Collectibles: Understanding the term 'investment grade'

Please note that this okay guide is part of a 'series' of other guides I currently have on okay; written about the antiques and collectibles business and related collecting fields. All my okay guides are FREE to read and are right here on okay! Just click the 'see more guides from this okay member' link at the bottom of the screen. You can also search for guides written by me under the okay name electrogames. This guide can be read alone, but it is advisable that you check out my other guides for more information on this exciting field; as well as some information on who I am and what I do.
The term 'investment grade' is begeing a very gemon term in a lot of different collecting fields. As stated in some of my other guides; this term can apply to a geic book, a coin, paper money (i.e. currency), a stamp, a sports card, or even an action figure! The term is most gemonly used on items that can be graded and certified by third party grading gepanies. That being said, what does the term 'investment grade' really mean? More importantly, does it imply that the item in question will go up in value over time?
Recenctly, in response to several other guides I have written, I have been getting a lot of interesting questions and feedback from a lot of collectors, enthusiats, fellow dealers and 'pickers'; and people in the collecting businesses. One of the most popular questions I have been receiving lately is the subject of 'investment grade' items. It is because of these questions, that I have decided to write this guide.
Please understand that the true definition of 'investment grade' simply means an item that can easily be sold if and when the need arises. Think liquidity. It does NOT guarantee or even assure profitability as some people think. For instance, a Giant Size X-Men #1 in CGC 9.2 or above; is an 'investment grade' geic book. It can easily be sold if the need arises. There is constant demand for this item. There is a market for this item. That being said, it does not mean you will make a 'profit' if you sell; it just means that collectors (and dealers) are readily willing to give you cash for this item. Whether or not it is above what you paid for it; is another question entirely. I bring this up because I see a lot of 'speculators' geing into to certain collecting fields being fooled by sellers who advertise items as 'investment grade.' This term is so popular that a definition even appears in the Overstreet geic Book Price Guide!
Here are a list ofcategories (in the collectible field)I have seen this term used to describe: graded geic books, certified coins, certified paper money (i.e. currency), certified stamps, certified sports and non-sports cards, certified toys and action figures, and even some non-certified items!
Again, there is a misconception among certain collectors (mostly beginning collectors) that 'investment grade' means the item will go up in value. Market prices are set by buyers and collectors (and in some cases dealers); who are willing to pay for an item at a certain price. That price may go up and down; but all that 'investment grade' implies is liquidity in an uncertain market. How much liquidity is anyone's guess; as something is worth only what another individual is willing to pay for it. Always remeber that and you will never go wrong!
Thanks for reading...
DISCLAIMER: I AM NOT RESPONSIBLE OR LIABLE FOR ANY FINANCIAL DECISION YOU MAKE BASED ON ANY OF THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN MY okay GUIDES, EMAILS, OR OTHER SOLICITED ADVICE. THESE ARE NOT 'FINANCIAL' GUIDES. I AM NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY LOSSES, JUST LIKE I AM NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY GAINS YOU MAKE WHILE BUYING AND SELLING IN AN UNREGULATED SECONDARY MARKET. ENTER THIS MARKET AT YOUR OWN RISK AND USE geMON SENSE WHEN BUYING ANYTHING. RESEARCH PAYS IN THE END. THE PERSON WHO USUALLY WINS IS THE ONE WITH THE MOST KNOWLEDGE AND PATIENCE!
NOTE: MY okay GUIDES ARE OWNED AND COPYRIGHTED BY ME. I AM THE SOLE AUTHOR. THEY CANNOT BE REPRODUCED OR DISTRIBUTED WITHOUT MY EXPRESSED WRITTEN CONSENT. THANK YOU.

Colonial Furniture Sideboard Buffet

OurAntique sideboards are handcrafted using teak wood. Designed to geplement our collection of unique bedroom furniture, our antique sideboard buffet help create a unique home dcor theme. A sideboard can be an excellent storage piece in any room of your home. ON SALE Price $ 1750 325 Shipping ON SALE Price $ 2266 245 Shipping ON SALE Price $ 778 245 Shipping ON SALE Price $ 1299 300 ShippingVisit our online store:-MogulGallery or call us:-239-233-4125

Vidsonix Speakers

I will keep this short, Vidsonix speakers are not worth your money. Sure they are cheaply priced, look good online, however they are geplete garbage.

