Like most people, I was deeply alarmed by the spate of recalls of toys from retailer shelves, allegedly because these toys had exceedingly high levels of lead that could cause brain and nerve damage in children if they happened to chew on the toys. And of course, children being children, they will chew on whatever they get their mouths on – my niece likes to chew on her feet, but has branched out into putting practically anything into her mouth now.The problem with toys that are made in China (where most of the lead-laden toys were found to have been made by Chinese subcontractors), is that the US mother company has to conduct frequent testing and inspection of the numerous batches that are churned out by these Chinese companies. So that means even if they test product 123, if product 456 has slipped past the inspector then product 456 could still contain a relatively high degree of lead. Basically, the US mother company can filter the products that come in but cannot purify the product stream totally free of lead-laden toys.How does lead manage to get into toys anyway? Are the toy manufacturers and subcontractors evil people who deliberately put lead into these toys in the hopes of annihilating the next generation of humans? Not necessarily. The most common way for toys to get lead is if paint with some lead in it is applied on the toy – like with toy cars, toy alphabet blocks, or other types of toys. So if a child who likes to put toys in her mouth gets a mouthful of lead paint as well, then lead poisoning results.Lead doesn’t have to be as obvious as paint chips on your child’s lips – actually lead can be absorbed through your skin in microscopic form even as dust. This is why lead poisoning may not be suspected until it is way too late.

Just recently, my mother-in-law gave me two pieces of gold rings.  One has a big,jade stone and the other, a lady ring with a shimmering ruby stone.  These aren’t my birth stones but I kept them on my jewelry box.  Husband told me that these rings are older than him. (He is five years older than me) Whoa! Rings are quite older indeed!  As far as he could recall, those rings were already worn by his Mom when he was just a little boy.

I wonder about their real value.  Of course, they are quite sentimental.  No, it isn’t advised that I bring them to pawnshops. Pawnshops usually appraise jewelries at least 30% lesser.  And some pawnshops do not include in their appraisal the stones, only the gold band.  Actually, the stones look like diamonds and shaped like diamonds, but how about the carats.  I definitely don’t have ideas before.  But generally, you have to take into consideration the quality of materials used, level of craftsmanship, and overall design.  The internet and some websites could be of help in choosing diamond jewelries in platinum or in gold, versatile earrings and gorgeous bracelets.  Such jewels could be valuable heirlooms increasing their monetary values on years to come.

I just wish I could own a collection of diamonds.  A set of earrings, a pendant and necklace, a bracelet and a ring.  I could pass this down to my daughter.  Owning at least a few pieces signifies a certain economic status and pride.

Over the years, I have collected earrings of every kind to complement the color of the outfits that I am wearing. It does not matter to me what the price of the pair is – I bought earrings from flea markets which are dirt cheap – while the most expensive ones, I consider to be an investment. If you have a collection of precious gem stones, or genuine pearl, gold or silver earrings, they might be worth a significant amount of money in the future because the prices of these items do not necessarily depreciate. My tip for all the jewelry lovers out there is to choose the style or color of jewelry that matches the color of the dress, shirt or skirt that you are wearing. Sometimes, a simple gold stud earring goes perfectly well with a loud-colored outfit. Or, when you are wearing something plain like white shirt and jeans, wearing chunky jewelry pieces like a row of multi-colored bracelets on your wrist serves as an accent to your overall look. All in all, wearing, collecting and buying jewelry is a fun activity that women of all ages most definitely enjoy.

I love looking at, pausing for and taking pictures but I admit it: I am a digital camera novice. When taking pictures, I sort of know how to put the person or object that I am photographing in the center of the lens, but I am clueless when it comes to the intricacies of digital cameras. I asked a friend about a few tips on what I should look for when I first purchase my very own digital camera, and he said that I should look at the specs like the megapixel – mega what? It’s a good thing that he is patient, and he explained the term to me as if he were explaining to a child. Anyway, I do plan to buy my own digital camera in the very near future, so I brushed up a little on the subject called ‘Digital Camera Buying 101’. Here’s what I learned.

