When it comes to giving birth, you deserve luxury.  I well-remember my 12 hours of, ahem, delightful experiencing the Natural Way (it redefined my future labor plans to include three words, drugs drugs drugs!)…anything that would have alleviated it would have been a godsend to me.

Well!  Today’s affluent folk can certainly take advantage of incredible LDR resources.  To wit:

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Here’s a rather fascinating term - The Sandwich Generation. Who are these intrepid peoples, I hear you ask?

Well, they’re the folks who are sandwiched in between taking care of young whipper snappers and old raising-caners. To wit:
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Gad you have just got to LOVE what you can learn online.

Reported by 60 Second Science, a company called BotaniCALLS (get it? Botani CALLS? Heh? Heh?) has figured out a way to educate sentinent photosynthesizing lifeforms to twitter at you when they need to be watered.
[Read more]

Ah, the joys of coffee

in the morning…and music in the morning….and coffee and music in your ipod in the morning…..

From Dvice:

…You can think of the Yuento Music Mug as the iPod speaker dock for the minimalist Jonathan Ive (award winning Apple designer) wanna-bes out there. Hidden at the bottom of the pure white cup is a tiny stereo input you connect your iPod to, allowing your sweet sounds to flow from the bottom of the unit. Designed by Masato Tokuno, the device’s pure simplicity makes it unlikely to win any Ive-sized awards, but design purists will appreciate the restraint exercised by the Japanese creator….MORE….

I can see my kids now concocting experiments with such a thing….

And if you’d like more music and ipod and coffee resources, check out:

• iPod Coffee Table
• Digital Coffee Shop Sounds
• Buzz Out Loud Lounge: Order Starbucks coffee via iPhone or iPod Touch

ThankYouVeryMuch!

Owlbert

ps - want gourmet coffee goodies?

GOURMET TRADITIONS 1 CUP COFFEE MAKER WITH ACCESSORIES

gourmet espresso cappuccino coffee machine

1Kg of fine GOURMET ARABICA Coffee Beans - Medium Roast

1Kg of fine GOURMET ARABICA Coffee Beans - Medium Roast

Cafe Quindío GOURMET Colombian Coffee - 8.8 ounces

GOURMET COFFEE Roasted & FLAVORED 1 lb REG. WHOLE BEAN

GOURMET Flavored COFFEE Roasted & FLAVORED 2 oz Regular

Fresh Ground Gourmet Breakfast Blend Coffee 2lbs 2oz

Yes, it’s probably true

when you think of the future of the Internet and Web 3.0, you think of extending the semantic web concept, weaving together technologies and creating the ultimate user experience.

Well, WRONGO!!!  :)  Okay, perhaps not wrong, but have you instead considered that Web 3.0 will really center up (drumroll please):

Social Shopping!

Yes, it’s true - forget about following what fashion analysts say online or TV.  Instead, you’re going to become a fearless leader of lemmings (or perhaps a gung-ho lemming yourself) and first see what others are buying online before bravely making that critical fashion choice yourself.   To wit:

…What happens when following the fashion herd becomes wisdom of the masses? When everyone can become his or her own fashion editor? When “citizen” journalists replace glossy magazines as oracles of fashion?

The next big thing in fashion is not a hot young designer or a new label but an online evolution driven by peer-to-peer recommendation and consumers who want what they see others are buying online – in short, a new kind of conspicuous cyber consumption.

“It’s what I call Web 3.0,” explains Dawn Bebe, managing director of the UK’s first social shopping site for women, Osoyou.com. While the Web 2.0 label is used to refer to the current interactive phase of internet development, defined by blogging, social networking and “wiki” sites built with user-generated content, Bebe believes, “The next evolution for the web is social networks that have a purpose – vertical social networks…. This is where social shopping comes in. The thing that bonds these people is shopping and fashion.”

“We believe that peer-to-peer recommendation is already essential in e-commerce because shopping is a social and emotionally driven experience,” says Malte Goesche, chief executive and co-founder of iliketotallyloveit.com, a social shopping site based in Germany and named after a phrase used by Paris Hilton. “Recommendations by friends help you to discover products you weren’t aware of and didn’t know you needed  ….MORE….

Love that line…"didn’t know you needed." 

