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26 décembre 2006

Ex-Miss Nevada Wants A Second Chance

Ex-Miss Nevada Wants A Second Chance
Katie Rees Apologizes For Raunchy Photos, Claims It Was An Isolated Incident

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Photo Essay

Tara Conner
Images of the beauty queen during her reign as Miss USA 2006.

Photo Essay

Miss Universe 2006
A Latin beauty from Puerto Rico was deemed to have "universal" appeal.

Photo Essay

Sin City Swimsuits
The restaurant chain famous for chicken wings and scantily-clad waitresses holds its 10th annual pageant in Las Vegas.

21 décembre 2006

Lawmaker won't apologize for 'Islamophobic' letter

Lawmaker won't apologize for 'Islamophobic' letter POSTED: 5:38 p.m. EST, December 20, 2006 Story Highlights• NEW: Virginia representative refuses to apologize for 'Islamophobic' letter • NEW: Virgil Goode said without immigration reform "more Muslims elected" • NEW: Council on American-Islamic Relations asked Goode to apologize • Goode mad that Muslim Rep. Keith Ellison wants to be sworn in with Quran Adjust font size: WASHINGTON (CNN) -- A Virginia congressman will not apologize for writing that without immigration reform "there will be many more Muslims elected to office demanding the use of the Quran," his spokesman said. Republican Rep. Virgil Goode's letter to constituents also warns that without immigration reform "we will have many more Muslims in the United States." Spokesman Linwood Duncan said Goode's letter was written in response to complaints his office received about Minnesota Rep.-elect Keith Ellison's request to be sworn in using the Quran. Ellison is the first Muslim to be elected to Congress. Goode's office released the letter to CNN Wednesday. In it, Goode wrote, "When I raise my hand to take the oath on Swearing In Day, I will have the Bible in my other hand. I do not subscribe to using the Quran in any way. "The Muslim representative from Minnesota was elected by the voters of that district and if American citizens don't wake up and adopt the Virgil Goode position on immigration there will likely be many more Muslims elected to office and demanding the use of the Quran. "We need to stop illegal immigration totally and reduce legal immigration and end the diversity visas policy pushed hard by President Clinton and allowing many persons from the Middle East to come to this country. "I fear that in the next century we will have many more Muslims in the United States if we do not adopt the strict immigration policies that I believe are necessary to preserve the values and beliefs traditional to the United States of America and to prevent our resources from being swamped." He added, "The Ten Commandments and 'In God We Trust' are on the wall in my office. A Muslim student came by the office and asked why I did not have anything on my wall about the Quran. "My response was clear, 'As long as I have the honor of representing the citizens of the 5th District of Virginia in the United States House of Representatives, the Quran is not going to be on the wall of my office.' " The Council on American-Islamic Relations asked Goode to apologize. "Rep. Goode's Islamophobic remarks send a message of intolerance that is unworthy of anyone elected to public office," the council's Corey Saylor said in a statement. "There can be no reasonable defense for such bigotry." Duncan told CNN that Goode stands by his comments

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Posté par seoblog à 14:26 - Commentaires [1] - Rétroliens [0]

18 décembre 2006

Study suggests modern drugs reduce risk of heart attacks

Study suggests modern drugs reduce risk of heart attacks 4th December 2006 By Staff Writer New research suggests that modern combination drugs significantly reduce the risk of heart attacks as early as 90 days after the start of treatment. The risk of heart attack can be reduced by more than 50% by combining a cholesterol-reducing drug, atorvastatin calcium, with a blood pressure-lowering drug amlodipine besylate, a calcium channel blocker. AdvertisementAdditionally the simultaneous initiation of atorvastatin and amlodipine treatment was about three times more effective at preventing heart attacks than adding atorvastatin, a statin, to one of the world's most widely used blood pressure-lowering drugs, atenolol, a beta-blocker. According to a principal investigator, Professor Peter Sever of the International Centre for Circulatory Health, Imperial College, London, UK, these results have major implications for physicians and their patients worldwide. The combination of amlodipine and atorvastatin demonstrates that the risk of heart attacks can be more than halved in the many patients at moderate risk who doctors see every day. In addition, there is a reduction in strokes of 25%. "However, if we continue to use older blood pressure-lowering drugs, such as atenolol, and choose only to treat high blood pressure in isolation without giving a statin, we only confer a small part of this potential benefit. As a result, the risk of heart attacks and strokes remains unacceptably high in too many patients despite treatment to blood pressure targets," professor Sever said. "It is vital that we use the right combination from the start to maximize the reduction in cardiac risk."

