The election is a mere week away and it seems to be bringing out the worst in people. Palin in a noose as part of a Halloween display? A plot to assassinate Obama? It’s terrifying, regardless of what side of the coin you’re on. How, exactly, did things go so awry? It seems the proverbial you-know-what has hit the you-know-what.
I’ve always been interested in the goings-on of the government, but I’ve never felt so deeply invested in what’s been happening in our country than I do right now. And the hits just keep on coming.
There’s the economy, of course. Though it pains
Category: Uncategorized
It’s Real. It’s How People Feel.
Fear cannot be banished, but it can be calm and without panic; it can be mitigated by reason and evaluation. « Vannevar Bush, American scientist (1890 – 1974)
Like many Americans, I have been watching the national news a lot lately. On CNN recently, there was an interview with Suze Orman,
personal finance expert. In this interview, she answered the question: Is the financial fear and panic occurring on Wall Street and throughout the nation counterproductive? Her answer, “It is not counterproductive, it’s real. It’s how people feel and the markets are made up of how people feel. They buy or they sell
The Blacklist
A short while after the infamous and tragic Hollywood blacklist began to slowly unravel, another was in its infancy. This list, albeit less sinister and more shallow, was perhaps equally reviled and much more long-standing. Depending on how you define the word “law,” it, too, had to do with flouting some serious violations. Style violations, that is.
In 1960, designer, and one could say, professional judger Richard “Mr.” Blackwell, threw down the gauntlet against high crimes of fashion with his first “10 Worst-Dressed Women” list. Though his turns of phrase were unerringly salty (personal faves: “a trio of truck stop fashion tragedies” and
Let’s Hear About Those New Hires
Don’t be shy folks. We want to hear all about! Whose new? Whose hot (as in selling well, etc…)? And who just landed the well-deserved promotion. It’s a small industry after all, so drop me a line and get the word out there.
Jones Joins Fame Fabrics
Woodstock, Georgia-based Fame Fabrics, a manufacturer of uniform apparel, announced the addition of Dean Jones as regional sales manager for the Southeast covering Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee. Jones brings 22 years of apparel and textile sales and service experience with him to Fame Fabrics. Jones is an experienced industry veteran with vast
Good Look
I just need to take a moment to call everyone’s attention to the new Women’s Vineyard Jacket from Charles River. It’s on page 10 in the catalog, and here’s the link:
www.charlesriverapparel.com/CGI-BIN/LANSAWEB?WEBEVENT+L6F83209B4A8137004C3C016+A01+ENG).
I’m going to go out on a limb here and say this might be one of the cutest, most stylish promotional jackets I’ve ever seen.
Hopefully, this is a harbinger of what 2009 will bring to the industry. For one thing, forget the six-month lag. This piece is right in line with current retail trends.
Plus, a defined waistline makes for a really flattering, classic look (see any
Joffrey’s Coffee Brews Java For Bloggers
Here’s some news that will surely keep bloggers up at night:
Tampa, Florida-based Joffrey’s Coffee & Tea Company announced it is launching a new blend, Coffee 2.0, as the perfect complement to the java-fueled techie. The blend is inspired by the more than 1,500 bloggers who participated in a recent java beta test coordinated by Joffrey’s Coffee & Tea Company, where they sampled its Jamaican Me Crazy flavored coffee.
Bloggers participating in the java beta test sampling program also filled out a survey about their coffee preferences. Survey results showed 93 percent of bloggers prefer regular coffee, while a mere seven percent prefer decaf.
Magna-Tel Inc. Grows Community Garden
Cape Girardeau, Missouri-based Magna-Tel Inc. announced it has implemented several initiatives to help make its business location more environmentally friendly in 2008.
In May of this year, Magna-Tel and its employees started the Magna-Tel community garden. Magna-Tel provided dirt, seeds, plants and other necessary supplies. Magna-Tel employees donated their time tilling the land, planting, weeding, watering and picking. Magna-Tel hopes to add fruit trees near the garden later this year. To protect the plants from insects, a homemade organic insecticidal soap spray, which is 100 percent environmentally friendly, is used when needed.
In addition, Magna-Tel has an energy task force that continually works on
Guilt Trip
We travel a lot as an industry, I’ve come to learn. And being that I just finished my first-ever promotional products trade-show cycle, I feel a little trepidation at the thought of starting all over come January. I just booked my flights for ASI Orlando and I’m tired already.
I realize making face-to-face connections is invaluable, particularly with you party animals, and maybe that alone is worth the price of admission (flights, booths/accoutrement, shipping, client dinners, etc.). But in terms of ROI, at what point do they stop being valuable and start becoming “same old, same old”? How many times a year do
Selco Introduces True North Compass Collection
The Selco Companies, based in Tulsa, Okla., announced the introduction of its True North Compass Collection. The collection contains a variety of wooden, boxed desk compasses that have proven popular for a variety of promotional programs. Mentioned programs include corporate training, mergers and acquisitions, travel incentives, and new product launches. The compasses come with imprinting and engraving options.
About the Selco Companies:
As a manufacturer and supplier of custom imprinted and die-struck medallion watches, clocks, compasses and high-tech products, Selco products are available internationally through promotional products distributors. The company was established in 1935.
For more information on The Selco Companies, visit www.selcocompanies.com
Fastbadge Comes Fighting Back
Slidell, Louisiana-based Fastbadge announced it has reopened its doors after Hurricane Gustav forced mandatory closures and evacuations. While the company is still experiencing limited pick-up services from FedEx and the United Parcel Service, the company stressed the limitations would be short-lived and further that it is currently shipping some orders. Fastbadge thanks customers for showing further patience as the final few employees return to town and the company returns to a full workforce.
For more information on Fastbadge, visit www.fastbadge.com
Greater China Holds Steady
Greater China Industries, based in Bellvue, Wash., announced it will honor 2008 prices for distributors on the next price quote