The Refresh Orlando Heirs

A typical challenge faced by Flash developers like me is
getting fonts to look like you want then to. For any project
choosing the right font face and size is a process that requires
both you and ultimately the client to see eye to eye.

In Flash MX and earlier versions fonts were by default
anti-aliased, meaning that the edges of the text are smoothed.
This is good when dealing with large type but it causes small
text to appear blurry. Earlier versions of Flash also had other
issues. For instance if one were to realign textfields around
other objects fonts might come out of focus (because of
positioning), and getting it right could take several tries.

More recently with the advent of Flash MX 2004 came the “alias
text” option but, more importantly the TextField.StyleSheet()
class. What is the TexFiled.StyleSheet() class? I’ll get to that
but first let me tell you about this new “alias text” feature.
The latter hides the anti-aliasing to make small text sharper
and more legible yada, yada, yada. However, most often than not,
fonts appear overly pixilated and cracked. In my opinion “alias
text “ is nothing more than a little ransom note generator
making every character appear as if it had been cut out of a
magazine. Adding insult to injury if you are publishing for the
Flash 6 player or earlier versions on Flash MX 2004 the “alias
text” feature does not work on dynamic and or input textfields.

Moving forward with stylesheets. If you don’t already know
something about CSS don’t fret the small stuff. Get to your
favorite search engine and key in CSS (short for Cascading Style
Sheets), and in seconds flat you will find hundreds of articles
on CSS benefits, syntax, usage and whatnots. Very quickly, CSS
is the language of style on the web and as opposed to other
languages CSS is much easier to read and write. One of the
reasons for this is you can pretty much read everything just as
you would plain English, another is the ability to write
everything in lowercase, something you could never getaway with
in JavaScript.

CSS in ActionScript is relatively simple. The first thing we
want to do is open the Action panel and create an empty style
sheet object. Basically the idea is to load our style sheet
information in there (font size, weigh, color etc.), and then
assign that information to some text. Not only will you have
more crisp and legible fonts but more importantly, this mean you
can change details about your font in an entire Flash site by
simply editing one file. Pretty powerful stuff huh? Very handy
when clients decided they don’t like red anymore or call to tell
you that the font is too small. In the past such changes could
be very time consuming, requiring developers to go through the
whole movie editing textfield after texfield one at a time;
providing that the client was happy with the changes you’d might
get lucky and only need to run around that track once.

In my line of work I convert pre-designed web sites (web
templates) into a unique Internet project (web sites), in other
words I work with pre-made website templates. The whole basis
for using a website template is to develop fast and high-quality
website in half the time that it would normally take a regular
design studio to do the same. Utilizing style sheets with my
Flash templates enables me to keep my production time at a
minimum and ultimately the time I save will benefit my clients.
For detail instruction on how to create a style sheet object in
Flash MX 2004 simply open the help panel and search under the
keywords “cascading style sheets”. In all fairness I must
mention something about Pixel fonts. Pixel what? Pixel fonts are
fonts specially designed so that every part of every character
falls exactly on the monitor’s pixel. Pixel fonts are incredible
at getting fonts at small sizes looking crisp and legible at any
resolution. If you are wondering if Pixel fonts would display
correctly on the end user’s computer or some other platforms
that does not have these fonts already installed. The answer is
yes, but Pixel fonts must be embedded to ensure they are
displayed correctly on every computer. The downside here is that
embedding these fonts means an increase in file size which in
turn causes an increase in bandwidth needless to say bandwidth
determines the rate at which information is sent.

Nevertheless if you want to use fonts that look crisp even at
small sizes without the use of CSS, Pixel fonts are right for
you. To buy and or read more about Pixel fonts checkout these
website www.FontsForFlash.com and www.ductype.com.

In sum the choice is your, on smaller projects I would actually
prefer Pixel fonts over cascading style sheets, I mean why bring
a gun to the snipe hunt when all you need is my gunnysack. On
the other hand you can do without a lot of unnecessary
frustration going with CSS when working on larger projects.

Here’s a real eye opener for you (title says it all): Domain Name Traffic Converts Twice As Well As Search.

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Here’s a resource for premium vintage domains (all fixed prices) you may want to check out right away to get hold of whatever you can to make sure the future is yours!

Getting your Flash on TV? Isn’t Flash for the Web? Yeah, that’s right. Macromedia’s Flash can be used to create videos for television. Why would you want to do this if it’s gonna cost you time and money? Whether it’s a personal reel for friends and family or a professional reel for work, it’s fun to see your work on TV. Even though we love the web, television is still king. You won’t be tied up by your PC. Just get your Flash animation on videos to share with your friends, family, and clients, etc.

