collecting blogs

Walking sticks can definitely help you in a lot of ways: it help can you keep away from falling like when you’re having difficulty with your balance as well as to surfaces where you may fall easily. Also, when the grounds you’re walking on are rough and uneven as well as if have difficulty bending, your stick can help you push objects in your path out of the way.

Walking sticks are also a good companion if you’re at a high risk for a fall. For this reason, we can already attest that canes are indeed multipurpose and are not just for the idea of collecting it. What’s more, they are also excellent in providing support for your body. As a matter of fact, it can take stress off your back, knees, hips and ankles. It also provides extra stability and works the muscles of your upper body when you hike.

Nonetheless, here are some steps on how to use your walking stick as it should be:

To begin with, you must stand on a flat surface and let your arms swing at your sides. After that, bring one arm up, bending it at the elbow in order to have a 90-degree bend in the arm. Your forearm will be one and the same to the floor.

The stick is terribly short when the position of your hand goes down. But if it goes up, the stick is most likely too long.

Twist the quick-release catch on the shaft of the walking stick to modify the length of the walking stick. Twist it to the right to make it tighter and to the left to loosen it off. The minute you got the walking stick at the proper height, tighten it securely.

Grab the walking stick by gliding your hand through the wrist strap and then holding the handle of the stick.

Put the tip of the stick facing you alternately as you walk. And as you take each step, swing the stick out in front, placing the tip down securely. Make sure that you maintain a normal arm movement. Nevertheless, you may want to place both sticks in front of you on rough patches so as to provide a stable surface in slippery or steep conditions.

About the Author

Author James Hall knows a lot about
Antique Walking Sticks. His website will teach you how to find and purchase the finest quality walking sticks for amazing low prices!

Everything you ever wanted to know about cannabis seeds in one place…


Based in Ney York City, High Times Magazine is far and away, the single most popular cannabis culture publication in the world. It was first published in 1974 and is still going strong today, having celebrated its 35 birthday in November 2009. High Times has become at times the main focal point and a comfort zone for many cannabis activists over the years and it has become an icon of pop culture all of its own. Since its basic beginnings High Times has grown exponentially and spawned an endless string of events, films and books.


Events


The Cannabis Cup is one of the key dates on any keen marijuana seed grower’s calendar. The event pits growers from around the world against each other to find out who has managed to create the finest strains each year based on cannabis seed quality, horticultural prowess and resultant intoxication.


Another big event owned and run by High Times is the annually Stony Awards which awards stoner films and television programs. Past winners have included: James Franco, Best Actor for Pineapple Express in 2008; Guitar Hero 2, Best Stoner Video Game 2007; Bill Murray, Stoner of the Year, 2005.


Film


High Times have produced a number of films of its own. These have generally been documentaries featuring elements of cannabis culture including many documenting a number of Cannabis Cups as well as a 1990′s ‘Let Freedom Ring’ starring Willie Nelson.


Television


The offices of High Times have also been the subject of their own television documentary, which, over 12 episodes followed the build up to the Cannabis Cup. The series featured one particular pair of growers in their build up to compete in the event. It was later revealed though that they were in fact actors.


Celebrities


One of the main driving factors behind High Times has been its notable celebrity endorsers. The obvious ones being well known cannabis culture supporters such as: Cheech and Chong, Snoop Dogg, Ice Cube, Bob Marley and Bill Hicks. Less well known cannabis culture supporters have been ‘outed’ as such in their pages. These include the likes of Jenna Jameson, Marilyn Manson, Milla Jovovich and Woody Harrelson.


Having such names supporting High Times has really helped the magazine become what it is today. As long as cannabis consumption, weed seeds or feminized seeds and everything else to do with the culture is around, High Times will no doubt be at the forefront of activism, support and editorial correspondence.

About the Author

Sam Qam is a keen weed seed collector. His provincial garden has a wide range of horticultural oddities, but his pride and joy are locked safely in his garden shed in a box marked feminized seeds.

While I love how Sanrio made Hello Kitty a superstar globally, but I do think that Sanrio has gone overboard with certain products and are just not meant to be sanrio products.

