A few thoughts on gift giving etiquette for the approaching holiday season.  Remember that each gift giving situation is unique, just as individuals differ from each other. Therefore the actual gift item will be very different from one person to another.

Dinner or Party Invitation:

During the holiday season you will be invited to a dinner of perhaps a “get together”. Bringing a small gift to show your appreciation is definitely considered proper etiquette, not to mention polite.  This could include a bottle of wine or a small personal gift for the host or hostess.
Always take the time to wrap a gift.  If the gift is worth giving, it’s worth spending a dollar on a gift bag and some tissue paper.  Wrapping a gift is part of the spirit of gift-giving.
Always include a card with the gift, and actually write a note in it in your own handwriting.

Gift Giving at the Office:

If you are new to your present environment find out what has been done in the past. If there is a maximum dollar limit, stick to it.
If you are buying a gift for a particular person, not a general male or female gift, find out what that person’s hobbies or pastimes are.  A golf-related gift is ideal for the golfer or perhaps a lighter for the smoker or Zippo lighter collector.
Do not be tempted to give a gag gift. They are considered taboo for the workplace, as are very personal gifts.  Unless it’s your wife, do not give a woman anything that is a real personal item like a negligee, roses or perfume. It’s the wrong message.
Homemade items could also be viewed as being too personal in the workplace.
What you choose to give and how you present your gift is always the most important part of gift giving.

Is money an appropriate gift?

Always try to avoid giving money.  It’s more thoughtful to give a gift certificate or gift card, but only if you take the time to consider the most appropriate store or restaurant.  Pick something that will be useful for the gift recipient. If the person has a long commute each day, a gift of an Auto Emergency kit may be most appropriate.  Giving gift certificates for specialty items such as food, wine, movies or coffee do make great gifts.

Thank You Notes:

Properly thanking the person that the gift came from is also very important. “Thank You” notes are highly recommended when a gift is received, regardless of the reason for the gift. The “Thank You” note does not have to be a formal or even purchased for that matter, it is in the sentiment that is the important factor and the thank you note should always be handwritten.

I went to CVS today  because I forgot to steal laundry detergent from home this weekend and my mouse needed new batteries (unfortunately I accidentally bough AAAA batteries, which I didn’t even know existed. God damn). When I was waiting in line, I heard the most absurd conversation between a customer and the man running the register.

The customer was purchasing a pack of cigarettes. As is the norm with cigarettes, said customer intended to smoke them, but  needed some form of personal combustion to do so, so he asked the clerk for a book of matches. The clerk responded, “I’m sorry, but we don’t sell matches. We sell cigarettes, but don’t condone smoking.” The customer was rightfully confused. The clerk went on to explain that though CVS believes it is the customer’s right to choose to smoke, it does not condone it, so they don’t sell matches. However, the man at the register let the customer know that he could purchase the $5.00 lighter behind the counter, if he liked.

Always trying to protect its customers. (Click for photo source)

Holy crap. If someone had warned me that I was about to be bombarded with this unbelievable shit-storm of stupidity, I’d have brought an umbrella to guard myself. I don’t even know where to begin in pointing out the logical fallacies CVS has adopted to justify its ridiculous ban on matches. The PR team at CVS must believe its customers to be incredibly dimwitted if they expected us to believe for a second that CVS was doing a public service by not selling matches. If you don’t condone cigarettes, you don’t sell them. Period. Additionally, if you don’t condone cigarettes but you support the right of your customer to make the decision to smoke, then you sell cigarettes and matches or cheap lighters; otherwise you might as well not be selling cigarettes. Finally, if your method of cigarette prevention is to not sell lighters or matches, then you shouldn’t sell any period; there shouldn’t be some over-priced profit-grabbing exception.

Dear God, CVS. I mean, honestly, fuck you. How dare you condescend me so violently. I don’t even smoke, and I find this to be appalling – not the fact that they supposedly don’t condone smoking, but the fact that they have chosen to do so in a way which plainly amounts to lying. CVS quite obviously condones the profits they reap from cigarettes and it is clear from their policy that these profits are more important to them than genuinely not condoning cigarettes by not selling them. Their “right to choose” justification is made null by the fact that they’re not actually providing their customers with that right. Correction: they practice socio-economic discrimination, allowing only those who can afford a $5.00 lighter to practice their right to choose.

In conclusion CVS, thank you for the $3.00 laundry detergent and the AAAA batteries which I will be returning later today. Can you return  batteries?

Oh lordie, lordie, lordie, Chad Lever from Pennsylvania was trying to get his cat from under his bedridden mom’s bed by scaring him with a lighter but ended up igniting the bed and killing his mom instead! Chad, whose mom suffered from Lou Gehrig’s disease, often used his cigarette lighter to scare the cat from it’s hiding places. Unfortunately he must have got too close to something flammable because soon after leaving the room to resume hunting for the cat, he heard his mom’s screams.Sadly, Chad was unable to save her.
He pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter of his mother, Lisa House and was sentenced to probation.

Psst No word on where that friggin cat is hiding now!