Flash’s ability to flow from the Web to television is aiding a confluence between mainstream and Internet media. So, how to have your favorite Flash animated TV show?

First, You must convert the Flash animations to videos and then to DVD. If your video does not conform to a 3:2 (1.33:1) aspect ratio you have to also make it match that ratio. This can be done by either letterboxing it within a 1.33:1 frame or panning and scanning it across a 1.33:1 frame. Otherwise the output will be streched out and everythings gonna look all funky.

You will also need to think in terms of acceptable colors TT. For example, allow you to mix color that are safe for TV. But often this is also a fairly simple to correct during post, the explanation is more complicated than the solution.

The least amount of dynamic elements you use in your film, the easier it will be to properly covert it to video. Movie clips symbols and actionscript based animation can only be converted to video propperly through the use of third party video conversion tools. Also many NLE’s are now supporting SWF import but its also limited, it may help to export the swf in version 5 or 6 format to increase chances of compatibility.

You can also create flash based interactive menu templates of your on DVD. You can not only select menu templates from the preset ones for your swf slideshows, but also edit or even create your own menu templates with your own photos and pictures.

Finally, burn your Flash files to DVD/VCD/SVCD. DVDs and CDs are not that different, what can be different is the way they are going to be used. For example, DVDs can be thought of and used as if they were just really large capacity storage CDs or DVDs can be much more. Now the first thing you might need to clarify is your target audience for your DVD. If you are targeting PC users only that’s one set of circumstances or if you are targeting TV with DVD player users that’s a different audience and design issue.

Many programs will enable you to create and burn such a Flash videos DVD disc and show TV. If you want a practical tool, I recommend Wondershare FlashOnTV(http://www.flash-on-tv.com)

Lisa Janice, teaches, trains and consults on business and professional presentations and eCommerce related matters.

She walks in beauty, like the night

Of cloudless climes and starry skies;

And all that’s best of dark and bright

Meet in her aspect and her eyes:

Thus mellow’d to that tender light

Which heaven to gaudy day denies.

One shade the more, one ray the less,

Had half impair’d the nameless grace

Which waves in every raven tress,

Or softly lightens o’er her face;

Where thoughts serenely sweet express

How pure, how dear their dwelling place.

And on that cheek, and o’er that brow,

So soft, so calm, yet eloquent,

The smiles that win, the tints that glow,

But tell of days in goodness spent,

A mind at peace with all below,

A heart whose love is innocent!

Lord Byron’s opening couplet to “She Walks In Beauty” is among the most memorable and most quoted lines in romantic poetry. The opening lines are effortless, graceful, and beautiful, a fitting match for his poem about a woman who possesses effortless grace and beauty.

About the Poem, “She Walks In Beauty”

In June, 1814, several months before he met and married his first wife, Anna Milbanke, Lord Byron attended a party at Lady Sitwell’s. While at the party, Lord Byron was inspired by the sight of his cousin, the beautiful Mrs. Wilmot, who was wearing a black spangled mourning dress. Lord Byron was struck by his cousin’s dark hair and fair face, the mingling of various lights and shades. This became the essence of his poem about her.

According to his friend, James W. Webster, “I did take him to Lady Sitwell’s party in Seymour Road. He there for the first time saw his cousin, the beautiful Mrs. Wilmot. When we returned to his rooms in Albany, he said little, but desired Fletcher to give him a tumbler of brandy, which he drank at one to Mrs. Wilmot’s health, then retired to rest, and was, I heard afterwards, in a sad state all night. The next day he wrote those charming lines upon her—She walks in Beauty like the Night…”

The poem was published in 1815. Also in that year Lord Byron wrote a number of songs to be set to traditional Jewish tunes by Isaac Nathan. Lord Byron included “She Walks in Beauty” with those poems.

Discussion of the Poem

The first couple of lines can be confusing if not read properly. Too often readers stop at the end of the first line where there is no punctuation. This is an enjambed line, meaning that it continues without pause onto the second line. That she walks in beauty like the night may not make sense as night represents darkness. However, as the line continues, the night is a cloudless one with bright stars to create a beautiful mellow glow. The first two lines bring together the opposing qualities of darkness and light that are at play throughout the three verses.

The remaining lines of the first verse employ another set of enjambed lines that tell us that her face and eyes combine all that’s best of dark and bright. No mention is made here or elsewhere in the poem of any other physical features of the lady. The focus of the vision is upon the details of the lady’s face and eyes which reflect the mellowed and tender light. She has a remarkable quality of being able to contain the opposites of dark and bright.

