Jade Theater

What is strip flooring?

Chicane — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 18:34:36 +0000

When you’ve decided to install hardwood floors in your home, you need to decide what type of hardwood floor is best for your home. There are several types of hardwood floors:

Strip
Plank
Parquet

Strip hardwood flooring is the most popular and the most recognized style of hardwood flooring in America. The name “strip” comes from actual strips of flooring placed together to create a pattern. This pattern can be installed horizontally, vertically or diagonally. Each direction creates a different feel in the room so you must think about what look you want to accomplish.

Usually strip hardwood floors come in a standard thickness of 3/8” but sometimes it can be slightly thicker. The width, however, can vary greatly. The most slender width is 1-1/4” and the widest is up to 7-1/2”. Anything wider will be called Wide Plank Harwood Flooring. For now, we will only be discussing the strip flooring, which is most popular among customers. The length of each strip will also vary, depending on the grade of the wood. Low grade wood strips will usually be 10” and there will be more strips in each box. However, the higher grade could be up to 6’6”. Obviously less pieces per box but better quality.

Installation of strip hardwood flooring is one piece at a time. Each strip is carved with a “tongue and groove” pattern on both of the long sides. This allows the pieces snug together seamlessly and tightly. The short ends of each strip are perfectly square allowing each strip to fit against the other so there are no visible gaps, creating a continuous flow of the grain marks. Each strip is nailed down to keep it secure.

The choice of edging for each strip is either square edge or beveled. Square edging is exactly what its name implies. This means that the long sides of the strip are square and secure together with the other pieces creating a flat, leveled look. With this type of edging, the unfinished wood is sanded down after installation to smooth down any pieces that may be slightly thicker than the others. The other style is beveled and this means the long sides of each strip has been “beveled” or cut at a 45 degree angle. When the beveled strips are placed together, this creates a groove between each strip. Some beveled edges are very thin while other are deeper and create a more dramatic groove across the entire floor.

Once you’ve decided on the width of the strips, the quality (length) of each strip and the choice between square or beveled edging, you must choose between prefinished or unfinished flooring. Unfinished flooring is available without any sanding, and free of varnish and/or stain. This is all completed by the installer once the floor has been laid in your home. It is also referred to as “site finished”. Prefinished flooring is most popular and much cleaner. This wood flooring arrives with the sanding and wood finish already applied. Color choices vary to suit your personal taste and style.

For hardwood flooring, go to:

True Hardwoods
516 West Belmont Drive
Calhoun, Georgia 30701

South Carolina State

Chicane — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 20:19:49 +0000

Prior to European settlement, the region now called South Carolina was populated by several Indian groups. Indians of Iroquoian stock, including the Cherokee, inhabited the northwestern section, while those of the Siouan stock – of whom the Catawba were the most numerous – occupied the northern and eastern regions. Indians of Muskogean stock lived in the south.

In the early 1500s, long before the English claimed the Carolinas, Spanish sea captains explored the coast. The Spaniards made an unsuccessful attempt to establish a settlement in 1526 at Winyah Bay, near the present city of Georgetown. Thirty-six years later, a group of French Huguenots under Jean Ribault landed at a site near Parris Island, but the colony failed after Ribault returned to France. The English established the first permanent settlement in 1670 under the supervision of the eight lords proprietors who had been granted “Carolana” by King Charles II. At first the colonists settled at Albemarle Point on the Ashley River: 10 years later, they moved across the river to the present site of Charleston.

Rice cultivation began in the coastal swamps, and black slaves were imported as field hands. The colony flourished, and by the mid-1700s, new areas were developing inland. Germans, Scots-Irish, and Welsh, who differed markedly from the original aristocratic settlers of the Charleston area, migrated to the southern part of the new province. Although the upcountry was developing and was taxed, it was not until 1770 that the settlers there were represented in the government. For the most part, the colonists had friendly relations with the Indians. In 1715, however, the Yamasee were incited by Spanish colonists at St. Augustine, Fla., to attack the South Carolina settlements. The settlers successfully resisted, with no help from the proprietors.