I do believe that we are almost to the end, ladies. The close of the season is upon us. I’ve saved one of the best football recipes for last. Remember those crazy amazing potato skin chips? I think they were made by Keebler or something like that. Anyway, these are like those. Except better. And bigger. And lighter. 

I adapted this recipe from one of the best magazines ever, Clean Eating. You’ll want to pick that one up next time you buy a magazine. 

Don’t freak out when you see the white potatoes. Potatoes do have some redeeming qualities: fiber, copper, iron, magnesium, calcium, vitamins B6 and C, believe it or not. Get rid of all the pasty starch in the middle, bake the outside, and voila! A healthier, yummy version of a football staple. Top these with nonfat plain Greek yogurt and I promise that your football fans won’t even know it’s not sour cream. Ask Ryan, he’ll tell you. Wink, wink. 

Watch and learn. 

Serves 4

Ingredients:: 

• 4 medium baking potatoes
• 1 tsp olive oil
• cooking spray
• 1/8 tsp garlic powder
• pinch of chili powder
• pinch of paprika
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 4 slices turkey bacon, chopped
• 2 oz. light cheddar cheese
• 3 TBS green onion or chives, finely chopped
• nonfat plain Greek yogurt

Directions:: 

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Rinse and scrub potatoes well with vegetable brush. Poke 4-5 holes in each potato with a fork. Rub the outside of each potato with 1/4 tsp olive oil. Place potatoes directly on oven rack and bake for 50-60 minutes or until cooked through. Let potatoes cool for about 1 1/2 hours before proceeding. 
2. Preheat oven again to 425 degrees F. Cut potatoes in half the long way. Using a spoon, scrape out centers, leaving an even 1/2 inch thick potato shell. 
3. Spray a medium baking sheet with the cooking spray. Arrange potato shells on baking sheet. Lightly mist with cooking spray then season with garlic powder, chili powder, paprika, and salt. Bake 10 minutes. 
4. Meanwhile, cook the bacon over medium-high heat in a small pan, until barely cooked, about 4 minutes. Transfer bacon to paper towel to drain fat. Sprinkle cheese, bacon, and onion evenly over shells. Bake for 15 more minutes or until potatoes are lightly browned. Top with a spoonful of Greek yogurt. Serve immediately. 

i don’t remember any reports on Sammy Sosa having vitiligo, so somebody’s got some ’splainin to do.

Unsightly hair is a problem that many men and women face all over their bodies. Common methods of hair removal are usually temporary and ineffective at totally removing all hair, and not-to-mention messy. The use of lasers in hair removal is unquestionable in their effectiveness and ability to save you invaluable time.

When hair removal is done by laser the treatment area is first numbed with a lotion, cream, or gel and the laser is then used to emit a pulse of high energy heated light that kills the hair follicles but does not damage the surrounding skin.

Who should get laser hair removal?

Just as in all cases of treating either the hair or skin with a laser, darker hair and lighter skin are the best combination for laser hair removal. The laser targets pigments, so if you have darker skin the more likely it is that you will absorb the laser into your skin causing damage. However, there are ways in which individuals with darker skin and lighter hair can also receive hair removal treatments both with and without the use of lasers.

Areas that are commonly treated for hair removal

The 9.2″ brushed stainless steel lighter, designed by Carl Mertens, is a stylish way to add a little fire into your life. Available at Nova68, the butane torch make fire hot again.

NCS Preorder Synopsis
Update: October 28, 2009
«©NCSX» A few years ago when we were still dabbling in Zippo lighters, NCS bought USA versions in bulk for under $15 each. Some were as low as $5. Imagine our bewilderment back in 1998 when we received a preorder offer from a Japanese vendor for the Beatmania 3rd Mix Zippo. Cost to us? A lofty $60. For a lighter. Sure, the Beatmania lighter was limited to only 500 pieces but it was a Zippo and we normally paid a quarter of that asking price. The Beatmania Zippo was our introduction to Japanese Zippos and over the years, we’ve imported even pricier models featuring Transformers, Lupin, Final Fantasy, Sakura Taisen, and many more.

NCS opens up preorders for yet another limited edition Zippo today and this one’s a doozy. The price is pretty high but that’s because the lighter is limited to sale only on a Banpresto website for a limited time between October 23 to November 6. Add in the yen/dollar exchange rate, shipping charges from Japan, and vendor handling costs and we have severe price inflation on our hands. We had to get them for our own collection (the Sega historical vault) however and we’re offering them for general preorder as well starting today.

The Mega-Drive Zippo looks like a perfect recreation of Sega’s 16-bit console complete with power button, reset button, and the cosmetic ridges on the left of the console. The only giveaway that this is a Zippo is the little hinge on the side which allows the top to be popped over so you can light up a cigarette, ignite a firecracker, or illuminate the darkness with a handheld torch. Preorders are welcome to ship in mid-late December 2009 and if we get it in time, the Mega Drive Zippo might be the perfect gift for that special someone in your life who still plays Mega-Drive games. In the basement. Late at night and usually accompanied by crunchy snacks.

