Archive for December, 2008
Web Design, increase your usability
It is easy to make a dorky web page. It’s also easy to make a very nice, clean, professional-looking web page even if you don’t have much design experience. Often the difference, even for beginning designers, is simply a matter of eliminating certain features that are guaranteed to make a page look amateurish. I’ve been going through the list of things that people – designers and non-designers – from around the country have cited as the things that make the difference between a well-designed and a poorly designed web page.
Here’s a list of ten additional design elements that will increase the usability of virtually all sites:
- Place your name and logo on every page and make the logo a link to the home page (except on the home page itself, where the logo should not be a link: never have a link that points right back to the current page).
- Provide search if the site has more than 100 pages.
- Write straightforward and simple headlines and page titles that clearly explain what the page is about and that will make sense when read out-of-context in a search engine results listing.
- Structure the page to facilitate scanning and help users ignore large chunks of the page in a single glance: for example, use grouping and subheadings to break a long list into several smaller units.
- Instead of cramming everything about a product or topic into a single, infinite page, use hypertext to structure the content space into a starting page that provides an overview and several secondary pages that each focus on a specific topic. The goal is to allow users to avoid wasting time on those subtopics that don’t concern them.
- Use product photos, but avoid cluttered and bloated product family pages with lots of photos. Instead have a small photo on each of the individual product pages and link the photo to one or more bigger ones that show as much detail as users need. This varies depending on type of product. Some products may even need zoomable or rotatable photos, but reserve all such advanced features for the secondary pages. The primary product page must be fast and should be limited to a thumbnail shot.
- Use relevance-enhanced image reduction when preparing small photos and images: instead of simply resizing the original image to a tiny and unreadable thumbnail, zoom in on the most relevant detail and use a combination of cropping and resizing.
- Use link titles to provide users with a preview of where each link will take them, before they have clicked on it.
- Ensure that all important pages are accessible for users with disabilities, especially blind users.
- Do the same as everybody else: if most big websites do something in a certain way, then follow along since users will expect things to work the same on your site. Remember Jakob’s Law of the Web User Experience: users spend most of their time on other sites, so that’s where they form their expectations for how the Web works.
What to look for in a wooden porch swing.
Before buying a wooden porch swing, it’s important to make sure that the swing you are buying meets a number of important criteria. Here is a list of what you should look for in a swing, along with some reasons why it’s important.
Hand Made – A hand made swing is certainly a must when buying a porch swing. This is because each piece is individually crafted, ensuring better cuts and a smoother finish.
Cypress – Cypress has been called the “eternal wood” because of its ability to stand up to the elements. A cypress swing is as durable as teak, while being as little as one-tenth the price! Don’t buy a swing made from exotic woods only to watch it rot on your porch.
Size – Be sure that the porch swing you choose is the correct size to fit on your porch, and to fit the number of people you expect to be swinging on it.
Accessories – Would you like your swing to have a cup holder? An interesting question, perhaps, but certainly something to think about. What will you want with you while on your porch swing? Keep that in mind when looking at what’s available.
The Porch Swings I Love Most
Of course, I have a very strong preference in porch swings. There is one particular artisan who builds beautiful, durable porch swings from Cypress. His name is Ted Leger (pronounced Lay-shay), and he’s based in Louisiana (where a lot of cypress trees grow). All of his swings are hand made, and he can ship anywhere in the USA.
Visit our blog for more information on porch swings.
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iPod nano case
The ipod nano cases is made from silicone just like the custom cases for the nano. It’s the same case as our featured see-thru one but you can customize it with several other elements,add some more flare with these all theses great colors.
Theses cases for the Apple ipod nano are fully enclosed around the nano for best protection, with openings for the screen, click wheel, hold button, earphones, and USB connection cable.. The colored cases come in Hot Pink, Pink Panther pinkest, Royal Blue, Powder Blue, Neon Green, Purple, White Ice, Red Ruby, Thick Black and Gun Metal Gray, ect.
The custom case comes with an attachment type plate .Nano screen covers now come with click wheel art in a screen set(you pick the colors and designs at this too!). These are available on the custom Nano case page. Just pick your click wheel art and select purchase screen.You will have a one of a kind case for your nano…
We offer several other iPod cases for your iPod such as the video,mini,classic and shuffle , just to name a few.We also offer iPhone cases.All have a customizeable case that you design before placing your order.The accessory attachment plate is used to connect additional attachments to your iPod nano. Buy a clip for your belt the belt clip receiver will connect to this attachment plate.
www.icases.net is the home website.Find an iPod Touch Cases here .
