Posts tagged ‘silver rings’

Couples celebrate Valentine’s Day without breaking hearts

By admin, 2 January, 2010, No Comment

A word to the clueless lover: That recession excuse won’t work.

Retailers are doling out coupons and offering Valentine’s Day packages as they anticipate a decline in sales, but North Texans are refusing to let a busted wallet lead to a broken heart. Couples may share their candlelight dinner entree this year or forgo the priciest bottle of wine, but the ubiquitous red roses and last-minute “I love you” box of chocolates are still craved.

“Mother’s Day has dropped off but not the day for the sweetie pie,” said Lisa Perez, an owner of Joyce Florist of Dallas, as she dodged dangling ornaments of plastic roses and heart-shaped balloons. She said sales at the Oak Cliff store aren’t wilting enough to affect profits. The company has at least 200 deliveries planned for today — inauspicious timing because of Friday the 13th, but the last workday before Cupid’s debut.

“Valentine’s Day is a feel-good holiday, and if your wife or your girlfriend is happy,tiffany and co everyone is happy,” she said.

That same desire prompted Marsha Singer to fill her Central Market shopping cart in Dallas with blackberries, a dozen red roses and a $19 hard box of milk chocolates — on the same day she was laid off.

“Even though we aren’t going to have money, we have each other,” said the 43-year-old Dallas resident. She and her partner still plan on dinner at their favorite Italian restaurant on Saturday. But they’ve decided to split the special three-course meal.

“I have to keep polishing the relationship; otherwise I will be broke and alone,” Singer said.

Valentine’s basics

Valentine’s Day basics like cards, chocolates and flowers are recession-proof because they communicate affection without draining bank accounts, said Dan Howard, a marketing professor and expert on consumer behavior at Southern Methodist University’s Cox School of Business.

“Who can’t afford $15 for your honey?” he said. The decline will show up in the upscale restaurants and jewelry stores, he added, as the newly frugal recognize that price tags don’t determine devotion.

Total Valentine’s Day spending is expected to decrease by $2.5 billion this year, according to the National Retail Federation’s 2009 Valentine’s Day Consumer Intentions and Actions survey. The report, conducted by BIGresearch, found that consumers plan to spend $102.50 on their gifts this year, about $20 less than last year.

Charles Skibell sees that decline in his empty jewelry shop on Preston Road. At Skibell Fine Jewelry, earrings can sell for more than $2,000. He said his sales are off 50 percent this Valentine’s Day.

“Flat today. Dead,” he said.

North Texas restaurants are faring a bit better. Fine-dining hot spot Bijoux has been booked for silver bangles Valentine’s Day the past two weeks. Heavyweight Fearing’s in the Ritz-Carlton hotel is packed. Hedda Gioia Dowd, who owns the romantic French restaurant Rise No. 1, said they’re “swamped.”

“There’s no recession here,” she joked.

Like many top restaurants, they offer set menus starting at $70.

Simple things

Pam Eudaric-Amiri’s Chocolate Secrets artisan chocolate and cheese shop is further proof that not even a stymied economy can ruin the commercialization of Valentine’s Day.

Sales are up 20 percent this year at the Oak Lawn store, said Eudaric-Amiri, who sells truffles for about $3 a piece.

“People don’t feel good about things, and they suppose, ‘No Mercedes, but I can get a nice box of chocolates and a great glass of wine,’ ” she said.

And these days, love’s cheaper in bulk. Kevin Stevenson has opted to spend his first married Valentine’s Day with a group of friends at a Japanese restaurant.

His high-dollar steakhouse celebrations are on hold, said the 27-year old from Midlothian.

But a seven-year relationship has taught him not to skimp on the essentials. His wife will get roses silver rings today at work, just in time to display them to co-workers.

“It’s just one of those things,” he said. “It’s simple, but it means a lot.”

There’s even hope for the loveless, who mock the expenses of the day with pleasure. Matchmaking sites like Irving-based True.com are noting steady participation. True.com, which launched five years ago, now has 30 million members.

The free trial period is cheaper than a box of chocolates.

FORMER VANCOUVER MAN CUTS GPS BRACELET, FLEES AHEAD OF CHILD PORN SENTENCING

By admin, 14 December, 2009, No Comment

The U.S. Department of Justice’s Federal Bureau of Investigation tiffany jewellery Seattle Field Office issued the following press release:

A former Vancouver, Washington resident who pleaded guilty last March to Receipt of Child Pornography failed to show up for sentencing this morning in U.S. District Court in Tacoma. 47-year-old PAUL ERIC PRESLEY, had been released on bond with Geographic Positioning System (GPS) monitoring. On Saturday, November 15, 2008, PRESLEY cut off his GPS ankle bracelet, and apparently fled his Portland, Oregon residence.

At his sentencing hearing scheduled for this morning in front of U.S. District Judge Benjamin H. Settle, prosecutors were asking for a 71 month prison sentence. According to PRESLEY’s plea agreement, on December 6, 2006, Vancouver Police responded to a 9-1-1 call at PRESLEY’s home. PRESLEY’s wife told the silver bangles officers she called 9-1-1 because PRESLEY had child pornography stored on his desktop and laptop computers. Officers seized the desktop computer but did not find the laptop. The next day PRESLEY’s daughter and her boyfriend delivered the laptop to police saying PRESLEY had given them the computer and told them to dispose of it. A forensic examination of the computer revealed more than 2,900 images and 235 movies of children engaged in explicit sexual conduct.

