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Etsy Gifts 2020 and 2021 : Made in America Edition

  Did you know that over 40% of Amazon goods are made in China? Add to that nearly 99% for Alibaba Group, which itself is the Chinese Amazon, and all its subsidiaries. To say nothing of the black market, and the human rights tragedies going on there, as I've typed madly about before. If you're tired of shopping in other countries for Americans, you should give the entrepreneur makers on Etsy a try.      Amazingly enough, even though the US lost a lot of its factory and industrial infrastructure to…
Score: 2.25

Christmas Gift Ideas

Etsy Gifts 2020 and 2021 : Made in America Edition

  Did you know that over 40% of Amazon goods are made in China? Add to that nearly 99% for Alibaba Group, which itself is the Chinese Amazon, and all its subsidiaries. To say nothing of the black market, and the human rights tragedies going on there, as I've typed madly about before. If you're tired of shopping in other countries for Americans, you should give the entrepreneur makers on Etsy a try.      Amazingly enough, even though the US lost a lot of its factory and industrial infrastructure to…
Score: 2.25

Gift Ideas: Black Friday At Historic Valley Junction

  Gift Inspirations…  It's about time we gave the old 'shopping' category some filling here at 123ish.com. When Black Friday rolled around and kids came in from out of town to visit, your humble author hit on a swell idea: I'd join the legions of shoppers at Iowa's own Historic Valley Junction in West Des Moines, with a side agenda of composing a gift inspiration list. Not just any gift list, but one where we veer away from the traditional shopping mall.  See, even if you're not close to Valley…
Score: 1.02
Hack and Slash

God of War: The Grown-up Version

by Dominus

   It is that special time again when the kid in me is allowed to frolic because I get to play, in my opinion, the newest iteration in one of the best franchises that the game gods were kind enough to bestow upon us. I should mention that I am an adult, fully integrated into society, with plenty of problems to solve throughout the day, very busy and all that. None of that seemed to matter when I walked past the games section in a store,  actually looking for a decent vacuum cleaner. My eyes…
Score: 1.46
Music Theory

Compositional Complexity in Technical Death Metal

by CFC123

INTRODUCTION  Outside of the realm of radio airplay and mass consumption, metal bands struggle to distinguish themselves while subjected to ever-shifting standards set by short-lived trends. All groups with media presence seem to have something to prove, and Florida native Chuck Schuldiner was no exception. When denounced by the other members of his band Death, Schuldiner arrived at a creative waypoint; he knew that he wanted something cleaner, and to “move forward musically.”  In 1991, Death…
Score: 2.93
European Union

An American's Take on Brexit

Being an American, much of the news from across the globe is filtered out by mainstream news sites and channels unless it is something that has a direct correlation to American culture, politics, safety, etc. Because of that, I do my best to diversify the sources from which I get my news - using BBC World News, CNN, NBC, my local stations, and a few other category specific news outlets in order to get a grasp on the news from as many sources as possible and from as many diverse opinions as I…
Score: 1.56
Star Wars

Leave The Star Wars Holiday Special Alone!

It's a Christmas tradition in geek culture as ingrained as Magic: the Gathering booster pack stocking stuffers: making fun of the Star Wars Holiday Special.  And well we should: It has definitely not aged well, to damn it the faintest.  Reviewing it is a guaranteed hit on YouTube, so every major reviewer has a shot at it.  Let's get a few out of the way:  The Nostalgia Critic has the funniest review, hands-down:      The Cinema Snob has a great runner-up:      Dark Corners has a shorter, sweeter review:      Even…
Score: 1.89
Cryptocurrency

The Future of Cryptocurrency

Last year had been great for cryptocurrencies, especially Bitcoin that has recently hit USD 20,000 last December before crashing down to USD 11,000 and then reaching back the USD 13,500-15,000 mark currently.   Presently, the price of Bitcoin has reached USD 11,381 due to the pressure of regulations from South Korea and China and because of the rumors that government may ban cryptocurrencies.      Nonetheless, not a single day passes by when one doesn’t hear something about cryptocurrencies in…
Score: 1.21
Collectible Trading Card Games

Best Magic! the Gathering Sealed Products - A Guide to Strategic Investment in Magic: The Gathering

    "Many Magic: The Gathering players ask the question…" Don't you ever get tired of mocking the Professor of Tolarian Community College with that opening? The answer is no, we don't. Even though we love the Professor, and this post is partly inspired by his YouTube channel's content, he's just irresistible to mimic. Not to mention, if he were here reading this, he would probably disagree with the majority of what we're going to be saying here.  The Professor, spoiler alert, usually poops on Wizards…
Score: 11.22
Men and Beauty

Beauty isn't just for Women

Dealing with skin care and beauty in general has been female dominated for pretty much all of time. Part of that goes back to the “olden days” or “good old days” as many a millennial has heard their older relatives refer to the past, where women ascribed to a certain image and lifestyle because that is what society told them they were supposed to do. Though this statement still rings true to this day, many women and men have begun pushing the boundaries and bringing what was once a taboo or…
Score: 1.13

A Man's Skincare Guide: Beginner

Let’s be honest guys, asking and thinking about skin care is probably usually the farthest thing from your minds. Though you may take time on your overall appearance with your clothing or how you wear your hair, it may be difficult to know where to start in the realm of skincare - mostly because most skincare brands, products, and overall content seems to be geared almost exclusively towards women.   However, starting your very own skincare routine does not have to be super complicated, convoluted…
Score: 1.06
Music Ratings

The 10 Most Underrated Overlooked Hip-Hop Rap Albums of the 2010s

In a landscape where hip-hop has been under the shadow of Drake, Kendrick, Migos, and Kanye, it is very easy to forget the hundreds of talented acts that left a mark on the genre and culture.   Many of the artists on this list also run around the lines of sex, guns, and drugs but it's in the way they deliver it that set them apart from the mumble rappers of the 2010s. Likewise, some of the albums also include artists who fit that "woke" label that feel more genuine than their mainstream…
Score: 1.61

What Counts as a Platinum Album in the Age of Digital Downloads?

  It’s More Complex Than You Think. And it gets interesting. Traditionally, albums achieve platinum when they sell a million records. But few people buy albums today. Few people buy music in general.    With digital downloads ubiquitous today, what meaning do platinum and gold have? And do they still have a purpose in today’s music world?    Well, it turns out that these questions are more complicated than they seem.     RIAA and the Expanding History of Music Certifications    What is the RIAA?    It’s the Recording…
Score: 1.49
Treatments

Income Inequality - How It Relates to Health

Before proceeding to the income inequality, we have to know that what inequality is?      Basically, inequality refers to the unfair situation in society when some people have more opportunities, money, etc than other people. It is an instance of disparity. There are various factors, which we consider when we talk about inequality such as:      ➢ Social Status   ➢ Wealth   ➢ Opportunity for people or groups etc.      Based on the above definition, income inequality is an uneven distribution of income among the…
Score: 1.16

Ways To Treat The Common Cold

Okay, I hate to break it to you, but you can't cure the common cold. Come on now, if I knew the cure for it I'd be rich. But there are certain things you can do to make your suffering a little more bearable.      Before we get into ways to alleviate the cold let's talk about antibiotics.You don't need them. You might be thinking, "But don't I need them to help prevent bacterial infections that might happen as a result of complications from the cold?" No. "But maybe I have a virus and a bacterial…
Score: 1.13