News Portal for the Monkeys

Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Macaca Mulatta lives in a wide range of habitats, and shows a great deal of adaptability. Some populations live in flatlands, while others, in northern India and Pakistan, live in the Himalayas at elevations up to 3,000 m. These primates are able to aclimate to a variety of climatic extremes, from the hot, dry temperatures found in deserts, to cold winter temperatures which fall to well below the freezing point.

In addition to living in the wilderness, some populations of Macaca Mulatta have become accustomed to living alongside humans. Occasionally, small groups can be found living in the densely populated urban areas of northern India. Groups of rhesus monkeys that become used to living in areas occupied by people usually search out other human-populated areas if people attempt to relocate them away from civilization.

Populations of rhesus monkeys (Macaca Mulatta) are most commonly found in western Afghanistan, through India to northern Thailand. This species was abundant historically in southern China and Tibet, but humans have caused drastic decline of populations in these areas over the last sixty years. Because Macaca Mulatta is often used for research, today populations are kept in captivity world wide.

Understanding Diamond Engagement Ring Terminology

Tuesday, June 30, 2009
posted by admin

Understanding Diamond Engagement Ring Terminology

You thought the proposal was the hardest part? When you set out to select the perfect engagement ring, you will be bombarded with terminology that will leave you baffled. The language of carat, cut, clarity and color (known as the Four C’s) is not something a person deals with on a daily basis unless they are a jeweler. In this article we will attempt to decipher what some of the terms mean and how they apply to buying a diamond engagement ring.

Color
Interestingly, it is the lack of color in diamonds that is the most valued. In white (clear) diamonds, there is, in reality, an absence of color. The less the color pigmentation in the diamond, the whiter or clearer it is. The clearer or whiter the diamond, the rarer it is, and thus, the higher the value placed on it. One red hot recent trend in engagement rings is for the ring to be set with a colored diamond. Diamonds come in colors ranging from yellow to pink. With the choice of a colored diamond for your engagement ring you will be adding a modern look to the traditional diamond engagement ring.

Clarity
The clarity of a diamond is defined as the lack of inclusions or marks within the stone. An inclusion is a naturally occurring crystal or cloud within the diamond. A rating system has been developed for diamonds to reflect their clarity. Flawless diamonds are extremely rare and can only be determined by a trained jeweler using a loupe. Flawless diamonds are graded as FL; internally flawless diamonds with only surface blemishes as IF, diamonds with very, very slight inclusions are graded as VVS1 and VVS2; those with very slight inclusions are graded VS1 and VS2, those with some inclusions are graded as S1 and S2 and those diamonds with imperfections observable with the naked eye are graded I1, I2 and I3.

Carat Weight
Do not be confused by thinking of carat weight as a reflection of the physical size of a gem. Carat weight is not about the size but rather the weight of the diamond. Diamonds are referred to in carats but be aware that this is not a statement of their size; it is a statement of their weight as measured in points or carats. 100 points is equal to one carat weight. For instance, if you are looking at a 25 point diamond, it is simply another way of stating that this is a ¼ carat diamond or that this diamond weighs ¼ carat weight. In general, the higher the carat weight of a diamond, the more valuable it is. However, the value is mitigated by the other 3 of the Four C’s. In other words, a flawless diamond with high carat weight will be much more valuable than a flawed diamond with high carat weight. Inclusions, poor color or poor cut all decrease the value of a diamond.

Cut
The cut of a diamond is critical to the appearance of a diamond, or any other gem for that matter. Cut is the term used to describe the angles and proportion selected by the gem cutter in an effort to maximize the stone’s brilliant appearance. It is the cut of a diamond that allows for sparkle. Cut is the term describing the way the literal cutting process enables the bounce of light from facet to facet. Cut is not to be confused with shape of the finished diamond.

Shape
The shape of a diamond is the literal shape of the finished, polished stone. There are nine common shapes for diamonds: Round, Oval, Princess, Marquis, Pear Shaped, Emerald, Radiant, Heart and Asscher. For engagement rings, the round diamond has long been the most popular by far. The classic, traditional engagement ring is considered to be a solitaire, round diamond set in platinum or yellow gold. The term “fancy shapes” refers to any shape other than round.

