These days numerous consumers are opting to become careful in the face of the many economical difficulties around at the present. They are buying a good deal more selectively and rapidly becoming cautious about where exactly to spend their money. Thinking carefully about everyday household purchases is tremendously important in order to cut down on energy consumption. The 4 types of American fridge freezers on sale are the top-mounted, bottom-mounted, side-by-side and not forgetting the chest freezer.

The top-mounted fridge freezer is certainly the most purchased model and requires ten to twenty-five percent less than any of the other makes of freezer. It is just right for the thrifty consumer who also wishes a sizeable amount of space. It is tremendously important to opt for a fridge freezer that is the right size for the space in order to cut back on energy usage. Whilst this type of fridge freezer is the most fashionable in many households, it is tricky for young bys as well as short grown-ups to get their hands on products placed in the back of the freezer.

Another American fridge freezer not regularly seen in a great deal of kitchens today is the bottom-mounted make. It’s quite a bit more expensive than that of the top mounted. This variety of fridge freezer is effectively the same shape but it is considerably more handy to reach stored items. The bottom-mounted may well come with either a freezer drawer or swinging style door. This particular category of fridge freezer can be obtained in only a few styles. Search on the Internet for an array of electrical products such as; American fridge freezers , food processors and fridges from leading brands.

The side-by-side freezer is by far the most costly of the styles being sold. It is splendid for a gallery styled kitchen for the reason that it is space efficient having sleek, slender doors. The side-by-side American fridge freezer may perhaps have many additional extras for instance an indoor water and ice compartment, complete with an ice crusher. The more modern fridge freezers may also have a LCD television integrated into the doors. It is possible to find a freezer that goes with or compliment the interior decoration of your kitchen, so that it combines stylishly into the space.

The chest freezer isn’t attached to a refrigerator and can therefore stand vertical. It supplies the most space for amassing food and is marvellous for the larger family. The chest freezer may possibly be attained with a temperature control system and alarms that ring when the temperature rises too high. If a chest freezer is attained without a defroster then the ice will have to removed often.

Whether you live by yourself or have a bigger family to share meals with, the fridge freezer has become a requirement in a great deal of houses where few could live without. When shopping for this item, it is extremely important to note down the specific layout of your kitchen and family dynamics in order for you to make the best acquisition you can.

Private aeroplanes by their specific nature are convenient, lush, and a true joy to have the opportunity to fly, but the quantity of executives and enterprises plumping to travel privately has grown for the reason that they perceive private aviation to be safer than that of commercial flights.

Rather than procuring a private plane, a lot of organisations are selecting fractional ownership as it provides you access to a big selection of jets therefore letting those individuals that require to charter a business jet to obtain all of the luxuries of owning a private aircraft without incurring the up-keep or employee overheads associated. Find private jets for sale and more information on flying privately from leading companies online.

To further increase the safety of these planes, some organisations are only allowing their pilots to fly one specific kind of aeroplane.

These huge fleets of aeroplanes each of which differ in shape, range and speed and all have a totally different instrument layout and flight experience. As with any type of machine that you may well have operated before, you will without doubt know that it takes a considerable amount of time to fully understand controls and arrangement, and by only permitting a pilot to fly one variety of plane, you never have be worried about the pilot being in an unrecognised cabin.

This is why when hiring a business jet; you are suggested to opt for an enterprise that only lets their pilot to operate one specific variety of aircraft, as this will guarantee that they are fully familiar with their plane and controls, giving you the highest safety possible.

By focusing on one particular brand of aeroplane whether it is a Hawker 440XP or the somewhat larger Gulfstream G550, you are safe in the truth that your pilot is well-prepared for every occasion and possibility, and will react as quick as possible, ensuring the best possible safety levels for you, and your friends.

Add this with a detailed maintenance team looking after the aircraft range, and a tradition of continuous training and learning by the pilots, you can be 100% sure that privately flying is without doubt the safest mode of transport around currently.

