Politics Crashes into NFL

September 24, 2017

We sell a lot of different sports calendars here, including every team in the National Football League.  As such, we watch a lot of games to keep up with the action.  In fact, it's a great escape from the rest of the world, what with all the news and politics devoted to our dear leader.  Unfortunately, they intersected this weekend when the Idiot spoke out against NFL players kneeling for national anthem.  What happened as a result?  Dozens more kneeled in protest and one eved in the MLB.



NFL All Team Desk Calendar

The Idiot is simply throwing red meat to his neo-nazi base and they are eating it up.  He is also purposely distracting from real issues, like getting help for the citizens in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.  The braindead mainstream media followed in lock-step, giving this 'story' wall-to-wall coverage at the behest of nearly everything esle.  You see, the media covers this guy and only this guy all day every day.  Gone are days when cable news actually covered, well news.  Actual news doesn't get ratings to tick up, but this bomb-throwing dotard moves the needle.  Therefore, the "news" media has devolved into Trump TV, and he is playing them so easily.  Sports, therefore, is supposed to be that escape.

What we should do is ignore this blowhard and he will (hopefully) go away in 3 1/2 years.  He is already a lameduck president with a low approval rating and no ability to pass any legislation in Washington.  The last thing we should be discussing is his view of the NFL.  Nobody cares, or at least nobody should care.  He's just a senile old man in a temp job, nothing more.  Whatever maniacal bill he does pass while in office can be overturned in short order.  He is nothing.  So watch your football and baseball, buy my calendars, ignore the political ramblings of a loser, and try to enjoy sports again.

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Calendar of the Week

September 22, 2017

The German elections are being held this week and citizens will get to decide if Chancellor Angela Merkel will retain power for another four year term to extend her current reign of twelve years.  Unlike the U.S., the leader in Germany is not restricted to eight years as the head of state.  The conservative Merkel was elected in '05 during Bush's term, and has already lasted into Donald's.  If elected again, she'd  outlast him as well, unless the American people are stupid enough to vote for him twice.



Germany 2018 Wall Calendar

It is highly doubtful that anything shocking occurs this weekend in the way Brexit happpened in the U.K. and Trump's victory in the U.S.  Chancellor Merkel's party is expected to win comfortably and she will soon embark on her fourth term as leader of Germany.  She'll preside over the beautiful country seen in these 2018 calendars that is rich in history and culture.  While the voting elects her party and not her specifically, it is entirely expected that she will retain her position as leader of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) party.

Germany has become the de-facto head of the European Union as well, especially with the United Kingdom set to leave.  Nothing gets done within the EU without the tacit approval of the nation and its goverment officials, so people are also going to the polls to implicitly vote on the future direction of Europe.  It's worth noting as well that former President Barack Obama fully supports Angela Merkel and her government, despite the fact the her politics is center-right.  He knows she's been a great leader for Germany and will continue to stabilize the region.

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Maria Slams into Dominica

September 18, 2017

A little more than 24 hours ago, Maria was just a small tropical storm in the Atlantic Ocean.  Now it's a monster Category 5 hurricane with winds hitting 160mph as it slammed into the sovereign island nation of Dominica in the Caribbean, home to over seventy thousand residents.  Maria underwent a rapid intensification that saw the wind speed skyrocket from 130mph at the 5pm update from the National Hurricane Center (NHC) to a staggering 160mph.



Unfortunately, it was a direct hit to Dominica as a Category 5, which does not bode well for their people.  In fact, the Prime Minister of Dominica had to be rescued from his own house after the roof blew off.  He had been updating his status live, but was at the mercy of the storm without a roof.  As the hurricane is hitting at night, we'll have to wait until tomorrow to assess the damage, but the expectation is that most homes will be damaged or destroyed, much like they were in St. Martin, Barbuda, and the Virgin Islands as Hurricane Irma came through.

Next in the path of this vicious hurricane are the Virgin Islands and the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico.  While PR did avoid a direct hit from Irma, it did suffer extensive damage to their electrical grid from tropical storm force winds.  Thousands of people are still without power and trying to recover as Maria bears down on them.  They have about a day to prepare before Hurricane Maria hits them with roughly the same winds that Dominica is facing tonight.  While they could get lucky and see the storm could jog north and miss hitting Puerto Rico directly, that is not the current expectation.

If Puerto Rico does suffer a hit from a Category 5 hurricane, it will be devastated.  Their infrastructure is very fragile and could collapse very easily.  They are already rationing essential items like water, baby formula, and other types of food as there's not enough to go around and very little time to re-supply the stores.  It remains to be seen how strong Maria will be tomorrow night and where exactly it goes, but let us hope it slips through the islands and moves out to sea without hitting anything else.

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Jose Becomes Hurricane Again

September 15, 2017

It looks like folks on the eastern seaboard of the United States have to pay attention to another hurricane churning in the Atlantic.  Hurricane Jose, who has been meandering for weeks is now a threat to the coast as it could hit anywhere from North Carolina up to New England.  The most likely probability is still that it turns east and heads back out to sea, but there is a distinct possibility that it makes landfall.  In addition, while the storm is only a Category 1 hurricane with winds at just 75mph, it is expected to strengthen over the weekend.



If it does make landfall, the most likely place would be in southern New England in that Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts border as those states are about completely inside the cone.  It wouldn't hit until Wednesday, so there is plenty of time for the storm to make a turn and not cause a problem.  However, it is something to watch especially since Hurricane Jose was previously a strong Category 4 hurricane with top sustained winds of 155 mph when it was approaching the Leeward Islands.  It weakened considerably since and was downgraded all the way back to a tropical storm before the 5pm advisory today bumped it back up to a hurricane.

We will be keeping an eye on it and hoping it quietly goes back out to sea without any issue.  The U.S. already has its hands full with recovery efforts in Florida, Texas, and the Caribbean islands to need to worry about another hurricane that would cause more damage.
 
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Calendar of the Week

September 12, 2017

It's not every day that the Cleveland Indians have been on the verge of history, but after winning an incredible 19 games in a row, they look to tie the all-time record of 20 set by the Oakland A's in their Moneyball days.  The Indians are competing against the Detroit Tigers tonight and could break the record tomorrow if they're able to pull out the win at home.