Yahoo Mapquest Driving Directions
Mapquest.com has mobile features that deliver Google Mapquest road maps and driving directions on the move snappier and more carefree than ever before. You can allocate great driving directions from mapquest.com on your cell or Blackberry either absolutely free or an affordable charge for the more advanced features. Mapquest Navigator offers spoken driving instructions like an On Star navigation device but rendered from your mobile phone. Send to Cell lets you send the driving instructions you looked up on the internet directly to your cell without the need for paper. Mapquest for Mobile Web grants you the power to get driving instructions and utilize all of Mapquest’s great features right form your cell or mobile device.
Changing your cell phone into a GPS mechanization is easy with Map Quest Navigator. You can accept spoken driving information to any destination in the United States. You don’t need any extra gadgets; you don’t need anything more than mobile device with web capabilities. Allowing calls will not mess with your navigation depending on which model of phone you want. You know that your instructions will be as concise as possible because Map Quest employs the latest global positioning systems technology to ensure you make it to your desired target using the shortest route possible. Map Quest Navigator allows you verbally guided driving instructions just like an expensive Tom Tom mechanizations but for a lot less.
What would be more convenient than looking up and organizing a trip on your home computer and transmitting the itinerary right to your mobile device? Nothing, that’s why Map Quest has sprung forth driving directions from your personal computer directly to your cell phone, you can have the simplicity of using a personal computer at home to obtain driving information and sort out all the details of your trip then get them on your cell. Map Quest Mobile Send to Cell allows you to do just that; send the driving directions you organized at home right to your mobile phone, conserving your time and paper.
Forget about the old days when you had to stop and ask someone for directions or buy an expensive satellite positioning device. That was yesterday; with Mapquest for Mobile Web all you need is a cell equipped with web access and you can utilize all the features that mapquest.com has to offer right from your mobile phone. If you need to modify the stops in the process it is no problem! Encounter traffic; no problem Mapquest can easily find you a different route. You can even access all the other features of mapquest.com on your phone such as gas prices and maps. Get all this in the palm of your hand at a fraction of the price.
Map Quest‘s integrated mobile features makes finding the shortest, quickest, or easiest routes simple and easy. Get directions and help anywhere you are or decide to go with your mobile phone. You can rely on Map Quest to get you to your desired location, quickly and effectively and you don’t have to skip a landmark because you didn’t map it out first. Map Quest Navigator, Send to Cell and Mobile Web allows you the availability to all the convenient facets of Map Quest anytime and anywhere.
How to Change a Tyre
Tyres of different types should not be fitted to opposite wheels of the vehicle on the same axis e.g. radial-ply tyres should not be fitted to a wheel on the same axle as wheels already fitted with cross-ply tyres and vice-versa. Tyres in Spain are extremely good value for money.
It is best to replace all four tyres at the same time, if that is not possible or necessary then replace the two front tyres or the two rear tyres as a pair. Replacing just one can seriously affect your car’s handling. Tyres in Spain can fit your tyres or sell you replacement ones.
To change a tyre..
* Park the vehicle on firm, level and non-slippery ground away from traffic. Turn on the hazard warning lights and turn the ignition switch to LOCK (0). Remove the keys and put them in your pocket. Warning: If the vehicle is in a dangerous or extremely busy location, have no hesitation in asking for roadside or police assistance.
* Put the transmission in Park (automatic) or Reverse (manual). Apply the parking brake. Have all of the passengers get out of the vehicle while you change the tyre. Warning: You are recommended to wear heavy-duty gloves and a high visibility jacket where available. Wheels and tyres can be hot or, in a blowout situation the source of puncture or wire from the tyre itself can cause injury.
* Remove the spare wheel. Spare wheels are usually located under the rear floor of the boot and retained by a wing bolt to eliminate movement whilst driving. Tip: Place blocks in front of and behind the wheel diagonally opposite the wheel that you are changing.
* If applicable, remove the wheel cover or centre cap and, whilst the wheel with the flat tyre is on the ground, loosen all of the wheel nuts 1/2 a turn with the wheel wrench. This will allow you to create more torque on the wheel nuts. Caution: The nuts, wheel and hub may still be hot from driving.
* Find the jacking point, as identified in the owners manual, nearest to the wheel that you are removing, which is located beneath the door-sills of the vehicle behind / in front of wheels toward the middle of the car. Place the jack under the jacking point. Turn the jack handle clockwise until the top of the jack contacts the jacking point. Make sure that the jacking point tab is resting in the jack notch. NB: Use the jack that came on your car. If you try to raise another car by this jack or use another jack to raise your car, the car or jack can be damaged. Never get under a vehicle when only supported by the jack. Warning: The vehicle can roll off the jack, seriously injuring anyone under any part of the car.
* Turn the jack handle clockwise further to raise the car until the flat tyre is off the ground.
