:The Flash Advancer

The Finishing Steps to Building Your Log Cabin: Roofing, Siding
and Interior

After the rafters are in place, you will be ready to put on the
roof boards. These boards can be 5/8-inch by 6- or 8-inch
tongue-and-groove boards. There are some exceptions to this
which are covered in the next section.

For siding, probably the most practical and easiest material to
use as the exterior finish is wood. It has the advantage of
coming in many different shapes, colors, and textures. It can be
stained, painted, or left natural.

As noted in previous articles, I have not specified that
sheathing must be used. Plywood or one of the composition
sheathings or diagonal sheathing boards may be used–in fact,
should be used if you plan to use the cottage year-round at some
time in the future. It should also be used if you are going to
use plaster or plasterboard on the inside.

The sheathing helps to stiffen your structure. One of the most
common types of siding is the lapped bevel. Cedar is one of the
popular woods from which this siding is made. It comes in 4-,
6-, and 8-inch widths. The thick butt edge is usually 7/16 inch
thick. The 10- and 12-inch widths have an 11/16-inch butt.

The minimum headlap for 4- and 6-inch widths is I inch; widths
over 6 inches should have I inches headlap. Hot-dipped
galvanized nails should be used for applying the siding to the
studs. If sheathing is used, try to nail through the sheathing
to the stud.

Rustic and drop siding as well as shiplap and matched siding are
also popular. The first two should have a finished thickness of
inch. The maximum width is 8 inches. Shiplap or matched siding
should be a minimum of 25/32 inch thick. The maximum width is 12
inches.

Plywood is always a possible exterior finish. It is very
important that it should be exterior grade–never use
interior-grade plywood for exterior purposes. Cottage No. 2
would look particularly attractive if it were finished with
%-inch exterior-grade plywood.

In this case I would nail the 8-foot length of plywood
horizontally. The horizontal joints and nails would be covered
with batten strips. Similar batten strips could be nailed
horizontally every foot above and below the joint. This
procedure would also keep the plywood from warping or raising at
the edges.

Be sure the vertical edge joints are joined at the mid-point of
a stud. One of the best ways of finishing the exterior of your
cottage is the use of vertical tongue-and-groove boards. This
type of siding is usually nailed at the bottom to the sill, at
the top to the plate and in the middle to a herringbone brace.

In Hawaii the vertical siding is often used without any
intermediate framing members. The roof load is actually carried
by the siding. Shingles can also be used to cover the exterior
of your cabin. I would suggest that you follow the instructions
of the manufacturer for laying these.

Usually the manufacturer recommends the use of sheathing. If
plywood is used for sheathing, the shingles should be applied
over l-by-2-inch nailing strips, and attached with copper or
galvanized nails. Asbestos-cement shingles should be attached to
the sheathing with barbed nails.

Fiberboard sheathing is not acceptable as a nailing base for
this type of shingle. Wood shingles should be attached to
l-by-3-inch nailing strips which have been spaced according to
the shingle exposure.

There are many types of roofing materials that can be used on
your cabin. To some extent, the choice of materials will depend
upon whether the roof is pitched or flat. The table on page 120
indicates whether you should use a roll or shingle type of
roofing material.

Asphalt shingles require a roof pitch of at least 4 inches to
each lineal horizontal foot. When the pitch is this low, most
manufacturers of roofing materials recommend that roofing felt
or asphalt-saturated building paper be laid under the shingle
roof. If your roof has any valleys, I’d suggest that you start
your work by laying heavy roofing felt down the center of the
valley.

One layer of felt, 18 inches wide, should be laid face down.
Then a second layer, full width, should be laid face up. After
this is nailed down, you can start laying the under roofing felt
or paper. Manufacturers’ recommendations vary, but you’ll be
pretty safe if the edges overlap about 2 inches horizontally.

Start with the lowest part of your roof. Let the edges of the
paper overlap the end of the roof by 2 or 3 inches. This overlap
should be cut later, a little under the first shingle course.
The next layer of paper will overlap the lower one by 2 inches.
Continue this process to the peak of the roof.

