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Operation Toasty Toes kicked off the holiday season Saturday by setting up its first Christmas tree dedicated to the U.S. Armed Forces at the Hendersonville branch.
Patrons of the Henderson County Public Library's main branch in Hendersonville have helped trim the library's tree with candy canes, sparkling globes and military- themed ornaments.
Operation Toasty Toes kicked off the holiday season Saturday by setting up its first Christmas tree dedicated to the U.S. Armed Forces at the Hendersonville branch. As patrons entered the library, retired U.S. Air Force serviceman and Toasty Toes member Joe Pirog handed them an ornament to add to the tree.
"The response we got from the public was terrific," Chapter President Patricia-Lee Pirog said. "We had one little boy get out of his stroller to put an ornament up on the tree."
Since 2010, Toasty Toes has placed Christmas trees in county libraries decorated with photos of local service members to honor and support veterans during the holiday season. This year there are trees at the Etowah, Fletcher, Hendersonville and Mills River libraries.
Toasty Toes is a national organization whose volunteers knit and crochet items such as hats, gloves and slippers for U.S. soldiers serving abroad.
The Henderson County chapter has knitted about 1,000 items during the past four years.
Patricia-Lee Pirog has put together a display case at the downtown library to go along with tree, explaining more about Toasty Toes' efforts and the soldiers they serve. One of the items in the display is a special American flag.
U.S. Air Force Capt. Brian Bradke, whose grandparents John and Alice "Rusty" Bradke live in Hendersonville, sent Toasty Toes the flag after it was flown aboard a U.S. Air Force F-16C Fighting Falcon on a combat sortie over Afghanistan to thank the organization for the items he received while serving in the region.
In the letter Bradke said, "The personal creations you made for us were a warm reminder of home and the millions of Americans we represent on the front lines."
The Pirogs take supporting the troops very seriously.
"As Americans, we must do what we can to support our military," Patricia-Lee Pirog said. "The 'bootie' physically warms their feet, but it is the unwritten message they carry that warms their hearts."
Reach Bindewald at 964-7890 or email@example.com.


