Too Good To Be True

All shook up for Elvis peanut butter cup

Source: The Philadelphia Inquirer 12/08/2006

First, Hershey brought out the special Reese's white chocolate peanut butter cup, the dark chocolate cup, and the twice-as-large Big Cup.
Now comes a cup that could be the biggest of them all: the Limited Edition Elvis Peanut Butter & Banana Creme, inspired by the singer's famous hankering for deep-fried peanut butter-and-banana sandwiches.
The Reese's wrapper will feature the image of the young Elvis - thin, snarling and, crooning into a '50s-style microphone. The candy will be sold in standard, mini and "The King" sizes, beginning in July, according to Hershey.
Timed to the 30th anniversary of Elvis' demise on Aug. 16, the promotion will be supported by a backbeat of contests and prizes that include a trip for two to Graceland, Elvis' home-turned-museum in Memphis.
"I think it's fantastic," says Barbara Lee Rowe, who runs the Kin of Rock and Roll, a hybrid Elvis/Civil War memorabilia store in Gettysburg. "Have you ever had a peanut butter-and-banana sandwich?"
There's no guarantee that putting Elvis' mug on a candy wrapper, or two of his favorite ingredients inside, will drive sales, experts caution.
"Images clearly draw attention, but that doesn't mean they'll push a consumer to actually buy," says professor Barbie Zelizer, who studies pop culture at the University of Pennsylvania. "We never know how images are going to work in conjunction with the products."
In recent years, the $28 billion candy industry has tried to sweeten profits with limited-edition treats. Manufacturers face rabid competition in the form of 2,000 new confections a year and, paradoxically, a public worried about eating healthy and losing weight. Companies like Hershey, which expects sales to fall slightly short of its goal this year, try to entice customers with variations on proven brands.
That's why you've seen six types of Kit Kat bar and inside-out Junior Mints.
But sales have slowed as makers exhaust the obvious white- and dark-chocolate possibilities, says Susan Fussell of the National Confectioners Association. The challenge now, she says, is to mate established products to unexpected flavors.
"This new Elvis is a really good example," she says.
And Elvis, who would have been 72 next month, is a reliable salesman. He earned $42 million in the last year, second only to Nirvana's Kurt Cobain among dead celebs, according to Forbes magazine.
The King's likeness and name isn't only on guitars and teddy bears, it's on everything , even a gun, the Smith & Wesson "Taking Care of Business" .357 Magnum revolver. Perfect for shooting out TV sets.
There are lines of Elvis foods, like Burning Love Hot Sauce and Blue Hawaii Luau Glaze, and wines including Jailhouse Red Merlot and Blue Suede Chardonnay. At Elviscoffee.com you can order bags of All Shook Up Smooth Blend.
For businesses seeking to sell products, Elvis offers two outstanding attributes:
He is enormously popular.
And, well, he's dead.
Nobody has to fret about sales being hurt by footage of an addled, overweight Elvis padding around Graceland in a gold lame bathrobe.
Today, Elvis is who they say he is. And to Hershey, he's a sexy rock-and-roller with a curl in his lip - and a taste for banana creme.

Contact staff writer Jeff Gammage at 610-313-8110 or jgammage@phillynews.com.

His Wheels International

One "Man's" Dream, another "Man's" Treasure

How many bikes can fit in a suburban backyard? We stopped counting after one hundred. More importantly why are these bikes there? What has always been a passion for me collided with my love for God and became His Wheels International.

Many firsts in my life involved a bike. My dad picked my 1st bike out of the trash. I learned how to ride, and then the next day it broke in half while I was out riding. I’m still picking bikes out of the trash to this day.

At the age of 15 I biked from Portland, Maine to Portland. Oregon. We were gone 42 days, biked 3,600 miles, and averaged 100 miles per day. With my 15-year-old maturity I was ecstatic about the novelty of biking cross-country. But, I’d never considered there might be some rough days on a bike, where riding 100 miles a day would get hard. Whenever I faced hard times I always told myself, “If I could bike cross-country I could get through any challenge life presented.” That line has stayed with me ever since.

I was just getting warmed up. At the age of 16 I rode 3,100 miles from San Diego, CA to Virginia Beach, VA. At 17 I took my first international trip biking England & Scotland. In 1983 I rode a broken down bike while doing mission work in Zimbabwe. I kept thinking, “If I only had a cable and a tool I could have fixed that biked.” Then in 1988, while on a bicycle trip in Israel, I rededicated my life to the Lord in the Jordan River.

My dream was to bike on all 7 continents and all 50 States. By age 30 I’d biked on 4 continents and in 30 states. However, 4 days prior to going on a 10-day 1,000-mile trip, my riding came to a halt with the onset of a disability (Chronic Fatigue Immune Dysfunction Syndrome, CFIDS). Since my illness began, it’s been difficult to ride even a mile without trouble, but I’ve learned to be thankful for those miles too. I never knew that the lesson I learned on my first cross country ride would help me through such a difficult challenge.