It seems you can’t turn on the TV without seeing some sort of World Series of Poker contest. Poker, especially, Texas Hold ‘Em, has become extremely popular. It’s not for crusty old men anymore. Poker has a new brand – it is now young, hip and cool. When branding your business, take a lesson from poker. See, match, and push are poker terms that can have major impact on your brand. Below is a review of how you can use these traditional poker terms to raise the level of your brand-poker game.

1) See – Have a clear vision of what you want your brand to become. If you can see it, you can achieve it. I once heard a story about a reporter speaking to Roy Disney, at the opening of Disney World. The reporter commented that it was sad Walt was not alive to see Disney World. Walt’s brother quickly replied, “if Walt had never seen this, you wouldn’t be seeing it now!” Where do you see your brand in a perfect future? Can you describe it down to the smallest details?

2) Match – Be certain your actions fit with your brand. Good marketing is not always good marketing. A guy in a chicken suit may be a great way for a new chicken store to promote awareness. However, it would not fit for a new financial adviser office. The fit isn’t there. Associations and partnerships are just as important to match with your brand. You don’t see Tommy Hilfiger apparel on the shelves at Walmart. It simply would not be a good fit. The brands are too different.

3) Push – Lean into your limits. Sometimes limits are just there because no one has the courage to test them. Starbucks took coffee out of the deli and well, you know the rest of the story. It is safe to assume there were naysayers that laughed at such an idea! There are coffee addicts all over the world thankful that some businesses push the limits. Perhaps there are aspects of your product or service that have not been exploited for all of their value.

Follow all three strategies and you are sure to notice a sharp improvement in your brand-poker game. If your brand-poker game is strong, your business is sure to be stacking lots of chips!

Traditional poker definitions:

See – To call in the final round of betting.

Match – To put in the pot an amount equal to that already there.

Push – When a new dealer replaces an existing dealer at a particular table.

Kevin Kearns is a small business branding coach. He holds a Master of Science degree in Organization Development and is a member of the Coachville Graduate School of Coaching. With a mixture of hands-on experience, research, and FUN, Kevin helps you become the only choice for your customers.

Visit http://www.kevinkearns.com to join The Branding Bunch – a community made up of small business owners that want to grow their business the easy way.

A fresh inquiry reported that less than half of Brit adults take life insurance policies. So when is the correct time to investigate life assurance?

The necessary answer is the earlier the more appropriate. It safeguards your loved ones financially in the conceivable event of the unlucky dying of parents and means funds could be made free for family members. Nonetheless life insurance isn’t simply about assuring your offspring’s financial comfort, those who don’t have dependents could prefer to take out life assurance to guarantee that their partner is cared for in terms of finances in the catastrophe of his or her departure.

There are four main life events that routinely cause people to secure life Assurance The first is getting a new residence.

Acquiring a new property is a eminently trying time, in particular if it’s your first mark in the lucrative properties ladder. Hence this can be an optimal – and comforting – moment to buy life cover, which may be put to good use to pay off your mortgage should the inconceivable transpire to you or your spouse.

The second causing case that endorses getting life cover is starting a relationship through espousal or possibly a civil companionship. When you’ve just given oath to your limitless passion to someone, it goes without saying that you’d want to confirm that they will be financially protected in the case that inconceivable occurs to you.

Having a baby to look after produces a wholly new element of importance to your life, and as a result this event is usually the 3rd main persuader for those acquiring life assurance policies. Guaranteeing there is a financial alternate in place to safeguard your children is sometimes of the ultimate concern to any new mother or father.

Oftentimes after a divorce individuals come to completely appreciate his or her financial worth and the need to keep their families financially protected more than ever before. Also if divorce leads to the elimination of a joint life cover policy the people involved will need to arrange new assurance separately.

We are now well ensconced in a time when the Web is riddled with graphics, animations, sounds, and videos, bringing about a necessity for superior internet access such as that which broadband can provide. The fact is that anything less than the speed supplied by a broadband cable has become inadequate for today’s Web users.