In Conclusion
Learning the correct diamond terminology will make your engagement ring shopping much less confusing. By knowing the terms you will be assured of buying the most perfect diamond engagement ring possible.

Add the Finishing Touches to Your Commercial Parking Lot

Thursday, June 25, 2009
posted by admin

Commercial Parking Lot Every entrepreneur dreams of the day when their company experiences a steady influx of traffic throughout the day. When you drive by an office complex that has a traffic jam, you can guarantee that the business inside is making a steady profit. When your company begins to gain attention and your parking lot gets busy, it is time to add some parking signs. These signs add the finishing touches to your commercial parking lot. They make it easier for customers to navigate and they also allow you the freedom to assign special parking spots for handicapped people, employees and even pregnant women. Clearly mark your entrance and exit and direct traffic to avoid any accidents on your company’s property by using parking signs.

You can order these parking signs online. Many online printers will provide you with hundreds of stock options for parking signs. You can choose from common signs including “Handicapped Parking,” “No Smoking,” “Enter,” “Exit,” and even “Employee of the Month.” These stock signs are printed on sheets of aluminum that measure twelve inches by eighteen inches. Words are printed on one side and the signs have rounded one inch corners. The stock signs come with two ¼-inch pre-drilled holes located about 3/4 inch from the edge. This allows the signs to be easily installed as soon as they arrive in the mail. Most stock signs arrive with a baked enamel gloss white finish. They are typically durable enough to last outdoors for seven years.

When you order stock parking signs online, there is no long wait as your sign is printed. The stock signs are always available and ready to ship immediately. If you don’t see the sign you need among the stock options, you can always choose a custom parking sign. Most companies will allow you to design your sign on their website. You can choose from various sizes, ranging from the eighteen by twelve inch vertical signs to the twelve by eighteen inch horizontal signs. All signs are prints on aluminum with a high gloss white baked enamel finish. This is important to insure durability. Custom signs also arrive packaged ready for installation. Holes are pre-drilled before shipping so you can easily install your sign as soon as it arrives.

Customized signs are perfect for businesses who want to designate parking spots for specific employees. They are also a great option for home garages or even for the bedroom of a teenager who loves to drive. Signs can be customized with a variety of colors and fonts. You can even upload your own design to the sign. The options are endless and you can create a sign to work for any purpose.

When you order your parking signs online, you can get a great price without having to drive from one retail store to the next. The signs can be shipped directly to your home or business. Stock signs ship via UPS Ground for only $6.95. If you need your sign immediately, faster shipping options are available to suit your needs.

Why Should You Use a Grid System?

Friday, June 5, 2009
posted by valis101

Grid Systems

Take a given grid template etched across an otherwise blank page in the image editing or creation program of your choice, and behold its structure. It’s precise, clean, and…well, pretty boring. On first glance the concept of a grid system may seem like nothing new, or at least, nothing interesting. But lurking in the details of a well-applied grid are hidden gems of math and nature, encouraging design that can be as startling and beautiful as a coiled leaf or the intricate swirls of a snail’s shell. There are limitless ways to lay out a web page, and much of the fun of being creative consists in the ability to come up with a sense of position and space that conveys the right message. But there’s no reason why excellent standards can’t be applied as starting points. In a sense, the grid system can free designers to explore their aesthetic possibilities even further –quite a feat for a tool that comes off looking like a cage.

The grid system is the brainchild of mid-century European designers, who are pretty well-known for their fervent love of everything efficient and well-defined (think of the international A4 paper system). Since its inception, it has been applied liberally to a number of mediums, most notably typography, and has been breaking through to reach the world of web design in recent ears. Modern web designers who use the grid system applaud its ease of use and ability to create pages free from clutter or misalignments, resulting in well-spaced and harmoniously placed content every time. The format has won over firms as large as the New York Times newspaper, which implemented the grid system for its online version. These days, everything from CSS and HTML templates to original Photoshop files incorporate the style-ready lines of grid systems.

A great deal of utilities have popped up to help designers achieve great results with the grid system, as well. Two user-friendly frameworks for putting elegant, universally recognized pages together are the 960 Grid System and Blueprint, programs that let designers harness the power of the grid to propel their sites further. Designers will find that many content management systems such as Wordpress are rampant with themes and design templates that make ample use of grids to achieve a professional look.

