Tue, 21 Apr 2009 12:32:35 GMT

Japanese Kit Kats I

When my friend Cassie went to Japan for a fun trip with her boyfriend (so jealous, by the way), she offered to bring me back candy. I eagerly requested Kit Kats. Why Kit Kats, a run-of-the-mill candy that"s all over the U.S.? Because the Japanese make about a zillion Kit Kats in strange flavors, and I wanted in. Cassie obliged, for which I am grateful. I"ll review the two normal ones today and make y"all wait until another day for the weird ones.

Based on the packaging, this bar was either strawberry or strawberries and cream flavored, both pretty standard flavor combinations that go well with chocolate. I"m guessing that it"s strawberries and cream, based on the bar"s lovely, creamy shade of pink. All the boxed Kit Kats Cassie bought came in packs of four fingers separated into two individually sealed packs of pairs. Good for freshness; bad for the environment. Posted by: Editor      Read more     Source

Tue, 21 Apr 2009 12:30:56 GMT

Spencer Caught; Catfighting Ensue

So The Hills is back, and of course I"d be traveling and busy for the first two episodes, and of course those first two episodes would be super good and restore my faith in a series that seemed to be lagging by the end of last season. And of course because of said traveling and said business, I wouldn"t be ale to recap those episodes, which I apologize for, but if it"s any consolation, I"m here to not only bring you a recap of this week"s episode but also a bonus story about how I met the infamous Stacie The Bartender last night (as well as Marcel from Top Chef). Ah, but you"ll have to read on for that.... Posted by: B-Side      Read more     Source

Tue, 21 Apr 2009 12:28:26 GMT

Naked Chianti

Linda Sterling did a review recently of a nice chianti. A very nice chianti, actually. And she did it naked....

If you never seen Linda's Naked Wine Show you're missing out. On this particular episode she looks at Barone Ricasoli Brolio Chianti Classico 2006 - which, at under $25 a bottle is a more premium wine than the show normally focuses on.

The wine has a dense, rich ruby color. The aroma is spicy (hints of nutmeg, cinnamon, baked fruit, vanilla). It has a medium tannin and is full bodied. Linda suggests that the wine would go well with roasted game or robust cheeses.

Chianti Classico is a type of Italian wine produced in specified parts of Italy's provinces of Florence and Siena. You can watch the review (and see Linda naked) here


© stevehdc Posted by: Greg Cruey      Read more     Source

April 21, 2009, 5:27 AM CT

How do Chinese consumers really feel about Western brands?

How do Chinese consumers really feel about Western brands? We often hear that magazines and billboards influence Chinese consumers to imitate Western lifestyles. Meanwhile, Chinese "patriots" are thought to reject Western brands as a symbolic gesture of loyalty to their country. A newly released study in the Journal of Consumer Research paints a more complex picture.

"We set out to study the cultural meanings of Western brands to Chinese consumers and local understandings of nationalism from Chinese consumers' experiences," write authors Lily Dong (University of Alaska, Fairbanks) and Kelly Tian (University of Queensland). The scientists wondered whether it is paradoxical for Chinese consumers to buy Western brands and still hold strong nationalistic sentiments, a phenomenon that has been demonstrated previously.

In a series of surveys and in-depth interviews with Chinese consumers in rural and urban areas, the authors observed that Chinese consumers attach political meanings to Western brands and connect those brands to important moments in Chinese history, like Mao Zedong's Cultural Revolution or Deng Xiaoping's economic reforms. Chinese consumers are finding ways to appropriate symbols and goods to create a new Chinese narrative, the authors found......... Posted by: Ethen      Read more         Source

Thu, 02 Apr 2009 01:53:55 GMT

List Of Crayola Crayon Colors

Crayola crayons have come in a number of different colors over the years. When Binney & Smith first produced Crayola crayons in 1903, there were just eight colors. Now there are 120 colors.

List Of Crayola Crayon Colors.

