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NEW JERSEY -- I had an appalling experience in not one but TWO different Staples stores yesterday, and I feel I have no choice but to formally notify you of this matter, as it has made it impossible for me to EVER shop in a Staples store again. I also will be asking my friends, family, and corporate associates to switch to one of your many competitors as well.
Staples featured an Acer laptop advertised in the Sunday newspaper insert yesterday (3/8) for $449. Now, clearly, this was a very low price on a laptop. This laptop typically retails for the price of $599 at Staples. Upon reading this early Sunday morning, I drove over to the nearest Staples store, which was store 0019 in Milltown, NJ. I was in the store just after the store opened (the store opens at 10:00am, and I was there no later than 10:05).
Upon my arrival, I found an associate who informed me that the laptops were in stock. However, before he would get me one, he proceeded to try to sell me his "protection plan". Now, for a number of reasons, including my own knowledge of computers as well as ready access to free computer repair services, I declined this. The sales associate indicated that it was OK, and then walked away to, I assumed, get my computer. He returned with the store's general manager who again proceeded to aggressively push the protection plan onto me. He was EXTREMELY rude, implying that I was "cheap" and for not adding the plan.
He walked away when I finally maintained I did not want it. Then, I heard him call the sales associate over and told him something. Moments later, the sales associate informed me that the laptop was not in stock after all. Just to summarize the timeline... it was available. I declined the approximately $150 protection plan would have boosted the price of the laptop to the regular sale price, then suddenly it was unavailable. They also refused to contact any other Staples stores to help me find out whether it was available elsewhere.
I then went home and called a 2nd Staples store, this one in East Brunswick (store number 1755). I asked the gentleman who I was transferred to in Electronics if the Acer laptop was in stock. He checked and came back to say they were in stock. I told him I live less than 10 minutes away and could be please hold one for me as I was on my way. He indicated that he could not hold a sale item, but that the store had multiple laptops and they should definitely be there when I arrived. So I immediately left, I arrived exactly 8 minutes later at the location.
I walked in and found the exact person who I had spoken to 8 minutes earlier. The store was virtually empty. I asked him if I just spoke to him about the Acer laptop and he confirmed that he was the person. I asked him if they were indeed in stock, and he indicated that they were. I then asked if he could please go get one, because I definitely wanted one. And then, before he goes back to get one, he asks me if I want the service plan.
I suppose I should have lied and said yes and then said no when I had the laptop in my possession, but I did what I thought was the right thing, because I could not imagine that this guy would try to pull this same scam only minutes after implying there was plenty of stock of this item. I responded, "No thanks... I went over this all at the last store, I know what it covers, and I am not interested."
He said "fine" and walked away. 2-3 minutes later he walks back and, just like the last store, the inventory suddenly has vanished. I angrily confronted him regarding our conversation and, half smirking (obviously knowing that what he was saying had no truth to it), he implied that all of them had been sold in the last 8 minutes. Mind you, when I arrived, the store was nearly empty and no one was checking out buying any laptops.
I was and remain STUNNED at the lack of customer service that is being displayed in both of these stores. For all I know, this type of "bait and switch" is being done at Staples stores across the state and across the country, and as a freelance journalist, I believe that it is a story that merits more investigation. You cannot make it a standard practice to deny people products because they will not pad your profit margin with questionable (and supposedly completely optional) service plans.
I cannot believe that, in this economy, Staples would so readily shun previously loyal customers (I had shopped your stores for years, as its roots, I believe, are in New England, where I am originally from). Our dollars are limited, and there are MANY other places to go for the same items that Staples sells at similar, or lower, prices. To that end, following the service I received at this second Staples store, I walked right next door to the Best Buy, paid only slightly more, got a vastly superior laptop, and was treated with the respect that the sales teams at these two Staples stores could use a lesson in.
I can assure you that none of my friends, family, and work associates will be frequenting ANY Staples in the future, at the very least.
UNIONTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA -- Dear Staples, I sent a UPS package from your store and also got insurance for peace of mind. When going through the process at the Uniontown, PA Staples store I received the very best of customer service and rate that experience A+. The package was sent and in a few days I received notice that the package when received was damaged. UPS states that the box that it was shipped in was not up to UPS standards and will not honor the insurance that was purchased for that item. I then called the CEO of the manufacturer of the item, he stated and that the box that the item was initially shipped in and was designed for that item.
The manufacturer stated that they had no problems or issues with that shipping box. However that is the same box with a Styrofoam mold to hold the item in place while shipping it to the receiver and UPS stated that it was not up to their standards, will not honor the insurance that was purchased for that item at the Staples Store in Uniontown, PA. I am calling the president of Staples this morning and I feel most certain that he will look into this matter and resolve it very quickly due to this has been going on for 60 days after I have sent this item and purchased insurance on this item.
Staples in Uniontown Pennsylvania have always given my company excellent customer service for the past 21 year. And I feel confident that I will be writing about my great customer service experience later today. Thanks and God bless.
On 1/20/2015 at 9:05 am till 9:52 am I spoke with Staples employee **, the Executive Customer Service Assistant to the President of Staples. Mr. was very kind and listened to my issue. He then said that he was not able to contact UPS, however he would reach out to the Staples UPS team of specialists and said that I would receive an email within 48 hours concerning the conversation between UPS and the Staples UPS team. Also Mr. gave me his word that he would call me to read what UPS wrote on the claim website in no more than two days.
I also asked Mr. if I may speak with the President of Staples, he told me that the Staples President does not speak to anyone with a problem at Staples. I am reaching out to the president to call me about this matter. It would make me feel a whole lot better that Mr. conveying to me that he would not be able to speak to anyone at UPS. And when I call UPS they tell me that I must call Staples because that is where I purchased the insurance to send my package. I will keep you posted on Mr. phone call, Staples UPS Team's email and if the Staples President calls to ask about this matter.
FRAMINGHAM, MASSACHUSETTS -- I recently purchased a $55 box of printing paper from Staples.com because they were having a deal where if you bought it that day you'd get a $35 Visa Pre-Paid card as a rebate. I bought the paper, printed a receipt from my online purchase and waited for my paper to arrive. Staples estimate was that it would take about a week to arrive at my home, though I was very surprised when it arrived a few days later. I then went to submit my rebate information with their "Easy" Rebate Center. The first thing they asked for when I got to their site was my rebate offer number.
They listed three different places that you could find the number, namely, on the e-mail order confirmation I received after placing my order online, my printed receipt that I printed after making my online purchase, or on the packing slip that came with the shipment. I had already filed my receipt and didn't want to have to go searching for it so I decided to look up the number in the confirmation e-mail. After scouring through the e-mail I could find no trace of the rebate number. I decided that I'd look on the packing slip that came with my box of paper. Again, I couldn't find any rebate number.
I pulled out my receipt that I had printed and luckily there was the rebate offer number. I entered the number and the necessary information and submitted the information. A few days later I received an e-mail from their rebate center telling me that there was a problem with my rebate information. They claimed that the rebate number that I had entered didn't exist in their system and that I must have either made a typo or that rebate offer didn't exist. "Ok", I thought, "I'm human, I make mistakes. I could have easily mistyped the number". Upon further inspection I discovered that I had not mistyped the number, but that my rebate didn't exist in their system.
As could be expected, I was not happy. I attempted to chat with a customer service representative on their website, but their chat window has got bugs or something. I could read everything that the representative was typing to me, but I could not type anything to them in response. I was forced to write an e-mail and explained the situation. I received a response about a week later informing me that their system is on the fritz and that it has been sending out random "invalid" notices to people. The e-mail also mentioned that according to their records a rebate had been mailed February 3 and should arrive at my house in 7-10 business days.
Today, ten business days later, I received a paper card in the mail with the following message on it: "Dear Consumer, thank you for participating in the Multipurpose Paper Ream Case promotion. Unfortunately, we could not honor your request due to the following reason(s): Invalid Purchase Date".
I am very disappointed with Staples and their rebate system. I remember many occasions, usually around Christmas time, when my father has attempted to buy things from Staples, both online and in store, that had rebate promotions with them. He was never successful at receiving one of those rebates. I guess I can say this for Staples, they are consistent. I for one am tired of dealing with such an unorganized and dishonest company.
I have contacted their customer service again and am currently awaiting a response, but I will never buy anything from Staples again and would urge others to do the same; unless, of course, you enjoy getting cheated of your money, but that's up to you.
READING, MA 01867, MASSACHUSETTS -- My recent letter to Staples Corporate: As you well known from the content of E-Mails recently sent to Staples CEO Ron Sargent, I had a most unpleasant (read: stressful) experience when I purchased the Altra Chadwick Collection (Desk, Hutch, Filing Cabinet) of office furniture from the Reading Staples Store. It was just one misstep after another. The phrase "a comedy of errors" best describes the action on the part of Staples personnel.
Constant dialogue between me and Staples staff along with a series of trips between my apartment in Burlington and the Reading store took the better part of a week before SANITY prevailed and I started to feel that finally we were getting somewhere and that CLOSURE was in sight.
Sanity arrived in the person of **, the Sales Manager in your Reading store, who took control of the situation. Staples is indeed lucky to have ** in its employ. He is a man who literally "goes to the wall" to ensure that the customer has a positive experience when shopping at Staples. He sensed my frustration, anger and dissatisfaction at all that had taken place. Furthermore, he was most reassuring when he said that everything would be taken care of. To with he said: "Mr. **, we are going to start all over again." TIME BEGINS NOW.
At that point he cancelled the entire order, namely Order # **, and accordingly, credited my American Express Credit Card. He then proceeded to create a NEW ORDER (# **) which included charging me for the cost of assembling the furniture once it was delivered to my apartment. He said over and over again that he would literally track the Order and would keep me informed as to its "progress".
I was given an Oct 4th delivery date. Two of the items namely the chair and the filing cabinet arrived several days prior to that date. True to his word, ** called my home to confirm the delivery of the chair and filing cabinet. Furthermore, told me that when the balance of the order (i.e. desk and hutch) arrived I should call Apollo Retail Specialists, the company that was going to assemble the items, and schedule a date and time when they could send someone to assemble my Altra Chadwick Collection.
Just as ** had indicated, the desk and hutch were delivered on Oct 4th. I immediately called Apollo @ (866)770-0022 to arrange for assembly and was told, in no uncertain terms, that they had to be PAID first before they could schedule an assembly date. I informed Apollo that Staples had charged me for the assembly. I gave them the order's transaction # and said that it was my understanding that Apollo and Staples could work out the details regarding the remittance of payment to Apollo. I was then told (by Apollo) that's not how they do business. At that point I sensed that it was an exercise in futility to try to reason with the Apollo representative.
Accordingly, I ended the conversation and immediately called the Reading store and asked to speak with **. After telling him of the situation with Apollo, he said "hold on, I'll get back to you." Within a matter of a few minutes ** called me and told me to call National Assembly Service at (866)826-6622 which I did whereupon I started speaking with a very pleasant sounding woman by the name of **. I provided her with transaction # as well as the Item #s of the various pieces in the order.
She then asked me if Tuesday, Oct 8th would be a convenient date for her to send a technician to assemble the items. I checked with my "Executive Secretary" and was assured that Tuesday, Oct 8th was acceptable. The whole exchange with ** unlike that with Apollo was most cordial (and professional). I then called ** and told him that an assembly date had been set. Furthermore, I thanked him for all of his efforts in helping to bring CLOSURE to this whole affair.
Postscript: I cannot say enough about **. When all appeared to be lost, he "stepped up to the plate" and provided courteous, professional service that provided a most satisfactory remediation of what had been a very stressful, non-professional handling of a customer's request for adjudication of (for lack of a better way of saying it) LOUSY, MIXED UP, UNCERTAIN SERVICE.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA -- I am submitting this complaint after having contacted Staples' Office of the President team of customer relations representatives. I spoke twice with ** and was promised a call back from his supervisor ** which never materialized. My experience was with the Staples store in West Los Angeles on Santa Monica Boulevard. I purchased a Western Digital external hard drive at a different Staples location and within the 14 day return policy period (8 days) I brought the unopened drive to the Staples store, with my receipt, for return. The cashier called over a store manager to approve the return.
The store manager examined the packaging, which was never opened or even touched by me, and decided he needed to completely destroy the packaging and compare the serial number on the drive case to that on the packaging. When I questioned him on why he found it necessary to destroy the tamper-proofed packaging, he responded that it was policy. The examination of my product took several minutes and was done in plain view of other customers at one of the cashier stations in the front of the store.
While the product was being examined by the store manager, I asked him what would happen if the serial numbers did not match as a result of an error made by the product manufacturer. His response was that Western Digital did not make mistakes, so that was impossible. The store manager's examination validated that the product serial numbers did match and the return was accepted. My complaint and concern stems from the very real possibility that something did not match through no fault of mine.