CFIDS is a mysterious illness, with a sudden onset of flu-like symptoms that worsen over time. The symptoms include every body system, but the characteristic relentless fatigue, joint pain and low grade fever make living a normal life impossible. The word "chronic" means just that-it is an ongoing disability that most patients battle for the rest of their lives.

His Wheels International was born out of my love for bicycles and a simple dinner conversation. In the fall of 2003 I met Reverend John & Carolyn Lutembeka from Tanzania. While visiting around the table I asked, “What could the church do to help your ministry of working with pastors and lay evangelists in Tanzania?” The Lutembeka’s were not aware of my love for biking when they gave their answer. “If every church family donated $100.00, each $100.00 gift would buy a bike allowing a pastor or evangelist to evangelize five villages reaching many throughout Tanzania." Another African leader described how valuable a bike is to ministry in the following way: "Think of all the places you drive your car. What would it be like to walk all those places especially in inclement weather? It becomes very discouraging. So much energy goes into getting to a village which can be up to five or six hours away. The energy could be better spent ministering in the village than spent traveling there."

My brain was charged up as I prayed that night. Since 1997 I’ve regularly prayed, “Lord combine all of who I am in a God-sized way; utilizing my talents, education, interests and love for You.” He challenged me that night to give $1,200, the cost of my custom built road bike to partner with the Lutembeka's ministry in Tanzania by buying bikes and spare parts. The gift was almost three times my monthly income. Some fears and doubts surfaced, which I had to lay at the foot of the cross.

The next day when I delivered the check they were shocked and said, “Do you know how many people will be reached for Christ because you gave?” Expressing their gratitude they quoted from Philippians 4:10-20, "I rejoice greatly in the Lord…It was good of you to share in my troubles…You sent me aid…when I was in need. Not that I am looking for a gift, but I am looking for what may be credited to your account…The gift you sent…a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God. And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus." Afterwards they prayed for me. “We believe God is going to restore your health this year.” I listened and allowed their faith to believe for me. Having seen 40 specialists over 11 years my faith to believe those words was weak.Over the next 10 days I received all $1,200.00 back. In addition my six-month car insurance bill was paid. Then over the next 5 months the Lord worked through 4 new medical providers to uncover treatable parts to my illness. The restoration of my health has baffled my physician and many others.

Let me read two reports I got back from John in Tanzania. January 7, 2004-“Dear Alice, We continue to thank God for connecting us with you. You are such a woman of faith. We have a lot we can learn from you.Thanks for sharing the vision of His Wheels International with others. It is such a big vision and God will use it to reach millions. Continue to let many know about it and make a follow-up for promises. God is able to multiply the five loaves and two fish.”

January 12, 2005 “Dear Alice, We always remember about you and especially that night when we had ample time to share together our experiences and pray together. It was during that time the vision to assist evangelists in Tanzania was born. The bikes have served the cause of Christ in Tanzania. The evangelists in Dar Es Salaam and coast Region were enabled to reach more villages with the gospel of Christ. Because of the big need to reach more unreached people, two evangelists were admitted in our School of Ministry for training. One bike was given to the evangelist in Zanzibar… We trust the Lord that much has been accomplished by that evangelist. Other bikes were sent to Tanga, Muleba and Karagwe. The report we have is that the evangelists praise the Lord for hearing their prayer for the bikes. They are reaching more people than before. May God bless you for your donation.”

Here’s a follow up from Tracy Goen, a missionary we partnered with to send bikes to Nigeria. With the money for bicycles he purchased basic single speed bikes like the old Schwinns that went to seminary students doing internships with rural and bush church plants. This was done through the Oyi River Seminary in Egbe, Nigeria, where there are about 150 students. It is part of the Evangelical Church of West Africa that has grown out of SIM’s 150 plus years of ministry in this area. He also obtained some three-wheeled hand-pedaled bikes and a Bible for those with Polio in Jos. This program is under the leadership of Tracy’s colleagues.

Nationally HWI has partnered with World Relief to provide bicycles to immigrants and refugees on an ongoing basis. So far bicycles have gone to individuals from Sudan, Ethiopia, Cuba, Burma, Eritrea and Iran. We are also collecting and refurbishing bicycles to take to Katrina victims in New Orleans. This project will occur through a partnership with a local church. In addition bicycles have been given to missionary's home on furlough, international students, ex-offenders, the disabled and the homeless.

I trust this vision will capture your hearts as it has mine. My physician accurately diagnosed His Wheels in the following way, “What a great idea for someone who loves God and biking as much as you do.”

