Designing The Environment Of Eminence

Wood blinds are made from hardwood to resist warping, cracking or splitting of the wood. Hardwood blinds come in a variety of colors and sizes to accentuate the rest of your room. There are several options for their construction and they can be custom cut to match your windows

Cloth tapes are a popular option which can be added to the wood blinds. As far as the tilt mechanism goes on the wood blinds a wand tilt control is standard on the 1″ wood blinds but a cord tilt mechanism is standard on the 2″, 2 ” & the 3 5/8″ slat size wood blinds. On the wood blinds there is a lift cord and the tilt mechanism. Both controls can be put on the same side of the blind as long as the blind is no smaller than 18″ in width and 24″ in width on the 3 5/8″ wide wood blinds. If your wood blind is under a 12″ width a wand tilt is done in the center of the blind only.

Cutouts can be done on the wood blinds if your window is not completely rectangular. The wood blinds can be done as Routless if desired instead of doing cloth tapes or the standard route holes.

Beautiful matching wood valances can be added. With the 3 5/8″ wood blinds you can get a 4 ” matching Cornice. If your wood blinds are ordered as an outside mount the valance is generally about ” wider than the blind size and will have 2 1/8″ side return pieces unless specified otherwise. If your wood blinds are inside mounts ” is usually added to the valance width. There are a different number of ladder strings on the wood blinds depending on the width of your blind. This will also effect the number of cloth tapes that you have on the wood blinds too if you choose to do that option. The stack height runs from a 24″ height having 5 inches of stack when lifted on a 2″ wood blind up to approximately 11 inches of stack on a wood blind that is 96″ in height. If warranty work or a wood blind needs to be replaced the blind would have to be sent back to the manufacturer.

There is also quite an assortment of Vertical Blinds that are fabric, PVC or both! Our prices on vertical blinds cannot be beat and neither can the look.

Our first class of vertical blinds are the most economical; Smooth PVC Verticals.

They come in a great range of colors to suite your room. They are perfect for French doors, large bay windows or sliding glass doors. Even normal sized windows, too!

Our vertical blind tracks (for ALL types of vertical blinds) are top of the line and made for easy operation. We also provide valances to support your décor and choice in blinds.

Standard valances for our vertical blinds are very clean and simple. They will match your slat color of choice exactly, giving the vertical blinds a nicely finished look.

You might wonder what an emulator is. Emulators allow your computer to act like a console system such as the Apple IIe or the Atari 2600, which are used to emulate the hardware of a variety of classic arcade games.

Are all classic arcade games emulated? No, but those games made before 1992 are. Not all systems are easy to emulate.

Why is there a need to emulate classic arcade games? There are three major reasons why:

1. Popularity - if the system is popular, even if it is classic, the more effort is pushed to emulate it.

2. Availability of the Information - if the system contains a lot of information, it will be easier to emulate. If a game has never been emulated before, it will require a lot of reverse engineering, which could at times be frustrating.

3. Technical Hurdles - the hardware limits restrictions that are hard to avoid. For example, it took quite some time before the Atari 7800 was emulated, due to the encryption algorithm which prohibited games from being loaded. In addition, newer systems may lack the absolute horsepower to have the game run at a playable, and faster speed.

Although emulators are difficult to run, especially if it is your first time, you must download an emulator and unzip it. If you are not familiar with the procedures, you must read the documentation carefully.

Emulators are compound pieces of software. Most emulators may not perfectly emulate the capability of the system it is trying to copy. The imperfections in some emulators may be minor, sometimes timing problems may occur. Some emulators won’t run games at all, or worse have some display problems. Some emulators may be deficient in joystick support, sound, and other significant features.

In writing an emulator, you will undergo a difficult process which requires attaining the precise system information, and figuring out how to emulate it with the software code.

There are two different types of emulators. The first one is the single-system or the single-game emulator. Examples of these are an Atari 2600 emulator, NES emulator, and an Apple II emulator. These emulators can only emulate one kind of game or system. The second type of emulators is the multi-emulators. The best example of this is the Multi-Arcade Machine Emulator or the MAME. MAME can emulate hundreds of arcade games, although not all arcade games can run on the same kind of system. That is a huge generalization, but the reason multi-emulators require more resources compared to single system emulators, in most cases.

The start of emulation has opened a lot of opportunities for companies to take advantage of their resources. Why spend a lot of time reprogramming or porting the classic arcade games to a new console when you can easily write an upright emulator. Emulation is the solution to these problems, and gives the gamers an exact replica of the classic games they love and want to acquire.

