July 1, 2007

Light Vs. Dark; In Pricing T-Shirts, It Makes A Difference

Filed under: Fashion — admin @ 11:17 pm

When screen printing t-shirts, a surprisingly important factor in determining price is the color of your textile. Choosing a white shirt will result in considerable savings in your printing costs. There are a number of reasons why this is the case, from initial shirt pricing to factors in the printing process.

T-shirts are usually priced in two categories, “Whites” and “Darks”. White t shirts are always the least expensive shirt when compared to a colored t-shirt of the same brand and type. For no other reason than shirt price alone, whites contribute to a lower overall printing cost.

There are also price advantages in the printing process itself when using white t-shirts instead of dark. When printing on dark shirts, many inks need to have more than one layer laid down in order to completely cover the shirt. In order to keep the layers from smearing, the first layer will be partially dried under a heating element in a process called “flashing”. Having to flash colors in a print run adds considerable time to how long a shirt is on the press and incurs an additional charge. Most colors on white shirts can go on in one layer and rarely have to be flashed.

A similar factor that affects price on a dark shirt is the requirement for a white underbase. Light hues and bright ink colors will not print well, if at all, on a dark shirt regardless of how many layers are put down. To overcome this, a white layer of ink in the same shape as the colored layer is printed first and then flashed to dry it. Then the final color of ink is laid down on top of the white. Not only does this have the flashing charge as described above, but also there is now an additional ink color, namely white, which further raises the price.

While beautiful and striking work can be done with screen printing images on dark shirts (as well as white), if economy is a major factor for your project, you would be better served to create a design geared for white shirts.

Mandar is a graphic artist and man-about-town with ExpertShirt.com. Design your own custom t-shirt online at www.expertshirt.com.

Salmon Fishing In Alaska: 220,000, 220,001, And Counting!

Filed under: Angling — admin @ 9:43 pm

Thinking about salmon fishing in Alaska?

Have you heard the one about the 220,000 30-pounder Chinooks swimming past a camp site…?

Actually it isn’t a joke - it happened for real in 2004 on the Nushagak river in the Bristol Bay area in Alaska - and in 2005 even more were expected to make the journey!

Admittedly no one knows how many were 30-pounders and how many smaller or bigger, but it is not uncommon for King Salmon (as Chinooks are known in Alaska) to weigh in at over 30 pounds. Many tip the scale at 70 pounds and some even weigh much more.

The Bristol Bay area offers many rivers suitable for fishing King Salmon, including the Togiak, Alagnak and Naknek.

However, the 275 miles long Nushagak river with its numerous tributaries, spectacular scenery and impressive diversity of river characteristics is considered the king of King Salmon rivers.

While you will find nearly every fish species of the Bristol Bay area in the Nushagak river, it is for the huge but short King Salmon run during June and July that anglers from all over the world visit this waterway for salmon fishing in Alaska.

Anglers can expect to catch a dozen or more King Salmon per day, and some catch far more than 100 per week.

With 19 hours of daylight during the salmon season, and many contests between you and a 30-pound salmon determined to get away, you are likely to give out long before there’s nothing more to catch!

How successful you will be of course depends on many factors, not all of them entirely predictable. It usually helps to set yourself up with a guide who knows the area, and who is familiar with the King Salmon’s habits.

If you were to ask your guide about the King Salmon’s movements, you will likely be told that the mature King Salmon return from the Pacific to their home streams. <

How they locate the right stream is quite a mystery, but King Salmon are known to have a highly developed sense of smell. They can detect one drop of water from their home stream in 250 gallons of sea water!

They will then often lurk for a while at tributary mouths until conditions are just right to move further upstream.

Of course, if you visit the Nushagak river for your salmon fishing in Alaska, you won’t be restricted to King Salmon!

Silver Salmon, Pink Salmon, and large schools of Sockeye Salmon can also be found on this river, and many anglers seem to have the best salmon fishing experience when catching the aggressive and acrobatic Silver Salmon!