Take for instance, the Hello Kitty Wine bottles…

Call me crazy, but they look like a gimmick with the Hello Kitty brand pasted on wine that probably isn’t up to fine standard for regular wine drinkers. As a sanrio addict, I’m quite embarrassed when people ask if I will buy the Hello Kitty wine because they know I love Hello Kitty. I do love the kitty, but not to an extent that I need everything to have her face on every household product. My problem here is that I know Sanrio is not a wine maker business and I feel that Sanrio has become such a greedy, money hungry business that they’ll paste Hello Kitty on any such product. From the look of their many many products, it’s gone mass produced. In my thinking, mass produced doesn’t necessarily mean good quality products that is worth your invested money. Take for example the Hello Kitty vacuum that is selling in Japan.

Do you seriously imagine that this Hello Kitty Vacuum Cleaner can stand up nicely next to a highly recommended Vacuum Cleaner (in stores like Best Buy) that’s been around for many years? It just shows you how Sanrio can forsake the value of a product just to make a simple buck from the Hello Kitty obsession. The only ones who’d buy products like these are die-hard Hello Kitty stans. I can see this vacuum cleaner breaking faster or not doing such a good job of cleaning the carpet while compared to the expensive yet non-Hello Kitty vacuums that are worth every single penny of your money.

I just simply do not understand Sanrio. Don’t they care about their reputation as a company that deals with valued quality products, rather than selling cheap knock offs with a pasted Hello Kitty sticker?

About the Author

Sanrio Collector

Cavin: Have you ever been to Japan?

Kathy: Yeah, it impressed me a lot, especially their traditional culture.

Cavin: That makes two of us. The Janpanese always attach weight to their traditional culture.

Kathy: Doll’s Festival is interesting, I think.

Cavin: Doll’s Festival is on 3rd, March.

Kathy: Girls dress up in their glorious clothes, and the dolls are showed up.

Cavin: The dolls symbolize that children may keep out of disasters and bad lucks,growing up happily.

Kathy: Maybe a kind of blessings.

Cavin:The dolls are taken up when the festival passed.

Kathy: My friends in Janpan also gave me one, so lovely.

* About the Japanese Doll’s Festival

The Doll’s Festival in Japanese is called “Hina Matsuri”, this fun holiday is more commonly known as Girls Day and is celebrated every March 3rd.

Girls throughout Japan display their doll collections for a few days to celebrate “Hina Matsuri.” One legend says if a girl displays her dolls for more than 3 days she will marry later in life.

In the weeks before Hina Matsuri you will begin to see displays of dolls in stores all over Okinawa. You’ll see small and large displays exhibited with tiny furniture and other items. The dolls, called hina ningyo, vary in size and price. They are exhibited on one-, five- or seven-tiered display stands.

Traditionally, two dolls representing the emperor and empress are positioned on the top level of the display stand which is draped in red cloth. These dolls are called Dairi-sama. They are attired in the traditional court costumes of ancient Japan. Around them are small pieces of furniture representing items found in the ancient imperial palace. Members of the royal entourage are arranged on the lower levels of the large stands.

* Words of the editor: Now, do you know what’s the special prop of the doll’s festival in Japan? is hat interesting a lot? hehe, wish you have a good day!

About the Author

* I’m a Chinese girl, I love all beautiful, fashion and artistic things, and I’d like to introduce and display an excellent selection of China fine art, gifts, traditional Chinese handicrafts, jewelry, toys, home decorations and fashion accessories to you, also give you great suggestions about gift ideas and introduce you the latest fashion trends in China.

Hermit crabs are fast becoming one of the most popular exotic pets due to the fact that they are easy to look after and cheap to maintain. This makes then a good choice for those looking to own something a little different. If, on the other hand, you have not heard of hermit crabs before, or you just stumbled across this website by accident, then stick around because you might learn something.

