GARNER, N.C. — ASC Signal Corporation, (formerly Andrew Corporation Satellite Communications Group), today announced an agreement with Globecomm Systems, Inc. (GSI) to supply commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) antenna products. As GSI’s strategic partner and supplier, ASC Signal was selected to provide antenna products that support the recent major award to GSI by a global multilateral organization, which offers a potential revenue of $30 million over a three-year period.
ASC Signal’s antenna products allow Globecomm Systems to deliver a range of enhanced services and offer further support to their global customer. ASC’s antenna products will be supplied under a three-year IDIQ (Indefinite-delivery / indefinite-quantity) contract. These products include:
- 3.9 Meter F-1 compliant C-band Trifold® transportable antenna product
- 4.9 Meter Intelsat E-2 Ku-band type approved motorizable antenna
ASC Signal’s 3.9 meter antenna features a wide range of adjustment with the ability to view geostationary satellites, horizon-to-horizon, from any location worldwide. Its unique Trifold® reflector panels are cut from a single piece of precision spun aluminum.
Additionally, the innovative 4.9 meter Intelsat E-2 type approved Ku-band earth station antenna was developed for maximum accuracy and versatility. This low-maintenance antenna features a dual reflector Gregorian system that provides excellent pattern characteristics and high gain. Equipped with a self-aligning main reflector, it is also capable of reception and transmission for quad-band C-band, X-band, Ku-band and Ka-band configurations.
Previously, ASC Signal has supplied antenna products to GSI for the company’s other global projects. ASC Signal was selected by GSI due to its strong reputation and industry leading product line.
Dr. Russell Dearnley - Vice President, Earth Station Antennas and Solutions for ASC Signal, stated, “Being selected by GSI validates our shared goals of sustaining excellent customer service on a worldwide level.” He continued, “We are proud to provide GSI with our products. As we continue our dynamic growth, we are looking forward to building upon our existing synergistic relationship and collaborating with GSI on future projects.”
Read More:CarolinaNewsWire
(ARA) - John is 82 and lives in Manhattan. Since the death of his brother, he regularly checks on his 87-year-old sister-in-law who lives about 90 minutes away. She has dementia and needs help with daily needs. An aide lives with her, but John is concerned the help is getting burned out. The last time John visited he noticed his sister-in-law’s condition was worsening, and he wonders what he can do to help.
John is a long-distance caregiver, one of an estimated 6.9 million Americans who care for someone living at least an hour away, according to a study by MetLife and AARP. Americans age 85 and older numbered 4.2 million in 2000, the fastest growing segment of the population according to the National Institute on Aging. By mid-century, as baby boomers transition from being the caregiver to needing care, that segment is estimated to swell to 21 million.
“This is a national problem with local solutions,” says Nora Jean Levin, executive director of Caring From a Distance (CFAD), a non-profit organization for distance caregivers. CFAD’s Web site, www.cfad.org, extends resources and advice to caregivers like John who e-mail their questions and concerns or search the site’s many resources and links. Help from CFAD is also available by telephone at (202) 895-9465. CFAD helped John consider other solutions such as assisted living, finding adult day care facilities and calling a home care agency to arrange to give the live-in help a break.
Levin understands that despite the obstacles of time and miles, distance caregivers are in a unique position to help.
“Long distance caregivers can offer perspective because they aren’t on the scene every day to really observe small changes, and that perspective is very valuable,” she says. “Sometimes if you’re in a care situation day after day, you feel overwhelmed and hopeless and you can’t see out of that box. But a person who comes in from the outside can help pinpoint a problem and recommend ways to help improve the situation.”
Levin offers these tips to buoy long-distance caregivers:
1. Offer help.
Lend a hand solving problems that daily caregivers may not have time to think about. Shop for gadgets that help with daily needs, like telephones with large buttons or “grabber” devices that help seniors reach items they need. Make arrangements for a handicapped permit. If appropriate, help manage finances and pay bills.
2. Don’t be a “swooper.”
It’s really hard when you’re the daily caregiver and the long distance caregiver swoops in and tries to change everything. Instead, plan time for listening to problems and perhaps for handling a few, and spend quality time with your loved one.
3. Make observations, but be careful how you share them.
“Retain respect for the individual who needs care, and be mindful of preserving personal dignity when every step towards dependence may be viewed as loss of control,” Levin suggests.