NCS Preorder Synopsis
Update: October 28, 2009
«©NCSX» Back in the early 90s when we were still dabbling in Zippo lighters, NCS bought USA versions in bulk for under $15 each. Some were as low as $5. Imagine our bewilderment in 1998 when we received a preorder offer from a Japanese vendor for the Beatmania 3rd Mix Zippo. Cost to us? A lofty $60. For a lighter. Sure, the Beatmania lighter was limited to only 500 pieces but it was a Zippo and we normally paid a quarter of that asking price. The Beatmania Zippo was our introduction to Japanese Zippos and over the years, we’ve imported even pricier models featuring Transformers, Lupin, Final Fantasy, Sakura Taisen, and many more.

NCS opens up preorders for yet another limited edition Zippo today and this one’s a doozy. The price is pretty high but that’s because the lighter is limited to sale only on a Banpresto website for a limited time between October 23 to November 6. Add in the yen/dollar exchange rate, shipping charges from Japan, and vendor handling costs and we have severe price inflation on our hands. We had to get them for our own collection (the Sega historical vault) however and we’re offering them for general preorder as well starting today.

The Sega Saturn Zippo looks like a perfect recreation of Sega’s original Japanese 32-bit console which was colored gray. We sold the Saturns for about $600 back in the day. The Zippo’s Saturn facade includes the power button, eject, and reset buttons along with the cartridge port on top and snazzy Sega Saturn lettering. The only giveaway that this is a Zippo is the little hinge on the side which allows the top to be popped over so you can light up a cigarette, stave off the cold, or set fire to kindling. Preorders are welcome to ship in mid-late December 2009 and if we get it in time, the Sega Saturn Zippo might be the perfect gift for that special someone in your life who still enjoys a classic Saturn game. In the basement. Late at night and usually accompanied by Cap’n Crunch cereal with a splash of milk.

Hello…

A competition was recently held by JoBedu [facebook Event Page]… In the description they stated that: “The competition seeks to answer a question as old as time: What do Arab women really want?! Here are 9 of the designs Mothanna and I manage to get done in time…

Please head over the event page on facebook and let me what you think…

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=4326168&id=685985660&ref=mf#/event.php?eid=279514345626&index=1

Bear in mind that none of these are intended to offend anyone or be taken too seriously… Enjoy, and please let us know what you think…

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Comments and like buttons are  very much appreciated!

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So with the help of someone who I will not name, I realized that it is hard to figure out what my header image is. The top portion is part of a tri colored Bob Marley sheet I bought at Spencers that hangs above my couch, which is the bottom part of the header.

I wanted to put the sheet into my header to create some color to jump out at the reader. Also it was the first thing I bought and put into my apartment. When I first walked in the apartment it was dull, very dull. I couldn’t paint the walls.  So I put up the sheet and immediately the room began to have some life.

I chose the couch because I spend a large amount of my free time there and I find some cool stuff in there as well. If you ever need a lighter reach into the cushions on my couch.

The two lighter manufacturer of nostalgic Sega consoles, wishy-washy design, famous lighter (Zippo) made in December that the market offered. Sega Mega Drive with one icon with another icon, and Sega Saturn is made.

Thought to be most lighters Game means that more smokers used are placed, but also with many people that are smokers, have a different collection of lighters. Probably having a lighter form and layout with lovely nostalgic Sega console game time, will be exciting to them.

I do not smoke and of course i don’t have a Lighter collection, but when i see these interest lighters, I want to have one of them, even if the price is 115 dollars.

If you love video games and have about $115 to trick, you to van pick up these Sega Zippo-style lighters. What a perfect way to light that Cuban during the holiday season. You can pre-order these over at Banpresto for delivery in December. Smoke responsibly.

Courtesy: Engadget

Before BCIT, I was an computer graphic artist.  It was one my dreams to have my name in the credits of a movie, show or game……CHECK!

I love art.  In high-school I took art classes every year.  After that, I attended The Art Institute of Vancouver and enrolled in the Character Animation Program and Digital Animation Masters Program.  A lot of good friends were made there and it was also a lot fun.  I learned how to use: Photoshop, Softimage XSI, Autodesk Maya, Adobe Premiere, Adobe After-FX, and Flash MX.
My main focus was 3D modeling but I always liked to paint, so I like to play around with Photoshop a lot as a hobby of mine.

I did some work for 2 years in Vancouver studios like Bardel Entertainment, Rainmaker Animations and Digital Alchemy Entertainment and also freelance graphic design, logos and website design.  Working in the industry, I branched out to a lot of other departments starting with modeling, animating, lighting, and composting.

Here is my Demo Reel/Portfolio:

Music by: Propellerheads – History Repeating

William Heng

Working on a car battery charger that failed. Replacing the output SCR that was soldered down. My current soldering iron was not hot enough to get the job done. I used a BBQ lighter that resists being blown out by the wind. Sure enough this lighter did the trick. Note that the solder pads were 1/2″x1/2″. I would not recommend this technique for anything finer as the flame is too wide.