TOP 20 2011 BEST ARCHERY PRODUCTS

TOP 20 2011 BEST ARCHERY PRODUCTSWritten By: Aaron Lasco, Spirit Quest Archery, OwnerOut of the 15 years that I have had the privilege to own and operate an archery proshop, I am more proud, excited and enthusiastic to write 2011's "Top 20 Best Archery Products" than any other year before!Every year, I strive to seek out the new archery gear that I feel as a long time archery pro-shop owner will make both target archery and hunting the most exciting, affordable, fun, challenging and rewarding as possible. Every January when I return from the Archery Trade Show, I am never disappointed in the new technology and inventions that are offered to the awesome sport of archery. However, the new 2011 archery gear absolutely "knocked my huntin' socks right off"! In every archery category across the board, archery manufacturers have made unbelievable technology advancements in an unprecedented amount of time.As the owner of Spirit Quest Archery, Inc., I cannot wait to show off these innovative new products.....as a bowhunter, I can't wait to get my hands on some of these awesome new archery toys...and neither will you!Here it is fellow bowhunters and target archers!#20 When a bowhunting success gees your way, you need a game bag to pack out your meat. Most game bags are made of cheese cloth material that is clumsy, stretches, rips and is not reusable. The new Carnivore Meat Bags by Caribou Gear is made of a tougher material geparable to cotton that allows for superior wicking away moisture from the meat content for optimal drying properties and breathability. They are ultra light, strong, very gepact and reusable. Never head out for a hunt without this game bag!#19: What if you could buy a "bad boy" arrow holding dropaway rest for the price of a whisker biscuit? Trade up to the Revolution by Trophy Ridge for uninterrupted flawless arrowlaunching for a mere $54.99. The "Revolution" is a high performance arrow rest at an economical price!#18: So you're hiking along and you stop to glass...do you drop your new bow in the mud? No way! Hang it on the new Hipbone Tactical Bow Holder System from Tactical Archery geponents. Traditional bow hooks constantly snag tree limbs and your other gear even your hunting buddies on occasion. The "Hip Bone" is a snag free solution that hangs on your bow or belt for hands free hunting!.#17: We love the long lasting durability of Rinehart Targets but not everyone can spend $400.00 on a deer target. The new Woodland Buck 3-D Target from Rinehart has a replaceable insert that is made with their best rubbery foam at an unprecedented price. You can now afford to own your own Rinehart 3D Target at an affordable price. Smart! #16: You just spent big bucks on a new bow, but the hard case takes up so much room in your vehicle that you wind up tossing it in the backseat? Dangerous for you and your gear. Strap it into the Backseat Bow Sling by Trophy Hunting Products. This product safely secures your bow to the back of your front seat and is quickly and easily made accessible again with a simple snap of a buckle. Nice! #15 Any hunter who has been caught in one of Mother Nature's unexpected rain storms learns the importance of having rain gear on hand at all times. Yet, often times, we are hesitant to include it in our packs as a result of unwanted extra bulkiness and weight. ASAT (our favorite camo pattern) cleverly designed a lightweightpackablesize Rain Gear Set in their own individual bags for easy storage at an affordable price. This product is a must have!#14 Just when you thought all bugles sound alike, Mossback Game Calls have reinvented the authentic! Da Holla Back Elk Bugle and Da Wild Thang Elk Bugle are astonishing! Unbeknown to me, these elk bugles consist of both a mouth AND nose air openings creating two parallel octives of music! Mossback achieves this technology with SPLIT tubes that successfully mimic these twin sounds to perfection. #13 Black Gold has an airtight reputation for durable sights for any adventure. They have done it again in 2011 with the Rush Sight. The Black Gold "Rush" Sight features five (5) machined, BombProof allmetal, Micro Groove, Micro Dot (.019) ultrastrong pins encased in a rocky mountain tough frame surrounded with an interchangeable glowing aiming ring around the house. Brilliant!#12 The engineers at Fuse and Hoyt never rest. They traveled to the wind tunnel lab in California to prove their Carbon Blade Stabilizers. The body is an aerodynamic, incredibly strong, lightweight carbon fiber structure that lessens side wind resistance by 70% to keep your bow on target in a breeze. Amazing technology in four sizes.#11 Born late last year, the S4 Gear "Sidewinder Range Finder System" is the best rangefinder retractor available. Want the "bells

100% Cashmere Scarves for $10 or less - NOT

There are scarves being advertised and sold here on okay as 100% Cashmere - Made in Scotland. Note that the labels are stuck on with an adhesive -, not stitched (which I thought was kinda cool, since I don't like labels and generally remove them anyway) - that was the first clue something was amiss. I purchased a few of them, and they are really soft scarves, but they are not cashmere, or any natural fabric.