The original royal grant had made South Carolina a very large colony, but eventually the separate provinces of North Carolina and Georgia were established, two moves that destined South Carolina to be a small state. The colonists were successful in having the proprietors overthrown in 1719 and the government transferred to royal rule by 1721.

Skirmishes with the French, Spanish, Indians, and pirates, as well as a slave uprising in 1739, marked the pre-Revolutionary period. South Carolina opposed the Stamp Act of 1765 and took an active part in the American Revolution. The first British property seized by American Revolutionary forces was Ft. Charlotte in McCormick County in 1775. Among the many battles fought in South Carolina were major Patriot victories at Ft. Moultrie in Charleston (1776), Kings Mountain (1780), and Cowpens (1781), the last two among the war’s most important engagements. Delegates from South Carolina, notably Charles Cotesworth Pinckney, were leaders at the federal constitutional convention of 1787. On 23 May 1788, South Carolina became the 8th state to ratify the Constitution.

Between the Revolutionary War and the Civil War, two issues dominated South Carolina political thinking: tariffs and slavery. Senator John C. Calhoun took an active part in developing the nullification theory by which a state claimed the right to abrogate unpopular federal laws. Open conflict over tariffs during the early 1830s was narrowly averted by a compromise on the rates, but in 1860, on the issue of slavery, no compromise was possible. At the time of secession, on 20 December 1860, more than half the state’s population consisted of black slaves. The first battle of the Civil War took place at Ft. Sumter in Charleston Harbor on 12 April 1861. Federal forces soon captured the Sea Islands, but Charleston withstood a long siege until February 1865. In the closing months of the war, Union troops under General William Tecumseh Sherman burned Columbia and caused widespread destruction elsewhere. South Carolina contributed about 63,000 soldiers to the Confederacy out of a white population of some 291,000. Casualties were high: nearly 14,000 men were killed in battle or died after capture.

How to Transition Your Child from a Crib to a Bed

Frank Stevens — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 14:56:25 +0000

Being a parent can sometimes seem like one challenge after another, especially in the early years. It sometimes seems as if you are constantly making transitions, and transitions can be difficult for most children as any parent will tell you. There is the transition from a bottle to a sippy cup; then from the sippy cup to a regular drinking glass. You may have a child that likes to use a pacifier. If so, there will eventually be a transition from pacifier to no pacifier. There is the transition from many naps, to two naps, to one nap, and eventually no naps at all. There are many more transitions I have not mentioned, but as you can see, the life of a child is full of transitions.

One transition that all children will eventually make is the transition from sleeping in a crib to sleeping in a bed. This can be a very difficult transition for many children because lots of children get very attached to their cribs. As exciting as a new bed may be, it can also be a scary transition for many children. But there things you can do as a parent to make the transition as painless as possible.

Read children’s books to your child about sleeping in a bed. There are many books available at your local library that are written on the topic of going from sleeping in a crib to sleeping in a bed. Ask your librarian for help finding some of these books and you will probably end up with many more than you need. Reading about the topic of moving from a crib to a regular bed will get your child thinking about the transition and also help your child see that feelings of apprehension are normal and can eventually be overcome. Reading these books can also be good for the parent too! Many of the situations that arise in these books will closely parallel real life and can prepare you for some things to expect from your child when making the transition.

Whatever type of bed you choose, be it a toddler bed, a twin bed, a double bed or some other type of bed, take your child with you to purchase the bed. Make a big event of this shopping excursion and try to make your child feel included in the purchase decisions. Obviously you know what’s best for a bed and mattress choice as the parent, but you can let your child choose items such as pillows, bedding, or stuffed animals to sleep with in the bed. Make your child’s bed a comfortable and inviting place by choosing child friendly bedding and décor. You may even wish to purchase a memory foam mattress topper to make the bed you choose even cozier for your child.

Even though you may be anxious to complete the transition to the bed once you have purchased the bed and set up your child’s new bedroom, remember to be patient. All children are different, so some may take a few days to make the transition while some may take a few weeks. Whatever type of child you have, the transition will be much easier if you do not pressure the child and support him or her in easing into the new bed at his or her own pace.

