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What Better Gift for a Tim Tebow Fan than a Signed Tim Tebow Jersey?

ECJ — Sun, 18 Dec 2011 01:22:19 +0000

Click here to get an authentic signed Tim Tebow Denver Broncos Jersey from Sports Memorabilia

Whether you enjoy the way Tim Tebow plays football, appreciate his clean-cut image, or even admire his devotion to his faith, one thing is for sure: if you’re a Tim Tebow fan, there could be nothing more fun to get than a signed Tim Tebow Denver Broncos jersey. And if you’re shopping for a Tim Tebow fan, what better gift to give him or her?

A signed Tim Tebow jersey might be the hottest sports memorabilia item in the world right now. And you can get a Denver Broncos Tim Tebow jersey autographed by Tim from Sports Memorabilia by clicking here.

If you want a jersey signed by Tim Tebow, don’t wait, because these mementos of the Tim Tebow saga are going fast. As you might imagine.

Tim Tebow and the Broncos versus the Patriots tomorrow

Tim Tebow and the Denver Broncos are slated to play the New England Patriots tomorrow in a game that has implications not only for the upcoming NFL playoffs, but for the ever-expanding scope of “Tebowmania.” (And if you want to attend, there are still tickets for this game available from TicketNetwork.)

Since taking over as the starting quarterback for the Broncos, Tebow has played a big part in engineering a 7-1 record, which has enabled the Broncos to climb atop the AFC West standings. This winning record has included miraculous comeback wins against the Chargers and Bears, due in no small part to Tebow’s uncanny knack for raising his performance in the fourth quarter.

It must be added, though, that it’s been far from a Tebow-only show. The team has come together in a big way, and stand-out performers such as kicker Matt Prater and pass-rushers Von Miller and Elvis Dumervil are also driving the winning momentum. But many of Tebow’s teammates credit his will to win and ability to lead for helping keep the Broncos’ confidence high — an attitude that leads to resilience and a will to work together even as the team falls behind (which they’ve done a lot). The Broncos are almost making a Russian-roulette-style habit of fourth-quarter comebacks.

Even if the Broncos lose to New England, they are very likely to make the playoffs, since they face only Kansas City and Buffalo in the remaining two games of the season. How will Tim Tebow add to his legend when the Broncos appear in the playoffs for the first time since 2005?

It remains to be seen, obviously, and it should be entertaining. But first there’s a significant game tomorrow that may be the most anticipated game of this NFL season — and all because Tebow’s fame has become a world-wide phenomenon. People like a winner. They like unusual characters. They like athletes who defy the odds to win. And for those reasons and more, they like Tim Tebow. (All except certain former NFL quarterbacks who just can’t seem to stop criticizing his play — and, you know, they might think about easing up on him; he’s getting better every week).

If you want a signed Tim Tebow Jersey for yourself, or to give as a gift, no time like the present…

You can get an authentic signed jersey with Tim Tebow’s autograph now and become a driver aboard the Tim Tebow bandwagon — or you can lose out on the opportunity because these pieces of sports lore are going fast. Get the jersey and either keep it to enjoy one of your favorite players, hope that it appreciates as an investment as Tebow’s career unfolds, or give it as an amazing gift to a Tim Tebow fan.

This hand-signed, blue custom Denver Broncos number 15 Tim Tebow jersey is available right now from Sports Memorabilia — a trusted online purveyor of sports memorabilia and collectibles for 10 years, with a track record of reliable customer service in supplying the merchandise that rabid sports fans crave. Click here to see Sports Memorabilia’s 100% guarantee of authenticity that applies to every piece of sports memorabilia they sell — a guarantee that means you can be confident that the signed Tim Tebow jersey you’re getting is authentic.

In other words, it’s guaranteed to carry the signature of the “Mile High Messiah” himself.

So, enjoy either getting or giving the Tim Tebow autographed Denver Broncos jersey this holiday season.

PS: If you want a piece of sports memorabilia from earlier in Tim Tebow’s career, you can also get a signed jersey from his Heisman-winning days as a player at the University of Florida — a college career than saw him lead the Gators to two national championships.

Also, Super Bowl XLVI deal at Sports Memorabilia…

Right now you can get $4.99 flat rate shipping on all Super Bowl XLVI orders over $50 at Sports Memorabilia (shop now; offer ends soon).

In addition, get 10% off orders over $75 at SportsMemorabilia.com by using code AFFX10 (ends March 31). Get the Tim Tebow jersey or any other piece of sports memorabilia you want and get it for less! Enter code AFFX10 at checkout.

Are You Inspired By John’s Win on Biggest Loser to Become a Big Loser Yourself?

ECJ — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 17:01:55 +0000

Click here for help to DIY

Nearly 8 million viewers tuned in last night to see who would win Biggest Loser, Season 12. It had come down to three guys — Ramon Madeiros, Antone Davis, and John Rhode. Between the three of them, they had lost a total of 576 pounds. John Rhode, a determined, focused contestant, crushed the final weigh-in, having lost an impressive 220 pounds, and took the title and the $250,000 prize. (Along the way, he had also set the record for the contestant to lose 100 pounds in the shortest time.)

But Antone Davis and Ramon Madeiros acquitted themselves well, too, so there was really no “loser.” (Anna Kournikova, one of the trainers, said Ramon was “Hot”!)

Actually, all the men on Season 12 “Battle of the Ages” achieved remarkable success with their fitness, health, and weight-loss goals. Vinny Hickerson came within 3 pounds of winning the “At Home” contest for previously eliminated contestants (he had started out weighing 426 pounds), and looked totally transformed, sporting an air of fitness and confidence, as did Patrick Ferrari.

61-year-old contestant Johnny Forger, who last night could not stop doffing the straw boater he’s taken to wearing, looked great and said “I’m 66, I feel 40!”

And, lest we forget, Ramon had to win the marathon to come back and make the final three. It was a dramatic and, for the contestants, fulfilling season.