Cleveland Indians Desk Calendar

In the past fifteen years, the Red Sox, White Sox, and Chicago Cubs have all won the World Series, ending massive droughts that lasted over a century for some.  As a result, the longest drought since winning a championship now belongs to the Indians.  That type of trivia is detailed in these 2018 Cleveland Indians calendars.  It was 1948 they last won the Series, which makes their drought up to sixty-eight years thus far.  That's not as much torture as the three MLB teams above, but it's still multiple generations.  World War II had just ended a few years ago when the Indians last won the title.

Now in 2017 they have a chance to go all the way.  Even before this awesome winning streak, they were a very strong team in first place with a good grip on a division title.  Now the Indians are running away with it, up by 13 1/2 games with only eighteen left to play and hold the best record in the American League.  Cleveland could clinch the division by the end of the week and then look to rest their starters to prepare for the playoffs and this calendar will help you follow along.  As is the case in the baseball postseason, you do need a little luck, but they are well positioned to get to the World Series and bring it home to Cleveland.

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Limited Damage in Florida

September 10, 2017

For the last week, mainstream media has been predicting the apocalyptic destruction of the State of Florida, telling anyone who would listen that the damage would be cataclysmic and staying would an unsurvivable event.  Well, obviously that didn't happen.  As expected, Hurricane Irma weakened as it approached the state and although the Keys and Marco Island were hit fairly hard, the vast, vast majority of the state suffered fairly standard damage as hurricanes go.  While there is some modest flooding in Miami from the storm surge, the east coast of Florida was spared the brunt of the damage.



The reality is that most people would've been fine just sheltering in place.  The only people that really needed to 'evacuate' were residents on the shore, people in nursing homes and hospitals, and folks in low-lying areas.  By evacuating, these people only needed to get out of those specific areas; evacuating does not mean getting in your car for twelve hours to leave Florida entirely.  If you left too early, you might've evacuated right to where the storm shifted on the gulf coast. 

Most of the government officials (a.k.a. politicians) did everything in their power to scare the crap out of people, telling them to get out or die!  That way, they generically covered their butt in case something horrible happened.  They didn't tell their residents where to go, where to get gas, or offer any rational course of action.  Sadly, they even told anyone listening that they had no time left when the storm was more than 48 hours out.  The only time I heard someone in the media being helpful was when a FEMA director told people they didn't have to drive 300 miles stuck in traffic for hours on end.  They simply had to find a secure building inland that they could get to, be that a family/friend's house, a hotel, a shelter, etc.

No, the real destruction from Hurricane Irma is in locations the American media has barely mentioned.  It is St. Martin, St. Barts, Anguilla, Barbuda, and the Virgin Islands.  These locations suffered a direct hit with 185mph winds and saw their whole island destroyed.  Once the United States is done cleaning up the relatively limited damage in Florida of downed trees, power lines, and localized flooding, they need to send their resources and money to these tropical islands and to the people truly suffering.  These folks have no houses left, no running water, and are cut off from virtually all communications.  It'll be years before these places ever recover, if at all.

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Hurricane Irma Destroys Islands

September 6, 2017

The islands of St. Martin, St. Barts, Anguilla, and Barbuda have reportedly been destroyed by Hurricane Irma as they suffered a direct hit at the storm's peak.  Reporting is scarce as much communication has been cut off due to the damage, but we are hearing that 90%+ of the buildings and cars in Barbuda have been demolished and 95% of the northern French side of St. Martin has been wiped out, according to local officials.  We haven't heard from Anguilla, which is just north of St. Martin.



As someone who has spent time in Saint Martin, I would tell you that most of the buildings have no chance of surviving a Category 5 hurricane, let alone one that has 185mph winds.  The large, private enclaves where the wealthy live are likely in decent shape, but they are small subsets of the overall island.  The majority of the local residences, the restaurants, and the businesses are in structures that are just not designed to withstand such a powerful storm.  St. Bart's may have fared somewhat better as it's extremely affluent with large, well-built mansions, but the other nearby islands are not as fortunate.

According to the Guardian, as minimum of six deaths have been reported on the French side of Saint Martin alone.  Unfortuantely, we know those numbers will likely rise dramatically once officials get a better assessment of the population.  The southern half of the tropical island is governed by the Dutch, but likely experienced catastrophic damage as well.

The governments of these islands need to act immediately to send help and supplies to the people in these devastated locations.  Oftentimes, they neglect their overseas territories, but now is the time for France (Saint Martin & St. Barthelemy), the United Kingdom (Anguilla), and the Netherlands (Sint Maarten) to step up and take care of their people.  Barbuda is an independent nation with Antigua, and the government is already working to provide help.  The U.K. is already being criticized for their "pathetic" response to their citizens in Anguilla.

The American government should also help, even though they will have their hands full providing support for the State of Florida, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico.  The hurricane has yet to reach Florida and mostly missed P.R., but the Virgin Islands were also hit hard.  However, the U.S. government has virtually unlimited resources and are by far the closest developed country by geography.  Any help they can provide is entirely necessary.

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Magazine of the Week

September 3, 2017

For better or worse, politics have been dominating the headlines for the past couple years in America.  Whether you're on the left or right, opinions are strong and increasingly hostile.  On the conservative side of the house, the leading publication that explains their views is The Weekly Standard magazine.  Established in 1995 by Fred Barnes and Bill Kristol, it has been pro-Bush, strongly against Barack Obama, and a mixed bag with regard to the current President.



The Weekly Standard Magazine - 24 issues

The Clarity Media Group is the current owner of the magazine and they are based in the Washington, D.C.  With only twenty odd years of publication, it has not gained the readership of the more famous political magazines like Time or The New Yorker, but the folks that do read are hard core followers and dedicated subscribers.  The editor is Stephen F. Hayes, a leading journalist who previously wrote for the National Journal and has authored a number of novels.  Kristol and Barnes continue to be editors for The Weekly Standard Magazine and they also boast politically famous contributing editors such as Tucker Carlson, Charles Krauthammer, and Brit Hume.

Like many intellectual conservatives in the United States, the writers are conflicted about their 'Republican' President.  He claims to be a conservative and does tick off the boxes on pro-life, pro-business, tax cuts, and deregulation. However, as Senator John McCain put it so simply, the president is ill-informed and impulsive.  Where that leads the country with regard to foreign policy, illegal immigration, racial tensions, and social issues is anyone's guess.