Benefits of Expense Reporting Software

Dan — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 09:48:34 +0000

Expense reporting software is an investment, and before you make that investment you must be sure of the benefits it will provide for your company. What are some of the major benefits that an expense reporting software brings to the table? One of the most important is the ability to enforce company policy in regards to expenses. Many of the more traditional methods of expense reporting do not allow the level of policy enforcement that most of those in management would like. As opposed to having to manually go through and reject or reroute expense reports because they do not contain enough information, managers can simply set checks within the system that will ensure that a complete expense report is submitted every time.

Most automated expense reporting systems allow you to set up schedules to notify employees when it is time to file expense reports. They can also be set up to handle the approval process for reimbursement. Most companies have fairly standard procedures for who an expense report must be approved by before it is reimbursed, and this chain of command is usually dependent on the exact amount of the expenses. Automated approval routing allows for the expense report to be sent to all managers who need to approve the expense before it is reimbursed. This cuts down on employee dissatisfaction due to delayed reimbursement because of unprocessed expense reports.

Receipts are an essential part of the expense reporting process and the easier it is to get the receipts into the system, the more likely it is that employees will quickly follow through when filing their expense reports. Since these receipt images can be stored within the system, this eliminates a lot of the paper handling that comes with storing receipts for expense reports by hand in a manual system.

Credit cards are frequently the most often used method of payment for business transactions so it is important that the expense reporting system have an easy way to keep track of this kind of information. Many systems will allow you to set up automatic expense reports for corporate credit cards that can easily be populated by dragging and dropping expenses into the reports. This is another way to prevent the paper build up that often occurs when physical receipts are stored. If personal credit cards are used, special expense reports can also be created and populated from the information from your personal credit card information.

Finally, the ability to produce specific reports with all the information that you need about a particular trip, to analyze trends in a particular employee’s spending habits, or to get an overall view of company spending; all these reports can be compiled in a matter of minutes through an automated expense reporting system. If you want to know the main areas that your company spends money in or you want to know expenses down to the department level, an automated expense reporting system can give you the information you need. Automated expense reporting systems are definitely worth the investment.

Expense On Demand Ltd
Abbey House
28-30 Chapel Street
Marlow
SL7 1DD
0870 366 2300

San Diego, a Golfer’s Paradise

Frank Stevens — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 11:22:38 +0000

Living in Southern California ideal climate gives golfers an endless opportunity to enjoy their favorite sport all year-round. San Diego is home to some of the most beautiful golf courses in the world and a large selection to choose from.

The variety of San Diego courses makes it hard to pick just one and there is something for everyone. Riverwalk Golf Course is conveniently located in Mission Valley just minutes away from downtown San Diego and offers a quiet oasis from the busy hustle of the city. Designed by famed golf course architect Ted Robinson, what once was flat and barren marshland has been transformed into undulating fairways, water falls and well-protected bentgrass greens.

Eaglecrest Golf Course is tucked in the San Pasqual Valley. This 18-hole championship golf course offers a spectacular setting that is surrounded by natural beauty. In addition to the wildlife preserve that winds through this secluded valley, master architect, David Rainville, has incorporated the rolling terrain, wild flowers, waterfalls and 8 lakes into this striking design.

If you wish to feel the ocean breeze on your face, then consider playing at Torrey Pines Golf Course. Situated atop cliffs towering above the Pacific Ocean in San Diego, California, golfers marvel at the views of the coastline. Torrey Pines is ideal for golf enthusiasts who come for all over the world to play on this amazing course. Nature lovers can spot wildlife and the famous Torrey Pines Sycamore trees that are indigenous to the area.

For golfers of all abilities, La Costa is a dream come true. At La Costa, you can experience the courses which have challenged the PGA TOUR’s finest for over thirty years. Some say that the best thing about playing La Costa is that you can measure your performance against the best players in the world.

