The store responsible for pioneering “entertainment retail,” which is the concept that shopping itself should be a fun experience, never mind the toys that are eventually purchased, is FAO Schwarz, and it has become one of the most popular toy stores in the United States. Originally, FAO Schwarz was called Toy Bazaar and it was founded in 1862 by German immigrant Frederick Schwarz in Baltimore. He and his brothers operated a toy store within a fancy-goods shopped, making it an ideal location for wealthier gift shoppers to find toys for their children. Locations in Philadelphia and Boston followed, but it was not until a Toy Bazaar found its way to New York City that the name “FAO Schwarz” came about.

This location opened in 1870, taking its names from the initials of Frederick August Otto Schwarz, and it quickly became the most popular toy store of its time. Today, the FAO Schwarz location in New York City remains the most popular destination of all of the stores in the country, located in the General Motors Building at Fifth Avenue and 58th Street in Manhattan. A large open front area, featuring award winning lighting from almost 80,000 LED lights, welcomes shoppers into the store. Historically, FAO Schwarz is known for its unique plush toys and the memorable environment that draws shoppers back every holiday season, such as the huge FAO Schwarz teddy bear that sits outside the building. The toy store is also known for housing the oversized piano featured in the Tom Hanks film Big, upon which Hanks and Robert Loggia’s characters dance to play two famous tunes.

There are plenty of FAO Schwarz locations throughout the country. The flagship stores are located in Las Vegas, Nevada in the Forum Shops at Caesars Palace and in New York City at Fifth Avenue and 58th Street. There are also FAO Schwarz locations in twenty states across the country, as well as in Puerto Rico. Over 250 locations are planned to be created in 2008 and 2009 in Macy’s stores located throughout the country. If you are planning to do some holiday shopping at a FAO Schwarz location this holiday season, their website, Fao.com, is a very useful resource. Here, you can browse the selection of toys so that you can find, ahead of time, exactly what you are looking for as a gift this holiday season. The gifts are split into sections: Stuffed Animals, Dolls, Creativity, Action, Books, Construction, Games, Science, Vehicles, and Gifts make up these categories and allow you to see what you are looking for without having to crawl through the store to find it.

Hopping across the Atlantic Ocean to London allows one to experience one of the most famous toy shops in Europe, Hamleys Toys. Located on Regent Street, Hamleys is one of the world’s best known toy stores, as well as one of the largest in the world, and London tourists swear that anybody with children or anybody that kindles his or her inner child should visit Hamleys at least once. A man named William Hamley started the store back in 1760 with a single location, and over the years the humble toy store grew into a veritable toy empire. The current store on Regent Street was opened in 1981 and it contains seven full floors filled with every sort of thing that captures a child’s imagination.

Starting on the first floor, Hamleys specializes in stuffed animals and plush toys, especially the teddy bear: Hamleys proudly associates itself with Stieff the original makers of the teddy bear. From tiny stuffed animals to life-sized plush tigers, if you are even vaguely interested in plush toys, you can probably find what you are looking for at Hamleys. Going up a floor lands you in the science and learning toy section, as well as the part of the store that sells board games. The third floor has toys dedicated to younger children, and the next floor up is dedicated to the time-honored traditions of dolls as well as items oriented to those who are more interested in arts and crafts. The fifth floor has everything you or your child needs if there is an interest in model kits, model railways, and remote controlled vehicles, while the next floor contains everything an action figure lover could ever hope to find. Back down to the basement you go if you are looking for Legos, games, and other sundry items. All in all, Hamleys has certainly earned its prestigious reputation as one of the finest toy stores in the world for containing almost everything a child could hope to have during the beautiful years of childhood.

More than five million people visit Hamleys each and every year, and the toy shop has become one of London’s most famous tourist destinations. Because of this, you can expect large crowds if you decide to visit Hamleys. This, however, may be the perfect chance for you to be able to justify walking up and down the Narnia stairs, which is a stairway painted with characters and themes from the popular book series. Although Hamleys is a magical place to visit in and of itself, the best time to visit Hamleys is during the holiday season, especially with the rest of the family in tow. With all of the holiday lights and Hamleys’ famous window display, Hamleys becomes a very popular destination for the holiday season. While there are plenty of fantastic things to see in London, Hamleys will probably be the place that kids cherish and remember the most.

While there are tons of toy shops throughout the world, few have reached the immense worldwide popularity of FAO Schwarz and Hamleys. The two toy empires sit on either side of the Atlantic Ocean, so no matter which side you happen to be on, you will be relatively close to some of the most magical toy shopping experiences in the world. Whether you go by yourself to buy gifts for your family or if you take the kids along to the shop to marvel at the experience, there is plenty of holiday fun to be had at FAO Schwarz and Hamleys.
photo credit: Living in Monrovia

photo credit: tiffa130

If the difference between Zodiac stones and birthstones was not minute enough, there happen to be several subcategories of birthstones to be acknowledged. Traditional birthstones are those that have become assigned to each particular month just out of tradition that has come to be accepted in mainstream culture. The Gregorian calendar, which is the one that we use today, has twelve months, with each month matching up to a particular birthstone. These pairings were first popularized in 1870 when Tiffany & Co. published a set of poems from an unknown author, and to this day it is unknown whether or not the poems are from the original Gregorian calendar or not. Considering the significance that the ancient Romans placed on gemstones in everyday life, it is certainly a possibility that the original drafting of the Gregorian calendar would have included stipulations about which gemstones would be compatible with which times of the year.