So without further ado, here are 20 fascinating hermit crab facts that you may or may not know :

*There are over 600 species of hermit crabs in the world today but only a handful are available as pets
*Hermit crabs can live as long as 15 years although the majority of them live to around 6-8 years
*Hermit crabs are not really classed as crabs due to the fact that they do not own their own shell
*The Coconut crab or Birgus Latro is the largest hermit crab in the world with a size of up to 40 cms (16″) and a weight of up to 4.1 kgs (9.0lbs)
*The shape of the shell that a baby hermit crab chooses determines the shape of its abdomen
*Hermit crabs are fussy about the type of shells that they choose and are drawn to ones with mother of pearl linings.
*As hermit crabs grow, they discard the shell that they had previously and search for a larger one
*Hermit crabs drink by dipping their claws in water and depositing the water into their gills and mouth
*One of the hermit crabs favourite past times is climbing
*Its nearest relatives are spiders and lobsters
*Hermit crabs are not fussy eaters and will eat such things as fresh fruit and vegetables as well as small amounts of meat and fish.
*The Ecuadorian land crab is one of the smallest species of hermit crab at around 12mm in length
*Of all the species of hermit crab, only a few are generally classed as land or terrestrial and even these are born in the sea or ocean
*Hermit crabs moult as they grow, which means that they shed their exoskeleton and grow a new one.
*Hermit crabs will often consume their old skin for its nutrients
*The abdomen of a hermit crab can change shape to fit the body of the shell that it is taking over. This is very good especially if the shell is of a spiral nature!
*Hermit crabs are more active at night and don’t move much during the day.
*If a land based hermit crab was left underwater for too long it would drown, even though it was born under water!
*Unlike its name, hermit crabs are truly social creatures and are unhappy being on their own.
*The Ecuadorian crab and the purple pincered hermit crab are the two main types of crab sold in pet stores across the USA today. Of these, the Purple Pincered hermit crab, tends to live far more inland than other varieties of crab and therefore do not need salt water.
Hopefully these hermit crab facts have given you an insight into the world of these amazing little critters. They are probably some of the oldest life forms on the planet. and have survived this long because they are hardy and above all adaptable to any given situation. This is why they are probably the ideal pet for someone looking to dip their toe into the world of more unusual species.

About the Author

Jerry Montgomery is reviewing a book to help you raise healthy Hermit Crabs http://www.ugothermitcrabs.com

Garrett Metal Detector
In case your searching for a Garrett Metal Detector then simply you’re in excellent company, for any metal detector Garrett creates it seems to turn out to be among the fastest selling manufacturers of metal detectors in recent times.

These are simple in their set up and functionality but create a lot of the best results for people often fresh to the metal detecting hobby or seeking to get the right value for money.

The Garrett Detector has come to be one of the talking points between detectorists regarding the latest budget selection and whatever they offer.

Why don’t we have a quick glimpse at the 3 major players to seize the world by surprise.

Garrett GTI 2500 Pro:

Comes with an LCD display that shows together magnitude and depth of the target. Graphic Target Imaging for exceptional identification of what your scanning, six pre-programmed alternatives, exceptional discrimination. In addition the water-resistant touch pad enables it be taken in the water.

Attach on a 12.5 inch coil and 24 step discrimination and you will be prepared to roll.

Garrett ACE 250:

With regard to such a low cost machine it arrives packed with excellent functions, set with full-range step discrimination, pinpointing method, graphic target ID and touch-n-go elements, in addition, it comes with a graphic target ID cursor with twelve aspect GTA notch discrimination of higher accuracy, “Coin Depth” Setting, Tone ID, 8 Sensitivity Configurations, five pre-set hunting settings, and also the most sophisticated LCD graphic monitor for easy and quick visual target ID.

Massive affordability and surpasses detectors valued at twice its cost.

The big brother from the Garrett world will be the Infinium LS:

Especially created to find smaller items for example coins, artefacts and gold. The Infinium LS has 96 multiple frequencies, not one other compares to that many frequencies in one detector.

The water resistant design belonging to the Infinium LS causes it to be the best metal detector suited to both land and deep ocean detecting.

3 settings are all you want to effectively look for artefacts, jewellery and precious metal.

The Infinium LS boasts Advanced Pulse Induction technology, this fresh technology combined with powerful ten x fourteen? DD coil, offers detectorists with the most functionality-bundled detector in the world.

Search for thin gold and high-quality jewelry other detectors overlook whilst ignoring adverse soil conditions.

The Infinium LS has discrimination for 100% of the detection depth which makes it an effective, mineralized, soil machine.