Named one of the Top Ten Courses in San Diego County by PGA Professionals, Pala Mesa Golf Course boasts one of the most challenging courses in the county. The course is impeccably groomed, par 72 classic course lined with stately oaks, pines and sycamores. Another great golf choice is Salt Creek Golf Course. It is the only Scottish links style golf course in San Diego. Located about 35 minutes southeast of downtown San Diego, it is nestled in the peaceful foothills of Mt. Miguel. This San Diego golf course was designed by John Cook and Cary Bickler who carved this fabulous layout out from a protected habitat that is bordered by acres of wetlands.

One of San Diego’s newest golf courses, Arrowood Golf Course offers golfers a distinctive golfing experience in the hills overlooking coastal North San Diego County. Designer Ted Robinson, Jr. has created a stunning course that integrates the natural beauty of adjacent riparian habitat with the drama of his signature water features.

If you want to live where you play, San Diego has many golf communities or homes near your favorite course to appeal to all budgets and lifestyles.

Ringing in the New Year in Temecula

Frank Stevens — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 11:16:25 +0000

With a new year just a few weeks away, you might be making some new years resolutions of what you would like to accomplish next year. If finding a new home or relocating is on your list, then look no further than Temecula. Nothing beats the California sun, affordable home options and Wine Country. Now is the perfect time to buy a home and call Temecula home.

If you live in Temecula, there is only one place to ring in the New Year, Wine Country. No need to head to San Diego or Orange County to have a memorable New Years. Many of the wineries will be hosting unique celebrations that appeal to just about everyone.

To ring in the New Year, Wiens Family Cellars is hosting a New Year’s Eve Vintage Hollywood Party. The theme will be the golden era of Hollywood this year. With red carpet to greet you, you’ll feel like a star of yesteryear. The night promises to offer amazing food, music and more to help you celebrate the New Year.

South Coast Winery Resort & Spa will be hosting one of the biggest events in town with a Carnivale theme. Guests will delight in an incredible evening of music and merriment. The entire resort is turned into a parade of mischief and excitement complete with a court jester, flame dancers and tarot card readers. There will be great food, award-winning wines and a variety of live entertainment.

Thornton Winery will ring in the New Year with a ‘Roaring 20’s New Year’s Eve Gala. Guests are welcome to come in costume or evening wear. The evening will begin with a multi-course dinner and the rest of the evening will include dancing and live music by Faultline.

If you are not up for a late night, Tesoro Winery will be hosting a New Year’s Early Bird Party. The festivities are from 5 to 7 p.m. and you’ll enjoy champagne, wine and hors d’oeuvres. Also, if you want to celebrate the New Year on New York’s clock, head to Keyway’s Supper Club. Here you can bypass the crowds and ring in the New Year and still be home before midnight.

If a nice dinner and festive atmosphere are more your speed and you don’t want to be locked into one enclosed space, the restaurants downtown are your best bet. Many hotels and restaurants around town have special New Year’s Eve dinner packages.

Temecula is also home to Pechanga Resort & Casino and is a world-class entertainment venue. The casino will be hosting multiple New Year’s Eve celebrations this year from music entertainment from David Cook and LMFAO to a Cirque Gala event in the Grand Ballroom.

The atmosphere in Temecula will be thick with anticipation and good wishes for a prosperous New Year. With so many choices, it will be difficult to select just one to attend this New Year’s Eve.

Saving Money on Insurance

Jlewis — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 13:21:30 +0000

During tough economic times we all look for ways to save money. If you are willing to put some effort into it, you may find that saving money on automotive insurance may be an excellent way to keep money in your bank account. In order to save you will need to do some research and make some comparisons of different policies. It is also important to make sure you get the right amount of coverage for you vehicle. It is never a good idea to forsake coverage for the sake of saving some money. So where should you start as you compare policies and coverage options?

First of all, realize there is quite a bit of money to be saved if you shop around. There are thousands of insurance companies out there and depending on the type of insurance you need and your driving record, you may be surprised to find which company can actually offer you the best deal. Many people find that in just comparing a few insurance companies they find price differences that vary by hundreds of dollars. Your driving record can have a large influence on your insurance rates and you may end up paying for a ticket in high insurance premiums for a long time. There are insurance companies that specialize in helping drivers in this particular situation as well though.