Simon Oliver has an interest in Arcade Games. To access more articles on Arcade Games or for additional information and resources visit this Arcade Games related website

“I don’t know the first thing about professional design!”

You say your MBA program didn’t include training to work
with creative professionals? Perhaps your degree is from
the Seat-of-the-Pants School, and didn’t include experience
in outsourcing creative work. Don’t know what a designer
actually does? Don’t even know where to find one?

Relax. You’re not alone. Few executives are trained to make
these kinds of decisions or to work effectively with creative
professionals. This puts them at a distinct disadvantage
when hiring creative consultants.

We’ve run into this situation with many of our clients. That’s
why we’re offering this white paper to fill in this critical
information gap. What you learn from this paper will give you
the power to approach marketing projects with confidence. It
will help you understand:

• The benefits of hiring a professional designer

• Where to look for the pro you need

• How to choose the right one for each particular project

• How to work effectively by taking a sensible approach to
project management:

Establishing clear project parameters and expectations

Maximizing the talents of your chosen designer

Setting an optimal amount of your own involvement in the
project

Designating appropriate liaisons to your designer and
other creative talent

When do I need a designer?

Unfortunately, many business owners know little to nothing
about what a designer actually does. This results in them
making the mistake of not knowing when they need one.
Design professionals are still sometimes referred to as
“graphic designers,” based on the old definition of their duty:
to attract attention to the message. However, with the advent
of digital technology, they have become so much more than
creators of a pretty layout.

Today’s successful graphic designers are actually
information managers, using visual techniques to corral
similar ideas together, then lead the reader’s eye through
the material in the most efficient and effective way. After all,
they not only need to make sometimes dry information
interesting enough to read, but also fight the time deficit that
every busy, modern person deals with. If your designer
doesn’t know how to hold the interest of the reader and
move the eye along at a reasonable pace, the reader may
just give up and your entire investment becomes just
another expense…and a wasted one, at that.

Those professionals able to not just attract a reader’s eye,
but also to hold it until the end of the message, are true
communications designers. Their skills make sure the
communication that elusive connection between words
and visuals and the reader’s mind actually happens.

So, the answer is: You need to hire a professional
communications designer when you want to produce some
kind of material, whether traditional print or new media, that
must communicate to today’s preoccupied, harried
audiences.

What should I look for?

Communications designers bring all the talents, knowledge
and understanding of the graphic designer to the table:

• effective information layout

• readability through sound typography

• color theory and psychology

• effective use of illustration and photography

But then they add the expertise of someone who
understands the purpose, potential and the limitations of
digital media:

• the Internet, intranets and extranets

• email

• CD-ROMs & DVDs

• Touchscreen technology & kiosk displays

Communications designers are familiar with the many
different programming languages and “applets” that allow
such media to work. You may be familiar with some of their
names:

• Java

• CGI/Perl

• Shockwave

• Flash

• Cold Fusion

This knowledge doesn’t necessarily equate to the ability to
perform such coding themselves, but some really advanced
communications designers are also proficient
programmers in these languages. When you hire these
well-rounded individuals, you get a lot of bang for your buck.

But do I really NEED to hire a professional?

Some business owners and managers, even when they
need top-flight communications materials, opt not to hire a
professional designer. They mistakenly believe they are
“saving money” by using a staffer who may have some
creative ability, or by trying to do the work themselves.
Usually, the results make them regret such a decision.

The fact is, really good communications design is an
alchemy of art, science, training, experience and creativity.
Simply having access to the tools of the designer’s tradea
computer and some page layout softwaredoesn’t make
someone a designer, any more than owning a toolbox
makes one a mechanic, or having a piano makes one the
next Beethoven. We’ve all seen the sorry results of “garage
design,” and the proliferation of low-end desktop publishing
software has only exacerbated the problem.

The argument that professionals cost too much money is
one that doesn’t hold much water. The fact is, you get what
you pay for. So if you’re tempted to go “on the cheap,” ask
yourself if it’s worth saving a few bucks to negate the impact
of the rest of the budget. Remember: No matter how much
time, effort and money is spent crafting the message, if no
one reads it everything is wasted.

When a real designer is brought in at this point, much time
has frequently been lost, tempers are frayed, and everyone
is beginning to feel under the gun. Now-looming deadlines
frequently require lots of budget-busting overtime on
everyone’s part. The designer must be brought up to speed,
and then come up with the creative concepts that should
have happened at the beginning. And face it: no one
produces their best work under unrealistic pressure.

Okay, we want a pro. But how do we find one?

There are many places you could start your search. There
are trade associations whose members include
professional designers, and membership in such
organizations usually signals a certain seriousness about
the members’ careers. Many of these associations have
websites, several of which even feature search criteria for
member specializations.