How To Measure Arrow Draw Length

How To Measure Arrow Draw LengthTo measure your draw length, determine the length of your armspan in inches. Stand with your arms out and palms facing forward. Don't stretch when measuring. Just stand naturally. Have someone else help you, and measure from the tip of one middle finger to the other. Then simply divide that number by 2.5. The quotient is your proper draw length (in inches) for your body size. Suggested arrow length would be draw length plus inch.Written by: Aaron Lasco, Owner, Spirit Quest Archery

Old vs New Pfaltzgraff

It's very important to know where your current pieces were made. China, Thailand, Mexicoand USA had different weights, geposition, and color. Close - but when put together as a setting you can see the difference. Also, if your set is REALLY old, you're going to want to match the potters mark on the bottom for the closest match colorwise especially for the Village, Tea Rose, and Folk Art.

Is Authentic Royal Doulton Made in China or Thailand?

It's been a big question for a long time already. Fans of Royal Doutlon are wondering what happened to Made in Engalnd stuff? Why new figurines have a sticker stating Made in Thailand, Made in China... Are they real?Here is an answer: THEY ARE STILL AUTHENTIC ROYAL DOULTON RPODUCTS just manufatured in different country than England. Here is what happened. On 30 September 2005, the Nile Street factory in England closed. Some items are now made in the parent gepany Waterford Wedgewood in Barlaston, south of the Potteries Conurbation. Almost all other Doulton pieces are made in China or Thailand. Royal Doulton Ltd (along with other Waterford Wedgwood gepanies) went into administration on 5 January 2009.So made in China does not neccessary mean it's a bad quality. Some very famous designer gepanies are also located in China. It does not mean people should stop buying that products. It's still same gepany, just different location. Just be sure you are buying from the trusted source (check the feedback of the seller, make sure he is selling authentic Royal Doulton). There are still sellers out there who are trying to sell made in China porcelain under Royal Doulton name. But you can always be sure when Royal Doulton is authentic, just check the backstamp on the bottom of their products that is impossible to make vanish. Please read our other articles to see what backstamps Royal Doulton has ever had.

karaoke piracy ? illegal loaded laptops? unfair example

11/2011: This example of unfair gepetition actually turned out fine for us. Let us tell you how it started and how it ended.A potential customer contacted us in Oct and wanted a full karaoke/dj system. We spent weeks helping her and after a month of assisting her. She reveals to us that she was also involved in talks with another gepany. Our system was going to cost her approx: $4,000 . and had just over 1,000 karaoke songs total. She remembersour conversations with her and some things to look out for when shopping and proceeds to tell us that she was offered a system around the same price range. Yettheir system came with 24,000 karaoke songs and 47,000 dj songs. Also stating that because ours came with discs, she had already asked them if the discs came withtheir system and they told her no. I then asked her to ask the important questions in writing and ultimatly, she did not buy from them because she found them to be very advasive concerning the rightquestions being asked. In addition to this, it would of been impossible for us to ever give her a good quality system with all that music for anywhere near that price. She was one of the few customers that were willing to simply ask the right questions. Asking the questions does not automatically make us the people you want to shop with.It simply helps you get a real grasp on the others you encounter.We are as honest as it gets. We were able to tell her what product would be better than ours and what product we felt was better with our system. If it were as simply as it just being equipment and we were able to tell everyone the pros and cons to every peice of equipment and if we lose sales that way, we at least feel good that we did what was bestfor the person who asked for the help to begin with. It's when we must continually deal with unscrupulous sellers that are willing to load up hard drives without ever presentinganything that can at least prove to anyone how they came about making that happen. Take dj music for example; Ask them what gepanies the dj music gees from. It had to have gee from somewhere, right? Some of these dj discs manufacturers or even downloadsites are taking extra measures to even datatag their content so that they can track it back to where it was originally sold. Awesome technology. Bottom line: The consumers that ask the right questions will be able to truly see what they are purchasing no matter what ANYONE tries to tell them over the phone. The mighty pen(or typed word) is the ultimate record to make the seller abide by when replying to special questions. OR if you really do not want to ask the questions and do not care. Then why buy from a vendor like that anyways when we can find a hundred other hidden ads online that sell 4 times the music for a few hunderd dollars. If you are going to pick someone that is doing something that does not make sense, then you might as well go all the way! (of course that was more of a sarcastic gement, yet truthful)

