Welcome to Shopping and Product Reviews


Saturday, June 30, 2007

Your Guide To Wholesale Ceiling Fans

Many people are looking into the possibility of buying wholesale ceiling fans these days. Retailers are jumping on the ceiling fan bandwagon these days and with good reason! They are amongst the most popular consumer fixtures and fittings these days and can generate a lot of profit for various companies, as long as the provider of wholesale ceiling fans is of course genuine!

If you are a retailer looking for wholesale ceiling fans then your best bet is to research your options on the Internet. There is a large number of websites out there offering wholesale ceiling fans and you can effectively compare the prices, availability of the fans and services offered by the relevant companies. You can also ask various questions of the websites until you are completely satisfied with the responses and choose the people that you choose to do business with accordingly.

Steam Model Trains - A Blast From The Past

Trains were the first viable form of transport to hit America, especially after the Civil War. Few people today actually know about their roots and do not much care, apart from railroad model enthusiasts that is. They are fully aware of the significance of steam trains and that is why many of them today have steam model trains. The steam train enabled man to travel across America and allowed goods and services to find their way to the west coast. They were only available in the east up until that point. Steam trains were powered by coal. The burning coal produced steam, which was then converted into kinetic energy to propel the train forward. Steam model trains paid homage to these earlier marvels of technology.

It was only after the Second World War that they were actually replaced by the electric powered trains that we have today. One of the major reasons that steam locomotives were popularly replaced by electricity is that they were much slower and less efficient so ticket fares were much higher than they were after electricity trains took centre stage. Steam locomotives were completely gone by the 1970s and were sorely missed. They soon had a nostalgic following that demanded their return. As a result, the steam model trains were perfect to appease those enthusiasts with because they could still get a taste of the past, but in the comfort of their own homes!

There are many manufacturers that offer replicas of steam model trains now because they are proving to be so popular at the moment. Most model railroad enthusiasts will have at least one in their collection to remember the days gone by fondly. They are classic in every way and look extremely stylish. Steam model trains can really enhance your model railroad experience and it is a small price to pay to get hold of one for your collection. There is a real market for the steam model train. They are much sought after by collectors and individuals will often fight over limited edition ones.

Friday, June 29, 2007

5th Anniversary Gifts - All Things Wooden

When looking for a gift for an anniversary it is important to remember that this gift will symbolise a milestone in two peoples lives and the gift should represent this.

If you are going to stick with tradition then a fifth anniversary gift would need to be something that contains wood. Wood does seem somewhat unexciting and you may find it hard to imagine a suitable gift made from wood that shows someone you love them but you may be surprised what is available.

Ideas For 5th Anniversary Gifts

By the 5th year of marriage any couple would have collected some wonderful photos of moments they have shared over the past 5 years, sending a fifth anniversary gift which contains these pictures will prove that you have not only thought about the gift you are sending but will also remind the receiver of some wonderful times.

These photos could be displayed in a wooden photo frame that could be personalised with engravings of names or you could create a form of scrap book with a wooden front and back, then you can display your photos with accessories showing moments you have enjoyed over the past 5 years.

Because flowers are traditionally given as a gift of love you may want to consider a wooden vase, because wood can be engraved you can customise the vase by having a poem or special message engraved onto it. Filling the vase with wooden flowers could also be the cherry on the cake and keeping the theme with the 5th anniversary tradition of wood.

If the gift you are looking for is for someone that has jewelry you may want to consider a wooden jewelry box, as an extra treat you could hide a beautiful pair of pearl earrings or a stunning diamond ring in the box for an extra special treat.

Because the fifth anniversary tradition is wood many people will send their loved ones a small tree that can be planted, this is an extremely romantic gesture as you can both watch this tree grown and blossom, to make this gift even more special try to find a tree that is 5 years old.

Although finding a gift that is made from wood may seem impossible it really is not as there are so many things that you may not have considered which would be perfect whether you choose furniture, books, photo frames or tress the beauty of wood is it can be engraved which means you can add you own personal message to make the gift unique.