One such organization is the American Institute of Graphic
Arts (AIGA). You’ll find an interesting treatise on information
design, and other useful topics on their Clients page at
http://www.aiga.org/content.cfm?alias=clientsview.

Other organizations that will help you locate professional
designers include:

• International Association of Business Communicators
(IABC) at www.iabc.com

• Graphic Artists Guild (GAG) at www.gag.org

• Creative Business at www.creativebusiness.com.

There are many websites that help you locate freelance
designers that allow you to key in your project specifications
and let the designers contact you. Two of the most reputable
of these are

• VendorSeek at www.vendorseek.com

• Elance at www.elance.com

The very best way to find professional design talent,
however, is the same way you find other critical service
providers: leverage your professional network. In other
words, ask your colleagues whom they recommend.

But you mentioned all the different things designers might
know. How do we find the RIGHT one for our project?

Hiring the designer that fits any given project is equally as
important as making sure the candidates are professionals.
Just as there are different kinds of designers for certain
kinds of clothing (fashion designers), automobiles and
other products (industrial designers), and buildings
(architects), there are different types of designers for certain
kinds of communications materials.

Step #1: Project Parameters

Project Planning & Management Structure

The first step in hiring the right designer is to determine your
project’s parameters. Once you decide on the end result you
want, it’s fairly easy to use logical processes of elimination
to decide who is most likely to help you reach it. The most
logical way to establish parameters is by using the “five
W’s” system: Who, What, Why, Where, When (and How).

Who

• Ask who comprises your target audience. Establish a
primary and secondary focus; all other audiences are
extraneous to this project. The rule for your most effective
piece is “one piece, one audience,” whether you’re talking
about a brochure, an ad, or a website.

• Ask who in your organization will be responsible for
gathering all the data, information and images that will be
used in the piece. This is your content point person, and is
critical to getting things moving.

• Determine who in your organization will be responsible for
final approval of the piece. Try to assign this responsibility to
no more than three people: “Design by committee” is the
kiss of death to fresh, creative ideas.

• Who in your organization will be responsible for acting as
liaison between the person providing data, the designer,
and the approval panel? This project manager or
coordinator should be highly organized, a good listener,
personable, and capable of impartiality.

What

• Decide what is the most important overall message your
piece must communicate. All other messages should be
subordinate to this message, and should be few, if any.

• What is the end result you hope to achieve with the
production and distribution of this piece? State your goal in
a measurable way, so you’ll be clear about whether or not
the piece was successful.

• What is your budget and timeline for producing the piece?
Include everything from preparatory staff meetings through
delivery of the finished piece to the end user.

• What is the critical buying path (CBP) of your primary target
audience? Knowing where to find your targets when they are
in an information-gathering (shopping) or decision-making
(buying) frame of mind, and intercepting them with your
piece at those points, will give your campaign a much
greater chance of success.

• What is the format for this piece? Print advertising, direct
mail, brochure, catalog, website, opt-in email blast,
CD-ROM, stationary on-site kiosk? This determines much of
the form the content will take.

Why

• Why have you chosen the proposed format for the piece?
Does it really make sense, or would it perhaps be more
effective in another form? Weigh all characteristics against
the result you are trying to achieve.

• Ask yourself why you have chosen the people designated
for the approval board and liaison positions. Make sure it’s
because their skill sets and availability match the needs of
the project, and not just because someone’s ego needs
servicing.

Where

• Where will the different facets of the project’s development
take place? Consider where you’ll hold meetings for
in-house project prep, designer interviews, concept
brainstorming, incremental project review, and final
approvals. Logistics are important to efficient administration
of a project, especially one that may run over an extended
period of time.

• Where will you want the actual creative work to take place?
If you feel you need a great deal of control and so require
on-site work, be aware that you are setting up a
work-for-hire situation according to federal government
definitions. This will likely limit the range of professionals
who will be willing to work with you.

• Where will your piece be distributed? This, along with
target audience and format, determines much of the form
the content will take. For instance, catalogs that mail to
a list of upscale office buyers will be designed very
differently than those mailed to a list of hair salon
managers.

When

• Determine when your project will need to start and end.
Establishing and adhering to a schedule will make
everyone’s job easier along the way, by establishing
measurable production performance expectations.

• When will you need to meet with the designer to interview
and issue a work order, then for status reviews as the
project progresses? Use common sense to establish these
benchmarks: Make initial meetings coincide with in-house
prep meetings, and progressives coincide with such things
as receiving final copy from your copywriter; delivery of first,
second and possibly third-round proofs; and perhaps a
press check, if your designer is to be involved in that phase.