A verse of these poems is as follows:

By her who in January was born
No gem save garnets shall be worn
They will ensure her constancy
True friendship and fidelity.

It has been determined that most of these gemstones are popular choices for the time of the year to which they correspond, specifically reflecting Polish tradition, so the poems may have root in European custom.

Another important note in the history of gemstones is from the Jewish tradition. The historian Josephus decided that there was a connection between the twelve gemstones of the breastplate of Aaron — the brother of Moses and the first High Priest of the Jews — the twelve months, and the twelve signs of the Zodiac. The list of gemstones on Aaron’s breastplate is found in Exodus, while the more precise list can be found in Revelation, with the gemstones listed in the order of the calendar, signifying a more direct correlation between the gemstones and a month of the Gregorian calendar. Poland was the first country to actually popularize the idea of wearing gemstones in the form of jewelry, something that came about in the fifteenth century, and from there the custom spread. The tradition at that time consisted of everyone wearing the birthstone for that month because the powers contained within the gemstones would be heightened during the month. For that reason, people would be encouraged to own a full set of the twelve different birthstones and rotate them as necessary in order to have the heightened powers of the birthstones active throughout the entire year.

Today, the most widely used list of gemstones is the modern list of birthstones. This was standardized by the American national association of jewelers, the Jewelers of America, in 1912 because of a vast amount of discrepancies between what the birthstone was actually decided to be for a particular month and what an unscrupulous jeweler would tell a customer to make a sale. This list has several differences to the traditional birthstone list. In particular, March, June, August, and December have completely different gemstone designations, while several other months have, in the modern list of birthstones, one of the gemstones decided upon in the traditional category of birthstones.

January’s birthstone is the garnet, so if you were born in January or if you want to perhaps benefit from the cosmic significance that garnet has during the month of January, garnet is the gemstone to keep close. The actual mineral can be found in many different colors, including red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, brown, black, and pink, with blue being the rarest form of garnet. Many different species of garnet have color-changing properties, appearing one set of colors during the daytime and then another set of colors under incandescent light. For that reason, there are many different classifications of certain subspecies of garnets based on the range of the color changes that occur. While crystal garnet is primarily used as a gemstone, garnet sand makes a usable abrasive and it is a common replacement for silica sand in sand blasting. Garnet can even be used to cut steel when mixed with water and used at a very high pressure. Garnet sand can also be used in water filtration to help make water drinkable. New York’s gemstone is the garnet, whereas garnet is the state mineral of Connecticut.

As far as garnet as a gemstone, the only colors that are widely sold are various shades of green, red, yellow, and orange, with a corresponding range of prices based on the shades of colors and the quality of the gemstones. There are also plenty of superstitions surrounding garnet gemstones. If your business is struggling and you need something to kick-start your business, place three or more garnets in and around your desk and you should start to see more profit rolling in. Those who suffer from depression should consider placing garnet under their pillows, as garnet can cure the condition. Garnets can also confer popularity and self-esteem when worn as jewelry, perfect for the shy bookworm that wants to make his or her way to the forefront. Those who are going on a trip but are worried about flying or personal safety while away from home should consider taking garnet with them, as garnet is said to confer protection to travelers. Garnet is also said to bring constancy to friendships, great for those who have trouble maintaining long-term friendships for whatever reasons. Presumably, the month of January heightens all of these positive effects, so if any of these are appealing, one should consider garnet.

Birthstones are a fascinating tradition: one can wonder why man has placed so much significance in precious minerals throughout the span of human history. While we have found practical purposes for many of these gemstones, such as through the use of abrasives and water filtration, our ancestors would have had little practical use for things such as garnet. Still, though, the tradition of birthstones has been around for as long as two thousand years and perhaps longer. The birthstone for the month of January is the garnet, making it the perfect gift for someone whose birthday falls in January.

photo credit: PinkMoose

Coupons.com
This site offers basic grocery coupons with a few special offers thrown in here and there. No need to register for coupons, but you do have to install a coupon printer to print the coupons.

Coupon Winner
Here’s where you’ll find free shipping and other offers from major online retailers, such as Target, Best Buy and JC Penney. Coupons are sorted by categories ranging from women’s designer clothing to computers to groceries. Also check out new coupons, expiring coupons, coupons by store and most used coupons.

Ebates
Ebates links to online deals, tracks your purchases and issues rebate checks to users who accumulate a minimum of %5.01 a quarter. Not every merchant on the site offers cash back rewards, but a recent trip revealed rebates ranging from 1 to 12 percent of the purchase price.

Entirely coupons
After entering your email address, you will have to go through several screens of offers for products and services you can likely live without. You do not have to register to access the four-plus pages of grocery and other coupons, which you can sort by type. You do, however, have to activate the SmartSource Coupon printer, an Active X browser plugin.