Written by Alice Teisan
May 2, 2006
Bible quotations from New International Version

See their WEBSITE - www.hiswheelsintl.org

Tip of the Day

Set MP3 volumes

2/23/2006

Sometimes when you record audio, it's either too soft and too loud. This free program analyzes and adjusts the audio volume in MP3 files.

No more turning the volume up or down while listening to music or moving from song to song.

MP3Gain does not just do peak normalization, as many normalizers do. Instead, it does some statistical analysis to determine how loud the file actually sounds to the human ear. Also, the changes are completely lossless. There is no quality lost in the change because the program adjusts the MP3 file directly, without decoding and re-encoding.

Cost: Free

Link: sourceforge.net

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This copy is only for your personal, non-commercial use. Distribution and use of this material are governed by our policy and by copyright law. For non-personal use or to order multiple copies, please visit www.komando.com/reprint-permission.aspx

Tip of the Day

TIP OF THE DAY

Early planning can keep holiday spending in check ; Set budget in season of giving
Source: Times-Picayune 12/05/2006

Question: I am having a difficult time juggling my finances during the holidays. What are some holiday budgeting tips?

Answer: As the holidays approach, many people think lavish spending comes with the season -- whether it be on travel, entertainment, or gifts for family and co-workers. It's easy to get caught up in the glitz and glitter, and to let emotions and expectations drive purchases. But a simple preseason game plan can help you manage the holiday hustle -- and avoid huge bills that could drain your savings later. You don't need to scrimp like Scrooge to celebrate in style, it's just a matter of a little advance planning.
-- Set a spending target. First, determine how much you want to spend overall this holiday season. Include all expenses, such as gifts, greeting cards, postage, decorations, entertainment and travel. Estimate what you spent last year, and decide whether you want to change the amount.
The key to staying in the drivers seat with holiday spending is figuring out how to meet this goal without dipping into long-term savings or going into debt. Think creatively and make some temporary trade-offs: Can you forgo a few restaurant dinners over the next couple months? Perhaps you can wait until next year for a major purchase, or you can postpone making an extra mortgage payment for now.
-- Make a list and check it twice. Write down the names of people on your gift list and specify a dollar amount next to each. Putting this information on paper will keep you focused and enable you to make trade-offs if needed.
Perhaps you want to buy an expensive gift for your parents -- then you can trim the amount spent on friends. Avoid impulse buying by researching gift ideas and prices online. You may decide later to shop at the mall, but with the help of the Internet, you will have a good estimate of costs and a helpful list of suitable gifts.
-- Share your strategy with others. You may want to tell friends and family about your gift-giving plan, without necessarily spoiling the surprise of each present. Santa may bring a few larger gifts for the kids this year instead of several smaller ones.
Or perhaps you can purchase a group gift -- such as a game or movie -- for your brother's family. Your plan may come as a relief to others, and they might revise their shopping as well.
-- Consider gifts with growth potential. Think about purchasing a starter IRA for young adults or an education savings plan for children. You can add to these gifts each year, and you determine the initial contribution amount based on your holiday plan. Your children or grandkids will appreciate that you initiated these savings tools for them. They offer potential benefit in years to come, and an early start provides the additional gift of compounding over time.
-- Make it personal. Look at your gift list and think creatively -- who might like a handwritten note and a framed photograph? Perhaps someone would be thrilled with an evening of babysitting or a tray of home-baked goods. Or donate to your friend's favorite charity, and send him a card that mentions your contribution -- you don't need to specify the amount.
-- Shop early. Most people wait until after Thanksgiving to start their holiday shopping, according to a National Retail Federation 2005 survey. And approximately 18 percent of men had not started holiday shopping by December 20, according to the same data.
Shopping early can help you avoid the last-minute pressure that can result in choosing a gift that is either marginally acceptable or above your price target. Before you hit the stores, make sure you have your list, and when you're finished, go home. Consider purchasing gift cards -- they are popular both to give and receive, according to the National Retail Federation.
Gift cards can keep you on your holiday spending plan -- you decide in advance how much each person will get, and at many stores, you choose how much to put on the card.
Check out the terms before you buy -- some cards lose value or expire over time.
-- Plan ahead for travel. If your holidays call for an out-of- town visit, try to plan in advance. Research the fares of competing airlines, or use a travel agent to compare prices. Look into travel Web sites and travel clubs.
If you have a great deal of flexibility in your schedule, consider fares that may become available closer to your departure date. If you are planning a major excursion, such as a holiday cruise, and you are financing the trip instead of paying up front, research the different sources of credit. A home equity loan, for example, may provide a lower interest rate than a credit card. Keep in mind, however, that failing to repay or make scheduled payments on a home equity loan could mean losing your home, so be sure to consider this option carefully.
. . . . . . .
John Gin is a certified financial planner in the New Orleans area office of a national financial services firm. Send questions to Money Watch, The Times-Picayune, 3800 Howard Ave., New Orleans, LA 70125.