Scrapers, 7 Screwdrivers, 36 Snips, 5 Tool Boxes, 6 Torque Wrenches, 3 Wrenches, 312 Features! It’s better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it - and with this tool set, you’re almost certain to have what you need. This set contains the tools to handle practically any if not all jobs your shop is likely to see, in both fractional and metric sizes. It includes a comprehensive assortment of sockets, ratchets, and accessories in 1/4″, 3/8″, 1/2″, and 3/4″ drive, for both hand and impact use. A full complement of wrenches in a number of styles helps you tackle increasingly complex maintenance tasks. A comprehensive assortment of screwdrivers, pliers, hammers, punches and chisels, is there when you need them, and specialty items such as gear pullers, saws, scrapers, and other tools for industrial maintenance mechanics and tradesmen round out this truly Mammoth tool set.

Youll want to keep your tools safe and secure, and our industry-leading Mammoth Tool Set includes the storage cabinets necessary to do that. Two top-chest / roll-cabinet combinations are included, as well as a side cabinet and rolling three-drawer tool cart. A total of 35 drawers and over 75,000 cubic inches of storage capacity will help you organize your tools effectively. And the mobile tool cart helps bring your tools to the job, where you need them. Whatever the industry, this set will help you keep your equipment and assets working, helping you compete more effectively. Get your work done faster and more efficiently, easier, and safer with the Mammoth Tool Set from the J.H. Williams Tool Group. All other tool sets are simply too ordinary.

If not for seeing the price alone, you absolutely must check out this item:

Williams Snap On Master Set 1,390 Piece Mammoth Tool Set WSC-1390TB

LJ Hutchen Silver C Flute with Case - 2 Year Warranty

For Photos, Specs and Prices Click Here: Handy Portable Stereo Recorder

“This slicer is an inexpensive alternative to a professional stainless-steel mandoline, this device makes it possible to quickly, uniformly, and safely slice and julienne vegetables and fruits. It also shreds cabbage and neatly dices potatoes, tomatoes, and onions. For safety, a holder firmly grips food with stainless-steel prongs so fingers are protected from the German surgical-steel blades, and the three inserts accompanying the device lock in position. The inserts act as a guide for slicing against the V-frame’s knife that reverses to create slices either 1/4-inch or 1/16-inch thick and two julienne inserts for creating 1/8-inch or 3/8-inch strips. For storage, the V-frame, all three inserts, and the safety holder fit into a caddy that can stand upright on the counter, lie flat in a drawer, or hang on the wall. Made of rugged plastic, the device measures 15 inches long and 6 inches wide when assembled for storage.” –Fred Brack

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Mamma Mia is, to me, the ultimate feel good movie of the year. I saw it three times this summer, and every time I loved it a little more. The critics seem to have forgotten that this is, in fact, supposed to be a musical. Musicals are NOT meant to be like “regular” movies.”

Meryl Streep’s performance was outstanding, hilarious, sweet, fun… and her voice rocks! Pierce Brosnan may not make a career as a singer, but he was wonderful, just as my very favorite actor Colin Firth. But really I loved all the actors and their performances… and Mamma Mia is on my wish list for christmas.

by Ute Mitchell “Phoenix Mommy”

Mamma Mia! The Movie

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Barack Obama, the first black President in the history of the U.S, is a man raised by his white mother and grandparents, decided to journey to Kenya to learn more about his African father after receiving news of his death. This memoir is not about his father’s life, but about Obama’s, and he brings that home with an intimate tone rather than that of his public speeches. (His 2004 Democratic Convention keynote address is included at the end.) Throughout the book, the U.S. Senator looks at race from the point of view of someone who has seen and been part of a variety of cultures, and he explains how his perspective shaped his views. The book, written in 1995, before his election to the Illinois Senate, gives listeners a chance to learn more about a young senator who made news by speaking out on the Patriot Act and President Bush’s next Supreme Court nomination.

Dreams from My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance

From the retail supermarket outlets of huge, publicly traded corporations comes processed, manipulated, engineered “food products” – produced by other wings of the same corporation. These artificial, toxic treats are then sold with the blessings of the Federal Trade Commission and Food and Drug Administration – government organizations charged with safeguarding the public good – laying the foundations for future disease and chronic ill-health for the consumer, and a guaranteed source of revenue for the medical and pharmaceutical sectors.

Kevin reveals the shocking truth of how drugs – which are being advertised directly to the consumer, pushing their use to an all-time high – are actually the cause of illness and disease climbing to near epidemic levels.

And, though it sounds dire, Kevin offers a light in the darkness and directs the reader to scores and scores of alternative therapies, medical practices, philosophies and – most importantly – potential cures that help your body regain its natural state of health and vibrancy.

So follow Kevin on an amazing journey through the behind-the-scenes world of corporate sponsored “nutrition” and “health,” and learn about “Natural Cures ‘THEY’ Don’t Want You To Know About.”