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Posté par seoblog à 03:05 - Commentaires [0] - Rétroliens [0]

15 décembre 2006

“奥美沙坦酯”成争夺焦点两药厂为“降压”上法庭

信报讯（记者仇兆燕）为了争夺高血压治疗药——奥美沙坦酯的归属问题，上海三共制药有限责任公司将万生药业送上了被告席。记者昨日获悉，北京第二中级人民法院已经接受了三共制药的诉讼，并将于近期开庭审理。
“我们认为这已经侵犯了三共的知识产权，因此我们提起诉讼，请求法院判令万生药业停止使用该专利方法，并赔偿损失。”三共药业的代表律师杨宏军说。三共药业还表示：三共药业花了１２年以上的时间研发了奥美沙坦酯，１９９２年申请了知识产权，并获得专利资格。但是就在他们准备将该产品投放中国市场前夕，他们发现万生药业已经向药品监督管理局递交了申请生产许可证，同时，已开始生产奥美沙坦酯，而其制造方法与三共药业相同。
与三共的厉兵秣马相比，事件的另一个主角——万生药业显得有些漠不关心。该公司市场部的严先生说“知识产权问题不是那么简单的。最终是否应诉，要和公司其他部门商议后决定。”而在整个采访过程中，严先生显得非常繁忙，记者的采访还没有结束，严先生就以有电话为由，结束了采访。
奥美沙坦酯的归属之争，实质是对中国市场的争夺。据记者了解，万生药业并不是目前惟一一家申请生产奥美沙坦酯的药业公司。从药监局的网站上记者了解到，目前全国有１０多家企业都向药监部门提出了申请生产许可的要求。但是三共药业却偏偏挑了万生药业开火。对此，三共药业的代表律师表示他们仅仅是根据客户的要求办理，而三共药业的回答也显得有些遮遮掩掩，该公司负责人表示这是由多重因素决定的。
据了解，奥美沙坦酯更是三共药业抢夺中国市场的拳头产品。三共药业（日本）统计数据显示，去年全年该产品在欧美的销售量达到了１０００亿日元。而三共也计划在２００６年正式将该药投放中国市场。因此，一旦万生药业等公司获得了生产许可证，无疑打乱了三共药业在中国市场的整体战略。

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Posté par seoblog à 07:32 - Commentaires [0] - Rétroliens [0]

A Tragic Accident’

A Tragic Accident’ A British report has concluded that Princess Diana's death was an error, not a murder plot. But the conspiracy theories aren't over yet. View related photos EDITOR'S CHOICE • Liu: The Grinch Comes to China • My Turn: The Magical Skirt • Report: Diana’s Death ‘A Tragic Accident’ • Starr: U.S. Soccer’s Sorry Season • Hirsh: More Troops for Iraq? Related Stories | What's this? • Dickey: Five Fatal Decisions Killed Diana • Is New 'Queen' Film Fair to Princess Diana? • Some Quotes on Probe Into Diana's Death • Al Fayed: Diana crash report 'outrageous' advertisement SEARCH THE SITE Web Exclusive By William Underhill Newsweek Updated: 1:38 p.m. ET Dec. 14, 2006 Dec. 14, 2006 - It took a budget of almost $4 million, three years of investigations, the study of more than 600 exhibits and interviews with over 300 people. Every aspect of the affair was re-examined. New eyewitnesses were found and questioned. Among those quizzed were intelligence agents and members of the royal family. And the result? Confirmation of a truth accepted long ago by all but the wildest skeptics. Story continues below ↓ Put simply, the evidence amassed by Lord John Stevens, former boss of London’s Metropolitan Police, leads to just one conclusion. According to his report, published today, the crash that claimed the lives of Princess Diana and her boyfriend Dodi Fayed in a Paris underpass in the early hours of Aug. 31, 1997, was no more than “a tragic accident” attributable perhaps to a drunken error by chauffeur Henri Paul speeding to elude the pursuing swarm of paparazzi. Of course, such a humdrum explanation—confirming an earlier finding by French authorities—will disappoint the legion of conspiracy theorists who have spent the last nine years gathering “evidence” of a murder plot and subsequent cover-up. Some polls suggest that up to one third of the British public believe dark forces were at work in Paris. A leading proponent of this theory: Mohamed Al Fayed, father of Dodi, who has alleged that both the royal family and the British security establishment may have been trying to stop the mother of an heir to the throne from marrying a Muslim. But Lord Stevens was emphatic. Sure, there were still gaps in the narrative. Who for example was driving the mysterious white Fiat Uno that struck the Mercedes just before the fatal collision? Some facts might never be known for certain, but his 832-page report left no room for alternative explanations. “I am satisfied that no attempt has been made to hold back information, and we are confident that the allegations made are unfounded,” Lord Stevens said at a press conference in London today.louis vuitton Replica Rolex Rolex Replica Sex Furniture Sex Chair louis vuitton replica watch replica rolex China CCC power cord European power cord power cord wholesale bags wholesale wooden toys