The third and fourth lines are not only enjambed, but the fourth line begins with an irregularity in the meter called a metrical substitution. The fourth line starts with an accented syllable followed by an unaccented one, rather than the iambic meter of the other lines, an unaccented syllable followed by an accented one. The result is that the word “Meet” receives attention, an emphasis. The lady’s unique feature is that opposites “meet” in her in a wonderful way.

The second verse tells us that the glow of the lady’s face is nearly perfect. The shades and rays are in just the right proportion, and because they are, the lady possesses a nameless grace. This conveys the romantic idea that her inner beauty is mirrored by her outer beauty. Her thoughts are serene and sweet. She is pure and dear.

The last verse is split between three lines of physical description and three lines that describe the lady’s moral character. Here soft, calm glow reflects a life of peace and goodness. This is a repetition, an emphasis, of the theme that the lady’s physical beauty is a reflection of her inner beauty.

Lord Byron greatly admired his cousin’s serene qualities on that particular night and he has left us with an inspired poem.

The poem was written shortly before Lord Byron’s marriage to Anna Milbanke and published shortly after the marriage.

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Garry Gamber is a public school teacher and entrepreneur. He writes articles about politics, real estate, health and nutrition, and internet dating services. He is the owner of http://www.Anchorage-Homes.com and http://www.TheDatingAdvisor.com.

How to price garage sale items is always a source of concern. If your pricing is too high, then the stuff won’t sell, pricing that is low means poor profits. What you want is a nice balance so that you will get the most money for your garage sale items, and leave you with a cleaner house too.

The purpose of this article is to give you a couple of quick ideas that will help you determine good garage sale pricing levels so your items will sell and produce the best possible profits.

The biggest challenge you will need to face is the challenge of ‘pricing from the heart’. Some items are useless to you, but useful (valuable) to others. And of course some things that you value may be absolutely worthless to anyone else on the planet.

The easiest garage sale pricing tip we can give is to use color-coding. Choose several different coloured stickers (or tags) and then give each colour a price. At the sale, in plain view, post a large sign with the price scale for each colour of sticker you use. Then, simply mark all of your items with coloured stickers. This is one of the fastest and easiest garage sale pricing techniques around.

Be sure to have a smaller version of the price key at the cashier’s table – this garage sale pricing tip will make your life much easier. The color-coded method as a garage sale pricing tip works really well if you are having a two-day garage sale and you advertise that you will be reducing prices on the second day. Then, instead of changing the price on every single item, you can simply post a new sign or make changes on the one you have up already.

Pricing the stuff you want to sell at your garage sale does not need to be a stressful event. Just think about how much you’d be willing to pay for that item if it were used and had no special meaning to you. If you do that, you’ll be in the right ballpark and will have much better success at selling all your stuff.

Get original garage sale tips and other excellent resources on how to organize a garage sale with the least amount of work and hassle. Great selection of tips and advice will guide you to a very profitable and enjoyable garage sale experience.

Do You Feel Used by Computers?

A look at second-user computer equipment.

Let’s dispense with the myths first. I’m NOT talking about the sort of second-hand computers you get from some high street junk shops, or the sort you can buy from free ads newspapers. These are the types that get used computers a bad reputation since there are many dodgy deals to be had!

I’m talking about a different breed altogether, the sort of used computers you’d be proud to own and feel safe buying because they have proper and lengthy warranties on each and every one of them and have been extensively tested and approved.

The criterion is quite strict. Sure, there are any number of companies out there who offer used computers at low prices. Very few offer 12-month warranties however and many of them disappear just as quickly as they arrived leaving you with a problem. All computers, no matter which category they fit in, or what you call them, should be high quality, guaranteed, fully working computers from a reputable supplier.

So, let’s put all the computers into two categories, I’m going to call them ‘used’ and ‘unused’ computers.

1. Used Computers

Second-hand, second user and used computers are what you would expect in that they have had a previous owner. Many of the computers have been returned to the company from which they were bought in the first place. This is ideal as the company has the appropriate expertise and spares already in place to correct any faults they find.

There are a number of reasons why computers are returned:

- businesses, colleges, individuals etc upgrade their computer equipment for the latest model

- the equipment was leased over a set period and the lease expires (so the equipment is returned)

- the computer gets a fault that can’t be fixed quickly so it is swapped permanently out for a new one

- the customer changes their mind just after purchasing

As you can appreciate, ‘used computer’ can mean anything from ‘barely used’ to ‘a couple of years old’. However, once returned the computers go through a rigorous check procedure, have their hard disks cleared or changed, have new keyboards, mice and cables if worn and new cases if they have noticeable damage. If there are any faulty components, such as sound card, video card, floppy drive etc, these are always replaced. These computers are often referred to as ex-lease, open-box, returns, refurbished, reclaimed, remanufactured, rebuilt, recycled, recertified or reconditioned computers. Phew!