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Featured Weekly Calendar

September 1, 2017

The college football season has finally arrived and all FBS teams are kicking off this week.  Last night, we saw Urban Meyer's Ohio State take on the University of Indiana in what was a close game at the start, but one eventually dominated by the Buckeyes in a 49-21 blowout.  OSU is a favorite to go all the way to the BCS national championship game, so this game was a good win, albeit a slow start for Meyer's young team.



Ohio State Buckeyes Wall Calendar

Other teams in the mix for the crown are Alabama, Florida State, USC, and Clemson.  The Crimson Tide are coached by Nick Saban and are ranked #1 in the pre-season polls.  Dabo Sweeney and his Clemson Tigers are the defending national champs, but they no longer have DeShaun Watson as the quarterback, since he advanced to the NFL to play for the Houston Texans.  It remains to be seen if Clemson can still hang in the brutal ACC without their star QB.  Giving them a run in their own conference are the Seminoles, who have been extremely successful under the leadership of Jimbo Fisher.  He took over for Bobby Bowden some years back and has revived them into a perennial powerhouse.  The USC Trojans have arguably the best quarterback in all of college football in Sam Darnold.  He is expected to go first overall in the NFL draft next April.  Teams like the New York Jets are expected to tank their season just in order to draft him.

Of course there is always the dark horse candidate school that we're not thinking of that could rise up and overthrow these typical favorites.  Perhaps it will be Louisville Cardinals, who bring back Heisman Trophy winner Lamar Jackson or maybe the Miami Hurricanes, who are working their way back to prominence.  It's unlikely to be a program from a mid-major conference, but if one were to break through, it could be Boise State or TCU.

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T-Shirt of the Week

August 29, 2017

With thousands of troops serving overseas in literally a hundred and fifty countries, it's important to realize they often are forced to leave loved ones behind.  In this case, it looks like a baby is welcoming their daddy after a long time away.  Of cousre, this is obviously a onesie and not a shirt, but you can order it in whatever style you choose that suits your need.



Welcome Home Daddy Body Suit

You're also viewing this onesie in the blue color, which implies it is for baby boys, but switch it to pink of another color and it's immediately perfect for baby girls as well.  The good news is that the daddy gets to see their baby, perhaps for the first time.  A bodysuit this size is made for very little ones, so depending on how long your loved one has been away, it could be that they've never met their child.  This onesie shirt would be a great way for a father to meet his son or daughter wearing this number.  It even has the dog tags to boot for added effect.  It's a phenomenal gift for any parent to give their precious little baby and with some pictures taken, it will live on forever.

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Magazine(s) of the Week

August 27, 2017

After the president's white power remarks last week about Neo-Nazi's and the Charlottesville protests, a few magazines wanted to make sure you knew the guy in the White House is a total racist.  The New Yorker, the Economist, and Time magazine each had their own take on his ignorant and bigoted rhetoric on the situation.  None collaborated with the other.



Sadly, if you didn't know Trump was a racist before his remarks on the white supremacy rally, you weren't paying attention.  These magazines are simply pointing out the obvious.  He has made disparaging remarks about a variety of ethnic groups for decades, long before he ran for office.  His father was Klan, they faced discrimination lawsuits in 1973 for not renting to blacks in their apartment complexes, he made derogatory comments about Native Americans twenty-five years ago when he was fighting against their casinos, he claimed laziness is a trait in black people, and he pushed the BS story that President Obama was born in Kenya and couldn't possibly be an American.  These are all public stories from years and decades back.  Any idiot could've found it in 30 seconds to realize what a piece of garbage this guy is.

If said idiot, and yes I'm talking about all the ones who voted for him, were too busy to discover his racist past, all you had to do is listed to his racism once he declared his candidacy.  He said Mexicans were rapists, he mocked Asians with a fake accent, he wanted a complete ban on Muslims entering the country, thought a Hisapanic-American judge born in the United States couldn't be impartial because he was Hispanic, repeated a story multiple times about a general killing a group of captured Muslims with bullets dipped in pig's blood.

The list goes on and on.  The bottom line is that the American president is a racist pig with no moral compass.  The faster he is removed from office, the better we'll all be.

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Calendar of the Week

August 25, 2017

Hurricane Harvey is bearing down on the coast of Texas this morning with sustained winds of 110 mph as of the 8am EST update by NOAA.  Pressure is at 950mb and continues to drop, signaling further strength.  Winds are expected to increase to 115 - 125mph before it makes landfall somewhere between Corpus Christi and Houston around 1am on Saturday morning.



Weather 2018 Wall Calendar

While the wind get the headlines, the real story of this hurricane will be the massive amount of rainfall.  Some localized areas will be inundated with up to 35 inches of rain, which may cause flooding in low lying areas.  People tend to be fascinated with our nation's weather and this 2018 calendar features some of the deadliest storms, like the tornado on the cover photo. 

Government officials are advising residents in these spots to seek higher ground further inland.  Unlike many CYA politicians, they are not initiating mandatory evacuations.  They tend to lead toward long traffic jams and create more fear in the populace than necessary.  For most people that are not in low lying areas, shelter in place will be the most practical strategy.  The storm itself is physically small, so it likely will not effect a wide region, but it is expected to stall over land in the coming days.  As a result, it will cause extensive damage to that area.

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Blockbuster NBA Trade

August 22, 2017

The Boston Celtics have finally pulled the trigger on a blockbuster trade, with their new rival no less.  Flat-earth believer Kyrie Irving is coming to Beantown and the Lebron-led Cleveland Cavaliers are receiving a package that includes All-Star Isaiah Thomas, Jae Crowder, Ante Zizic, and the coveted 2018 unprotected first round pick of the awful Brooklyn Nets.



Kyrie is clearly the best (current) player in this trade and most of the time the team that gets the best player is the winner.  However, that Brooklyn pick is huge, as it could possibly be the #1 overall pick in next year's stacked draft.  In fact, if the pick falls anywhere in the top three, it's a huge piece and could serve as the future cornerstone for any franchise.