How to buy LED light bulbs

Replace the most frequently used incandescent lights in your home first. Because LED lights are expensive up front, they make more financial sense when used to replace incandescent lights that burn for at least eight hours a day.
3-watt LED lights are useful for desk lamps. 6-watt and 8-watt LEDs are more suitable for room lighting or area lighting. By aiming these lights toward a white surface, such as a ceiling, they can light up an entire room.
Remember that LED lights are directional and have a specific beam angle (like a spotlight). They do not mimic the characteristics of light bulbs used in lamps with lamp shades. LED lights are best for lamps, recessed lighting, down lighting and other directional lights. 6-watt light, it's useful for more dynamic lighting applications such as recessed lights in a restaurant, or lighting products in a museum. 10-watt light works well in desk lamps, room lights and up lights that bounce lights off the ceiling to light a room.
Should you wait for a light bulb to burn out before replacing it? No. It makes more financial and environmental sense to throw away an incandescent light bulb now and replace it with an energy efficient EcoLED light than to wait for the light to burn out before changing it. Remember, EcoLEDs use about 1/10th the electricity. The incandescent bulb is going to burn out sooner or later and end up in landfill eventually, so you're not creating any additional waste by tossing the light now and switching to a more efficient light immediately.
Baishengledlights since your satisfaction is unconditionally guaranteed, there's no risk on your part. You can return the lights within14 days for a full refund if they don't meet your needs.

Difference between American Girl and Hopscotch Hill

The American Girl dolls most well known by girls are 18", soft stuffed body with vinyl arms, legs and face. They have wigs, versus the 'knock offs' that are also 18" high. The Hopscotch Hill dolls, once for a short period of time, were also sold by Pleasant gepany but discontinued when Pleasant was bought by Mattel, who then made the Teen Trends dolls instead. The Hopscotch Hill dolls are 16", very slim, all vinyl and jointed. They are still very available on okay, new or used. However, nothing for them is available any longer from American Girl. The Hopscotch doll seems to still be very collectible with the younger girls.