Posté par seoblog à 04:00 - Commentaires [0] - Rétroliens [0]

06 décembre 2006

Burned Fort Clatsop replica is rebuilt, ready to open

Tuesday, December 05, 2006
DEAN BAKER Columbian staff writer
Visitors take a break inside the old Fort Clatsop replica near Astoia, Ore., in May 2003. Destroyed by fire, the replica has been replaced, thanks to almost 700 volunteers. (Files/The Columbian)

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The reconstructed log stockade, patterned after the fort where Lewis and Clark spent the winter of 1805-1806, will be dedicated at 11 a.m. That is 14 months after a 50-year-old replica fort was destroyed by an accidental fire on Oct. 3, 2005.

"We hope the volunteers, donors, 1955 builders, emergency service workers, friends and families will come," Chip Jenkins, superintendent of the Lewis and Clark National Historical Park, said in a press release. "Anyone who wants to see the new fort and celebrate is welcome."

The first replica was built by community volunteers over 18 months in 1954 and 1955 to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Lewis and Clark Expedition.

Construction of the new 50-by-50-foot Fort Clatsop began one year ago on Dec. 10, 2005, exactly 200 years after Lewis and Clark and the Corps of Discovery began work on the original fort.

Last year, on the first day of work, 125 volunteers turned out to help debark logs at the Clatsop County Fairgrounds and kicked off unprecedented volunteer help. Almost 700 volunteers prepared logs for construction, hauled them to the building site and made furniture.

Similar volunteer work a half-century ago led directly to the creation of the Fort Clatsop National Memorial.

In 2004, this same community leadership led to expansion and renaming of the park. It's now the Lewis and Clark National Historical Park, with 12 parcels managed in partnership with Oregon and Washington state parks, stretching along 40 miles of the rugged Pacific Coast.

That national park includes Station Camp, Cape Disappointment and Dismal Nitch in Washington.

When Lewis and Clark arrived, the Fort Clatsop area was an old-growth forest and a wetlands where wildlife was plentiful. Once they built the fort, the explorers spent the winter learning from the Clatsop people, making moccasins and buckskin clothing, storing food and reworking their maps and journals in preparation for their long journey back to St. Louis.

In addition to the 11 a.m. dedication Saturday, there will be special programs and activities throughout the day including a ceremony to award Junior Ranger badges to kids.

Jenkins asked spectators to arrive early for Saturday's dedication and to park at the Fort Clatsop Visitor Center and Netul Landing. A free shuttle will connect Netul Landing and Fort Clatsop. People can also walk the Netul River Trail between Netul Landing and Fort Clatsop.

The event is free. The park is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

If you go

What: Fort Clatsop dedication.

When: 11 a.m. Saturday.

Where: Fort Clatsop, 92343 Fort Clatsop Road, Astoria, Ore.

Visitor information: 503-861-2471, ext. 214.

On the web: tinyurl.com/w8ygv or tinyurl.com/yy6ptq.

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Posté par seoblog à 05:28 - Commentaires [0] - Rétroliens [0]

24 octobre 2006

Lexmark E250dn

Lexmark E250dn
M. David Stone - PC Magazine

Oct. 19

Color lasers may be the wave of the future, but monochrome lasers aren't going to disappear anytime soon, especially not with models such as the Lexmark E250dn ($249 direct) available. The E250dn is not only the right size and price for a small office, or even a home office with heavy printing needs; it also offers all the features a typical small office could hope for, including a network connector, a built-in duplexer to make it easy to print on both sides of the page, and an eye-catching 30-pages-per-minute (ppm) engine rating.