So, if this convinces you to aim for the Bristol Bay area next season, be sure to book timely as most camps fill up early!

For more information visit http://www.fishing-things.com.

Neels Theron of http://www.articlesnap.com - where he offers original Private Label articles with a special Rewrite Kit to webmasters and publishers of niche sites - researches, writes, and publishes full-time on the Web. Copyright of this article: Neels Theron. To republish this article please leave the links and resource box intact!

Vacuum Cleaner Attachments – The Importance of those Vacuum Extras

Filed under: Home Improvement Center — admin @ 4:01 pm

Vacuum cleaner attachments can be an important factor in deciding which make or model of vacuum cleaner is right for your home. Whether you wish to use your cleaner to vacuum your upholstery as well as your floors, have a number of pets, or simply wish to ensure that you can vacuum the debris from all the nooks and crannies in your home, it is the vacuum cleaner attachments that you need to look out for. So before you select the right vacuum cleaner for your household, be sure to carefully inspect the range of vacuum cleaner attachments that are included.

Whether you choose a canister or an upright vacuum for your household, there are usually a selection of vacuum cleaner attachments that come as standard with the particular model you choose. The vacuum cleaner attachments you will need to ensure the best vacuum possible for your home depends on the capabilities of the cleaner itself, and the particular vacuum requirements of your environment.

Vacuum cleaner attachments, for example, include special brushes that are used for removing pet hair from your home surfaces, and while this attachement will be important if your furry friends are prone to shedding dander, your vacuum cleaner might already include pet hair removal technology in the main body of the machine. Your choice between vacuum cleaner attachments and a vacuum system made specifically with pet hair removal in mind will depend on the extent to which your pet is prone to shed.

The vacuum cleaner attachments that you will need will thus depend largely on your own unique home situation, but a few vacuum cleaner attachments are always a good choice, regardless of your household’s needs. A long and slender attachment is ideal for cleaning those hard to reach spots, such as between and under furniture. Vacuum cleaner attachments for taking care of blinds are especially useful if you have these in your home.

Many of the vacuum cleaner attachments you will need will not come as standard with your cleaner, but never fear – it is possible to purchase universal vacuum cleaner attachements that will work with most cleaners. These attachements include a wide range of specialist cleaning tools that can expand the functionality of your vacuum. Before you purchase, though, always make sure that these universal vacuum cleaner attachements will work with the cleaner you have at home.

Vacuum cleaner attachments are the perfect way to make that versatile cleaning machine even more useful around the home. So don’t just shop for a vacuum cleaner – remember to shop for vacuum cleaner attachments too!

To find out more about Vacuum Cleaners visit Peter’s Website Vacuums Reviewed and find out about Kirby Vacuum Cleaners and more, including Cordless Vacuum Cleaners, Dyson Vacuum Cleaners and Miele Vacuum Cleaners.

How To Weather Google Algorithm Changes

Filed under: Search Marketing + More — admin @ 1:10 pm

If you spend much time reading the various webmaster forums, you’re no doubt well aware of the grief that many webmasters experience after seeing a Google algorithm change send their web pages sinking like a stone in the search results. But there are always other webmasters who do well with the changes, and many whose rankings are pretty much unaffected.

What allows some websites to weather frequent algo changes and even prosper while others are banished to the nether regions of the SERPS or banned altogether? In a word, moderation.

Search Engine Optimization is a lucrative business, and many SEOs routinely “push the limits” of what’s allowed by the search engines in an attempt to maximize a client site’s rankings and draw more business. The problem with this approach is Google is constantly moving the goal post. If you play the game too aggressively you’ll find your site being penalized when Google changes the algorithm.

So what can you do to safely optimize your site for the search engines? There are several things to remember:

1 - Make your SEO efforts an asset to Google, not a nemesis. Use ethical optimization practices that help ensure that your pages rank well and pass the “relevance” test. Google loathes spammers
because they skew the search results making them less relevant for the searchers, and less relevant results drive searchers to other search engines. Understandably, Google doesn’t like
that a bit! Bottom line: Make your pages search engine friendly, but don’t spam. That way when your page makes it into the top 10 it will really deserve to be there.