An Overview Of Various Types Of Baby Monitors

Providing you with an extra set of ears or in some cases eyes, baby monitors allow you to keep tabs on your sleeping baby even when you are not in the same room. It is, in fact, a radio transmitter, a compact two-part gadget— a transmitter and receiver that lets you listen to the sounds or sense the movements made by your babies. Video baby monitors allow you to keep watch on your kid without being vigilant outside your child's door.

Basically there are two types of baby monitors: audio and video. Audio monitors send and receive sounds only and operate within a selected radio frequency band. Video monitors send images to a monitor that is almost like a small TV set. It uses a small wall or table-mounted camera to transmit the images. Again, there are various categories in both audio and video baby monitors.

There are baby monitors with movement sensors. It detects your baby's slightest movements, even while it is sleeping. It has under-the-mattress pads that alert you when your baby’s movement stops completely for more than 20 seconds. An alarm will sound alerting you to check your baby only if the monitor detects no movement from your baby for more than 20 seconds. It also comes with a parent’s unit that picks up the alarm as well as other nursery sounds.

Then there are digital baby monitors. The best use of technology is made in this type of monitor to offer portability, a clear signal, and privacy. Clear reception makes it possible for parents to hear all of the desired sounds made by their babies. It covers up to a 2,000-foot range and gives you the freedom to move throughout your home with confidence.

If you are worried that the pets will jump in the crib and annoy your baby then you can choose baby monitors that are equipped with motion-detecting pet sensor. Almost like a sentry it will alert you if pets approach the crib. Besides, there are other monitors that are customized for particular users. So, whatever may be your need, you may find one according to your choice.

Thursday, June 28, 2007

Online Flower Delivery System Saves Your Time

Flower are lovely; love is flower like─ there is no reason to disagree with this famous line of S.T. Coleridge. Even the most mechanical human being will not ignore the aesthetic appeal of a flower. Love of flowers has led human beings to adorn almost every flower with some symbolic attribution. The result is that no human celebration, whether private or personal, achieves perfection without flowers.

You give flowers to somebody for expressing some emotion or feeling. Selection of right flower truly reveals or conveys that feeling. But your busy schedule does not allow you to go to nursery or garden personally and pick up flowers for a particular purpose. Don’t worry; you do not need to do this as there are people who provide flower delivery service to people like you. Only putting an order from your part will be enough. They will deliver the ordered flowers on the time and at the place you want.

When anybody is emotionally involved with someone, it takes long time to for him to express it to the concerned person. They wait for opportune moment to give vent to their heart which never comes. Consequently, they end up being Prufork of T.S. Eliot’s Love Song. Modern day Romeos are more courageous then Prufork. But still there are lovers who cannot gather enough courage to express their emotion to that special one.

For such people a flower can speak a volume and speed up the speed of their love and bring them closer quickly. There are so many other occasions when flowers speak louder than your words. You may know it very well and hence like to offer some flowers on the marriage ceremony of your friend or at the funeral of your boss’s father. But the problem is inadequate time. Well, this problem can be solved by flower delivery service provider. They are available on the internet. Hence, you can put the order online and save time.

Old Lionel Model Trains - Go For Tradition And Quality

In post-Civil War America, trains were the only way to travel. The only other method commonly available was a horse and trap and that was most definitely not the way to travel in comfort. Joshua Lionel Cowen was amazed by the trains and their ability to transport people around the United States. He was fascinated by the technology and mechanisms associated with the locomotive and could not wait to pass his knowledge onto his children and other children at the same time. Old Lionel model trains were born as a result.

It has been over a hundred years since Cowen unveiled his vision and began producing toy trains and model railroad paraphernalia for people to buy. He meant them as educational tools as well as a forum for fathers to bond with their sons. He was based in New York at the time and managed to hire a few gifted craftsmen to help to create replicas of the locomotives that wound their way all over the United States. They believed that they were all investing in a limited business that would remain within the city. They never dreamed that the company’s popularity would span as far as it has, let alone the fact that children and adults alike would be clamouring to buy Old Lionel model trains now!

Every child from the turn of last century had a train. It was a standard to own one in the early 1900s because children actually had very few toys. Those they did have were precious. As a result, old Lionel model trains are now widely available in antique stores and old children’s toys stores all over the country, but they are also very valuable and you can end up spending over the odds for them. The reason that they are so popular is because they were highly detailed and proved to be of high quality over the years. Not only did old Lionel model trains stand the test of time, but also they can actually tell us a lot about the trains and the toys of the era.