At worst, the used computers, as sold on to you, have minor blemishes, scratches, dents or wear. This is always just cosmetic and does not affect either the performance or value of the computers in any way. What you receive is a fully-working computer, the same working condition as new, but at a price well below that of new. You can often pick up recent high-specification models second-hand and save hundreds of pounds. Of course there are lots of bargains to be had whatever model or type you decide to purchase but note you will sometimes find it difficult to get anything as stock can go very quickly some weeks.

2. Unused Computers

The other main categories of computers are the overstock, surplus, liquidated, superceded, discontinued, open box or end-of-line stock. These are all basically the same in that they are all UNUSED computers. So these are not what you would really classify as second-hand, ie they have not personally been owned and used by any business, college, individual etc. They will often be in their original packaging.

The reasons why these computers come on to the market are because:

- a manufacturer has brought out new models and wants to get rid of the ‘old’ superceded stock in his warehouse

- a store wants to raise some urgently needed cash and sell his unsold stock

- a factory or store becomes bankrupt and the computer stock is sold

In most of these cases, the stock gets sold to specialist dealers who buy in bulk and who then sell it on to the public, businesses etc. They then either provide a new warranty themselves for the equipment, or ensure there is a full warranty from the original manufacturer. You’ll often find Toshiba, HP, Compaq and other brand name computers offered with a 12-month warranty from the original manufacturer. Note that sometimes suppliers refer to open box as meaning refurbished - they will usually state in the description what they mean.

So that’s it. Two main categories of computers, quite different from each other but both offering great deals on branded equipment. Either way you will save money and still get a peace-of-mind guarantee on your computer purchase.

One last point. Make sure you check what you are getting for your money. Sometimes the computer may come without Windows installed or without a monitor. Don’t assume - check. This will ensure you are happy with your savings AND your purchase.

The author is an experienced computer user, having worked in IT management for a number of years. Now heavily involved in the purchase, use and distribution of thousands of computers at http://www.1st-4-used-computers.com

If you experience a hard drive crash, it doesn’t take much to make a bad situation even worse. In the event of a hard drive crash, in most instances, the data is completely recoverable at first. However, as part of human nature, we often try to avoid the high costs associated with hard drive data recovery in order to find some sort of “quick fix” to a very serious problem. In this report we will go over some of the symptoms of a hard drive crash and the things you can try in the event of a suspected hard drive crash, along with things you should avoid.

What Noise Is The Drive Making?

The first thing to take into account is whether or not the hard drive is making any unusual noises. Often times when there is a problem with the read/write head within the drive or a firmware issue in the logic board a “clicking” sound will be heard. If this is the case, then you should immediately power down the system and refrain from reapplying power. Same thing goes for any unusual sound, whether it’s grinding, squealing, our sounds like a “laser gun”. If any of these occur you should immediately power the system down, just pull the plug from the wall.

Unfortunately in the situations listed above, there is little that you can do to recover the data yourself. Actually, unless you have a clean room, fully equipped with the right tools and a trained technician there is nothing that can be done. Even hard drive manufacturers avoid this line of work, and many who do offer data recovery services are only sub-contracting the work out to an established data recovery firm.

Never Ever Open Your Hard Drive

If the data on a hard drive has even the most minimal value to you, then it is imperative that you do not open the drive. We often get calls or e-mails from people who felt they had the right equipment and know-how to perform something as serious as a head replacement. Once they’ve removed the hard drive’s protective case, we often times ask them not to send the drive in, because more often than not, the damage is irreparable.

Working with the internal components of a hard drive requires at least a Class-100 clean room. A clean room does not mean a room that you just vacuumed and dusted (believe it or not people say that to us all the time). A clean room is a special work area in which air quality is heavily controlled and it is vital to hard drives during the manufacturing or assembly process. The air in the room is regulated in term of air particles, temperature and humidity. A Class-100 clean room means there exists no more than 100 particles that are larger than 0.5 microns in one cubic foot of air.

Opening a hard drive in air meeting anything less than the standard listed above will mean certain death for your hard drive and any data contained therein.