Of course, if you use the internet only once every so often, you wouldn’t be as heavily dependent upon high-speed internet access as is provided by broadband, however, if you’re a regular user, it’s virtually a necessity.

But wait a minute…even though you use the internet, it doesn’t mean you know exactly what this high focus form of internet access actually is. So lets start there. In essence, broadband is a very fast form of internet connection. Broadband Will provide you with a noticeably faster internet speed than a dial-up connection.

Broadband used to be a challenge only because of it’s limited availability, however, today there are many ways that you can have a much faster connection. The delivery methods of broadband have been expanded to the following types of broadband cable:

- Copper telephone wires
- Cable TV wires
- Radio microwaves from local base stations
- Satellite microwaves from geo-stationary satellites

Now lets look at why this faster style of internet access is actually better. The benefits of broadband actually include much more than faster downloads. Broadband is the connection that is always “on”. As soon as you start up your computer, it’s already connected to the internet. For anyone who has waited for a modem to dial up and connect, the advantage of this is quite apparent. Furthermore, broadband allows you to download movies, music, and web pages that were virtually inaccessible in practical terms when using dial-up.

But the benefits of broadband aren’t just felt by individual users. Businesses, governments, schools, and communities can all experience the superiority that broadband cables can provide.

Here are some examples of benefits for each of those types of organizations:

- Businesses will notice an increase in productivity when large data files transfer quickly and directly among local and head offices, no matter the distance between the locations. Moreover, with the popularity of net-meetings and videoconferencing, a face-to-face meeting becomes entirely possible without the travel costs.

- Schools can now offer equal opportunities to their students no matter their location or funding. A student in a remote community is now able to use a broadband connection to receive violin lessons from the same revered instructor as a student in a large city. Moreover, rural students can take virtual field trips and see the same fascinating and educational museums as city kids.

- Local governments are now enjoying broadband benefits that let them provide one-stop shopping for town business transactions, as well as licensing, permits, billing, and utility payments.

- Communities have been quick to jump on the broadband band wagon to promote their local historical and other various tourist attractions. No other marketing resource reaches as far and as effectively as the internet.

There are so many fantastic benefits to a high-speed, broadband internet connection, that it is becoming as “basic” a need as a computer in today’s society.

Dave Gonzalez

http://www.broadband-dsl-directory.com

Nude photography is the genre of art photography, whose subject is the representation of the naked (full nude) or partially naked (half nude) human body.

The aesthetic value of nude photography and its boundary to erotic photography can only be determined with difficulty and inter-subjectively and is also affected by its numerous overlaps with pornography. In consequence, nude photography and erotic photography always find themselves branded in multiple ways, and labelled as works of artistic freedom, aesthetics, kitsch, junk or provocation. The boundaries of nude photography, erotic photography and pornography are so undefined and continuously changing that they are always determined and defined by the subjective moral view of the individual and the generally accepted cultural confines of “customs and tradition”.

Whether the picture itself is art or junk always lies in the eye of the beholder. One (subjective) definition of the worth of a nude photograph is: “A nude photo is then good, when the Model shows it around at the coffee table at her grandmother’s birthday party and receives positive feedback.” (Gnter Rinnhofer) Other definitions have been by far more controversial. For Horst Werner this art form has always been about provocation and evoking of emotions. He prefers disgust, shock and aversion (as evoked for example by his photographs of nudes at a cemetery or of disabled people) to indifference, which in his opinion, is often the only reaction generated by other, more conventional art styles. Additionally, it is nowadays no longer such a taboo to depict the primary sex features of a human being. However, in contrast to pornography, nude photography does not actively pursue to excite the audience, although this does not exclude that it is consumed with this intention and effect.

Tasteful nude photography is often regarded as high skilled photography as besides technical knowledge and the ability to manipulate light the nude photographer also needs strong communication skills and the ability to build a positive relationship with his model. A modelling contract between photographer and model often includes additional remuneration to the model besides payment and publication rights.