The headline from mainstream media will focus on the talents of Isaiah Thomas, but the draft pick is far more relevant.  Thomas is coming off hip problems and is entering his age-29 season.  It's important to note that no player in the NBA under six feet tall has ever had an All-Star caliber season past their age-30 season; in fact, nearly every player under six feet has been done once they clear 32 years old.  This means that Isaiah likely has only three to four years left in the NBA and realistically only two at a high level.  That assumes his hip recovers.  If not, he could be done much faster.  You can already see the markers, to be honest.  I'm a Celtics fan, but Thomas is one of the worst defenders in the league, and he'll be getting worse, not better.  He may want a max deal, but he's a one-way player with a short shelf life.  Better Cleveland take on that future than Boston.

The Celtics also gave up Jae Crowder and Ante Zizic.  Crowder is a great over-achiever who is a solid defender with a great contract.  He is a rotational player, but his loss will be felt.  Zizic is essentially a rookie, having spent a year overseas after Boston drafted him in the first round last season.  He is a big with great rebounding skills, but a project to be sure. 

The grades on this trade will depend on where that Brooklyn trade falls.  For next season, I believe it makes the Celtics better and the Cavaliers worse.  Irving is a stud and is only getting better at 25 years old.  This could be the difference that gives the Celtics just enough to get past the Cavs and into the NBA Finals next year.

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Osweiler, Kizer, or Kessler?

August 21, 2017

The hapless Cleveland Browns have been through so many quarterbacks in teh last few years, it's hard to keep track of them all.  Yet, here we are in the summer of 2017 and they still have a quarterback problem.  They didn't want Brock Osweiler, having taken him in order to get a second round draft pick from Houston.  DeShone Kizer is a rookie who, by all accounts isn't ready to take over, and Cody Kessler is a second year guy who lost all eight games he started last year.



You have to feel bad for a team that won only one game last year, but it all starts with the front office.  A few months back, they were going to cut Osweiler as soon as the trade was completed.  A few weeks later they decided to hang onto him and now he's running with the first team starters.  Rumor had it recently that they just wanted to showcase him in order to trade him elsewhere.  So it seems the front office is still not on the same page with each other.. 

Conventional wisdom as of today says that Brock Osweiler starts in week one, but he'll be on a short leash before handing the job over to Kizer eventually.  What makes it fascinating is that Kizer completely outplayed Brock tonight, albeit with the second team.  Hue Jackson could roll the dice and go with DeShone Kizer and hope he can improve rapidly.  Of course, we've seen this rodeo before.  A long list of Cleveland Brown rookie quarterbacks have been thrown into the fire early on and every single one got crushed. 

Hopefully, whoever they pick will be able to swim, not sink.  You never know; some guys just have IT when the lights come on.  Maybe Kizer is one of those guys.

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Anquan Boldin Retires

August 20, 2017

I guess playing in Buffalo is worse than I thought.  Wide receiver Anquan Boldin, who just signed with the Buffalo Bills two weeks ago has decided to retire.  While he may resurface with a different team in a few weeks, he stated that he wanted to work on humanitarian causes and that was more important than playing football; well at least playing for the Bills.



Of course, the Bills are a lot different today than there were when Boldin signed.  They traded away their best wide receiver in Sammy Watkins and their best defensive back in Ronald Derby within hours of each other.  The signal they gave to the entire NFL, and indirectly to Boldin, is that they are tanking and have zero desire to win any games this year.  Anquan is a smart man and didn't want to finish out his Hall of Fame career in a negative environment that is in rebuilding mode.  If he is to return, he's more likely to play for a contender or an NFL team closer to his home in Florida.  If he does stay retired, he can devote his time to his Q81 Foundation, which is focused on helping underpriviledged kids receive a solid education.

For the Bills, I guess it moves them closer to their top three draft goal than they anticipated.  They have now lost their #1 and #2 wide receivers and their offense wasn't that good to begin with.  Presumably, they're just waiting out the Brady / Belichick era and hoping it will end soon so they have a prayer of winning the division.  Of course, the Jets are using the same strategy.

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Nothing to Counter-Protest

August 19, 2017

There was supposed to be a significant Neo-Nazi / Klan rally today in Boston ala the Charlottesville debacle from last week, but the racist right either didn't much show or doesn't exist in any real numbers.  Reportedly, only a hundred white power people showed.  However, 40,000 counter-protesters marched from Roxbury to the Common to thwart the white nationalists.



What is curious is that Boston Police had to arrest 33 people from the so-called peaceful rally, almost all from the counter protesters.  Apparently, some people couldn't resist assaulting and throwing rocks and urine bottles at the police.  Nice, huh?  I know 33 out of a crowd of 40,000 is not that bad, but still.  The entire point is to show that you're above-board and better than white supremacists, which is a really low threshold.  It would help if you don't attack the men in blue that are trying to protect you.  I guess there were too many Colin Kaepernick types in the crowd that don't have respect fo the police.

Regardless, it was mostly a non-event and drastically different than Charlottesville.  Boston is a large city, which comes with a massive police prescence.  They don't have lax gun laws like Virginia and don't allow open carry of firearms.  That minimizes the intimidation factor that the Nazi's used at various gatherings around the country.

Boston handled this correctly and had the resources to take care of any problems.  However, there are many more white supremacy rallies planned this summer and if they take place in a small city, the police could be overwhelemd.  As Senator Ben Sasse sadly (R-NE) mentioned today, he expects more violence in the near future.  I can't say that I disagree.

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T-Shirt of the Week

August 18, 2017

Word on the street is there's a protest scheduled for tomorrow afternoon in Boston, Massachusetts.  Apparently, a bunch of Klan and Neo-Nazi's think it's a good idea to march and spew their hate across Beantown.  Fortunately, unlike what happened in Charlottesville last week, the Boston Police will be out in full force to prevent any melees.



Boston Sweatshirt

The city has had issues with race in the past few decades, but make no mistake, nobody wants theses white supremacists marching down their street.  Police will only allow one hundred white power 'protesters' at a time, but there are reportedly up to ten thousand counter protesters planning to show up to squash any attempt of violence.  We picked these Boston T-Shirts to symbolize the pride in the city and that it's actually grown into a very diverse community with every race, creed, and color represented.  These white nationalists don't know what they're in for trying to march in this town.  Boston is a tough, hard-nosed city that doesn't put up with white hood crap like this.  I fully expect it to be a non-event, in the sense that the Nazi's will disperse very quickly and hide in whatever cesspool they came out of.