The sealed product was now very much unsealed, I was humiliated in front of other customers by the actions of the store manager done in plain sight, and I was very angry that I was made to endure this waste of my time. If Staples cannot trust the tamperproof packaging of their manufacturers, they need to take that up with their vendors, not take it out on their customers. Telling me that it was not possible that a mistake in packaging could have been made by their vendor is just plain fantasy and I very much doubt that their vendors would support them in their statement that a mistake is impossible.
The office of the president customer relations representative assured me that he would: forward my complaint on to both the district and regional managers, follow up with me and share what corrective actions were taken and work to make certain that other Staples' customers were not subjected to the same treatment shown to me. I have no idea if item 1 was completed, but I waited 8 days to hear back from Mr. ** before calling him back for status. I told Mr. ** I would not be shopping at Staples until I was comfortable that my complaints were properly addressed.
This incident could have been much worse had there been a serial number mismatch, but I do not want to wait for that to happen to me. Staples needs to protect themselves from shrinkage and theft while at the same time respecting and valuing their customers and the customer experience. Staples chose only to worry about themselves in my experience paying absolutely no attention to their customer. I choose to give my patronage to businesses that value me as customer. I was concerned that the store manager might be a rogue employee so I reported my experience to the corporate office.
What I discovered is that the treatment I received was acceptable all the way up the corporate ladder. Bye, bye Staples and hello Office Depot, Office Max, Best Buy and the like.
COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA -- I had a slow computer and brought it to the Staples in Columbia, SC which is about 40 miles away. It took several weeks to get the computer back. Initially they said that they had an issue with 1 program on the computer and could not figure out how to put that program back on the computer, but later said they figured it out. I was told they reinstalled the OS. When I got it back there was still a problem. This time that the system would freeze if left on for more than a day or so and there were errors with some programs.
When I called and they did not reinstall the OS because of that program but tried to fix the problem anyway. I brought back. Again they said they found and fixed the problem but that the computer would have to be turned off every 2 days. I brought it back. Now they said the only way to fix it was to reinstall the OS, which is what they told me was done the first time. The program that they could not figure out how to reinstall took me 1 email to Fujitsu to resolve. So I agreed. At one point I even told them that if it could not be fixed I would get a new computer and transfer the data to it.
When I got the computer back I found that they deleted ALL of my data. No back-up and reinstall. It was never hinted, implied, suggested that all of my data would be gone. Before they talked about backing everything up and reinstalling it. They said the data is gone that the reinstall deletes all data. Who wipes out all data? Even with cell phones the most first issue when people change phones is not losing data, ie: phone numbers.
I called the Office of the President, ** and spoke to **. He said he would talk to upper management and get back to me. I explained that a major problem anytime I brought a computer in was poor communication from the EasyTech people. The tech guys do not even have the ability to send or receive emails. Accordingly, I asked, and he promised, that he would call me back that afternoon even if he did not have an answer. That afternoon came and went, but no call. The next day I left a message with ** and no call back.
Today I left a message and no call back, but I did get an email from **. He looked into the matter and since he was not there for the conversations and Staples' paperwork says that there is the risk of loss of some data, the case is closed. So much for discussing it with upper management. I emailed him back asking that he call me to discuss this and he replied through email that "would not be anything that Staples could address in terms of further resolution at this time." He closed the case. No call from **.
They hide behind "risk of loss of some data" but this was the deliberate deletion of all data. When they first mentioned the restore they said they would back up the data. They had the ability of creating a back-up but chose not to. The customer service chat agent was of no help, but did give me their corporate office at 1-877-235-9088. I have left a message for **. But, for now I am left with an old computer, no programs, no data, but an apology. Beware of EasyTech, unless you are willing to have all of your data lost.
In general avoid Staples if you have any expectation of customer service, good communications and thought that they will make any effort to provide customer satisfaction or even discuss an amicable resolution. AVOID STAPLES AND EASYTECH. Remember, the only problem was a slow computer. If they were an auto repair store it's like bringing a car in for a tune-up and getting it back as a block of scrap metal. "Oops, sorry. We told you we were not responsible for providing quality work. Enjoy your car and come back and see us again."
BURLINGTON, IOWA -- I faxed the following to corporate - no response. On Saturday Jan. 12th while returning home I decided to stop at a Staples in Burlington Iowa to see if they might have a Nexus 7 16gb tablet in stock. I spoke with the person in the computer department and he informed me that they were sold out. He did volunteer that they had a truck "come in" and there might be some in that shipment. I asked him if he could check.
He went to a computer terminal and said yes they are in this shipment. I asked if it was possible that someone could retrieve a tablet from the shipment. He then called the manager and spoke with him. He explained that it is secured because of the value of the items on the pallet. And that once the seal is broken everything must be checked in which could take hours. I explained that I lived a one hour drive away and could return the following day on Sunday. He wrote down my name on a note requesting a tablet to be held for me until 3pm on Sunday.
On Sunday morning I called the store and spoke with someone else that knew of my noted request. I told him I would be driving to the store to purchase the tablet. He informed me that the pallet had not been opened yet but should be by the time I expected to arrive at 2pm on Sunday. At about 2pm I go into the store and the customer service counter expecting to purchase the tablet. I was informed by the clerk that I had spoken with on the phone previously that they had not started unpacking the pallet. He then paged the manager on duty. I explained to her that I had been told the tablet would be available at that time.
She replied that "sometimes it takes days to unload the truck" and showed no sympathy that I had just driven 60 miles to get there. She said that "no one should have told you that tablets are on the truck" and that "they do not know what is in a shipment until they unpack it". I lost it! I told her it would be the last time I ever set foot in one of their stores and was sorry I had spent hundreds of dollars with them in the past.
I am a business owner. I purchased my business in 1989. I know what a bill of lading is. They know what is on that truck - every thumb tack. They would not be able to acquire insurance without knowing exactly what is on each shipment. There is no "truck" - it is just pallets in the warehouse. They would not tie up a truck for days "while they unload it." She insulted my intelligence. Then she insulted her staff by stating they should not have told me the item would be available. She offered no consolation and suggest I return to their store in 3 to 4 days to see if they have the item in stock.
NAPERVILLE, ILLINOIS -- I went into a Staples Store at the Route 59, Naperville, IL location and went directly to the copy and print service desk. There were 2 employees behind the counter working and not a single customer in line waiting on a service. So I went directly up to the desk, and waited patiently for someone to approach me and ask what they could help me with. However, the first thing that came out of anybody's mouth, was from the lady sitting behind the service desk working on a computer, and she told me that she was about to clock out so I needed to wait for the man in the back to help me. I wasn't even greeted with a polite hello.
So I just said okay and waited for the man to finish up his cutting project. The man came over to me after probably just a minute and asked if I was printing something out and if I had a file on a USB disk with me. And I said yes. And he asked me how many pages I needed to print, and I told him only 2. So he explained to me that I could use a computer they had set up for self assistance, and just plug my USB in and print directly from the computer.
I thought this is great, because I only have 2 pieces of paper I need printed, and I am computer savvy, so this is a very convenient thing to have for people like me that just need to get in and get out, with a very small order. But once I plugged my USB into the computer, I saw that you charge 20 cents a minute for the convenience of using your computer. I think that is absolutely ridiculous to charge a customer to use a computer on top of what they have to pay to print, when Staples has people working at the print station that are meant to service customers for that exact need!
So I decided not to get charged for using the computer, when there is an employee working at Staples that can print my order, and there is not a single other customer in line. Well, then the man tells me that I am going to have to wait until he has finished up with his cutting project, and then he can help me. So he took time out of his cutting project to teach me about the computer and how to use it, and then goes directly back to his project. But he cannot take 2 more minutes out of his time to print the 2 pieces of paper, I, the customer, need printed?!?
I am absolutely in shock that Staples runs their business like this. I have to wait for an employee that is paid to be in customer service to finish up his project, when he has his entire shift to cut paper, instead of help the one customer they have in the store. And my only other option is to pay additional to do it myself. An employee that works in customer service is hired to help customers! Not to tell them they have to wait until they are finished up with their project. And another little anecdote... the lady that told me she was clocking out, was still working on the computer when I left.
ALEXANDRIA, VIRGINIA -- I am small business consultant and used to shop at Staples to pick up laptop, desktop, printers & accessories etc for my clients. I used to shop there so often (1 to 2 times a week) that most of the staff personally knew me. Then a "new" manager was assigned to the store and that's when the problems begin. I was at the Staples store at Potomac Yard, Alexandria VA and they had a system on Clearance on the floor and I picked it up at proceeded to pay for it. As usual I was harassed for Extended warranty of $200 for $400 system. Common sense would dictate that it would absolutely make no sense to buy an extended warranty for the system at 50% of the cost.
I just played along as I was used to the game and in the end refused to buy the warranty. I gave my rewards card number and the Asst Manager pulled out my company name and noticed that I had the word "Computer" in the company name. At that point she informed me that since I was a reseller she would not sell me the computer. I though she was joking as I had bought from her 100 times before. But she called the "new" manager and he agreed with her and gave me the number of the President Office at Staples (which is also the same BS customer service to placate irritated customer, no action is ever taken) to file a complaint but refused to sell me the system.
I informed him that the store was in Crystal City, Virginia where more than 80% businesses are computer consultants selling to Federal Government, if he had these policies he would have no sales but the "new" manager would NOT budge. I walked out of the store empty handed and my purchases of $25K to 30K per year with Staples are now zero and I constantly encourage all my clients NOT to shop at Staples and buy their toners and supplies online from Amazon at much cheaper prices and better customer service.
After reading the New York Times article dated Sep 9, 2012 about these same Staples practices, I felt vindicated and hopefully the Staples management will soon realize that it makes NO sense to walk a "paying" customer in order to sell an overpriced warranty BUT who can understand the logic of the "SMART" marketing heads at corporate office.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA -- I purchased a new Dell computer (i580-1839NBC) from Staples store #357 on 1/30/12, and paid an additional $99.99 for the Premium PC Setup Package. I also at the same time purchased a Microsoft Office Home and Student package (3 PC) for $109.99 ($149.99 minus 40 dollars off w/ computer purchase) because the Easy Tech, **, informed me that I needed to purchase it to get Microsoft Office. I subsequently discovered that this computer came preloaded with Microsoft Office, and that I really only needed to purchase a product key. The difference between what I purchased and the product key is approximately 20-30 dollars.
I contacted the store on 2/12/12 and asked Easy Tech ** why he sold me the more expensive option. He informed me that "the difference is not significant." It's significant to me. I found his demeanor insulting and demeaning. I then spoke to the store manager, **, who informed me that I needed to return the whole desktop computer to the store and they would delete the software, and then refund me the difference. I don't consider that a viable option, and I suggested that I would return the CD software package, and offered to delete it myself off my computer. I said I would be willing then to accept store credit for the difference in price.
He told me that that would "mess up his inventory". I know for a fact that he could do that if he wanted. ** implied he was doing me a favor agreeing to the conditions of the refund. I told him that for me it would mean dragging a desktop computer with my files and personal information on it back to the store, leaving it, and depending on ** to delete the Office Package. I also tried to explain to him that ** was the one who had opened the Office package since he installed it, and that he should have known that Microsoft Office was preloaded before he opened it. He should know his inventory. And it's written right on the carton!
I did not see that myself because once I had agreed to the Premium Setup package, store staff placed the carton behind the counter. I have already had issues with ** previously regarding installing my wireless connection. The first night I bought the computer home, the computer would not recognize my wireless router. I called Staples, and talked to ** since he had set up the wireless card. His response, "I really don't know much about wireless". He did say that my router was obsolete. I informed him that it was two weeks old.
Finally, after 2 hours with Verizon, (never heard anything about problems with their routers) and then 3 hours with Dell, they managed to reconfigure my computer remotely. (I can't say enough about their service, it's great. But I did have to use my software support time.) They hadn't heard of software problems with any Verizon router either. They did say that the Staples store tech should have been able to help me. So I really don't want ** working on my new computer. I would be happy to simply return my unused 2 PC portion of my Microsoft Office package, and get a store credit for the difference, provided that I do not have to return my computer.
I will simply eat the $99.99 I spent on the Premium PC Setup at Staples, which was wasted money. No help with my wireless problem, ** simply installed a USB adapter for my wireless (I expected a PCI), and now I find out that Office was already loaded. If this is not resolved, I will never buy at Staples again, and will tell everyone I know about how they mislead their customers.