Subgenres and Subjets

“Feminine nudity must be given to men by the teaspoonful, not with a scoop.” (Coco Chanel)

Nude photography divides into three basic forms: the “classic” full nude with a simple background, full nude model where model is completely naked; the detailed nude depicting certain details of the body, abstracting and making them anonymous, and emphasising the forms and structures of the nude; and finally the half nude, where the model is partially clothed or partially wrapped with accessories.

History and development

The nude is a classic subject in art. Already the early high cultures (Egypt, Crete, India among others) knew nude representations. Its development into other representation forms can be pursued from Greek clay to the art of the middle ages and on to the European art of the modern age. Since the renaissance, the study of the nude human body is an intrinsic part of art education at art academies.

Since around 1847 the nude has also become the object of photography, the first nude photographers including Philippe Debussy, E. Delacroix, Eugene Durieu and B. Braquehais. Models were both professionals and prostitutes and photographs were both artistic and “spicy”, which often invited the aversion of moral and law enforcement officers.

Important Nude Photographers

•	Bettina Rheims 					     David Bailey
•	Eric Kroll 						Helmut Newton
•	Hans-Peter Muff
•	Jan Saudek Meister der Koloriertechnik (kolorieren)
•	Jeanloup Sieff 						Man Ray
•	Paul Outerbridge 					Petter Hegre
•	Richard Kern 						Roy Stuart
•	Robert Mapplethorpe 					Sam Haskins
•	Uwe Ommer 						Gnter Blum 

This article was first published by Maria A. Novatschkova, art critic at Poster-art-gallery.com > nude photography

When it comes to cinema, I love those made during the 40’s and 50’s when in my view, films were made not so much for their profitability, but for the art itself and the messages contained within. As a kid I would watch the local version of The Sunday Matinee Movie and became familiar with actors such as Humphrey Bogart, Joan Crawford, Bette Davis and others. This was the era of “film noir” which is defined as movies that are symbolized by dimly-lit sets, a bleak setting and center on stories about corrupt and cynical characters. The plots of these films often revolve around an anti-hero, a crime (and subsequent moral dilemma), and a romantic interest for the films central character. The films were shot in black and white, with shadow having as much importance as dialogue. These films used unusual angles, silhouetted close-ups and somber tones to create unique and powerful storylines. These films were made during a roughly twenty year period, beginning with 1940’s “Stranger on the Third Floor” (starring Peter Lorre and John McGuire) and the underrated “Brother Orchid” (Edward G. Robinson), to Orson Well’s 1958 classic, “Touch of Evil.”

Some other movies opf this era are “Angels With Dirty Faces” (James Cagney and Pat O’Brien), “Key Largo” (Bogart, Bacall, Sidney Greenstreet), “Gaslight” (Ingrid Bergman and Charles Boyer), “Double Indemnity” (Fred MacMurray and Barbara Stanwyck under Billy Wilder’s direction) and “Mildred Pierce.” Hollywood has had some recent success with films of that style including, “Chinatown” and “L.A. Confidential.” seem to support such a notion, with the latter featuring an Oscar-winning turn by Kim Basinger as femme fatale Lynn Bracken.

Arguably, the biggest actress of this era was the doe-eyed beauty Betty Davis. She was born Ruth Elizabeth Davis, on April 5, 1908 in Lowell, Massachusetts When she attained stardom at age 26, it was not just for her acting acumen and acidic delivery, but her eyes, which were immortalized in song by Kim Carnes/’ “Bette Davis Eyes” hit number one in 1981.

She made her film debut in 1931’s “The Bad Sister” and usually played characters with tough exteriors, but who were vulnerable. Her characters usually were smart-mouthed and many of them smoked cigarettes, behavior which wasn’t considered very lady-like. According to the Unofficial Bette Davis website, Bette Davis, “was described by
one critic as ‘a force of nature that could find no ordinary outlet’.” Her filmography boasts such classics as, “Dangerous” (1935) and “Jezebel” (1938), for which she received her first two Best Actress Oscars. However, she wanted the lead in 1939s “Gone With the Wind,” but the role went to Vivian Leigh. Davis’ most famous role would come some 11 years later, as that of actress Margo Channing in 1950s “All About Eve,” earning her another Best Actress nomination. Ironically, her career waned shortly thereafter.