The compact strength of the Infinium LS will seek more treasure than various detectors that you can buy. And now, with four various search coils to choose from, you’ve got the planet practically under your command.

Basically a Garrett Metal Detector is a must have for all levels from the 250 up to the Infinium LS.

About the Author

Hi, My name is Kris Larsen and i am an avid Metal Detectorist, i decided to build a number of sites around the hobby of metal detecting and especially around which ones are worth buying and which you should avoid. So if your interested you can find me at Garrett Metal Detector

Rock collecting is a fascinating hobby for kids and adults alike. While rocks are common, cheap, and found everywhere, the variety is huge. Collected rocks can be displayed in many ways, from rock gardens to neatly kept showcases, making rock collecting a versatile hobby.

With rock collecting, you will soon find out that rocks can be categorized as one of three types. A sedimentary rock formed when sediments, such as sand or silt, were pressed together under their own weight or the weight of water and eventually became solid.

An igneous rock is one that was formed by volcanic activity. The third type of rock is the metamorphic rock, which is like a sedimentary rock which has been changed through intense heat and pressure but with some interesting variations.

Rock hounds also get excited about another type of rock collecting consisting of minerals, gems and crystals. Pure minerals are not technically the same thing as rocks but they are very compatible and will enhance any rock collections.

Minerals include things like iron pyrite (better known as fool’s gold) and quartzite which resembles diamonds. The variety of crystals is almost endless, including gem quality crystals such as amazonite, amber, amethyst, ametrine, etc.

For some people, rock collecting consists of picking up rocks from the different places they visit and keeping them as souvenirs. They might even use the large specimens to outline their driveways or decorate a specific room in their house or garden.

Small ones sometimes find their way to a windowsill or comparable spot in the home. In either case it would be advised that the collector label them – including date found and the specific location — with a fine point marker or a small sticker of some.

If a person is just collecting for souvenirs it does not take any scientific research or evaluation to be a pleasurable hobby. However, if you expect to identify rocks and minerals, you can expect to spend a goodly amount of time doing scientific research in the process.

Fortunately, most types can be differentiated easily. For instance, sedimentary rocks often look like their parts have been glued together by some means.

Sandstone is a great example of this as it displays visible flat layers. Metamorphic rocks, on the other hand, also exhibits layers at times but the layers do not lay flat like sandstone but are rounded and bent instead of lying prone across the rock.

Igneous rocks are very exciting finds and are a common favorite of rock hounds. An excellent example is Obsidian. It is a beautiful igneous rock that looks like black glass. It is bright, shiny and hard and razor sharp making it a favorite choice of many native American Indians for making arrowheads.

Pumice is another interesting igneous rock and has many uses both personal and commercial. It is very light and porous and will actually float in water. This stone is mixed with some soap and makes a great hand cleaner and is even used at times for cleaning and rubbing calluses off people’s feet.

Commercially, it is used for enhanced road traction in snowy and icy weather. A great example can be found in Flagstaff, Arizona. They are actually is in the process of leveling an entire mountain of pumice and using it for road sprinkling during snows as well as an ingredient for brick making.

It is only common sense to realize that different regions produce different rocks, crystals and minerals. The American mid west, for instance, contains much sedimentary rock formations but few igneous and metamorphic rocks. The Appalachian range contains some rare and valuable metamorphic rocks such as gneiss and schist and makes it a favorite hunting ground for area “hounds”.

In the western desert, there is a plethora of igneous rocks, crystals, and minerals and subsequently it is an oasis for rock hounds of every stripe.

No matter where you live, however, there are rocks than can be collected and you could end up finding the hobby hard to resist!

Along this vein, it is an especially great hobby to encourage children to become involved with. Besides being fun and interesting, it can be very educational.

In fact, especially among those that have decided to home school children, rock hunting has become a favorite scientific project. It can be included in the geology curriculum and rock collecting kits are available with other home schooling materials.

My favorite resource for home schooling products of all kinds is Home School Discount. Their menu is easy to find and if you’re looking for their rock kits, for example, you would click on the science tab, science kits, and the rock collecting. You can find them here.

http://budurl.com/av6d

Whatever your rock collecting specialty or bent is, the hobby is truly “hard” to resist. Enjoy.