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Moderator: Mod's
Heui wrote:PMC is right, he's actually a great finished when under pressure but sadly he doesn't show this quality in Stuttgart
monKevski wrote:You might be right, but you must see in the present, not in the past.
In this season (and the games in the season before) I didn't see him as a strong striker for his size. On a direct running duel with strong and fast defenders like Naldo, Lucio or Westermann he'll lost the duel, but against slow defenders he has his speed and will run them away.
In the NT and earlier for Shakhtar he seems to be strong, but nowadays in the Bundesliga he doesn't seem to be that, at least for me. There will be 80 quite good.
Any arguments for that high Shot Technique value? In my eyes, the gap between SA and ST is too big and he hasn't really shown great Shot Technique in the games for Stuttgart.
monKevski wrote:Lucio is a quite fast defender, for me one of the fastest in the Bundesliga.
But what you said shows that Marica is very fast but not really strong.
For me he didn't show his great shot technique, yet.
And you said, the few goals he scored resulted by a solo effort.
That doesn't such that high ST, only that he's fast and run the defenders away to stand alone in front of the goal keeper.
He do that often enough, but he awards his chances to score too often.
But I think a value of 82-83 would be accurate, otherwise the gap between the Shot Accuracy would be to big in my opinion.
I'd like to see, what do the others say like Heui.
coolactive wrote:Ok, he is talented I believe you, maybe Grafite was a bad comparation.
But, lets compare Marica with Helmes from Leverkusen.
Helmes is 182/81, plays CF and WF, a German national player.
This season : 20 goals in BuLi + 3 in Pokal + 1 in nt , 5 assists
His ST stands at 84, Marica ST is 85.
Is it really a point higher then Helmes, no matter what we might think of Marica abilities ?
coolactive wrote:Ok, I watched videos, I understand what are you trying to tell me. If you think he is worthy those values then it is Ok. Still, I think he is overrated in some sections we discussed earlier and that he needs a slight downgrade in condition (which is already done) and considering his scoring abilities - his grades does not represent his performance this year, it represents more yor impression of him...
monKevski wrote:I also would decrease his Balance to 80. He's not so strong and lost to much duels at the moment.
And his ST should be lower, 85 is really to high. I think 82 would suits him.
TigerCourage wrote:I'd say Top Speed 88 - 89, he runs like a nutcase without the ball.
a few ideas regarding him
BB: 81-82 = he's fairly combative and physical in his duels... he'll still not win many balls with his stats but will stand more of a chance which is realistic
Responce can probably go down a notch
DA: 81 = he can dribble, but he's not really overly technical in that area
Technique: 80-81 = his 1st touch kinda decreased lately... he needs a few attempts to control the ball
mentality: a huge ?-mark imo
Teamwork: this one can only be discussed if we settle the other aspects of his game
s-cobar wrote:What about his ST - he never show at Stuttgart why he is on 85 in this point.
Maybe PMC or Coolactive can say, if this represents him well at the NT.
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Print 13 Must See 'Ems Program Now Open for Exhibitor Submissions
Thursday, April 18, 2013
Press release from the issuing company
2013 Program Offers Buyer-Attendees "Roadmap" to Hottest New Technologies and Products Demonstrated Across Expansive Show Floor
Reston, VA - Which exhibits, technologies and products will be 'musts' for visitors to see September 8-12, when PRINT 13 and co-located CPP EXPO show takes place in Chicago? And how can exhibitors make themselves stand out from among the hundreds of company displays filling the South Hall of Chicago's McCormick Place?
The MUST SEE 'EMS program presented by the Graphic Arts Show Company (GASC) has provided the answer to these questions for more than a decade. With the MUST SEE 'EMS awards categorized to closely align with the interests of potential equipment buyers, the program recruits a panel of industry experts to review the hundreds of submissions to identify the products and exhibits that show goers simply "must see."
Spanning the realm of print, online and mobile, and held in the heart of the Western Hemisphere's printing industry-Chicago, IL, PRINT 13 is recognized as the year's comprehensive exhibition for digital, offset, flexo and hybrid technologies, products and services for the commercial, package printing and converting, display, in-plant, transactional, publishing, mailing, photo imaging and marketing industries.
For exhibitors, the 2013 MUST SEE 'EMS program provides an industry-recognized means for highlighting their most important innovations. Submissions by PRINT 13 exhibitors are now invited for consideration by this year's expert panel, with all entries due by the Friday, June 14, 2013 deadline. Complete online submission procedures and details are available at: www.mustseeems.com.
"MUST SEE 'EMS offer exhibitors a highly effective tool for calling attention to their most exciting new products onsite at the show," says GASC President Ralph Nappi about the 2013 program. "This year's show will certainly have its share of new product, software and equipment introductions," Nappi adds, "and it will be difficult for the average visitor to see everything. The MUST SEE 'EMS program provides companies with really compelling offerings the opportunity to position themselves even more brightly on visitors' radars."
The MUST SEE 'EMS technology and product recognition program, conducted independently for the Graphic Arts Show Company and administered by Hal Hinderliter, principal of Hal Hinderliter Consulting Services, is a part of the EXECUTIVE OUTLOOK Conference to be held on Saturday, September 7, 2013, the day before the exhibition opens. While all MUST SEE 'EMS winners will be announced in advance of the show, those to be revealed onsite will include the "Best of Category" Awards-one from within each MUST SEE 'EMS category, and the second annual "Legacy Award"-designed to salute one past MUST SEE 'EMS awardee whose technology or product has made a lasting impact on the printing industry. All MUST SEE 'EMS winners will be published in the Show Daily newspaper, posted online, and also circulated in a variety of other forms.
Attendees at PRINT 13 will find a host of new and exciting show floor attractions that demonstrate this year's "Innovate, Integrate, Communicate" theme. Among the debuting and newly "re-imagined" show floor attractions will be Deliver - The NEW Mailing & Fulfillment Center, sponsored by United States Postal Service (USPS) and Association of Marketing Service Providers (AMSP), formerly MFSA; Photo Finish - The Photo Imaging Pavilion, sponsored by Photo Imaging News and SPI Convention & Shoot-Out; Sidelines - The Expanded Revenue Streams Pavilion, sponsored by Print + Promo Magazine; and, BIG - The NEW Wide Format Pavilion, sponsored by the International Sign Association (ISA).
These innovative new show floor attractions join familiar favorites including the popular Marketing Pavilion, sponsored by the Chicago American Marketing Association and Canvas Magazine, plus eight other special interest sections: News Print-the newspaper pavilion, sponsored by News & Tech; The In-Plant Place sponsored by IPMA; Future Print, sponsored by FlexTech Alliance and featuring today's hottest technologies including Printed Electronics, 3-D printing and RFID; GREENspace - a showcase of eco-friendly products and services; the Prepress/Software: Workflow & Design and Press/Finishing sections; the Printerverse, sponsored by PrintMediaCentr; and, Education Main Street.
Significantly for this year's show, in recognition of the ever-growing package printing segment of the graphic communications industry, is the strategic show co-location of CPP EXPO at PRINT 13 to present for attendees the full breadth of converting and package printing exhibitors, technologies and offerings. Show goers planning to attend either PRINT 13 or CPP EXPO will gain single-pass entry to both events, along with unprecedented industry networking opportunities among the 60+ co-located events to be held in tandem with PRINT 13.
For show visitors, the selection of MUST SEE 'EMS products is a crucial aid in prioritizing booth visits and assuring that will they see everything making news at the show.
Learn more about the MUST SEE 'EMS in two new video overviews, one for attendees: http://tinyurl.com/burx2re, and one for exhibitors: http://tinyurl.com/cqjvcnk, from program coordinator Hal Hinderliter.
Complete information about the MUST SEE 'EMS program is available online at: www.mustseeems.com. For more information and to register for PRINT 13, visit: www.print2013.com.
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How To: His and Hers Stenciled Pillowcases
You Will Need:
- Access to a computer and printer
- 2 cotton pillowcases
- Freezer paper (available in any grocery store)
- Fabric paint in your desired color(s)
- Paintbrush
- Pencil
- X-Acto knife
- Iron and ironing board
- Find a font you like on your computer, and use a graphics or word processing program to type out the words you want to stencil onto your pillowcases. We made our letters about 6" tall and used the front "Century Gothic". Print out copies of the words you would like to stencil. You can create a stencil that says whatever you want, or you could also draw shapes freehand.
- Tape the printout onto a sunny window. Cut a piece of freezer paper that is larger than the word you have printed out by at least a couple of inches and tape it over your printout, with the shiny side facing away from you. Use a pencil to trace the letters onto the freezer paper.
- Using an X-Acto knife, cut the letters out of the freezer paper. (Tip: For letters such as the lower case "e" in "hers", be sure to retain the small half-circle shape from inside the "e".)
- Iron the pillowcase flat and place the freezer paper stencil shiny-side down on top. Use a medium-heat iron with no steam to adhere the stencil to the fabric. The shiny side will melt with the heat of your iron, fusing temporarily to the fabric to create a stencil that fabric paint won't seep beneath.
- Once the stencil is cool, you can slip a piece of cardboard or newspaper into the pillowcase (to protect the other side) and paint over the stencil using fabric paint. One coat should be all you need. Allow to dry.
- Once paint is dry, peel off the stencil. If your fabric paint requires you to heat-set it with an iron, you can do so at this time. Otherwise, slip the pillowcases on to your pillows and take a nap!
Be sure to check out Jenny's previous DIY project, How To: Make Upcycled Quilted Coasters
Jenny Ryan is the recent author of Sew Darn Cute: 30 Sweet & Simple Projects to Sew & Embellish and also and is also co-owner of the Home Ec. Department at Reform School.
Apartment Therapy supports our readers with carefully chosen product recommendations to improve life at home. You support us through our independently chosen links, many of which earn us a commission.