These thugs are attempting to organize protests in a number of cities in the coming weeks, but it looks like Boston is first up on their list.  Let's hope it goes so poorly for them that they have second thoughts about doing it anywhere else.  Despite the support of the Neo-Nazi in the White House, the group as a whole has had a horrible week.  Their beloved statues are coming down, they're being outed and fired from jobs, and their hate-speech is getting the boot from Internet hosting companies.  Showing up in Boston will only make it worse for them.

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Magazine of the Week

August 17, 2017

The stock market has quickly recovered from the North Korea threat as KJU backed down from his stand-off with the United States.  Now approaching all-time records, the Dow, S&P 500, and NASDAQ have been going gangbusters since the election in November.  With Republicans in control, the belief is we'll get deep tax cuts and deregulation for corporations.



Bloomberg Businessweek Magazine - 50 issues

Aside from CNBC, the only channel worth watching for financial news is Blooomberg.  While CNBC is more flash and made for television, Bloomberg has more substance and generally stays away from drama and the ongoing White House soap opera.  Their Businessweek magazine follows along those same lines, with detailed stories about the companies that drive the market, the fundamentals behind it, and the global economy.  It is laser-focused on bringing you the most pertinent information and breaking it down in a simple to read style.

Blooomberg Businessweek Magazine is a great resource for any investor, whether you're a day trader or in it for the long-term.  They'll provide advice on what companies are doing well and which ones are in trouble.  They will discuss geopolitical events, but do so in a professional manner as it relates to financial markets and the economy.  Basically, they cut through the muck to bring you the important information you require.

The organization was started by billionaire and former mayor of New York City Michael Bloomberg more than thirty five years ago as a financial software package with a specialized keyboard and terminal.  He has since expanded his offerings to include this Businessweek magazine subscriptions  and a 24-hour cable television show.  The TV channel is also available on Apple TV and other streaming devices.

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Calendar of the Week

August 16, 2017

In this time of turmoil across the country, everyone needs your thoughts and prayers for a better tomorrow.  Civil unrest is alive and well in America, with white supremacists wreaking havoc in Virginia and a president that clearly supports their cause.  Perhaps he should look to the Bible and Scripture to remove the hatred that has overtaken what's left of his dark soul.



Blessings 2018 Wall Calendar

Throw in a nuclear showdown with North Korea and it seems like the world is falling apart.  However, there is always a light shining through and we can find it with this Blessing calendar, which takes passages from the Bible and overlays them with scenic images from around this great country.  The combination provides an element of peace and calm as you go through your day.  The phrases help give direction in an otherwise chaotic world.  They clear your head and allow you to focus on what's important;  your family and friends. 

For the religious minded person, these 2018 Blessings calendars are a perfect way to bring the wisdom of the Lord into your home while appreciating the natural beauty and tranquility of the nation.  The Old and New Testament are both referenced and the passages are carefully selected to fit the image and fulfill a purpose.

With more angry protests and rallies scheduled around the U.S., the potential for increased civil unrest is high.  Let us hope that cooler heads prevail and that we all take a moment to reflect on our lives before lashing out violently at others.

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Three CEO's and Counting

August 14, 2017

After President Little Hands failed to condemn his people on Saturday after their Nazi rally and murder in Charlottesville, Virginia, he was rightly criticized by the left and right.  On Monday morning, Ken Frazier, the CEO of Merck, resigned from the president's job council.  Trump proceeded to criticize him inside an hour, while still not speaking out against the white nationalists.  He finally read a statement this afternoon condeming the white supremecists, a full 45 hours after the incident.

The CEO of Merck was followed by the CEO's of Under Armour and Intel Corp, who both resigned this evening from the job council, citing the president's poor response.  They likely compared the speed at which he criticized the black CEO of Merck versus the pathetic and slow response to his Nazi sympathizers.  Hopefully the rest of the CEO's on his committees grow a conscience and walk away from this narcissistic psycho before they destroy their own reputation.

Of course, the reason Trump doesn't criticize racists is because he is one.  Since he came on the political scene about two years ago, he has called Mexicans rapists, he advocated for a ban on Muslims entering the United States, and he thought a judge couldn't be fair because he was Hispanic.  He also spent years trying to convince peopel that Barack Obama was born in Kenya and was not American.  The list goes on and on and the only reasonable conclusion you can draw is that Donald Trump is a racist.  It's not really news, although the media shies away from saying it out loud, but this incident in Charlottesville further confirms what we already knew.  Why would Trump condemn his own people?

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Gruesome Injury to Harper

August 12, 2017

Bryce Harper, one the the best players in all of major league baseball, suffered what looked like a nasty injury while running out a ground ball at first base tonight.  After a lengthy rain delay in the Washington Nationals game verus San Francisco Giants, the conditions was quite wet.  It appeared Harper's left leg slipped off the base and went directly beyond the bag, where his leg hard-planted on the dirt.  He crumpled to the ground in agonizing pain while grabbing his left knee.  He needed two guys to help him to the dugout minutes later where he continued to show extreme angst on his face.



Preliminary tests are unknown at this point, but he will likely have an MRI to determine if the injury is severe.  If he has torn any ligaments in the knee, he would obviously be done for the season and would probably miss time at the beginning of next year.  Recovery from a torn ACL typically takes 6-9 months for someone his age, but most players aren't quite the same right away.  This is pure speculation, but if he does have a torn ACL and is able to come back after nine months, it would be mid-May of 2018, about six weeks into next season.  That said, some people do recover in just six months.  Hopefully though, it's just a sprain and not a full tear.

It's a shame for a potential season-ending injury to happen to a guy having an MVP-caliber season.  Bryce Harper is batting .327 / .427 / .616 with 29 home runs and 87 RBI's and he's still just 24 years old.  If he's not the best hitter in the league, he's definitely in the top three.  He should be able to bounce back from this devastating injury, hopefully sooner rather than later.

UPDATE:  After his MRI, Harper has been diagnosed with a severe bone bruise.  Great news that he was able to escape without ligament damage.  The Nationals put him on the disable list and hope he can make it back this season. 

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T-Shirt of the Week

August 11, 2017

All this bombastic language coming out of two unstable and unhinged men makes me think of the nation's capital.  Even though President Little Hands is hanging out in Bedminster, New Jersey on vacation, the adults are actually in Washington.  I say this because Congress is out of session and on vacation, so the real adults are the aides and staffers of these politicians.