2 - Corollary to #1: Provide content that is truly relevant to the search queries that the page ranks well for. In fact, strive to make your page the most relevant (and most useful) page on the Internet for those search terms. Google loves lots of high quality content that is actually useful to your visitors, and their ranking algorithm will reward you handsomely for it, often
with little or no SEO techniques in use at all. Lots of quality content draws lots of quality inbound links to your pages, which in turn helps boost their rankings even more!

3 - Use moderation in everything you do in regards to SEO. If you don’t edge right up to the line, you’ll be a lot less likely to cross it when Google moves it on you. This applies to linking, keyword density, header tags…all of the typical SEO techniques that are in use by webmasters today.

Conclusion

The webmasters who are happy after each and every Google update make their SEO efforts actually benefit the Google index. Their pages are full of relevant, useful content and they refrain from
using “gray area” SEO techniques. Remember, today’s “gray area” techniques are often tomorrow’s “black hat” techniques.

Rick Rouse is the owner of RLROUSE Directory & Informational Resources (http://www.rlrouse.com), your one-stop source for information on a wide variety of topics.

ELISHA, A GANG OF CHILDREN, TWO BEARS

Filed under: House Of Religion — admin @ 12:30 pm

What are your thoughts on these two passages of scripture?

2 Kings, chapter two,verses 23 and 24 “And he went up from thence unto Bethel: and as he was going up by the way, there came forth little children out of the city, and mocked him, and said unto him, Go up, thou bald head; go up, thou bald head. And he turned back, and looked on them, and cursed them in the name of the LORD. And there came forth two she bears out of the wood, and tare forty and two children of them.”

My thoughts..Elisha had just performed a miracle (healed the waters). He was feeling good, and the devil used a whole gang of ruffians to try to make fun of him and get him defeated. Sure, he was bald headed, but they were just using that as an excuse to mock the man of God (and ultimately God himself). God did not take lightly the mocking of his man. That gang of children found out this truth when those two bears ferociously tore into them. After this spiritual battle, Elisha went to Mount Carmel and then returned to Samaria.

I would say that trifling with a man of God is a serious thing in the eyes of God. He has said, “Saying, Touch not my anointed, and do my prophets no harm.” (Psalm 105 verse 15.

Elisha knew that God was for him.

About the Author

author of My Walk with the Lord, www.selahbooks.com, preacher, retired US Army

The Importance Of Current Sense Resistor In Switch Mode Power Supply

Filed under: Great Hardware Tips — admin @ 12:18 pm

Current sense resistor is usually located in the switch mode power
supply section. Newer version of monitor-the b+ (boost) circuit
also have this current sense resistor. If you repair electronic
equipment especially the switch mode power supplies, the current
sensing resistor is connected to the source pin of power FET (field
effect transistor) and the other end to HOT GROUND. The value of
current sense resistor is in the range of 0.1 ohm to about 1 ohm.
The values are depends on the design of each power supply.

In monitor power supply where pulse width modulation (pwm) ic UC3842
are used. Pin 3 of this power ic is called I-sense which means
current sense and this pin is connected to source pin of POWER FET.
The purpose of this current sense circuit is for overcurrent protection.
This circuit usually samples the voltage drop across a resistor in series
with the switching fet transistor. If the current rises abnormally due to
some short circuit in the secondary side such as a shorted secondary diode
or horizontal output transistor (HOT), the voltage will exceed a reference
level and shutdown the pulse generator which is the PWM ic. This circuit
provides protection to components in the event a problem occurs.
In some cases where overload happen-the power section will blow and
most of the time the components changed are fuse, power fet, pwm ic,
zener diode and current sense resistor.