4. Visit and look for changes that indicate a need for more care.
Is your loved one eating regularly? Is personal hygiene slipping? Are prescriptions unfilled or forgotten? A helpful checklist, “Ten Warning Signs: Your Older Family Member May Need Help” can be found at http://www.cfad.org/library/HolidayFactSheetFinal.pdf .
5. Use the Internet to ease a transition.
“Transitions can be rough or smooth, depending on the nature of the situation, whether it’s a crisis or something that’s been coming gradually, and the nature of the person being cared for,” Levin says. Transitions to senior housing are smoothest when approached proactively, before a crisis arises.
For example, long-distance caregivers can screen more than 60,000 housing options online by visiting www.snapforseniors.com. The SNAPforSeniors online search tool is like the Multiple Listing Service for senior housing. Long-distance caregivers can narrow the search by geographic location, care needs, type of facility and personal amenities.
A new tool from SNAPforSeniors and the Alzheimer’s Association, the Caregiver Conversation Checklist, helps families discussing housing options. The checklist, which can be found on alz.org, offers tips for determining if long-term care is appropriate and explains how to broach the conversation.
“The possibilities offered by the Internet to help long distance caregivers are fabulous, and we’ve made our Web site a portal for people looking for solutions,” Levin says. “SNAPforSeniors is a site designed to help families deal with the housing part of the picture. Long-distance caregivers can also get help from CFAD when investigating other local personal and community-based resources like home care, daily money managers, eldercare lawyers, or geriatric care managers to coordinate activities or even where you can donate a wheelchair.”
(NewsUSA) - As America’s oil and gas prices hit record highs, drivers look to save money on their cars.
But skipping routine maintenance checks can lead to bigger costs. Poorly maintained vehicles waste fuel and become worn more quickly, leading owners to pay for damage repairs or replacement vehicles.
According to Lauren Fix, The Car Coach (www.laurenfix.com), a former racecar driver and the host of a cable automotive talk show on the DIY network, “Routine maintenance is the key to helping your car achieve its potential.”
The people at Midas, who have over 50 years of experience in automotive service, offer these tips to help drivers get better gas mileage and extend the lives of their vehicles:
- Don’t Ease the Pressure.
Under-inflated tires cost drivers two miles per gallon in reduced fuel economy, so drivers should check their tire pressure once a month.
Drivers can find the correct tire pressure inside the driver-side door. They should check their tire pressure in the morning, when the air is cold, and remember to inflate their spare tire.
- Keep Things Oiled. Drivers should check their oil once a month and change their oil according to their vehicle’s manufacturer’s recommendations. Midas can provide quality oil and filter changes, which will help keep engines running smoothly.
- Keep the Filter Clean. The air filter acts like a car’s lungs.
Drivers should check their air filters when they change their oil.
Buying a car can be a person’s second-largest investment. To save money in the long run, car owners should keep their vehicles running as long as possible. To save money on maintenance costs, drivers should look for package deals. The Midas Touch Maintenance Package includes an oil and a filter change, a four-wheel tire rotation and a 45-point courtesy check.
Routine car maintenance can help drivers improve their fuel efficiency and keep their vehicles working longer. As Fix said, “By checking the essential parts of your car regularly, drivers will see a big difference in the performance of their automobile.”
To learn more about saving money on fuel and extending the life of your car, visit www.midas.com.
Casualties of life no longer have to be a part of the aftermath of natural disasters.
(NewsUSA) - Tornados, hurricanes, earthquakes and forest fires. These are some of the most devastating and deadly natural disasters that Americans are confronted with every year. With the unpredictability that mother nature provides, seconds can be the difference between life and death. But most of the time, critical information is not received until after the destruction.
TechRadium, Inc. solves this problem with a service they call the Immediate Response Information System. Otherwise known as IRIS, this mass notification system sends emergency, priority and routine messages to various clients, including organizations and individuals in seconds.
TechRadium first created a mass notification system in 2001 following the events of Sept. 11, and now it is a widely used system that continues to grow.
With a quick phone call or e-mail from a client, IRIS begins sending a uniform message to all of the client’s contacts almost simultaneously with digital speed.
Although it can be used by anyone who needs to contact a large number of people at once, some of the people who use IRIS include building managers, government officials, utility companies and school principals and administrators.
