Just a short note for those of you who is thinking of buying an electronic book reader Kindle: on Wednesday, July 8, Amazon has reduced a price of its prized reader to $299 from $359.

 
If you need more information, read this article at:
News.cnet.com
And don’t forget to read a lot of helpful comments, too. You future vacations and free time may depend on it.

 
If you received this post by electronic mailing and can’t see the image of Kindle Reader provided at the top, please click on the title of the post to be transferred to the site.

 

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When was the last time you played with the Rubik Cube? How much time did you spend trying to position those sides and colors, only to give up at the end? Are you still wondering how it’s done? Or were you able to solve it?

 
If you still are that person who tries to solve the puzzle, you’d be happy to know that the inventor of the Rubik Cube professor Ernö Rubik had invented a new gadget for you: Rubik’s 360.
It’s been 20 years since his last invention and the professor says that this one is much simpler.

 
“Rubik’s 360, which goes on sale next week, features six small balls inside three interlocking spheres. The task is to lock each ball into colour-coded capsules on the outermost sphere. Professor Rubik said of his cube that it was “easy to understand the task, but hard to work out the solution”. It is just as aggravating to crack the 360. ”

 
Judging by the reaction of the Times Online staff, which published the news, it isn’t, but you’ll have your say when you get you hands on it it . Meanwhile, read the article here: Timesonline.co.uk and see a good picture of it as well.

 
Meanwhile, you can order it from Amazon.com for $14.99. It should be shipped within 1-2 months.

 
And if you can’t wait to see how it works, here is the Youtube video for you: Rubik’s 360 Demonstration.

 

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If you live near or planning a vacation to Germany, you now have one more destination to go: a new museum in the German town Baden-Baden.

 
On May 9 2009 Russian tycoon Alexander Ivanov is planning to open first “world’s only museum dedicated to the Russian Imperial jeweler Faberge” there.

 
“The collector had originally planned to show his treasure trove of Russian art in the country’s capital and now reveals it will open instead on May 9 in the German spa town of Baden-Baden. Ivanov, 46, says he’s a patriot and only changed his mind because of the high cost of building and Russian bureaucracy. He says his 3,000-piece collection is worth about $1.5 billion. ”

 
“Ivanov said he chose Baden-Baden, near Germany’s western border, because it’s “close to France, a resort for the rich, and historically it has always been the most popular resort for Russians.” The local government has also been supportive, he said.”

 
“The German word ‘Baden’ translates as ‘to bath/bathe’”.
“The 19th century saw the town rise to become a meeting place for celebrities, attracted by the hot springs as well as by the famous Casino, luxury hotels, horse races, and the gardens of the Lichtentaler Allee. Baden-Baden was then nicknamed the European summer capital.”
Read about this city here:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baden-Baden.

 
“Entrance to the Faberge Museum will cost 20 euros. Ivanov’s most pessimistic forecast is 200,000 visitors a year, and he’s planning for up to 500,000.

 
“Even at 100,000 visitors a year we would cover costs,” said Ivanov, whose office is one block from the czarist-era Faberge shop in Moscow, now occupied by a bistro. “The collection needs to make money and to pay its way.”

 
“The House of Faberge was founded in St. Petersburg in 1842 by Gustav Faberge.”
Company’s goldsmiths made jewelry and luxury items for the Russian tsar’s family and other kings and riches.

 
“In addition to Easter eggs, the company made a wide range of jewelry and decorative artworks, the most famous of which are semi-precious stone and jeweled figures of people, animals, and vases with flowers. The company had international brand recognition, with a shop in London, and it counted as a customer the King of Siam (now Thailand).”

 
Read more about Fabergé Easter eggs here: Wikipedia.org. Faberge Eggs

 
About House of Faberge here: Wikipedia.org. House of Faberge

 
Source: http://www.bloomberg.com

 

 

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photo credit: AchimH

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It’s only a month left until February 14, and if you think of a gift, it’s time to move.
Of course, there are still holiday sales going on and you can buy some jewelry. You may buy flowers.  And, of course, there are always book store options, gift baskets, hobby items or a gift of wine.

 
Now, consider a wine with a message (not in the bottle, but on the label).

 

 
Personalized Wines have an an array of offerings: personalized wines, champagne, gift boxes, accessories, labels.
The prices start from $8 and choices are numerous.
All you have to do is submit a photo of yourself, the recipient, or whatever image (hopefully, decent) you have in mind, and you have an unusual present to present.

 
Also, if you consider a gift of chocolate, I suggest you try Recchiuti Confections.

 
It is so different from anything I’ve tried before, that I feel I must tell you about it. It’s rich, it’s creamy, it’s tasty. The presentation, the taste and the smell are absolutely exquisite, surprising in its intensity and unexpectedly complex and delicious in taste.
You may watch a video about the company and its production here.
Try this chocolate. You won’t regret it.

 
If wine or chocolate is not an option, you may check this site: CafePress
Enter a word (cat, cards) in a search box and find an abudance of items depicting your interests: t-shirts, calendars, home gifts, cards, stationary, etc.  Sift through the choices and order.

 
Consider yourself ready for the  Valentine Day.

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If you think you may use a professional financial advice, you may buy  “Suze Orman’s 2009 Action Plan” book at Amazon.com or any other book store.

 
At the same time, you may download it for free from here: Oprah.com.
Read the whole article and the instructions on downloading, too.

 
The book is copyrighted, so you can download it, but can’t copy, share of forward it.

 
The book is available for free download only until January 15, 2009.

 
If you like this article, forward it to your friends.
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