John

About the Author

Rock collecting is a fascinating hobby for kids and adults alike. While rocks are common, cheap, and found everywhere, the variety is huge. Collected rocks can be displayed in many ways, from rock gardens to neatly kept showcases, making rock collecting a versatile hobby.

We will briefly look in some depth at just some of the most noted porcelain manufacturers in Russia. Gardner, Popov and Kornilov are just a few so let’s find out a bit about them.

GARDNER PORCELAIN

An Englishman by the name of Francis Gardner arrived in the Soviet Union and his name and porcelain manufactory are synonymous with Russian porcelain of the highest quality. During the 18th and 19th centuries, many craftsmen were foreigners from Scandinavia, Germany, France, England and Elsewhere. Just an example of this, one of the best Silver shops in St Petersburg during the 19th Century was affectionately known as the “ENGLISH SHOP”. Most of the foreigners who arrived in Russia at the time were attracted by the considerable financial opportunities and they were able to establish businesses when Royal permission was obtained.

There were 2 Francis Gardner’s in Russia in the 19th Century, one located in St Petersburg and the other in Moscow. The Gardner of Moscow opened a banking office and it appears that he was quite successful in this endeavor and decided to invest his profits in a porcelain factory – Gardner porcelain was born and it was one of the most successful factories in Russia!

By 1760, Francis Gardner had decided upon his porcelain factory and had set off, traveling the world in search of the necessary materials to produce porcelain. He first visited the district of Gzhel where there was already an established pottery industry. Next stop was Poloshki, in the Chernigov province of the Ukraine. He visited his good friend, Ivan Markevich on whose land he found good clay, quartz and Kaolin clay, essential for the making of porcelain. The amazing fact is that the original deposits found by Gardner have not been exhausted and are still in use today.

Some of his most famous services are the SAINT ANDREWS and SAINT GEORGE services made for the ruling Romanov family.

About the Author

Dean Cato has run a successful online Antiques and Collectibles business for several years. We offer all types of Antiques and Collectibles from Porcelain, We also offer the finest Authentic Murano Glass Chandeliers and Art Glass and Reproduction Antique French Furniture. http://www.tias.com/stores/collectantiques

There are two important ways in which you can protect your collection. Firstly, you should try to deter potential thieves from entering your home by making it as secure as possible. If you are unsure about how to go about this, you can contact the crime prevention officer through the local police station. He will be able to advise you on ways of safeguarding your belongings and should be able to recommend a reputable security firm in your area who can install additional locks or alarms or whatever other equipment may be necessary.

An inventory, or list of your collection, will be invaluable for this, but it is also vitally important to have a clear photograph of each object in your collection. By photographing all the items in your collection, you will help to redress this balance, and greatly increase the chances of recovering stolen items should you fall victim to crime.

PHOTOGRAPHING

You may want to enlist the help of a professional photographer to photograph your collection, although if you observe a few simple guidelines it is quite a simple task to do it yourself. It is best to photograph objects using colour film outdoors in natural daylight. Choose a day when there is a light cloud cover, so the sunlight is not too harsh and the shadows are not very noticeable.

For the clearest results the new digital cameras can be used. To get the best results stand with the sun behind you, level with the object, not above or to the side, and close enough to fill the view finder. If the objects are very small, it is best to photograph them against a plain background; white is usually the best colour for this, unless the object itself is predominantly white, in which case use a grey or black background.

It is also useful when photographing your collection to include a scale reference; a ruler placed beside each object is a good way of doing this. If the object is behind glass, stand slightly to one side to avoid unwanted reflections and glare. Take at least one shot of each object, as well as close-up shots of any identifying scratches, bumps or marks on each piece.

These detailed shots are especially important if the object is likely to be similar to many others. If you can show the crack on the ear of your Staffordshire dog, the hallmarks of your Victorian candlestick or the chip on the face of your carriage clock, they will provide an invaluable method of positive identification. As well as these individual photographs, it is also a good idea to take general shots of your room. These will help you to remember any smaller items which you may forget to list.