Fat Wallet
Fat Wallet promises members cash back on purchases at a variety of online retailers. You have to sign up to use the site, which tracks your purchases at various sites. Before shopping, sign in to Fat Waller, which shows you current deals being offered by retailers associated with the site. Click on the link and you’re in business. Rebates start at about 1 percent of the purchase price. When you’ve reached the $10 minimum, Fat Wallet will send you a check or deposit the cash into your Pal Pal account. The site also has a social networking component that allows users to communicate with one another.

RetailMeNot.com
Found something online that you want to buy? Go to RetailMeNot.com, enter the store’s URL and see whether there are any coupons associated with that retailer; RetailMeNot will give you the code and link back to the store.

Secret Amazon Deals
You have to sign up for this service, which scours the site of the world’s largest retailer to uncover all the site’s deals. The site sends out a weekly email to subscribers with a list of the latest deals.

Shortcuts.com
AOL’s grocery coupon site requires users to register before accessing the coupons on the site.

Ultimate Coupons
Another all-inclusive site with links to deals on everything from Apple computer retailer, MacMall to printable grocery coupons to deals at your local Pizza Hut. An online newsletter is available, but you don’t have to register to use the site.

photo credit: jm3

In the last year, no piece of technology has made quite the impression of the iPhone. It seems like everyone has to have an iPhone – from high school students to big time business executives. The iPhone is definitely America’s favorite electronic toy at the moment and its fame doesn’t seem to be dying down at all.

The iPhone is brought to you buy Apple. Apple has been in the electronics industry for more than 30 years. At first, most people associated Apple with computers. Throughout the years, Apple has broadened its horizons and now has award winning computers to go with gadgets such as the iPhone and the iPod.

Despite only being about a year old, the iPhone has changed a lot since its first release. The latest release was on July 11 when the iPhone 3G was released to the public. As expected, it was a huge seller and had iPhone fans lining up around the nation to get their hands on this technological marvel.

While the name iPhone makes it sound like it is just a phone – it is actually much more. In reality, an iPhone is a phone, a music player, a video player, a camera and a word processor. On top of that, the iPhone has internet capabilities that allow near perfect surfing and full abilities to send and receive email messages.

There is no denying that the iPhone has a lot of uses built in. However, there are an amazing number of iPhone software and application add-ons that add extra functionality to the iPhone. With theses software and application add-ons, you can almost do anything you can imagine with your iPhone.

Here is a list of the most popular iPhone software and application add-ons in alphabetical order:

101 Cookbooks
Now you don’t need to spend money on buying cookbooks or worry about carrying cookbooks around with you. Instead, you will have all your recipes right in the palm of your hand. Want a new recipe? No problem, simply look it up.

Gas.app
Gas prices are negatively affecting all of us. We are all spending more and more at the pump and the prices are promised to rise and rise in forthcoming months. However, with this iPhone application, you can find cheap gas prices just by entering in your zip code.

Google Reader
Do you enjoy your RSS feeds? Google Reader offers one of the best RSS feeders in the industry – and now you can put it on your iPhone. Stay connected to RSS feeds wherever you go by installing this iPhone application.

Hahlo
Hahlo is a Twitter integrated application for your iPhone. If you like to send tweets, you can do so easily from your phone. Now your friends will always know what you are up to no matter what!

iChess
If you want a new game for your iPhone, considering getting iChess. You can play against the computer on different difficulty levels to hone your chess game. This is a very good time waster that can also help you stay mentally sharp.

iPhlickr
Do you love Flickr? Do you love your iPhone? Now you can combine those two into this one very nifty application. With a few touches on the screen, you can look up any photo you want.

iPhoneChat
Do you like to chat with your friends online? Using iPhoneChat, you can chat with your friends online from your phone. Now you never have to be disconnected from your instant messenger service. Instead, you can take it wherever you go.

photo credit: chumsdock

iPhoneDigg
Digg is a website where users utilize a rating system to create a dynamic listing of content. If you are a Digg user when you are on the computer, by using iPhoneDigg, you can be a Digg user on your iPhone.

iPhoneTravel
Business travelers should definitely download this iPhone application. The iPhoneTravel application makes it easy to find cheap flights, hotel room prices and virtually everything else travel related.

iZoho
If you are unaware, Zoho is a website that offers programs that are similar to what you will find on Microsoft Office. By using this application, you can bring Microsoft Office type programs to your phone including spreadsheets, documents and presentations.

MyMetar
Instead of relying on your television to tell you the weather, no you can use MyMetar to find updated weather forecasts on your phone. This is especially handy for those who are always on the move and need updates quickly.

OneTrip Shopping List
The next time you go shopping, you don’t have to bring a list if you get OneTrip Shopping List. You can program your shopping list into your phone – or any other type of list or notes you need to remember. This application is a real time saver!

YouTube
Perhaps the most popular iPhone application is the YouTube add-on. With this application, you can watch YouTube videos from your iPhone. The quality is good for both the video and sound.

In addition to all these helpful iPhone software and application add-ons, there are a number of iPhone websites where you can find a limitless amount of information regarding the iPhone.