The E250dn is part of a new line of monochrome lasers that most notably includes the E250d ($199 direct), which Lexmark says is identical to the E250dn but without the network connector. The other three models in the line—the E350d ($349), E352dn ($449), and E450dn ($599)—are similar in most ways but are built around an even faster engine, rated at 35 ppm. Lexmark likes to emphasize the "green" in these printers, with features that include duplexing on every model (to help save paper) and an instant warm-up fuser that both saves power and speeds up the time it takes to print the first page from a cold start.

Although the E250dn is far from the smallest monochrome laser printer I've seen—that honor still belongs to the much less-expensive and slower HP LaserJet 1018—it's small and light enough, at 10.2 by 15.6 by 14.1 inches (HWD) and 25 pounds, so you shouldn't have any trouble making room for it. Setup is standard for the breed, consisting of little more than removing the packing materials, loading paper, plugging in the cable and power cord, and running the automated installation routine.

Speed is one of the best arguments for buying the E250dn. The printer's total time on our business applications suite (timed with QualityLogic's hardware and software, www.qualitylogic.com) was just 6 minutes 19 seconds—essentially tied with the Brother HL-5250dn for by far the fastest printer for the price. It's significantly faster than the 7:11 total of the next fastest, the Dell Laser Printer 1710n.

The E250dn's output quality is pretty much what I'd expect to see from a monochrome laser, although the text is a touch less than ideal. The best monochrome lasers print more than half our test fonts well enough to qualify as easily readable at 4 points, with none needing more than 12 points. With the E250dn, more than half of our test fonts were easily readable at 5 points, some were easily readable at 4 points, and one highly stylized font with thick strokes needed more than 12 points. Unless you have a strong need for small fonts, however, the E250dn can handle any text you need to print.

Graphics quality was absolutely par for the course. I'd use it for any internal business purpose without a second thought, but I wouldn't hand its output to important clients or customers if I were trying to impress them with my professionalism. The biggest problem was a tendency for thin lines to disappear. I also saw some banding and some uneven pile height—with toner piled high in some spots but not others, so light reflected better from those spots and showed a pattern in what should be an even fill.

For printing photos, the E250dn isn't quite a match for most monochrome lasers, but that's not bad enough to be a problem. The photos are certainly good enough for things such as client newsletters and printing Web pages, which are the most common reasons for printing photos on a monochrome laser.

The E250dn's paper handling complements its high speed. The standard paper tray holds a reasonably ample 250 sheets, with a manual feed slot also available, and, of course, the internal duplexer standard. For more heavy-duty needs, a 550-sheet tray ($199 direct) boosts the capacity to 800 sheets. Lexmark says that a 250-sheet ($99) tray will be available in the first quarter of 2007 as well. All told, the total package offers a well-thought-out balance of speed, quality, and paper handling that makes the Lexmark E250dn easy to recommend.

See how the Lexmark E250dn measures up to similar machines in our laser printer comparison chart.

Benchmark Test Results
Check out the Lexmark E250dn's test results.

More laser printer reviews:

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Posté par seoblog à 03:09 - Commentaires [0] - Rétroliens [0]