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The no beer thing is a newark ordinance, they consider the goal bar, fire lounge and ice lounge as well as the resturaunt each a separate "bar/esablishment", I know its stupid but they actually had the city cracking down on them. Don't know about the bathrooms but this year is definatley a "learning year for them"....
The Newark ordinance thing is pretty stupid, but if that's the case then those are the rules they have to play by. No choice there, really. But they did make my buddy use the concourse bathroom again on Friday. Weak. Although the curtains weren't drawn this time, so that must have just been a day-game thing to keep the sunlight from hitting the ice.
And yeah the one on adam's st. When you get there it is not the place facing the street but in an alcove in the little strip mall thingy, if it does not say "boi na brasa" it aint "boi na brasa".... Did you end up getting there?
I swear, one of these days I'm finally gonna check that place out. Didn't make it again on Friday because of majority rules (most of the crew I went with preferred to just drink heavily prior to the game, so it was Scully's again). Thanks again for your help though. IF I ever do make it there, it will be thanks to your directions, no doubt.

subset: commoncrawl


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Vanilla is a product of Lussumo:
Documentation and Support.
The main problem with the Con this year was the programming schedule. The panels were fine once you got into one, but getting in was really tough. Last year the panel schedule was perfect. I was able to get into every panel I wanted, including the Hall H and Ballroom 20 panels. This year I could not get into the single panel I wished to attend because I didn't go stand in line 4 hours prior to the panel. They put historically popular panels in the smallest rooms and didn't make adjustments when the room hit capacity 4 hours before the panel even started.
Word is that there's already talk of moving it to Los Angeles when the SD contract expires in a few years.That rumour's been circulating for at least 8 years.
Or Las Vegas.


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For once, can I win something?
Focal XS Book Music System Sweepstakes
According to the company:
Whatever your musical taste, uncover all the power and emotion your music, movie and gaming collection has to offer with Focal's elegant and compact desktop 2.0 active loudspeaker system. Based on 33-years of acoustic research and over a dozen patents, Focal has created the ideal powered desktop loudspeaker system that will delight your senses while delivering years of dependable service. Hear exactly what you've been missing; experience just how good desktop music can sound.
Focal's powerful self-amplified XS Book desktop music system delivers stunning sound quality, the result of 33-years of music industry leadership. Sonic inspiration for your laptop, your iPhone, your iTouch or iPod, the XS Book brings music and sound to life powerfully, and personally.
Two-year parts and labor warranty. Ships with a one meter AC cable, 1.5M stereo phone jack cable terminated in 3MM stereo plug, 1.5M loudspeaker extension cable and owners manual.
To enter the sweepstakes, all you need is an account on this website. If you don't already have one, click on the link labeled "register" at the bottom of this announcement or "Create new account" in the right column (under the ads). Then, enter a username and a valid e-mail address, and click on the "Create new account" button. A message will be automatically sent to the e-mail address you specified, which will include a link to activate the account.
The final step (and only step for those who already have an account) is to log in and leave a comment right here on this announcementany comment will do, as long as it's not profane or spam. Then, when the sweepstakes closes, a lucky commenter will be chosen at random to receive the prize. So post a comment, and good luck!
For complete sweepstakes rules, click here.
[This Sweepstakes is now closed.]
They are nice speakers, they would match great with me.
Oh, these would look beatimous on my desktop!
They'd look great on my desk!
I would love to win this!
I would like to hear them, since I own their Chorus 826V floors.
I know how to pronounce Focal right. That's got to count for something.
I'm sure these sound wonderful and would make a nice addition to my desktop.
I really need more stuff on my desk.
(Actually they would replace stuff that's already present.)
Would love to pair these with my mini-itx computer and Audio GD NFB-5
I haven't heard these, but I know they are nicer than what I have!
I would love to hear these in person!
I thought about these but ended up going tihe the Aego minisystem with the sub. But i really like Focal.
These have been on my Amazon wish list for over a year! I'd love to take them off!!
Very nice speakrs!
I need them!
I would love to own this beauty!
Please pick me!
Denis Nelson
I bet these sound AMAZING! Would love to have them!!
Hopeing to win these as I need an upgrade for my computer speakers


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October 2009
Reports on a study investigating the effectiveness of a combined therapy of disulfiram and naltrexone for people who abuse cocaine and alcohol.
Reports on research providing evidence that teaching aggressive youngsters social coping skills reduces their chances of becoming substance abusers.
Highlights trends from a 2008 survey of teenage substance abuse, cigarette smoking and alcohol use and discusses the implications of these changing data.
Highlights NIDA's second annual Chat Day where NIDA scientists and staff responded to drug abuse and addiction questions from teachers and students.
Describes research revealing that for up to 6 weeks after smokers quit, their brain cells have more nicotine-binding receptors than nonsmokers, which may explain the struggle to quit.
Describes research showing that cocaine abusers appear to have a rapid neural response to reward cues outside of their awareness, possibly signifying vulnerability to relapse.
Reports on an animal study suggesting that the manic stage of bipolar disorder promotes signs of drug abuse vulnerability by enhancing sensitivity to rewards, both natural and drug-related.
Highlights prevalence rates of cigarette and marijuana smoking among teens who exercise regularly as compared with their less active peers.
Announces the recipients of the inaugural Avant-Garde Award for research to prevent and treat HIV/AIDS in drug abusers, Drs. Julio Montaner, Ileana Cristea, and Jerome Groopman.
Highlights NIDA-sponsored research underway to understand and respond to substance abusers' needs at all points of care, from the initial presentation for treatment through recovery.


text: Here is a bright look for the summer! I used one of the most popular colours for the season, coral, but made it wearable for everyone with a light application. Of course, you can intensify the look by adding a bright liner on the lower lashline, like green, gold or turquoise.