You also need to figure out exactly how much insurance coverage you need. This is partially dependent on the laws where you live, but it also has a great deal to do with the kind of vehicle you are insuring. Is it new or used? Will it be used for business purposes? Is it a specialty vehicle? What modifications, if any, have you made to the vehicle? If you are unsure of what the exact requirements are for insurance where you live, it is good to consult with the department of motor vehicles in your locale.

So once you know what insurance is required then it is time to consider what additions you may need. For many people the minimum requirements are enough to sufficiently cover their vehicle. For others who may have specialty vehicles or for whom their vehicle is a means of livelihood, serious consideration should be given to additional coverage to make sure that any downtime due to an incident is kept to a minimum. The cost of these additions can vary greatly depending on the company, so here again it is a good idea to do some research.

Being well informed is one of the best ways to ensure that you get a great deal on insurance. If you are looking for specialty insurance like minibus insurance, taxi insurance, or chauffeur insurance it is especially important to make sure that you understand what you need and what you may want to add. Armed with this information you can speak knowledgeably with an insurance agent. With a bit of time and effort you can get the exact coverage you need at a rate that will not leave your wallet empty.

Laguna Beach’s Seaside Living

Frank Stevens — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 16:11:55 +0000

Laguna Beach’s popularity has grown over the years as one of Southern California’s premier seaside destinations. Laguna Beach residents enjoy the amenities that seaside living provides.

Laguna’s attraction is definitely the climate and beaches. More than two dozen beaches and public parks line the town’s six miles of Pacific coastline. It offers a beautiful waterfront area adjacent to the central business district, with good tide pooling a short stroll away at Heisler Park. Some of the best diving spots, tide pools and sunsets can be experienced in Laguna Beach. The city is known for having the most number of beaches on the California coast. Miles of homes overlooking the Pacific Ocean line the bluffs. Here you will also find quaint cottages and grand mansions that share the view. Residents get to enjoy the ambiance that living by the beach offers.

Laguna enjoys healthy tourism with several million visitors each year who flock to this seaside destination for its scenic beaches, dining, shopping and art festivals. Many hotels are right on the bluff, so guests have the luxury of being able to simply walk down to the beach in minutes. Due the scale of the city, many guests can also walk to many of the specialty stores and restaurants. There are plenty of things to do while in Laguna. The Laguna Art Museum has constantly changing exhibits of works by contemporary and up and coming artists. If you like the theatre, The Laguna Playhouse offers a 5-play main stage. The city also offers about 100 art galleries and 18 arts organizations.

Laguna Beach is dedicated to the arts and is home to the Pageant of the Masters, Festival of Arts, Sawdust Art Festival and some of the oldest art institutions in Orange County, including the Laguna Art Museum, Laguna Playhouse and the Laguna College of Art & Design.

The cities white sandy beaches and crystal clear blue water are certainly the main attraction. But, as you get to know the city, you find that there is a long history behind the name and what brings people back again and again to enjoy this beautiful seaside city. In the early 20th century, artists were drawn to Laguna’s dramatic canyons, coves and coastal views. From there, Hollywood was drawn to its appeal along and some of Hollywood royalty call Laguna home like Bette Davis, Judy Garland and Charlie Chaplin. Laguna has not just inspired Hollywood, but not people know that John Steinbeck wrote Tortilla Flats while living in Laguna Beach. In addition, the Laguna Playhouse, founded in 1920, is the oldest continuously operating theater company on the West Coast.

Orange County’s Laguna Beach is certainly one of the best coastal cities in California. With all that Laguna Beach has to offer, you’ll find it hard to leave its city limits.

Traveling with your Dog

Frank Stevens — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 17:47:55 +0000

The old saying goes, “A dog is a man’s best friend.” So why does our best friend get pawned off on a friend or relative or sent off to be boarded at the vet’s office when we go on vacation. No more! You do not have to leave your precious dog at home when you travel. With a little bit of planning, your dog can go with you on your next road trip.