The Freezer Method

There has been a long running wive’s tale about putting your hard drive in the freezer when it crashes in order to revive it just long enough to pull your data off of it. We’ve run this test for fun on many occasions in different scenarios with junk test drives that we have in our lab. So far we have yet to see this actually produce any positive results. In fact, in one instance we actually began to see the formation of tiny microscopic ice crystals on the platter themselves, which is a definite crash waiting to happen.

See the problem with this theory is, drives are not completely sealed. Regardless of what you’ve heard or read, all hard drives have a tiny breather hole (usually marked with a label that says DO NOT COVER). This hole not only aids in cooling but it also helps to equalize air pressure in the drive when the platters are spinning. On the other side of this hole is a filter, which keeps dirt and debris from getting inside the drive. However, this filter does not stop heavy amounts of moisture (especially in flood situations) or moisture vapor (such as found in a freezer). This moisture vapor has been known to settle on the platters and when a system is powered up, the read/write head would resemble an airplane flying into a mountain.

In closing, If you’ve experienced a hard drive crash, it is imperative that you consider the value of the data, before you consider the money you might save by doing it yourself. Data recovery is a specialty, and it requires a number of specialized tools, skills and software to complete successfully. Many times you run the risk of taking data that may be perfectly recoverable and destroying it permanently. If you have any questions, it is best to consult with a recovery firm first. Most reputable data recovery companies will perform a free diagnostic and evaluation on most standard IDE hard drives. Many will even include a list of the recoverable files with that evaluation before you proceed. In some cases, we even work with our customers on a payment plan to help ease the burden of the recovery costs. Of course the best way to avoid all of this is to simply backup anything and everything of value.

Greg Duffield is the founder of ACS Data Recovery, a premier provider of hard drive data recovery services. You can reach them toll free at 1-877-646-0546 or on the web at http://www.acsdata.com

In 1949 the first car phone service was introduced. It was called “Mobile Telephone Service” (MTS). But the beginning of wireless communication started many years earlier, in 1895, when an Italian physicist named Guglielmo Marconi successfully sent wireless signals a distance of one and one half miles.

In 1896 Marconi was granted the world’s first patent for a wireless telegraphy system. In 1897 he formed The Wireless Telegraph and Signal Company. During that same year he successfully sent wireless signals a distance of twelve miles.

In 1901 Marconi proved the curve of the earth did not affect the successful sending of wireless waves. He proved it by transmitting signals from Cornwall, England to St. John’s, Newfoundland, which was a distance of over two thousand miles.

Marconi, along with other scientists and researchers, continued to work and do research on wireless transmissions. In 1932 the world’s first microwave radiotelephone link was established between the Pope’s summer home in the small Italian town of Caster Gandolfo and Vatican City, a distance of approximately thirty miles.

The first ship-to-shore radio conversation took place in 1922 from the ship S.S. America, which was 400 miles at sea. Inter-continent telephone communications between the United States and England occurred in the mid 1930’s.

As technology improved, interest in a car phone service developed. The first car phone service that was introduced in 1949 was a mobile service, but the equipment was big and heavy. The phone required a large receiver (about the size of a large piece of luggage). It was placed in the trunk of the vehicle. To talk on the phone, a button had to be pushed. To listen to the other person, the button had to be released. It was similar to using a two-way radio. A person couldn’t talk and listen at the same time. That technology came later.

Phone calls from the first mobile phone service were not direct-dialed. Instead, an operator working for the mobile phone service company answered when the phone was picked up. The operator connected the caller to the phone company operator, who then placed the call. By the early 1960’s the technology had improved, but only slightly. One step in the connection process was eliminated. The phone was able to connect directly to the phone company, saving the caller the step of having to connect to the mobile phone service operator first. The improved service was called “Improved Mobile Telephone Service” or IMTS.

By the early part of the 1980’s the phones had full-duplex capability. This meant a person could listen and talk at the same time. The phones and receivers were still heavy though. And, because the IMTS phones were a type of scanner, it wasn’t unusual for a person to press a channel button on the phone and hear parts of someone else’s conversation.

Technology continued to improve and continues to improve today. Cell phones are very popular. Today they are a truly mobile device and are easy to transport. Some of the cell phones available today only weigh a few ounces. Some of the small cell phones can be tricky to use though because the buttons on them are very small.

Cellular technology continues to improve. In the United States, carriers have been moving from analog technology to digital technology. One big reason the move to digital technology has been made in recent years is because it allows networks to carry more callers at one time. Calls are also more secure on digital networks, but are still far from being totally secure.

Today, people experience fewer dropped calls, and with the expansion of networks, there are getting to be fewer areas where there is no reception at all. And although many younger people are choosing to have cell phone over a land line phone, there are still many people who are not yet willing to give up their land line phones.