When both sides of the roof are finished, lay one width of paper
over the ridge pole. Short wide-head roofing nails should be
used with this paper. When the paper has been put down, use a
carpenter’s chalk line, which is impregnated with chalk, and
snap the guidelines for the shingles. If your shingle exposure
is 4 inches, you will want to snap chalk lines with this spacing
all the way from the first course to the last at the top.

You are now ready to start laying the shingles. The first course
of shingles should be laid double and should extend % inch
beyond the roof edge. The guidelines on the paper will align the
overlap which each course will have. The last rows at the top
will have to be cut; and a strip of granulated roofing paper, a
metal cap, or a ridge piece, or shingles laid edgewise will be
required to finish the top as shown in the illustration.

Wood shingles are laid much as asphalt shingles are except that
they are not butted on the sides. Leave a %-inch space between
the shingles. The ridge piece can be made of wood strips as
shown in the illustration.

Roll roofing is one of the easiest types to apply. The
accompanying illustration shows how this is done. You’ll note
that there is an overlap that is cemented down and nailed. This
overlap varies with the type of roofing felt used.

One type has half of the width granulated, the remainder heavy
felt. The granulated section is left exposed, and the felt part
is cemented and nailed. This type can also be used on roofs
having only enough pitch to drain the water, provided that the
roofing boards are first covered with roofing mastic.

Flat or pitched roofs can be covered with a number of materials,
but one of the least expensive methods is to build up the roof
with a number of layers of roofing felt saturated with asphalt
binder. The illustration shows how this is done. A cold roofing
compound or hot pitch may be used as a binder.

Regardless of the above directions, be sure to follow the
manufacturer’s directions for applying his particular roofing
material.

About the Author

About the Author: Jack Hudson is a writer for
http://www.log-cabin-plans-n-kits.com and
http://www.best-house-n-home-plans.com/. These two sites work
collectively as a resouce for the planning and building of log
cabins as well as choosing from different house plans. Visit one
of these sites for informative articles as well as free TIPS for
building a log home or choosing a house plan.

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Many marketers know that search engine marketing is among one of the best methods to get visitors to their websites. It’s a profitable way to reach new subscribers and new customers.

But getting search engine traffic is only one of the first steps to the doorway of incoming success. While getting top search engine rankings will open the floodgates of targeted traffic, all this traffic is useless if your website visitors don’t take any action be it a subscription to your newsletter, a purchase of your products or your affiliate products or any other action.

To capitalize on your search engine traffic, you need to be able to convert those visits into at least one action. Of course, not all your visitors will do anything on your website apart reading any valuable content you might have or download any free stuff. This is also a good way to get repeat visitors which can lead to an action in the future.

Now is the time to concentrate on your website conversion strategies which will be very crucial for success. In fact this is the second most important aspect of Internet marketing after getting the initial traffic.

The formula is as follows:

=> Targeted Traffic: Good Conversion: Sales/Leads/Subscribers

Here are 2 powerful ways to capitalize on your search engine traffic:

(1) Your Website Design Layout

Website design which does not seem that important is extremely crucial to get success on the Internet.

Consider this, you visit a site which is very unprofessional with flashing graphics, poor navigation, slow loading time, getting you confused and gives you a feeling of mistrust. Your only action would be to click on the “Close” button at the top of your browser. Now this site has already lost a potential customer or subscriber.

Or you visit a professional site this time, but you don’t really know what to do on the site. The reason is that the person who has designed the site has not taken into consideration the visitors like what he or she wants them to do once they arrive on their homepage or any other pages. Each page on your site must have an objective.

So one of the things that you need to do is to ensure that your site is as professional as can be ie has a friendly navigation menu, fast loading and avoid unnecessary graphics where possible.

The other thing is you need to know beforehand what you want your visitors to do once they arrive on your professional site. When the traffic comes, the best strategy now is to tweak your conversion and make testing often to see what works better for you.

If you run a newsletter, you can place a subscription box on the upper left or upper right corner of your site or if you have some products to sell, you can display one or two on another space. So when your visitors come to your site, either they subscribe or buy one of your products. When any one of these actions is taken, your site is doing its job.

(2) Your Sales Page or Pre-sell Page

If you have affiliate products that you’re promoting, the best thing is to pre-sell those visitors, hence you have more chances in making sales. It’s like a personal endorsement.