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Legislation to improve patient access to physical therapist services in Texas took an important step on Thursday, April 11, when Texas HB 1039, Patient Access to Physical Therapy, was considered in the Texas House Committee on Public Health. Texas Chapter members provided excellent oral testimony to the committee in support of the legislation, including physical therapists Michael Connors, PT, DPT, OCS, Cynthia Fisher, PT, DPT, MS, PCS, Nick Patel, PT, DPT, CSCS, CCP, Mike Geelhoed, PT, DPT, OCS, MTC, Jennifer Kish, PT, DPT, SCS, Kathleen Manella, PT, PhD, Matt Walk, PT, FAAOMPT, Allan Besselink, PT, Dip.MDT, Ben Keene, PT, OCS, FAAOMPT, and Jarod Carter, PT.
Opposition testimony to HB 1039 was provided by the Texas Orthopaedic Association and a physical therapist employed in a physician-owned clinic. The Texas Association of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine also provided testimony against the bill, expressing concern about the ability of physical therapists to perform dry needling.
Improving patient access in the Lone Star state has been an important goal for the Texas Chapter.
The legislation awaits action by the House Public Health Committee; the deadline for house bills to be reported out by house committees is Monday, May 6. Meanwhile, the chapter is also advocating for House Bill 2357 and Senate Bill 1099, legislation that would provide title protection for the doctor of physical therapy (DPT) and master of physical therapy (MPT). The senate bill passed the Texas Senate on Thursday, April 18; the house version has passed through committee and is awaiting a vote by the Texas House.
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text: Ready for Ultra HD? Better get your wallet Share this story email Share this story «Previous 7 of 7 Photos Next » Read the story « » Sony-Ultra HD Player FILE - In this publicity image released by Columbia Pictures, Jaden Smith as Dre is shown in "The Karate Kid. "The Amazing Spiderman," "Taxi Driver" and "The Karate Kid" are going big. The new, restored and rebooted films from Sony Pictures are among the content coming pre-loaded on a video player bundled with Sony's first ultra-high-definition television, a massive 84-inch set that retails for $24,999.99 and features nearly four times the resolution of typical high-definition TVs. (AP Photo/Columbia Pictures - Sony, Jasin Boland, File) NO SALES.


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1964 ½ thru 1966 Mustang Kick Panels w/ speakers (Pair)
1964 ½ thru 1966 Mustang Kick Panels These Retrosound ABS kick panels are sold as a left and right pair and packaged with R-652N speakers (including grilles) and will not come pre-mounted. However, the holes for the speakers are pre-cut to accommodate the included 6.5" speakers. What makes these kick panels unique is that Retrosound designed the speaker mounting angle to aim the speaker towards the listener. Our competitor's kick panels fire the speaker at the customer's feet, muffling the sound, while Retrosound kick panels offer a much more enjoyable listening experience, with superior sound quality and stereo imaging. The R-652N speakers have an ultra-thin mounting depth, so when mounted these panels will fit perfectly into your vehicle. The panels are paintable and come with an attractive black textured finish. Please note that these panels are designed to fit into 1964 ½ thru 1966 Mustang (non-convertible) cars.
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Actress Amanda Bynes Arrested on Suspicion of DUI
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LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Authorities say actress Amanda Bynes has been arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence after she grazed a sheriff's patrol car.
RELATED: Best Celeb Mug Shots
The 26-year-old actress was arrested around 3 a.m. Friday in West Hollywood.
The Los Angeles County sheriff's department says that Bynes attempted to pass a patrol car making a right turn when she hit it. Deputies who arrested her suspect she was drunk at the time.
RELATED VIDEO: Amanda Bynes Busted for DUI
Bynes is being held on $5,000 bail. Her publicist, Melissa Raubvogel, did not immediately return a call and an email from The Associated Press.
The actress appeared in the 2010 film "Easy A" and the Nickelodeon series "What I Like About You."
RELATED: Bynes Doesn't Regret Candid Tweets
Deputies say there was paint damage to both cars, but no one was injured.
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text:
November 29, 2015
Busted for crack cocaine after selling to under cover officers.
A man and woman are behind bars after selling the drugs to Washington County Major Crimes Taskforce agents.
Police executed a search warrant early Saturday morning at a home on Elm Street in Belpre.
They say inside they found the buy money used in the purchase by the under cover officers. They also found pills, marijuana, and a crack pipe which tested positive for crack cocaine. Police say two seventeen year olds were also inside the house.
Kenneth Stephens was arrested for trafficking cocaine in an amount greater than five grams in the presence on a juvenile.
They also arrested Keri LaFatch for possession of cocaine and drug paraphernalia. Athens County also had a warrant for her arrest for possession of cocaine.
Both are behind bars and additional charges are pending.
Click Here to access the online Public Inspection File
Viewers with disabilities can get assistance accessing this station's FCC Public Inspection File by contacting the station with the information listed below. Questions or concerns relating to the accessibility of the FCC's online public file system should be directed to the FCC at 888-225-5322, 888-835-5322 (TTY), or firstname.lastname@example.com.


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Chris Barbic / Jae S. Lee / File / The Tennessean
Will Pinkston, Metro Nashville Board of Education member representing District 7
Chris Barbic
Founded YES Prep charter network in Houston
Arrived in Tennessee in 2011 to lead the ASD, which is in its second year of operations.
Public school diversity
Percent of Metro Nashville Students
|Special education
|English language learners
House Minority Leader Craig Fitzhugh of Ripley / Erik Schelzig / File / Associated Press
Comments a top state education official made about charter school diversity drew a sharp rebuke from a Metro school board member Tuesday and prompted House Democrats to ask Gov. Bill Haslam to disavow the remarks.
Chris Barbic, who heads Tennessees Achievement School District, an entity that has converted some of the states lowest-performing schools to privately operated charters, suggested during a recent public appearance that charter schools shouldnt be blamed for lacking student diversity, WPLN reported Tuesday.
Yes, we want diversity, Barbic was quoted as saying at a panel talk at Lipscomb University last week on charter schools. But weve got to be honest about the situation and speak honestly about race and class, which goes way beyond the power of a school.
The WPLN report said many in the Lipscomb crowd groaned at his comments.
Barbic told WPLN: Most schools, they are the representation of a neighborhood, and most neighborhoods are folks who live together that look alike. Thats just the honest reality. I think thats the case here in Nashville and most communities. And so I think to put that on charters that its something theyve caused or are responsible for is unfair.
An original version of the WPLN story that paraphrased Barbic saying segregation in charters is acceptable was later corrected to say he acknowledged it exists.
Metro school board member Will Pinkston took to Twitter Tuesday morning, calling the comments unbelievable and accusing Barbic of arguing that school segregation is OK. Barbic disputed that accusation, clarifying that he only said charters shouldnt be blamed.
If were a community that values diversity, we cannot have racially isolated schools of any type, Pinkston later told The Tennessean.
House Democratic Leader Craig Fitzhugh followed with a statement Tuesday asking Haslam to disavow the statements: Too many people have fought too hard to bring about an integrated, well-balanced school system for comments like this to move us towards resegregation.
ASD and governors office officials noted WPLNs revision when contacted for comments.
Most charter schools in Tennessee and in Nashville have low-income, largely African-American student populations. That racial makeup was cited in the Spurlock v. Fox case, a resegregation suit against Metro over its 2009 student assignment plan, which the U.S. Court of Appeals upheld in May. Until two years ago, only low-income students were eligible for charter schools in Tennessee. Today, under the states open enrollment law, all students can attend.
The Metro school board rejected a charter school proposal called Great Hearts Academies in 2012 over concerns that it would cater to only affluent, white students in West Nashville and create a system of segregated charter schools. It led the district to adopt a new plan that defines what a diverse school should look like. According to a December report, the number of diverse schools in Nashville increased from last year to this year, including diverse charter schools, which doubled from three to six out of 20.
Reach Joey Garrison at 615-259-8263 and on Twitter at @joeygarrison.


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The nano- and microsatellite market's growth is driven by price reductions and and investments from Silicon Valley. (NASA/ARC/Christopher Beasley)
- Filed Under
The nano- and microsatellite market will grow to $1.9 billion by 2019, according to a forecast by market research firm ASDReports. This reflects a compound annual growth rate of 21.8 percent from the $702 million market in 2014.
Asia Pacific is expected to become the largest market, surpassing North America by 2019. "The major forces driving this market are price reduction, increasing demand, investments from Silicon Valley, better mission launches and continual decrease in average satellite mass," according to the study.
Satellites for Earth observation and remote sensing, space science and academic training will see high rates of growth. The report names Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, Raytheon, Surrey Satellite Technologies and Sierra Nevada Corp as manufacturers that will have a strong presence in the market.