Davis also gave sterling performances in “Now, Voyager” (1942); “The Bride Came C.O.D.” (1941, with James Cagney); “Deception” (1946); “The Corn Is Green” (1945); “Mr. Skeffington” (1944) and “What Ever Happened To Baby Jane” (1962). In the latter she played alongside her long0time rival, Joan Crawford and won an Oscar for Best Actress. In the film she portrayed an unbalanced, washed-up child star. “Baby Jane” was also that year’s top grossing film.

Davis’ number of Oscar nominations10, is second only to Katherine Hepburn (11). Her other nominations include powerhouse performances in, “The Star” (1952) ; “Mr. Skeffington” (1944); “Now, Voyager” (1942); “The Little Foxes” (1941); “The Letter” (1940); “Dark Victory” (1939) and “Of Human Bondage” (1934). In 1977, Davis became the first woman to receive the American Film Institute’s Lifetime Achievement Award. She was also known as “The Queen of the Screen.” Three of her movie quotes are among the American Film Institute’s 100 greatest. They include, (No. 7, from “All About Eve”) “Fasten your seatbelts. It’s going to be a bumpy night,” (No. 60, from “Beyond the Forest”) “What a dump.” and (No. 45) “Oh, Jerry, don’t let’s ask for the moon. We have the stars. (from, “Now, Voyager”5)

Perhaps her most memorable line was from the movie that catapulted her to stardom. In “Of Human Bondage” (1934) she co-starred with Leslie Howard and delivered the line, “You cad! You dirty swine! I never cared for you–not once! I was always making up to love ya. Ya bored me stiff. I hated ya. It made me sick when I had to let ya kiss me. I only did it because you begged me–ya hounded me and drove me crazy! And after you kissed me, I always used to wipe my mouth. Wipe my mouth!” Along that same tenor, In “Cabin In The Cotton” (1932) she uttered the line, “I’d like ta kiss ya, but I just washed my hair.” Then again as Joyce Arden in, “It’s Love I’m After” (1937), she quipped: “Dearest, I think you’re the lowest thing that ever crawled, but as long as I can reach out and get my hands on you, no other man will ever touch me.”

As for her feud with Joan Crawford, in her 1962 autobiography, “The Lonely Life,” Davis wrote, “I do not regret one professional enemy I have made. Any actor who doesn’t dare to make an enemy should get out of the business.”

She made her final film appearance in 1989, playing the role of Miranda Pierpoint in, “Wicked Stepmother.” She died that year on October 6, 1989 in Neuilly, France from breast cancer.

One of my favorite films from this era is the underappreciated “Caged,” starring Eleanor {Parker in the lead role of Marie Allen. It is the story of a pregnant girl imprisoned for being an accessory to a crime committed by her husband. While imprisoned Marie is mistreated by mean-spirited guard Emma Barber (played with a seemingly fiendish glee by Ellen Corby). Marie is eventually broken psychologically and her bitterness turns her into a hardened, wannabe criminal. Agnes Moorehead, better known for her role as “Endora” on TV’s “Bewitched” gives a strong performance as the kindhearted prison warden Ruth Benton.

For Parker it should have been a break out role that put her among the upper echelon of the actresses of that era. But she never reached the level of stardom that Bette Davis, Joan Crawford and Claire Trevor achieved. One critic called the movie, “One of the most underrated movies of all time. Eleanor Parker really did deserve an Oscar for this performance.” Parker was nominated that year, but she was bested by Judy Holiday, (“Born Yesterday”). Also nominated for an Oscar was her co-star Hope Emerson, who played Marie’s foil, inmate Evelyn Harper. Emerson lost out to Josephine Hull (“Harvey”).