Best Gift Ideas You Can Buy a Guy This Summer

Is there anything more difficult than shopping for a guy? Oh wait, yes there is – shopping for a guy that has everything. Guys are picky about things. We don’t want tools because that means we’ll need to be doing some kind of work to use those tools. We don’t want clothes because there is a good chance that you’ll either buy something that doesn’t fit to our specifications or worse yet, it’ll be just horrible looking.

So splurge a little on your guy. Do a little background homework into want he likes and dislikes. After all, we work hard at making sure you get the perfect birthday gift, a remarkable Christmas gift, and a special Valentine’s Day gift. How about a little bit of love for the guys? Here is a list of ten gift ideas that any and every guy would go crazy for.

1. Magazine Subscription - A magazine is an easy yet reasonably priced way to give a gift with countless hours of interest. Whether it is staying on top of fantasy sports statistics, the latest business and political news, or simply looking at pictures of scantily clad women, your guy can always find a magazine to fill hit needs. Heck, he may even learn a thing of two.

2. Gym Membership – It is bathing suit season. You don’t want your guy looking like a beached whale while on vacation. Get him a gym membership to help him get in shape and lose a few of those extra pounds. Having six pack abs is much more attractive that a beer belly that looks like he just enjoyed a six pack.

3. Digital Camcorder – All guys love electronics. You can never go wrong buying them for a guy. That’s why he would love something like a digital camcorder. With one of these, he can show off the amateur filmmaker inside of him. He’ll have the chance to capture moments in his children’s lives like their first Christmas or first little league game.

4. PDA Cell Phone - As a busy professional on the go, the new world of technology and communications doesn’t slow down for anyone, vacation or not. PDAs and mobile phones have become an essential commodity in the world of business.

5. Stylish Watch - The very first thing a woman notices on a guy is his shoes. His watch is a close second. You only get one chance to make a first impression so make the most of it with stylish and expensive watch. Get rid of that old Timex his grandmother got him for his birthday ten years ago and go with an upscale classy timepiece that screams style and taste.

6. Video Game Console – Video games are a billion dollar a year industry. That means your guy isn’t the only one playing them. You may think it’s little childish but he certainly doesn’t. Today's video games are developed with adults in mind. Having a video game console around the house provides for great interactive entertainment for him as well as being a nice source of stress release.

7. A Power Suit – Now that you know your man plays video games, it doesn’t mean he needs to dress like a video game geek. Have him show the world that he is a man and not a boy by getting a tailored suit that speaks volumes about his success. It can help get that job he’s always wanted or even land that promotion that'll help him afford that ring you’ve been hinting about.

8. Home Theater System – A home theater system in his eyes will improve his home "everything" experience. The system can be used to improve the sound quality of music during parties, or to bring the whole DVD movie experience to life in your home.

9. Satellite Dish – His video games hooked up the home theater system will definitely keep his attention for awhile. Now add a satellite dish system to it and you turn him into a full fledged couch potato. What more can a guy want with hundreds of stations to choose from. He can watch sports, news, and movies all at the same time. As a guy, I got goose-bumps just thinking about it.

10. Plasma TV – He know has the video game system, the home theater system, AND a satellite dish. What more can you possibly add to it? Well, how about a giant plasma screen TV? You may just give him a heart attack. At this point, he’ll need that power suit to win his job that he stopped going to back! A plasma screen TV not only improves the look and style of your home, but its picture quality is second to none.

Wednesday, June 27, 2007

Digital Zen Alarm Clock Review

If you're a digital alarm clock user like me, you've long become accustomed to "settling." You know what I mean. You sacrifice beauty for technical bells and whistles. You don't expect your digital alarm clock to look pretty, and you don't expect it to be remarkable. You just hope that whatever high tech gears and gizmos they've put in there will do their job and wake you up each morning.

Until a friend showed me his Digital Zen Alarm Clock, I thought I was content with my own digital alarm. It did its job. Sure, it was ugly as sin, and I usually had to buy a new one every few months. Another problem I have had with digital alarm clocks (besides them being so ugly) is that even expensive ones rarely last. I always have to replace mine after just a few months of use.