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From the luxurypropertyblog:

“A lot of movie fans travel to see the filming site of their favorite flick. And Chateau de Villette is no exception. Many fans of The Da Vinci Code movie starring Tom Hanks have visited this 185 estate about 35 minutes northwest of Paris. It was featured as Sir Leigh Teabing’s home. (Teabing was played by Ian McKellan.)

And it’s for sale for an undisclosed amount.

The main house has eleven bedrooms and bathrooms (with 18 beds and 17 baths total), all of which were remodeled within the last 10 years, according to public information. The Chateau was designed by architect Francois Mansart in 1668 for Louis XIV’s Venetian ambassador. The gardens were designed by Le Notre and spread out behind the home.

Villette is considered on of the most significant historical chateaux in France. It was designed around the same time as Versailles, earning it the nickname “Le Petite Versailles.” The dining room features an original 17th-century carved stone buffet and the limestone entry hall harkens back to the 17th century as well. The gourmet kitchen was installed in 2001. It also has two service kitchens and a banquet room.

And if that’s not enough, it has a gym, billiard room, library, music salon, and a grand staircase. The property also boasts a chapel and reception room for hosting weddings, a greenhouse, and horse stables. Many more modern amenities have been added to the property as well: wireless internet, a swimming pool, a tennis court. It basically has just about everything you could want. Including plenty of privacy. Gee, why didn’t Brad and Angelina just buy it instead of renting someplace else?” [source]

tags: france, french, Chateau de Villette, Da Vinci Code, luxury property in france

Information about the MacBook Pro

Like Oprah, I think the Kindle will make a wonderful gift for bookworms. No, it doesn’t mean they have to give up real books entirely, but it will give them a choice PLUS it’ll be easy to transport several books for example to take on vacation without the weight! I can relate to that perk.

If you buy your Kindle before November 1, 2008, you can receive $50 off the total price when you purchase!! Hurry because November 1st is right around the corner. Happy Reading, everyone!

Need to find out more about Kindle? Click here for details.

The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream

It’s funny how most of the world wants Obama to win, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that American wants him to win. It seems the educated, rational and hopeful people of the world who would vote for Obama if they could, are far from sharing the same sentiments as middle America.

If people had a sense of reason, and could just put their partisan role aside, the obvious person who will turn the U.S. around (from its horrible and colossal downward spiral), would be Obama.

He would not only be good for America, but he’d make the world a better place.

The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream

These skis feature the world’s first on-board power adjustment system. Want to lay it all on the line on the groomers? Turn the Power Switch to the on position. A carbon fiber rod compresses internal springs toward the front of the ski, which gives the Tigershark more power. Leave the switch off for cruising or the occasional tree run. Extended Double Grip construction lends this ski amazing edge hold, while the Tigershark’s iPT 14.0 TS Binding allows for a smooth, natural flex and precise transmission from skier input to the snow. Two layers of titanium make this all-mountain Volkl ski appropriate for advanced all-mountain skiers who Mach down the groom and enjoy the occasional off-piste foray.

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I find it very unpleasant that this has happened and I am fairly bitter that China produces practically everything on earth and the quality is crap, and sometimes they decide to put toxic chemicals in foods and baby toys, furniture etc., but whatever. The world allowed this and so must assume its actions. What’s to do now?

Adjust to it, whether reluctant or not. China is here to stay and if we can’t accept that, we’ll have to move to another planet. For businesses, I’d think something like language learning would be in order. Billions of people on earth speak Chinese, and to grow your business internationally, you would be remiss to avoid China. That being said, they have a reputation of working unethically and dishonestly. That happens everywhere, so if you do your homework, you should be able to locate the best people to work with you and your company. While English is a language of business, many Chinese people do not speak it and so if you’d like to do business with them, you will have to take the initiative and learn Chinese. A few courses can do wonders.

Who has time to learn a language? I know, it takes time but if you get excellent language learning DVDs, you can work with your own schedule and Learn Chinese at your own pace.

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Now. Go to Amazon right now!

Anyway, it’s really fun to make pizza at home but you really require a good, solid pizza oven that will do the job like no other oven. It’s totally worth spending a little extra cash so you and your family can enjoy scrumptious pizzas from here on in.

This oven is perfect for small applications and spaces. Pizza, pretzels and bread products can be cooked directly on the baking surface. The timer can be set for up to 15 minute increments and allows for continuous use. It comes with two Corderite ceramic baking stones. This unit is designed for pre-baked crust only and is not recommended for fresh dough or pan pizza baking. In stock and ready to ship. Features: Stackable oven. Exterior and door are constructed of 20 gauge stainless steel. The interior is constructed of 18 gauge high heat aluminized steel.

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Related: More than 60 Recipes for Delicious Homemade Pizza