Even more remarkably, Dr. Rob Huizenga, the doctor for The Biggest Loser, reported that the fatty liver disease of the final three contestants had seen exceptional improvement — a reduction in the size of the liver of up to 2 inches was observed — and that two of them (John and Ramon) had beaten diabetes, a medically rare outcome that no drug (as Dr. Huizenga said) could bring about.

Here’s a video of the winning moment from the live Finale:

If You’re Feeling Inspired, the Biggest Loser’s Club Can Help You Reach Your Own Weight-Loss and Fitness Goals

If you’ve been watching The Biggest Loser and have been inspired to pursue your own health and weight-loss goals, did you know that The Biggest Loser’s Club is available to help? The Biggest Loser’s Club is a comprehensive online weight-loss program that gives you access to the Biggest Loser diet and fitness approach used by the contestants on the show, which has been proven to work by many successful contestants. The program can be tailored to fit your personal goals and lifestyle.

As a member of The Biggest Loser’s Club, you’ll get help tackling the daily challenges of eating and exercise; access to thousands of Biggest Loser recipes, meal preparation tips, and exercise demo’s (which are also all available on your mobile device); goals tailored to fit your height and weight; and the chance to interact with a community of others and communicate with experts to support your weight-loss program.

You don’t have to be on the show to lose weight. If Vinny and Ramon can do it at home, so can you! All you have to do is get started…

Check some of the online “Success Stories” from The Biggest Loser’s Club here.

Right now, The Biggest Loser’s Club is offering a good deal to help you get started: join today at a special Introductory price and get 3 free books (The Biggest Loser Book, Biggest Loser Family Cookbook, and Biggest Loser Fitness Program)!

The Biggest Loser’s Club is run by Rodale, the publishing and media company that, for over 80 years, has been committed to helping people achieve better health, well-being, longevity, and fitness. (Among other things, Rodale started the organic gardening movement in America.)

If you’re overweight, there’s no time like the present to not only “save” your life but to dramatically improve it! If you’re inspired by the success stories you see on The Biggest Loser, take advantage of that inspiration to begin now to look better, feel better, and get more out of life.

Consider letting The Biggest Loser’s Club help you achieve your health, weight-loss, and fitness goals. Take a look at their site and program by clicking here.

One final observation… If you watched the show, you noticed the new confidence and satisfaction expressed by the successful contestants. They exuded well-being as they stood on the stage. Ramon in particular was a “new man” — happier, healthier, more vigorous, more sure of himself.

If you’re overweight, it is within your power to make the same transformation. If you’re not overweight, but there are things in your life that are troubling you, why not make the same type of effort that The Biggest Loser contestants make to change it, to transform it to something better?

After all, Ramon, John, Vinny, and the rest were ecstatic about achieving a goal that many take for granted — being at a healthy weight and not dealing with pressing health concerns. So, if you’re slim, why can’t you be just as happy as Antone, Jennifer, or Johnny? If you’re at a good weight, but not feeling great, the only difference between you and them is that they have a new-found appreciation for themselves and what they can accomplish. How they feel about themselves has been improved a thousand-fold.

And that’s the bottom line: to be happy, you must feel good about yourself.

Just do what it takes to start making that journey.

Who Will Be Left to Play the NBA Eastern Conference Finals After the Rapture Occurs?

ECJ — Sat, 21 May 2011 02:53:27 +0000

As a basketball fan, I’m concerned about how many players will be left behind to complete the NBA Eastern Conference Finals after the Rapture occurs tomorrow.

As many of you have heard, Harold Camping, founder of a Christian radio station and an engineer, has predicted that the Rapture will occur on May 21, 2011 — an event in which Christians who believe in Harold Camping and Family Radio and who are non-evil, humble, and God-fearing will be levitated into the clouds. These Raptured folks will never return. Since Harold Camping has a degree in civil engineering, we’ll give him the benefit of the doubt and assume he’s right about that. So what does that mean for the Miami Heat, the Chicago Bulls, their fans, and the outcome of the NBA Eastern Conference Finals?

After the Rapture, how many players will be left behind on earth to experience the tribulation and play the remaining 5 games*? And, more importantly, who is likely to win the Series? (It is currently tied 1-1.)

Well, as to that first question, I’m pretty sure there will be some players left. I don’t know who specifically of the players on the Heat or the Bulls believe in Harold Camping’s prediction, which makes predicting who will be around for Game 3 on Sunday tricky — about as hard as predicting the winner of this series — but, while not many NBA players can be considered totally non-evil, humble, and God-fearing, there must be at least some who are. Or who are at least self-professed Christians.

Will Lebron remain and Rose rise?

Lebron will definitely still be around. His religious affiliation appears to be Roman Catholic, so he should be left behind based on that criterion alone, according to Rapture experts (who take a dim view of Catholics). Additionally, he is not humble, since he speaks of himself in the third person. So that’s a relief, eh, Heat fans? And also a blessing for the Heat’s owner, Micky Arison, who is paying Lebron $110 million. (Micky will be also be at AmericanAirlines Arena on Sunday, too, so Lebron can count on a continuing paycheck.) Also, apparently Lebron James is a member of the Illuminati, so that lets him right out.

With Lebron available for Miami, one’s mind immediately jumps to the fate of Chicago’s Derrick Rose. Will the Bulls still have their lone superstar? It’s hard to tell what religion Derrick is. The youngest-ever MVP worships basketball, obviously. However, the first tattoo he ever got was a cross with the words “Only God Can Judge Me.” This may put him on shaky ground, Rapture-wise, because it would have been better for him if the tattoo stated, “Only Harold Camping Can Judge Me.” But I think the real deal-breaker, Rapture-wise, is his “Poohdini” tattoo, which shows an image of a wizard holding a staff and a basketball. We know from their many pronouncements on the subject that Christians think wizards are in league with the Devil — after all, Christians are the ones who tried to have Harry Potter books banned from school libraries. So, I think the wizard inked on the shoulder should disqualify Derrick Rose from being Raptured. Sorry, Derrick, no clouds for you. Whew… close one, Bulls fans!