Parker was born in June 26, 1922, in Cedarville, Ohio. She made her debut in, “Busses Roar” (1942), The Film Guild of America says about her, “Audiences never knew what to expect when they saw her. To Eleanor, creating interesting characters was more important than cultivating a star image. In over 50 films, she would earn the title, ‘The Woman of a Thousand Faces’…If she had conformed, and simply used her stunning beauty to rise to stardom, she might be canonized today. Thankfully, she did not conform. Eleanor instead became a serious actress who gave her roles a depth and understanding that few stars have ever matched.”

This was followed by little known films, including five in 1944: “The Very Thought of You,” “The Last Ride,” “Crime by Night,” “Atlantic City,” (an uncredited part) and “Between Two Worlds.” She had a supporting part as Mildred Rogers in “Of Human Bondage” (1946). In 1950 she played Joan “Jo” Holloway opposite Humphrey Bogart in the war story “Chain Lightning.” Due to the weakness of the script the film is best remembered for its plane flying scenes.

Claire Trevor was born Claire Wemlinger on March 8, 1910, in Brooklyn, New York. Her career began in 1933 in “Life In The Raw,” and she also appeared in the John Wayne oater, “Stagecoach” (1939).

During her career, which spanned sixty films, she earned the moniker “Queen of Film Noir.” She played a plethora of “bad girl” roles, but earned three Oscar nominations: “Dead End” (1937, which also featured Humphrey Bogart and marked the debut of The Dead End Kids); “The High and the Mighty” (1954) and won Best Supporting Actress for her portrayal as the drunken girlfriend of an abusive gangster (Edward G. Robinson), in “Key Largo” (1948).

Her other films include, “Murder, My Sweet” (1944) where Trevor played Velma, the missing girlfriend of a gangster. Dick Powell played the lead as detective Philip Marlowe. In 1947 she starred in “Born To Kill” and in 1948 she made three films–”Raw Deal” playing a gun moll who helps her gangster boyfriend escape from prison; “The Velvet Touch,” where she was cast as an actress accused of murdering her husband; and then she played against type in “The Babe Ruth Story” (1948). The former two films are considered some of the finest examples of the Noir genre.

Trevor also won an Emmy (1956) for her performance in “Dodsworth,” co-starring with Fredric March. She died April 8, 2000.

Director John Houston was born August 5, 1906 in Nevada, Missouri. He went to Hollywood when his father Walter, another producer of note, gave him a job. He assisted with the writing on such hits as “Jezebel,” “High Sierra” and “Sergeant York.” He made his directing debut in 1941, directing Bogart, Lorre and Sidney Greenstreet in “Tha Maltese Falcon” for which he won an Oscar for writing. In 1948, Huston directed “The Treasure of Sierra Madre,” winning Oscars for writing and directing. His father won The Best Supporting Actor for his role in the movie. Many consider this to be his strongest film.

Huston once called filmmaking, “a collaborative medium. Rather than being a tyrant, I believe in getting ideas from as many sources as possible.” He has worked with some of the biggest names of his era, including Humphrey Bogart, Edward G. Robinson, Claire Trevor, Peter Lorre and Katherine Hepburn.

His movies are a cornucopia of classics: “The African Queen,” “Key Largo,” “Treasure of the Sierra Madre,” “The Maltese Falcon” and “Prizzi’s Honor,” which starred his daughter Angelica and earned her a Best Supporting Actress honor. Many of those films were written by Huston as well. He noted, “I don’t make a distinction between writing and direction. But to write and to direct one’s own material is certainly the best approach. The directing is kind of an extension of the writing.” Huston also lensed an interpretation of “The Bible” (1966) and “The Red Badge of Courage” (1951).

Lauren Bacall called him, “Daring, unpredictable, maddening, mystifying and probably the most charming man on earth.” Katherine Hepburn said Huston was the “best piece of direction I have ever heard.”

Houston died August 28, 1987 from emphysema.