If you have your own products, make use of the following:

(a) A powerful headline which catches attention and entices the visitors to read more, meaning more chances in making sales. Use quotes in your headline. They have been proven to make it more effective.

A headline like “Discover 3 Hidden Steps That You can Quickly & Easily Use to Start A Profitable Internet Business In Less Than 48 Hours” is an example of a catchy headline which can make the visitor stop dead in their tracks.

(b) Bullets to emphasize benefits of your product not features. Benefits sell. People want to know how your product can benefit them.

(c) Real testimonials from other satisfied customers. Sometimes you can get unsolicited testimonials which is good but when you don’t, a good way to get testimonials is to offer your product for FREE to experts so that they can review it and send you their feedback.

(d) A professional banner which reflects your product and any benefit that your product conveys.

(e) The use of other colors apart black. The color red catches attention, green makes you think of money, blue soothes the mind.

(f) Use sub headlines to break your mini-site sales copy into chunks of information to make it well organized and more readable.

(g) Use power words to make your sales copy more effective. Words like discover, exclusive, proven, secrets, guaranteed, limited-time, results-fast, quickly, easily etc…are simple little words that can have a dramatic influence on your sales.

(h) Give bonuses or discounts for a limited-time. Put the price of the bonuses and offer genuine discounts.

(i) Use a Post Scriptum(P.S) - This is used at the end of your sales letter to re-state the product benefits and what will happen if these people don’t order today or how your product will make their lives better.

(j) Be brave and put your own picture on your site. This seems to be rather banal but putting your photo on your site makes you more credible. Remember trust is important when doing business on the Internet. People like to know they are dealing with a real person instead of a machine.

(k) Use a clear call-to-action eg “Click here now”, “Click here now to take advantage of this limited-time offer” or “Click here now to get your discounted copy”. This is very important. Don’t expect your visitors to take action by themselves. If you have done everything right and forget about including a strong call-to-action, don’t be surprised if you see your conversion drop.

The AIDA principle

(1) Attention

(2) Interest

(3) Desire

(4) Action

should be implemented in any sales copy.

(l) State that all purchases are done securely on your site, hence inspiring trust. Include a picture of credit cards.

(m) Offer a guarantee and use a guarantee icon.

(n) Allow people to contact you by providing your personal details.

Working on your website conversion is fundamental to the success of your Internet business. Traffic without any type of action is worthless and when your conversion improves, you’ll probably get more results with the same number of traffic numbers simply because you know how to convert better.

So now, you have no excuse not to get more positive results with your search engine traffic.

About The Author

Jean Lam is the author of the highly acclaimed eBook “Top Search Engine Ranking Secrets in Google Revealed”, a concise, step-by-step guide to high search engine ranking for the beginner to intermediate level webmaster - available now at http://www.top-ranking-strategies.com.

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This Acne Prevention Tip List is meant to help you maintain your
skin. Here are some practical, common sense tips that you will
find valuable.

Acne Prevention Tip #1: Don’t Touch!

Let’s face it. Picking, squeezing, scratching, digging, and
popping zits is irresistible. (Sometimes even fun if it’s a
juicy pus-filled whitehead). But performing acne surgery with
your own fingers is going to lead to infection or permanent
scars.

Acne Prevention Tip #2: Wash only Twice a Day

Wash your face once in the morning and once at night. Despite
how desperate you may feel about your skin, over-washing will
only anger acne-prone areas. It can also stimulate more oil
producing-glands.

Acne Prevention Tip #3: Shave Carefully

Shave lightly and only when necessary. Find a razor that is
comfortable for you, whether it’s electric or something else. If
you use a safety razor, keep a sharp blade and soften your beard
entirely with soap and water before putting on shaving cream.

Acne Prevention Tip #4: Avoid harsh scrubs

Find a gentle cleanser or scrub (with small, smooth grains).
Products with larger grains can irritate or even tear your skin.
I recommend B. Kamins botanical face cleanser for normal to oily
and combination skin.

Acne Prevention Tip #5: Sleep on clean pillows

Change your pillowcase every 2 days. I flip my pillow over every
couple days and get 4 days out of them. Used towels and
pillowcases accumulate bacteria and skin mites that contribute
to breakouts. Keep your hair off your face when you sleep.

