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Show Off Your Logo One Sip at a Time With Promotional Drinkware

May 21st, 2012 . Posted in auto glass | No Comments »
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We live in a technological world and many one-time conveniences have either faded or gone away. Remember the fax machine? Remember phone booths? How about the pen? OK, these items still exist and are used to a degree, but cell phones, computers and the internet have diminished their rolls in our lives.

The same can be said for promotional products. Imprinted pens, calendars and note pads still are sold and appreciated. And computers and hand held devices have not infiltrated our lives 100% yet, but if you want to hand out a reminder to customers or potential clients, there are better items to get and keep their attention.

One thing the computer age cannot take away is people’s thirsts. We all still need our coffee, soda or water. Personalized drinkware makes a great vehicle for you to print your logo, phone number, web and email address and other vital information. Everyone likes a stylish mug or bottle to go to when they need some refreshment or a break.

There are plenty of choices when it comes to promotional drinkware items. It is important to consider your audience and the season. Coffee mugs are ideal all year long. Picture your company information on desks, at sales meetings or in the break room. Customized mugs are available in ceramic, glass, steel and plastic versions in a wide choice of sizes and colors.

The close but stylish relative to the coffee mug is the tumbler. Your logo gets more space and their is also more room for more hot coffee, tea or hot chocolate. Tumblers make ideal holiday gifts for customers and employees. For the commuter who needs a head start, travel or auto mugs hold sixteen ounces or more of favorite beverages and will get your logo seen on trains, busses and parking lots.

When the weather is warmer, sports or water bottles fit the bill. Again, there is plenty of room for all of your vital contact information and a logo. Custom drink bottles are great for picnics, the beach and sporting events. Schools often show off their pride by distributing bottles to students and parents. Today, all bottles are made from BPA safe material including plastic and the newly popular stainless steel bottles.

Finally, one of the most economical and popular drinkware items are the Koozie or can cooler. Also available for bottles, these foam material sleeves keep drinks cold and hands dry. Perfect for parties, company outings and even weddings.

With custom drinkware, you know your ad is being seen by a captive and appreciative audience and everyone they come in contact with.

Michael Lerner is a recognized expert in the field of promotional products. His company, Promos On-Time, offers a wide choice of promotional drinkware items.

Nokia N8 – New Age Phone Laden With Power and Smartness

May 20th, 2012 . Posted in auto glass | No Comments »
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Nokia N8 is a recently launched fantabulous smartphone that looks quite stylish and comes with Symbian ^3 Operating System, ARM 11 680 MHz processor, 3D Graphics HW accelerator.

Awesomely Packed

113.5 x 59.1 x 12.9 mm, 86 cc casing measurement, 135 grams weight and 3.5 inches AMOLED capacitive touchscreen are few of the physical specifications of Nokia N8. Users will get wonderful experience by viewing 16 million colors at the resolution of 360 x 640 pixels with Scratch resistant Gorilla glass display. Multi-touch input method, proximity sensor for auto turn-off, accelerometer sensor for UI auto-rotate and onscreen numeric & QWERTY keyboard all these features make this gizmo really superb.

Truly a Smart Device

Nokia N8 is equipped with Flash Lite v4.0 and document viewer (Word, Excel, PowerPoint and PDF) to serve quality service. Adding to it, you can get information about new places by taking assistance of A-GPS navigator, Ovi Maps (Car & Pedestrian Navigation) and digital compass. The enticing gadget provides active noise cancellation feature (with dedicated microphone) and an array of connectivity options such as 3G HSDPA, HSUPA, Wi-Fi, GPRS and EDGE to serve internet facility on Nokia N8. And xHTML and HTML WebPages can be uploaded on it with quite ease and also users can expect RSS feeds service. The amazing smartphone comes with Bluetooth and USB (USB On-the-go support) so that users can connect it to almost all devices easily. As well as 16 GB built-in memory is available with 256 MB RAM and 512 ROM while up to 32 GB can be upgraded further.

Advanced level of Entertainment

12 MP main camera serves up to 4000×3000 pixels resolution pictures and 720p at 25fps rate video recording with Carl Zeiss optics, autofocus, Xenon flash. Also, it has 1/1.83” sensor size, ND filter, geo-tagging, face detection, Video Streaming, Video Light etc. Second VGA camera is also there to serve video calling. In addition to that, you will be able to get great fun and excitement while listening to music on this phone because it owns stereo FM radio and Music Player (MP3, WMA, AAC, eAAC, eAAC+, AMR NB & AMR WB) supported by built-in speakers and 3.5 mm audio jack support. As well as you will be amazed to know about Video Player (MPEG4, H264 & VC1), Video Playback on HD TV Via HDMI Cable, Dolby Digital Plus Surround Via HDMI and interesting games (preloaded & downloadable).