Do you know that a small change in this current sense resistor value
have a great impact on the secondary output? A little change in value
say from 0.22 ohm to 0.44 ohm can caused your ouput voltage to drop
into half! I have seen a lot of repairer can’t detect this type of
problem (low output voltage) due to that they used analog or digital
meter that don’t have the low ohms range. You can’t differentiate
if the low ohms resistor has its value changed by using normal meters.
I personally use the Dick Smith ESR Meter which have the capabilities
to check resistor value down to 0.01 ohm! If you don’t have this
special meter you may just direct replace the current sense resistor
to see if the generated secondary output will back to normal voltage.

Another tip is that if the current sense resistor in the monitor
B+ circuit have changed value it will caused the output in the
boost circuit to become low and you will have a small width display
and of course the high voltage will become low as well. Instead of
24Kv it becomes 15-18Kv.

Jestine Yong is a electronic repairer and a writer. For more information on electronic repair please visit his website at
http://www.noahtec.com/electronic-repair-articles.htm

Things To Consider Before Buying A Dog From Pets Guide

Filed under: Doggies + other Pets — admin @ 11:56 am

Many factors need to be considered by a family, before bringing home a new pet.

Some are as followed:

GENDER – SIZE - HAIR:

What about the gender of the dog? Are you interested in a male or female? Will you breed the dog once it is grown? If a breeding program is not in its future, consider neutering the dog. Are you interested in a large or a small dog? Often, potential owners don’t consider the frame size and weight of the puppy when it becomes an adult. Also think about the grooming needs of a long-haired dog versus a short-haired one.

VETERINARY CARE:

The dog will also need regular veterinary care. All these costs can add up, especially if you’re on a limited budget. What type of dog do you want? Purebred or mixed breed? Research the traits of the breed that interests you. Be aware that some breeds have specific benefits or problems. In addition, some purebreds can be very expensive. Perhaps adopting from your local animal shelter is an option.

TIME:

Another important factor is your family’s lifestyle. Do you work all day? How much free time do you have? Remember, a new puppy will require four or more feedings a day and will need to go out just as often. Do you spend a lot of time traveling or entertaining? Do you have small children or other animals at home? Are you physically able to handle a dog? What about your location? Do you own a home or rent an apartment? Will your landlord allow pets? Do you live in the city or in a rural area? Is there enough fenced-in yard space for the dog to properly exercise?

DOG ROLE IN YOUR FAMILY:

Think about the role your new dog will play in your family. Will it be used as for:

a) My son/daughter/children

Trust me; this will be YOUR dog! After the ‘honeymoon period’, the kids may only play with the dog, occasionally. They may groan and grumble about any dog-related responsibilities, doing them, begrudgingly, only after significant prodding from you. As children’s interests and activities change, over the years, their level of involvement with the dog will most likely be, inconsistent, at best. Additionally, your children, especially, young children, will need to be ‘trained’ in how to behave with the dog and will need to be supervised when with the dog.

b) Protection

I know some may disagree but, it is my opinion, that the only time is it a good idea to get a dog for the purpose of protection is in professional or agricultural situations and only when the owner/trainer is humane and knowledgeable of dog behavior and dominant dog training/handling. In all other situations - probably 99.9% - an alarm system, security fence, or other measures are much more appropriate and effective.

c) To breed puppies

If you’ve read the third paragraph of this piece and still feel this way, there is probably little I can offer to change your mind. But, just in case, let me restate the case a little more thoroughly. The breeding of dogs is a responsibility not to be taken lightly. If it is not your intention to remain responsible for all of your puppies for their entire lives, including being willing to take back and care for those who may find themselves homeless, do not enter into this endeavor. If you are planning on breeding for profit, understand that there are much easier, more profitable and ethical ways to make a buck. Dogs are living beings and dog breeding requires a significant investment of time, money, labor, knowledge, both academic and practical, patience, and emotional fortitude, to be done responsibly and humanely. Please visit a few of the shelter and rescue websites, or your local shelter, and witness the problem yourself. View the faces of the homeless dogs and talk to the volunteers and staff who, all too often, must take that ‘final walk’ with them.

