Pepperseed is right....I do have both Jamaican Black and Ice Cream mangoes and I did write about both previously. I have been searching for the thread that I wrote about the Black mango but cannot find it. I did say that I would not have purchased it, in hind sight, based upon how it has turned out. Not being from Jamaica, I have no idea what the real Black mango is supposed to be. I bought mine from Maurice Kong (who is Jamaican) and it is a very small and uninteresting mango. The tree is also a small one and a very slow grower......close in size to Ice Cream.....so in that sense, they are similar....at least at my house. The fruit, however, is nothing like each other. Ice Cream has that strong resinous taste and complex flavor, is light color, almost white fleshed while Black has yellow/orange flesh and little or no resinous twang. The fruits are shaped totally different. But who knows, for all I know, maybe what I have was mis-labeled. As far as the doudouce mango....I have never heard of it. Based on its size and fiber content, I don't think I would be interested in growing it. Harry

lkplatow - what a lovely and thoughtful gift. I am sure your MIL will be thrilled. You will be giving a gift that can be built upon not only by you, but now friends and other family members can purchase a charm or two for special occasions. Someone posted about the other brands of this bracelet being inferior as they aren't solid sterling (for the silver as opposed to the gold Pandora). While I am not sure about Trolls or Brighton, I did check out Kohl's silver version of this bracelet. and it is, in fact, solid sterling. The price point of the Individuality Bracelets and beads (Kohls)is a more affordable option for anyone who wants this type of bracelet in silver, but doesn't want to spend Pandora-type $$. As far as the durability of the glass beads - I've had mine for quite a few years and haven't yet had a glass bead break or chip. I have both Pandora and other brand glass beads. I am very hard on my jewelry, and don't remove it to wash dishes, etc. I like that you've chosen the sea turtle charm as one of the starter charms for your MIL's bracelet. Very thoughtful to personalize the bracelet with something you do together as a family. As a matter of personal choice, I think this type of bracelet is so much more versatile than the "Nomination" or stretchy charm bracelet that came out about 10 or so years ago. While I do have one of those, I never wore it as frequently as I wear my Pandora. For me, it is like comparing apples and oranges. Since I have accumulated many different colored glass beads, so I can make combinations of colored beads mixed with the other charms when I want to compliment a color I may be wearing. Personally, I don't like my bracelet full of charms, but prefer it only half filled. Happy Holidays!

Sorry for going OT, but CA's rep for higher education is no longer worthy of automatic praise. Things have changed a lot and not for the better when it comes to all levels of education in the state. The University of CA system is NOT cheap any longer. In fact, as an example, UC Berkeley is slightly more expensive than the prestigious private StanfordUniversity across the Bay: Google question: How much does it cost to go to Berkeley? TUITION AND EXPENSES Cost of Attendance In-state: $34,972 Out-of-state: $61,654 Tuition and Fees In-state: $13,485 Out-of-state: $40,167 Room and Board $15,115 Books and Supplies $1,240 Other Expenses $5,132 (I'm assuming those above costs for room/board are dorm prices. Quadruple them if you are looking to live off-campus, then factor in transportation costs and time.) The state college system is less expensive but financially stressed. Both systems have woefully underfunded employee pension funds, btw. HOWEVER, one (actually two) very big advantages are the two polytechnic campuses, both in Southern/Central CA: Cal Poly Pomona and Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. The latter is one of the best schools in the country, ranking high on many factors. Cars are pretty much a necessity in CA, but definitely if you're going East/West, or living in Southern/Central CA (you can almost get away without owning a car in the San Francisco Bay Area. Sort of,). All through the West Coast, the roads North/South are the major arteries for commercial traffic so they're the eight/ten-lane roads. The East/South driveability isn't anywhere near as good, and as traffic increases the commuter frustration increases exponentially with it. I agree the wisest thing to do is wait, see how your daughter likes it and try visiting a few times first. CA is a great place to live if you like it, but a lot of people come here and only stay a few years. The reasons for leaving are varied but real: can't afford a home, can't stand the traffic/commute, most activities are expensive (price those Disneyland tickets, wowie!), can't deal with the ever-shifting cultural scene - and very often these days: "if I want a job I have to move". I sincerely hope your daughter enjoys her new city and gets happily settled! But it's not a given, not any longer (I came in 1969 for good and yes, have seen some amazing changes; some welcome, some not so much).

The only thing I really know about them is that they produce outdoor fabrics, and I found them when I did a search for that. You can see some of their retail prices on fabric.com, and they are pretty low, and I'm pretty sure the fabric is woven in China. I would contact fabric.com to get more info about them, especially regarding availability. I could not find a retail source for their outdoor fabrics.