Here is a list of some of the highest rated iPhone related websites in alphabetical order:

AppSafari.com
At AppSafari, you can find an extensive listing of applications for your iPhone. The applications are reviewed, rated and commented on. If you are searching for an application, be sure to check this website.

iPhoneGeek.com
This website has a boatload of iPhone related content. You can find software, games, movies, music and many other downloads. With a sleek and professional layout to the website, you can easily find what you are looking for in the navigation.

photo credit: Torley

NetiPhoneDownloads.com
Have you ever paid for iPhone downloads? If so, be sure to check this website before you pay again. NetiPhoneDownloads.com claims to have a 100% free inventory of free downloads. It even has downloads that you may otherwise have to pay for!

RingtoneFeeder.com
Everyone wants to have a cool new ringtone for their iPhone. At RingtoneFeeder, you can find a wide array of ringtones. Their ringtones are constantly updated so check back for updates often.

SCiPhone.net
If you are looking for background images or theme packs for your iPhone, be sure to check out this website. Their background images inventory is impressive and the themes that are available are highly rated by their customers.

While buying an iPhone can be a bit overwhelming at first, it will undoubtedly turn into your new favorite electronic toy in no time. Once you have mastered all the built in features, turn your attention to the iPhone applications, software options and websites that can help you enhance your iPhone experience. Remember that if you have an idea of how your iPhone can save you time, chances are someone has thought of it and the application you are imagining is available!

If you have any questions regarding your iPhone, the best place to find answers is the official iPhone website at Apple.com. In Apple.com’s iPhone section, you will find all the latest updates, news and reviews that you could want. The iPhone is still in its infancy so you should expect a lot of updates in the next few years. Soon, the iPhone will definitely be the world’s preferred phone and should stay that way for a while.

Though hundreds of websites are dedicated to fashion and style, here are some of the best sites available. These websites offer comprehensive information on the fashion trends, celebrity looks, places to shop and much more.

InStyle
InStyle.com is one of the top online resources for fashion and style. This website is the online version of the print magazine of the same name. InStyle is clear and easy-to-use. Their “Look of the Day” section shows you what the celebrities are wearing and how to get the look. The five main categories on the site: Parties, Celebrities, Trends, Shopping and Video tell you all you need to know in the world of fashion and style. The photographs used are big and plentiful, and the videos are from the most recent celebrity parties, fashion shows and other stylish events. The shopping section at InStyle is top-notch. It tells you where you can find certain looks and offers a “Deals & Steals” section where you can get discounts, win gift cards and find other shopping deals.

Style
Style.com is the online version of Vogue Magazine. Here you will find the latest in fashion from the top designer names as well as little known brands. They offer extensive coverage from fashion week each season, as well on news and information on the latest fashion trends. Another plus is that you can see what the celebrities are wearing in their “People & Parties” section. Style.com also allows you to create and save your own lookbooks and you can see also view the lookbooks of others. With all the photographs, videos, articles and other information, Style.com is one of the best online destinations for fashion and style. Men.Style.com is a related website for men’s fashions that is the online version of Details and GQ magazines. If you are looking for hot clothes and the latest trends for men, this is definitely the place to look.

FabSugar
FabSugar is part of the Sugar network, which a great collection of websites about everything from fashion to health. On FabSugar.com, you will find a blog that is updated many, many times a day with the latest in fashion and style news, shopping suggestions and celebrity looks. In addition to the chronological blog, you can search the website through the top navigation categories for celebrity style, fab finds, designer brands and much more. Because it is updated so often, the amount of information available on this website can be a little overwhelming. However, FabSugar is definitely a must-read if you have the time. Sugar also has a very interactive reader community that includes forums, blogs, polls and more.

Fashion.About.com
Fashion.About.com is part of the About.com network of guide sites. It offers a daily blog section, as well as feature articles, top pick lists, fashion videos, style suggestions and more. The fashion videos offer tips and tricks for the everyday woman, which is a big plus. The site also covers celebrity style, fashion designers, fashion shows and fashion trends. The photo galleries and shopping suggestions are top-notch.

Iconique
For an international flavor, visit Iconique.com. Here you will find the latest looks for the runways, as well as editorials and features from the top fashion experts and designers around the world. You can find stylish trends, fashion news, videos, photos and more. Their “Virtual Catwalk” section is an interactive medium where you can choose from a variety of high resolution pictures from the latest collections and shows.

Fashion.net
Though this website is very popular among many fashionistas, it’s not my favorite in terms of the set up of the site. Fashion.net is a lot more difficult to navigate than some of the others on this list, but the content is definitely very good. Fashion.net offers the latest from the world’s best designers, as well as shopping suggestions, links to other fashion website and more. Perhaps it’s just my personal style preference that has this website lower on the list. However, you should definitely check it out because it is chock-full of information.

Daily Candy
Though this website is more than just fashion, it’s definitely worth mentioning here. The fashion section might be their best, but DailyCandy.com also delivers the latest information about beauty, lifestyle, home, food, arts, travel and more. What’s great about this site is that they offer information about unique clothing and accessories that you don’t find on the other mainstream websites, and the site is written in a humorous and interesting style. You can sign up for the Daily Candy newsletter and get the goods delivered directly to your email box. They also have special regional versions of the emails for certain major cities, including Boston, Chicago, London, Los Angeles, Miami, New York and several others.