BUYING STRATEGY:

Once you’ve decided on the type of dog you want and where you will purchase it, do not buy a puppy on the first visit. Instead, potential owners leave, think about the decision, and then go back. Avoid the temptation of buying two or more puppies. A single puppy will bond to its owner better and will be easier to train.

Depending on the breed, the best time to purchase a puppy is between 7-9 weeks of age. As soon as possible have the puppy examined by a veterinarian. If possible, ask the seller if you can have the puppy checked by a veterinarian before you purchase it.

Mike Freije A Pets Health Guide Specialist
http://www.pets-guide.com
http://www.health-shop.info

What Your Eye Doesn’t See

Filed under: School of Photography — admin @ 10:42 am

My mother used to say “what the eye doesn’t see the heart doesn’t worry about”. To this day I don’t know what she was on about and why she used to say it to me when I was just a young boy. Moreover, there are plenty of things I worry about without witnessing them first hand. Indeed, I contribute, where I can, to various charities that help poor and disadvantaged people, although I have never met any of these people nor seen the conditions they survive in.

My mother’s statements did, though, serve to try and apply this principle to photography in a weird sort of way and I will see if I can describe my feelings in a sensible way. I don’t hold out much hope …

Photography is all about visual impact. Creating an image that “says” something to the viewer. These utterances can be subtle or “in your face” but a photograph must say something to be deemed acceptable.

Perhaps a smile, a sneer, a chuckle or a tear. A dilapidated building or a new skyscraper. Water, trees, grass, animals. Every picture should tell a story. Every image should at least attempt to make an impact. Somehow.

This means you have to look closely at your compositions. “What the eye doesn’t see the heart doesn’t worry about” – what your image doesn’t show cannot be consumed by the viewer. And perhaps the best part of your image is hidden and the eyes cannot see them.

Look for something special in each potential image. Actively strive to make your images different – even in small ways. Play with the light and shadows, find a different perspective, add a prop, change facial expressions. Develop a method and style that encourages you to think before you click.

Then you may uncover those things that the eyes, on first glance, misses and perhaps this will bring greater satisfaction into your heart.

My mother, at least, would be proud.

Eric Hartwell runs the photography resource site http://www.theshutter.co.uk and the associated discussion forums as well as the regular weblog at http://thephotographysite.blogspot.com.

What Makes Our Blood Cholesterol High?

Filed under: Medical Resources — admin @ 5:02 am

Your blood cholesterol level is affected not only by what you eat but also by how quickly your body makes LDL-cholesterol and disposes of it. In fact, your body makes all the cholesterol it needs, and it is not necessary to take in any additional cholesterol from the foods you eat.

People with heart disease or those who are at high risk for developing it typically have too much LDL-cholesterol in their blood. Many factors help determine whether your LDL-cholesterol level is high or low. The following factors are the most important.

Your blood cholesterol level is affected not only by what you eat but also by how quickly your body makes LDL-cholesterol and disposes of it. In fact, your body makes all the cholesterol it needs, and it is not necessary to take in any additional cholesterol from the foods you eat. Patients with heart disease or those who are at high risk for developing it typically have too much LDL-cholesterol in their blood. Many factors help determine whether your LDL-cholesterol level is high or low. The following factors are the most important.

Heredity. Your genes influence how high your LDL-cholesterol is by affecting how fast LDL is made and removed from the blood. One specific form of inherited high cholesterol that affects 1 in 500 people is familial hypercholesterolemia, which often leads to early heart disease. But even if you do not have a specific genetic form of high cholesterol, genes play a role in influencing your LDL-cholesterol level.

What you eat. Two main nutrients in the foods you eat make your LDL-cholesterol level go up: saturated fat, a type of fat found mostly in foods that come from animals; and cholesterol, which comes only from animal products. Saturated fat raises your LDL-cholesterol level more than anything else in the diet. Eating too much saturated fat and cholesterol is the main reason for high levels of cholesterol and a high rate of heart attacks in the United States. Reducing the amount of saturated fat and cholesterol you eat is a very important step in reducing your blood cholesterol levels.