At a dinner party at his house the host showed me his Digital Zen Alarm Clock. I had been complaining about the quality of timepieces in general, including watches and alarm clocks. He said, "You've got to see this clock. It's different."

The Digital Zen Alarm Clock looks a little strange if you're used to a simple radio alarm clock or a plain digital travel alarm. First of all, it comes in a pretty hardwood case. Secondly, the Digital Zen Alarm Clock has a little Tibetan style chime in the box. "Am I looking at a clock or a musical instrument?" I asked my friend.

"Both!" he said.

He proceeded to set the alarm on the clock and told me to wait to see what happened. At this point, I thought he'd been partying too hard and maybe he had had a little too much of the fine cabernet he had been serving that evening. He wanted me to stand there and listen to his alarm clock go off? How nerdy was that?

But this was a good friend, and I trusted his instincts when he got excited about something. He had turned me onto many cool products before, appliances and other items I never would have heard about on my own. Over the years he had recommended many things to me that ended up being useful, fun, or just plain cool.

So I waited.

The alarm clock soon went off. I heard the clock ring the little chime in its box, and it was much clearer and prettier in tone than I would have guessed from the small size of the chime. What a lovely sound!

My friend explained that he wakes up to that every day, and it helps him to wake up gradually and emerge from slumber in a peaceful way. He showed me how the chime gradually rings more frequently after its first chime. Over about ten minutes the chime picks up speed until it rings every few seconds. Even at the end of its snooze cycle, the Digital Zen Alarm Clock chime never sounds frantic. It's still a peaceful, calming sound.

I tried to persuade my friend to let me borrow his clock, but he wouldn't part with his Digital Zen Alarm Clock even for a day. Now there was a man who really loved his clock! "I've had this clock for over a year and I'm not giving it to you."

So I had to order my own.

After using my new Digital Zen Alarm Clock for several months, I've noticed how my emotional tone has really changed for the better. I don't wake up feeling panicked and disrupted like I did when I was using a different alarm clock. And I find it easy to relax there in my bed as the chimes softly go off in the morning, maintaining that delicate state between waking and sleeping, and using those precious moments to recall some of my dreams from the previous night. I could never remember my dreams before. Now it's easy to do so because the Digital Zen Alarm Clock wakes me up peacefully.

What Is Royal Purple Motor Oil

In order to understand this question, we must first look at what motor oil is. Motor Oil is a lubricant containing additives to increase the ability of the lubricant to do certain things inside the internal combustion engine. The first thing that motor oil does is lubricate the engine. This prevents metal to metal contact between the internal moving parts of a engine. The engine simply operates on a thin film of oil between its moving parts. The ability of an oil to maintain its thin film is measured and is called film strength.

The next thing that motor oil must do is assist in cooling of the engine. Not all parts are next to the water jackets of a engine so cooling must be achieved in the circulation of the oil or lubricant. Not all engines are water cooled, so the circulation of the oil is very critical. Temperatures in the combustion chamber alone can reach over 500*F.

All manufacturers of oil include different types of additives to their oil, each claiming that their additive will prevent something or do something that other oils will not. During normal operation of an engine the oil will become contaminated with dirt, metal particles, sulfur, just to name a few. The additives, being blended with the oil, will assist in the cleaning of the oil of these contaminants and take them to the oil filter where they are filtered from the oil.

Royal Purple was founded in 1986 as the result of testing to find a lubricant that would withstand a very high level of strength in the bearings of compressors. John Williams, founder of Royal Purple had been working with synthetic oils in the 1940’s and 1950’s. Mr. Williams was contacted by a Oil Company and ask to assist in the manufacturing of a oil that would withstand the strength needed to prevent bearing failure. Mr. Williams concluded that there was no lubricant available, but during his experimenting with different types of synthetics, formulated a oil with a very high film strength. Upon additional testing this new lubricant did withstand the strains and did prevent bearing failure. Thus the founding of Royal Purple. Mr. Williams new lubricant easily solved the problems of the oil company he was working for and when the manager of the plant tried the oil he too found it too to be superior in every application. He suggested to Mr. Williams that the oil should look something different from other oils. Mr. Williams suggested he color the oil red, blue, or green, however those colors were already in production is other oils. Purple oil had never been seen before so the two decided to color the oil Purple.