* Remove the wheel nuts and on some types you will only now be able to remove the wheel cover. Keep the wheel nuts together and ensure that they cannot be lost. Top tip: In the event of loosing all nuts from one wheel remove one nut off each of the other wheels in order to get you the nearest automotive servicing facility.
* Remove the wheel with the flat tyre. Temporarily place the flat tyre on the ground with the outside surface of the wheel facing up to ensure that it is not unduly scratched – this is especially relevant with alloy wheels.
* Before mounting the spare wheel, wipe any dirt off the mounting surface of the wheel and hub with a clean cloth.
* Now put on the spare wheel. Put all of the wheel nuts on finger-tight, and then tighten them in a criss-cross pattern with the wheel wrench until the wheel is firmly against the hub. Do not try to tighten them fully.
* Lower the vehicle to the ground, turning the jack handle anti-clockwise and remove the jack.
* Tighten the nuts securely in the same criss-cross pattern. As soon as convenient check the wheel nut torque at the nearest automotive service facility, which can be combined with changing or repairing the flat tyre.
* Replace the wheel with the flat tyre where the spare was located and ensure that the wing bolt is replaced. Warning: Loose items can fly around the interior in sudden braking or crash and could seriously injure the occupants. Always store the wheel, jack and tools securely before driving.
Points to note from tyres in spain
* Check the inflation of the regular or compact spare tyre every time you check the other tyres. Some vehicles have a compact spare tyre that take up less space. Use this tyre as a temporary replacement only. Get your regular tyre repaired or replaced and put back on your vehicle as soon as you can.
* Follow these precautions whenever you are using the compact spare tyre:
* Do not exceed 50 mph (80 km/h) under any circumstances.
* These tyres typically give a harsher ride and less traction on some road surfaces than the regular tyre. Use greater caution when driving on this tyre.
* Do not mount snow chains on the compact spare.
* The wheel of the compact spare tyre is designed especially to fit your vehicle. Do not use your spare tyre on another vehicle unless it is the same make and model.
* Do not use more than one compact spare tyre at the same time.
City Body Shop Rockford, IL: Choosing the Right Body Shop
When choosing a body shop, it is important to evaluate whether or not the shop is large or small. In many instances, larger shops may overlook certain details during collision repair, while smaller shops like City Body Shop in Rockford, IL ensure that the collision repair is completed to the manufacturer specifications.
When having your vehicle repaired, you must be extra careful to ensure that the body shop will be restoring it to factory specifications. If it is not, then you could run into other automobile problems in the future. Smaller body shops like City Body Shop spend extra time with each vehicle so that the customer does not have to worry.
Collision repair centers must have the latest equipment in order to repair newer vehicles to factory specification. City Body Shop has all of the latest equipment for collision repair in Rockford and they continue to make major investments to stay as up to date as possible. Not all collision repair centers have quaity standards similar to City Body Shop. When evaluating whether or not to use a particular body shop, you should feel encouraged to ask about the training of their repair specialists and painters. At City Body Shop, the collision repair specialists attend ongoing training classes to ensure that they are up to date with the newest vehicles and their specifications. Additionally, the painter at City Body Shop in Rockford, IL has over 21 years of experience in the collision repair industry. Feel free to visit their site at http://www.CollisionandTowing.com.
Springer Spaniel – Beloved Companions and Friends
Springer Spaniels are intelligent dogs who catch on to new things easily. The Springer is the right choice for either a city or country home because they are so eager to please, loyal and like people. They are energetic and playful animals, and many owners find humor in their play. With proper training the can excel in agility, tracking, retrieving, obedience, hunting, and field trials. They are wonderful with children and are a perfect choice for families. Of course as with any dog breed, children should always be supervised to make sure they are not antagonizing the dog.
Springers are quite friendly, and eager to please their owners. Their temperment has been compared to the popular Golden Retriever. They are happy to go home and lie around the house if that is what their families are doing at the time. Human contact helps them to adjust and adapt to different levels of activity. Being a long breeder of a variety of puppies, we can attest to their absolute friendliness.
A full grown English Springer Spaniel weighs 35-55 pounds and is an excellent sporting dog. They are generally very strong dogs that live anywhere between ten and fourteen years. Springers which are field bred have shorter hair and are generally more active than the show type Springers. Both field bred and show bred Springer Spaniels have docked tails. The difference is, the field bred dogs tail is docked longer. The reason for this is that the tail is an important hunting tool It acts as an alert signal for the hunter.
A purebred English Springer Spaniel has a coat color of either liver and white or black and white. A tri-color combination exists, charactized by a liver, white, and black coat, but this combination occurs infrequently and only results when the sire and dam are both tri-color as well. They are also known for having a white blaze on their faces usually down the middle.