Remember to keep your photographs together in a safe place. Ideally, they should be filed in your inventory beside the entry for each object. It is also a wise precaution to store a copy of photographs somewhere else for safekeeping.

About the Author

To find out loads more great information about antiques, from antique clocks to
antique desks , hop on over to my antiques site.

Yesterday Michael Jackson died. So, for the next few months there will be thousands of articles, TV and online dedications. We will hear all the talking heads discussing his legacy. His fans and those who despised him (primarily his personal life dramas). So, I will leave all that to the self proclaimed experts.

But, what I would like to share with you is a memorable experience, that maybe helps non-collectors understand WHY passionate collectors spend so much time and money on acquiring their own collectible passions. You see, this is about one of the first celebrity autographs I ever acquired. Sometime in the early/mid 80′s I was walking with a friend in Providence, RI. As we walked past the Biltmore Hotel, we noticed a crowd gathered near the back door, in the alley behind the hotel. Unknown to us Michael Jackson had just performed at the Providence Civic Center. So, like a couple of young 20 something kids we went to the front entrance for an MJ sighting. Just as we entered, we looked toward the glass elevator where we could see him going up, with several adoring young girls screaming below. Hotel Security was standing there so no one had a chance to follow him up. After about 20 minutes my friend somehow found out what floor he was on. As we attempted to enter the elevator hotel security asked where we were going. And, like a “genius” I responded “to party with our friend Mike”. He just looked at us, smiling at my corny sense of humor, and shook his head “no”.

So, since luck was not with us on that particular night of opportunity we decided to go to a nearby bar. After a couple hours a few guys walked in and sat next to us. I started up a conversation with one of them who turns out was on the security detail for Jackson. He told us what a crazy night it was and was amazed at how obsessed people were about MJ. He then reached in his coat pocket and pulled out a slip of paper with a signature on it. He says that since everyone was asking for autographs, he felt awkward not also getting a memento of his famous client. So, he asked the hotel clerk for a piece of paper. The hotel clerk pulled out a blank pad and ripped a piece of paper. He walked over to MJ and waited for a second of opportunity. MJ then signed that piece of paper. Somewhere along the night I became the new owner of that piece of paper from the nearly intoxicated security guard (I think it cost me a beer). The only thing I recall him telling me about MJ was that he was standing next to MJ back stage and that MJ was taller than expected, and also that MJ made a humorous remark just before going on stage.

Ok, I know this Is not such an exciting story, since we never did met the “King of Pop”. But, what I realized last night is that as a dealer of celebrity autographs and movie posters, I never put this autograph up for sale. I have maintained it in my collection for about 25 years. I have always known it was there and often looked at it while organizing my office. However, this was not the typical autograph acquisition by purchase, this was an “experience”. That’s when I remembered, what I’ve always believed, autograph collecting is NOT just a signature on a piece of paper, it’s an “experience”. It is an experience to own a piece of history. Owning an autograph document signed by John Kennedy is not just a piece of paper, it’s a piece of all the history that JFK contributed to the human race. Even a piece of DNA from this 50 year old man that indeed had important historical, cultural, and social significance.

The Michael Jackson autograph I acquired that night 25 years ago was an experience that is multidimensional. My own experience as a young 22 year old, Michael Jackson’s magic on the city of Providence the security detail that protected MJ and their personal contact with him. And, a small piece of DNA from what many believe could have been the most incredibly gifted, gargantuan of an entertainer the universe had ever experienced.

Michael Jackson’s cultural, and social significance may even today be underestimated. Just think, nearly 100 years after Rudolph Valentino’s death his cultural impact is still with us, just look at what collectors will pay for his original memorabilia. And, Valentino didn’t have the global appeal that MJ had. I have no doubt that today’s 14 year old girl will be telling her great-grandchildren about Michael Jackson.

So, this MJ signed piece is not just an autograph I bought or won at an auction. It is an in person experience on a night when I was within arm’s reach of the King of Pop himself.
And, I think I’ll keep it.

About the Author

Kevin Conway Conway’s Vintage Treasures http://www.cvtreasures.com For over 20 years offering Guaranteed Authentic rare Autographs,
Vintage Movie Posters, Historical & Autographed Sports Memorabilia and Fine Art Oil Paintings