Okay, so we’ve got at least two guys staying on earth. What about Dwyane Wade? We know he’s Christian. We know he wears number 3 because of the Holy Trinity. And he tithes 10% of his salary to his Chicago church. If that weren’t bad enough (from a basketball fan’s point of view), his mother is an ordained Baptist minister. So, Dwyane is gone. Dwyane might as well already be walking through the pearly gates. He will not be available to start on Sunday. Or ever again. In other words, he’ll be a first-round draft pick by God.

The remainder of Miami’s roster

What about Chris Bosh? Well, he’s an intelligent guy — good student, went to Georgia Tech — so we can infer from that that he’s not one of Harold Camping’s followers. On the other hand, he was dumb enough to get involved with his “Basketball Wife” ex-girlfriend, so maybe, you know, he could have some religious tendencies. But not enough, I’d guess. Bosh should be around.

So now we’ve got Lebron James and Chris Bosh against Derrick Rose. Will Joakim Noah and Carlos Boozer still be on Rose’s team? Well, when he commented on religion for an interview once, Joakim said, “I believe in God, but I don’t have a particular God… I definitely want to learn about different religions. The more people know about religion and other people’s culture, the less ignorance and conflict there will be.” That pretty much excuses Noah from Rapture-hood. Christians do have a particular God and they do not want to learn about other peoples’ religions and they are not opposed to ignorance and conflict (I mean, look at Galileo, and the Crusades, and evolution, and that whole witch-burning episode, and the Inquisition), so yeah, the Bulls’ premier defensive stopper will be available for Game 3. And Carlos Boozer? He once commented that Mormons are “not bad at all.” That statement right there ensures that he’ll be missing the Rapture express. Sorry, Carlos. Plus, he has his own shoe with Nike, who, as we know, is a Greek goddess. That should put the kabosh on any remaining doubts about his post-Rapture status. In other words, Boozer will still be around to post up the non-righteous Chris Bosh.

Unfortunately, Mike Bibby won’t be shooting any more 3′s for Miami. He states that he’s a Christian on his MySpace page and he has said that he’s a religious person. And who are we to doubt Mike? MySpace is almost certainly good enough for God, so it’s floaty-uppy for Mike.

Miami center Joel Anthony will also not be around. He went to a Christian school. Plus, he’s Canadian, which almost automatically makes him humble. But Mario Chalmers should still be on Miami’s roster. It’s not clear what his religion is, but he lost a stare-down to Blake Griffin once, so there’s some evidence that he’s more intimidated by Blake Griffin than he is by God. Rapture is for the God-fearing, not the Blake-fearing. We’ll assume Mario will not be joining the faithful in the firmament. What about Erick Dampier and Zydrunas Ilgauskas? Will Miami have any height remaining at center? Doesn’t look good regarding Dampier. Erick attended church every Sunday as a kid and now he does things like work with the Boys and Girls Club of Mississippi every off-season. I’m pretty sure Erick will be hoovered up. Regarding Ilgauskas, prospects appear a little better. 79% of Lithuanians profess to be Roman Catholic and, according to many Christian Fundamentalists, Catholics just don’t make the grade with God. Moreover, in a 2005 poll, only 49% of Lithuanians believe there is a God (though that doesn’t quite square with the preceding stat on Roman Catholicism). In any event, if Zydrunas has a religion, it’s most likely Roman Catholic, and if he doesn’t, he probably doesn’t believe in God. Either way, it’s ixnay on the apture-Ray for ydrunas-Zay. Finally — and this is probably the most significant — Zydrunas Ilgauskas professes to enjoy reading books. So, though Ilgauskas hasn’t exactly been a force of biblical proportions in the playoffs up until now, he’ll at least look intimidating sitting on the bench. Jamaal Magloire? Another Canadian. He’ll be gone… He operates several charitable foundations and runs clinics for underprivileged children. If that isn’t enough, in high school he played for the Saints.

How about Udonis Haslem, who has made important contributions to the Heat since the Conference Finals began? I think he’ll be around. He wants to be the mayor of Miami when he’s done playing. No politician is genuinely humble, non-evil, and God-fearing. Juwan Howard? In the first two games, he’s 0-1. Who cares?

What remaining heathen will Chicago have?

Chicago-wise, we have to take a look at Luol Deng. He grew up in a Christian family in Sudan but, after moving to Egypt, he respectfully helped his Muslim friends celebrate Ramadan. Whoa, Bulls fans — you dodged a Rapture-bullet there, and should be able to count on some continued scoring punch from Deng, with his Muslim-respecting feet remaining firmly on the ground. Except, of course, when he’s dunking on Lebron.

Solid Chicago sub Taj Gibson is a bit more of an unsure thing. Though he attended Calvary Christian School in San Fernando, CA, where he received a “Christ-centered education,” he states that his favorite basketball players are Jamaal Tinsley and Lamar Odom. See, I’m pretty sure that’s the kind of humor God doesn’t appreciate. Even worse, Taj posterized Dwyane Wade with a dunk in Game 1 of the series. We already know how much God likes Dwyane Wade. I think heaven won’t be able to use Taj. Fortunately, Chicago will be able to use his defense and rebounding.

How about Kyle Korver? Kyle is like, what, -2 for 18 so far in this series? But soon his shooting slump will not matter, one way or another, because Kyle has been described as a “great young Christian man,” and his father is an evangelical pastor with his own church. Tomorrow, Kyle will be going to that big gym in the sky, along with his father and Harold Camping.

And what of the rest of the bench-sitters on both teams? Brian Scalabrine and Kurt Thomas for the Bulls? Eddie House and Dexter Pittman for the Heat? Well, let’s look at it statistically. According to Harold Camping, about 200 million people will be Raptured up on May 21. That’s 200 million out of a population of 6 billion. So that means that each of the remaining players has a 1 in 30 chance of being sucked into the sky. The thing is, each of those players has shown himself to be capable of beating the odds — first by becoming NBA players, which only a few hundred people get to be, and second by still being in the playoffs while 26 other NBA teams are sitting at home on their butts on their Elite home theater loungers. Just by those very facts, we must assume that these exceptional men will once again defy the odds and be taken into God’s bosom tomorrow, along with the other lucky 200 million humble, non-evil, God-fearing, Harold Camping-believing Christians.