Remember, you’ve heard it here first!  When 3.0 comes roaring in like a freight train, daintily refer people to:

• I LIke Totally LOVE It!

You’ll definitely, like, make an impression. 

ThankYouVeryMuch!

Owlbert

ps - and if you’re looking for designer fashion you can, like, totally love:

AUTH HERMES BE-BOP CLUTCH BAG TO MATCH KELLY BIRKIN NEW

SASSY ORANGE 35cm Hermes Birkin Bag

*BARENIA ROYALE* HERMES Birkin 35 Bag Barenia Toile H

Black Togo Birkin Bag Gold HW **WITH RECEIPT**

Black Crocodile & Palladium 35cm HERMES BIRKIN BAG

Rose naturelle Ostrich&Palladium 30cm HERMES BIRKIN BAG

Parchemin Clemence & Gold 35cm HERMES BIRKIN BAG

Just came across

this post from my diet/fitness community -

…..You know a funny story? (I should actually post this in the lounge, but I’m too lazy.) I was sleeping the other night, and at around 12:00, I woke up my roomate because I was mathing in my sleep. Yeah. Mathing. That means spitting out formulas from an overdose of math….MORE…

Now that would make such a nifty new sleep aid! Can’t sleep? Mumble to yourself about mathematical equations until it’s dream time!

I can see the marketing potential already.

ThankYouVeryMuch!

Owlbert

ps - and if it’s math for which you are searching, check out:

RAY'S NEW PRACTICAL ARITHMETIC 1877 Math Textbook

Antique 1866 STODDARD'S MATH ARITHMETIC SCHOOL BOOK Old

5 Antique 1877 MATH ARITHMETIC SCHOOL BOOK Rays LEATHER

Lot of 7 Antique Mathematics Math Books

ANTIQUE MATH BOOK 1828 Arithmetic Accounting Decimals

Antique "Modern Math Addition"

Math. Moreau 19th Century French Bronze & Marble Statue

Antique vintage educational book lot, Math - English

I’ll never forget

the day I visited an Apple store in my local mall. Compared to other packed-to-the-brim shops, the store was notable by its HUUUUGE open spaces and how the the customers were talking with each other as they migrated to various parts of the stores.

When you think about products in the past, it was all about, well, the product. A computer (and accessories), a TV, a stereo system, a reclining bed, a refrigerator…all stand-alone products with perhaps accessories satelliting around them.

Not so any more! Think about buying a TV today. You can focus on the TV, the speakers, the surround sound, the furniture in which you’ll sit, the Wii that wants to be attached and the like.

People are moving not so much to buying individual products, but buying components for entire experiences. Relaxing at home! Playing a game! Listening to music!

The question is, how will retailers address this issue? There’s a super article you must read over here - it begins:

Those that are in those businesses, as we all know, like to operate on a pretty low operating margin when it comes to selling those 11 or five SKUs. It’s a complete reversal of activity, whereas we used to make a lot of money on lots of hardware, and we’d let the assortment sort of self-destruct over time. Now the consumers are choosing. They want five different gaming consoles, and that’s it. They want 11 iPods plus maybe three or four other MP3 players and that’s it.

The interesting elephant in this room is we’ve now talked more about things that aren’t TVs and computers for the first time in memory. Those are smaller economics and the honest truth is those are smaller businesses. These are smaller dollars, smaller margins, less service, less warranty and the dynamics of the industry are never coming back, at least not in the same way. It will be very different.

Dave Workman, PRO Group : When you look at the retail stores, the old school of retail was really product-centric. Now, with the Internet and excellent retailers like Amazon, the dynamic in the market is that if you are just dwelling on the product alone, there isn’t enough margin to keep a traditional brick-and-mortar retail operation in business. I think there will be a paradigm shift for retailers over the next five to 10 years, and those that will come out of this as successful retailers are those that move from a product-centric to an experience-centric merchandizing scheme.

Part of that is a smaller footprint because you don’t necessarily need the size that you needed before. It’s not about having 600 televisions necessarily and maybe all of the choices that are available everywhere, because the thing that Apple has figured out, and which has resonated so much with the consumer, is the experience at the Apple Store. It’s not a product showcase as much as it is an experience people continue to come back for and talk about…..MORE….