(via DrikoLand) Posted by: Gerard      Read more     Source

Wed, 01 Apr 2009 14:54:08 GMT

Reinterpreting Little Red Riding Hood

A school assignment by Tomas Nilsson to reinterpret the fairytale Little Red Riding Hood, inspired by Royksopps Remind me. Posted by: Gerard      Read more     Source

March 31, 2009, 3:37 PM CT

Keep your hands off the goods

To avoid unwanted or unnecessary purchases, keep your hands off the goods. That's the conclusion of a newly released study in the Journal of Consumer Research

Authors Joann Peck (University of Wisconsin-Madison) and Suzanne B. Shu (UCLA) cite a 2003 warning from the Illinois state attorney general's office that warned holiday shoppers to be cautious of retailers who encourage them to hold objects and imagine the objects as their own when shopping. The authors wondered whether the warning was valid and, more generally, if touch influences the feeling of ownership and valuation of an object.

"In our research, we have evidence that the warning from the attorney general is valid. In four studies, we find that merely touching an object increases the feelings of ownership a person has for the object. This, in turn, results in a person being willing to pay more for most objects that they touch versus objects that they cannot touch," the authors write. "We also find that when touch is unavailable, such as shopping online, having people imagine owning a product increases their perception of ownership and how much they are willing to pay for a product".

If people have a positive or neutral response to touching an object, they are willing to pay more for it, the authors explain. However, if an object does not feel especially pleasant to the touch, it decreases the amount consumers are willing to pay. "For most products, the touch experience is positive or neutral so merely touching a product commonly increases how much a person is willing to pay for an object," the authors write......... Posted by: Ethen      Read more         Source

Mon, 23 Mar 2009 00:50:08 GMT

Chocolate Beauty Round UP

I’ve been in the mood for chocolate lately, literally covering myself from head to toe in the yummyness of it all.  Along the way I’ve found some GREAT chocolate products, reviews coming shortly but here’s a quick sneak peek at what I’ve been using…

Hemloq’s Choclate Face Masque (Natural)

Sweet Beauty Love Potion Body Scrub (Organic)

 

Sweet Beauty Chocolate Body Cream (organic)

Montagne Jeunesse’s Chocolate Mud Masque  

and for the HIM in your life…  Axe Dark Temptation Products

Posted by: Samantha      Read more     Source

Mon, 23 Mar 2009 00:45:23 GMT

French Revue de Modes #14 - Mia Aminata Niaria

Shiny.

ETA: More featured models from the issue. Apparently there are multiple covers, all shot by Thierry Le Gouès, including one with Arlenis Sosa that has yet to surface online. I have two of Theirry"s photography books and I really admire his work but I just don"t get the super shiny "slaves toiling under a hot sun" look many photographers and stylistist seem to love on dark skin. It goes way beyond dewy to my eye. I just hope that for Mia"s sake there were some towels on the set floor to keep her from slipping under all that body oil.

S: TFS/ONTDfashinfags Posted by: Brigitte      Read more     Source

Thu, 05 Mar 2009 03:28:23 GMT

Cool bicycle turn indicator and mirror combo

The Winkku is a bicycle mirror and turn indicator combination which comes with bags of good looks, a practical design and a lot of plastic bits. The company sent me one to look at and it’s certainly a very well built piece of kit. Solid and dependable you might say.

It’s powered by 3 AA batteries, and features a couple of handlebar attachment options, either a conventional into the end plug, or an over the top clamp with a Velcro strap holding it tight to the bike grip. It needs a sturdy clamp because the thing is quite weighty, this is not a flimsy bit of plastic at all.

The device bristles with bright coloured LED lamps, 5 front facing 5 rear and 3 around the side, which means the unit not only operates as a turn indicator, but also as a permanent visible beacon in red and white if you turn those lamps on. Of course that means a penalty to battery life.

The connector is supposed to be quick release, but in practice I found it quite difficult to remove the unit from the bike once attached, as it needs a strong grip to unclasp the socket gear. This could be a problem for weaker hands, especially when you realise that this is not a product you can leave attached to your bike in a big city, it’ll be stolen quicker than you can say hot wire.

That apart, this is a neat piece of technology and something that will definitely be valuable for day to day use on busy roads. The shatterproof wide angle mirror on its own is super useful for checking up on approaching buses, and with the addition of the bright lights and indicators, it’s potentially a real lifesaver. Priced at £24.39.

 Just a slight nudge of the hand activates the indicator - so you can keep both hands firmly on the handlebars and retain maximum control of the bike at all times…A discreet bleeper confirms that the indicator is operating - invaluable for when you need to concentrate on the traffic around you. Posted by: Redferret      Read more     Source