Which is fine, because, even though they’re NBA scrubs, they’re still scrubs.

So where does that leave things with regard to the Eastern Conference Finals? It’ll be Lebron, Chris Bosh, Mario Chalmers, Ilgauskas, and Haslem versus Rose, Joakim Noah, Boozer, Deng, and Taj Gibson. A permanently elevated Wade will be too much of a liability for Miami to overcome. I pick Chicago in 6.

* If necessary

Free T-shirt from ThinkGeek for April Fools

ECJ — Fri, 01 Apr 2011 22:57:07 +0000

Is the offer of a free T-shirt from ThinkGeek for April Fools an April Fool? No! I mean – yes, they will give you a hip, free T-shirt if you buy $15 worth of stuff! Whatazüper deal!

ThinkGeek is, of course, where thoughtful geeks go to shop and think. And right now, you can get a free T-shirt by clicking this link. But the dudes at ThinkGeek are not just stuffy, intellectual, T-shirt-wearing elitists. They can get down and dirty with some Ape-to-the-Fools, too…

Yeah — get the Playmobil Apple Store Playset.

So, if you go here, or click the banner below, you can take advantage of this insanely great T-shirt offer (yes, I graduated from Steve Jobs Marketing University). You’ll get a T-shirt with Ken Jennings’ (legendary Jeopardy contestant, later crushed by Watson) assimilative pronouncement: “I, for one, welcome our new computer overlords.”

What should you buy from ThinkGeek that costs at least $15 so you can get your free T-shirt? Well, they have thousands and thousands of other cool T-shirts, you know. But maybe you don’t want another T-shirt if you’re already getting a free T-shirt already, you know? Fortunately, they have many, many other things. Many! Like, such as:

The Bucky Balls Toy of the Year…

BuckyBalls Magnetic Building Spheres

Now in Three New Executive Styles! Ah, carbon – how sweet you are. You are the basis of life on Earth, you let our pencils write, and you form the most fortuitous fullerenes. And what are fullerenes, but a collection of balls. Now, imagine replacing those hard to play with atoms, with rare earth magnetic spheres. Suddenly, you have BuckyBalls Magnetic Building Spheres, and now your life will never be the same. Because BuckyBalls Magnetic Building Spheres are really that cool. You can build basic shapes, complex sculptures, magnetic jewelry, or even outfit your refrigerator in bold and unique ways. Just look at all the shapes and forms you can make with these bad boys – it’s amazing! BuckyBalls Magnetic Building Spheres are just what you need to help you brave the boredom of the office. And really, when else will you get to play with your BuckyBalls at work and not get in trouble?

Butterfly in a Jar…

Electronic Butterfly in a Jar

When we were kids, we liked putting butterflies in jars so we could keep them forever and ever. But sometimes they always died. It was sad – extra sad because butterflies (in our opinion) are like rainbows and unicorns: unadulterated creations of magic and beauty. That why we got so excited when we saw this Electronic Butterfly in a Jar. Read on, and find out why you need one very badly. Each Electronic Butterfly in a Jar is a jar with a wire in it. The wire has a fake butterfly on the end. Somehow, when you tap the top or make a loud sound, the electronics in the cap make the wire wiggle. This creates the very realistic illusion of the butterfly flittering around your jar. It even just stays on the glass and flexes its wings sometimes. There is absolutely no way you can look at an Electronic Butterfly in a Jar and not smile. It is like having a piece of magic nature on your desk that defies death. Pick your favorite butterfly flavor (or collect the whole team) and get ready to feel good when you marvel at your Electronic Butterfly in a Jar. Electronic Butterfly in a Jar Looks just like a real butterfly in a jar. Responds to taps on the jar and sound. Four different flavors to chose from: Blue Morpho, Pink Morpho, Yellow Swallowtail, and Monarch. One butterfly per jar – butterflies cannot be combined into one jar. Batteries: 3 AAA (included). Dimensions: 3.5″ x 3.5″ x 7.5″

And the formidable Bag of Holding…

The Bag of Holding Messenger Bag

When the last d20 is rolled, and Tiamat’s dying scream shakes the cavern walls, only two things remain: the distribution of experience points to the party, and loot. Your party’s dwarf fighter and that human paladin might be able to lug piles of gold and platinum, but your little gnome mage can’t quite heft that much stuff. What to do? The chaotic neutral halfling thief offered to carry a portion of your loot, but do you really trust “Shifty McFingers” with your well-earned booty, or can you find another way to carry it all? Luckily, amidst the ponderous piles of platinum lying about the place is a simple nondescript bag that everyone overlooked – except you, of course. Peering into the bag, you see nothingness – an almost infinite depth in which you can place way more loot than your entire party combined! While the rest of your party is trudging away with a backbreaking mass of booty, you’re happily plundering ton after ton of coins, and casually flinging your new bag over your shoulder. While transdimensional space is, as yet, impossible in this plane of existence (Doctor Who fans, keep quiet for now), ThinkGeek Labs has developed our own messenger bag that comfortably carries way more than a bag of its size normally could! It’s big enough to carry a 17″ laptop, Large 3-ring binder, two college textbooks, two paperback books, Amazon Kindle, iPod, cellphone, cables, pencils, business cards, spare batteries… I could go on and on.

Don’t wait on this T-shirt deal, because when the free shirts are gone, they’re gone, and you’ll be out of shirt luck.

And who would like to be that?

Cheap 2011 Calendars

ECJ — Wed, 23 Mar 2011 04:37:50 +0000

Some of the best 2011 calendars are on sale now for a good discount at Calendars.com. These are the cheapest calendars you can get for this year. (On April 19, use coupon code SPRING to get half off ALL 2011 calendars that aren’t already marked down.)