Blackberry 8520 Red [http://www.freephonecontracts.co.uk/phone-deals.asp?id=blackberry8520red], HTC HD7 [http://www.freephonecontracts.co.uk/phone-deals.asp?id=htchd7] are the popular Mobile Phones and these phone contracts are available on Online Mobile Phone Shop UK.

Faith Hill is Search Engine Marketing Consultant for Cheap Mobile Phone Contract UK.

Riding A Bicycle To Work Supports Weight Loss And Dress For Comfort With Cycling Specific Clothes

May 20th, 2012 . Posted in auto glass | No Comments »
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Riding a bicycle to work or using it for other commuting errands is a great way to support a healthy weight loss program, lower stress and save money on auto expenses. Triple-A now puts the cost of operating a vehicle at over $8000 a year so every day you ride your bike to work you could be saving $20 or more!

I love riding bikes and often recommend using a bicycle as part of wellness and weight loss coaching for my clients.

Once you have your bike set up (that article is available here as well) it’s time to set yourself up. Always ride with a helmet. Helmets can cost between $40 and $250. All have to pass the same safety standard and offer the same level of protection. The difference in price is the weight and ventilation. Higher quality materials found on the more expensive helmets allow the manufacturer to use less material so the vents are larger, making the helmet more comfortable in warmer weather.

Glasses are recommended to protect from foreign objects as well as keeping your eyes from drying. Glasses designed for cycling tend to wrap around your face for more protection and many come with interchangeable lenses for different light conditions.

There is nothing wrong with riding to work only on very nice days. If you want to be a serious commuter you will dress for the bike and change at work. Own a pair of quality cycling shorts or cycling pants. These have a pad that increases comfort and wicks perspiration and come in styles that are both close-fitting and lose fitting. Most cycling-specific clothes are made from materials designed to wick perspiration away from the body. A cycling “jersey” is handy because it has pockets in the back for small items but other styles are also available.

One challenge to commuting on your bicycle may be weather that is very cool one way on your commute but more temperate the other way. Layer for cold weather. A common mistake made by novice cyclists is over dressing. Layering makes it possible to peel some clothes off and adjust as you warm up or the conditions change. Own a set of Gore-Tex outer clothing. Gore-Tex protects from wind and cold and even precipitation while still breathing and allowing perspiration and body heat to escape. Cycling has some very specialized garment options that make your riding more comfortable. Two favorite accessories of mine are arm warmers and a vest.

Arm warmers are basically tubes, like open-ended socks, that slide over your arms from wrist to shoulder. They are made from fabrics that trap heat while wicking perspiration and are perfect for time when you start a ride and it’s cool but warms up. You can peel the arm warmers off and stuff them in your bag similar item called either knee warmers or leg warmers are available for your legs.

Another specialty item is a vest. Cycling vests stop the wind in front but are well vented in the back. When you ride in cooler weather your front gets hammered by wind chill but your back side, from head to toe, is not affected. Traditional jackets or vests will cause over heating and profuse sweating whereas the specialty cycling items will allow your body to regulate its temperature. When you warm up the vest will roll up the size of a baseball and tuck into your jersey or bag.

Gloves are a nice accessory and you’ll appreciate them if you ever fall. We all put our hands out in the event of a fall and gloves will protect your hands from injury.

For most people they will be riding in the early morning and late afternoon and exposure to the sun is not a major concern. You should always use a quality sunscreen while riding a bike and even if you will be riding in lower light conditions using a quality skin product will help protect your skin from the effects of exposure.

Another specialty item that can increase the comfort and pleasure of cycling is a cycling specific shoe. There are many “pedal systems” to choose from but there is nothing wrong with the pedals that come on your bike. Cycling specific shoes have stiffer soles so that when you pedal it spreads the pressure evenly over the ball of your foot. A good cross-training shoe may also work but then generally have thicker, wider soles. The cycling shoes also allow for the use of “cleats” which you may or may not use.

Don’t be afraid to experiment with your clothing. With some practice you’ll know what to wear for the conditions.