Weight. Excess weight tends to increase your LDL-cholesterol level. If you are overweight and have a high LDL-cholesterol level, losing weight may help you lower it. Weight loss also helps to lower triglycerides and raise HDL.

Physical activity/exercise. Regular physical activity may lower LDL-cholesterol and raise HDL-cholesterol levels.

Age and gender. Before menopause, women usually have total cholesterol levels that are lower than those of men the same age. As women and men get older, their blood cholesterol levels rise until about 60 to 65 years of age. In women, menopause often causes an increase in their LDL-cholesterol and a decrease in their HDL- cholesterol level, and after the age of 50, women often have higher total cholesterol levels than men of the same age.

Alcohol. Alcohol intake increases HDL-cholesterol but does not lower LDL-cholesterol. Doctors don’t know for certain whether alcohol also reduces the risk of heart disease. Drinking too much alcohol can damage the liver and heart muscle, lead to high blood pressure, and raise triglycerides. Because of the risks, alcoholic beverages should not be used as a way to prevent heart disease.

Stress. Stress over the long term has been shown in several studies to raise blood cholesterol levels. One way that stress may do this is by affecting your habits. For example, when some people are under stress, they console themselves by eating fatty foods. The saturated fat and cholesterol in these foods contribute to higher levels of blood cholesterol.

Kim Beardsmore M.B.A., B.Sc. (Biochemistry) writes for the online weight loss, health & fitness magazine Weight Loss Health. For free resources, tips and healthy recipes to help you lose weight and gain energy, visit weight-loss-health.com.au

Choosing The Right Credit Card

Filed under: Better Mathematics — admin @ 2:20 am

They come day after day after day. Sometimes two, three, or four at a time. Credit card offers. The credit card industry is highly competitive and banks and other financial institutions are constantly sending out mass mailings in an attempt to lure potential customers to switch credit card providers.

And while it is generally not advisable to regularly open new credit accounts, there are times when doing so can be advantageous. But how do you compare all of the credit card offers to know that you are choosing the right credit card? There are a few things that you should compare and consider before making your choice.

The interest rate. Obviously the higher the interest rate, the more you will pay in interest charges. So the lower the rate the better. Many cards now offer zero-percent introductory rates for periods of up to a year. Transferring a balance to a card like this can be an effective way to pay down your debt quickly. But you have to read the fine print.

Credit card companies usually apply your payment to the debt with the highest interest rate first. So if your interest rate on purchases is 12 percent, your payment will be applied to that balance until it is paid off and then you will begin paying off the zero-percent portion. Because of this policy, many people realize little savings in transferring their balance to a zero-percent card. In order to take full advantage of the policy, you should not make any purchases on the zero-percent card. This will ensure that the balance will be reduced as much as possible before the introductory offer ends.

Reward programs are great ways to gain prizes or cash back by making purchases. Some cards will actually give you a small percentage (about one or two percent) of your purchases back as cash. Others let you earn points that can be redeemed for all sorts of merchandise, airline tickets, or gift certificates. Reward programs are a great bonus, as long as you are not paying extra for it. A higher interest rate will quickly eliminate any savings you receive through the reward program.

Annual Fees or Service Charges. I have never used a credit card that charges any kind of annual fee. It just makes no sense to me. There are so many credit card companies out there competing for my business, why should I have to pay for the privilege of using a particular card. Even if the card offers frequent-flyer miles or cash back, the annual fee will reduce or even eliminate the benefit gained. Shop around and you can find a card just as good with no annual fee.

Keep these 3 things in mind when you are comparing the credit offer and you can be confident that you are choosing the right credit card.

Mike Collins is the owner of www.saving-money-and-living-debt-free.com, a friendly guide to saving money, making extra money, and getting out of debt.