This sale of 2011 calendars will only last for a limited time. Calendars.com has probably the best selection of calendars available online. And right now, many of their most popular wall and desk calendars are priced at 50 – 75% off. That is a cheap calendar! So for all of you who’ve been waiting to find a calendar at a reduced price, wait no more…

Update on 9/8/11: Today is the final day to buy 2011 calendars at Calendars.com. Click here to get them for up to 90% off. 90% off is about as cheap as you can get without being free! (And of course, you can find calendars guys will like for 2012 now, too.)

But you may wonder: can you still get a decent, interesting calendar a quarter of the way through 2011? Sure. For canine fans, their discounted 2011 calendars include popular dog calendars — such as a pug calendar, for all you pug fans – and a greyhound calendar for under $5!

You can find an even bigger selection of dog calendars on sale at their associated site, DogBreedStore.com.

In addition, Calendars.com is discounting other popular categories, such as folk art calendars, music calendars, and sports calendars. And you can find educational, mind-expanding options, such as a scientific calendar or history calendar. Just search all the categories on their site. The selection they offer is huge and you will get free shipping when you place an order of $20 or more, or $5 flat rate shipping…

I previously posted a more in-depth review of some of the best, most entertaining, most creative 2011 calendars, which you can find here.

But be sure to check out this sale of inexpensive calendars now at Calendars.com because it will only last a limited time. Find something cool and entertaining for your wall or desk for a great sale price (that will, you know, also tell you the date)! Or take advantage of cheap calendars to give as gifts…

Calendars.com has customer reviews and staff reviews (including videos) of many of their most popular calendars, which means you can buy with greater confidence. (And when I say “cheap,” I don’t mean mediocre quality, I mean “inexpensive.” As in: “good deal.”) Here, for example, is one customer’s review of a pug calendar (For the Love of Pugs 2011 Deluxe Wall Calendar):

“Beautiful photos and good quality paper! I enjoy ordering calendars from you. The service is great and the price is right.”

Want to Help the Japanese Economy Recover? Shop at Rakuten

ECJ — Sun, 20 Mar 2011 05:22:28 +0000

You may be wondering how to help the people of Japan cope with the aftermath of the devastating earthquake and tsunami that occurred March 11. You can do it by buying goods from Japanese companies online. This post tells you the best way to shop Japan via the Internet.

One idea for economic recovery that I have not seen mentioned is to shop directly with Japanese businesses online. Americans and others around the world have donated millions of dollars through various relief organizations, such as the Red Cross, and many others have traveled to Japan to volunteer their services. But, while donations of money satisfy the immediate need to get supplies to the people in the towns of the tsunami-ravaged Tohoku region, dollars can be infused into the Japanese economy long-term by shopping via the Internet from anywhere in the world at Rakuten.

Click to explore Rakuten's huge online mall

Many people outside Japan have not heard of Rakuten. It is an online shopping company. It is Japan’s equivalent of Amazon. The Japanese name “Rakuten Ichiba” translates to “Rakuten Shopping Mall,” which is exactly what it is — an aggregation of 33,000 Japanese shops and businesses. This huge online shopping site offers 60 million products. Rakuten is the second most visited site in Japan, with over 50 million registered users. In fact, this Internet shopping giant is the reason Amazon has not been able to make much headway into the Japanese market. It is estimated that one-third of households in Japan shop at Rakuten. And that says something: Japanese consumers, particularly online, are known for being finicky and demanding. Rakuten has met their needs to the point that it is now one of the top ten Internet companies in the world, and has an international presence. In addition to products, it also has its own extensive travel services site, which anyone in the world can use.

Rakuten is now actively expanding its shopping services in other markets throughout the world, including Europe and the United States. Amazon may be the largest online shopping company, but sheer size is no guarantee of quality (Microsoft sells more operating systems than any other company but no one thinks their OS is the best, and General Motors became the largest automaker in the world selling cars inferior to a number of other makes), so I would not be surprised if, in a few years, Rakuten has noticeably eroded Amazon’s market share. You can think of Rakuten as the Honda of online retailing.

What does that mean with respect to helping the Japanese economy weather the aftermath of the earthquake?

We know that the world’s economic fortunes are subject to ripple effects that transcend national boundaries. Mortgage foreclosures in the American mid-west affect the value of the Euro. The price of labor in China impacts how much Walmart pays its US workers. The Russian wheat harvest affects the price of food in Delhi and Des Moines. With respect to the world economy, Japan is a titan, boasting the third largest economy after the US and China. So any financial woes that Japan experiences as a result of the triple whammy of the earthquake, tsunami, and radiation contamination from damaged nuclear power plants will affect not only the Japanese people but people in the United States and around the world. (Already, it is projected that demand for the Prius will not be able to be met, since there are parts suppliers for the car in the affected region. And US beef exports to Japan may be hampered by damaged port facilities.) In other words, the domino effect from an economic slowdown in Japan coupled with the need to re-build infrastructure could affect your personal financial situation. So it behooves you to help your neighbor.

Thus, if you shop for Japanese goods, you can help not only Japanese businesses and consumers as they recover and re-build, but your own economy as well. The easiest (and most enjoyable) way to shop in Japan from outside Japan is Rakuten. Spend a few bucks there, get yourself some interesting, well-made Japanese products, and you’ll be helping float everyone’s boat. After all, just imagine what it would have meant to a local hardware or stationery store in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina if they had had a steady influx of customers… If they had experienced damage or hardship from the hurricane, sure, packets of freeze-dried food and blankets would have met their immediate physical needs, but long-term, it’s customers buying from businesses that sustain an economy, whether in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi or Ofunato, Japan.