Fashion TV
FTV.com is a great website, particular for those who love visuals. Fashion TV is the only 24/7 fashion, beauty and style television station worldwide and its website encapsulates glamour, fashion and and style with the emphasis on the latest trends. With lots of videos and stunning photographs, you can check out fashion and styles from top designers, fashion shows, celebrity events and more.

Elle
Elle.com is another publication in the long list of fashion magazines that have a strong online presence. The Elle website offers much of the same information that’s in their magazine, plus special online features. Elle.com is visually appealing, easy-to-navigate and full of fabulous photos, videos, shopping ideas on other information from the world of fashion.

ShopVogue.TV
This relatively new website, ShopVogue.TV, debuted last year. Created in conjunction with Vogue magazine, this website offers an interesting twist to fashion shopping. It allows you to watch videos from fashion shows, designer interviews an top collection. Then, with just a few clicks with your mouse, you can shop for the items that are in the videos. It’s a very cool way to shop! Their “60 Seconds to Chic” and “Trend Watch” videos are very interesting parts of the website.

Though these websites are far from the only places to find the latest in fashion and style, they are definitely some of the top choices. Whether you are looking for designer clothes, new fashion lines, celebrity looks or bargain shopping deals, you can find it all by checking out some of these websites. On these fashion and style websites, you can find out what’s hot (and what’s not) and become a trendsetter on your own!

Perhaps the most unique thing about this car is that it actually looks like a stylish sports car. When people think of eco-friendly hybrids or electric cars, they typically think of cars that are square and unexciting. That’s certainly not the case with the Tesla Roadster. It’s quite the opposite as the Tesla Roadster has a very sleek and hip look that looks like a top of the line sports car. From the outside appearance, it’d be tough to tell that it’s fully electric and not your typical gasoline powered sports car.

The Tesla Roadster not only looks like a sports car, it’s also priced like a sports car. With a total cost at about $100,000, you will need deep pockets to afford this car. To even get on the waiting list for a Tesla Roadster, you have to pay $5,000. This is definitely not a car for someone who is looking for a cheap car or a car that is family friendly. However, this two-seater is perfect for someone looking for a fun and fashionable car to hit the road in.

While the sticker price will set you back a good chunk of change, you can eventually start making up for it by saving on gasoline. No longer will you have to waste money filling up the gas tank. It’s estimated that you’ll spend about two cents per mile with a Tesla Roadster, which compares quite favorably to gas powered cars. The mile per gallon equivalent for a Tesla Roadster is more than 135 miles.

Not only does this car look like a sports car, it also drives like a sports car. Tesla Motors, the company that makes the Tesla Roadster, claims that the car goes from 0 to 60 miles per hour in less than four seconds. That’s very nice acceleration – especially considering the fact that this is a fully electric car.

Tesla Motors is a relatively new company. Founded in 2003, it was started by Martin Eberhard and Marc Tarpenning, both of whom are engineers. The San Carlos, California based company was founded with the hope of making customer-oriented electric cars a reality. Tesla Motors got an early boost by receiving more than $7 million from Elon Musk, the PayPal co-founder. To date, Tesla Motors has generated more than $100 million from investors, with Musk chipping in for more than a third of that money.

After much hard work and hours upon hours of testing, Tesla Motors was able to showoff its Tesla Roadster prototype in July of 2006. With much interest and a number of test drives, critics gave the sports car rave reviews. Tesla Motors sold the “Signature One Hundred” Tesla Roadsters shortly after the prototype was unveiled, and those cars sold out quickly. Tesla Motors released one hundred more of the cars and those again sold out virtually overnight.

The first quarter of 2008 will be when the Tesla Roadster introduces the 2008 production model. Amazingly, the waiting list for the 2008 Tesla Roadster is so long that Tesla Motors is now offering a waiting list for the 2009 Tesla Roadster.

Part of the reason why the Tesla Roadster is already so popular is all the positive press it has received. Time magazine named the Tesla Roadster the best transportation invention of 2006. BusinessWeek named Tesla Roadster as the best product design in 2007 for its ecodesign. Other publications, such as Forbes and Popular Mechanics have given the Tesla Roadster very positive feedback.

The Tesla Roadster won’t be the only car Tesla Motors will produce. In fact, they want to eventually tap into to a multitude of car markets. A sports sedan is being planned that will cost approximately half as much as the Tesla Roadster. This sedan is likely to become a reality in 2009 or 2010. A couple years after that, Tesla Motors hopes to introduce their most affordable car. This still unnamed car would cost approximately $30,000 and could become an option for almost every car buyer on the market.

Although to get to that point, Tesla Motors needs to find success with the Tesla Roadster. While there are a number of Tesla Roadsters on the road right now, 2008 will likely be a sink or swim year for the car company. With its first production model hitting the streets, the scrutiny will be at an all-time high.