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Scramble With Friends Review
The 'With Friends' series of games may be the most social apps some people use on their phones. These games are heavily addictive, especially since they take great advantage of the Notifications feature, alerting you when it's your turn to play. They're also engrossing. You might even go out of your way to increase your vocabulary, simply to get that high score. Depending on how many matches you have going on at once, you could spend hours pouring over your tiles. Scramble With Friends, the newest addition to this roster of online word games, is no exception.
Scramble With Friends is similar to the word-game classic Boggle, in which a grid of letter tiles is placed before you, and your task is to connect the tiles to form words. You can link letters vertically, horizontally, and diagonally. You can swipe across the tiles to connect them, or tap on each individual tile. You are awarded points for each word you form, and like Words With Friends, different letters are worth different points. For instance, using an 'X' tile will award you more points than a vowel.
It boggles the mind.
Scramble is divided into three rounds. The first round is classic gameplay, but the second and third rounds feature tiles with double and triple letter or word scores. Using these tiles to your advantage most often means certain victory. However, as each round is limited to two minutes, you don't have much time to ponder your list of words.
You do have access to three power-ups, which will help you in your quest for domination. You can freeze the board, thus stopping the clock and affording you valuable extra seconds. You can also rotate the board, possibly revealing unseen words from different angles. Finally, you can illuminate words. You are given one power-up for free each round, but the second one will cost you.
Scramble With Friends uses the same asynchronous gameplay model as previous games in the series, so you and your opponent play in rounds whenever you have a spare moment, rather than both of you playing at once. If you don't have any friends hip enough to be playing Scramble, you can always choose to play with random opponents.
Tally it up.
A new addition to the home screen is a stack of coins. These coins are used to play rounds of Scramble, as well as buy you one additional power-up. Your stack of coins is pretty hefty, and you're awarded extra coins when you first start to play, but if you play too many games at once, you could find yourself halted until your coins regenerate. Thankfully, it takes under twenty minutes for a new coin to appear. If you can't wait that long, you can always buy additional coins.
While Scramble is a worthy peer to the classics Words with Friends and Hanging With Friends, we have one minor complaint: the in-game dictionary. The only requirement for any word you find on the grid is that is must be longer than a single letter. Two-letter words run rampant in this game, and most often you can score a handful of them simply by swiping across the screen at random. It takes a bit of skill out of the game, and any player who learns the cheap 'swipe at random' trick could gain the upper hand on his or her opponent.
Other than this minor foible, Scramble With Friends is a terrific game. It's a riot for any word fanatic and a fun alternative to those who have overplayed the other "With Friends" games. The addition of power-ups changes up the gameplay slightly, giving you a boost if you can learn how to use the power-ups to your advantage. While Scramble does offer a slight advantage to those who pay for additional coins, it's not a big enough push to unbalance the game. If anything, the biggest problem with this game is the amount of time you will lose to playing it.


text: hello all, I would like to upgrade my suspension, I am thinking Ohlins on the rear, ( the basic one that you have to adjust with a spanner) and I am not sure about the front. I am setting the bike up to ride backcountry discovery route type stuff. what do you think? Chuck


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The District Mission and Goals
Providing all students with high expectations, a rigorous and relevant curriculum, and dynamic teaching in order for them to realize their potential is the central goal of the West Hartford Public Schools' commitment to continuous improvement. The mission, core values that inform the mission and the four-year goals all serve to drive the purpose, focus and work of the organization. The District Model of Continuous Improvement is driven by goals and community expectations of the schools.
To inspire and prepare all students to realize their potential and enhance our global community.