Tuesday, June 26, 2007

Electronic And Electric Equipment Usage In Swaziland

Like all other developing countries, Swaziland consumers are attracted to items imported from across the globe. The trends observed elsewhere can also be observed in Swaziland.

In a research study conducted by Knotell, a marketing company based in the kingdom of Swaziland the results showed that overall 21.1% of the +18 years survey respondents said they bought at least one electronic equipment within a thirty day period. A majority of these buyers bought a home theatre (or just a DVD player), followed by those who bought a hot plate, a microwave, a hairdryer and a computer respectively.

In terms of marital status, singles seemed to have mainly bought a microwave, a hot plate and home theatre more than married consumers. This trend is in line with expected consumer patterns as most singles are just starting out in life and are buying the basic necessities while at the same time are regarded as fast adopters of latest product offerings.

The trends show a sustained increase on home theatre and PC buying across all consumers. Consequently there has been a slight decrease on sales for video players (VHS) across the country as people are shifting their interests to the latest electronics.

Shopping areas for these items

In the survey conducted by Knotell, six shops stood out as having the highest market share. These are Best Electric, Lewis, Bradlows, Clicks, Cash Crusaders, and Diskom. These shops can be found in the two cities of Swaziland, Manzini and Mbabane. At the time of writing Cash Crusaders is available only in Manzini.

Men seemed to have bought their electric equipment mainly from Diskom while a majority of the women reported to have bought them from Lewis stores.

About the survey process

The information in this article is based on the Knotell Omnibus Survey conducted within the Manzini-Mbabane Corridor in the kingdom of Swaziland. The Knotell Omnibus Survey has three Swaziland designated survey areas that form the basis for developing the sampling design.

1. The Corridor Survey Area (CSA), which covers the Ngwenya - Manzini Corridor and areas within 20km from the main highway. (This is known to be the economically active part of Swaziland).

2. The Key Towns and Cities Survey Area (KTC), which covers the two cities (Mbabane and Manzini) and major towns in Swaziland. The standard areas include Mbabane, Piggs-peak, Manzini, Mankayane, Siteki, Big-bend, Nhlangano and Hlathikhulu.

3. The National Survey Area (NSA), which divides the four administrative districts of Swaziland (Hhohho, Manzini, Shiselweni and Lubombo) into urban, semi-urban and rural areas.

Model Railroad Structures - The Basics

Most people who do not participate in the making of model railroads often just see the tracks and the locomotives. They only see them whizzing around the track and mistakenly believe that the train is what it is all about. Of course it is a huge part of it but it is in fact the scenery and the structures that make it all worthwhile for the enthusiast. Model railroad structures have to be assembled or created because they do not come ready-made with a kit. It actually takes some thought and planning and they effectively create the little world that you are working on that little bit more special. Model railroad structures give you track character and also show your personality effectively. It is the one chance to get to pour yourself into the labour of love!

There are hundreds of options you have when it comes to model railroad structures. You can choose a theme like the American West or winter in the north for example. You can model it on your own town or where you grew up. The colour scheme is also completely up to you. Everything to do with the model railroad structures is down to you. There are hundreds of ideas out there that have already been done. You can use your model railroad structures to mimic one of them or you can channel your creativity into creating something special, something different and something you!

Model railroad structures can be bought for major attractions in the USA, especially from the American West. The forts and old buildings can all be purchased to add to the track and this gives it an old character. However, building model railroad building in general are much more difficult that actually assembling the railroad itself. They require patience and effort as well as a steady hand and it may actually take a while to get the layout and balance of each individual structure right.

Every model railroad structure has to look authentic simply because they are all scale models of each individual building of note in the United States. If they did not look authentic and were not scale models then they would be out of proportion with the rest of your models and would ruing the effect that you are going for in the first place! You can make your task more complex if you wish to. For example, choosing a snowy background is much harder because you have to get the lay of the land right in order to make it look authentic and realistic.