In addition to the clients, the system can send messages to emergency responders, parents, employees and more. These messages can be sent through devices like phones, fax machines, PDAs and e-mail. If someone does not answer their phone, they continue to call until there is an answer.
The American Red Cross and the State of Florida Department of Education are just a couple of examples of organizations that use the IRIS system.
Clients are not required to install any software to use the IRIS service and can use a phone or any computer with an Internet connection to tell an IRIS message advisor to deliver a message. Since IRIS does not require a client to use any specific hardware or software, it uses redundant servers across the United States to store its database. This means that if one server goes down, the information is protected.
For more information about IRIS and its creator, TechRadium, visit www.useiris.com or www.techradium.com. They can also conduct a needs analysis and cost quote for potential clients.
(NewsUSA) - When disaster strikes, the American Red Cross acts, responding to over 70,000 disasters -; fires, hurricanes, chemical spills, explosions, earthquakes, mud slides, tornadoes, transportation accidents -; each year.
The Red Cross fulfills people’s needs during such emergencies. The agency provides food, shelter and mental and physical health care for disaster victims. It runs blood drives, feeds volunteers, helps victims pay for basic needs and reunites separated families.
In a disaster, timing becomes vital. The Red Cross must coordinate volunteers and services for disaster relief across America quickly and efficiently.
Like many businesses, schools, banks and government agencies, the Red Cross decided to use the Immediate Response Information Service (IRIS) created by TechRadium, Inc.
When the Red Cross calls or e-mails an alert to IRIS, the system sends messages to the Red Cross’s contacts in 30 seconds. Volunteers, organizers and emergency response teams receive the Red Cross’ messages through their phones, pagers, PDAs, computers and fax machines. IRIS will continue dialing phone numbers until people receive their emergency alert.
IRIS users do not need to buy or install special software. The service translates messages into 10 languages -; English, Spanish, Chinese, French, Korean, Portuguese, German, Vietnamese, Japanese, Italian.
IRIS also proves reliable. The system uses many servers across the U.S. If one server should happen to go down, IRIS will still work.
IRIS aids the American Red Cross, but it can be suitable to any organization of any size. IRIS can quickly distribute nonemergency information, ranging from weather alerts to office closings. It can tell managers about a quickly scheduled meeting or a utility company about a major outage.
Natural and man-made disasters can devastate communities and slow responses to emergencies can cost lives. Americans should feel safe knowing that the Red Cross uses the most advanced alert system to coordinate its relief efforts.
To learn more about IRIS and to view a demonstration, visit www.useiris.com.
TORNADO*FLASHFLOODS*WINTERSTORM* HURRICANE*FIRE*HAZARDOUS*
MATERIALS SPILL,
The next time disaster strikes, you may not have much time
to act. Prepare now for a sudden emergency.
Learn how to protect yourself and cope with disaster by
planning ahead. This checklist will help you get started.
Discuss these ideas with your family, then prepare an emergency
plan. Post the plan where everyone will see it–on the
refrigerator or bulletin board.
For additional information about how to prepare for
hazards in your community, contact your local emergency
management or civil defense office and American Red Cross
chapter.
Emergency Checklist
Call Your Emergency Management Office or American Red Cross
Chapter
* Find out which disasters could occur in your area.
* Ask how to prepare for each disaster.
* Ask how you would be warned of an emergency.
* Learn your community’s evacuation routes.
* Ask about special assistance for elderly or disabled
persons.
Also…
* Ask your workplace about emergency plans.
* Learn about emergency plans for your children’s school or
day care center.
Create an Emergency Plan
* Meet with household members. Discuss with children the
dangers of fire, severe weather, earthquakes and other
emergencies.
* Discuss how to respond to each disaster that could occur.
* Discuss what to do about power outages and personal
injuries.
* Draw a floor plan of your home. Mark two escape routes
from each room.
* Learn how to turn off the water, gas and electricity at
main switches.
* Post emergency telephone numbers near telephones.
* Teach children how and when to call 911, police and fire.
* Instruct household members to mm on the radio for
emergency information.
* Pick one out-of-state and one local friend or relative for
family members to call if separated by disaster (it is
often easier to call out-of-state than within the affected
area).
* Teach children how to make long distance telephone calls.