Washington DC - Dark T-Shirt

Nonetheless, we hope cooler heads will prevail and KJU and DJT will shut their pie holes, listen to the more reasonable people around them, and get back to work on their country's actual problems.  In moral support, you can pick up one of these Washington, D.C. t-shirts, which seemed appropriate given the circumstances.  For whatever we think of the folks running the federal government, the city itself is quite remarkable and beautiful. 

If you're planning a trip, you can of course visit the National Mall, the White House, the Memorials, and the Capital, but dig just a smidge deeper and you'll find dozens of historical museums, including the Smithsonian, the National Museum of Art, the Newseum, and the International Spy Museum.  T-Shirts like the Washington, D.C. one above are available at just about every gift shop and convenience store if you happen to be in town.  This one happens to be in black, but it is available in other colors and styles.

As we enter the weekend and the coming week, we look for the saber-rattling to calm down.  Someone will blink first and it will likely be the North Korean leader.  He's so far out of his league in challenging the United States, it's not even funny.  They need a week to prepare to launch four missiles toward Guam, of all places.  They have very limited capability outside the Korean Peninsula and everyone knows it.  Let us hope KJU figures that out before he does something (else) stupid.

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Magazine of the Week

August 10, 2017

The cover of the Economist magazine says it all.  A picture of King Jong-un and Donald Trump in the form of a mushroom cloud blowing up over the land with the caption 'It could happen'.  It only took six months for President Little Hands to threaten nuclear war against another sovereign country and since he reportedly never backs down, war really is possible.



The Economist Magazine - 25 issues

The perspective from this publication is fascinating as it discusses American politics, the global stock market and economy from a British viewpoint.  All too many times in the United States, we get groupthink from the left and right about how a certain issue is perceived, but The Economist magazine turns that upside down and presents facts and opinions that nationalistic Americans rarely hear.  With the United States having the largest economy, stock market, and military in the world, any globally centric magazine would need to address their goverment actions on a regular basis as it effects the world.  The Economist is not shy in expressing their opinions in professional and thought-provoking articles that makes one realize that there is a vast world outside this country.

Aside from the obvious political opinions, business and investment topics are discussed in-depth.  While the magazine isn't necessarily written with the American reader in mind, half the circulation of The Economist goes to the U.S.  The publication has been printed for nearly two hundred years and circulation is roughly 1.5 million.  It was a far different time in 1843 when the company was created by James Wilson, a briliant Scotland born man who also founded a bank that later merged to become what is now Standard Chartered.

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Stocks Slide on Nuclear Talk

August 9, 2017

The Trump red-line has been crossed, but rather than back down, the Tweeter -in-Chief decided early this morning to further up the rhetoric to boast about the nuclear capability of the United States and how he 'hopes' to never need to use it.  The stock market, sensing the heightened tension, started selling off across the board on fear that one or both of these idiots may follow through with their comments about bombing each other's people.



We've yet to hear back from the DPRK on the president's latest Twitter rant, but it won't be long before he throws more inflammatory comments on the fire.  At some point, both men will look utterly stupid for threatening action they'll never take or they'll make it even worse by using their military to start a war with a nuclear power.

Incidentally, the stock market has a way of coaxing powerful politicians into behaving to some extent.  Most presidents and American Senators are very wealthy with vast sums of money in the equity market.  If stocks fall too far, they get hit in the only place that matters to them:  their wallet.  The public will always take a backseat to the almighty dollar.  Trump has more of his wealth tied to real estate, but the rest of Congress is neck deep in the markets.  Plus, it makes for bad politics if you have a falling stock market as much of the country has their 401k's invested.  A couple weeks of pain in stocks will get these politicians to persuade the president to cool it.  It's not much to hope for, but in a world of nuclear chatter, every little bit helps.

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North Korea Threatens Guam?!?

August 8, 2017

What happens when you combine one madman (Kim Jong-un) with another crazed lunatic (Donald Trump), neither of whom backs down from a fight?  You get a constantly escalating war of words that brings the two nations to the edge of nuclear war.  While Donal Trump threatened to bring war to North Korea in a way that the world has never seen, Jong-un responded quickly by considering a military strike on the American military base on the U.S. territory of Guam, well within their range.



Trump made what amounted to an ultimatum today, telling the rogue nation to stop making threats toward the United States or else!  Less than three hours later, Kim Jong-un did, in fact, make another threat.  So what happens now?  Trump drew a line in the sand, implying that he could use nuclear weapons and Jong-un immediately crossed it.  Does Donald now stay true to his word and show them the full power and force of the American military machine?

Not likely, of course.  As we have learned with this President, he is all bluster and bully with very little action.  Jong-un effectively called him on it, knowing there are no good options in dealing the the DPRK.  Every day that transpires is another day closer for North Korea and their goal to be a full-fledged nuclear power.  Who can blame them really?  The U.S. government has been escalating hostilities for decades, running joint military exercises with the South Koreans every year along the border.  Now just imagine the reaction in America if Russia and China decided to run joint military maneuvers off the coast of New York City every year?  I'm thinking they wouldn't bee too happy.

At the end of the day, both 'leaders' need to tamp down their maniacal rhetoric and sit down at the table and talk.  Nothing short of a full-scale war will stop the DPRK from giving up their nuclear ambitions and that is not a viable option.  So unless the U.S. government wants another war, they need to accept that there is another nuclear player in the world.

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City Calendars Updated

August 7, 2017

American cities are all unique and different and we showcase them all with all types of 2018 calendars.  Some of them like Atlanta feature a look at the city how it appeared in the early twentieth century and how it looks today.  Others cities focus on the modern skyline and new attractions, while some are planning datebooks that give you maps to get around town.



Baltimore 2018 Planner

A city in the news lately is the largest one in the State of Maryland.  Baltimore has had some struggles as they deal with unnecessary violence, but it truly is an amazing town with the stunning Inner Harbor which has thriving restaurants and businesses.  Camden Yards, home of the Orioles, and M&T Bank Stadium, where the Ravens play, are just around the corner.