Tom Bradley is a Personal Wellness Coach who offers Free coaching to anyone who wants to improve quality of life through nutrition

The foundation for successful wellness and weight management is defined goals and accountability. Subscribe to Tom’s Easy Diet Coach Newsletter and get a FREE Wellness Evaluation and no obligation personal coaching at http://easydietcoach.withtombradley.com.

Top 10 Smartphones of 2011

May 20th, 2012 . Posted in auto glass | No Comments »
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Smartphones are becoming a necessity in modern day life, but with so many choices, it can be hard to choose. In fact many people make the mistake of choosing a smartphone based on it’s look and feel, without actually knowing anything about it, and that can certainly be a big mistake. The last thing you want to do is get stuck on a contract with a smartphone that you wished you didn’t buy, especially because they can get pretty expensive.

Below is a randomized list of the top ten smartphones of 2011, hopefully it will help you on your journey in finding the smartphone that’s right for you.

Samsung Infuse 4G – The Infuse 4G is what Samsung calls “the nations thinnest 4G smartphone” coming in at 8.99 mm thick, making it easier to fit into almost any pocket. You’ll find this Android 2.2 (Froyo) based smartphone on the AT&T network for $199.99 on a two year contract, and a hefty $549.99 without.

Single core 1.2GHz Hummingbird processor
Android 2.2 (Froyo)
5″ Super AMOLED Plus touchscreen display
8 MP rear facing camera
3 MP front facing camera
720p HD video recording/playback
Full HTML web browsing
QWERTY keyboard
8GB internal memory
512MB RAM
HDMI out via micro USB
DLNA support

HTC Inspire 4G – The Inspire 4G is another 4G smartphone on the AT&T network. It was first announced in Jan of 2011, and is definitely one of the top 10 smartphones of 2011. Not only is the Inspire 4G affordable (coming in at $99.99 on a two year contract), but it also comes equipped with a massive 4.3″ touchscreen display, making it very easy to navigate through the UI.

Single core 1GHz Snapdragon processor
3″ touchscreen display
4GB internal memory
768MB RAM
8MP camera
720p HD video recording/playback
Android 2.2 (Froyo)
DLNA support
FM Radio
Dolby Mobile and SRS sound enhancement

Motorola Atrix 4G – The Atrix 4G is said to be revolutionary because of it’s powerful dual core processor, and it’s unique accessories like the Webtop Dock that allows users to plug into a dummy laptop that’s powered by the Atrix 4G smartphone. This awesome smartphone with the worlds first qHD display starts at $99.99 (Online deal) with a two year contract, from AT&T.

Dual core 1GHz Tegra 2 processor
0″ qHD display
Ability to view full HTML, tabbed browsing using Webtop Dock
Android 2.2 (Froyo)
5MP auto focus camera with LED flash
1080p HD video recording/playback
16GB of internal memory, expandable to 32GB
1GB RAM
HDMI out via micro USB
DLNA support

HTC ThunderBolt – The Thunderbolt from HTC is a newly released Android 2.2 (Froyo) based smartphone on the Verizon network. It boasts a large 4.3″ touchscreen display, QWERTY keyboard and super fast 4G speeds using Verizon’s 4G LTE. This smartphone is a bit pricey, coming in at $249.99 on a two year contract, but you may be able to find it a bit cheaper.

Single core 1GHz Snapdragon processor
3″ touchscreen display
0MP rear facing camera/1.3MP front facing camera
Android 2.2 (Froyo)
QWERTY keyboard
Built in kickstand
DLNA support
720p HD video recording/playback
8GB of internal storage
768MB of RAM
FM Radio

Samsung Galaxy S II – Samsung’s Galaxy S II is one of the few smartphones with a 4.3″ Super AMOLED Plus display, which helps save battery life as well as provide users with enhanced readability. Although some are confused about whether there actually going to be able to get there hands on the Galaxy S II, it should be releasing on Verizon as Function, Sprint as Within, and AT&T as the Attain. The pricing and release date aren’t exact but it should be releasing around August for $199.99 in the US.

