The Home Marketplace Welcomes Summer
As summer gets into full swing and Americans take their celebrations outdoors to enjoy the warm weather, the latest catalog from The Home Marketplace arms shoppers with handy products for backyard gatherings. 
Diner-inspired ketchup and mustard dispensers ($16.99) are the featured items on the front cover of the Summer 2006 edition, which also promises "Over 70 New Products." The condiment jars, a staple of any barbecue, feature playful phrases like "They're dog gone good!" and "Ketchup with your friends!" The inside cover continues the seasonal theme quoting lyrics from the Gershwin classic, "Summertime": "It's Summertime, and The Living Is Easy." Catalog items include chrome mesh plate covers ($12.99 - $14.99), a picnic caddy ($14.99) and silicone-tipped tongs ($14.99). The Home Marketplace also offers a three-piece rattan furniture set ($139.98), a resin rocking chair ($99.99) and the Convert-A-Bench ($159.99). Additional product categories round out the catalog selection like kitchen, bed and bath goods; storage solutions; and gardening tools and outdoor accessories.
American Express Expands IN:LA
Following similar programs in New York and Chicago, American Express heads west with the introduction of the IN:LA American Express Card. 
Resembling its predecessors, the credit card encourages members to "eat, drink, and play IN:LA." That primary benefit of the card's membership rewards program is printed in a bulleted list on the front of a #10 package introducing the card. Other benefits include VIP access to exclusive Los Angeles nightlife, no annual fee and a 0% APR for six months on purchases and balance transfers. The backside of the package features a photo of the sleek black card and an illustration of some familiar Southern California sights (palm trees, the Hollywood Hills and the downtown skyline). Inside, the letter provides more specific details on uses of the membership points like sautéed diver scallops at Patina, apple martinis at Cameo Bar at Viceroy or tickets to the LA Kings at the Staples Center. According to the letter, members earn one rewards point for every dollar they spend, with double points for dining and movie ticket purchases, cell phone service and gym memberships. Rewards start as low as 2,000 points and include gift certificates to LA's hottest restaurants, concert tickets and admission to art museums and galleries. A folded insert entitled "The 411 IN:LA" provides a detailed listing of participating theatres, clubs, restaurants and galleries. To apply, recipients can return the enclosed application, call the toll-free number or visit AmericanExpress.com/acceptinla.
Berkshire Publishing Group Mails Free Issue of Guanxi
Berkshire Publishing Group mailed a charter subscription offer for Guanxi: The China Letter, a journal written for a global business audience interested in better understanding the emerging world power. 
According to the publisher, "guanxi" is a Chinese term, generally translated as "networks" or "connections." The front of the 9 x 12" package directs recipients to the complimentary issue within. Inside, the June 2006 issue, which focuses on education in China, is accompanied by a letter that reads, "Now you can become a twenty-first-century China hand with Guanxi: The China Letter!" It goes on to say that Guanxi covers business practices, economic impact and historical insights as well as many other topics including current events, demographics and culture. The hard offer is set at $595 for 12 print or PDF issues. A separate online offer for access to GuanxiOnline.com is available for $695 annually, and access to the print and online editions is priced at $995. A special report "Doing Business in China" is awarded to fast responders who subscribe by a specified date. Guanxi is the first monthly publication from the small independent publisher Berkshire Publishing, which mostly focuses on library reference books on topics such as business, government and politics, the environment, and world history.
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