If this is your first road trip with your dog, I recommend keeping the trip fairly short. I would not try to make a 18-hour car ride your dogs first introduction to car travel. You should also make sure that your dog has a little experience riding in the car. Just like people, some dogs get carsick, so make sure to introduce your pup to car rides early on and make sure that you know in advance if your dog is a good candidate for car travel.

Just like when you go on a trip, you pack your bags and get your vehicle ready to go, the same goes for traveling with your dog. You need to make a little extra room in your car that is going to be home base for your pooch for the duration of your trip. You should put your dog’s bed in your car, or just give him his very own blanket to curl up on. If you are using a new blanket, put it down near your dogs bed for a few days before you plan to leave so your dogs sleeping area in the car has all of the scents of home. If your dog is small enough and your car is big enough, it is also a good idea to take your dogs crate with you. The crate will make your dog feel right at home in the car. That would be the equivalent of us taking our entire bedroom with us when we travel.

You also need to pack your dogs necessities to take with you. The key things to remember are enough food for the duration of the trip along with any treats you normally give him or her. You will also need to pack up a food and water bowl. Remember that your pup will need to at least have some water while you are on the road so bring some water with you or make sure you plan your stops somewhere where you can fill up your dog’s water bowl for a quick drink during a bathroom break. You will also need to bring your dog’s leash and harness if you use one. It is very important to respect leash laws, especially when you are away from home, so make sure that you keep your dog’s leash with you at all times.

Before you get on the road, make sure that you map out your route and have stops designated where you can let your dog out and use the bathroom and run off some energy if need be. Rest stops usually have plenty of room for little Fido to roam around. Be sure to always clean up after your pup when he does his business. If you plan on staying at a hotel, be sure to make reservations ahead of time and call ahead to double check their pet policy. A large number of hotels are very pet friendly these days, so finding a place to stay should be easy and affordable.

With a little planning and some thoughtful packing, you can easily take your best four-legged friend on your next road trip, and really take all of the comforts of home right along with you.

Advertising Strategies for Your Business

Chicane — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 20:47:06 +0000

During the economic times we are in, advertising is one of the ways that you can use to infuse your business with new customers. This can be achieved by running specials, using large banners to advertise the specials and making the information about your business easily accessible. Below are some hints to help you get started.

Now is the time to run specials for your business. Charging special prices and giving customers discounts will help to draw new customers to your business and bring back established customers. For example, if you have a business selling windows, you could offer a longer warranty or you could offer a special price if they purchase a certain amount of windows. If you run a specialty store that monograms, maybe you could offer a discount on monogramming or free monogramming. Whatever it is, it should be something that won’t cost your business too much money but will prove beneficial to you and your customers in the end.

Banners are a great way to advertise that will help you to catch people’s interest immediately. They are easy to put up, and can be as colorful and eye-catching as you want them to be. Using a large font on a banner is a great idea because if someone is across the street or not right by your store front, they will still be able to read it. The color should be as bright as you want to make it and it should be displayed somewhere that is easily seen from surrounding areas. Banners can be ordered online to save you some shopping time as well. You should have a general idea of how you want it to look, and the site you can order them from will walk you through the rest.

Making information for your business easily accessible will draw customers to you. The last thing someone wants to do is go in somewhere and not have anything that outlines either what your business does or sells. Brochures or information pamphlets will help you achieve this. There are stands that you can purchase to display them on as well, which makes them easy to find and grab for your customers. If a customer isn’t sure about making a purchase, having a brochure that they can take home and look at will help them make their decision at their leisure. This helps to not make the customer feel pressured into anything, which is generally much appreciated. The brochure stand should be displayed at the front of your store or near the item that it’s telling about. For example, if you sell windows and siding, you should have two display stands. One should be placed by the windows and one should be placed by the siding. If you have a user friendly store, this should help boost your sales immediately.

Looking at ways to help advertise your business and implementing the ones that will work for your particular business will prove to help you bring in new customers. You want to be the one that is easily accessible and user friendly to people so they will want to come back. You want to be the one they will choose. By running special pricing and displaying your sales on banners, they are sure to be beating down your door soon.

Numart Display
2560 Corporate Pl. #D107
Monterey Park, CA 91754
(323) 265-2602