Sources:

John Huston profile, Wikipedia

Claire Trevor profile, Wikipedia

Martin Connors and Jim Craddock, “Videohound’s Golden Movie Retriever 2000″

Eleanor Parker biography, IMDb.com

“The John Huston interviews,” edited by Robert Emmet Long

Bette Davis, imdb profile

Bette Davis profile, Wikipedia

The Unofficial Bette Davis Homepage

Bette Davis profile, “Reel Classics”

Timothy N. Stelly is the author of two novels, “Tempest In The Stone” and “The Malice of cain.” He is also an afficionado of film noir and currently writes for several e-zines.

There has been a great deal discussion about lab-created diamonds. Along with that talk, there is much misinformation and perplexity. The jewelry lover, who is interested in realizing the huge savings and aesthetic beauty that simulated diamonds offer, is often bewildered by the manufactured diamond industry jargon and available options. This article will categorically break it down in easy-to-understand terms so that anyone can make an intelligent decision when choosing a simulated diamond.

GEM MATERIALS: 99% of all lab-created diamonds sold worldwide are polycrystalline on a molecular level. The differences are fundamentally in the technical aspects of manufacturing, cutting, and polishing. Think of it this wayall coffeemakers are made of plastic, steel, and glass, the differences are how these materials are designed and implemented. Higher quality coffeemakers make a better tasting cup of coffee. Higher quality manufactured diamonds are in line with mined diamonds.

QUALITY VARIANCES: It seems like grade variations are made out to be a more complex lab-created diamond issue then it really is. Once boiled down, there are three primary grades of simulated diamondshigh, medium, and low. For the jewelry shopper it should be noted that the quality of setting goes hand-in-hand with the quality of the gemstone. Those that sell manufactured diamond jewelry off point-of-purchase displays in the costume jewelry sections of discount stores use low quality or scrap stones that are not gem quality, and have disco ball or murky look. Those that sell manufactured diamond jewelry on the TV shopping channelswhich is generally with a sterling silver or a micro-thin layer of gold plated over silver (Vermeil [pronounced ver-may]) settingsuse medium quality stones not of gem quality. Those that sell solid 14K gold or solid platinum settings, as a rule, use the highest gem-quality man made gemstones that replicate mined diamonds.

PRICING: Low grade stones are sold in bulk to costume jewelry makers and are often glued on electroplated settings. This jewelry is fine for children, where loss risk is high, and usually retails for less than $15 per item. You will find medium grade stones primarily in sterling silver jewelry that sells for under $100 per item, settings and stones. Medium grade simulated diamonds can be distinguished by the naked eye as not being mined diamonds. High grade gemstone quality lab-created diamonds, undistinguishable by the naked eye from mined diamonds, are found mounted on settings of solid 14K gold and platinum. This is considered to be fine jewelry, with the best quality gemstones selling for under $100 per carat for the gemstones alone. Manufactured diamonds that sell for over $100 a carat are not higher quality than those that sell for between $80 and $100 per carat.

RECOMMENDATIONS: If you are buying for someone that is likely to lose the jewelry, there is no reason to spend any more than you have to, and Wal-Mart will do just fine. On the clearance rack you can even pick up some jewelry for less than $5 per item. If you buy simulated diamonds set in sterling silver, expect decent stones, but they will fool few into thinking they are mined diamonds. Also, your fingers are likely to turn green or black in response to a chemical reaction, not with the silver per se, but with the nickel/copper alloys in sterling silver. With any plated settings, gemstones are low to medium grade, and the plating will eventually chip off, particularly around the edges. When that happens, the nickel/copper alloys will be exposed, the setting will look like it came out of a gum ball machine, and your finger will generally turn green or black. It is just a matter of common sense, if you want simulated diamonds with mined-diamond qualities, they must be set in 14K solid gold. Jewelers who offer lab-created diamonds are not going spend on money on gold and not mount the highest quality stones, which would defeat the purpose of creating fine diamond-like jewelry and alienate customers.

Robert Joseph is an expert jeweler and founding partner of Diamond Nexus Labs, a renowned online jewelry store that specializes in pristine affordable diamond simulants set in Solid 14K Gold.