Prosecutors asked for a sentence at the high end of PRESLEY’s guidelines range noting “Paul Eric Presley is sexually fixated with children. He has downloaded, stored, and viewed thousands of images of child pornography.” The Government noted that the evidence suggested that Presley was openly sexually interested in at least one member of his own family.

PRESLEY’s failure to appear for his hearing means he may now be charged with a separate crime punishable silver rings by up to ten years in prison.

In order to locate and arrest PRESLEY, law enforcement is releasing his booking photo and asking anyone with knowledge of PRESLEY’s whereabouts to contact law enforcement in their area by calling 9-1-1, or to contact the FBI at 360-695-5661.

To obtain a copy of the booking photo via email please contact Emily Langlie, Public Affairs Officer for the United States Attorney’s Office, at (206) 553-4110.

The case was investigated by the Vancouver Police Department (VPD) and silver bracelets the FBI.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Mike Dion and David Reese Jennings.

CHILDREN IN CHRISTMAS CAROL CAST

By admin, 25 November, 2009, No Comment

A Christmas Carol is a timeless story that appeals to all ages. USI Theatre’s A Christmas buy tiffany Carol features a cast of 34 people ranging in age from seven years to 60-something. With 12 children from the surrounding Evansville area participating, USI Theatre is producing one of its largest productions.

Lenny Leibowitz, assistant professor of theatre and director of the production, said, “Working with so many people from different walks of life and of different ages is a real joy – we have a cast that encompasses USI students, children, siblings, and veteran performers in the community. I love that our production and our process will truly celebrate the spirit of Dickens’ timeless story.”

Theatre patrons who saw the USI Theatre production of Meet Me in St. Louis will recognize some of the young actors in A Christmas Carol. Hanna Van Winkle, a fifth-grader from Slaughters, Kentucky, is the Ghost of Christmas Past and Jessica Bailey, Henderson, is Young Fan and Belinda Cratchit.

Newcomers with USI connections are Nadia Scharf, daughter of Amy and Ed Scharf, USI silver bangles web developer, and Matlyn Macleod, granddaughter of Dr. Daniel Scavone, professor emeritus of history.

Another returning performer, Andi Conkright, said, “This show is so different from Meet Me in St. Louis because I am playing more than one character. I get to be the cute little sister, Sara, but I also get to play the scary character, Want.”

The children have been working for five weeks learning blocking, rehearsing lines, and discovering the “ins and outs” of theatre.

Several pairs of siblings are represented in the production. USI theatre majors Erica Becker and Becky Fortner are in the production with their younger siblings Nicholas Becker and Sara Fortner. Other young cast members are Jessica and Matthew Bailey and Taylor and Reece McDaniel.

Erica Becker said, “Even though I am from the Evansville area, my schedule gets crazy silver rings and it is hard to be home and to spend time with my family. Having the opportunity to work with Nicholas is so rewarding because I get to see him grow as an actor and hang out with my little brother.”

A Christmas Carol runs through November 22 at the Mallette Studio Theatre in the Liberal Arts Center. Tickets are $12 with discounts for seniors, students, and children. For more information or to purchase tickets, call 812/465-1668.For more information please contact: Sarabjit Jagirdar, Email:- htsyndication@hindustantimes.com.

Local church participates in ‘Operation Christmas Child’

By admin, 24 November, 2009, No Comment

Children in kindergarten through grade six shrieked, ran, yelled, reduced tiffany cheered and helped one another Wednesday night at Bible Christian Church, 1501 W. Mary St.

At times, it was chaos.

But it was for a cause.

As a part of the church’s Awana gatherings, children assembled boxes of toys and goods to send to less fortunate children around the world.

The project is called Operation Christmas silver rings Child.

Since 1993, the organization reports nearly 69 million boys and girls in more than 130 countries received the boxed gifts.

In 2008, nearly 8 million shoe box gifts were collected in the United States and other sending nations.

Jerome Greene, Awana commander, said Bible Christian Church has been involved in Operation Christmas Child for five years.

“Every year, they’ve got new ideas,” Greene said.

He said the boxes used to be shoe boxes, but because of the silver bracelets durability and usability of plastic boxes, the organization has made the switch.

“The kids can keep using the plastic boxes longer than the shoe boxes,” Greene said.

Greene said the object of the project is to make children feel the joy of giving, not just receiving presents, during the holidays.

It’s something people forget, he said.

“It’s a way for us to give something in the U.S., where things are plentiful, to help those who are less fortunate,” he said.

The boxes are filled with toys, school supplies and necessity items, then silver cufflinks taken to drop-off locations around the country.

Children, parents, volunteers and anyone involved provided the items for the boxes. The items are in three categories: hygienic items, school supplies, and “fun stuff,” Greene said.