Dual core 1.2GHz ARM Cortex A-9 processor
3″ Super AMOLED Plus touchscreen display
Android 2.3 (Gingerbread)
16GB of internal memory/expandable to 32GB
1GB RAM
8MP rear facing camera with auto focus and flash/2MP front facing camera
1080p HD video recording/playback
HDMI out via micro USB
DLNA support
FM Radio
Gorilla Glass

Motorola Droid Bionic – The Droid Bionic, Motorola’s latest edition to the Droid line, is already gathering interest and positive reviews before it’s release. This smartphone is one of the most powerful smartphones available, not only because of it’s 1GHz dual core processor, but because of it’s ability to utilize Verizon’s 4G speeds. Pricing and release date have not been officially announced yet but it should be out sometime in 2011. Note that the Bionic may actually ship with twice the RAM than whats listed below.

Dual core 1GHz Tegra 2 processor
Android 2.2 (Froyo)
3″ touchscreen display
8MP camera with auto focus/flash
720p HD video recording/playback
HDMI out
DLNA support
up to 16GB of internal memory
512MB RAM

Apple iPhone 4 – Apple’s iPhone 4 made the top ten list because of it’s ability to continue to grab all the attention in the smartphone world. Apple has sold millions of iPhone 4 handsets, and continues to do so. With it’s ultra sleek design and Apple branding, the iPhone 4 revolutionized the smartphone industry, and continues to grow in popularity. Today the iPhone 4 is sold in white or black on the Verizon and AT&T networks for $199.99 for the 16GB version, and $299.99 for the 32GB version.

Single core 1GHz ARM Cortex A-8 processor
720p HD video recording/playback
5MP camera with auto focus and LED flash
5″ touchscreen display
16GB or 32GB of internal memory
512MB RAM
iOS (operating system)

HTC Sensation 4G – The Sensation 4G has got allot of buzz going on around it because it’s one of the most powerful smartphones to come to T-Mobile. The powerful Sensation 4G hit stores June 15th 2011 for $199.99 on a two year contract and a mail in rebate. With it’s super fast 1.2GHz dual core processor, 4.3″ display, 4G speeds and high ratings, there’s no doubt that this handset would make the top 10 smartphones of 2011.

Dual core 1.2GHz Snapdragon processor
3″ qHD touchscreen display
Android 2.3 (Gingerbread)
1080p HD video recording/playback
8MP camera with autofocus and dual LED flash
DLNA support
1GB internal memory
768MB RAM
SRS virtual surround sound for wired headphones
HTC Sense UI
4G speeds

HTC EVO 4G – HTC produces many smartphones, but one of the most popular, if not the most popular one, is the EVO 4G. HTC’s EVo 4G got it’s debut back in June 2010, and to this day it remains a staple in the smartphone industry. The HTC EVO 4G offers up a massive 4.3″ display where others don’t, it also comes with an upgrade to Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) as well as both front and rear facing cameras. The EVO 4G goes for $99.99 on a two year contract from Sprint, and you’ll also get your choice of black or white.

720p HD video recording/playback
Single core 1GHz Snapdragon processor
3″ touchscreen display
8MP rear camera with auto focus and flash
3MP front facing camera
1GB of internal memory
512MB RAM
Android 2.3 (Gingerbread)
HDMI out
FM Radio

LG G2X – LG’s G2X constantly rates high as one of the best smartphones available on the T-Mobile network. It’s built for glorious HD video and gaming, that’s powered by a dual core Tegra 2 processor. With the G2x, you won’t only get one of the fastest processors around, but you’ll also get great features like a 4.0″ touchscreen display, Android 2.3 (Gingerbread), 1080p HD video recording and both rear and front facing camera’s. You can find the LG G2X at T-Mobile for as low as $149.99 with a mail in rebate and a two year contract.

Dual core 1GHz Tegra 2 processor
0″ touchscreen display
Android 2.3 (Gingerbread)
8GB of internal memory
512MB RAM
1080p HD video capture and sharing
720p HD video recording/playback
8MP rear facing camera
3MP front facing camera
DLNA support
HDMI out

Today you see almost every electronic manufacturer getting in on the game of smartphones, but the quality of each handset always makes the difference to the users in the end. Smartphones will continue to thrive in today’s world, as new technology expands it’s abilities. If you’d like to know more, please visit my blog for more info and free smartphone offers!

Entrepreneur Perks #2 – Look Ma, No Ceiling!

May 20th, 2012 . Posted in auto glass | No Comments »
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Hitting that Ceiling

Have you ever had the expectation of a raise in pay, only to be told they’ve put a freeze on all raises? Or perhaps you were due a bonus, but it didn’t come through. Or maybe there was an occasion when in your heart of hearts, you knew you were the most qualified person for a promotion only to be passed over and someone else landed it.

