Are they as green as they can be??

In 1879 Thomas Edison came up with a marvelous invented, the light bulb. Somewhere along the journey of this revolutionary invention someone figured out that if the world is going to benefit from this marvelous product, the basic way it functioned would have to be universal. It's design would have to work world over. It would have to fit all household the same simple way. So the world made way for one simple household socket, still in use today.

The camera required the same simple solution in the tripod and that too came to past. The plug in our houses, appliances and other electrical gadgets we share our lives with follows the same principle, it fits world over. Batteries come in a few basic sizes that's available wherever life takes us around the world, they too were designed with the same idea in mind.

Not so long ago, before we were bombarded with endless amount of digital cameras in the marketplace, the same could be said for the few choices we had whenever a decision was made to create memories by using a roll of film.

I don't know if these products were self regulated or if government and or some other body had their hands in that decision, but regardless of how it came about, it made good sense and everyone was on board.

Here we are in 2008, so many years after the invention of the light bulb, encouraging everyone to go green, to cut back on our dependence on plastic bags and whatever creates green house gases.
Encouraging the auto industry to build greener cars. That's all good, we should all do what's best for the environment, I'm all for that and I do try my hardest to be green.

But what about the companies that design and sell millions of cell phones, digital cameras and other gadgets that needs upgrading every six months. Do they have any responsibilities for the way they choose to design their products?

1. Why can't they use the same size chip in these digital cameras?

2. Why can't they use the same size batteries?

3. Why shouldn't I be able to use my perfectly good old charger in my new phone?

Why can't they make the cell phones with a universal plug-in slot. You know, like the sockets in our houses that fits all household light bulbs, the plugs in our house that fits all appliances and gadgets, the tripod that fits all cameras.

This would keep millions of these chargers, head pieces, batteries, chips and other selfishly designed products out of land fills, and I can't see how this action would have any impact on the design or function of these products.

4. Why can't they be responsible and think about the negative impact their actions are having on the environment?

Someone should step up to the plate and regulate the way these products are designed. It is crazy to allow these companies to continue operating as they presently do. A simple change of these product would mean a bit less profit, but it would just be a very green thing to do.

They did it with the light bulb then, we can do it with these gadgets today.

We just need to care enough

Anthony

The pages of my life (my latest poem)

As I strolled through the hallway of my memory
I glanced at the faded images on the wall

Unframed, unnumbered and unorganized
They had my name and droplet of my tears

Some were worn
Some were torn
Some were crushed
Some were erased

Some were written in a haze
No two pages were the same

Pages were stolen and rebound
Rewritten and distorted

The sadness and the tone
Told a story of it’s own

And the anguish and the plight
Tells a story of my life

These pages weren’t written yesterday
Neither will they be corrected tomorrow

Pages of my life I’ll never recover
Redeem
Reclaim

Stolen pages of my life are gone forever

What Color is Your Business?

As a small business owner, you have a meaningful understanding of the color of money but how about the color of your business? Learn whether the colors of your business puts your customers in a buying mood or creates the wrong perception of your company.

The Science of Colors

It seems hard to believe that colors can have an impact on our body and mind. However, scientists know colors can influence our body's physiology and mental states. In a study by Wohlfarth and Sam, the color environment of 14 handicapped children was altered resulting in a measurable change in blood pressure and a decrease in aggressive behavior. The science of colors has been used by market researchers to determine how best to apply this knowledge to influence customer's perceptions of businesses.

The power of colors stimulates our nervous system and evokes emotional states. The colors of our environment travells through our eyes to our brain causing various hormonal releases. But forget the science, what does the meaning of colors do for your business?

The Meaning of Colors and Your Business

The meaning of colors varies depending on one's culture, race, gender, and even age. So, it isn't just the selection of colors in general but also which colors to use with your target customers. For instance, white is often associated with weddings in North America and evokes the feeling of innocence. In Eastern cultures, white signifies death. An exporter of white wedding gowns to China would go broke in no time.

Colors can be combined to signify meaning to a culture. In the western world, green and red are associated with Christmas, while black and orange represent Halloween.

Several large brand name companies are associated with their corporate colors. IBM- Big Blue signifies stability and conservatism. UPS- Brown symbolizes longevity and reliability. A color can be connected to a product like Tide; in the bold orange box, evoking the feeling of vibrance.

Consider the meaning of the following colors on your business marketing (in North American culture):

# White: Pure. Clean. Youthful. It's a neutral color that can imply purity in fashion and sterilization in the medical profession.

# Black: Power. Elegant. Secretive. The color black can target your high-end market or be used in youth marketing to add mystery to your image.

# Red: Passion. Excitement. Danger. Red is the color of attention, causing the blood pressure and heart rate to rise. Use red to inject excitement into your brand.

# Orange: Vibrant. Energy. Play. Add some fun to your company if you want to create a playful environment for your customers.