Greene said that during November, Bible Christian Church focuses on missions and sponsors a couple of area families for Christmas.

Moses Rodriguez, 7, packed a box for a boy Wednesday night at the church. He said he wasn’t sure where this particular box would go.

But he thought “someone without a house” would be receiving it.

Riley Methenny, 6, said she was packing a box for a girl.

“It’s going to people who don’t have presents on Christmas,” she said.

Last year, the church sent 48 boxes, and this year it will be sending 57.

The boxes are being collected at Family Bookhouse, 519 N. Main St. silver money clips Semi trucks then will haul the boxes to Denver, one of six regional centers in the country, where volunteers inspect the boxes and pack them into cartons. The boxes are then shipped around the world.

Joan Lobmeyer, co-owner of Family Bookhouse, said the store has collected 217 boxes so far from various churches and organizations, as well as a few individuals.

Last year Family Bookhouse collected 692 boxes.

“We’re hoping for more, but it’s up to the people,” Lobmeyer said.

The last day to drop off boxes is Monday, Nov. 23, before noon.

Family Bookhouse hours are Tuesday and Wednesday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., silver pendants Thursday and Friday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The store will be open Sunday, Nov. 22, from 1 to 4 p.m. for collections.

Ring of confidence makes telehandler a prime mower

By admin, 16 November, 2009, No Comment

Merlo P40.7 Turbo Farmer telehandler

With the opportunity to change machines, tiffany Ross-shire farmer Donald Ross decided to increase the size of his telehandler to speed-up handling operations. Mervyn Bailey finds out what he thinks of his purchase.

Donald Ross has a wide and varied workload for his 40.7 which arrived last February. Onaverage it will clock up 900 hours a year at Rhynie Farm, carrying out all the handling duties on the mixed farming operation as well as carting in the 1,400 round bales used for bedding.

“The telehandler is my prime machine, the tractors are secondary. We do have a loader on the John Deere but that is used less and less” explains Donald. “The 28.7 we had before only had a 100 litre per minute pump and was a bit too slow, so we took the opportunity to update it with the 40.7, which has a 150 litre per minute pump and is also more stable.”

But before they decided to stick with Merlo, several other makes were tested.

“We tried a Claas 630 Vari Power and it had great shoving power, Christmas Tree but it couldn’t pull a trailer as well as our 28.7,” says Donald. “We also found the layout of the switches very confusing especially my father, George, who loads most of the cereals, and it was pounds 13,000 more expensive. We also had a seat in a Dieci and, in many ways, it was very similar to the Merlo, but was a bit more money.”

Previous reliability

The Merlo dealer, Robertsons of Tain, is also the closest, and the reliability of the 28.7 was seen as a very strong point. In its three-year stay, the only repair which stands out in Donald’s mind is replacing the axle bushes and adding grease nipples to extend their service life. The same process will be carried out on the 40.7 when the time comes, as the design has not changed.

“We tend to do most of our own servicing, but we get the local dealer to service the Merlo,” says Donald. “I just wasn’t confident about getting all the oil out of the hydrostatic drive and it is not an easy task.”

The annual workload is spread over 300 hours on the arable side of the operation including silver bangles loading the grain dryer, with a further 100 hours just to bring bales back to the yard. The remainder of the 900 hours is made up of handling duties with the cattle and sheep.

The loader is mainly used in the high range with low only used occasionally. Donald also reports the forward/reverse shuttle is very smooth, although after experiencing the JCB and Claas, he would like to see Merlo adopt the same system of having a shuttle switch on the joystick.

The jury is still out on the floating pallet forks. Donald says he likes them as there is less risk of damaging lorries when unloading, but his father prefers the fixed position, so he can point and go and makes it easier for rolling out round bales of straw.

“It is quick on the hydraulics, which is what we wanted and cycle times have definitely improved,” claims Donald.

“It is also surprising how good it is on the muck heap, even though the diff cannot be used in the high range – silver rings it is to stop people engaging it at speed and damaging the machine.

“Visibility is also first rate compared to the other machines. However, we have been known to reverse into things in tight buildings but the ring of steel means the loader is not damaged,” he adds.

On the road, the mudguards do a good job of keeping the loader clean, but Donald points out the quality of the paint is not as good as it could be and it is already starting to flake off around the battery box under the boom.

Keen to know what each machine is costing the business, Donald has calculated every hour that goes on the 40.7 costs him pounds 28.

This includes depreciation and labour, as well as the 140hp engines’ hourly consumption of just 6.5 litres of the red stuff every hour.

“The Mitas tyres are surprisingly good for the money and if the old loader is anything to go by, should last silver bracelets between 3,000 and 4,000 hours before they need to be changed.”

Farm facts

Rhynie Farm

* Location: Tain, Inverness

* Size: 260 hectares (643 acres)

* Cropping: 161ha (398 acres) of combinable crops including winter wheat, oilseed rape, silver cufflinks spring barley for malting, oats and peas, with 49ha (121 acres) of grass and the remainder is woodland

* Livestock: 80 suckler cattle and 330 sheep – all progeny finished

* Tractors and machinery: John Deere 6506; Valtra 6750; and Merlo P40.7