Or have you ever felt the weight of that “glass ceiling” simply because you’re female? (In spite of all the advances made through the years, women still earn disproportionately less than men – across the board.) Or perhaps for you that ceiling exists because of your age. Or due to some physical condition. Or even your ethnic background.

Do you relate? It’s frustrating. You’re pushing to do all that you can do to be the best on your job and in your position. You go the extra mile, do more than is expected of you, and yet you keep hitting that ceiling. (Or maybe you feel like the ceiling is hitting you.) At any rate you feel pretty beaten down.

All About Them

Keep in mind that that company you work for is not designed for your betterment. It was not designed with you in mind. In fact, it’s not about you at all. It’s about their bottom line. Their profits. You’re simply a cog in the wheel that’s churning round and round to make the thing work. And if the day comes when you’re no longer needed, you will not be there any longer. And with all the downsizing and company upheavals around the nation, that could be any moment.

This is one of the prime reasons that so many individuals these days are looking for ways to explode that ceiling all to blazes. To break out and be free. This is why many are looking to escape all the confines of Corporate America.

The World of Entrepreneurs

Corporate America simply refers to any job that involves working for a company or entity that is not government or civil service. Obviously these are companies that are needed for our economy to run as it does. It wouldn’t do for everyone to run off and desert all those cubicles. (Some people need that security – at least they think they do.) Still and yet, there are those who are weary beyond words of all the restrictions and limitations. They’re looking for a world where no ceilings exist.

Does that describe you? Then welcome to the world of entrepreneurs!

Look to the Internet

If you want to break free of all that confinement, you will want to take a close look at creating a viable business on the Internet. This is one of the best and easiest ways you can get into profits quickly. It’s an arena where the sky truly is the limit! It’s an exciting place to be.

As you are doing your due diligence to find the business that is best suited for your needs, be aware of the difference between linear income and leveraged income. Linear income is where you are paid for each sale or each service you provide. To be paid again and again, you must make more sales or offer more services.

Leveraged income on the other hand, is passive income that keeps on earning for you while being set on auto-pilot – such as a membership where the dues keep coming to you. The ideal business will offer both. And if you are very serious about a no-limit income, seek out a business that offers high ticket products, so that even the linear side of your business will rack up the dollars fast. After all, it stands to reason that if you have to put out the same effort to make a $20 sale as you do to make a $1,000, opt for the latter.

And the wonderful thing about all of this is that you can be building your “no-ceiling” business on a part-time basis, as you plan your ultimate escape from the suffocating cubicle!

Can you hear the sound of breaking glass?

Rob Walcher can be considered as one who knows how to become that financially-secure entrepreneur. He shot to the top in two different online direct sales companies in a matter of 18 months and has become known as the Ten-Figure Guru. Rob has subsequently helped hundreds of entrepreneurs (and wannabe entrepreneurs) achieve their own success. He can point you to the business that will give you that “no-ceiling” income. If you want to understand such things as how to develop as an entrepreneur, earn more than you ever dreamed possible, AND you would like to work directly with Rob, click here: http://www.10figureguru.com?t=entrep_2 Rob is the mentor you’ve been looking for.

How to Set Up a Windshield Repair Mobile Tent

May 20th, 2012 . Posted in auto glass | No Comments »
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The windshields made up of safety glass have been in use since 1927. The windshields are actually laminated automotive safety glass, where the plastic known as polyvinyl butyral which is transparent is sandwiched between two layers of glass. So when there is an impact, the windshield breaks down into very small pieces and stick to this middle plastic layer. The flexible plastic layer prevents the glass from scattering and causing injuries to the passengers as well as the public. Thus, if there is rock chip damage to the windshield it is very easy to repair it using windshield repair kits. Mobile fixing is the ideal place to deal with any such repairs.

They set-up these mobile units or even a reasonable size canopy tents in the parking stall on any of the working days like Monday to Saturday and are open throughout the day till about seven in the evening. These mobile tents will be visible from even the busiest roads. Besides a few ‘A’ frames signs setup along the path to the parking lot will help on to locate their service using professional windshield repair kits as well as become aware about the days and timings the service is going to be available. These mobile tents using professional tools would have to comply with all the city, state and insurance regulations when they set up these signs. On an average a fix using a professional windshield repair kit would take about 15 to 20 minutes from start to finish and the windshield will be as good as new because the resin used to fill up and bond with the glass will be dried out using ultra violet radiation and the whole area buffed, cleaned and polished such that the cracks are no longer visible to the naked eye.