* Pick two meeting places.
1) A place near your home in case of a fire.
2) A place outside your neighborhood in case you cannot
return home after a disaster.
* Take a basic first aid and CPR class.
* Keep family records in a water and fire-proof container.
Prepare a Disaster Supplies Kit
Assemble supplies you might need in an evacuation. Store
them in an easy-to-carry container such as a backpack or duffle
bag.
Include:
* A supply of water (one gallon per person per day). Store
water in sealed, unbreakable containers. Identify the
storage date and replace every six months.
* A supply of non-perishable packaged or canned food and a
non-electric can opener.
* A change of clothing, rain gear and sturdy shoes.
* Blankets or sleeping bags.
* A first aid kit and prescription medications.
* An extra pair of glasses.
* A battery-powered radio, flashlight and plenty of extra
batteries.
* Credit cards and cash.
* An extra set of car keys.
* A list of family physicians.
* A list of important family information; the style and
serial number of medical devices such as pacemakers.
* Special items for infants, elderly or disabled family
members.
Emergency Plan
Out-of-State Contact
Name__________________________________________________
City__________________________________________________
Telephone (Day)________________(Evening)______________
Local Contact
Name__________________________________________________
Telephone (Day)________________(Evening)______________
Nearest Relative
Name__________________________________________________
City__________________________________________________
Telephone (Day)________________(Evening)______________
Family Work Numbers
Father_________________________Mother_________________
Other_________________________________________________
Emergency Telephone Numbers
In a life threatening emergency, dial 911 or the local
emergency medical services system number.
Police Department_____________________________________
Fire Department_______________________________________
Hospital______________________________________________
Family Physicians
Name___________________________Telephone_______________
Name___________________________Telephone_______________
Name___________________________Telephone_______________
Reunion Locations
1. Right outside your home____________________________
______________________________________________________
2. Away from the neighborhood, in case you cannot
return home___________________________________________
______________________________________________________
Address_______________________________________________
Telephone_____________________________________________
Route to try first____________________________________
______________________________________________________
Escape Plan
In a fire or other emergency, you may need to evacuate
your house, apartment or mobile home on a moment’s notice. You
should be ready to get out fast.
Develop an escape plan by drawing a floor plan of your
residence. Using a black or blue pen, show the location of
doors, windows, stairways, and large furniture. Indicate the
location of emergency supplies (Disaster Supplies Kit), fire
extinguishers, smoke detectors, collapsible ladders, first aid
kits and utility shut off points. Next, use a colored pen to
draw a broken line charting at least two escape routes from
each room. Finally, mark a place outside of the home where
household members should meet in case of fire.
Be sure to include important points outside such as
garages, patios, stairways, elevators, driveways and porches.
If your home has more than two floors, use an additional sheet
of paper. Practice emergency evacuation drills with all
household members at least two times each year.
Example:
Home Hazard Hunt
In a disaster, ordinary items in the home can cause injury
and damage. Anything that can move, fall, break or cause a fire
is a potential hazard.
* Repair defective electrical wiring and leaky gas
connections.
* Fasten shelves securely.
* Place large, heavy objects on lower shelves.
* Hang pictures and minors away from beds.
* Brace overhead light fixtures.
* Secure water heater. Snap to wall studs.
* Repair cracks in ceilings or foundations.
* Store weed killers, pesticides and flammable products away
from heat sources.
* Place oily polishing rags or waste in covered metal cans.
* Clean and repair chimneys, flue pipes, vent connectors and
gas vents.
If You Need to Evacuate
* Listen to a battery powered radio for the location of
emergency shelters. Follow instructions of local
officials.
* Wear protective clothing and sturdy shoes.
* Take your Disaster Supplies Kit.
* Lock your house.
* Use travel routes specified by local officials.
If you are sure you have time …
* Shut off water, gas and electricity, if instructed to do
so.
* Let others know when you left and where you are going.
* Make arrangements for pets. Animals may not be allowed in
public shelters.
Prepare an Emergency Car Kit
Include:
* Battery powered radio and extra batteries
* Flashlight and extra batteries
* Blanket
* Booster cables
* Fire extinguisher (5 lb, A-B-C type)
* First aid kit and manual
* Bottled water and non-perishable high energy foods such as
granola bars, raisins and peanut butter.