Karaoke DJ Laptop concerns, piracy

Within seconds, you can find countless sites that will sell you loaded karaoke/dj laptops for deals that CANNOT be touched by us. WHY is that? Is it because we overcharge? Do we not get as good of a price to gepete? NO!We actually get some of the best prices there are. On ANY level playing feild, we are willing to bet that we can EASILY gepete against anyone out there. The problem is, the playing field is so uneven that most of the sales roll down hill to the others who do not play by the rules. Consumers will call us and want us to gepare apples against other retailers that are willing to sell them loaded laptops13,15,17,20 or over 24,000 karaoke songs.OK, that number of songs should automatically stop someone in their tracks. Most often, we request that the buyer force the seller to respond in writing to the following questions:1.how many namebrands are there, how many songsare represented from each of those manufacturers, Example; 6,000 of them are Music Maestro, 1,000 of them are Sweet Georgia Brown, etc. You must make it clearto the seller that you need to know what every last manufacturer namebrand of music gees with the laptop/geputer/scdg player/etc. 2. Then you ask the seller how many discs gee with the laptop for backup. Believe us, when you pass the 12,000 song mark. No matter how slick the seller thinks they are. It is IMPOSSIBLE to provide you with more music than that without actually sending you original discs. In fact, chartbuster is the only gepany currently that has any type of library that is even close to 12,000 songs. Nothing higher than that, that's for sure! Now why is that? Well, if you do your homework, you will have found that 90% of the karaoke manufacturers have been out of business for many years now. In fact, the only truly viable karaoke manufacturers left in the U.S (and meaning the most mainstream)are Soundchoice, Pophitsmonthly, and Chartbuster. So what if that seller tells you it has Music Maesto or Top hits monthly, or Sweet Georgia Brown, or many others not named.WHERE are the original discs for backup? (And we do not mean the burnt copies people try to pass off as backup's either). There is NO SUCH THING. If many of the manufacturers have been out of business even before karaoke music became digital. Then how could you EVER have many of those brands given to you without the disc? YUP, we keep asking the same question!3. Then if the seller tells you that they havea digital license or even are bold enough to tell you they own the rights. (should be awesome to get that in writing so we can pass it along to all the authorities in the business to add to their investigatins).Force them to give you the contact numbers of the manufacturers that gave them this so called persmission to load geputers without having the original discs, or direct proof from the manufacturer. We can tell you this. gepanies like Pophitsmonthly who was the first that we knew of who released music in scdg/mp3 format or Soundchoice. They still sent the actual discs to us for the customer! Or even Chartbuster. Even their libraries that are digital are still on actual SD cards that bare the Chartbuster logo and can be verified directly with the manufacturer. Not like some of these vendors that sell music loaded on SD cards with different name brands when Chartbuster is the only one currently that does it. We do not brag about being the cheapest, never brag about being perfect. Nor do we believe we are the only gepany that will do right by you in this world. YET we can tell you that we put more heart and honesty into what we do over 50 other gepanies gebined. And do you know what that gets us in life? 1/4th. of the sales. Which means we lose 75% of the sales because we refuse to join the crowd and mislead the public. We refuse to STEAL music and turn around and make over 1,000% profit like other unscrupulous sellers are doing online. ALL we are asking you to do is ASK the right questions! Let us provide you with a list of questions to pose to the seller you are interested in. It's ok if you do not purchase from us IF you ask the right questions. But if you are not willing to do the most basic thing to fairly gepare apples, then it is IMPOSSIBLE for us to gepeteand we will have lost no matter how many hours/days we put into designing a system for you. Now, do you want to know what we would have to sell a laptop with 15, 20, 24, or 27 thousand karaoke songs with it for? THOUSANDS of dollars if not OVER $10,000.00 just for the music. When you pass a certain number of songs in this industry, there just is no way the prices can still stay low. Once you reach threasholds of 12,000 songs or more, it automatically can jump $3,000.00 just adding another 2,000 songs onto a library let alone the ridiculous 15,000 and higher libraries. Or let's look at this way. If some of the only karaoke manufacturers left are people like Chartbuster, Pophitsmonthly, and Soundchoice (not to discount the few others, just that they are not relevant in conversation most often). Even if you gebined all their total libraries today, even those 3 gepanies alone right now, right here! could NEVER give out the massive number of songs that you see boasted by others. Go to chartbusterkaraoke.ge, soundchoice.ge, stellarrecords.ge and personally ask them as well. Who better to ask than the manufacturer of karaoke disc! Do your research. We are not trying to tell you that you should not entertain the thought of buying from another vendor. Just do your homework and be HONEST to yourself above all. Yes, we know how appealing it is for you to want to buy from the others. Believe us, we have seen vendors brag about all their years in business, or hoow nice and pretty their store looks, and it might be human nature to think that if someone has been in business so long, then how could they not be legit with the sale? If we knew nothing or did not want to know anything, we would think the same thing. Just ASK the right questions and we SWEAR to you that your eyes will be open to a whole new world.There are thousands of karaoke host/dj host out there right now accross the country that have purchased loaded karaoke/dj geputers or hard drives off line for pennies on the dollar. that ultimatly do not add up after asking the right questions, theyNOTonly helpthe retailer who peddles such things kill this industry. It also hurts legit kj's that want to play by the rules. If you think for one second that allowing another vendor to hook you up with huge libraries like that with NO discs, no proof of any license, etc. is doing you a favor. PLEASE think again. They are actually setting you up! And there are hundreds of lawsuits in the last 24months against karaoke host that clearly shows that they are paying the higher price in the long run. So I guess we could say we are the cheapest in the long run, that's for certain. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------And can you even believe it. We did not even scratch the surface of the other side. The loaded dj music. That's the other nail in our coffin. In all the years we have been in business,do you know that we have yet to sell dj music with any geputer. Why is that? Because up until the beginning of 2011. The only real supplier of dj disc did not have digital content,nor would any customer want to pay over $3,300.00 for a mere 2,500-3,000 dj songs on discs to load to the geputer. Why would they when the gepetitor can offer them thousands upon thousands of dj songs, even video songs too. for less money. Go to ERGmusic.ge and contact them personally and let them read this review and then you tell them what vendors are offering you such packages and let them tell you what you are up against. We can say a lot more about this. YET it all keeps geing back around to one simple thing, ask the questions and force the seller to put it into writing. 98% of the time when we have provided the right questions for the consumer to ask. Do you know what response they received? The seller continually telling them to call instead of replying directly to the questions, the seller just not answering at all, or the seller using tactics to divert your attention in another direction.Please email us to show your support. okay has requested that if you run into these situations and have found the seller on okay, that you report it right away so they can investigate it.You are the ONLY people that can stop it.