Copyright © 2002-2005 Diamond Nexus Labs.
http://diamondnexuslabs.com/ All Rights Reserved.

Permission to reprint this article is granted if the article is reproduced in its entirety, without editing, including the bio information. Please include a hyperlink to http://diamondnexuslabs.com/ when using this article in newsletters or online.

To receive a FREE comparison chart on how Diamond Nexus Labs lab-created diamonds stack up against mined diamonds and register for a FREE no-obligation $50 Gift Certificate giveaway send E-mail to: freechart@diamondnexuslabs.com and just type Free Chart followed by your first name in the subject line.

The History of Voice over Internet Protocol By the end of 2006, Voice over Internet Protocol (VOIP) may account for as much as 25 – 40% of international voice traffic. This prediction is impressive, but it is even more amazing when you consider the relatively short history of voice over internet protocol. It began as a hobby for some people in Israel who were only able to communicate by computer.

Later that year, in 1995, the first company in the history of voice over internet protocol to put a product on the market was Vocaltec. They released Internet Phone Software, which in combination with a home computer, sound card, speakers, microphone and modem allowed users to make a phone call over the internet. However, the people on both ends had to have the same setup, and sound quality was much less than on a normal phone.

In 1998, there were more milestones in the history of voice over internet protocol. Entrepreneurs began to recognize the potential of the technology and soon computer-to-phone and phone-to-phone connections (still using a computer for the transmission) were possible for making voice calls over the internet. The service was available using a phone at a provider’s location in North America only.

It required the users to listen to an advertisement at the beginning and end of each phone call, but in exchange their long distance calls were free. In 1998, less than 1% of voice calls were made using voice over internet protocol.

Businesses began to use VOIP over their intranets to help communicate within their company. But with the introduction of switching equipment in 1998 by 3 manufacturing companies, the history of voice over internet protocol took a turn towards the future.

Now VOIP could become more readily available to users at home instead of at a specific facility belonging to the provider. By the year 2000, more than 3% of voice calls were made over the internet using VOIP.

Today, there are both hardware and software options for those interested in business VOIP and for their personal use. You can purchase hardware that will allow you to use your normal phone handset when making a phone call.

You can buy phones that are VOIP ready and need only an internet broadband connection. Or, you can purchase or download software that will let you use your computer instead of a phone, provided that you have speakers, a microphone, and an appropriate sound card.

Many phone companies have begun to offer packages that include local and long distance VOIP calls for a flat monthly fee. With the advent of broadband services, sound quality has become parallel to regular land line phones for the first time in the history of voice over internet protocol. And the number of people using VOIP is only expected to grow.

Why should you have video conferencing? Is it worth the investment? There are many reasons why you should utilize video conferencing software. The simple fact is that it is quite reliable and quite handy. But, that is not usually enough to have you open your wallet. Yet, there are other reasons why this may be the next investment that you make for your business. Video conferencing is an excellent means of communication.

Besides being a very high quality way of communicating, it also opens the door to live, clear understandings of what is being said. There is little doubt that in a video conferencing situation that you will not know and understand just what the other person is saying. Your message is delivered with a full awareness of your means simply because seeing is believing. Yet, this too is only one reason to consider it.

Video conferencing is also very capable of connecting you with other establishments. If you can not manage your company in one place because you are managing it someplace else, video conferencing can keep you connected. By doing this, you can effectively be in two places at once.

There are excellent quality video conferencing systems out there. Many of them are well worth the dollars that they cost. And, because technology continues to grow, you’ll find that prices for video conferencing will become more competitive. It is the way of the future. Is your company in the future? Using video conferencing can help to insure that it is there.

We highly recommend bringing your company up to date and to use this pioneering technology. It doesn’t need to be expensive, or difficult to set up if you contact specialists in this area. There are many information portals now devoted to the subject and we reading about it at one of these. Try googling for “video conferencing info” and you will be surprised by the abundance of information on the subject.

For more information please see http://www.video-conferencing-info.co.uk My video conferencing site