22 septembre 2006

Bermuda braces as Florence becomes hurricane

Bermuda braces as Florence becomes hurricane (CNN) -- Tropical storm Florence intensified into a Category 1 hurricane Sunday as it cut a path through the Atlantic and headed toward Bermuda with winds gusting up to 75 miles per hour, National Hurricane Center forecasters said Sunday. The storm's center was about 360 miles south of the tiny British territory, moving north-northwest, the NHC said. Forecasters warn of storm force winds could reach 260 miles from its epicenter. Bermuda residents should be making preparations to protect their lives and property as the storm system inched closer to the small island chain, The Bermuda Weather Service warned earlier. NHC forecasters kept a Hurricane Watch and Tropical Storm Warning in effect for Bermuda, which means hurricane and tropical storm conditions are expected within 24 to 36 hours. A hurricane warning will likely be issued later Sunday. Florence was ranked as a Category 1 Hurricane at 2 a.m., but forecasters predicted the storm could strengthen to a Category 2 storm, with winds in excess of 96 mph, when is passes near Bermuda early Monday. Large ocean swells of up to 8 feet and dangerous surf, including rip currents, were affecting Bermuda's coast, as well as the northern Leeward Islands, the Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, Hispaniola and Bermuda, the hurricane center said. Weather forecasters in Bermuda said on its current track, the center of Florence could pass less than 10 miles from the islands. However, because of the erratic nature of hurricane movement, such long-range predictions can vary. The storm is still not seen as a threat to the U.S. East Coast because it is expected to veer off to the northeast, out into the Atlantic Ocean, after passing Bermuda. However, forecasters warned that large swells and dangerous surf would begin affecting the U.S. coastal areas Sunday morning. Florence follows on the heels of Tropical Storm Ernesto, which was this season's first hurricane before it weakened over the U.S. east coast last weak. In boatyards and marinas in Bermuda -- a wealthy island chain 640 miles east of the U.S. coast -- boat owners dragged their yachts onto beaches or secured their moorings, according to The Associated Press. At Pitts Bay marina, Bermudian Alan Hughes moved his 17-foot Boston Whaler away from the dock wall and tied it down. "We are obviously concerned and cautious. It will be a tidal issue, with up to five or six foot tidal swells," he told AP. At the Fairmont Hamilton Princess, guests were supplied with a disaster plan -- which included provisions for evacuation -- and told that patio furniture would be removed from their rooms. Roy Riggio, a 72-year-old volunteer counselor with Medicare from New Canaan, Connecticut, said he and his wife, Barbara, arrived in Bermuda on Friday. As other guests at the Fairmont were leaving, Riggio said he didn't believe the hurricane would deter him and his wife and he wanted a "window seat" at the hotel's restaurant on Sunday night to watch the storm. "If not, I'm going to take pictures from my room -- I have a room up at the top of the hotel -- and I want to get some photos. I'm not a glutton for punishment, but it's exciting," he told AP. The news agency reported that the island's only airport, Bermuda International Airport, was to close at 9 p.m. ET and was not expected to reopen until late Tuesday at the earliest, said Acting General Manager Aaron Adderley. Flights from New York and Miami scheduled to arrive late Saturday have been canceled. Apparel and Accessories Computer Accessories Computers and Accessories Discount Computer Accessories Discount Computer accessory Accessories for laptop Computers Cheap Computer Accesory Cheap Computer Accessories Barbecue Accessories Barbecue Accessory BBQ accessory BBQ Accessories Garden Accessories Gardening Accessories

Posté par seoblog à 17:08 - Commentaires [0] - Rétroliens [0]

Elegance, style going too far outside the house

Elegance, style going too far outside the house OLYMPIA LIGHTING The Shadea-lier from Olympia Lighting is a weatherproof, shaded chandelier designed for outdoor use. The molded resin fixture is available in 11 finishes, and the shades can be ordered in all Sunbrella acrylic fabrics. We are taking this outdoor room thing a little too far. First, it was the outdoor kitchen outfitted with a built-in grill and oven, a refrigerator and a sink with hot and cold running water. There are even dishwashers for outdoor kitchens. The kitchen was followed by the outdoor living room with sofas, easy chairs, coffee tables, lamps and roomsize rugs — all with the look and feel of indoor furnishings. Then came the notice from the American Home Furnishings Alliance that Americans are clamoring for outdoor breakfast rooms. I recently received promotional materials for outdoor great rooms, including chandeliers, formal dining tables, big-screen televisions and wet bars. Kitchens, living rooms, breakfast rooms and great rooms. Pretty soon, we’ll have moved the whole house outdoors. It gives new meaning to the term "patio home." A survey by the Furnishings Alliance, an industry trade group, found that 42 percent of homeowners think of their outdoor space as an outdoor room. The basic backyard patio has blossomed into a fully finished living space that’s an extension of a home’s family room, said Leslie Wheeler, spokeswoman for the Hearth, Patio and Barbecue Association in Arlington, Va. "The trend toward more casual living and entertaining is what has driven this move to the outdoor rooms," she said. A survey by her group and the National Association of Home Builders found that patios and porches are among the top three features wanted by new-home buyers, Wheeler said. Almost half of all new houses (46 percent) include patios and 53 percent have porches, the U.S. Census Bureau reported earlier this year. Those areas are being converted into outdoor rooms and are being furnished and decorated to the hilt. Outdoor decor has taken on the flowery descriptions once reserved for formal living rooms. "The look is pure elegance, pure tranquility, pure harmony," said Richard Frinier, a Century Leisure furniture designer. Wheeler agreed that outdoor furnishings have a new touch of class. "It’s not cheesy stuff the way it used to be. Throw pillows, for instance: Who would have thought we’d see throw pillows on porch furniture? " People also are buying basic fire pits or full-fledged built-in fireplaces for the same reason they have an indoor fireplace. "It’s for the ambience," she said. Creating an outdoor room with the look of pure elegance can be costly. Wheeler’s group notes that some people are spending as much as $50,000 to create and equip their outdoor rooms. I once bought a four-bedroom, two-story house in Clintonville for less than that. More than a third of the homeowners surveyed by the Furnishings Alliance said they were not satisfied with their home’s outdoor living space. My guess is that the dissatisfaction was sparked by the proliferation of fire pits, fireplaces and patio heaters to warm an outdoor space on crisp autumn nights. People with heated outdoor rooms probably want outdoor air conditioning, too. Baby boomers, in particular, are spending more time and money on their patios, Wheeler noted. "This is definitely a trend we are going to see for a while," she said. I predict this trend of moving more rooms outdoors will end with the bathroom. I used to spend time on a farm with outdoor bathrooms. People who want outdoor chandeliers and throw pillows aren’t ready for outhouses — especially on a hot summer day with no air conditioning. kid scooter electric scooter gazebo kits wooden gazebo metal gazebo lawn and garden products plastic bags laptop bags hand bags travel bags body building supplements Ice Cream Machines Beauty supply Party Supply