Acne Prevention Tip #6: Use paper towels instead of face towels

Don’t use a face towel to dry your face. Instead, use a paper
towel to pat your face dry, and then throw it out. If you use a
facial cleanser, you don’t need a face towel. If you use a
medicated soap, wash with your hands.

Acne Prevention Tip #7: Shower right after workouts

Sweat and oils from your skin can trap dirt and bacteria in your
pores. Shower soon after your workout because damp skin will
promote bacteria growth.

Acne Prevention Tip #8: Remove makeup before sleeping

Always remove any makeup before you go to bed. It plugs pores.
Regularly throw out old or contaminated makeup. Ensure your
cosmetic brushes are clean, and wash them regularly in soapy
water.

Acne Prevention Tip #9: Avoid too much sun

Some topical creams or medications make people’s skin more
susceptible to the sun. Despite the belief that tans hide
blemishes and are healthy for the skin, too much sun exposure
will rapidly age the skin and lead to higher risk of developing
skin cancer.

Acne Prevention Tip #10: Check out the 7 Step Acne Plan

Read the 7 Step Acne Plan, a step-by-step guide at
your-best-acne-treatment.com that takes you through a systematic
way to banish acne and get clear skin.

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Jacuzzi’s are a great recreational and health benefit for a home. Having some idea what type and what uses you will have for it, are keys to purchasing the right one for you.

There’s nothing like going to a hotel and finding out you are in the jacuzzi suites! Of course, many people request this when traveling. Jacuzzis can take away a lot of stress and worry just in a few minutes time. Jacuzzi tubs can be added to your home as well giving you a great place to unwind after a long day. A jacuzzi tub is normally larger then the average bathtub and requires a lot more knowledge to install. Obviously, the wiring and power to the jacuzzi is important and should be handled by a professional.

So, where to start? Start by knowing what you can afford and how much room is available to you. Jacuzzi’s come in many different shapes and also in different qualities. Some often fit the corner of a bathroom as opposed to along a single wall like most bathtubs. This can give you added space in a small bathroom. Finding the right jacuzzi isn’t all that hard. Most major home improvement stores will have a selection to start to look at. If, you are not satisfied with the selection there or would like more options, check into specialty stores for more choices. Often times, these places will also offer installation as well. Beware of the extra costs for installation though. Home improvement stores also offer jacuzzi parts if the need arises as well. But, make sure to keep your warranty and guarantees safe since these parts will undoubtedly be expensive if they are not covered by your policy.

Jacuzzi’s aren’t just found in your local jacuzzi spas anymore. Jacuzzi’s have long been known for the way the relax and help us unwind. Having one at home will not only help you unwind from a long day, but it gives you an extra measure of privacy not found in jacuzzi spas. While this investment can be costly, it can have great long term benefits for the owner. It is an investment in your home as well as your health. And the process is not that difficult in finding one that suits your needs.

About The Author

Mike Yeager, Publisher

http://www.a1-bathroom-4u.com/

mjy610@hotmail.com

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What everyone is astonished at a flower, is its fragrance. There are different flower fragrances as there are different flowers. But some of them are less popular than others. That comes from the fact that people prefer specific flower fragrances and are indifferent to others. The most admired flower fragrances are the following ones:

Roses. Roses are regarded as the finest of flowers, as the “queen of the flowers”. That is because of their incredible flower fragrance. Rose fragrance is used for making of many perfumes. There are two main species of roses: the Rosa centifolia (found in the south of France) and the Rosa damascena, known as Damask Rose, which can be seen mainly in the Arab countries. Roses were greatly used by the Greeks and Romans. The gathering of roses should be at night, because the rose fragrance is stronger before sunrise.

Violets. The flower fragrance of violets has a wide variety. There are different kinds of violets, but the two most common are The Victoria Violet and the Parma Violet. Violets were largely used in perfumery, as well as in medicine. The essential oils that violets produced can nowadays be synthetically superseded by various chemicals.

Orange flower. They are grown in the south of France, Spain, Italy and the north of Africa. Orange flower is associated with brides, mainly because of its fragrance, and because of its beautiful flowers as well. Its flower fragrance is one of the most popular for making different scents. The oils extracted from orange flowers are called “neroli”, after the Italian Princess of Neroli. She was the first to start using orange flower fragrance on her gloves. The oil of “petit grains” is obtained by distillation of twigs and leaves.