You can find just about any kind of product at Rakuten, from books to ice cream to motorcycle parts. But why not get something interesting or unusual? How about:

Sake
Momotaro Jeans (maybe the best jeans in the world)
Japanese Sandals
Tea Sets
Samurai Clothes and Accessories
Edible Seaweed from Ofunato (the northeast region)

You can also try using the search field on the Rakuten homepage to search for city names in the northeast region, such as Sendai, Kamaishi, Miyako, and Kuji, in order to find stores in those cities from which to buy. Keep in mind that operations at those stores might be curtailed or slowed for awhile — but they will still appreciate the business!

Rakuten currently ships to over 50 countries (and the list is expanding) and their site has pages optimized for a number of countries, including the USA, Canada, China, France, and the UK. If you’re outside Japan, when you place an order you’ll usually be put in touch via email with the shop that sells the item to arrange a shipping method and cost. (Note that some shops offer special free international shipping promotions, or $1 international shipping.) There is a weight restriction on items shipped to the US via certain carriers, but many shops can arrange a shipping method to the US that gets around this limit.

When you first explore the site, you may wonder where to go and how to approach it, but anyone familiar with online shopping can quickly figure it out. Explore. In addition, they have a handy instructional page here.

Think of it as an adventure, man. As well as a good deed.

Here’s a testimonial from a customer in the US posted on the Rakuten site:

“I recently found Rakuten via Facebook, and boy I couldn’t be happier. As a person interested in Japanese culture, this website is great. I’ve found many things I had been looking for as well as new items that have caught my eye. The website is well laid out and very intuitive to navigate. And the search feature is one of the better ones I’ve encountered for a merchant website. And this is all from a website that isn’t set up for business in the USA. If the USA website is half as good, then it’ll be better than most merchants that I’ve purchased from. by Nick M – NJ, USA”

Hey, if Nick can do it, you can, too. And remember, you’ll be helping the cause. It all adds up.

If you have found something interesting or useful here on Best Stuff for Men, please consider making a donation, so others can benefit, too. Thanks!

Win a $10,000 Shopping Spree at High-End Fashion Clothing Store SSENSE

ECJ — Fri, 11 Mar 2011 00:23:12 +0000

I don’t know, maybe it’s the season — first Moosejaw offers a $100 gift for a purchase and now ssense is having a drawing to give a lucky winner $10,000 worth of clothing and accessories from their online store. Granted, Moosejaw and ssense are about as different as ball bearings and tuna fish, but the thing they each have in common is a devotion to quality and a sense of enjoyment of what they do.

Ssense carries an impressive selection of stylish stuff for men and women from cutting-edge designers from around the world. When you think of ssense, think selection. And, of course, style. Selection + style = 1,500 of the most up-to-date clothing offerings found anywhere online. (And by the way, I just recently figured out what the name “ssense” means: say the first “s” and add “sense.” Essence. ssense. Heh.)

For men, they have clothes and accessories from 77 designers (count ‘em, 77), including Filippa K, Victor & Rolf, J. Lindberg, Givenchy, Kid Robot, Billionaire Boy’s Club, Theory, G-Star, What Goes Around Comes Around, Alexander McQueen, and 3.1 Phillip Lim. For women, they carry items from 96 designers (which doesn’t seem quite fair — that they have 25% more designers for women — but then, women change their clothes more frequently than guys do).

Update 4/20/11: Click here to take advantage of the spring, 2011 Men’s designer sale at SSENSE.

The ssense site is clean, spare, engaging, and works well. (Such as, when you want a larger view of an item, you get a larger view, in sharp resolution. Plus multiple angles. And page-loading doesn’t lag. The search engine could use a little tweaking, though.) It has an edgy sort of French feel to it, but manages not to be annoying — maybe because they’re French-Canadian. It’s a site you can navigate with more enjoyment than frustration.

The lowdown on the contest: Go to the ssense site and enter the drawing by giving them your name and email. (Sign-up ends March 24, 2011 and the winner is announced March 28.) After you enter, you’ll be given the option to refer a friend to the contest. For every friend you refer who enters, you’ll receive an additional entry. And if one of your friends wins, you’ll receive a $500 ssense gift card. But of course, you’ll be rooting for yourself to win, because $10,000 buys a fucking lot of clothes. Or just a few really, really high-end killer pieces. Or half for you and half for your girlfriend. You know.

Click the banner to enter or on the various text links scattered throughout this post. Good luck! (And below are examples of some of the things you can find on ssense — such as the Igor T-shirt, which is something you’d probably find Vince wearing on Entourage. Some of the prices may seem a little high, but what part of “cutting edge” is not clear? However, be aware that they also have a ton of sale stuff, too, so if you shop wisely you can acquire some cool things for not much money.)

IRO Igor T-shirt from ssense

Kris Van Assche High Top Grey Sneakers

Mackage Wade Trench Coat

DSQUARED2 Navy Trousers

Surface to Air Double Keys Necklace

An Unusual Confluence of Manly Movies

ECJ — Sun, 27 Feb 2011 22:59:07 +0000

When it comes to manly movies, something unusual occurred in recent months — several films came out and are now playing (and have been nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture) that focus on male characters in mature, thought-provoking, diverse ways. When I say “manly movies,” I don’t mean the usual action-film fare that is considered a staple of primarily male movie-goes — your Transformers and Transporters and so on — but movies that deal seriously with themes that men actually come to grips with in their lives (or, in the case of The King’s Speech, if they’re a king); themes that approach the heart of how and what it means to be a man, and focus on issues that a man will face if he has serious goals and complex relationships (relationships beyond that with his car or his quipping buddy). Matters of strenth and power in conjunction with love.

This does not usually happen. There may be one or two well-made films in a given year that focus primarily on male character(s) in serious-minded ways (last year it was The Hurt Locker and A Serious Man; the year before that it was Frost/Nixon and Milk), but not 5 films. Not of the quality that this year’s crop has. So let’s celebrate it a bit. If you enjoy movies about men doing realistic, manly things, check the following films. They’re mostly still playing (thanks, Oscar prestige) and they’re all worth seeing. (Note: I could have included The Town here but figure it’s on the bubble between realistic-and-serious and action-and-implausibility. Still, an excellent movie that balances testosterone and emotional depth.)