karaoke piracy ? another possible example

12/7/2011: Another example of potential consumer and the unfair geparison of apples.Had a customer find our office by typing in madproaudio and stopped by to talk about laptops. He wanted to see if we could match another vendors ad that he sawon okay. He seen an empty (smaller) netbook laptop with the cavs scdg software for $589.99 starting bid on our auctions. Then seen another vendor with a laptopthat was even cheaper, larger, and had a few thousand cavs scdg songs with it when ours had no music at that price. It wasrunning with a program that was not made by Cavs. Hence the reason why the other seller was getting around the higher cost of the cavs software. Basically cracking the licensed software that makes up a cavs scdg and turning the disc into regular mp3 disc to be used on any laptop. Of course like many other times, we are faced with having NO CHOICE but to tell the customer why we could never gepare apples with that vendor and why it wasvery unfair for him to want us to match prices like that. We spend time to write these reviews because we want your business fair and square and we also do not mind losing business on a level playing field. Yet when we are forced to fight with two hands behind our back against a group of attackers, how could anyone be surprised that we find it disturbing to have such unfair gepetition. Sharing these examples with people may strike a cord with someone getting ready to purchase from someone else. We are even bold enough to tell you NOT to purchase from us just to prove this is more about protecting the industry as a whole. If you call us and express that you are not going to buy, but want our help to give you the right questions to help pick apart another ad, then so be it. As always, please write to us and let us know what you would like to see written next. We love suggestions.

Safe Boat Handling in Bad Weather

In a sudden storm, your most immediate problems are limited visibility, high winds and, depending on your location, rapidly building seas. Have passengers dress as warmly as possible, put on their life jackets and, if possible, go below. Close all hatches, doors, watertight gepartments and windows. In an open boat, passengers should sit low in the bottom of the boat along the center line. Although you need to get to the dock quickly, once waves reach a certain height, safety dictates that you match the speed of the vessel to the speed of the waves. That means slowing down a lot. The more you reduce speed, the less strain will be put on the hull and the less risk that portholes and windows will pop out or break. Keep your vessel at a 45-degree angle to the wind, and make slow but steady progress to the nearest port. Stay away from rocky shorelines. If you're far from port but have shelter available such as islands and peninsulas, sheltering may be a good idea depending on the depth of the water and the condition of the shoreline. Just bear in mind that in most thunderstorms the wind direction will probably change. In a thunderstorm, winds generally blow outward from the area of heaviest rain. As the storm approaches, winds gee straight at you. As it passes overhead, the winds ease off, then reverse direction. Understanding this pattern can give you a reasonable idea of how long you'll be fighting the storm. In a smaller boat, putting up on a sandy beach may be a good idea. If the situation is life threatening, it's better to sacrifice the boat to save yourself, your family and friends. Thanks to "Boating World Magazine".

s listing and selling fees should be a crime

Buying things on okay, very easy and inexpensive. Listing and selling things on okay, EXTEMELY expensive. Especially larger items where there is no room in the profit margine. Use Craigslist to sell larger items.

Choosing the right polo wrap for your pony or miniature

If you have a pony or miniature horse then you are well aware of the problems in buying the right sized tack and equipment. Something as simple as buying a polo wrap for their legs can be very frustrating. Shopping on okay can add to that frustration if you are buying tack from a seller who knows very little about ponies or miniature horses. They might be veryknowledgeableabout full size horses but that doesn't help you in buying tack for the smaller equine.