There have already been some complaints about the Tesla Roadster. One such complaint is the few number of service centers available. With service centers planned only for Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, Miami and the San Francisco Bay Area, some customers are worried about how they will tackle any problems they will face with their new car. Since the car is so unique and very different from a gasoline powered car, a regular mechanic likely won’t have the experience or know-how to service a Tesla Roadster.

Additionally, reports of a transmission problem have surfaced as of late regarding the Tesla Roadster. Due to transmission issues, the 2008 Tesla Roadsters will be shipped with the car locked in second gear. However, once the transmission issue is solved, Tesla Motors will replace the transmission free of cost.

While the Tesla Roadster isn’t yet the perfect car, it’s in a fast growing niche that is desperate for a decent solution. On the whole, the people are tired of paying an arm and a leg for gasoline. Not only that, the repercussions on the environment are well documented. Many point to humans’ reliance on gasoline powered cars as the leading cause of global warming.

For the Tesla Roadster, the biggest hurdle it’s going to have to overcome if it wants to become a mainstream option is reliability. People will sacrifice a lot to avoid using gasoline in their cars, however they won’t sacrifice reliability. If you can’t rely on the Tesla Roadster to get you from point A to point B, this car isn’t going to make it big. If it can prove to be reliable, people won’t hesitate to make the switch.

If you want a Tesla Roadster anytime in the near future, the best idea is to get on the waiting list for the 2009 model. While it costs $5,000 to get on the list and another $95,000 to purchase the car, you otherwise won’t be able to get your hands on a new Tesla Roadster.

With big money backers and an eager consumer base, Tesla Motors has a bright future ahead of itself. With the 2008 Tesla Roadsters hitting the streets soon, we’ll have a better idea about whether or not this is a car company that can truly revolutionize the car industry. Ten years from now, either Tesla Motors will be a huge thriving corporation, or it will be looked at as a broke company with good intentions that just couldn’t put the pieces of the puzzle together.

These days wireless Internet is everywhere. Therefore, it’s no wonder that more people than ever are taking their laptops on the go. If you want to carry your laptop in style, you need to get a great laptop bag.

Traditional Leather Laptop Bags

If you are looking for a more conservative bag that will work well in any situation, choose a leather bag in black or brown. Don’t skimp on quality of you want a bag that is going to last a long while. Here are three of our top choices for leather laptop bags.

Samsonite Leather Notebook Case

This black leather laptop bag is perfect to carry your notebook computer. Constructed of genuine full-grain leather, this bag contains a built-in padded compartment for your laptop, along with several other pockets to store your cell phone, PDA, pens and other accessories. This bag comes with a 3-year full warranty. Valued at $170, you can get this bag at luggageonline.com fro just $99.99.

McKlein Leather Laptop Messenger Bag

This brown lightweight laptop bag comes in both brown and black leather. The bag features a main padded laptop compartment, along with interior pockets for your cell phone, pens and other accesories. The flap top is very stylish and chic. The padded shoulder strap makes this bag easy to carry. You can get this bag at target.com for just $118.99.

McKlein Ladies Laptop Case With Removable Sleeve

This black cowhide, soft-sided laptop case is perfect for women on the go. This bag features red stitching and an easy-to-carry handle. You can remove the shoulder strap and carry this bag like a brief case. Inside the bag is a padded laptop compartment, tablet-PC compartment, disk pocket, cell phone pocket and more. The top of the bag zips shut. This bag is also available at target.com for $149.99.

Sporty Nylon Laptop Bags

If you are looking to get organized with a more colorful, sporty laptop bag, there are many nylon options in bold colors to choose from. These bags are perfect because they are durable, functional and fashionable. Here are a couple choices for sporty, nylon laptop bags.

Simply-Bags Laptop Tote

This bright red bag is made from nylon micro fiber. It features a top handle and a zip around design. In addition to red, this bag comes in pink, chocolate and black. It also includes a monogrammed letter on the front. You can’t beat the price of this laptop tote at only $34.99 from Simply-Bags.com.

Rainebrooke Metro Lite Laptop Bag

This sporty, lightweight bag is great for students or anyone on the go. It comes in light blue or bronze Duracord with a nylon interior. The contrasting black trim, handle and removable strap make this bag a very cute choice. This a fun bag that can be used everyday. It’s on sale for only $34.95 plus free shipping directly from rainebrooke.com.

Floral Print Laptop Bags

Floral prints are very big right now – from sandals to handbags. Florals can spice up even the drabbest outfit. You can stay stylish by choosing a vibrant floral print laptop bag instead of a solid color. Here are a few cute floral print bags.

Pocketec Floral Print Laptop Case

This case features a tiny floral print on a the cornflower blue background. It’s very feminine, flirty and fun. Though this bag looks delicate, it’s actually durable, featuring DuraFlex padding for extra computer protection. The red trim is another great touch. You can get this bag at Bagspro.com for just $55.03 and it comes with a lifetime warranty.

E.square Pastel Pink Floral Laptop Bag

How cute is this bag! You can fit up to a 14.1″ PC laptop or a 15.4″ MacBook in this lightweight, adorable laptop bag. It features a pastel pink base decorated in a purple, red and yellow flower pattern. This laptop bag isn’t just cute, it’s very functional too. You can carry it with the handle or throw it over your shoulder with the 2-way adjustable strap. It’s fully padded and features pen slots and padded holders for your cell phone, iPod, PDA or other devices. Get this at edotsquare.com for just $54.95.