• When will the finished product be needed at its final
destination? This date will most likely act as the control for
the final project schedule, as you back all other activities off
from it.

How

• How will your project team, including your designer and
any other creative professionals you hire, work together?
Avoid having meetings be the only time your project team
communicates. Such a scenario will rapidly deteriorate into
one of missed deadlines and finger-pointing. Keep the lines
of communication open and active by encouraging regular
updates via phone, fax or email.

• How will you decide whether unscheduled extra meetings
are necessary in the process? Most obviously, the liaison or
project manager should be empowered to make this call,
but you may find that other project team members also need
this ability.

Now that you’ve established your project parameters, it’s
time to consider hiring your designer.

Step #2: Hire a Designer

Choosing Your Communications Designer

Much of what you’ve established about your project
parameters will have shaped the decision about the kind of
designer you need. This section will discuss details of other
considerations you’ll need to make regarding which
designer to choose.

Once again, the Five W’s really help you ask the right
questions about design candidates for your project. A
traditional mainstay of journalists everywhere, the Five W’s
method is actually a great approach to defining any task. If
you don’t want to follow it all the way through, it’s at least a
great starting prompt for discussion of another strategy.

Who

• Ask yourself: Who is this person? What are her/his
professional credentials and experience? What kind of
personality traits does s/he exhibit that will work for or
against the success of your project? You need someone
who is comfortable with a lot of give-and-take.

What

• What kind of designer is s/he? Does s/he specialize, and if
so, in what area: graphic; logo/corporate identity; illustration;
information-intensive (catalog or interactive database);
website; intranet? Each of these areas requires a different
(though often overlapping) skill set, personality and way of
thinking. Whatever the specialty, look for a person who
enjoys a challenge, and sees the work as more than just

functioning as a pair of hand, but as a problem solver.
• What kind of samples does the candidate offer? Give
his/her portfolio a thoughtful review, and look for work
similar to that which you need for your project. Be aware
that many professionals now keep their portfolio in digital
format. They may hand you a CD-ROM or ask you to view
their portfolio on their website.

• What specific services will you be buying from this
designer? Print only? Print that carries over to an online
presence? Interactive forms backed by a database? Will the
designer also be acting as a pre-press production person
for print and/or coding a website? Does s/he know HTML
and related applet programming? Does s/he understand
the limitations of the medium you need her/him to work
within? Does s/he have the ability to work with other creative
content professionals if needed, such as copywriters,
printers and web programmers?

Why

• Why will you hire this particular designer? Keep your
decision-making based in logic and good business
practices. Will s/he be working solely on this project, or do
you want to establish a long-term relationship for an
ongoing campaign? The latter is attractive because a single
designer working on many marketing pieces can most
easily establish and reinforce a consistent visual corporate
image for your company.

Where

• Where did this person receive her/his education and
experience? If the person has little or no real-world
experience, s/he is going to be learning on your dime. That
means extra headaches and hand-holding for you, and
perhaps a longer project timeline because efficiency is
nearly always tied directly to experience.

• Where is this person located? If you require someone who
can make it to a lot of meetings, you need someone nearby.
However, if you really think it through, your best value in
hiring a designer is NOT to tie that person up in meetings.
Make as many decisions as you can (without pre-empting
necessary creative input) before pulling the designer into
the process, and then keep the meetings to a minimum.

Generally, today’s communication technologies allow
someone far away to do just as thorough and effective a job
without being located in the immediate vicinity. However, for
some projects, location is an important consideration. If you
do choose someone with whom you will work from a
distance, make sure that person not only has access to the
kinds of technology you’ll need conference calling, email,
FTP sites, Acrobat/PDF software for proofing, overnight
delivery but also knows how to use it.

When

• When will you need this person to be available? What are
your project meeting schedules and delivery deadlines?
What kind of turnaround times do you expect, and can this
person meet them? Consider that a successful design pro
will have other clients besides yourself, and will need to
juggle your project among others.

How

• How will you work with this person? Will you be working
directly or through a liaison? Whatever the logistics, be clear
about your expectations.

• How will delivery of the finished design be made? Do you
expect the designer to act as project coordinator with the
printer? For web-based projects, will the designer also code
the pages, or simply turn over templates to a programmer
for posting? Again, establishing a very clear workflow and
structure for responsibility is your best insurance against
misunderstandings and unpleasant situations down the
line.

Step #3: Fee Structures

Discuss Fee Structures and Terms

Though most people rarely enjoy negotiating terms of
business compensation, it’s necessary to make sure that
everyone’s on the same page from the beginning. Clearly
delineating how and when your designer will be paid for his
or her services, what rights are being transferred, and what
constitutes a satisfactory finished product will help eliminate
misunderstandings, unhappy participants and potential
legal liability further along in the process.