While many efforts made with this system result in a specifically modular feel, gridded pages need not isolate their components to any significant degree. As harmony, achieved through the ancient and universal concept of the golden ratio, is at the foundation of the grid system’s appeal, the formation of an attractive and well-placed whole rather than a disparate collection of distinct parts is possible –and often more easily accomplished– with the grid in tow. If you ignore the benefits and possibilities of grid systems for web design, your pages won’t necessarily fail. But you will be missing out on one of the best marriages of nature and technology to hit the world of design in the last century.

For a professional Austin Web Designer visit:

NuArtisan
7000 N Mo Pac Expy Ste 200
Austin, TX 78731
(512) 712-5359

Bass Traps saved my Home Theater

Thursday, June 4, 2009
posted by dsclarkkk

Bass Traps saved my Home Theater

I took a long time deciding on components for my home theater. Even with the not so good economy, I wanted to make sure I was purchasing smartly. I demoed many, many systems, read lots of online forums about the right system for my room, and even took some time looking into acoustic treatments. Once I decided on the system I wanted, (a 5.1 Surround Sound package from Yamaha) I followed the manufacturer’s guidelines to the “T” in setting up audio components and placing the sub woofers and satellite speakers around my 20’ x 15’ room. The room is somewhat typical for a home theater in that it is a rectangular room in my basement with one egress window on the right hand side as you face the movie screen. There is a small recreational area behind a sofa which faces the screen. There is a back row of chairs as well with 2 of the satellite speakers in the back left and right corners.

With the system set up and my favorite Jackie Chan movie in the DVD player, I was ready to go. We ran through the previews, and the system sounded pretty good. The movie opened and I sat and watched, and listened. I was really pretty disappointed with the sound, so I popped in another movie to hear the difference. Same thing. The biggest issue was that I couldn’t really understand what was being said. It was pretty smeared overall, and so I went to work looking over the setup and read the manual “again”. I had done everything right according to what was prescribed, but I was not very happy. So, I started the movie again and was walking around the room checking out each speaker. It was pretty strange actually, because no matter where I stood, the sound changed from place to place. In one place it would be really “whoomy” with the bass sounding really muddy, and in others, it was perfect – exactly the way I’d hoped it would sound. That didn’t make a lot of sense to me, so I revisited the home theater acoustic treatment forums I found online while I was researching which audio system to buy. So many people seemed to have the same problem I did, and lot of folks had fixed these issue by simply installed acoustical absorbers.

So, I read all that I could and found that one common thread among all of the people who used acoustic treatments to solve their room acoustics issues, was the installation of broadband bass traps. These are devices that absorb low frequencies and high frequencies in rooms that bounce around and “smear” the sound from your sound system. So, I researched where to get bass traps and found a company called Ready Acoustics online. I sent them some info about my room: pictures and the dimensions, and their experts were able to prescribe a package of panels and even told me exactly where to place them. The bass traps arrived pretty quickly, and I went about installing them. It was easy, painless and the made my room look very nice. The difference in sound, was night and day after installing the panels. Every place I stood in my room sounded perfect. Every word spoken, every car explosion; everything sounded like I had a pair of headphones on, and the bass was amazing. Who knew that such a simple thing could make that much of a difference, but it did for me Thank Ready Acoustics for your help!

Degaussing your Hard Drive

Wednesday, June 3, 2009
posted by dsclarkkk

Degaussing your Hard Drive

Personal computers have been instrumental in helping users organize and consolidate information- both business and personal. In many homes, practically every piece of personal information is stored on the computer- credit card receipts, personal income tax returns, budgets and bank account statements. This has been helpful to co-ordinate all of one’s pertinent financial details all in one place. However, there is a downside to this convenience.

Data saved on a computer must be saved to somewhere. In most personal computers, this is the hard drive- the electronic filing cabinet. Data stored on the hard drive can be accessed at any time when needed. The problem occurs when that data is no longer needed. Most users believe that, by hitting the “delete” or “trash” button, their data is permanently deleted. But, even though they can no longer see it, anyone with some computer savvy can access that “deleted” data. That leaves many computer users vulnerable for identity theft.