When a damaged windshield is repaired using a professional windshield repair kit, not only is the glass patched but the plastic layer sandwiched between the two glass sheets is also repaired. Repairing the fine cracks using a professional windshield repair kit will stop them from spreading. This is especially true for minute cracks or star-shaped and bulls-eye chipping. On an average a new windshield would cost anywhere between three hundred dollars to five hundred dollars. While repairing the small chip using a professional kit would be well under hundred dollars. Ideal way to repair the rock chip is using a professional windshield repair kit and even better would be using a professional windshield repair kit working out of mobile tents. As these professional windshield repair kit service providers will access your auto insurance service provider; seek endorsement from them under the category of ‘no fault’ and the insurance company will pay the guy.

http://trinsicglassrepair.com/

How to Choose a Good Welding Helmet

May 20th, 2012 . Posted in auto glass | No Comments »
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Operating a welder, regardless of if it’s gas or else arc welding, generates light which may be unsafe in the eyes. Just seconds of contact with arc illumination can hurt your vision very seriously, and looking at the gas torch flame may cause like injury. Because of this protecting eye wear is definitely a essential when welding.

The number one question to look for while buying a welding helmet is which kind of lens is correct used for you. Typical, or passive welding helmets are as familiar in the present day as they had been 50 years previously. Though at the moment made from molded plastics as an alternative to thick leather-based, these helmets make available critical safety with budget costs.

The viewing lens is often a special piece of dim colored glass, quite often with a number 10 shade along with ultraviolet (UV) also infrared (IR) coatings. At what time the welder is ready to start on welding, quick nod or snap with the neck flips the helmet down sooner than striking an arc. When finished, the welder reaches to turn the helmet up then back to view the work part and to reposition for the following weld.

Though reasonably priced, ordinary helmets produce a number of disadvantages. It is usually tough to keep the torch inside the right point to start welding following lowering the helmet in place, especially for newcomers. While welding inside restricted spaces, similar to below automobiles or else trailers, there isn’t an adequate amount of room to flip a helmet up then down. The never ending job of flipping up then down leads to neckline uneasiness after a day of welding. Plus, as a final point, lifting and lowering your helmet is inefficient especially while doing a whole lot of tack welding.

Auto-darkening welding helmets fix each and every one of those problems. As an alternative to a regular part of tinted glass, helmets with auto-darkening filters contain electronic filter lens and sometimes are pre-loaded with adaptable features to make welding painless.

The auto-darkening filter lens is a particular liquid crystal display (LCD) that is comparable in design to equipment used to display numbers for a digital alarm clock. For the most part filter cartridges are driven by a combination of battery along with solar power. A number of illumination sensors are installed near the lens to notice the welding arc. While the lens isn’t activated, an auto-darkening LCD filter commonly has a three or 4 shade, which is comparatively easy to view via, just like sun shades.

This makes arc starts better because the you are capable of seeing the spot of his MIG gun, TIG torch or else weld electrode relative to the material he’s welding. Once an arc is initiated, sensors in the helmet darken the lens to a shade number 9 to 13, depending on the options, countless times more rapidly than you could blink an eye. Since the filtration system has UV in addition to IR coatings applied to it, eyes are protected from damaging rays regardless of active/inactive shade setting. Best of all, the helmet stays downward before, during then after your responsibilities is being finished. Auto-darkening welding helmets permit you to definitely setup a welding seam with the hood in position. No more head snaps to lower the helmet. No more poor welds since the torch moved.

After you figure out what style of welding helmet you want. The Welder Shop is a good place to locate remarkable prices on all your welding machines.

Learn Elements Now – Make Your Photos Look Great

May 19th, 2012 . Posted in auto glass | No Comments »
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The popularity of Photoshop among professional designers easily makes it the digital imaging industry standard. The idea that it is, in essence, a brand name that has crossed grammatical barriers makes it a true cultural phenomenon. However, don’t let all this grandeur get in your way if you are an amateur photographers. Photoshop is a powerful tool for anyone who simply wants to make their personal photo collection look better.