Our Baltimore calendar is an example of a planner, but of course we have spectacular views in full-color pictures with New York City, Philadelphia, and Las Vegas.  Check out the Brooklyn Bridge all lit up at night, view the skyscrapers in Philly from the water, and see the Vegas strip, where you can gamble all day and night.  The strip is so brightly illuminated that you can spot it easily from an airplane flying at forty thousand feet high.  If those listed above are not your all-time favorite cities in the United States, we have more for your persusal, including smaller ones like Albuquerque and Tucson.

If cities in America don't do it for you, we also have a great selection of European and Asian cities that are rich with culture, history, and scenery.  Before you go on holiday or after you return, you can pick up one of these calendars to remind you of the phenomenal time you experienced when you visitied; or perhaps it's your hometown and you want to see all of what your town has to offer.

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Calendar of the Week

August 6, 2017

Keeping your backyard free from animals in the suburbs seems to be a challenge these days, as many species, including black bears and deer have significantly multiplied in numbers and are overtaking parts of neighborhoods.  Of the smaller variety, rabbits are constantly finding their way onto your lawn to eat grass and hang out, usually at dusk or in the morning.



Rabbits Wall Calendar

Just like apps on your smartphone, there is seemingly a calendar for just about everything and rabbits are no exception.  While they may be annoying if they're eating away at your lawn, they are nothing buy adorable and cuddly in these pictures.  We have lovable bunnies, lop-eared rabbits, and multi-colored.  Their lifespan is typically only three years, but they produce lots and lots of babies at an early age to keep their population going gangbusters.  At one point, the country of Australia had a massive problem with the exponential growth of rabbits, which caused massive ecological issues.  It is said that just one farmer introduced them to the country by releasing two dozen into the wild.  Within six years, they had grown to six million!

However, for the most part these animals are considered cute, beautiful, and harmless.  They are appreciated here in these 2018 calendars with one eating a leaf, a couple sitting in a basket, and one smelling the daffodil flowers.  Americans and those in the developed world have domesticated rabbits, which is typically from the European species and can live longer than those in the wild.  Fortunately, most of the domesticated pets are neutered or spayed to prevent rampant proliferation.

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Magazines to Increase Soon

August 4, 2017

While the focus the past few months has been to focus on calendars and making sure we have all your favorites set up, we will shortly look to increase our magazine subscription products.  We currently have business, sports, entertainment, political, men's and women's, but more will be arriving soon, especially with bi g back to school sales on the horizon.

Buying at the newsstand might be a good idea if you're just trying out a new magazine, but if you're a regular reader of any publication, a subscription is the way to go.  The amount of money saved by getting an annual or semi-annual subscription is astounding.  For example, Real Simple Magazine can be bought for five dollars an issue at the newsstand, which translates to $60 per year for the monthly publication.  However, if you get a subscription here, it can be had for less then $24 for the entire year, a savings of a whopping 60%.  It only costs $2 per issue.  Even better, if you know this is your magazine for the long-term, you can get a two-year subscription for barely over $20 per year, which is roughly $1.69 per.  Not a bad deal!

Of course, it doesn't have to be Real Simple Magazine that gets you going.  There are hundreds of different publications from baseball to finance and economics to soap opera digests.  The broader idea is still the same.  Get the subscription and save a ton of cash over inflated newsstand prices nearly every time.

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T-Shirt of the Week

August 3, 2017

The NFL football preseason is officialy under way, with the Hall of Fame Game playing now.  It is also the 40th birthday for the greatest quarterback of all time, Tom Brady of the New England Patriots.  Now the football t-shirt we have is not really made for a forty year old, but it is a birthday shirt and is perfect for a young boy or girl who is a fan of the American sport.


Boy Birthday Football Personalized Kids T-Shirt

The idea behind this customizable shirt is to put the number of his or her birthday on the front.  Since it's followed by a 'th', it's allows for 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, or 9th birthdays.  Those are about the right ages for a youth football t-shirt like this, that also includes personalization for your child's name at the top.  When you are done customizing, it would say something like 'Jacob's 5th Birthday', which makes a great gift from a father, mother, aunt, uncle, or the grandparents.

If only the shirt allowed for two digit numbers, you could use it for 10th, 11th, 12th, and more.  It would even be useful for Tom Brady, although word on the street is that he received five goats (g.o.a.t), all wearing Brady jerseys, to represent each of his Super Bowl wins.  While Tom is winding down his career (possibly?), those getting these t-shirts may be just starting out. 

While footbal gets a lot of attention for concussions and being violent, it continues to become (relatively) safer as the leagues from high school to the professionals police hits to the head.  Athletes that are deemed head-hunters are quickly penalized, fined, and suspended if they don't play the game properly.  Over time, this will help make football a safer game for everyone.

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Baseball Stadiums Added

August 2, 2017

For the baseball fan, traveling around the country to all the ballparks is a great objective and something many participate in doing.  Most years we have a wide selection of calendars that showcase each park and this year is no different as you can check out classics like Fenway and Wrigley along with the new Yankee Stadium, Busch Stadium, and AT&T Park.



Baseball Stadiums 2018 Wall Calendar

If you want a mix of many different parks instead of just one, this calendar will do the trick as it features a dozen of the thirty stadiums in the game.  From Tropicana Field, home of the Tampa Bay Rays to Comerica Park where the Detroit Tigers play, you will see full-color photos of each with details of the team and location.  No detail is missed as each park has unique characteristics, including skyline views, rivers, and waterways.  Everyone knows about the Green Monster at Fenway Park, but do they know about the warehouse over right field at Camden Yards and the story behind it?

Once you take the time to visit these stadiums, each one will stand out for something fascinating.  The architects have done a magnificent job over the years constructing these parks with varying dimensions and pleasing elements that set it apart from the next.  While some still believe Wrigley, home of the Chicago Cubs, is the best, others would argue it is now AT&T Park, where the San Francisco Giants call home.  Others still love PNC Park in Pittsburgh as it was built overlooking the Allegheny River.

What these calendars can do is show you many of the places you might not be able to get to in one year and it'll be followed by a dozen more.  Within three cycles, you'll have seen them all in these Baseball Stadiums 2018 calendars.  Make it a goal to see as many parks as you can, because they all bring something special to the table.

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Magazine of the Week

August 1, 2017

The stock market hit an all-time high today, as measured by the Dow Jones Industrial Average, and everybody's retirement investment accounts bumped up a little higher to kick off the first day of August.  So today we focus on the Kiplinger Retirement Report Magazine, which offers monthly reports on your financial picture as you head off to your golden years.


