Want your
own Fotopage?
|
|
bian's FotoPage
By: bian huang
[Recommend this Fotopage] |
[Share this Fotopage]
| [Track this Fotopage]
|
|
[Archive]
|
|
|
|
| Tuesday, 26-Jul-2011 03:51 |
Email | Share |  | Bookmark |
|
If the trend of AL Dominance continues
|
|
As you get your morning newspaper or surf to your favorite sports website, you will observe by looking at the Mlb standings the American League boasts five from the six best records in baseball and it's on purpose.
The NL's top hopes to win the planet Series in 2006 rest using the New York Mets, the lone team of the six mentioned previously, and also the St. louis Cardinals, who have gained a reputation as flaming out in the post-season under manager Tony LaRussa.
The 2003 Florida Marlins were the final NL to win the autumn Classic, which club (inside a different city) may be the next team to do this, possibly as soon as 2008. And here's why:
1- AL East powers New York and Boston, who've the cash bags and also the management to field two of the the highest paid and All-Star laden teams in all of baseball. Nothing will change here, as these two clubs continues to try to out-do each other each winter and also at the July trade deadline.
2- The best division in baseball: The AL Central. The Chicago White Sox, like the Red Sox before them, broke their very own 90 some odd years of futility in 2005 and became World Champions and were considered 'A dynasty within the making'.
Well, that ws before the Detroit Tigers, and recently, the Minnesota Twins, burst upon the 2006 MLB scene. Chicago is pretty veteran laden compared to the Tigers and Twins, who've grown up in a hurry and could often be responsible for the White Sox not making the playoffs, when they were to obtain ignore.
3- Young talent. This is usually time of year when baseball pundits are discussing league MVP's, but in the American League, the Rookie of the season race is even more intriquing. Boston closer Jonathan Paplebon, who's potentially a future 20 game winner, has been lights in the bullpen; Minnesota lefty Francisco Liriano comes with an ERA under 2.00 right now, and Detroit starter Justin Verlander just picked up win #13.
The NL does boast the very best young player in the game, St Louis first baseman Albert Pujols, but the young talent within the AL is the greatest it has been in years, possibly ever.
Minnesota also boasts two young sluggers in Joe Mauer and Justin Morenau. And don't forget about Jered Weaver, that has began his MLB career 7-0 using the LA Angels. These guys are young and won't be switching teams or leagues not less than a couple of years.
If the trend of AL Dominance continues, it may not be a bad idea for MLB baseball to appear into relingment once more to the arena.
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Tuesday, 19-Jul-2011 00:47 |
Email | Share | | Bookmark |
|
Is it Brand-Name recognition?
|
|
One interesting fact is that many very good companies are not famous while some with good but not excellent products are well known in the field.
Marketing is the reason. For instance, the "designer" jewelry made of sterling with gold accents by "David Yurman" is pretty well known. In my opinion, it is overpriced. I don't care for this jewelry while others will prefer a "Yurman" piece above all others. Tastes vary. Marketing affects taste, too, I suspect. Marketing is a large, large aspect in the "famous" nature of a particular manufacturer.
I was in the state of Virginia the fall and happened into a Finks store. A good 3 showcases were nothing but Yurman items. There is a minimum amount a store must display in order to be a Yurman seller. As I here it, about 3 showcases is a minimum. That is why those who can sink a lot into one line will carry the line and promote it.
For instance, Saks carries the line as well as Neiman Marcus. Such large stores can essentially have a "David Yurman" sub-department! That is marketing, speaking of famous but not always the best goods.
Tiffany and Company is certainly well known. This is for good reason: Name recognition built up over years in the business. Products are of generally very good quality and much is promoted of "designer" items with a designers name used for recognition of a particular line of jewelry sold by Tiffany.
Think of the little sterling luggage tags Tiffany produced long ago and we find folks holding on to those bits of metal like it was platinum instead of silver. Of course, the tag has the famous Tiffany name stamped in. Without the name, this would be another simple silver charm. With Tiffany, the word "quality" is inherent in the name.