Get the movie poster

True Grit. I could say that this is the “grittiest” of the bunch but, you know, that would be wrong — both because the pun is too obvious and because it’s not accurate (the grittiest is probably 127 Hours). It is, however, the most stark when it comes to portraying masculinity in a way that much of America has come to define it: in terms of cowboys in the wild west. But these are cowboys who don’t know they’re inhabiting a historic milieu that’s destined to become a cultural cliché. Instead, they’re men simply doing what they have chosen to do: be on one side or the other (good or evil) of violent, barely civilized situations. True Grit is just about a perfect film. The acting is superb, the cinematography excellent (all the compositions are interesting and it’s got that sharp, clean, expansive light), the dialogue is adult-worthy, and it’s consistently engrossing. This film dramatizes the quality of determination in a rather pure way — and it doesn’t detract from it that the central character, who is probably the most determined, is a girl. That is the dichotomy that all of the films here have in common: they portray men who are self-reliant and then ask the question, In the service of what is that self-reliance expressed? Through the high-minded yet demanding presence of a plucky girl obsessively bent on justice, the males involved are encouraged to either retain or regain their humanity. Hailee Steinfeld is a revelation as Mattie Ross, the headstrong girl who hires Rooster Cogburn (Jeff Bridges) to hunt down the man who killed her father. Matt Damon provides effective counterpoint in the quasi-Woody Harrelson role from No Country for Old Men. Both Bridges and Steinfeld were nominated for Oscars for their respective roles and both deserve to win, though neither probably will (as this is written, the Oscars are about 5 hours away).

The Fighter. As each of these films depicts a man pursuing a clear-cut goal, they also depict men who are influenced in their pursuit of those goals by the relationships in which they’re enmeshed. After seeing The Fighter, you begin to wonder if the title refers to Micky Ward (Mark Wahlberg), a boxer who is pursuing the ultimate comeback, or Dicky Eklund (Christian Bale), the brother of Micky, who seeks simply to come back to life. Some relationships uplift and some corrode. For most people, they can do a bit of both. A man must decide on whose terms he’s going to live — his own, or those of the people he allows to influence him. And if he, like most of us, cannot escape the influence of others, how will it shape him? That is one of the central questions in these films and it is at the heart of The Fighter. Again, this is movie-making at its cinematic best. Everyone does a good job. Christian Bale plays a hyper-active coke addict with manic precision and is nominated for a Best Supporting Actor Oscar. So are Melissa Leo and Amy Adams in their respective roles as the mother of the brothers and Micky’s girlfriend.

127 Hours. 127 Hours raises the idea of ”If only…” again and again. Follow that notion back far enough and you might begin wondering what would have happened if only the dinosaurs had developed opposable thumbs. Maybe they would have survived that big meteorite. But Aron Ralston managed to avoid becoming a fossil due primarily not to his thumbs but his brain. (And that’s another thing about the male leads in this collection of films: they’re not only intrepid, they think and plan.) Throughout his ordeal, Ralston recapitulated virtually every major drama of survival that humans have endured. Was it carelessness or bad luck that landed him in his predicament? In the end, does it matter? What certainly matters are the decisions he made leading up to it, as well as after he found himself in trouble. As Dr. Johnson said, “When a man knows he is to be hanged…it concentrates his mind wonderfully.” And so Ralston is forced to concentrate on what truly matters to him. There is a fine line between narcissism and self-pity. The film does a good job of suggesting Ralston’s sense of isolation prior to his mishap — a misadventure that magnified that feeling exponentially. A reprieve from death can dilute narcissism to the point that it becomes…what? What is the opposite of narcissism? Empathy? Or is narcissism just a way of looking at ourselves defensively through the eyes of others? This film is an absorbing, multi-layered collaboration between director Danny Boyle and actor James Franco and, since our eyes are upon Franco for practically every second of it, it’s a good thing he was effective enough to be nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor.

The King’s Speech. In The King’s Speech, Lionel Logue (Geoffrey Rush) is an inveterate fan of Shakespeare, and in this film he encounters one of those men who, as Shakespeare said, have “greatness thrust upon them” and manages to give the guy a hand. In this postmodern era, one suspects that the path to greatness may not be as straightforward as Shakespeare described, and this film does a good job of suggesting that it can be mustered from unlikely sources. In that respect, everyone by now knows who Colin Firth is, since he’s the odds-on favorite to win the Academy Award for Best Actor for his rendition of King George VI’s trials and tribulations in service to his countrymen during World War II. (Firth’s previous claim to fame was being nominated for a Best Actor Oscar in a film ignored by almost every American, A Single Man.) With regard to King George VI, if ever there was a man who could more surely use a hand, he would be hard to find. Thank goodness for Logue and for the Duchess of York, the principals responsible for encouraging George to express whatever greatness he had in him. As another famous cinematic king once said, ”You have to know these things when you’re a king, you know.” Stubbornness, determination, resolve – stereotypical English qualities that have come to be regarded as part and parcel of every great or effective man’s character — are demonstrated here on all sides, but it is simple friendship and love that win out in the end. Ironic? All of these films dance with irony in their own way. Being a man in western culture, particularly American culture (which, at its core, is English culture) involves any number of seemingly contradictory requirements and expectations. This film, nominated for 12 Academy Awards, investigates several of them.

The Social Network. And now for something completely different… Whereas all the films above deal with things that have happened comfortably in the past, The Social Network deals with the future as it is occurring now. It contains a sense of the future shaping itself before our eyes. This sense is enhanced by Aaron Sorkin’s adroit script, wherein people communicate with each other in focused, fast-forward ways that we can never can quite manage in real life.