English Springer Spaniels were bred to be natural hunters with a lot of energy, so you can expect your Springer to enjoy running around, sniffing out “game,”and retrieving things for you. Springers have long been used as waterfowl and small game hunting dogs so they enjoy outdoor activities and being around water. Springers have been popular as pets and working dogs for a very long time. This is because they are an extremely old and well-established breed. These dogs are the oldest but best hunting breed around.
I hope this explains why springers are a wonderful fit for a variety of situations, lifestyles and families. These loving animals can find a place in anyones heart and home which is something we have experienced.
Visit our Springer Spaniel site to see more English Springer Spaniel Puppies.
Triple Net Leased Commercial Properties | A Guide To Management-Free and Headache-Free Ownership
Are your real estate investments giving you a management headache?
Are you tired of tenant complaints and property destruction? As a real estate investor, are your goals security and predictable, partially tax-sheltered income with an inflation hedge? If so, then Commercial Triple Net Leased property is an excellent vehicle to create wealth through real estate. This investment requires little or no management, has little risk, and produces monthly income from Lease payments. The Lease Agreement can also provide the opportunity for rent increases as a hedge against inflation.
How this does differ from owning other investment property?
Unlike owning duplexes, apartments, land or an office building, owning a commercial property under a Triple Net Lease Agreement to a business tenant is a passive investment — management and headache free! In other real estate investments such as rental houses, mini-storage facilities, apartments and office buildings you as the property owner must perform the property management duties and pay all operating expenses. You rent the property, collect the rents, refurbish the premises, pay the property taxes, insurance premiums, maintenance, accounting, legal, and other operating expenses. Whereas, under a Triple Net Lease arrangement the Tenant agrees to perform all these functions for you as the owner of the property in return for a long-term Lease Agreement.
With the ownership of commercial property under a Triple Net Lease arrangement, the Tenant operates his business and pays all expenses (tax, insurance, maintenance) in that location for the duration of the Lease Agreement. This type of real estate investment is passive, similar to owning stock in General Electric. And you receive the dividends or, in this case the rent payments, monthly. Further, these types of commercial Tenants are positive business renters. Unlike apartment renters who tend to abuse the property and then move out leaving the owner to refurbish and to find new renters, commercial Tenants have a vested business interest in seeing that a location is well maintained and attractive to customers.
The best way to achieve an education in real estate investing is to take a real estate investing course. There are a number of real estate investing courses available on the internet , however, the 3 Net Lease profits course is often found at the top of the list for all types of investors.
Ah Paris! La Reve des Temps Du Vie!
I have only been to France once, but I did a terrific amount of research in advance for flights to Paris, lodging while there and all of the places we wanted to see.
I researched several average websites for flights to Paris such as Orbitz.com, Expedia.com, Priceline.com, TripAdvisor.com, AolTravel.com and several other sites. I ended up with a company, AirLineConsolidators.com which turned out to be an excellent choice for many reasons, a choice I have gone back to since then.
I went to France with a friend during the SARS scare. Since there had been several outbreaks of the virus , SARS which is “Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome” in Toronto, in advance of our trip, we decided to reroute our trip through Montreal. My friend suffers from other respiratory ailments and the risk to her system was serious.
I had booked the Paris flights early on in our planning but made the decision to avoid Toronto just shortly before leaving the US, in fact just days in advance. I called AirLineConsolidators.com, immediatedly was able to speak to a human being who assisted me through the changes we had to make.
This kind of service is rare these days having to go through multiple layers of telephone answering machines to ever talk to a customer service individual. I was very impressed. The help we received was good and timely and made our trip very easy to proceed with.
I have used them again for international flights and have again been very pleased with the prices, service and quality of their business relationships with their customers.
For more information, visit costless flights.
Balloon Rides
If you’re like people I’ve talked to, you’ve often dreamed about what it would be like to fly in a balloon. Flying in a hot air balloon may even be on your own personal list of things you want to do before you kick the bucket.
I found a great website for ballooning that tells you everything about balloons. It has sections on flying in a balloon, how to become a pilot, a Frequently Asked Questions area, and even a section of books to help you learn to fly a balloon.
HotAirBallooning.com is the best website for pilots and spectators alike. It’s the most complete site for the sport of ballooning, so check it out.
If you want to see balloons close up, you’re sure to enjoy this site. When you go there, check out the section about balloon festivals. It lists a whole bunch of events around the world.
Be sure to check out the ride directory which lists only approved balloon ride companies that have the HotAirBallooning.com Seal of Approval. You’ll find safe balloon rides operated by experienced, fully licensed companies there.