* Maps
* Shovel
* Tire repair kit and pump
* Flares
Fire Safety
* Plan two escape routes out of each room.
* Teach family members to stay low to the ground when
escaping from a fire.
* Teach family members never to open doors that are hot. In
a fire, feel the bottom of the door with the palm of your
hand. If it is hot, do not open the door. Find another way
out.
* Install smoke detectors. Clean and test smoke detectors
once a month. Change batteries at least once a year.
* Keep a whistle in each bedroom to awaken household members
in case of fire.
* Check electrical outlets. Do not overload outlets.
* Purchase a fire extinguisher (5 lb., A-B-C type).
* Have a collapsible ladder on each upper floor of your
house.
* Consider installing home sprinklers.
Add Your Link For Higher Page Rank: City5nc.com Link Directory
GARNER, N.C. — The former Andrew Satellite Communications Group, a global leader in communications ground equipment and solutions, has become ASC Signal Corporation. Resilience Capital Partners (Resilience), a Cleveland, Ohio based private equity firm, has concluded its purchase of the Andrew Satellite Communications Group from Andrew Corporation, a subsidiary of CommScope, Inc.
“Our new company claims a proud heritage of accomplishments as the former Andrew Satellite Communications Group,” said Jude Panetta, CEO, ASC Signal Corporation. “Our focus is to build on these cornerstones and become a company that is more agile, entrepreneurial and customer driven—and with Resilience Capital Partners’ strong financial support and synergies we will continue to be a leading competitive force in the industry.”
The new company will continue operations from its current major facilities located in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Germany and select regional locations around the globe. Andrew will continue to own a minority share of the new company and provide certain transition support services to the new company.
“We view ASC Signal as an important player in the communications marketplace and are excited about the company’s future,” said Bassem Mansour, managing partner of Resilience Capital Partners. “This transaction marks an exciting new beginning for the employees, customers and vendors of ASC Signal. We look forward to providing support and guidance and, through Resilience’s extensive corporate resources, we plan to grow their existing business in all market segments.”
For more information, search the web at: www.ascsignal.com or contact:
Bassem Mansour, Resilience Capital Partners +1 216-292-4748
About ASC Signal Corporation
Formerly Andrew Satellite Communications, ASC Signal is a leading global manufacturer of antennas and RF electronics for enterprise and consumer satellite communication applications.
ASC Signal designed and built products cover C, Ku, K, X, and the emerging Ka band frequency platforms. The extensive range of products include type approved earth station antenna hubs and gateways for broadband and broadcast; complete VSAT Outdoor Units (antennas, transceiver electronics and installation mounts) for consumer broadband and enterprise networks providing the ‘last mile” connectivity to customers for virtual private networks, Internet access and rural telecommunications; vehicle mounted communications-on-the-pause antenna solutions for disaster management and oil/gas exploration; tactical MilSatCom, Air Traffic Control and Weather Radar, HF and troposcatter antenna systems for government and defense applications; and DTH antennas and electronics for home satellite television entertainment systems.
In addition to hardware, ASC Signal provides solutions-based services such as turn-key system design, engineering, installation test and maintenance, product integration and program management. We also offer a variety of value-added services such as RF testing, custom fabrication, build-to-print capabilities, supply chain management and logistics
Read More:CarolinaNewsWire
(ARA) - The advent of the Internet and wireless technology have made a greater impact on the way we relate to one another than any other factor in the past 20 years. The rapid evolution of these now-ubiquitous technologies presents a unique set of opportunities and challenges for today’s families. These tools allow us simultaneously to become more connected with one another and become more isolated.
These days, it’s not uncommon for children to be more tech-savvy than their parents. As a result, it often can be difficult for parents to understand or relate to what their kids are doing online — a scary prospect for many. But when adults stay informed and approach children in the right way regarding their online activities, technology can have a very positive effect on our relationships and family lives.
Being born into a digital age, today’s children have developed the ability to move seamlessly between online and offline environments. Their online worlds are part of their real lives. Spending time online (even socializing) can have great rewards for children and teens, preparing them for an increasingly wired professional world, helping raise confidence in introverted children and exposing them more readily to diverse cultures and ideas. The key issue is whether time on the computer is balanced by offline relationships and activities.