Pocketec Jade Basil Women’s Laptop Case

Not your typical floral print, but a feminine choice nonetheless, this green print laptop case is perfect for any woman looking for a fashionable option. This bag features a modern, sleek shape and a beautiful silk brocade fabric. Like other Pocketec products, this bag offers a lifetime warranty. You can order it at Bagspro for $55.03.

Stylish Laptop Totes

Instead of a typical laptop bag that has a foldover flap, you can instead choose a laptop tote. These totes are great because they can easily double as a tote bag or purse. They come in a variety of fashionable fabrics and colors. Here are just a few of our favorites.

McKlein Winnetka Leather Laptop Tote

This might be my favorite of all the laptop bags out there. This gorgeous tote is made from fine Italian leather and comes in an array of great colors, inlcuding pink, black, light blue, green, red, orange and white. The top zip gives you access to the main compartment which has a separate file divider and the laptop compartment. The front portion of the bag opens with the latch and reveals pockets that can hold your cell phone, pens, business cards and other items. This bag is $159.99 from Kolobags.com.

Mobile Edge Komen Pink Suede Tote

This gorgeous pink tote bag is not only chic, but it’s also for a great cause. 10% of the retail price of this laptop to will be donated by Mobile Edge to Susan G. Komen for the Cure. This tote bag features a removable computer section for your laptop, a detatchable cosmetic pouch and much more. You can get this great bag from ebags.com for $199.99.

Clark & Mayfield Metro Express Laptop Bag

This laptop tote is vibrant and chic. Featuring a great orange color and geometric designs, this tote bag offers a zip top for easy access, a padded compartment for your laptop and other interior pockets for your PDA, phone and more. This fabulous bag also comes in geo green and black houndstooth. You can get this laptop bag at Kolobags.com for $129.

Simple Laptop Sleeves

At times, you might not need a laptop bag but rather just a sleeve for protection. With a laptop sleeve, you can tuck your laptop into any bag or carry it like a clutch. Sleeves are great for traveling as they provide needed protection without much bulk. Consider one of these very stylish laptop sleeves to keep your computer safe and sound.

Sumo Laptop Sleeve

This laptop sleeve is made from padded quilted corduroy and comes in four fab colors – orange, black, green and pink. Though the style is simple, the colors will give your laptop a little pizazz. Not only is this sleeve very cute, but you can’t beat the price. It’s available from Kolobags from just $34.50.

RoadWired Skooba Skin Micro Sleeve

This sleeve is designed to protect your laptop while carried inside another bag or a a suitcase. You can also flip up the flap to create a handle carry bag. It comes in the red/black color combination pictured here, or a variety of other solid colors, including black, blue, brown, olive, pink and grey in various fabrics including nylon, corduroy, vinyl and ultrasuede. Get this bag from ebags.com for just $22.36.

BYO Striped Laptop Sleeve

This 15″ laptop sleeve features a unique hourglass design and stretches to fit your computer. It’s made from wetsuit grade neoprene, so it’s very durable and offers plenty of protection. You can carry this sleeve in your briefcase, luggage or large handbag. This colorful striped sleeve is available at bagspro.com for just $30.25.

Whatever shape, fabric and color of laptop bag that you choose, pick one that is fitting of your personality and style. With thousands of choices available, you are sure to find one that you love!

Throughout this time, because they were so rare and beautiful, diamonds became a status symbols among royalty. They symbolized power, wealth, love and even magic. Over the centuries, diamonds gained the reputation as the gift of love. Cupid’s arrows were supposedly tipped with diamonds. The Greeks believe the brilliance of the diamond represented the flame of love.

Diamonds, an allotrope of carbon, are the hardest known natural mineral. In 1866, South Africa’s diamond deposits were discovered. These deposits were so large that a world-wide diamond rush began. In the 1950’s deposits were found in Siberia and currently Western Canada is a prime area for diamond mining.

Throughout time, diamonds evolved into the ultimate symbol romance. Nowadays, diamond jewelry is given for engagements, anniversaries, Valentine’s Day, birthdays and just about every other celebration.

Diamonds are a girl’s best friend. However, it’s oftentimes the man who spends the most time worrying about them. Whether you are shopping for a diamond engagement ring, tennis bracelet, necklace or pair of earrings, you must learn as much as you can about diamonds before making your purchase.

If you have never bought a diamond before, this comprehensive resource should help you learn more about these brilliant stones and how to purchase them. Diamonds are very expensive and you need to make sure you only deal with reputable retailers or wholesalers. Start with the basics of understanding the Four C’s.

The Four C’s

Many characteristics of a diamond determine its appearance and price. The four most important characteristics are dubbed the four C’s – color, clarity, cut and carat weight.

When buying diamonds, you will need to combine the four C’s at different levels to find the diamond that suits your preferences, style and of course, your budget.

Let’s take a closer look at these four classifications.