Opening Photos with Photoshop I recommend opening Photoshop and becoming familiar with the desktop environment before trying to figure out how to get your photo in there. If your photos are already in a digital format (i.e. taken with a digital camera), you can transfer them to your computer using the USB lead that came with your camera. If your photos are actual prints you can still edit them with Photoshop! To get them into your computer you will need to use a scanner to scan the photos onto your desktop. When you finally have your photos in your computer, I recommend grouping them in a folder. To make it easy to find later call the folder something simple like “Original Photos” and place it on your desktop. If you click on the closed folder and press your CTRL button and drag you will make a copy of the folder; it is important to work with a copy of your pictures. You can right click on the new folder and rename it “Edited Photos.” Working with duplicate photos enables you to always have an original copy of your photo to go back to, just in case you make an editing mistake. To add your photo to Photoshop you will first need to open your Photoshop program by double-clicking on the icon. Next click on the File menu and select open. Navigate to your “Edited Photos” folder and double click on a photo. Now you’re ready to begin!

Adjust Levels in Your Photos I always recommend you check your photo’s color levels prior to editing. Colors tend to not look quite right when photos are backlit, lit poorly, or overexposed. Sometimes the problem is obvious, yet at other times it’s hard to tell, so I always recommend checking your photo’s levels. Adjusting the colors as your first step will help you make the colors in your photos look their best for later editing. To adjust the levels in your picture click on Edit in the menu bar. Move your mouse to Adjustments > in the drop-down menu and leave the cursor there for a second. In the sub-menu that pops up, choose Auto Levels.

After adjusting the levels you might notice a change in the appearance of your photo. If you don’t see an obvious difference it’s okay. No changes simply mean that your photo looked good right from the start. After you have adjusted the levels you will want to save your work by hitting Apple + S in Mac OS X or CTRL + S in Windows. The more you with Photoshop the more you will find that there are keyboard shortcuts that you can use for speed up your work; the keyboard shortcut for Auto Levels is Shift + Apple + L on a Mac or CTRL + L on a PC.

Reduce Red Eye in Your Photos Everyone has become a victim to the curse of red eyes in our photos. More photos have been ruined with red eye than silly expressions, closed eyes, and blurred photos combined. Thankfully getting rid of red eye is a snap with Photoshop. To fix red eye we will need to use the Layers Palette. You should be able to find the Layers Palette in the lower right hand corner of the window when you open Photoshop. If you do not see the Layers Palette you can find it by clicking on “Windows” in the menu bar, scroll to Layers, and double check that Layers has a check mark next to it. If it doesn’t, click it once and the Layers palette will appear. Once you have found the layers palette you need to find the adjustment layer button. This button can be found at the bottom of the window. It has a half-black, half-white circle and when you move your mouse over it should have a pop-up box that says “Create new fill or adjustment layer”.

To activate it, click on the adjustment layer button. A sub-menu should come up and you will want to select Channel Mixer. Now, a window with the words Channel Mixer should open. To fix the red eye you will want to set the Red slider to 0%, and the Blue and Green sliders to 50%. Once you have done this click OK. You may wonder why the people in the photos look like bluish-gray-skinned phantoms, don’t be alarmed! You haven’t messed anything up, they’re supposed to! You will soon fix this so they look like their regular people again. Set the foreground color to black at the bottom of the toolbar. In the toolbar, select the brush tool. Now, depending on the size of the photos, the red eyes might be too difficult to see; return to the toolbar and select the zoom tool (magnifying glass with a +). Clicking on the eyes with your mouse will zoom in on them.

Once you have zoomed in enough so you feel you can comfortably work on the eyes you will need to select the brush tool again. Once again return to the Layers palette. Now you should see a Background layer and a layer called Channel Mixer 1. Select the layer Channel Mixer 1 by clicking it once. Now you can use the brush tool again to paint the parts of the eyes that had appeared red. They should turn red again. Return to the top of your screen click on the Image menu. Just like we did earlier you will need to move your mouse over Adjustments in the drop down menu. Select Invert in the sub-menu that comes up on the right. Tada we fixed the red eye! After all that hard work you definitely want to save your work by hitting Apple + S in Mac OS X or CTRL + S in Windows. You may still see a red ring around the newly-fixed eyes; don’t worry, we can fix that too. You first want to make sure the Channel Mixer 1 layer is selected (click it once).

In the main toolbar, make sure the foreground color is set to white. Since it was set to black a second ago, you will have to change it. Again, using the the paintbrush tool from the toolbar, carefully paint the red ring. As you paint you should see the color change to the correct eye color. At the top of the screen, in the menu bar, click Layer. Click on Flatten Image at the bottom of the menu. Save your work by hitting Apple + S in Mac OS X or CTRL + S in Windows.