In addition to balancing time spent online, it’s important for parents to understand the online activities in which their child is engaged. Parents often wonder how children who were raised to be respectful, kind and law-abiding can end up engaging in hateful, illegal, sexually provocative, bullying or harassing activities on the Internet. Any child may be a victim or perpetrator of bad behavior on the Internet. Some of the top reasons good kids do bad things online include:
* It’s easy and fast. As a parent, you have probably witnessed the strong and changeable emotions of pubescent kids. On the Internet, strong emotions can be discharged at the speed of a keystroke, but the ripple effects can last forever.
* There is an illusion of privacy. When kids are on the Internet in their own rooms and the audience is invisible, they begin to feel like they are in a private space. They get bolder because they can’t see or hear the people who are reading their messages or viewing their embarrassing or provocative photos.
* The Internet allows for emotional and physical distance. The child who bullies or harasses someone online doesn’t witness the emotional and physical reaction of his or her target. This distance makes it much harder to feel compassion and easier to ignore or discount the victim’s pain, suffering and anger. The child who bullies or harasses on the Internet is also safer from physical retaliation. Because of the physical distance from the target, a small or fragile child who has been the victim of bullying in real life may then be tempted to become an online bully.
So what can parents do to help kids avoid these Internet and technology pitfalls? For starters, consider these steps:
* Be empathetic — Simply let kids know you are there for them, without demanding that they open up immediately. If you pressure a child to talk when you are feeling anxious, agitated or angry, you are most likely to sound accusatory, hysterical or like an interrogator. As a result, a child is even more likely to shut down, become evasive or lie to escape you.
* Prioritize time together — Find simple activities to share. Make something together. Take a drive. Share something you know she already enjoys, or that he can teach you how to do. Tell a few stories about times in your own adolescence when you felt confused, anxious, left out or misunderstood, and how you came out of it eventually. You might be surprised to find that with patience and persistence, your teen eventually will begin to open up to you on his or her own!
Some additional tips for parents and guardians to consider for navigating relationships in a technology-driven world:
* Discuss when, how and for what purposes the mobile phone is to be used. Set some guidelines and boundaries for yourselves and your kids to follow.
* Discuss personal safety and courtesy-related calls such as calling on arrival at events away from home, or to announce lateness due to unforeseen circumstances.
* Set parameters for total amount of time allowed for chatting and texting with friends and family each month.
For a free, downloadable guide to understanding a child’s virtual world, including warning signs, tips for communicating and great resources for smarter, safer surfing online, visit www.IncredibleInternet.com.
Courtesy of ARAcontent
EDITOR’S NOTE:
Dr. Linda Young is a staff psychologist at Seattle University and is a Qwest Communications expert at IncredibleInternet.com. Qwest works with Dr. Young and other experts to educate families about the latest online risks and smarter Internet surfing. Visit www.IncredibleInternet.com for more information.
ARA) – Positive and life-changing things can happen when you are open to getting and staying in touch with people you’ve known. Just ask Brenda Stokes how this simple action enriched her life. Her story of love, separation and fate has inspired people across the country.
In high school, Brenda was in love with a young man named Bart. He even proposed to her and they were excited to start planning their lives together. But the youthful enthusiasm hit a snag when Brenda learned she was pregnant.
As much as Bart wanted to keep the baby, Brenda’s parents had other plans. Brenda finished out the remainder of her pregnancy at a home for unwed mothers. Brenda’s parents didn’t let Bart know her location.
In the end, the couple had a baby boy and Brenda convinced Bart to sign the adoption papers, despite his protest. “We both wanted the baby, but Bart was the one who really wanted to make a life out of it. We were just so young.”
After they gave the baby up for adoption, the stress and complications of the situation took their toll and Bart and Brenda fought a lot. They decided to break up and go their separate ways.
Both married other people, had children and divorced. Bart tried for several years to contact Brenda but didn’t have any luck. Finally in 2003 he registered with Classmates.com, a Web site with 50 million members where friends from school, work and the military can connect and stay in touch with one another. “I couldn’t believe I finally found my Brenda!” said Bart.
“I was so shocked, I just screamed ‘Oh my God!’ out loud,” says Brenda when she received his e-mail. They exchanged updates on where life had taken them and began to talk on the phone every day. In January 2004 Brenda visited Bart for ten days. Hoping to find their son, they drafted a letter to be mailed through a mediator, but fate stepped in first.