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Brian France (Photo: Getty Images for NASCAR)
By Mike Mulhern
France also conceded the championship chase the last three or four years hasn't been very strong (perhaps one reason Disney moved the chase from ABC network to ESPN).
But France insisted he was satisfied with the product ESPN was putting out. And he said he liked ESPN's generally younger demographics, an area where this sport has been hard hit (losing some 30 percent of its 18-34 male viewers). France indicated he had no plans to ask Disney to move the chase back to network TV.
"ESPN is our partner, and they have been an enormously good partner," France said.
"But we are going to look -- with everybody at ESPN -- to make sure we have the right (starting) times, the right promotion, the right everything, that puts the sport in the best possible position to have had the biggest audience.
"By the way, I think the (ESPN) broadcast has been as good as I've seen in a long time. The energy level, the calling of the action, the on-air talent, is top-notch. They have been working at that for a few years to get all of the things just right, and I think they have."
France, naturally, played cheerleader for Sunday's season finale: "What's really clear to me is when you put drivers in a position where there's a lot on the line, and they just can't have a 'good' run, they actually have to go out and win, or lead laps, or compete high, they do it.
"You're seeing that the last several weeks. And I bet that's the case Sunday."
So what does that tell France about 2011? He has talked about tweaking the championship chase next season, to try to create 'more dramatic moments.'
Couldn't get much better than this weekend's three-man battle for the title.
Still, France continued hinting at making tweaks: "That tells us that the more we can do to have incentives, that puts it all on the line more often, that's what we need to be thinking about."
"What I like is a 'winner-take-all,' if you will. Watching someone not just having to run well but having to beat other people. That's exactly what we want.
"It's working out that way this year...Year Seven of the chase."
Yet France doesn't appear to be backing away from any tweaking.
"Almost every sports league, including the NCAA tournament last year, is looking around at what they need to do to change their formats -- a little or a lot, to make sure their playoffs or championship runs are what they want them to be," .
"And we are no different.
"We are going to have a championship that puts a lot on the line, that's credible, and that rewards the drivers that have the biggest performances throughout the season.
"But we are not going to look ahead to 2011 till this weekend is concluded... because this could be a very, very memorable Sunday."
Indeed it could well be.
And in an 'about the-season-in-review,' France says his 'Boys, have at it' game plan has worked, out on the track at least.
However he concedes the lower TV ratings has prompted a lot of talk, though he tried not to dwell on that: "Obviously we would like our TV ratings on an upswing, and when they are not....
"We are working on all kinds of things, to see what is a better formula for us.
"I don't expect you turn light switches on and move the needle that way (quickly). All kinds of things are going to happen, over time, to drive ratings and interest level. Our job is to make sure the environment to do that is just right."
The first thing France mentioned was a broad hint to change next year's starting times. For this season he pushed most races to uniformly start at 1 p.m. ET or 3 p.m. ET for Western races, because fan surveys pointed to that as something they wanted, and because he and the TV networks felt more uniform times would boost ratings, which last season were off from 2008. "We knew that had some risk of ratings erosion," France said.
Indeed TV ratings have continued to slump.
"We took ourselves out of some more homes by doing that...also by switching networks from ABC to ESPN," France said of the chase.
ESPN is carrying all but three of the races during the Walt Disney second half of the tour, July to November. ABC carried the 10-race championship chase last season, but Disney announced in January the chase would be on ESPN this season instead. The production crew and on-air talent is the same for both ABC and ESPN, but the ratings draw appears significantly different.
"On the ratings: we did a lot of things, for a while. Notably we rolled out a car (the car of tomorrow) that was, in the short run, not very popular with anyone," France said. "And we took a long time to figure out how to get past that."
France said he expected this year's hot action on the track and the very tight championship race to translate into better TV numbers next season.
"The quality of racing -- going back to the beginning of the season, with the different rules packages, primarily the (old) spoiler (replacing the wing) -- has worked well.
"If this isn't the best racing we've seen in a long, long time...I would be very surprised to hear anybody say that it wasn't."
Still, all is not as healthy as it could be here. Races are no longer routine sellouts, and some tracks have cut seating capacity to reflect that.
But France points to NASCAR's "very strong fan base," and insists that "if we keep the racing as good as it's been the last half of the season, and we do our jobs right, I'm not worried about a thing about the popularity of this sport."
One hot-button issue for NASCAR is the Saturday Nationwide series. France says he wants it to have a distinct personality, not just be seen as 'Cup Lite,' a series dominated by Sunday Sprint Cup stars, as it has been for several years.
How to get that, France concedes, may be tricky. First, he points out that the Nationwide tour is the second-most watched racing series on TV, with much higher ratings than Indy-car and Formula One.
France says he'll announce any changes in January: "We want the Nationwide series to have its own identity --- very similar to what college football does for the NFL. That's a great analogy for us.
"We don't want to see Sunday and Saturday homogenized, just completely homogenized.
"We also want to make sure the Nationwide series is helping us find stars who stay there for a little while, earn their stripes and then move up.
"It's delicate, how to do that. But we have been at this for a number of months, studying.
"We have to be careful we don't want to throw out too many things that are working properly."
The man in charge of that is Steve O'Donnell, who has become France's Go-To man for big issues, such as the shape of tour schedules.
Bottom line, to the chase format question: France says he's still made no decisions on all this: "I don't know what we are going to do, if anything.
"I wouldn't assume that we are just going to make some changes because we are talking about looking at things.
"If we can make it simpler to understand, that's a good thing for us to do.
"If we can have incredible big moments, where the best teams have to elevate their performance...that's what excites us, that's what excites our fan base, and it excites casual sports fans who are going to look to this sport one day and enjoy as much as we do.
"If there's a plan for us to accomplish that, we will consider it over the winter.
"Right now we are obviously thrilled with where we are at and looking forward to Sunday."
And France repeated one of his main themes for this season: "This is a contact sport. You're going to get shoved around a little, if somebody is trying to get by, and you're trying to win – and a championship is on the line."
Of course there is more here to consider than just the three title contenders on the warpath -- each man has several teammates, and those teammates can be useful for not only blocking and generally aggravating rivals but also filling enough positions ahead of those rivals to help determine the champion. And how all those players interact could create some controversy.
Nevertheless France indicated he was going to leave it up the three men to determine their own fate, without any NASCAR action: "Despite how much is on the line, they have got to settle it on the track."
And then, while there have been questions about this Miami market and how NASCAR plays, or doesn't play, here, France says in the big picture the finale at Homestead works: "This is a great championship market. This is a great market for our fans, to come down and spend a few days. There's lots to do."
In fact two of Richard Childress' teams are doing some deep-sea fishing here, for example.
France also pointed out the track itself "is a competitive place" now that the new progressive banking has given drivers and crews a wide variety of lines to run.
"So we are pretty comfortable with this market," France said. Then he added – perhaps with a indirect nod at promoter Bruton Smith's bid to move this season-ending weekend to Smith's Las Vegas track – "We'll obviously look at it as we go down the road."
Keeps leverage over local politicians, and keeps area power brokers from getting too complacent.
It's horrifying how out of touch with the fans NASCAR management is. I shudder to think what they'll mess with next.
Good luck finding a new series sponsor and TV contract!
If NASCAR/ISC/SMI concentrated more on giving back to the fan more locally (within 50 miles), you'll probably have more in attendance. Go back to TV blackouts and be firm on them. What do they have to lose vs a nationwide audience?
TV blackouts do nothing but alienate people.
France is so out of touch and in denial about the state of the sport.
With the poor economy and more people at home with lack of alternatives, NASCAR TV ratings should be going up. Not down. This coupled with rapidly declining attendance at the track shows that core interest in NASCAR is off considerably. The heavy erosion of sponsorship also demonstrates this clearly.ABC didn't move the Chase off network TV for nothing...it is because they do better with other cheaper properties whereas a few years ago, viewers were glued to their sets for NASCAR. Brian France has made some changes but seems to not accept that NASCAR has a problem with its core audience. If the biggest drop off is in the Southeast, the sport is in real trouble. Right now, NASCAR needs a strong new marketing person who can identify the problems and create solutions to start the turn around. Here's a question for Brian...if you put the three Chase contenders in a line up, how many casual TV fans could correctly identify the names? I'd be surprised if more than 20% and that's scary!
Impeach Brian France,
Look what happened in Indycar with Tony George,His own family had him step down,and now new manufacturers are coming in and they are thriving without racing on any ISC tracks.Big Bill built a loyal audience by focusing on raCing not raTings. The chase and the lucky dog are the lamest things ever to happen in auto racing.Instead of racing like Hell for first place,we can lag around in 12th place in points most of the season and still be the series champion.And the lucky dog thing is so messed up.Its just not racing when a car can be on the verge of going 2 laps down, and a caution comes out and wham he's back on the lead lap again.I can agree with freezing the field when the caution comes out. But it was more exciting watching a car actually race to get back on the lead lap.The Nationwide series had a more loyal following when the bullrings such as South Boston, And Myrtle Beach were part of the series.How about letting the Truck series have the Saturday races on the west coast tracks,That would cut costs more than trimming races. Or trim the fields from 43 cars to about 36-40 cars. I am sure the teams that actually race would appreciate the thousands you pay out for start and parks.Keep it up Brian and we are going to be reduced to watching Cup races on Spike TV. think about it B.
This guy is really clueless. If he thinks I'm going to nationwide races that are shorter than they already are he is dead wrong. If he thinks the on air talent is great he must not watch TV if I watch a truck race it is with the volume off. Just stop all the gimmicks and get back to a real race season format.
brian france is delusional......the cot is a joke.....all of the safety innovations could have been applied to the existing car and the manufacturers would still have a stake and an identity....if one manufacturer's body style was better-so be it-..the pressure is on the other manufacturers to step up and compete...so much for race on sunday and sell on monday!.... the cot is not where nascar should be bodywise.....they are now all just big fat heavy 3500lb iroc cars....a joke! the chase is also a joke......stop messing around ...soon it will be 15 cars then 25 cars then what? the whole field? .....put it all back to performance and consistency.....maybe a points bonus for qualifying and points deduction for being an ass on the track and off the track in the pits......dont know anymore.........not good old nascar racing like it used to be.........
Could it be that ratings are influenced by ABC being on air and ESPN requiring cable. People are dropping cable because of being required to take all the junk along with the higher price on cable just to get ESPN. I dropped cable 6 months ago and haven't really missed it. The last 10 laps is all I want to watch and I can find out at mikemulhern.net what happened anyway. Radio is still there with it's commercials too. The chase or the championship never meant much to me anyway since the winning car doesn't get any advantage over finishing second, third, etc.
BZF is out of touch with reality. The play-off format is a dismal failure. Fabricating drama and close finishes is what professional wrestling does. It's pretty obvious that BZF needs to be running an NFL team. If you want to improve things, dump BZF and his lackies, bring in Humpy and some folks who know and care about racing, and go back to stock looking cars and the 2003 rules. Maybe then the grandstands won't look half empty and the ratings wouldn't be in the basement.
nascar has different rules every week,enough already lets stop changing every week and get down to racing
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The other day my daughter confided that she and her friends had that day engaged in an argument, one that's been raging, it seems, forever. They weren't discussing the origins of war, or why evil exists, or whether God exists, but a question just as troubling— is Goofy a dog?
My heart was warmed that these young people were confronting the same issues I'd confronted when I was their age. How well I remember those youthful discourses!
Pluto is a dog— that's a given. And yet Pluto cannot speak. Goofy appears to be a dog, yet he possesses the power of speech. What's the deal here?
Take a trip around Duckburg. See the Beagle Boys? They have shiny black noses like dogs, yet they walk just as men! Most of the citizens of Duckburg, as a matter of fact, are some kind of bizarre dog/human hybrid— werewolves, if you will, or some ungodly mutant created by Gyro Gearloose in his fiendish laboratory. And who paid for it? I'm not going to accuse anybody in print, but I will say that every time I see that miserly plutocrat Scrooge McDuck my blood runs cold.
But let's not go there.
Instead let's look at the larger picture. What are the Cartoon Rules of Dogs?
1. All cartoon dogs like bones. If they don't have bones, they scheme to take bones from others.
2. Cartoon dogs are always male. There are a few exceptions (Lady comes to mind), but if you look at the pantheon— Deputy Dawg, Tramp, Mighty Manfred, Snoopy, Foghorn Leghorn's nameless adversary, or the cast of All Dogs go to Heaven— they are always male. Female dogs only exist in cartoons so a male dog can howl, slaver, make his eyes bug out and get distracted by them, so some other dog can steal his bone.
3. If a dog has a comfortable existence inside a warm, cozy house, some outside force will arrive to drive him into the yard where it's always pouring rain. This outside force is usually a cat. If a dog has a comfortable existence in his doghouse, some outside force is always trying to get him to leave it. This outside force can be represented by many things— a mailman, a cat, a bird, even a rival dog trying to gain access to his bone.
4. In the cartoon universe, if a dog is the protagonist, a cat usually represents the force of evil and/or chaos, unless it's a cute little fuzzy kitten. Either way, the dog will be distracted from his bone.
5. Cartoon dogs can go from joy to rage in an instant, and back again.
6. A dog's personality is determined by its breed. Sheepdogs are loyal. Dobermans are fierce. St. Bernards are tenacious. Shepherds are protective. Chihuahuas are nervous. Poodles are vain. Bulldogs are irascible. Mutts are scrappy. Etc.
7. If a dog is clever, he's usually not clever enough. If a dog is stupid, he usually perseveres— that is, he gets the bone in the end.
8. Dogs are never evil. They can be obsessive, but never self-absorbed.
9. There are no cowardly dogs. If they're needed, cartoon dogs always come through.
10. In confrontations with cats, dogs usually lose. In the cartoon universe, mice and cats defeat dogs.
I think these rules are pretty much written in stone, don't you? So what does that make Goofy? Well, he's male, he's stupid and he's not evil. But does he like bones? No. Do cats give him a hard time? No.
I have to stand by my original assessment, and I've had a lifetime to think about it. I don't know what the hell Goofy is. He may even be part dog for all I know, but by and large I'd have to say that Goofy is the unholy spawn of hell, an unnatural creature who should be destroyed while there's still time. But that's probably just me.