Posté par seoblog à 17:07 - Commentaires [0] - Rétroliens [0]

12 septembre 2006

Strumdinger of an idea

Strumdinger of an idea
By Richard Garfield

Jeannette Schael and Dave Reece
OFFERING credit to youngsters may sound like a tune that will rock many parents.

But that is not the case for Tadley-based Schael Guitars, which has won praise from parents for offering credit to teenagers wishing to commission inspirational hand-painted guitars without the sting of interest rates or extra charges.

Artist Jeannette Schael, 45, and her business partner musician Dave Reece, 50, have developed a niche market with their unique, hand-painted customised guitars.

And they are happy to offer credit to children as young as 13, despite a recent Datamonitor report revealing that more than one in five adults are refused credit in the UK.

continued...

The pair mostly do commission work for music shops, replicating famous paintings on guitars, such as Edvard Munch's The Scream.

Ms Schael said: "We developed the idea for customers to have whatever they want on their guitars, particularly for young people who have incredible and vivid imaginations and want their own guitar."

With prices starting at about £450, the cost of the personalised guitars could put them out of reach for many young people, so the business partners came up with an unusual idea.

"We thought, Why not give our young customers the opportunity of paying for it themselves with manageable instalments while their guitar is being made?'," said Ms Schael.

"They can see how it progresses, as we show them in stages, and they can ask us questions.

"Obviously, they are more willing to clear the balance because they don't take the guitar away until they have paid for it."

And, equally importantly, she added: "We make the spread of the instalments manageable for them."

Fifteen-year-old David Roberts, from Tadley, is a repeat customer who set the trend when he commissioned his first Schael guitar for his 14th birthday by doing odd jobs such as decorating.

Now the proud owner of a "Heaven and Hell" Schael guitar, inspired by 19th century Spanish artist Goya, Robert said: "For my second commission to mark my 15th birthday, I embarked on a 390-day saving spree to pay for my guitar, which I know will bring me decades of good playing."

One of the parents supporting the instalment plan is Ann McGill, from Basingstoke, who sees the value in investing in and helping Schael to design a unique, personalised instrument that will help to motivate the customer.

Mrs McGill said: "This is many children's first vital life experience in understanding that money doesn't grow on trees."

Her 15-year-old daughter Emma said: "After school, I helped my mother working from home, packing passenger travel bags for a major airline, to raise the money for my guitar."

Despite being paid only four pence per bag, she still raised the money to pay for her Schael instrument in less than three months. The design concept she helped create for her guitar was loosely based on American post-war artist Jackson Pollock.

The daughter of a diplomat, Ms Schael - who was born in Venezuela and brought up in San Francisco - started making money through painting at the age of 14.

And she has been encouraged by the success of the instalment plan.

"I think it's wonderful for youngsters to be responsible at an early age. This is encouraging them to pay out of their own pockets, so they appreciate the guitar and learn more."

The instalment plan is also open to adults, as discovered by marine biologist Nick Wood, whose guitar features tropical aquatics.

The 52-year-old, from Hook, said: "I found that, as a left-handed guitarist, there was very little choice available to me. With Schael Guitars, I had the choice of guitar and artwork."

To find out more about Schael Guitars,

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Posté par seoblog à 10:09 - Commentaires [1] - Rétroliens [0]

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