Of course, there is always the fee structure to consider. Most
freelance designers bill for their time on an hourly basis,
which can vary widely. However, for some projects that have
a significant duration, retainer structures or flat project fee
arrangements are not out of the ordinary. Spell out clearly
the duties and responsibilities expected of the designer,
and establish a structure for reporting on the work’s
progress that everyone understands and embraces.

Legal Considerations

Congressional legislation regarding copyright to intellectual
property was significantly updated in 1992 and again in
1996 to reflect the changing nature of technology. The issue
continues to be in a state of flux, but right now it remains
fairly stable. In essence, the law states that intellectual
property such as writing, illustration and design belongs
inherently to its creator from the instant of creation. It states
clearly that such rights are only legally transferred with an
explicit written notice, such as a contract, usually in
exchange for some kind of material consideration.

If the designer will be working for you as a freelancer or
consultant, you need to specify who will own distinctive
rights to the materials being created at the end of the
project. Most designers realize the client’s desire to own all
rights, especially to proprietary material, and are willing to
transfer such rights upon payment in full of their invoices.
However, many designers will wish to retain the right of self
promotion for their creations, meaning they are allowed to
reproduce such works in their printed and digital
promotional materials. As long as such activities don’t
infringe on or reveal trade secrets, this is common practice
and should not be considered dangerous or over-reaching.

You need to protect yourself and the designer from potential
trouble with the IRS by determining at the project’s
beginning whether s/he will be working with you as a
consultant (freelancer) or as a temporary employee
(work-for-hire). The IRS has fairly clear-cut standards that
determine the nature of the relationship.

Essentially, if the person works on your premises, using
your equipment and is under direct and close supervision,
that person is considered an employee by the IRS. This
means that person is entitled to the same benefits as your
permanent, full-time employees. If the person works
primarily off-site at their own place of business, using their
own equipment and more or less unsupervised, they may
be considered a freelancer.

Don’t make the mistake of trying to play it both ways: If you
get audited by the IRS, you will lose this game and be liable
for fines and penalties which can be significant. It’s not
worth the hassle, and most design professionals won’t
willingly participate in such an arrangement anyway.

Time to Get to Work

Having moved this far through the process, you should feel
confident in the needs of your project, and about the
communications design professional you’ve chosen to help
make it a success. It’s time to get started on the project you
hope will generate lots of new business!

Good luck, and remember: Cavanaugh Interactive is your
one-stop shop for results-driven,
professional communications design. Visit our Website at
www.cavanaughinteractive.biz or call toll-free at 877-771-8906 to put our
quarter century of experience to work for you.

Nancy Cavanaugh has been designing communicatons
material since 1982. One of the first freelancers to adopt
desktop publishing technology in the Milwaukee area in
1986, she became known for newsletter pubications and
marketing-oriented pieces. In 1995, she tackled the Web
and by early 1996 was designing Websites — long before
applications such as Dreamweaver, Fireworks and
Flashwere even available. Like print materials, she used
marketing principles to measure the success of each
project. In addition, all Web interfaces are designed and
tested with user friendliness and results-oriented content in
mind. Her company, Cavanaugh Interactive, has endured
for almost a quarter century because of her uncanny ability
to navigate the sometimes uncertain course of emerging
digital technologies.

There are many out of the box insect controls. This atricle tells of some of the best low cost and envirementally friendly ways of controlling pest insects. Many are free or low cost.

Put up a bat box. A single bat can eat 1000 or more mosquitoes in asingle night.

Put up bird boxes. Baby birds need to be fed insects. They can’t digest grain. Thus an increase in birds will mean a decrese in the insect population.

Create a habitat for lizards. Bring them home if you see one and release it near a rock wall.

When on a walk in the fall, if you see a praying mantis nest, bring it home and place in on one of your shrubs. It is a great beneficial insect.

Bring home frogs and toads if your landscape has a suitable place for these critters. They can eat countless bugs in a day.

Catch a skunk that is a a friends home in a have a heart trap. Place a blanket over the trap and slowly bring home the skunk in the back of your truck and release it near your property. These smelling old timers love grubs and cutworms.

Don’t kill your snakes. These slithering reptiles eat mice, bugs, and beetles. Yes, the gardeners worst pest. Do you hate Japanese Beetles? Give them away. Always remember to give away your beetles. Never place a beetle trap on your own property unless all residents of your area are attempting to control beetles. The reason is that you will most likly attract more beetles to your landscape than you destroy. If you are trap minded the best idea is to give them away.