# Yellow: Happy. Warm. Alert. Yellow can be an attractor for your business with a relaxed feeling.

# Green: Natural. Healthy. Plentiful. To create a calming effect or growth image choose green. Go green go.

# Purple: Royalty. Wise. Celebration. Maybe add some purple tones to your look for your premium service business.

# Blue: Loyal. Peaceful. Trustworthy. Blue is the most popular and neutral color on a global scale. A safe choice for a business building customer loyalty.

Consider how these colors are used in your company marketing materials from logos and brochures to business cards and uniforms. Are your colors projecting the personality and image you want? If not, it could be time for a color makeover.

In the end, remember colors have meaning. A white flag means surrender, however, if you have never seen a war the color is insignificant. It all depends on the experiences of the observer. Consider your colors and customers to best choose your winning color for your small business.

From Darrell Zahorsky / about.com

Guidelines for selecting a logo design

What is a logo?

A logo is a name, symbol, or trademark of a company or organization. Logos can be made up of text that is configured in a unique way. Your logo can be an illustration with your company's name on or around the illustration. Or your logo can be a symbol. A logo may also be a combination of these, but its goal is always to project the company's intended image.

Why should you use a logo?

One reason is that people process an image in their mind more readily than words alone.
A logo serves as the visual stimulation to kick start your audience's memory, leaving a greater and lengthier impact than words alone can do. It is the simplest and most direct way in promoting a business presence; it's a "what we're about" statement without the long-winded speech.

Logos give brand name recognition and add visual appeal to any document or web page. Because your logo is a unique graphic image, your visitors' eyes will naturally be drawn to it both on the web and on your printed materials.

Types of Logos

Type fonts come in all shapes and sizes, which convey different impressions on the audience. A thick font conveys strength and power. A script font conveys elegance and austerity, and a slanted typeface conveys movement. Your company name thus can be your own logo, provided your type font displays the intended qualities of the organization.

For free design ideas:

e-mail us for free design ideas or any design related questions: tabonnick@gmail.com

Ponderings

Why is it when two planes almost hit each other it is called a "near miss"? Shouldn't it be called a "near hit"?

What does Geronimo say when he jumps out of a plane?

Why do they sterilize the needles for lethal injections?

How do you KNOW it's new and improved dog food?

Why do they put locks on the doors of 24-hour stores?

What do they use to ship styrofoam?

Why is it called rush hour when everything moves so slow?

Why do they call then express lanes when during rush hour everything is stopped?

Why is abreviation such a long word?

If sour milk is used to make yogurt, how do you know when yogurt has gone bad?

The law is the law (an extract)

So if the government determines that it is against the law for the words "under God" to be on our money, then, so be it.

And if that same government decides that the "Ten Commandments" are not to be used in or on a government installation, then, so be it.

I say, "so be it," because I would like to be a law abiding citizen.

I say, "so be it," because I would like to think that smarter people than I are in positions to make good decisions. I would like to think that those people have the American publics best interests at heart.

BUT, YOU KNOW WHAT ELSE I'D LIKE?

Since we can't pray to God, can't Trust in God and cannot post His Commandments in Government buildings, I don't believe the Government and its employees should participate in the Easter and Christmas celebrations which honor the God that our government is eliminating from many facets of American life.

I'd like my mail delivered on Christmas, Good Friday, Thanksgiving & Easter. After all, it's just another day.

I'd like the "Supreme Court to be in session on Christmas, Good Friday, Thanksgiving & Easter as well as Sundays." After all, it's just another day.

I'd like the Senate and the House of Representatives to not have to worry about getting home for the "Christmas Break." After all it's just another day.

I'm thinking that a lot of my taxpayer dollars could be saved, if all government offices & services would work on Christmas, Good Friday & Easter. It shouldn't cost any overtime since those would be just like any other day of the week to a government that is trying to be "politically correct."

Smoking Kills

It is estimated that 55% of young men and 51% of young women who started
smoking by age 15 will die before age 70 if they continue to smoke.

Tobacco kills more than 40,000 Canadians per year. That's more than the total
number of deaths from AIDS, traffic accidents, suicide, murder, fires and
accidental poisoning.

Smoking is addictive!

A. 8 out of 10 teens who try smoking get hooked.

B. Over half of Grade 12 students are unable to quit.

C. Only 5% of student smokers think that they will be smoking in 5 years.
But 5 years later, 80% of them are heavy smokers.

D. 60% of smokers try to quit. Most smokers quit several times before
stopping for good.

E. 80% of smokers would like to quit.

F. Cigarette smoking is more addictive and harder to quit than heroin or cocaine.


Children of parents who smoke:

1. cough and wheeze more than other children

2. have more ear infections

3. have reduced lung capacity

4. have bronchitis and pneumonia more often
make more trips to hospital

5. are more likely to develop asthma

6. suffer more from asthma than non-smokers children who have asthma