There is only one way of permanently deleting information from a storage drive, such as a hard drive. The process is called degaussing and if it is done correctly, it will render the data permanently unreadable. Degaussing works by magnetically scrambling the data so that the pieces cannot reconnect.

One method of retaining more physical control over your financial data is to store all of your sensitive files on a flash drive or an external hard drive that you carry with you at all times. While this will protect your data from a theft of your computer, it still leaves the media vulnerable to theft if there is a break-in in your home or if your purse is stolen. And, when you are done with the data, you will still need to degauss the flash or hard drive.

With identity theft exponentially increasing year over year, it is estimated that there are over 10 million Americans who are the victims of identity theft every year. There are many ways to protect yourself against identity theft but the only way to reliably do it with computer data is to have a computer data specialist degauss your hard drive when you want to delete information. All personal information contained on paper should be shredded immediately to protect from identity thieves who go through your garbage.

Computer identity thieves, however, can get to your data several ways. They can set a computer virus to activate and can give them remote access to all of your data on your hard drive. Another danger is in donating or trashing your computer. Wiping the hard drive clean before donation doesn’t eradicate all of the personal data stored there. All hard drives that are donated or sent to the dump should be subjected to the degaussing process.

Being smart with your personal electronic information will keep you and your family safer from an identity theft.

Mixing Business and Fun

Thursday, May 28, 2009
posted by dsclarkkk

Mixing Business and Fun

There are hundreds or thousands of retail web sites that all look and feel as though they were made by the same company. Often they are built around a commonly available website template and are designed to get off the ground and running as quickly as possible for as small an investment as possible. Others are able to incorporate the company’s personality and corporate direction into the web site.

Web-based business owners should realize that while the site must function well and be easy to use for the prospective buyer, every website is also an exercise in branding. The look and feel of the website will be transferred in the customer’s mind to your company as a whole. If the website is plain and functional, your company may be perceived as a commodity reseller as well. Personality and branding is a way to differentiate your company and your website from dozens or hundreds of competitors.

Giving personality to your website doesn’t mean you need to spend a fortune. If you have employees with an artistic bent, then you may be able to handle the branding effort internally for a very reduced expenditure. If not, then a marketing firm or an artist’s services may be required to help.

A good example of a basic retail website that does a good job of showing the fun side of the company’s personality is TheTipsyGrape.com. The Tipsy Grape sells wine related accessories and artwork. The home page offers a menu of the different categories of products offered for sale at TheTipsyGrape.com. Functionality is still king and should not be sacrificed in any circumstance. However, prominent artistic elements such as the prominent rendering of a “tipsy grape” mascot figure at once let visitors to the site know that The Tipsy Grape doesn’t take itself too seriously. The site is dedicated to the lighter side of wine and focuses more on fun and enjoyment that upon wine snobbery.

The assortment of products available from The Tipsy Grape reinforces the lighter side of wine theme. For those that want to learn about wine there are books such as “Wine for Dummies” or board games that offer wine-related trivia questions.

Of course, the serious wine aficionado will also find the wine accessories they seek. Scientific wine preservation kits to prevent oxygenation of an opened bottle, the latest corkscrews, and virtually any other wine accessory that one might want can be ordered through TheTipsyGrape.com. The wine itself, however, must be purchased elsewhere.

The Tipsy Grape is a great example of a website that offers its personality as an added value to its products. In short, it’s fun to shop there.

High School Prom Shot Glasses?

Thursday, May 28, 2009
posted by dsclarkkk

High School Prom Shot Glasses?

It was a case of a good idea turning into a bad reality. Warwick High School in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, recently held their graduation ceremony and prom. Just like every other year, prom attendants were giving a prom gift as they left the celebration. Last year, it was picture frames for the girls and money clips for the boys. This year, in an effort to save money, the prom committee, which was made up of both faculty and parents, decided to give out engraved shot glasses to both junior and senior classes.

Engraved glass makes a unique and treasured gift in many situations but, for high school students too young to legally drink alcohol, the shot glasses were seen by most parents to be an inappropriate give that encourages teen drinking.