Yes, It is better to give than to receive. This old motto is even good for Japanese beetles. Japanese Beetles can be controlled with traps that lure the beetle with food and sex attractants. These are generally a bag trap that one hangs 4-5 feet off the ground. It is never a good idea to place them near your plants that they will eat. So I simply suggest give them to your neighbor at Christmas!!! If you want, hang the trap on open space area trees near your property. Thus the beetles will be dirtected away from your property.

What we do on the farm is we hang the trap on branches of a tree that overhangs our pond and open up the bottom. The little critters fall into the pound and our fish clean them up. What a way to recycle and not have to empty the traps.

Some of the affected popular flowers and trees favored by the beetles are:

annual asters

astilbe

canna

cosmos

daylilly

delphinium

hollyhoch

iris

marigold

peony

roses

zinnia

Linden trees

purple plums

When you sign up on our web site to our mailing list, you will receive more of our unusual gardening and landscape tips along with many free tree and plant offerings from our surpluses that we have. Go to our web site at http://www.seedlingsrus.com

This is a copy of my most recent email newsletter. This was an overwhelming success. *********************************************************** January 2006

The Early Bird Gets the Worm—Don’t Delay Free Tree Day Jan. 28th is a Free Higan Weeping Cherry Tree Day

Greetings! January 28, 2006 is free Weeping Higan Cherry Tree Day…..All members of our email club can receive a free Higan Weeping Cherry when you bring your pickup to our 5275 West Swamp Rd. Fountainville Pa. location. These trees are 10-12′ tall and in 24″ baskets. These trees must be picked up on the 28th, before 5pm. sorry, no rain checks. There is a limit of one per family and you must have been a member on or before January 27, 2006 of our email club.

Sincerely,

Bill Hirst Free Tree Day Jan. 28th, 2006 is Free Tree Day

5275 W. Swamp Rd. Fountainville, Pennsylvania 18923

January 28, 2006 8:00AM-5:00PM Reasons to Come to this Event We are selling 150 acres of our nursery and we must liquidate many trees and plants. Some of of plants are in quantities that would supply us for many years of sales. But we can’t move that number of trees. Thus they will be either sold at a discount, destroyed, or given away. I like the last option. Thus if you bring your pickup to the farm today, Saturday the 28th, we will give away 1 free Higan Weeping cherry to each email newsletter subscriber to Highland Hill Farm that picks up the tree by 5PM. Sorry you must be have be signed up by Jan. 27th, to qualify. There are no rain checks. These trees are in 24 and 28 inch baskets and are app. 10-14′ tall. We will help load them in your pickup.

We have a total of 75 trees ready to give away while the supply lasts. All other trees and plants are 20% off today.

Driving Directions to the Farm Highland Hill Farm 5275 W. Swamp Rd. Rt. 313 Fountainville, Pennsylvania 18923 myhirst@yahoo.com http://www.seedlingsrus.com We will have other free tree offerings each month. So keep in touch. ************************************************************** Within 15 minutes of this email being sent people started to arrive to make selections. We would have had no customers on this day. Yet we sold enough other stock to make this offering possible. We gave away 52 trees and this was even covered by the press showing up and giving us exposure in local papers.

A domain transfer is nothing but a domain registrar transfer, as it means the transfer of the name from one registrar to another. There was a time when all domain names were handled by Network Solutions, Inc. leaving you with no choice at all. But the monopoly no longer exists and now you can choose from over a hundred domain registers according to your needs and financial capability.

For transfer of domain, you should apply to the gaining registrar, as it is responsible for the operation. It is the duty of the gaining registrar to ensure that the application for transfer by the domain owner is a valid one. The validation usually is in the form of an email sent to the administrative contact that requires a reply. In some cases, however, signed faxes are used.

Losing registrars these days may resort to ‘double-checking.’ In this case, they will perform additional security checks if you seek transfer from them. The losing registrars may ask you to reply to an email, or dispatch a notarized letter.

As in the case of cheap transfers, you will find a number of registrars that will offer you free transfer of domain names. The process of transfer is not complex, but is comprised of a number of steps that must be followed. Although the transfer is free of cost, they nonetheless charge an amount (mostly less than ten dollars) as domain registration fee and adds one year to the current domain’s expiry date. Some registrars will also allow you to use their value added services.

Domain Transfer provides detailed information on Domain Transfers, Transfer Domain Registration, Cheap Domain Transfers, Free Domain Transfers and more. Domain Transfer is affiliated with DNS Hosting.