First, there are a lot of models, brands and types of digital cameras out there. Just like what my pal said, one of the very first things that you should look for is the megapixel count, which is where the outcome of the photos depends. However, due to more and more affordable and high-megapixel cameras being sold in the market today, I decided that a 5-megapixel camera will do just fine for me. Next, you need to know what you will be using the camera for. If you plan to be a semi-professional digital photographer someday, you may want to look for extra features like optical zoom, manual focus, etc. If you often print out the pictures that you take, then choose a camera which takes pictures that look great on photo paper. As a final step, I searched the Internet for some reviews on the most affordable yet good quality digital cameras available in the market today. I think that my research has paid off – I have narrowed down my choices to three brands and models.  All I need to do now is run to the store and check out for myself if I will feel like a paparazzi shooting pictures of celebrities when I finally buy my very first digital camera. Happy picture-taking!

So as a tribute to all the couples out there who are busy planning (and happily arguing about) their wedding, here is a quick list of how they can choose the perfect wedding rings:  First, you need to choose between a plain gold, white gold, platinum or silver band – or a wedding ring with precious stones as accents. Remember that you need to wear your wedding ring on a daily basis, so choose a style or setting which will not interfere with your work or daily activities. Second, you should definitely think about personalizing your wedding band. A quote engraved on the inside of the ring which can ideally be part of your wedding vows is a good way to go. Or, you can have both of your names etched on the inside of the rings, along with the date of your wedding. Third, choose a wedding ring that will complement the bride’s engagement ring. The possibilities are endless when it comes to choosing wedding rings for a soon-to-be-married couple. No matter how expensive the ring is, or if it is just the opposite, what you need to remember is that it is a symbol of your love for each other and you should exert extra time and effort in choosing the perfect wedding bands.

The best option is to rent a safe deposit box at your local bank. Another choice is to use a professional safe (but the cost may be prohibitive.)

You can still beat these criminals at their game by using a diversion safe.  A diversion safe differs from the standard steel lockbox safe since it is actually made to appear like other things (such as a thick book or a softdrink can) so that a burglar will not suspect these contain valuables.

The top or bottom of a diversion safe can be detached from the body so that valuables may be placed within the safe. In addition, if a burglar were to lift the diversion safe, he would not suspect that it contains valuables since the safe is weighed – the safe will seem normal.

A diversion safe is less expensive than a standard safe that costs $50. If you were to buy a soda pop diversion safe, you would have to shell out less than $20. On the other hand, a fake wall socket is priced at about $10. Unusually large storage space is provided by a faux florescent light container at a price of around $20. If you need to hide a copy of your entrance key outside the house, you can avail of a fake stone diversion safe worth about $10.

College students who board in dorms, and who may not trust their roommates will probably appreciate a gift in the form of a diversion safe. However, the only downside to diversion safes is that they are not fireproof.

One alternative to regular firearms would be an electric shock gun (also known as a stun gun.) A misconception about stun guns is that they are taser (or tazer) guns. Actually, the name Taser is applied to a weapon which propels shocking electrodes at an assailant. The problem with Taser is that it requires that a fresh air cartridge be loaded after every shot. This is where a stun gun differs from a Taser – a stun gun may be used many times during an assault by different attackers. A stun gun temporarily prevents muscle activity, rendering the attacker helpless.

Unfortunately, many people believe that only policemen should go after ruthless criminals. These people frown on the idea that a person should defend himself. This is unfair to potential victims – they can only prevent an attack on themselves if they were carrying around effective gadgets at the time of the assault. When the criminal has been rendered incapacitated, then you can turn him over to the police.

Another unfortunate perception about stun guns is that these are used by abusive policemen on innocent civilians. The reality is that stun guns are actually great weapons for protecting people yet do not permanently harm or kill their opponents.

So don’t be another victim of physical assault – get yourself a stun gun. It is better to be safe than sorry.