What do you think?

ThankYouVeryMuch!

Owlbert

ps - speaking of entertainment:

New Premium 1.3 Gold HDMI Cable 3 ft for PS3 HDTV 1080p

ULTRA HDMI CABLE 1.3 for PS3 HDTV HD DVD Xbox 360 1080P

HDMI CABLE 1.3 for PS3 HDTV HD DVD TV Xbox 360 1080P

ULTRA HDMI CABLE 1.3 for PS3 HDTV HD DVD Xbox 360 1080P

New Premium 1.3 Gold HDMI Cable 6 ft for PS3 HDTV 1080p

6FT FEET PREMIUM HDMI TO HDMI CABLE FOR HDTV HD 1080P

10 FT HDMI TO HDMI CABLE FOR 1080p PLASMA LCD TV HDTV

New Premium 1.3 Gold HDMI Cable 6 ft for PS3 HDTV 1080p

10ft HDMI TO HDMI GOLD CABLE FOR PLASMA HDTV 1080p

American Express gold cards

are no longer the ultimate. Did you know that? So if you truly want to impress your clientèle with your spending ability, discard that boring old piece of plastic and instead, apply for a Centurion card.

It’s not that (cough) difficult, you understand:

Before you can apply to obtain a Centurion card, you first need an American Express credit card. It does not matter which card you have (blue, blue cash, blue sky, gold, platinum…), you just need a decent limit.

Once you have a credit card, you need to spend a minimum of $250,000 within 1 year, which sounds hard, but if you have a business it is not too difficult because you put all your expenses on a credit card. Basically, if you spend a lot on entertainment or marketing, just charge it to your Amex card. If you have employees to pay each month, pay a payroll company through your credit card, which would in return pay your employees through checks.

The main problem that most individuals or companies run into with the $250,000 yearly spend is that they spend at least that amount but their credit limit with American Express is not $20,833.33 a month ($250,000 divided by 12 months). In this case what you do is write American Express a check at the beginning of month to cover all your credit card expenditures for the month. For example, if your credit card limit is $10,000 a month and you figure that you will spend $25,000 this month, write American Express a check for $15,000 ($25,000 - $10,000 = $15,000) before the month begins.

After you have spent $250,000 in a year, call up American Express and request a Centurion card. Most people claim that it is invite only, but the reality is they are not too hard to get if you spend $250,000 a year…..MORE….

Believe it or not, there are several resources online dedicated to this source of wealth-spending, including:

• American Express Centurion: Once you go black, you never go back
• Amex Black Blog
• Reviews of Amex Black Centurion Card
• American Express To Make New Centurion Card Out Of Titanium

It gives luxury a whole new name.

ThankYouVeryMuch!

Owlbert

ps - and if a Centurion Black card is a bit out of reach, consider instead:

1 24 Scale Ferrari Enzo Black Style Super RC Racing Car

Ferrari Enzo 1 10 Scale R C Car, Beautiful!!!!!!!!

Hot Wheels Ferrari 60th Anniversary Enzo 1 18th Scale

RARE Lego Technic Enzo Ferrari #8653 1 10 scale 19"

1 24 Scale Ferrari Enzo Red Style Super RC Racing Car

REVELL MODEL KIT ENZO FERRARI * NEW 1:24 SCALE

1 24 Scale Ferrari Enzo Red Style Super RC Racing Car

*ELECTRIC FERRARI ENZO 1:8 SCALE ROADSTER RC CAR*

Coffee lovers

of the US, don’t panic! Yes, it’s true - all Starbucks will be closed tonight from 5:30pm to 8:30pm. I think one of the best articles about this hails from Australia:

NEW YORK: Americans had to cope without blended frappuccino and blueberry coffee cake for a few hours yesterday as Starbucks shut its 7100 company-owned stores for a nationwide barista training session.

The chairman, Howard Schultz, ordered the unprecedented three-hour afternoon closure in an effort to improve the service and revive the chain’s flagging fortunes.

It prompted frenzied action by competitors hoping to snatch Starbucks customers. Dunkin’ Donuts made the day a cut-price coffee day with prices slashed to 99c a cup so that “no coffee lover [was] denied a delicious espresso-based beverage”.