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Glass Coverage on Auto Insurance Policies

May 19th, 2012 . Posted in auto glass | No Comments »
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Many auto insurance policy holders are not aware of the limitations of glass coverage protection on their auto insurance policy. Many auto insurance companies offer protection to their policy holders that carry comprehensive and collision coverage against glass repair at a limited or no cost.

Although not all?of them?offer this coverage, many of the carriers that do offer the coverage have begun to operate under a simple set off standards. For clients that get a chip in their window it can generally be repaired and the insurance company will often do it at no cost to the consumer. They will also offer coverage to vehicles that get a crack in the windshield that is shorter than the length of a dollar bill.

Of course not all windshields within these guidelines can be repaired. In some cases if a crack or chip extends to the edge of the windshield it will need to be replaced. In many cases and with many?carriers the policyholder would need to pay up to the amount listed for the comprehensive deductible for replacement unless otherwise stated.

These programs have been put in place to help limit the amount of losses that the insurance companies have as a result of windshield replacement. The cost of the repair is generally significantly lower than the amount that insurance companies would have to pay out to replace the windshield.

As an end result they are able to offer an added service to their policy holder while maintaining a savings in the amount of annual cost for windshield replacement.

Paul Woodward
Bains & Woodward Insurance
Tow Truck Insurance
Commercial Truck Insurance

Be Safe, Save Money – Fix Your Dim Headlight Lenses

May 19th, 2012 . Posted in auto glass | No Comments »
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It was a dark and stormy night – and I couldn’t see a darn thing in front of me. Despite the headlights being on high beam, the light was swallowed up by the darkness. In the bright light of day, I took a look at my headlights. I figured they were dirty, but even after cleaning them there remained what looked like a dull yellow film.

On older cars headlights are all one piece, essentially big light bulbs. The lenses were clear glass. When you replaced a headlight you had a fresh new lens, so other than cleaning them, there wasn’t much to do. These days, headlights are usually lamps that are installed inside a plastic lens assembly. You may change the lamp inside your headlight, but the lens the light has to shine through stays the same.

Plastics age over time and can will change color or get scratched. This discoloration is the result of years of being blasted by dust, road grit and being bombarded with sunlight. Light from the lamps inside is diffused. The effect is like a flashlight with peanut butter smeared on the lens.

My car is a good vehicle, but it is old and well-used. I don’t like spending a lot of money on it unless I have to. On the other hand, I didn’t want to run someone over because I couldn’t see them. The solution was to restore the lenses by polishing away the damaged surface using abrasives and polish.

Most auto parts stores will sell a kit with everything you need. I bought one for around 15 dollars. It contained four sheets of wet-dry sandpaper, a soft flannel cloth, some plastic polish and good instructions on how to proceed. Wet/dry paper is specially made to allow you to sand or polish surfaces while they are wet. Miniscule particles are ground loose from the surface as you sand, clogging the spaces between abrasive particles on the sandpaper. Clogged sandpaper isn’t able to smooth anything. Keeping the surface wet allows particles to float and wash away as you sand and prevents clogging.

In this case, the grit of the sandpaper was very high, beginning with 1000 grit on up to 2500 grit. Furniture makers don’t usually use sandpaper much higher than 320 grit, so you can imagine just how fine this paper is. My lenses were only moderately damaged, so I started with the 2000 grit and began to wet-sand the lens. I methodically sanded and wet the plastic, keeping the surface flooded with clear water. I did not have to remove the lens from the car. A tip: If your sandpaper starts to feel slippery, that means you need to rinse the paper and probably the surface, too. Don’t be stingy with the water.

Once I had thoroughly sanded the lens with 2000 grit, I used the 2500. I rinsed the lenses clean and dried them an began the final step. I applied the plastic polish, buffing the surface to factory-new. I spent about 40 minutes on the job. The next morning driving in to work early in the dark, I could really tell the difference.

Considering that two new headlight assemblies can cost over 100.00 (not including shipping and installation), restoring the headlights was an easy money-saver. If you can scrub a shower or polish a silver spoon, you have all the skills needed for this job. Just visit your local auto parts store and ask about a kit for restoring your headlight lenses.

Nicholas McPherson has been keeping used cars alive since 1979. Find more helpful how-to tips on saving money on used cars at http://auto.fixitdude.net

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