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Although the 13th Amendment declares slavery unconstitutional, on Saturday at the Wild Horse Saloon, nearly 40 men will be auctioned off to the highest bidder.
Lyn DAndrea, owner of The Hair After, which is sponsoring the event, said this is not a renaissance of slavery, rather, its a charity event, in which buyers win bachelors (minimum price is $25), with the proceeds going to Project Merry Christmas to help La Plata Countys needy families.
DAndrea says the merchandise is a bargain.
These men: None have girlfriends, and theyre all great looking, between 21 and 54 years old. Theyre firemen, policemen, oil and gas men, and restaurant and bar owners. We handpicked them through the salon and friends nice guys who make good money. Its a cornucopia of men, she said.
Theres no cover charge from 5 to 8 p.m. and food (donated by Kassidys Kitchen) will be served free.
To even the playing field, DAndrea is insisting that all the men wear jeans and comfortable shoes, though one bachelor offered to wear his tear-away stripper pants.
And Ive told single guys to come, too. Theyre like, Im not going to bid on a dude, and I tell them its going to be a room full of single women like shooting fish in a barrel.
Efforts have been made to clarify that buying a bachelor does not mean bedding him: The mens only obligation is to be a gentleman, converse with them afterwards and fetch their drinks, DAndrea said.
Women have to understand, this is all for children, just a way to raise money. But I hope a lot of people hook up afterwards, she said.
Keith Baysinger, a business owner who will be up for sale tomorrow, said his virtue couldnt be purchased, even for lofty sums.
Ive discussed this with Lyn, and there isnt going to be any sex involved, he said.
Durango Police Departments Lt. Ray Shupe said that while human trafficking is illegal, he didnt think there was anything legally suspect about the auction.
If people are volunteering to do this for charity, theres no expectation of sexual relations and theyre just talking about a casual date, how is that a violation of the law? he asked.
DAndrea said she hoped the event would be standing-room only.
These guys are the best I know, because we cut their hair. And its all for the children, she said.