During the session, Starbucks baristas were given a “hands-on espresso training experience”. Mr Schultz promised his staff an “opportunity to connect and deepen their passion for coffee with the ultimate goal of transforming the customer experience”……MORE….

Excellent marketing move by Dunkin Donuts! To wit:

…Coincidentally, Dunkin’ Donuts has planned a special promotion offering 99-cent small lattes, cappuccinos and espresso drinks that overlaps with the event….

“We never want any customers to ever be denied access to their specialty drinks,” said Frances Allen, Dunkin’ Donuts’ brand marketing officer. “It’s definitely a fortuitous time for us.”

Dunkin’ Donuts representatives insist that the promotion — which is between 1 p.m. and 10 p.m. — is really a celebration of last week’s announcement that the company had taken first place in the coffee category of Brand Keys’ Annual Customer Loyalty Engagement Index. This was the second year in a row that Dunkin’ Donuts took the top spot in the New York consulting firm’s survey.

“It’s a way of saying, ‘thank you,’ and giving back and recognizing the value of our customers and giving them something back,” Allen said. “We think we will have a lot of participation. We may even introduce some new people to Dunkin’ Donuts’.”…MORE….

Need to find a local Dunkin Donuts? Click here!

Want instead to discover new independent coffee shops? Click here!

And don’t forget about Delocator, the search engine to locate independent cafes, bookstores and theaters.

ThankYouVeryMuch!

Owlbert

ps - looking for a nifty coffee machine?

Stovetop Coffee Machine w Pressure Gauge! BNIB Bellman

Mr Coffee Cappuccino Maker Machine NEW(no original box)

Philips Senseo Coffee Maker Machine w Tin+Pods+Coupon

BLACK AND DECKER 12 CUP VERSABREW COFFEE MACHINE

Saeco Italia Espresso Coffee Machine- Starbucks

Espresso Coffee Machine Barista Stencils - 6 designs

Gaggia Coffee White Espresso Machine Warranty Included

DeLonghi EC140B Espresso Machine & Coffee Maker

This sounds rather,

ahem, fashion-trend-setting:

…As the need for sustainable forms of energy becomes more urgent, tech companies are working harder to devise creative ways to incorporate efficient methods of consumption into their gadgets. One recent concept is the solar-powered backpack, which powers your portable electronics and also lets you lug them around.

The key to the success of the product is that it serves a function, while advertising the wearer’s love for the environment. The solar panels on the backpack are prominently displayed, though at least somewhat subtle.

Solar power was a popular theme in the International room at this year’s CES–and concepts of subtlety fluctuate a good deal from culture to culture. Take, for example, these gadget-charging devices from Chinese company Blueline. Its products don’t seem to have much (if any) representation in the States, and until some fashion-plate celebrity deems it cool to risk his or her reputation and neck muscles with the baseball cap at left, it will likely stay like that for now…..MORE…

Wearable fashions, of course, are nothing new - you can see over at Dexigner:

….Last year, GapKids started selling something called the Hoodio: a $68 machine-washable hooded fleece jacket with an FM-radio control panel sewn onto one sleeve and removable speakers tucked inside the hood.

Clothiers have been trying for years to find a sexy combination of gear and garments but have failed to find mainstream success.

Three years ago, Levi Strauss & Co. ran a big advertising campaign for its Dockers Mobile Pant, khakis lined with bulge-resistant pockets for hiding portable electronics. Today, the Mobile Pant has disappeared from Dockers’ lineup…..

Wearable fashions - it needs star power, it does.

Want a blog about this concept? Check out Talk2MyShirt - fascinating information.

ThankYouVeryMuch!

Owlbert

ps - even if not popular, you can still get them here!

Coleman 5-Gallon Camping Shower Outdoor Backpack Solar!

SOLAR POWERED BACKPACK CHARGES CELL– Blue NEW

SOLAR POWERED BACKPACK CHARGES CELL– Green NEW

NEW Av Lab Solar Backpack Charger

ES100 Solar Backpack - Black

SOLAR POWERED BACKPACK CHARGES CELL-BLACK NEW

ECLIPSE REACTOR SOLAR BACKPACK - Module Creates 2.5W