There is a subliminal and intriguing tension to this film that arises due to its being a story that is simultaneously being played out in the world through our capacity to update our opinion of it on our Facebook page as we watch. It’s as though we so much want to benefit from the promise of the future that we seek to grasp it in the present. How did this state of affairs come about? The intervals of time during which our collective knowledge doubles and technological eras bloom is continually being halved. In the midst of this technolution, we crave an increase in connections and try to condense the time it takes to make them. This isn’t all due to Mark Zuckerberg but he gave the accelerating merry-go-round a big push. ’S what happens when you marry post-adolescent hormones to nerdy insecurity and add superior technical intelligence. If only Zuckerberg’d been popular and able to get chicks, FB would never have happened. Instead, welcome to the world many of us seek to inhabit. You never know for sure how things will turn out. That’s another thing these films tell us. Admittedly, the guys in The Social Network are budding men — but if Hailee Steinfeld can be an integral part of a manly movie, so can Jesse Eisenberg.

As with the characters in all of the films on this list, the young upstarts in The Social Network find the need for connection with others, especially women — while oftentimes evolving through, and getting beyond, seeking the approval of others. While a man must rely on a certain autonomy to realize a worthy (or unworthy) goal, these movies imply that, in the end, it is the connections with others that come to matter most. In other words, when we connect with and prioritize our deepest sense of self, pursue our fondest dreams or purpose, and overcome self-imposed internal obstacles, that is when we are most able to vividly connect with and benefit others. (In that regard, it is interesting that all of these films but one are based on actual events and real people.) That’s not all there is to take away from them. A number of other themes and issues are explored and one good thing about these films is that they reward thought (unlike, say, Gamer). See them and find out the rest. Leave a comment below.

And when you want to see them, you can get tickets from Fandango.

Why go through Fandango? Well, it works best when you want to make sure you get advance tickets for a popular new release. It also enables you to avoid waiting in line at the theater (in most cases you can print out your tickets at home and just go right in when you get there, or you can pick up your ticket at a special kiosk in the lobby that hardly anyone uses; see your options when you purchase). Since the movies here have been out for awhile, you probably won’t encounter lines. But the other thing you can do is purchase gift certificates online (Fandango Bucks) and email them to someone else. Since your parents probably haven’t seen all these films yet, why not send them the gift of a superior movie? Yeah, that’s the kind of culture-hound you are.

Or you could wait for the DVD/Blu-ray. Should take about 3 – 6 months, depending on who wins tonight. (I guarantee you, True Grit is gonna look great on blu-ray when it comes out on June 7, 2011.)

The “Back to the Future” 25th Anniversary Edition Blu-ray and DVD Came Out Today

ECJ — Tue, 26 Oct 2010 20:24:23 +0000

It’s one of those movies that’s on practically everyone’s “Favorites” list. 25 years ago today, Marty McFly met Dr. Emmett Brown in the parking lot of the Twin Pines Mall, was introduced to a modified DeLorean, and the rest, as they say, is, or, uh, was, or rather, um — well, it made history.

It was the most popular movie of 1985 and the inspiration for two sequels. And the film’s fun and quirky vibe has stood the test of time (Michael J. Fox said even people in Bhutan knew about “McFly!”).

Today you can get the Back to the Future 25th Anniversary Trilogy Edition on DVD and blu-ray. This special edition has many new features, including a documentary on making the film (Robert Zemeckis called it the hardest film he ever made, due to the insane schedule and having to shoot almost the whole thing at night), commentaries, and clips, including Robert Stoltz playing Marty before he was replaced by Michael J. Fox. You get a featurette on the physics of Back to the Future and a music video of Huey Lewis and the News doing The Power of Love. Among a lot of other things. The clip below gives you an idea of the enhanced image quality on the blu-ray edition, which I highly recommend.

Get the Trilogy DVD from CD Universe, Buy.com, or Barnes & Noble (pick your price and delivery options).

Or get the Trilogy blu-ray from CD Universe, Buy.com, or Barnes & Noble.

Of course, the videos are not all I’m going to mention (here at Best Stuff for Men we’re all about adding value). Further enjoy the Back to the Future milieu with the following memorabilia. Great Scott!

Below are:

Marty’s color-changing cap from the future. Features ultra-refractive fabric and velcro closures. One size fits all.
The upgraded DeLorean from Back to the Future III. This replica is brand new out this month and features time-traveling lights and sound.
The coolest item of all: the Flux Capacitor built by Doc Brown that made the whole story possible. No corners have been cut in making this 16 x 11-inch prop replica as accurate as possible. Of course, it lights up. Put one on your wall and be the envy of your movie-savvy friends.

Marty McFly's color-changing hat

Time-traveling DeLorean from Back to the Future III

Flux Capacitor replica

Tony Curtis Was One of the Most Versatile and Popular Actors of His Generation

ECJ — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 22:08:29 +0000

He died on Wednesday, which provides us the occasion to look back on the notable, unforgettable performances he produced and introduce younger folks who may not be familiar with him to one of the more charismatic stars in the history of Hollywood (stardom is fleeting, eh?).

In a sense, Tony Curtis was the precursor of guys like Johnny Depp or… well, really, there isn’t anyone else of equal style and versatility on the contemporary scene to whom you can compare him. Few actors have more effectively combined matinee-idol looks with acting chops that expanded and became more revelatory as their careers progressed (he received a Best Actor nomination for his kinetic yet vulnerable performance in The Defiant Ones – also nominated that year were Paul Newman, Spencer Tracy, Sidney Poitier, and David Niven, quite rareified company; Niven won for Separate Tables). Better-looking than Cruise or Pitt, with a more wide-ranging acting palette than Clooney or Harrison Ford or Will Smith. As a kid, I remember watching Tony Curtis in Operation Petticoat and wanting to be like him. When an actor makes you feel that way, he’s a star.

After his worldwide popularity in movies began to wane, he pursued painting, where he achieved some not inconsiderable success — something that meant more to him than acting. He was a guy who was always looking to be creative.

Along the way he fathered Jamie Lee Curtis, so the stardom is perpetuated in that way, too.

Below are links to movies (click the images) that he helped to make classics. If you like films and aren’t familiar with Curtis, you owe it to yourself to check him out. And for those who already know, re-experience the style, the charisma…

One of the all-time manly movies (which, of course, includes Tony Curtis)