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There will be lots of things to see, many of them green, at the St. Patrick's Day Parade and Celebration.
- Filed Under
Springfield's St. Patrick's Day celebration is more than a parade, with fun starting Saturday around noon with a pet contest, progressing through the parade with food at both ends and adjourning to indoor revelry lasting who knows how long.
For music lovers, the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow will be a special performance by the Chapman Brothers at the awards ceremony after the parade.
After many years of hiatus, food vendors are returning to Park Central Square for the St. Pat's celebration, said Heather Landwer, Irish Festival Association parade committee chair. With this step, ...


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Drumheller's Orchard Apple Festival. Featuring apples, apple butter, cider,honey, country hams, pumpkins and baskets.Food available for purchase, apple sling shot, arts and crafts, bouncy houses, hayrides and corn maze (weather permitting). Free parking and entertainment. Saturday and Sunday 9AM to 5PM.
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access to goods and services, usability of rest rooms and accessible parking and drop-off areas. For additional
details, please see the ADA website.
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|Quinn and Tebow: Not BFFs after all? (Getty Images)
Broncos quarterback Brady Quinn will be a free agent on March 13. While he didn't make our list of top free-agent quarterbacks (although he was honorable mention!), he'll likely end up landing a backup job somewhere for the 2012 season.
Just don't count on it being Denver, at least based on the quotes he gave Mike Silver for an oral history of Tebowmania in the latest issue of GQ.
"Early in the season, there was a game when Kyle [Orton] got hurt and the coaches were calling for me to go in, but Kyle got up and finished the game out," Quinn said. "So I was the second-string guy. Then, a few weeks later, they decided to put Tim in. I felt like the fans had a lot to do with that. Just 'cause they were chanting his name. There was a big calling for him. No, I didn't have any billboards. That would have been nice."
This is a harmless quote. You don't have to be a backup quarterback to want billboards pulling for you all over the town you live in.
But Quinn's comments took a different tone as his comments continued throughout the article.
"We've had a lot of, I guess, luck, to put it simply," Quinn said, recalling the Broncos memorable overtime win over the Bears.
Again, more or less harmless. Marion Barber running out of bounds and then fumbling is the definition of luck. It's not the greatest thing in the world to say about your (former?) teammates, especially if you want your job again in 2012, but it's not incendiary. But how do you feel about the way Tim acts off the field, Brady?
|Latest NFL News, Notes
"If you look at it as a whole, there's a lot of things that just don't seem very humble to me," Quinn said. "When I get that opportunity, I'll continue to lead not necessarily by trying to get in front of the camera and praying but by praying with my teammates, you know?"
Annnnnnd ... scene. At least on Quinn's career with the Broncos. Remember, they shipped Kyle Orton out of town because he was going to be a pain in the locker room. And they already know what they've got in Quinn (read: a guy who can't beat out Tebow for the backup job).
The Broncos said they want to bring in two more quarterbacks to generate some competition, but they're unlikely to bring in (or back) anyone who might truly try and undermine Tebowmania in Denver. If you're coming out to Mile High, you've got buy into the idea that you're going to get pelted with foam crosses should you win the starting gig.
But maybe Quinn's comments in the magazine aren't as bad as represented. Quinn released a statement on Twitter Tuesday afternoon refuting the nature of his comments in Silver's article.
"The comments attributed to me in a recent magazine article are in NO WAY reflective of my opinion of Tim and the Broncos," Quinn tweeted. "Tim deserves a lot of credit for our success and I'm happy for him and what he accomplished. Most importantly, he is a great teammate. That interview was conducted three months ago, and the resulting story was a completely inaccurate portrayal of my comments.
"I have addressed my disappointment with the writer and have reached out to Tim to clear this up. I apologize to anyone who feels I was trying to take anything away from our Team's or Tim's success this season."
For more NFL news, rumors and analysis, follow @EyeOnNFL on Twitter, Like Us on Facebook, subscribe to our NFL newsletter, and while you're add it, add our RSS Feed.


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A view of a park near Hunan Normal University in Changsha, China, where SUU is planning to establish a center to share American culture with Chinese students.
- Filed Under
Southern Utah University is one of 10 institutions of higher education the U.S. State Department has selected to receive a grant to establish an American Cultural Center in China.
Kurt Harris, director of SUU's Global Engagement Center, said SUU is expecting close to $100,000 from the State Department to establish the American Cultural Center of Changsha for the first year at Hunan Normal University. He said SUU and HNU are also contributing funds to the center. However, SUU must find a way for the center to keep going after the first year.
He said SUU's goal is to let the Chinese people with ...


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Green Bay Packers tight end Jermichael Finley (88) dives into the end zone past Detroit Lions safety Ricardo Silva (39) on a 20-yard touchdown pass during the second quarter of Sunday's game at Ford Field in Detroit. Evan Siegle/Press-Gazette
Scoring plays from Sunday's game between the Green Bay Packers and the Detroit Lions at Ford Field in Detroit. The Packers won 24-20.
Green Bay 0 7 7 10 24
Detroit 3 7 7 3 20
First quarter
Lions 3, Packers 0
Jason Hanson, 30-yard field goal, 4:24.
Keys: After forcing Detroit into a third-and-12, the Packers switched to their dollar (eight defensive backs) package, but Calvin Johnson sprung open from the slot on a 53-yard pass from Matthew Stafford to get to the Green Bay 18. Safety Morgan Burnett sacked Stafford on third-and-goal to force the field goal.
Drive: 8 plays, 57 yards, 3:08.
Second quarter
Packers 7, Lions 3
Jermichael Finley, 20-yard pass from Aaron Rodgers (Mason Crosby kick), 13:56.
Keys: Rodgers completed 5-of-6 passes for 69 yards on the drive. On the touchdown play, the Lions shadowed James Starks on a screen pass. It opened the middle of the field for Finley, who caught the quick pass from Rodgers and scampered into the end zone for his first score since Week 1.
Drive: 11 plays, 81 yards, 5:28.
Lions 10, Packers 7
Mikel Leshoure, 1-yard run (Hanson kick), 8:06.
Keys: The Packers struggled to generate much of a pass rush without Clay Matthews on the Lions fourth drive, allowing Stafford to go 4-for-4 passing for 55 yards, including a pair of third down-converting completions to Johnson.
Drive: 10 plays, 74 yards, 5:50.
Third quarter
Packers 14, Lions 10
M.D. Jennings, 72-yard interception return (Crosby kick), 8:31.
Keys: Staffords erratic throws finally came back to haunt him on his second interception of the day. He threw behind tight end Tony Scheffler, who then batted the pass up and into the arms of Jennings. The Packers had several key blocks on the play to spring the second-year undrafted safety to the end zone.
Lions 17, Packers 14
Johnson, 25-yard pass from Stafford (Hanson kick), 3:01.
Keys: The Lions responded with a lengthy drive and touchdown pass to Johnson, who caught the pass through the arms of defending safety Morgan Burnett for the fourth lead change of the game.
Drive: 10 plays, 83 yards, 5:30.
Fourth quarter
Lions 20, Packers 14
Hanson, 27-yard field goal, 4:25.
Keys: The Packers had a chance to tie, but Crosby missed a 38-yarder to give the ball back to Detroit. The Lions drove the length of the field, but again stalled inside the Packers 10.
Drive: 9 plays, 63 yards, 4:12.
Packers 21, Lions 20
Randall Cobb, 22-yard pass from Rodgers (Crosby kick), 1:55.
Keys: The drive was keyed by Finleys 40-yard reception off a quick out route and a handful of Lions missed tackles. On third-and-1 from Detroits 22, Rodgers lofted a pass to Cobb in the end zone for the go-ahead score.
Drive: 6 plays, 82 yards, 2:30.
Packers 24, Lions 20
Crosby, 39-yard field goal, 0:19.
Keys: After missing two critical field goals, Crosby finally connected to give the Packers a four-point cushion after Detroit went four-and-out deep in their territory.
Drive: 4 plays, minus-1 yards, 1:00.
Weston Hodkiewicz, Press-Gazette


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WILLOUGHBY HILLS, Ohio -- An 18-year-old woman is suspected of stabbing her foster mother in their Willoughby Hills home early Friday morning.
Police were called to a home on Chagrin Drive shortly after 1:15 a.m. for a report of a woman attacked.
When police arrived, the 13-year-old girl who called police ran out to meet them.
Police entered the home and found Sabrina Zurich, 18, covered in blood and holding a knife, police said.
Zurich was detained and taken to Lake West Hospital. She is considered a suspect in the investigation.
Officers then found Lisa Knoefel, 41, in the first floor master bedroom with several stab wounds. EMS crews were unable to resuscitate her and she was pronounced dead at the scene.
There is no word on if any arrests have been made.