You see, this question is much more involved than a list of manufacturers. I will now give you some names of manufacturers who do excellent work and produce very good jewelry items. Some are famous to "those who have heard about them" and some are not famous at all outside the jewelry trade. Pubic recognition is often altogether different from recognition within the trade. This list is very short. Many manufacturers are out there who would be at the top of a product quality list and short on name brand recognition. Here are a few manufacturers I consider tops in what they do:
Jostens. Class rings (as for school graduations, etc.) Art Carved. Wedding rings and Class rings
Hearts Afire. A recently "name branded" diamond of the "hearts and arrows" type, now expanding into jewelry. Jabel, Finished jewelry and findings(parts for jewelers to use such as solitaire mountings). This company is not well known and I believe they lag several years behind the market in design. Yet, the product is excellent.
Oscar Hyman. This company is known by high-end jewelry purchasers. The products are superb in design, technical and finishing work and in the wonderfully well matched gemstones. They make rings, bracelets, etc. with many diamonds and beautifully cut and matched colored gems of high quality.
Stuller, this is a findings house now expanding into the finished jewelry field. Based in Lafayette, Louisiana, this company started small but has grown tremendously. Stuller is not a brand name recognized by the public. However, with the retail jeweler, this company gets high marks for quality. I am not very familiar with the finished goods but expect the quality to be high.
I am sure this list is disappointing to you. There are many other manufacturers who should be there but I have to go with what I have seen.
The Asian influenced has much to do with what is sold today comes from foreign manufacturers. Look at Taiwan, China and Thailand and you will see the sources for much of the goods sold by companies such as Wall Mart, J.C. Penney and many others including mall chain stores. This was not the case years ago but is the common event today.
Some of the imported goods are well done and much is not. Price is the dictator here, beyond name recognition or quality. Unfortunately, the average consumer is not educated in determining quality of jewelry and neither are many sales people who have the job to sell the product, as if selling socks or umbrellas.
Is it Brand-Name recognition? Ten years into the Branding Revolution, 95 jewelers out of 100 will say that they can't sell or tell one branded diamond from another. Or, if they can, then their sales associates sure can't.(And you should hear these people talk about their employees.)
"I've never once had a customer," says this store's manager, "who came through my door asking for [the nationally branded diamond he's just sold onto]. But we average two significant [brand-name designer] sales a week - and always to customers who came in asking for him. That's branding." Curiously, this store doesn't carry Rolex or Breitling, though they have done so in the past.
Some jewelry are now being manufactured featuring diamonds from the fairly recent introduction of "blue ice" or "Canadian Ice", diamonds from a strike in the Northern Territories. I see a real future for diamonds from Canada. Marketing is underway and the appeal is good, as I see it.
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Tuesday, 5-Jul-2011 06:38 |
Email | Share | | Bookmark |
|
The fascinating simplicity games most wardrobes and styles.
|
|
Gold and silver charm bracelets are fascinating and stylish and include charm to any jewellery collection. The wearer feels eye-catching and cherished and loved kinds reach include charms in the direction of the collection. You will in no way be at a decrease concerning what to give.
White gold should be the best element to complement your wardrobe. These bracelets preserve charms with specific meanings as they are beneficial and inform a tale about your life. a whole great offer precision goes into creating these beneficial pieces. This shows that you just should possess the ability to place on it for just about any amount of many years to come, adding specific charms with every solitary and every specific celebration or occasion.
If golden moments are essential within your life, you must really choose a yellow gold bracelet. Yellow gold features a exclusive gleam and so are polished to perfection. They will be the best inclusion for the choice as well as the best present for somebody specific within your lifestyle on the specific celebration.
Sterling silver, stainless metal and titanium are other eye-catching metals that could possibly be utilized in making these specific pieces. The fascinating simplicity games most wardrobes and styles. this sort of the product could possibly be considered a amazing heirloom for generations to come.
There are numerous numerous styles to decide on from when it arrives in the direction of the styling near to the bracelet. There are rolo bracelets, oval flat links, fancy links, fancy links, round links, double spiral as well as a range of other styles. Lobster clasp or toggle clasp are possibly probably the most standard closing mechanisms, although you can possibly also locate kinds with fancy center shaped clasps or flower clasps.
Finally, when it arrives in the direction of the charms to include in the direction of the gold and silver charm bracelets, you should be astounded. They literally can be found in all shapes and sizes, for all occasions. From hearts with diamonds on gold, to child bottles for somebody who just experienced a baby, to lockets to preserve a photo of somebody special, you are bound to locate every one of the charms to show your personality, or that of somebody special.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
[Archive]
|
|
 |
|