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Levela Irene Rickard, 61, of Catherine's Close Quorn, Leicester, England, died Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2013, at Royal Infirmary Hospital in Leicester from a brief illness.
Levela Irene Rickard, 61, of Catherine's Close Quorn, Leicester, England, died Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2013, at Royal Infirmary Hospital in Leicester from a brief illness.
Her funeral was at 3 p.m. Aug. 13 at St. Bartholomew's Church in Quorn by the Rev. David Bowler. Burial was at St. Bartholomew's Church.
She was born Nov. 14, 1951, in Lexington to Evelyn Jones Rickard and John W. Rickard. She was preceded in death by her parents and sister-in-law Novella Rickard.
Levela grew up in Lexington where she was a member of Trinity United Methodist Church. She graduated from Lexington Senior High School and began working and attending the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. She received her BA degree from UNC-Charlotte and was the director of education abroad in the International Studies Department. She left her position at UNC-Charlotte to pursue her studies and received her Master of International Education from The School for International Training in Brattleboro, Vt. She then attended Kingston Poly Technical Institute in Leicester, England. She began employment at De Montfort University in Leicester. She was a principal lecturer in international marketing. She coauthored a book with her husband, "The Financial Times Marketing Casebook," which is used as a text at universities in England and China. She was recognized as a Rosalyn Carter Woman of the Year.
She retired as principal lecturer in international marketing at De Montfort University and was a member of St. Bartholomew's Church.
She is survived by her husband, Christopher "Kit" Jackson, Quorn, England; stepson Ben Jackson and wife Helen, Quorn, England; stepdaughter Louise Shore of Leicester; grandchildren Daisy, Jemima, Kit and Felix; brothers Eddie Rickard and Kenneth Rickard and wife Donna; and sister Jeanette Rickard Towler and husband John.
Memorials may be made to Trinity United Methodist Church.
G. Gamble and Sons assisted the family.


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Building an energy-efficient data center
Building an energy-efficient data center
At the Massachusetts Green High Performance Computing Center, the focus is on energy efficiency.
A welder cut a water pipe inside the Holyoke center, which will use hydropower and other energy-efficient technologies.
The $95 million center is a joint venture of MIT, Harvard, UMass, Boston University, Northeastern University, EMC Corp., and Cisco Systems.
Power control panels inside the center.
The block-long industrial site was once home to an air bag maker and water filter manufacturer.
The Holyoke site was chosen party because of its hydroelectric facility, said executive director John Goodhue.
The center is expected to use at least 25 percent less energy than the typical data center.
The new 90,000-square-foot building features louvered windows, which can be opened like vents to let in cold air to cool the space.


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The new Mancos school orchard received a proper summer pruning last week thanks to National Civilian Community Corps volunteers.
The crew of nine volunteers, all between 18 and 24, was scheduled to work at all three School to Farm gardens over a two-week period.
They also planned to put up a new high tunnel greenhouse at the Cortez Middle School, a work on a new traditional oven to Dolores schools, said Sarah Syverson, the Montezuma School to Farm Project director.
While the volunteers were in Mancos, they spent a day and a half pruning more than 20 fruit trees on property east of the football field, said Mancos school garden coordinator Erin Bohm.
"They did a tremendous amount of pruning and cleaning, really sort of paved the way for us," she said.
An expert from Cycle Farms Dolores, Chris Robers trained the crew briefly and also identified all the trees. In the fall, Mancos students will now be caring for the cherry plum, pear, apple apricot, peach and gooseberry trees in the orchard.
The heritage trees, which are about 50 years old, have been through the years productive, but now the School to Farm students will be working to shape the trees so they are easier to harvest and delivery the fruit in the cafeteria.
The volunteers also worked to improve all the area in the school garden area with sheet mulching. By laying down cardboard and then mulch on top Bohm hopes to keep down the weeds but also create soil in place.
The Montezuma School to Farm Program's Americorps volunteer and the NCCC volunteers are managed through the same office of Americorps and that's how they connected.
This team of volunteers started their service in October and during that time they worked in Colorado, Arizona and Missouri on variety of projects including flood disaster recovery, said Team Leader Aliona Mikhed.
More volunteers for the School to Farm project are expected to visit in July.


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The couple that watches movies together (and acts out scenes from those movies together), stays together. A lifetime of joy and togetherness is what we're wishing Redditor hamburgersandwiches and his fiance, because that's exactly what they did for their engagement shoot.
Instead of the usual cutesy shots at some park or landmark, the couple opted to reenact some choice scenes and movie posters to come up with a winning gallery of fun and quirky engagement photos. From Back to the Future and that pottery scene from Ghost to Wayne's World and that scene from Titanic that had girls swooning, it looks like hambugersandwiches and his fiance did them all.
You can check out the full gallery of their photos after the break.
VIA [ Geekologie ]


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St. John's Wort leaves skin feeling refreshed.
After cleansing, apply to face and neck using a cotton pad. Shake before each use to activate.
Aqua, Hamamelis Virginiana Water, Butylene Glycol, Copper PCA, Foeniculum Vulgare Seed Extract, Fragaria Vesca Fruit Extract, Hypericum Perforatum Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Centaurea Cyanus Flower Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Tilia Cordata Flower Extract, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Silica, Boron Nitride, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Citric Acid, Parfum, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin, Benzoic Acid, Sorbic Acid, Limonene.


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Gibson Acoustic had another great set of visitors to the Montana factory. On Tuesday 7/27, Riders In The Sky made a visit and were given the royal tour by master luthier Ren Ferguson. Afterwards, a number of prototype guitars were presented to Ranger Doug for review and discussion on the potential for a new guitar. Additionally a number of classic Gibsons were brought out and shared with all. A really great time and discussion.
Here is a picture of Ranger Doug and Ren Ferguson with a number of really great Gibson guitars, one of which will be presented to Ranger Doug during their show Wednesday 7/28 at the historic Ellen Theater, here in Bozeman. Look for more on that event to follow:


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Nearly a week after the conclusion of the 2016 NFL Draft, the Philadelphia Eagles on Thursday finally announced the undrafted free agents they signed to fill out their roster.
Until then, they seemed closer to announcing a personnel chief than actual personnel.
Joe Douglas, national scout for the Chicago Bears and former longtime Baltimore Ravens scout, interviewed on Thursday and is expected to be offered the job, according to sources.
However it goes down, they still have much work to do before training camp begins in July to get the right 90-player mix assembled, even though they have assembled more than enough players already.
Most of the undrafted rookies were...