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Divine Intervention
"Even though my family had everything we needed materially, I felt something was not right. Islam, with its perfect connection of daily prayers leading to God—and verifying that relationship by loving others—closed that gap."
Antepli was careful to pray mostly at neighborhood mosques, although he feared that a neighbor would recognize him and might tell his parents. He performed his early morning prayers as quietly as possible behind the closed door of his bedroom.
One morning, his mother awoke to sounds coming from his room. When she discovered him praying on his bedroom carpet, she screamed.
"It was so traumatic … as if she had caught me using drugs," says Antepli. "I was devastated and disappointed, but I knew what I was doing was not wrong. I was caught between a rock and a hard place—between the love and respect of my parents and my faith. My parents were not bad people. They reacted out of compassion, because they believed what the society said—that religion was an ugly and bad thing. Looking back on it now, I realize my family was a victim of their own misperceptions about Islam and religion. And they failed to realize how much fun I was having with this business of religion."
By the time he entered high school, the conflict between him and his parents led them to issue an ultimatum: abandon Islam or move out of their home.
Antepli joined a madrasah, an Islamic school where boys of all ages lived and studied in preparation to become religious leaders.
It was a difficult three years for Antepli. He had no financial support from his parents or other relatives, who shared the same anti-religious views. He earned scholarships from the school, which was mandated to help orphans and other needy children, and worked at odd jobs after school and on weekends. During his last few months of high school, he learned that his father was dying. "His death brought us together, and I was able to reconcile with the rest of my family gradually afterward," he says. "Now my family has grown to respect what I do."
Although Antepli resisted becoming an imam in an atmosphere where religion is rigidly controlled by the government, his spiritual mentor convinced him that his resistance, like that of reluctant prophets in both the Bible and the Quran, was a sign from God. But he knew in his heart that he would have to leave Turkey to experience fully God's diversity.
After earning his degree and completing imam training in 1996, Antepli wanted to continue working for social justice, a passion he had discovered during college. He spent the next eight years in Southeast Asia with faith-based NGOs building orphanages and helping to rescue children trapped in the sex trade. Those efforts were as gratifying as they were heartbreaking.
"I was helping make a difference in the lives of thousands of children," says Antepli, whose faith is grounded in the concept of service. "Nothing fulfills me more than alleviating human suffering—enabling people to fulfill their dreams and potential in life. Just like in Southeast Asia, I do that at Duke on a daily basis."
Among the children Antepli helped in Burma was Maung Kyi, a 6-year-old boy whose parents had sold two older sons into slavery.
"I gave the parents $75, and then gifts of food, sugar, and rice, to keep them from selling him," says Antepli, who stayed in touch with the family, and was eventually able to help Maung attend school.
Recently, Antepli was surprised by a phone call from Australia that brought him to tears. Maung had tracked down his mentor to share good news: he had been accepted to medical school in Sydney.
In what Antepli described as another divine intervention, the Burmese government closed access to NGOs for six months in 1999. The break provided him an opportunity to travel to the United States for graduate study at the University of Pittsburgh. Three days after his arrival, Antepli was asked to volunteer as a part-time Muslim chaplain there and at nearby Carnegie Mellon University.
"The only 'chaplain' I had ever heard of was Charlie Chaplin," says Antepli with a wry smile. Soon he was convinced that chaplaincy was his life's work. It was not just chaplaincy that appealed to him, but the secular and pluralistic nature of American society.
"There was an acknowledgment that God created everybody differently," Antepli says. "You were welcomed in society and would not be discriminated against,


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January 06, 2009
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At the corner of Minnesota Avenue and 27th Street there is Piper's Custom Framing. If you step inside you'll find owner Jon Piper hard at work.
"Just putting something on the wall is so empty, you want to have things around you that make you feel better and open your eyes up," Jon Piper owner of Piper's Custom Framing said.
Jon and his brother Jim have been framing their way through KELOLAND. Jon isn't sharing how long he's been mastering his talents, but says it's been for awhile.
"You literally get to take a journey in this business and it's been a journey for quite a few years for me," Jon said.
Jon brought his talents to Sioux Falls from Des Moines, Iowa in 1996. His ultimate career goal was to own his own business.
"Finally, I've always wanted to own my own gallery and it just took a while to get there," Jon said.
Seven years ago, he opened Piper's Custom Framing. Jon adds that people who walk through his doors are not just customers, but soon become friends.
"This business allows you to get to meet great people," Jon said.
Jon says his first step in the long process of framing is getting to know each and every client.
"Getting to know who the customer is, what the customer wants and what the ultimate goal is. That is a very important part is knowing your customer and who they are and what they want for the final goal," Jon said.
From France, Italy and beyond Jon says he brings some of the leading frame manufactures in the world straight to KELOLAND.
From timeless pieces of art to unique relics of history, Jon and Jim Piper can frame almost anything.
Jim says the strangest thing he has ever had to frame was a person's pony tail. But that's not all, Jim says he can frame sports memorabilia, military uniforms and more.
"Indian peace pipe, snake skin, a skull," Jim said.
Jon says everything tells a story when you do custom framing.
"You've just got to look at it, sometimes for a couple of days, design things, come back. It evolves as you look at it and as you take the customer into consideration of what it is that you are framing," Jon said.
And it's not just personal art work, Jon and his crew frame for corporate companies, including Avera Hospitals.
"People literally get a heal because of what you create and the environment you create for them and that you can't replace," Jon said.
He says he knows this first hand when a friend of his was overcome with illness and was put into hospice care right after he finished a project there.
"It took on a whole new meaning for me in what it is I'm doing and having patients go there for their end of life journey," Jon said.
Not only can you find Jon's work hanging on walls in KELOLAND, he has been featured around world.
"To know that you have taken a part in that many people's lives, you can't put words to that," Jon said.
And even some of the items he's framed have been signed by some very famous people.
"I have Ted Nugent, Johnny Depp," Jon said, "One by Green Day and one by Johnny ."
From here and into the future Jon says he hopes to expand his gallery to bring more art that touches even more people across KELOLAND.
"When you can create an emotion from your customer, that's priceless," Jon said.


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The cellphone photo, forwarded to police, shows a man walking on Underhill Avenue.
- Filed Under
He didn't shoot his eye out, but a West Harrison man caused a stir among residents and police Saturday when he was spotted walking down the street carrying what turned out to be a Red Ryder BB gun.
A passer-by snapped a cellphone photo of the 25-year-old as he was walking on Underhill Avenue and forwarded it to police, who have been looking for him. Cops put out a news release Wednesday morning, asking for the public's help in identifying the man, while noting that he had not committed any crime and that there was no reason to believe he was a threat to the public.
The man, who asked not to be identified, ...


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In addition to providing access to art, artists, scholars and professionals in the art and design field, The Galleries provide enriching ways to get involved. Learn more about ways to contribute and become immersed in contemporary art through our programs and gain a deeper understanding of the inner workings of a professional contemporary art gallery.
Become a volunteer and play an important role in The Galleries - provide vital support by leading docent tours, staffing special events, and working behind the scenes in exhibition planning and installations. Hours are flexible and orientation & training is provided. For more information about our volunteer program, contact us by phone at 215.965.4027 or email Gabrielle Lavin at firstname.lastname@example.com.
The Galleries at Moore are dedicated to mentoring the next generation of gallery professionals. Our interns are organized, creative and motivated students looking to gain insight into how a contemporary, non-profit art gallery operates. Internships are generally unpaid, but offer the opportunity to build professional skills and relationships with experienced curatorial mentors. Click here to download the Internship Application Form.
Learn the ins and outs of working in a nationally recognized contemporary art gallery while working alongside professional curators, visiting artists and gallery staff. Gain experience working with professional art handlers who teach basic carpentry and construction skills essential to those who hope to present their work professionally. Eligible students are invited to stop by The Galleries office for more information about availability Monday–Friday, 10am–5pm.
The Galleries do not accept unsolicited submissions.