AT&T Wireless has announced an aggressive offer which will
eliminate cellular roaming charges for many of its customers.
This offer is made possible because of the company’s doubling of
its national GSM coverage area in the past year, which is now
approximately 1.2 million square miles in the United States.
During the past year AT&T has has improved and/or added 15,000
cell sites. Major improvements have also been made in its GSM
network, according to AT&T Wireless, in a recent news release
These very positive changes will benefit cell phone users
throughout the country, who have been paying hefty cellular
phone roaming charges, once out of their coverage area. This has
always been a major source of dissatisfaction with mobile phone
users for many years. All AT&T Wireless customers can enroll in
this new national plan, which is called GSM America, together
with existing customers who are on one of the company’s
qualifying GSM plans. Wireless phone users can automatically
benefit by paying no roaming charges anywhere in the United
States. As long as these customers are using a wireless data
service, they no longer have to worry about paying for roaming
charges when they place their calls. This is not only great news
for cellular phone customers but also for business customers.
Large businesses whose employees have to travel for work, can
now use their wireless date applications anywhere they travel.
Not only do they have more coverage areas, but they also incur
lower costs for their company. In addition to expanding its
coverage area, AT&T Wireless has also vastly improved the
quality of their GSM network and they have installed hardware
and software which allows customers to enjoy superior wireless
calling communication, through new GSM devices which generate a
stronger signal, travel over a larger area and penetrate walls
far better and more efficiently. These network improvements have
enhanced calling quality in many of the large major cities in
the country. These upgrades have led to increases in signal
strength of almost double and the audio quality of calls is
vastly improved. Unlike before, where signals were very often
poor or non-existent inside buildings, it is now being reported
that calls are coming through loud and clear from inside
buildings. In order for mobile phone customers to enjoy the
larger GSM service area and the superior network quality, all
new devices which AT&T Wireless introduces this year will be 850
compatible. The latest Motorola V600 camera phone will also be
compatible. The new AT&T Wireless GSM American national plan
will allow cellular customers to take advantage of the benefits
of the larger and more improved GSM coverage area. For as little
as $39.99 per month, customers can enjoy 450 anytime minutes
each month and they will not have to pay roaming or domestic
long distance charges. In addition to these great services,
customers will get free unlimited mobile to mobile calls on
AT&T’s Wireless GSM network. If customers wish to choose a
slightly more expensive cellular phone plan, they can get
unlimited evening and weekend calling, starting at 7:00pm. For
those customers who make most of their calls from their home
coverage area, they can choose a local version of the AT&T
Wireless GSM American plan that suits their needs.

Ski holidays in Patagonia? What type of strange destination is that? Is not Argentina mainly about lakes than about skiing? In truth not. South America is a continent which extends from the equator all the way to Southern Chile near the northern of Antarctica. Along the back of S.America lay the Andes. They’re amongst the most grand chains of mountains in the globe and as the mountain chain passes through the tropical zone, the peaks are amazingly covered in snow.

South America’s best snowboarding destinations are to be found in Chile and Argentina with great skiing deals. In the center of of both Argentina and Chile you will be able to locate a lot of ski mountains. The most notable skiing area in Chile is known as by many Little Schweiz and should one pay a visit you will believe that you are in Schweiz with the glorious Swiss homes. The snowboarding mountain has apartments, a bowling alley, pubs, and all that you need to insure a outstanding ski trip. The biggest snowboarding domain in S America is in Chile. Located only 37 km from the Santiago’s airport one can arrive there on a fast ride after flying in non-stop from lots major cities as well as LA, Dallas, Paris, Berlin and Stockholm.

Poker is a card game that has been around for many years but its popularity the last few years has taken the world by storm. Everywhere you look people are playing poker. People play in their homes, on college campuses, on television, and even on the internet. Even though poker is extremely popular, right know its popularity is beginning to decline. Once it declines something will have to take its place.

The best bet for a replacement in popularity may not be another casino game but rather video games. Video games have been popular for years and they never get old because new systems are released every few years. Even though their has been a slight growth in competitive gaming it has not been taken to the level that poker has been taken to.

In the future tournaments will be held in every big city throughout the country. Advertisers will be swarming to get their names out in front of those heavily involved in gaming. Their will be more professional gamers. Online gaming for money will come along allowing someone in California to play someone in Florida for money. So once you see the poker decline coming, go perfect you video game skills because they will come in handy.

Andre Bias is the owner of http://www.kidfriendlyentertainment.com, and online source for top notch DVD’s for children 10 years old and younger. He is also the owner of the websites http://www.pokergreed.com and http://www.mustseeauctions.com

Are you one of those people who get tired when standing in queue? Can’t stop multitasking no matter what you do? Maybe you need to download some games for your cell phone. Java games are based on a very skinny programming language, and have surprisingly great functionality even on a limited tool like your cellphone.