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Memonex Race R310 16GB Flash Drive Review
These days, everyone who does anything on a computer has a flash drive. The fact is, until (or if) we switch over to 100% cloud storage, computer users will always need to carry some data around with them. The formula for your basic flash drive hasn't changed much since they first became popular. Things they all have in common are USB interface, small form factor, somewhat durable casing and perhaps a loop to wear it on your keychain or neck. What they lack in innovation they make up for in increasing performance and smaller sizes. Back in 2004, my 256MB flash drive cost me $45. Now $45 will nab you around 32GB! Not to mention that 32GB will read and write files five times as fast.
Today I have the Race R310 16GB Flash Drive. This is the latest stick from Memonex, suppliers of all things memory and storage related. This USB 2.0 drive combines large storage and high performance into a small and sleek package. Let's see how it fares in the already crowded flash drive market.
Closer Look:
The Race R310 comes in a fairly standard and dreaded small plastic clamshell package. From the front, you get a window view and basic introduction to the flash drive. Along the bottom of the box you have icons representing all of the uses for the flash drive. Around the back you have the basic specs in 11 different languages, system requirements in English, specifications in English and some sort of hazardous elements table in what I assume is Japanese.
Inside the package is the flash drive all by itself. No accessories. Taking a look at the flash drive, it is quite attractive. It has a rounded dark chrome exterior with a minimalist design. The Memonex logo and "16GB" text are subtly displayed in a very light text. From this side you can see the small loop to attach your keychain or lanyard. All of the dark chrome pieces feel and appear to be made of metal. The USB cap, unfortunately, is not attached to the stick in any way and being somewhat small, could easily be lost.
Now that we are familiar with the drive itself, let's see how it stacks up in the performance department.


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I cherish my children's doodles, and proudly display the best pieces of 'art' in their playroom.
It's amazing how at the tender age of five my son is able to write anything he wants, in nice, neat penmanship, (most of the time) asking for help to spell words correctly.
The other day, as I was
"Daddy, how do you spell shut-up?"
This made me giggle. For some reason, hearing my children say inappropriate words always makes me laugh.
A few minutes later, my son presented me with this:
Aww, right? I'm thinking I should hang this up in my office, so I can constantly be reminded of how much my son loves me.
It will also serve as a reminder of why I work outside the home five days a week!
Thanks for the blog post inspiration, Marinka! Your post made me think I needed to document this so I never forget the good old days!


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Hey guys, figured I would introduce myself. I am pretty active on a few gaming forums (same SN) and I have been researching getting into NeoGeo for a while now and figured I would make the jump to starting an account instead of just lurking.
My other system collections are at the point where I can start looking at more snk stuff. I have already accumulated some mvs stuff via trades I have made through connections and have had a decent little NGPC collection for a few years.
Looking at investing in a neoSD soon, can't wait to play the stuff I have been drooling over for years. Look forward to getting to know everyone.


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Create an Account - Increase your productivity, customize your experience, and engage in information you care about.
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January 26, 2018, 7:00 PM - January 28, 2018 @ The Druid Theater
Inspired by Federico Fellini's Nights of Cabiria, SWEET CHARITY explores the turbulent love life of Charity Hope Valentine, a hopelessly romantic but comically unfortunate dance hall hostess in New York City. With a tuneful, groovy, mid-1960s score by Cy Coleman, sparkling lyrics by Dorothy Fields, and a hilarious book by Neil Simon, SWEET CHARITY captures all the energy, humor, and heartbreak of Life in the Big City for an unfortunate but irrepressible optimist.
Musical numbers include: "Big Spender," "If My Friends Could See Me Now," "There's Gotta Be Something Better Than This," "I'm a Brass Band" and "Baby, Dream Your Dream."
January 26, 2018, 2:30 PM - 3:30 PM @ Carroll County Public Library, Mount Airy Branch
For all ages. Join us to celebrate the release of the new movie and all things Star Wars. We'll be making crafts, challenging our Jedi skills, and testing our Star Wars trivia knowledge.


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Update – Lafayette Drowning Victim Identified In Death At Moore Park
Lafayette Police say 17-year-old Christlyn Willis of Lafayette died Tuesday while swimming in a pond at Moore Park, which is located off University Avenue.
Lafayette Police were called out to Moore Park around 4:00 p.m. after Christlyn went underwater and was not seen again until his body was recovered by the Lafayette Parish Sheriff's Office's Marine Unit.
Lafayette Police Corporal Paul Mouton says, according to witnesses, Christlyn was swimming with another male when they both began struggling to stay afloat. That person was able to get over to the bank of the pond, but Christlyn wasn't. His body was found about 2 hours later by the Marine Unit.
Lafayette Police say the investigation continues.


text: Fair Lady, the embodiment of passion and talent in one bottle. Fantastic appearance: perfect breasts second size, wasp waist, well-groomed skin, attractive facial features. With me it is interesting to carry on a conversation and hot in bed. I'm decoration fashionable parties and business meetings, and only then, that I am able to get up in bed will drive you mad with pleasure. Able to bestow all kindness, tenderness, and a kaleidoscope of bright orgasms. Call.


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|System: PC, PS3, PS Vita*
|Dev: VBlank Entertainment Inc.
|Pub: D3 Publisher
|Release: October 9, 2012
|Players: 1
|Screen Resolution: 480p-1080p
|Violence, Blood, Use of Alcohol, Crude Humor, Sexual Content
Of course, there's more than just the story mode here. There's also a series of arcade challenges you'll unlock during the campaign, and these can be revisited by finding them on your world map or accessing them through the start menu. Additionally, you'll unlock cameo characters that can be played as in the game's free play mode. And present on the roster, believe it or not, is Minecraft's Steve.
As any good 8-bit game should, Retro City Rampage features a soundtrack of chip music. Yes, these are the low-fi, 8-bit sounds that will make you reminisce about blowing into NES cartridges. In fact, several of these tunes were composed to sound eerily similar to actual video game tunes from the 80s. (I definitely heard some Mega Man influence here.) Admittedly, not everyone is going to enjoy that aspect of the game, but quite frankly, it's one that I absolutely love.
I don't often admit to giggling in public, but Retro City Rampage had me giddy as a schoolgirl. I think it's safe to say that if the thought of 8-bit nostalgia appeals to you at all, this game will make you weep gigantic pixilated tears of bliss. Of course, it's also possible that those are actually tears of frustration.
Either way, you should probably just man up and download this title. It's well worth the $15, even if you can't get past the tougher sections later in the game. Just try not to break any controllers, 'kay?
Josh Wirtanen
Editor / News Director
Date: October 5, 2012
Game Features:


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Lil'O (Of The Screwed Up Click) - I'm What Dat Iz [Label Submitted]
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What Dat Iz" from the forthcoming album "Grind Hard,
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Your product page is where the majority of your customers will finally make the decision between buying your product and leaving your store. Unfortunately, it's an often-neglected part of the sales funnel.
While most store owners tend to focus on improving their checkout page or tweaking what happens after a visitor adds a product to their cart, customers won't get that far unless you have a solid product page that converts.
Product pages exist to tell customers why your product is awesome and which of their needs it fulfills or problem it solves before they finally make a buying decision. Beautiful photos of your product and well-written product descriptions are important. However, there's a lot more to a great product page than just that.
A great product page contains elements that inform potential customers, show social proof, highlight all the features and benefits of your product, and build trust between your visitors and your business.
To help you beef up your product pages, I'm going to share six simple-but-bulletproof ways to help increase conversions on your product page.
Free Bonus: Download this free PDF where I show you four awesome product pages and provide a complete breakdown of why they work. This PDF will give you the inspiration and ideas you need to improve your own store's product pages.
1. Add a Frequently Asked Questions Section
When customers are on the fence about purchasing your product, oftentimes it's because they have unanswered questions. Including a list of frequently asked questions and answers on your product pages helps get them off that fence.
According to Optimizely, Roller Skate Nation increased their conversions by 69% when they added a FAQ to their product page. If you need inspiration on what a good-looking FAQ on a product page looks like, take a look at how Skinnyfatties, a tie slimming service, does it:
via Skinnyfatties
Look at the common questions you often get in your inbox and start saving some of the most frequent ones in a spreadsheet. You can even make up your own questions if you anticipate they'll come up later on. This will also help decrease the amount of questions and emails you receive.
If you have many products on your website, consider adding a FAQ to the most popular ones, or those which you receive the most questions about. To add an FAQ section to your product page, check out the Shopify App Store or add your common questions with answers in the product description.
2. Integrate Live Chat
According to a case study by Forrester, Wells Fargo saw a double-digit increase in conversions when they added live chat to their website. Just like an FAQ on your product page, a live chat allows potential customers to get their questions answered, making it easier for them to make an informed buying decision.
Plus, a live chat lets your visitors know that you're easily and quickly accessible, making your business more trustworthy. Even if your visitors don't use the live chat, just seeing it can give them that added peace of mind.
via Leesa
When your visitors do choose to use your live chat, that's your opportunity to help them make a buying decision. You don't have to be a salesperson; just be as helpful and transparent as possible.
For a more in-depth look at live chat integrations and how they can help your business, read our blog post about live chat.
If you'd like to add live chat to your product pages, be sure to check out the Shopify App store.
3. Display Product Videos
One of the biggest downsides of shopping online is not being able to to touch, feel, or physically examine a product you're thinking about buying. When you go down the street to your local mall, you can touch products, better judge their size, and get a better sense of what owning the product will be like.
Pictures on your product page can only do so much. Often, a well shot video that gives a thorough look at your product can help potential buyers make those missing connections.
According to Internet Retailer, online housewares store StacksAndStacks, saw customers were 144% more likely to add a product to their cart after watching a video.
Your videos don't need to be anything lengthy or complicated. Just look at how SlideBelts uses simple videos, with no audio, to show off their product better than images can:
via SlideBelts
If you want to learn more about how video can help your ecommerce business, check out our comprehensive blog post on the topic. Adding videos to your product page could be as simple as embedding a video you uploaded to YouTube or using an app from the Shopify App Store.
4. Allow Customer Reviews
When a visitor has never heard of your business and lands on your product page for the first time, two things might come to their mind: 1. "Can I trust this website?" and 2. "Does this product deliver on what it promises?".
Sometimes, simply allowing customers to leave reviews on your product pages helps ease these fears. When a new visitor hits your product page, they can read the reviews other customers have left about the product and be reassured of its quality. Plus, seeing that your business allows for reviews lets your visitors know you have nothing to hide.
Reviews on your product pages also gives your store social proof. It not only shows that people are buying and using the product, but that they care enough about it to leave a review. Here's how MVMT Watches includes customer reviews on their product pages:
via MVMT
Ultimately, customer reviews on product pages are a good idea because they can help increase conversions. In a case study by Bazaarvoice, adding customer reviews to Figleaves.com's product pages resulted in a 35% higher conversion compared to product pages without customer reviews.
If you want to easily allow customers to add reviews on your product pages, head over to the Shopify App Store and choose from one of the many review apps. As a bonus tip, follow up with customers a few weeks after their purchase and ask them to leave an honest review.
5. Prominently Display Badges or Seals
If your product is endorsed or certified by a reputable firm, let visitors know with a badge or seal.
Any certifications or important characteristics of your product (such as safety, legitimacy, officiality) should be included on your product page. It's easy to simply write these things into your product description, but it's far more effective if you can make these stand out as badges.
via Holy Crap
These badges and seals allow you to borrow the trust they might represent. This trust makes it easier for potential customers to want to do business with you. For example, in a case study by Internet Retailer, an online furniture retailer saw an increase in conversions by nearly 8% when a security seal was added to their website.
In some cases, you might need permission or need to receive an official letter/certificate to use specific seals or badges on your website. However, you can get creative and create badges for features of your product. For example features such as "Made in Canada" or "High Quality" would work better as nicely designed badges than simple bullet points in a product description.
To add badges and seals to your product page, insert images into your product description using the rich editor.
6. Offer a Rock Solid Money Back Guarantee
What's your return policy? What's your customer satisfaction policy? Is it hidden away on a separate page for no one to see?
Proudly display your money back guarantee and policy on your product page. If you're willing to promise your customers that your product is the best, show it. If you put the risk on yourself, and give visitors more confidence, they'll be more likely to trust you and in turn, purchase your products.
Neil Patel, co-founder of Crazy Egg and Hello Bar, claims he saw his sales increase by 21% when he added a money back guarantee. Here's some inspiration on what a great money back guarantee on a product page looks like:
via Slyde
Slyde, a handboard store, is not afraid to dedicate an entire section of their product pages to their satisfaction guarantee. They understand that if they want first-time customers to trust them, they need to show visitors that they have a lot of confidence in the quality in their products.
You don't need to be a designer to create your own eye-catching guarantee badge. Check out some templates over at Creative Market and make them your own so they fit your branding.
Your Turn
These are always things you should split test. It might be unwise to assume every suggestion offered in this blog post will always increase conversions on your product page. Each product, business and customer is different. Implement and test what you think makes the most sense right now and then evaluate after a sufficient length of time.
But don't let that discourage you either! Sometimes, the smallest or simplest change can have a significant impact on your business. That's why it's so important to test things.How about you? What's the smallest or simplest change you've made in the past few months that has had the biggest impact? Comment below. If you have any comments or suggestions regarding this blog post, leave them below as well. I engage with and respond to everyone.
About The Author
Corey Ferreira is a passionate entrepreneur, coconut water lover and content creator at Shopify.
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