The purchase was approved by the school principal who told reporters that the purchase order he signed off on stated only that they were “prom souvenirs” and did not specify that they were shot glasses. In retrospect, the principal called the shot glasses a “poor choice” and blamed hurried preparations on the oversight. Over 450 shot glasses were ordered from a prom gift website.

A better gift that would still have the personalization of engraved glass would have been a tumbler or a mug, both of which have many purposes other than serving alcohol. The school name and date of the prom could be engraved on the glassware to truly give the prom attendants a tangible and long lasting memory of their big night. Although the school claimed a lack of funds for the inexpensive purchase, many other engraved glasses would have cost the same or less and would have been a more age-appropriate gift for its students. Engraved glassware provides a lasting reminder of a special event but the glassware itself has to be appropriate for the occasion. Handing out shot glasses to junior and senior students is not appropriate, especially in a school setting.

The senior class president at Warwick High School admits that there are frequently mixed signals being sent by the school administration, noting that in past years, champagne glasses have been given to students. Champagne glasses are specifically shaped and designed to trap the carbon dioxide bubbles in the beverage for a long period of time. There is no other purpose for such a specially made beverage glass.

There has not yet been any official word whether the shot glasses will be recalled by the school and a new gift given to the prom-goers. If that does happen, another engraved glass that can be used for other beverages would be a very suitable replacement. This would clear up the mixed signals being sent by the school and would instead send the message that great times can be had without the addition of alcohol, especially when underage teen drinking is involved.

Education and Success at ITS

Tuesday, May 26, 2009
posted by admin

Education and success at ITSIt is of great importance that young people do well at their schooling. A good education is a great first, second and third step on the road to a successful and fulfilling career. A successful education allows young people an increased ability to choose the career they wish to pursue. The well qualified are the first to be employed and the last to be laid off in tough economic times.

Private tuition is an excellent complimentary service to help ensure that students gain the grades that they need to fulfill the goals that they have in life. One to one tuition allows the student the ability to get the tailored, specific help that they need. The tutor can design the lessons around the students’ ability and needs. This is true regardless of if the student is a weak student or a strong one. The vast majority of students find great benefit in having the individual attention and help. Most tuition at the school is conducted in the English language.

Private tuition is also a very good way for studying for specific exams such as the Preparing for SAT Reasoning and SAT Subject exams. Students can take individual tuition to help them solidify what they have learnt in preparation classes. The tutor will concentrate on the student’s specific weakness and give advice that the student can use when sitting the exams.

ITS Tutorial School Hong Kong is a Hong Kong registered school that provides these and other services for the Hong Kong community. Located in Central Hong Kong the school seeks to help primary, secondary and tertiary students studying a wide variety of syllabuses. The school through its ‘adult education’ and corporate training section also seeks to give support to the Hong Kong business community and those adults keen to continue their lifelong learning or prepare for language exams such as the IELTS exam.

ITS is soon to open its second school located in Mong Kok on the Kowloon side of Hong Kong. The school has recently added a Chinese Language version of its website to greater service those non English speaking people in Hong Kong. The Chinese version of the website can be found here 商業技巧及商業英文培訓課程.

ITS has as a commitment the provision of free resources for the community. ITS has been developing a wide range of resources and links which should be of great help to students, teachers and parents everywhere. These resources include a series of comprehensive, interactive dictionaries and glossaries aimed specifically at secondary level students. The first three dictionaries are : An Accounting, Business Studies and Economics dictionary, A Geography dictionary and a Psychology dictionary. More of these dictionaries will be added over time.

Please contact ITS for any information on how the school can be assistance to you.

Sensible Shoes

Tuesday, May 19, 2009
posted by dsclarkkk

Sensible Shoes

Shoe fashion changes even faster than trends in clothes. What was hot last week may be completely passé this week. Women’s shoes are particularly susceptible to this fashion rollercoaster. Black pumps may have been what all the fashionistas and runway models were wearing last season but now it may be all about corset-laced sandals.