Today’s cell phones are multifunctional organizational tools, you can use them to entertain yourself, and you can personalize them as a fashion or personal style statement. But a lot of people just don’t give a hoot about anything but games.

What’s your personality in games? Action, puzzles, racing, sports? Do you like cerebral entertainment, or do you prefer first-person shooters?

Action Games

Ghost Force, Alien Unleashed, Conflict Vietnam, Predator these are just a few of the action games you can pick up for your cell phone. It’s not going to look as good as it does on your flat-screen games-enhanced system at home, but you’ll find that many of the functions you’re used to having are there, like AI and full missions. The best news: If you’re nostalgic for some of the original games, fully-functional java game versions may be available for you to download.

Online Play with Java Games

Prefer playing against real opponents? You can do that. With games like Badaz Poker and Blackjack, you have the option of playing your cell phone java games online or offline, and you can even engage in tournament play and chat with your opponents. Watch for more of this sort of game in the future.

Racing Games

Have you ever wanted to see if you could beat Lance Armstrong? Well, you can try it now from your own armchair. With games like Tour de France and Extreme Motorbike, you can race around the track or the course while you’re standing still. Or you can try some Race2Kill and drive the way you’ve always wanted to drive in rush hour with guns, bottle rockets, and flamethrowers. Onscreen, at least, you can finally take out your fellow drivers while you’re showing them your exhaust. With cell phone java games, you can dream wherever you are, without actually hurting anyone.

Adventure Games

You prefer your games with a little princess, a little sword? Try some of the great adventure games available for your cell phone. With java games like The Black Citadel, the classic Baldur’s Gate, or Pirates, you’ll never be caught with empty time on your hands. In fact, you might find your hands itching to play your new java game instead of whatever you’re supposed to be doing.

Sports Games

With games like Dream Team Soccer or Smash and Ace (a tennis game), you can play your favorite sports while standing in queue at the grocery or just whenever. If you want to be laid-back, consider Darts and Drinks; feeling a little violent, try Ko Kickboxing. Or you can try a little sports fishing, with Shark Hunt.

Future Trends

Java games on cell phones are a new trend. Watch for more games with more functions, especially online functionality, coming in the near future.

Philip Nicosia is the webmaster of Ringtones.lt, a site specialising in the different genres of ringtones, including polyphonic ringtones, true tones and mp3 ringtones.

The intention of this article is to give a brief overview of the modern day directory assistance system.

The modern day directory assistance system has come a long way from the early days of 411 when operators used to look up numbers on index cards. The directory assistance system was set up for the purpose of helping telephone subscribers look up the phone numbers of other subscribers. The service is provided by an operator who is connected to the subscriber through an electronic switching system. The early systems were very crude and required operators to go through books and file cards to find telephone numbers. Eventually, the amount of traffic for directory assistance increased and a more efficient and quicker system was needed.

The modern system in use in most places today dates back to United States patent 4,677,609 which was granted on June 30, 1987. This is basically a communication assistance system designed for utilizing computer aided directory number services.

Trying to keep the explanation of how the system works as simple as possible, the system itself was manufactured by AT&T. It provides the directory assistance operator with a terminal for communicating with the main directory assistance computer. What happens is that a subscriber’s call requesting directory assistance is routed by a special trunk that’s connected to a switching network, which establishes a voice connection with the operator and is then connected to an audio response unit. For each incoming call the operator makes a verbal request of the subscriber for the name and address of the party they are trying to reach. After the operator gets this information he or she relays this information to the main directory assistance computer via the terminal. Then, the audio response unit gets the data from the network controller. When the computer locates the number it sends a message to the audio response unit which then generates an audible directory announcement which represents the number that the subscriber asked for. This way the operator doesn’t have to repeat the number and worry about being understood by the subscriber.

This system is not cheap. It requires the use of special purpose trunks to connect the customer to the switching network and then to the audio response unit. Also, the audio response unit needs a large number of output ports that are permanently connected to each special purpose trunk circuit. A system like this needs two different control units, one for the switching network and one to the audio response unit. This further adds to the cost as these units are very complex. Plus the system as it is currently set up can only handle one call at a time. This causes delays, especially for lengthy communications.

The good news is that new designs are being looked into everyday in order to make the process quicker and cheaper, including looking into more modular designs as well as cordless operation and digital systems.

While we still have a long way to go to get the directory assistance system that is most efficient, we have certainly come a long way from books and file cards.

Michael Russell
Your Independent guide to Telephones
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