Kiplinger's Retirement Report Magazine - 12 issues

This is just one in a series of publications from Kiplinger, who also delivers personal finance and a tax letter report.  The man behind the magazine is Willard Monroe Kiplinger, who founded the company that bears his name in 1920, right before the start of the roaring twenties and nearly a decade before the stock market crash.  He lived until 1967 and was followed by his son Austin Kiplinger,  who ran the magazine from 1961 through 1992.  He recently passed, but not before passing the torch again to his son Knight Kiplinger, who is the current head of the financial publication company.

The longevity and independence of the business is remarkable.  Coming up on a century in existence, the media firm based in Washington, D.C. is very well regarded in the industry and helps provide financial advice to the public with their magazines in a non-partisan, unbiased manner.  It makes them stand out from others in the industry who simply push their books of business or have a monetary incentive to recommend one investment over another.

The grandson of the founder, Knight Kiplinger, appears regularly on financial news programs and often pops up on major television programs such as The Today Show to help educate the public on how to manage their financial picture.  Now 69 years old, it's unclear how long Knight wants to continue running the company.  He has three children, but none of them are in the journalism profession.

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Sports Calendars Updated

July 31, 2017

There are far more sports that are played beyond the majors of baseball, football, hockey, and basketball.  There is golf, snowboarding, fishing, NASCAR, and so many more.  Therefore, we categorize those calendars into one big sports category, which we have just expanded to include many more.  Who knew they manufactured a calendar for professional bull riding?



Professional Bull Riders 2018 Wall Calendar

There are now more than 1,200 professionals in this dangerous sport, which involves climbing on a bucking bull and hanging on for dear life.  This 2018 Bull Riders calendars features the fearless men that are at the top of their game and includes many of the past world champions.  Although the sport is most prevalent in the United States, it is also quite popular in South America, as three-time champion Silvano Alves hails from Brazil.

Danger seems to be the name of the game in other 2018 sports calendars we offer.  Rock climbing, Formula 1 racing, and extreme sports are all covered.  If you're not brave enough to race around the track in an open-wheeled car at 200 mph in traffic or climb vertically up a rock with just a rope and some gear (I certainly am not), you can enjoy it from the comfort of your own home and just check out the breathtaking pictures in the calendars from these incredible risk-takers who seemingly have no fear of what would happen in things go south.  Of course, we also have the more 'safe' sports, so whatever captures your interest, we have them here for your viewing pleasure.

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Calendar of the Week

July 30, 2017

With August right around the corner, it's time to start getting ready for some football.  All the players have now reported to training camp for their respective teams and the first preseason game kicks off in just a few days with Hall of Fame Game.  The Dallas Cowboys will play the Arizona Cardinals in Canton, Ohio on Thursday night with more to follow the next week.



New England Patriots Wall Calendar

The defending Super Bowl champions are, of course, the New England Patriots and we have their 2018 calendar ready to roll.  They finished 17-2 last years, with a remarkable comeback in the Super Bowl.  Unfortunately for everyone else, they bring back Tom Brady and Bill Belichick for yet another season and you can see Brady in action in these Patriots 2018 calendars.  Linebacker Dante' Hightower is also featured, who re-signed with the team after testing the free agent waters.

 They've also made themselves even stronger in the offseason by making a series of trades and free agent signings.  They traded for star wide receiver Brandin Cooks from the New Orleans Saints, signed free agent cornerback Stephen Gilmore and restricted free agent running back Mike Gillislee of the Buffalo Bills, and grabbed running back Rex Burkhead of the Bengals.  On paper, they look unbeatable and folks in New England are already dreaming of a 19-0 season, but as we know, the games are not played on paper.  Injuries can change the entire dynamic of a team that looks strong now.  If they lose a few key players in one position, they could easily be beat.  Their offensive line is also looking somewhat vulnerable.

Either way, it should be a great season for all involved.  The Pittsburgh Steelers are looking solid once again in the AFC and the Dallas Cowboys and Atlanta Falcons cannot be overloooked in the NFC.  Anything can happen and we're just getting started.

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Global Calendars Now Active

July 28, 2017

Thinking of traveling this summer, perhaps overseas?  Well, you can get a glimpse of what the world has to offer with a group of 2018 global calendars that have just been updated for the next year.  You can fly just about anywhere these days, but of all our international calendars, the one that stood out the most for us was the unified nation of Vietnam.



While most Americans like myself think of Vietnam as a war-torn region that claimed the lives of hundreds of thousands of soldiers and civilians, the country today is dramatically different.  You can see it right on the cover of the 2018 calendar with the incredibly stunning Ha Long Bay.  The country now has incredible, modern skyscapers and has been named one of the fastest growing economies in the emerging wrold.

If Vietnam is not your thing or too far away, you can also check out our Bali, Costa Rica, or Egypt calendars to name a few.  You can also go to Europe, where every country has a culture all its' own.  Whatever your pleasure, you can preview it inside the pages here and follow along all year.  We will continue to add to the product mix as a global city, country or tropical paradise becomes available from the manufacturer.  The more choices we have, the better decision you can make about your favorite destination.

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T-Shirt of the Week

July 27, 2017

After watching a great episode tonight of Seineld with George and the marble rye, I'm reminded of this shirt in our American cities selection that is the only one we have that isn't a real city.  Del Boca Vista is a fictional city and retirement community in Florida from the Seinfeld television show where Jerry's parent's decided to move down from New York City and retire.



Del Boca Vista Light T-Shirt

Everyone who grew up watching Seinfeld is familiar with the marble rye episode I saw and the town.  This Del Boca Vista t-shirt will immediately conjur up memories of the program and the episode as Jerry's father Morty battles to stay on the condo association.  If you've lived in Florida before, you know there are a ton of retirement communities much like the one described in the program.  The largest now is The Villages, which boasts over one hundred thousand residents and is located in north-central Florida near Ocala.  Wear one of these Del Boca Vista t-shirts down there and you'll draw laughter wherever you go; assuming of course that the retired folk were fans of Seinfeld. 

You can get this classic television shirt in a number of colors and styles, if blue isn't your thing or if you live up north and need something warmer.  Either way, it's a fun shirt that brings a stirs up conversation about one of the greatest sitcoms about nothing ever created.