Clarity
The scales for diamond clarity ranges from FL (flawless) to I3. Flawless is the most valuable and extremely rare. The clarity levels indicate the type, number and location of inclusions the diamond contains. Inclusions are markings or microscopic cracks. Though you may not be able to tell the difference between some grades of diamonds with the naked eye, an experience jeweler can see the inclusions through a magnifying lens.

Color
The most expensive diamonds are those that are classified as colorless. But don’t think just the colorless diamonds are expensive. Some valuable diamonds, however, are colored in various hues of yellow, red, blue and sometimes even black. When you see a listing for a diamond color it is given a letter grade between D to Z. D is the optimal and most expensive choice – a colorless diamond.

Cut
Many people think “cut” refers to the shape of a diamond. Diamond shapes include emerald, heart, marquis, oval, pear, round and others. However, cut is not the shape but rather the depth, width and uniformity of a diamond’s facets that determine it’s cut. It’s the optical properties and light refraction that determines the level of a diamond’s cut. If a diamond is cut too shallow, light will be lost through the bottom. If a diamond is cut too heavy, light will be lost through the sides. When calculated precisely, fine cut diamonds don’t lose any light and the planes and angles of the cut give the diamond its brilliance.

Carat Weight
The weight of diamonds is measured in carats. One carat is equal to 0.007 of an ounce or 0.2 grams. Smaller diamonds are very readily available and thus much more affordable than larger diamonds. If you double the size of a diamond, the price of the diamond doesn’t just double. For example, a 4-carat diamond is exponentially more expensive than a 2-carat diamond.

A fifth C that is definitely important is certification. Diamonds are independently certified by gemology organizations such as GIA or AGS. Certified diamonds will include a grading report from one of these organizations. Some jewelry stores certify their diamonds in-house, and thus may have different reports. You should only purchase diamonds that have been certified.

Before purchasing a diamond ring or other diamond jewelry, you need to prioritize the four C’s. Only you know which one is more important to you and your recipient.

In some cases, size does matter. If your girlfriend wants a big diamond ring, choose a diamond with a larger carat weight, but perhaps lower quality color, cut or clarity. If you just want the highest quality diamond and don’t care about size, then choose one with top of the line cut and clarity.

Of course, you must also consider your budget. By comparing several diamonds, you will figure out which of the four C’s is most important to you.

Choosing a Jeweler

Shop around! If you have never purchased diamonds before, start by getting referrals to jewelers from friends or family members. Narrow down your list to three or four jewelers that carry the type of diamond jewelry that you are looking to purchase.

Visit each store, whether it’s a jewelry shop, diamond wholesaler or online retailer. Though online retailers are only a good choice if they come very, very highly recommended.

View several pieces of diamond jewelry in your price range. Ask to see different pieces that are one step higher and one step lower in each of the 4 C’s.

Don’t be rushed into making a purchase. If the salesman is trying to use high pressure tactics to make you buy right away, just leave the store. Don’t be pressured into making such a big purchasing decision.

Ask for certification. If the jeweler doesn’t understand the certification report himself, it’s probably best you move on to a different retailer.

Inquire about a warranty. Some shops may offer a 30-day return policy.

Alternatives to Diamonds

If you find you just can’t afford a diamond in the size that you’d like, consider a synthetic alternative such as cubic zirconium diamonds. CZ diamonds are flawless and cut to perfection.

However, don’t try to pass off a CZ diamond to the recipient as the real deal – particularly if you are buying an engagement ring. You don’t want to lose your fiance over it!

Moissanite is another stone that offers similar brilliance and hardness compared to real diamonds at a fraction of the price. Ask the jeweler to show your alternatives to diamonds and determine if synthetics are right for you.

You can also consider a different gemstones rather than a diamond. Colored gemstones make beautiful and unique jewelry pieces.

Now that you are armed with information, you can make a wise decision when purchasing diamonds – the ultimate gemstone of romance.

The motive behind the regulation isn’t the same for handbags as it is for tech toys. With gadgets, the reason is that demand is high. Customers who purchase in bulk and cause stores to run out of items can then resell the items at a higher cost, driving up the price for consumers. The rule limits this. In contrast, the rule for handbags has little to do with demand. Instead, it’s all about location. Suppliers fear that foreign buyers will snatch up all of the bags at American prices and then resell them at higher value in European markets, depleting supply in the U.S.

Chances are that this doesn’t affect most people since the cost of a designer handbag is more than a pretty penny. But for those people who do have concerns, additional information is available from Reuters.

And if you’ve let your kids get a little too used to the lap of luxury? They’re going to be asking for none other than the Kinderbob, Porsche’s version of the sled for children. It’s as fancy as you might expect from the name brand that goes along with it. It boasts an aerodynamic design that includes a suspension system so your children can steer their sled in style. Think that you can’t afford this kind of luxury for your kid? Its base price is under $100.

Of course, if you get this for your kid to use this winter, you’ll have to wonder what you’re going to buy next year to outdo yourself. And you have to assume that the kid who gets a Kinderbob is going to be expecting a real Porsche when his 16th birthday rolls around. But you’ll sure be the talk of the neighborhood this year.