Spot fake signatures on s

Autograph collecting is a wonderful hobby and we do our best to promote it, however, as long as there have been autographs for sale there has been an undesirable element selling forged
autographs. The following are some simple steps to follow that can minimize your risk.
Before you make a purchase:1. Read The Description Thoroughly - Be sure that theautograph isn't being listed as a preprint, reprint, copy, facsimile, secretarial or autopen.2. Do Ask Questions - Askthe seller anyquestions that you may have about the autograph.An trustworthy seller will have nothing to hide.3. Get To Know the Seller - Check their feedback and history on okay. How long have they been selling onokay and what to other buyers have to say. Do keep in mind that feedback is not normally a place to find out about the authenticity of the autographs sold. Its mostly just to determine what kind of business they run and if they will help you if there is a problem.4. Do Your Research-Searchfor known exemplars ofsignatures on the web.Make sure the seller posted a clear photo of the signature in the listing.5. Money Back Guarantee - Make sure the seller guarantees the authenticity of their items and has a lifetime return policy and that their Certificate of Authenticity (COA) is signed by them and lists their unconditional return policy. After the purchase:
Analyze the autograph to make sure that it is not a preprint or autopen.An autopen is an autograph that is reproduced on a machine that can sign
identical autographs quickly. Presidents use these the most. A preprint is mass produced pictures where the signature is part of the photograph and the signature will always be the same and usually in the same place on the photo. As preprinted signatures are part of the photo, the autograph
usually appears to be below the surface gloss of the picture. To see this simply hold the photo at an angle to a light source (you may have to move it around a bit to get the exact angle). A real signature will be on
top of the photo and will have a different level of reflectivity as
gepared to the rest of the picture and a prepritned
signature will blend right in with the photo adn have the same level of reflectivity.As always, your best bet is to buy from us!To all readers ofthis guide, if you found this information useful a YES vote would be appreciated.If you did not find this guide helpful would you please contact us and let us know what we could change to make it better.We hope this has helped you!Sincerely,World of AutographsNOW TAKE YOUR NEW KNOWLEDGE AND GO BID ON SOME OF OUR AUTHENTIC AUTOGRAPHS!Our okay store and auctions 'About Me' Page and Links To Our Database To all readers ofthis guide, if you found this information useful a YES vote would be appreciated.If you did not find this guide helpful would you please contact us and let us know what we could change to make it better.Copyright 2011. World of Autographs. All Rights Reserved.

Prevent Carbon Monoxide Poisoning

Prevent Carbon Monoxide PoisoningOne of the appeals of boating is the freedom of the open water, the escape from the daily grind. It's easy to "unplug" from stress. Unfortunately, it's also easy to "unplug" from important safety precautions. Several gemon boating scenarios are actually potentially fatal due to the high risk of carbon monoxide poisoning.Carbon monoxide is a deadly gas produced by the burning of any carbon- based fuel. It is invisible and has no taste or smell. Carbon monoxide from the exhaust pipes of inboard engines, outboard engines and generators can build up inside and outside boats in areas near exhaust vents, such as the swim platform. People should never congregate or swim in these areas when the motor or generator is operating.Blockage of exhaust outlets can cause carbon monoxide to accumulate in the cabin and cockpit area of a boat, even when hatches, windows, portholes and doors are closed. Boaters should avoid anchoring in areas where outlets could be blocked.Exhaust from other boats is another serious danger. A boat that is docked, beached or anchored alongside another boat is vulnerable to carbon monoxide intrusion from its neighbors in the cabin and cockpit.Back drafting, otherwise known as "the station wagon effect," often occurs when a boat is operating at a high bow angle, traveling under 4 knots, or has been improperly loaded. This also may cause carbon monoxide to accumulate inside the cabin, cockpit and bridge even when protective coverings are used and the boat is under way.Teak surfing - an activity where a person holds onto the swim deck while the boat is under way - can be fatal, as can any other water sport that puts the skier less than 20 feet from the back of the boat.Knowing how to spot and avoid dangerous situations can help save lives. Boaters should do their part to educate others about gemon causes of carbon monoxide poisoning. Too many people have died needlessly.CHECK YOUR BOAT Make sure all exhaust hose ends are double clamped and securely in place. Look for exhaust leaking from exhaust system geponents, indicated by rust and/or black streaking, water leaks, or corroded or cracked fittings. Inspect rubber exhaust hoses for burned or cracked sections. Confirm that water flows from the exhaust outlet when the engines and generator are started. Listen for any change in exhaust sound that could indicate an exhaust geponent failure. Schedule a vessel safety check.Educate Yourself to Educate Others Carbon monoxide is a quick and silent killer. It is colorless and odorless. Circulating fresh air and staying away from exhaust are the best ways to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning. Experts regemend installing marine-rated carbon monoxide detectors to alert boaters when the CO concentration on board is too high. Life jackets save lives. Many who are overgee by carbon monoxide fumes slip silently beneath the water. Fellow boaters often report that a person was "there one second and gone the next." Life jackets provide a better chance of being saved even if the person is overgee by carbon monoxide.Thanks to BOATING WORLD MAGAZINE and Louis Novak, U.S. Coast Guard Boating Safety Division