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I have a couple of items for sale. Prices include CONUS shipping. Payment by PayPal Personal ("gift") method, please. If you have questions, please email me at firstname.lastname@example.com. Thanks!1. PHD Minim 300 Sleeping Bag- Rated at 32 degrees, 800 fill power down, full zip (right side, Drishell outer, standard size (according to PHD , 5`7" to 6`1"), 21 ounces, comes with PHD stuff sack and storage bag. Bought but never used (too many bags!) $210.00 shipped.2. Big Agnes Seedhouse SL-1 Tent- Excellent condition, comes with stakes and footprint. SOLD.
Edited by prabun on 01/26/2012 14:42:31 MST.
Lowered the prices on the bag and tent. Make me a reasonable offer- I need funds for more gear!
Dropped the prices again.
I'm interested in the SL1 at $100.
is the tent still available?
Sent PM with payment info.
PM Sent...
The SL-1 is sold. I dropped the price on the PHD bag again. I really will be hard pressed to go lower AND include shipping. This is an extremely well made bag.
Pat - Sent you a PM on the bag...
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CLEVELAND -- Only one competitive sport ends with a winner covered in barbecue sauce and charcoal!
Rib rebels from seven states will fire up the grills and clash spatulas at the 20th Annual Marc's Great American Rib Cook Off & Music Festival presented by Time Warner Cable, The Plain Dealer, WKYC-TV3 and MinuteMenJobs.com.
The saucy grilling showdown for the coveted prize of "Greatest Ribs in America" will spark May 27 and blaze through May 30, 2011 at Jacobs Pavilion and the Nautica Entertainment Complex on the West Bank of the Flats.
Northeast Ohio's most rockin' Rib Cook Off is celebrating its 20th anniversary in a new downtown Cleveland location. After years at Time Warner Cable Amphitheater at Tower City, the newly named Jacobs Pavilion at Nautica and adjacent Nautica Entertainment Complex will host the 2011 Marc's Great American Rib Cook Off & Music Festival. The landmark venue on the West Bank of the Flats is located along the Cuyahoga River behind The Powerhouse in downtown Cleveland. For a map and driving directions, visit www.wkyc.com/rib.
From sassy to smoky, competitive grilling styles and sauce techniques vary across America, resulting in a flavorful feast where no two bones are alike. Barbecue enthusiasts can sample and compare tender, competition-quality ribs from the heart of Texas, the Windy City, Ohio's own professional pit masters and everywhere in between. More than 100,000 rib enthusiasts are expected to spend Memorial Day Weekend taste testing the country's best ribs, brisket and pulled pork from three new competitors and seven past favorites.
Whether you're a decorated veteran or a rookie rising up the BBQ ranks, the pros take pride in the art of barbecue. Each grill team is passionate about homemade sauces, family traditions, top-secret dry rub recipes and shiny trophies. Diehard rib fans will decide who takes home the Akron-Canton Airport "People's Choice" crown while a panel of hand-selected judges chew over who deserves "Greatest Ribs in America." The event's top prize for sauce will now and forever be known as the "Butch Lupinetti Greatest Sauce in America" award in honor of the late New Jersey grilling great who won the title on multiple occasions, competed at the Cleveland Rib Cook Off for 19 consecutive years and passed away in 2010.
An elite panel of BBQ connoisseurs as well as local Northeast Ohio celebrities will judge piles of meaty bones using a blind taste test method. To determine the big winners, the judges will rate ribs in several categories including appearance, sauce, meat and tenderness.
While Akron-Canton Airport is a better way to go, being a "People's Choice" judge is a better way to score complimentary bones at the Rib Cook Off! During select hours of the festival, visit the WDOK booth and take a crack at the WDOK Mega Money Machine for the chance to become an official Akron-Canton Airport "People's Choice" judge. These lucky judges will be presented with free saucy ribs to taste test and rank. The Akron-Canton Airport "People's Choice" judging will take place a minimum of three (3) times a day. This prestigious prize is determined by the people, so we need your vote!
Competitive grilling is not for the faint of heart. On Memorial Day Monday, May 30, grill teams will be recognized and winners will be crowned during the 3:15pm Awards Ceremony. The winners will receive:
"Greatest Ribs in America" "Greatest Sauce in America" "People's Choice"
1st Prize: $2,000 and trophy 1st Prize: $1,500 and trophy Trophy & bragging rights!
2nd Prize: $1,000 and trophy 2nd Prize: $500 and trophy
3rd Prize: Trophy 3rd Prize: Trophy
After winning the 2010 title for "Greatest Ribs in America," the team to beat is DD Stutz's Jack on the Bone from Massillon, Ohio. Butch's Smack Your Lips BBQ from Mt. Laurel, New Jersey, will defend its "Greatest Sauce in America" trophy while Famous Dave's BBQ from Plymouth, Minnesota, hopes to sear the competition and remain the "People's Choice" prizewinner.
Meet the defending 2010 champ of "Greatest Ribs in America!" Jack on the Bone has been on the fast track since debuting at the Cleveland Rib Cook Off in 2008 and scoring a second place for "Greatest Ribs in America" during its sophomore appearance. Owner Dave Amstutz has over 20 years of experience and is looking to keep the hot streak alive in 2011. After spending years in the restaurant business, Dave decided to dedicate his time and skill to the cook off circuit. His tender, smoked slabs are coated with a special dry rub, then cooked slow and low for three hours. What's the key ingredient to the team's award winning ribs? That would be pure Jack Daniels Tennessee Whiskey. Jack on the Bone in Massillon, Ohio, has earned multiple "Best Ribs" and "Best Sauce" awards from major rib competitions in Canada, Pennsylvania, Indiana and Columbus and offers four sauces including "Original," "Smokey Jack," "Sweet Jack" and "Hot Jack."
The fiery personality and award-winning BBQ recipes of the late Butch Lupinetti will live on! Butch's family will take the reigns of the lip smackin' franchise and return to Cleveland to defend its 2010 "Greatest Sauce in America" title. This year, the grilling team from Mt. Laurel, New Jersey, will also mark its 20th appearance at the Cleveland Rib Cook Off. With six sensational sauces and more than 500 awards, Butch's Smack Your Lips BBQ has traveled and competed across the US.. and Canada for the past 25 years. Visit www.smackyourlipsbbq.com.
Famous Dave's BBQ will never forget last year's saucy competition! After the smoke cleared, the Plymouth, Minnesota, team walked away as the "People's Choice" champion. With over 400 "Best In Class" awards and counting, the world-class grill team has been part of the Cleveland rib tradition for more than 15 years. Famous Dave's owner Dave Anderson knows a thing or two about grilling up good BBQ and is most proud of his famous "Rich & Sassy" sauce. Visit www.famousdaves.com.
Last year, the Pigfoot BBQ Company took home a third place finish for "Greatest Sauce in America." Owner Jerry Gibson from West Salem, Ohio, has competed at the Rib Cook Off for 14 years and knows what it takes to win over the taste buds of Northeast Ohioans. After owning a pizza and rib restaurant, Jerry went pro and began competing in 1989. During the past 20 years, this family-owned business has traveled the country from Florida and Toronto to St. Louis and Boston. Along the way, Pigfoot BBQ has won more than 250 awards for serving up the best ribs and sauce. For rib fans that want to slather their bones with an award-winning sauce, the team will offer its mild, sweet, hot, killer and applelicious BBQ sauce varieties. Visit www.pigfootbbq.com.
Marinating is the name of the game for this griller from the Windy City. Owner and barbeque expert Tom Ferguson from Bolingbrook, Illinois, opened Chicago BBQ Company in the spring of 1985, with a vision of creating Chicago's ultimate barbeque experience. Trained in the fine art of low and slow smoking at the age of 10, Tom hit the competitive rib circuit in 1988. To create his infamous fall-off-the-bone ribs, Ferguson soaks his meat in a zesty marinade for 24 hours and brings his love and passion to every slab served. Visit www.chicagobbq4u.com.
Ray Gill of Blytheville, Arkansas, has 30 years of grilling under his belt and barbecue in his blood. He uses a tomato-based southern-style sauce and sticks to a 100-year old dry rub recipe to bring perfection to his meaty ribs. Ray combined the family's secret recipe with some secrets of his own and has won barbecue contests worldwide. While grilling in the pits, Ray can be spotted wearing pig-covered boxer shorts over his jeans. The barbecue veteran returns to Cleveland hungry for a win!
Specializing in authentic, pit-smoked barbeque, Uncle Bub's BBQ is sure to bring some fire to this year's competition. The Uncle Bub's grilling team measures smoke and swine against the finest barbeque craftsmen in the country. Owner Mark Link makes sure his meats are gently rubbed and marinated with a combination of secret spices before cooking for up to 22 hours in a specially designed hickory and applewood smoker. His team selects only the freshest and most flavorful cuts of pork, beef and poultry and hand trims each one before they are deemed pit worthy. Visit www.unclebubs.com.
Solomon Williams, who is known in BBQ circles as King Solomon, is a fan favorite in Cleveland. By combining his love of people, his honor of heritage and his passion for barbecuing, the grilling guru has racked up Cleveland Rib Cook Off awards for "Greatest Ribs in America," "Greatest Sauce in America" and "People's Choice." Solomon dry rubs his award-winning ribs with a blend of homemade seasonings and then smothers every bone with a sweet tomato-based sauce. Visit www.carolinaribking.com.
Dan Johnson cooks his ribs with indirect heat and won't add his award-winning sauce until the bones are ready to come off the grill. The sweet Texas-style sauce is an old family recipe that originated in North Carolina. The top-secret recipe has won the Chesapeake, Virginia, grilling team accolades in Cleveland and across the country. Johnson's BBQ is always a crowd pleaser and the long lines at the grill prove it! Dan dares brave rib fans to take the heat and experience his infamous "Thermonuclear Sauce." It's an electrifying concoction that is blazin' hot! Visit www.johnsons-bbq.com.
Sutphen's Texas Thunder will return to the Cleveland BBQ pits to prove they have what it takes to be the best. Joe Sutphen's prestigious track record is proof that the veteran cooker knows good Texas barbecue. Joe's philosophy about award-winning BBQ goes something like this: "First you stick your arm in the smoke and when all the hair is gone, that's how you know you're cooking good. When it's almost uninhabitable for human beings, that's when the smoke and sauce get married to the rib." Visit www.texasthunderbbq.com.
Friday, May 27 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Saturday, May 28 Noon to 11 p.m.
Sunday, May 29 Noon to 11 p.m.
Monday, May 30 Noon to 8 p.m.
The 20th Annual Marc's Great American Rib Cook Off & Music Festival has moved to the newly named Jacobs Pavilion and the adjacent Nautica Entertainment Complex on the West Bank of the Flats in downtown Cleveland. For more details, new venue information or driving directions, visit the festival's new and official website www.wkyc.com/rib or call the Jacobs Pavilion Box Office at 216.622.6557.
General admission is FREE UNTIL 3PM EVERYDAY compliments of Ohio Natural Gas, the official gas provider for Live Nation and House of Blues Cleveland. Adult general admission is ONLY $5 with coupon from Marc's or with online coupon from WKYC.com. Kids 12 and under are FREE everyday, all hours. Entertainment continues to be FREE with paid general admission.
20th Anniversary Rock & Ribs Dining Deal and Music Package! Rib lovers can purchase this special offer while supplies last and receive $50 worth of food & beverage tickets and 2 FREE general admission tickets to the Rib Cook Off, which includes headline entertainment, for ONLY $28! That's a $66 value for only $28, plus applicable service fees. This limited time offer is available exclusively online beginning April 29 at www.wkyc.com/rib.
Advance general admission tickets and a limited number of Front-of-Stage General Admission "BBQ PIT" tickets for Seether and prime reserved seats for Collective Soul and Bruce Hornsby & the Noisemakers, which include admission to the Rib Cook Off, are on sale now at www.livenation.com and all Ticketmaster locations. There are no discounts on advance general admission tickets or prime reserved seat tickets.
This Memorial Day weekend, play downtown and stay downtown at the Hilton Garden Inn Cleveland Downtown - the official hotel of Jacobs Pavilion and the Marc's Great American Rib Cook Off & Music Festival. Contact the reservations desk at 216.658.6400 for details!
The 20th anniversary of the Marc's Great American Rib Cook Off & Music Festival is produced by Live Nation and co-presented by Time Warner Cable, The Plain Dealer, WKYC-TV3 and MinuteMenJobs.com.
Associate sponsors include Anheuser-Busch Inc., Akron-Canton Airport, Bluegreen Vacations, Bud Light, Clear Choice Custom LASIK Center, Constellation Wines, Hilton Garden Inn Downtown, House of LaRose, Kraft, Ohio Department of Tourism, Ohio Natural Gas, Nabisco, Renewal by Andersen, Scene Magazine, Snyder of Berlin Salty Snacks, Travelwise Vacations, Windows on the River, 96.5 KISS FM, 102.1 WDOK, 99.5 WGAR, WKNR 850, Majic 105.7, 100.7 WMMS, 106.5 The Lake, 98.5 WNCX, Q104, V107.3, WTAM 1100, Radio 92.3, 93.1 WZAK.
Our 2011 charitable partner is Easter Seals.