What doesn’t seem to change about high fashion in women’s shoes is their impracticality. The human foot doesn’t come to a point at the end but many women’s shoes do. The foot was never meant to walk with the heel three inches above the toe or to balance the entire weight of the body on its heels and balls. But these are all popular trends in women’s shoes. And, just when you find one you particularly like that doesn’t cut off the circulation to your toes, the trend has changed and your shoes are out of style.

What never goes out of style is the definition of a comfortable shoe. Shoes that are built for the benefit of the feet include a thick sole to cushion the heel against jarring while walking. They provide support to the ankles to allow the foot to move the way it was intended. And they have enough flexibility for a natural walking motion- from heel to toe. You know a comfortable shoe when you wear one. Your back and legs don’t hurt after walking all day and your feet slip out of the shoes as rested as when they went into them.

Owning a pair of well-made comfortable shoes can improve not only your comfort but also your health. Uncomfortable shoes can pinch nerves in your feet and cause chronic numbness. It can also exacerbate existing conditions such as plantar fasciitis and heel spurs. Walking unevenly can affect your hips and back, causing pain in both of those areas including the extremely painful sciatica. Wearing “sensible” shoes can alleviate and prevent most of these issues.

Finding quality comfortable shoes can be a challenge, but once you have a pair that works well for your feet, it makes sense to look after them and keep them in good condition for as long as you can. Protect them from the elements and keep them dry. If they do get wet, dry them thoroughly on a flat surface. When the soles of your shoes begin to wear through as eventually all soles do, you can have them professionally repaired and restored at NuShoe.com.

A website called NuShoe.com allows you to ship them your shoes and their skilled craftsmen will make any repairs by hand and will re-sole the shoe with materials that are as good or better quality than those used in the factories.

Owning one pair of comfortable shoes is better than a whole closet of fashion. Your feet will thank you for paying attention to them instead of fashion magazines.

Incredible FTA Technology

Monday, May 11, 2009
posted by Jlewis

FTA Technology

FTA technology is now readily available for anyone who wants to tap into free high definition channel signals. FTA is the abbreviation for free-to-air technology. Literally hundreds of satellites are free floating in space. These satellites are constantly picking up signals from other satellites and rebroadcasting them to North America for FREE. FTA technology is 100% completely legal.

Many of the signals are from foreign countries and are thus, foreign language channels (over 40 languages are currently represented). The English language signals are generally special interest channels. Analog or digital broadcasting is available on FTA channels. There are no packages to buy and no monthly subscriptions to pay. If you have the correct equipment, FTA programming is 100% free. In order to take advantage of totally free viewing you will need a system enabling access to FTA channels.

Two types of FTA systems are available for accessing signals from various satellites broadcasting FTA signals. A stationary dish system allows you to lock onto one satellite. The rotor system enables you to lock onto signals from multiple systems. Buying a system can be done in one on two ways: buy each piece of the system separately or buy a complete, ready to install package system.

Buying a system piece by piece is a task for the technologically inclined. Receivers are available in a wide range of prices from $110 to $260; the 36 inch dish will cost you $80 and cables, switches, hardware and remote controls will make the cost more than a complete package. Most of us would be much better off to purchase a complete package to assure all components are compatible and that we have everything we need for installation.

Stationary systems are great for those who have a favorite satellite and do not care to easily switch back and forth to other satellites. For around $130, a complete package may be purchased that enables you to lock onto one satellite and receive all of its channels completely free.

Motorized or rotor systems are systems that allow you to change satellites with the touch of a remote control. For prices as low as $200, you can purchase a complete system package enabling you to browse among dozens of satellites for free.

At the opposite end of the price range spectrum for motorized systems is the $430 package. This package is WiFi ready with an Ethernet port enabling system upgrades with internet access. Games are included for further entertainment in addition to all the free channels the receiver provides. An “idiot proof” remote control is included for easy channel and system navigation. Parental controls, HDTV output connector, RCA jacks, cables and more make this the Lexus of all systems with features too numerous to list.

Purchasing the best name brands ensures excellence in quality and performance backed by brand warranties. The technology of FTA systems allows for keeping current with updates via Internet. For a one time cost you will be able to enjoy years of free viewing without contracts or monthly charges. The list of channels available is growing constantly. Get your FTA system now, don’t put it off. Don’t miss another day of totally free entertainment.