While Bart was at work, Brenda had lunch with an old friend and stopped at a car dealership where she began talking to a saleswoman. Brenda shared that she was in town looking for her son. After a string of questions, she found out that the woman’s cousin had the same birthday and matched other details of the son she gave up for adoption.
After exchanging photos and with the blessing of his adoptive parents, they spoke on the phone for the first time with their son, Andy. Shortly after, they arranged a meeting and were able to see the man that their son had become. “It was just incredible,” Brenda says.
Bart proposed to Brenda and today the couple is happily married and have another child together, a daughter. Andy was even able to be there when his sister was born, on Brenda’s birthday. Bart and Brenda asked Andy to choose a name for his sister, Madisyn. After many years, and many bumps in the road, their family is complete.
Internet services for keeping up, and even reconnect with friends, romantic partners or “might-have-been” boyfriends/girlfriends are becoming an increasingly popular.
“We receive a lot of e-mails from members who tell us real-life stories of how they’ve rekindled an old flame or found new love with an old friend through Classmates.com,” says Steven McArthur, President of Classmates Online Inc. “Reconnecting with someone you’ve known is special because your shared experiences are timeless, so it’s never too late for a second chance at friendship, romance or even love.”
Like Bart and Brenda, you can go online to www.classmates.com and register for free to keep up with friends from throughout your life. You may even rediscover friendships that can positively enrich your life today. And because your personal contact information is never revealed unless you decide to share it, it’s a safe and easy way to get and stay in touch with people you care about at your own pace.
Courtesy of ARAcontent
ARA) – Between Jimmy’s first day of school, Sally’s school pageant and the family vacation, it’s easy to quickly fill your digital camera’s memory card. Then your options are: either swap the full memory card for a new one, transfer the images to your home computer’s hard drive, or – as an increasing number of amateur shutterbugs are doing – upload the images to a photo-sharing Web site.
But how do you choose the photo-sharing site that’s right for your needs? They aren’t all created equal. Here’s what you should know about photo-sharing Web sites to make sure you choose one that will work for you:
Today’s photo sharing Web sites trace their origins to the late 1990s, when traditional photo developers began offering online ordering as a way to boost sales of their real money-maker – prints. By the early 2000s, the sites had evolved to allow users to store and organize their images online, order prints and share images with friends and family. The services continue to evolve, and recent changes have included increased storage capacity, the ability to put images on specialty products like calendars or T-shirts, and the ability for multiple users to download photos from the sharing site to their own media.
Some sites, like the newly launched www.PhotosYourWay.com, are pioneering the latest trends in sharing Web sites: social networking and allowing you to earn money for your photos. While most sites allow you to share your uploaded images with people you know and whose e-mails you’ve entered into your online address book, social networking allows your images to be viewed by virtually anyone. You can designate your images as public and publish them in communities that will attract the attention of like-minded people. For example, images of your new puppy could be shared with communities of other users who enjoy pets. It’s a way to share and make new friends.
Photos Your Way also allows you to earn money for the images you post on the site by making them available for purchase by photo houses, advertising agencies, publishers and anyone else who needs fresh images on a regular basis. The Web site acts as an outlet for the images, sharing a percentage of the sale price with the member who posted the photo.
While most have many factors in common, a few sites vary:
* By creating an account – usually free – you can upload images from your digital device, be it desktop, laptop, digital camera or cell phone, to the site where the images are stored. Most sites limit storage space; others limit the length of time for which images will be stored. PhotosYourWay.com is one that allows 7 GB’s free.
* All allow you to order prints of your digital images. Some allow you to have the prints produced at a photo kiosk near you, like the ones found in drug stores and discount stores.
* All allow you to share the images you upload. You can either send e-mails inviting friends and family to visit the site and view the images, or designate certain images as “public” and viewable by everyone – or a select group of contacts.
* All of the major sites, and many smaller ones, allow you to purchase specialty products – like mugs, T-shirts, calendars, memory books and canvas prints – made with images uploaded to your account.
* Only a few sites allow those who you share photos with to download the photos and print them on your own rather than requiring you print them through their Web site.
To learn more about social networking and photo sharing, visit www.PhotosYourWay.com.
Courtesy of ARAcontent