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2011 Holiday Gift Guide Giveaway: Microsoft Touch Mouse
Posted by Andru Edwards - Categories: Accessories, Features, PC / Laptop, Peripherals, Women, Men, Techies, Teens, Under $100, Under $250, Under $50, Under $500
This 2011 Holiday Gift Guide entry is targeted at making computing a little more fun and futuristic - and we're even giving this one away! The Microsoft Touch Mouse is made exclusively for use with Windows 7. It's got a multitouch surface, allowing you to use natural touch gestures to perform common tasks. Basically, think of it as the Apple Magic Mouse, but for your Windows PC. It's got support for one-, two-, and three-findered gestures, and runs on 2 AA batteries. They sell for $79, but you can get one on Amazon now for $41, which is a whopping 48% discount.
Or, you can win one here! We are giving one of these Microsoft Touch Mouse prizes away as we continue our holiday giveaway series. Simply use the widget below to enter to win. We've got a lot of ways for you to enter, but don't check off any that you don't actually perform. If you do, you'll be eliminated:
2011 Holiday Gift Guide: Desk Pets TankBot
Posted by Andru Edwards - Categories: Features, Toys, Men, Techies, Under $100, Under $250, Under $50, Under $500
Here's a 2011 Holiday Gift Guide entry aimed at the office workers in your life. We know that robotic helicopters and dinosaurs win all the points for flash, but we're here to tell you that the Desk Pets TankBot helps you conquer by force. You charge up the TankBot using its USB connection, and then you use your smartphone to control it. How cool is that? You can also set it to random, letting it wreak havoc on all your co-workers with its light-up eyes and sound effects. They're available in multiple colors, and you can get one for $50 on Amazon.
2011 Holiday Gift Guide: GeeksRiot Steve Jobs Tribute Shirt
Posted by Andru Edwards - Categories: Apple, Wearables, Features, Techies, Under $100, Under $25, Under $250, Under $50, Under $500
Steve Jobs will definitely be missed, and today's 2011 Holiday Gift Guide entry honors his memory, while also helping a great cause. What you see above is the GeeksRiot Steve Jobs Tribute t-shirt. All proceeds from the $25 purchase go towards Movember and the fight against cancer. Aside from all that, though, the shirt looks ridiculously cool. Seriously, we've seen 'em in person, and they're high quality. Go check them out, and grab a couple for the Apple fans in your life!
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2011 Holiday Gift Guide: Free 4G Android smartphones at Radio Shack
Posted by Andru Edwards - Categories: Cell Phones, Hot Deals, Family, Women, Men, Teens, Under $100, Under $25, Under $250, Under $50, Under $500
Our 2011 Holiday Gift Guide tries to hit you with gift recommendations at all different price points, and this one may be the least expensive. Radio Shack is selling a bunch of 4G Android smartphones for free, with two-year contract, this holiday season. You can get devices like the Samsung Stratosphere for Verizon, Samsung Infuse 4G for AT&T, and the HTC EVO Design 4G for Sprint. All of these devices support faster data speeds, and at a price of free, they're a tremendous deal.
Gallery: 2011 Holiday Gift Guide: Free 4G Android smartphones at Radio Shack
2011 Holiday Gift Guide Giveaway: Shenzhen 6-inch White Ceramic Chef's Knife
Posted by Andru Edwards - Categories: Features, Household, Women, Men, Under $100, Under $25, Under $250, Under $50, Under $500
We're giving away this next item featured in our 2011 Holiday Gift Guide, and it's a product that we weren't even sure we'd like at first, Take a look at the Shenzhen Knives White Ceramic 6-inch Chef's Knife. When we first looked at it, we thought it was gonna be a cheap, dull knife unworthy of any further attention. We were very, very wrong. In fact, it's become my daily go-to kitchen knife. The sharpness of the blade is more than capable of handling meats, hard fruits and vegetables, as well as softer items as well. Since it's ceramic, it stays sharper than a steel knife, and holds its edge longer. It also won't rust, and is resistant to acids, germs, and oils. The best part, though, is that they aren't even that expensive. You can get this knife on Amazon for $25.
Seriously, I've been using this knife almost exclusively for all my cooking over the past couple of weeks, and it has yet to let me down.
Okay, now on to the details of the giveaway. We've got a Shenzhen 6-inch White Ceramic Chef's Knife to give away,
To enter, use our contest widget:
The contest will run through November 29th, and is open to US residents. A winner will be chosen randomly from all eligible entrants.
2011 Holiday Gift Guide: Dismember-Me Plush Zombie
Posted by Andru Edwards - Categories: Accessories, Toys, Men, Kids, Teens, Under $100, Under $25, Under $250, Under $50, Under $500
We've got another inexpensive, yet awesome, entry for our 2011 Holiday Gift Guide, this one focusing on the undead. Do you know what happens when you take old broken plush toys and bury them in the woods by the light of the full moon while whistling the theme song from "Halloween"? Unfortunately nothing...which is why the skillful design monkeys over at ThinkGeek were forced to come-up with their own scary (but cute) zombie plush.
The Dismember-Me Plush Zombie begs to be torn limb from limb. After all he is a decaying re-animated corpse turned into irresistible cuddly plush. Rip off an arm... he doesn't mind. Tear him in half.. he'll barely notice. Pull off his legs... ok now he's getting a bit annoyed. Steal his brain... now you've really done it. Keep your teddy bears under close guard tonight because undead plush have come back from hell to walk the earth.
Grab yours now for $9.99, a 23% discount!
Read More | Dismember-Me Plush Zombie
2011 Holiday Gift Guide: Star Wars Chop Sabers
Posted by Andru Edwards - Categories: Accessories, Household, Techies, Under $100, Under $25, Under $250, Under $50, Under $500
How's this for a unique 2011 Holiday Gift Guide entry? They're lightsabers, they're chopsticks, and they'll change the way you experience your favorite Asian foods. Grab these Japanese imports from ThinkGeek and deftly maneuver your food with the power of the Force. We're not sure if you know this, but Yoda has been known to carve his Thanksgiving turkey using his lightsaber.
Go forth, brave Jedi warriors, and use your chop sabers to mix just a little extra wasabi into your soy sauce. You can handle it. It is a known fact that eating sushi with chop sabers vastly strengthens your ability to ingest horseradish products. (By the way, did you know that researchers are trying to make a smoke alarm for the deaf using wasabi vapors? We're debating whether it would be more annoying to wake up to the sound of a fire alarm or the punch in the nose that only wasabi brings. What do you think?) Either way, wield your weapons and ready the way for a truly epic eating experience. You can get a pair of Chop Sabers for $9.99 (a 23% discount!)
Read More | Chop Sabers
2011 Holiday Gift Guide: Crayola ColorStudio HD
Posted by Andru Edwards - Categories: Accessories, Apple, Kids, Under $100, Under $25, Under $250, Under $50, Under $500
The next featured gadget in our 2011 Holiday Gift Guide is the Crayola ColorStudio HD. It includes iMarker, which looks and feels like a standard Crayola marker, but is safe to use on the iPad display. Paired with the ColorStudio HD app, you've got a marker, pen, crayon, and paintbrush all in one device. The app has interactive and animated coloring book pages that combine sound, touch, interaction, and special effects. You can print out the works of art, email them, and post to Facebook, all from within the app. You can get the ColorStudio HD on Amazon for $24.99.
Click to continue reading 2011 Holiday Gift Guide: Crayola ColorStudio HD
Read More | Crayola ColorStudio HD
2011 Holiday Gift Guide: Twelve South PlugBug
Posted by Andru Edwards - Categories: Accessories, USB, Apple, PC / Laptop, Techies, Under $100, Under $250, Under $50, Under $500
The next featured gadget in our 2011 Holiday Gift Guide is the Twelve South PlugBug. It's a device that's so simple that it's hard to believe no one has come up with this until now. The PlugBug snaps onto your MacBook, MacBook Pro, or MacBook Air wall charger, giving you a powered USB port in the process. The results? You can then charge both your Apple notebook, and a USB device (like an iPhone or iPad) at the same time, using just one outlet. Genuis! This means that when you're on the go, you can carry one less charger, and you'll have one less outlet to try and find. You can get the PlugBug on Amazon for $34.
Read More | PlugBug
2011 Holiday Gift Guide: Life is Beautiful
Posted by Andru Edwards - Categories: Movies, Family, Women, Men, Under $100, Under $25, Under $250, Under $50, Under $500
While it's definitely not the newest Blu-ray release out there, it's certainly one of the best. Life is Beautiful is a cinematic work of art, and you can get this one for the film buffs in your life for $6.99 on Amazon. Seriously, if you or someone you know is a fan of great films, this is definitely one to consider as a gift!
Read More | Life is Beautiful
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Tonight my cigar was a Don Pepin Garcia Cuban Classic Robusto... referred to as the black label DPG. This was $7.70 at my local shop.
Perfect construction, flawless wrapper and beautiful. DPG can make a stunning cigar. I find this one to be medium to the strong in strength with a toasty tobacco flavor. No harshness, very straight forward flavors and a decent smoke. Some interesting flavor nuances drift in and out... spice, hints of sweetness and cedar. Decent balance and hints of complexity. Finish is very slight. A decent smoke... but for the most part fairly one dimensional.