Jasmine. This is another pure flower fragrance. Jasmine fragrance cannot be mistaken with anything else, as it is highly specific and brings intense pleasure to the senses. Jasmine is gathered before dawn, when its flower fragrance is at strongest. Taking care of the gathered jasmines is essential. Jasmines have to be processed immediately after picking, because their flower fragrance and freshness soon fades away. Another thing is that jasmines have to be put in special baskets where their natural look is preserved for a while.

Lily. Lilies are the most commonly- grown flowers in everyone’s garden. That is because they are easy to grow. Their flower fragrance is fresh and light and it brings to mind beautiful thoughts. In between June and August is the bloom of lilies in every garden. Their trumpet-like shape of the flower can be seen in various tints and nuances. Lily can be planted either in autumn, or in spring. The flower fragrance and the beautiful colours make lilies liked by everyone.

Ylang-ylang. Ylang-ylang has beautiful flower fragrance and is almost inevitably used when making all kinds of perfumery. The flower comes from southern Asia. Ylang-ylang should be gathered when its buds have been opened for several weeks. After picking, the flowers have to be quickly processed so that they retain their flower fragrance. The flower fragrance produces sensual delight in women, as well as in men. Another thing to be known about ylang-ylang is that its oil can easily be replaced by synthetic materials in cheaper perfumery.

Plumerias. Plumerias are a sort of trees. Their flower fragrance is irresistible, and their colours are various. The flowers from plumerias are used in the Hawaian leis. The Polynesian people value them very much, because they are durable and soft-scented. Their colours differ from white and yellow to red, violet, pink and other multiple pastels. Once picked, a flower retains its good look and flower fragrance for several days, if kept in water. Another specificity about plumerias is that the blooming of flowers lasts about 3 months, with new flowers being produced on the tree daily.

Article by Robbie Darmona - an article writer who writes on a wide variety of subjects. For more information click Flower Fragrances

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You may notice all the great incentives that the major airlines are offering with their own mileage cards, however, you may learn if you investigate a bit more than you can find some even better deals for your choice of mileage cards. Many people are now choosing these mileage cards over the major airline cards and with good reason.

The mileage cards that are so popular are the ones that allow you to earn air miles or points when you make purchases with your mileage card, sometimes even doubling the benefits. What this really means is that you, in some cases, can earn points in two separate ways on the same flight, if you use your mileage card to book the flight. These points or air miles that you earn are not just good for redeeming toward an airline ticket but can also be used for hotel accommodations or car rentals. Some of these unique mileage cards can earn you points when you purchase items from some retailers and even food at restaurants that have nothing whatsoever to do with your trip.

There are four major types of mileage cards, which people use when traveling. You may wish to choose a mileage card that has collaborated with your favorite airline or hotel chain. If you only use one airline or prefer a certain hotel, this is probably your best bet. Even major credit card companies such as Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express, and Diner’s Club also offer mileage cards with many great incentives and benefits and normally have more freedom when it comes to choosing an airline or hotel for your stay. Your own bank may also offer mileage cards with their own set of benefits. Some people just prefer to use their debit card, which normally does not have any type of rewards for benefits.

It can be very hard to decide which mileage cards are best for you and your particular lifestyle, so you may wish to read all the fine print to learn about the pros and cons of each mileage card before you apply.

As for airlines that offer mileage cards, American Airlines and United Airlines, both offer mileage cards. American Airlines along with Citibank offers the AAdvantage mile program. With this mileage card, you earn one AAdvantage mile for every dollar you charge on your mileage card. The United Airlines Card is known as the Mileage Plus First Card, which offers close to the same. Other airlines that also offer mileage cards include Northwest with the WorldPerks Visa and Delta Airlines with the American Express Optima.

There are many great incentives and benefits offered with mileage cards but these are usually only for people that travel quite a bit. The fees annually can be very expensive from $25 to $125. Not only are the annual fees more expensive but the interest rates are normally around 17% as well.

Now you must decide whether your travel habits will aid you in receiving the benefits from mileage cards so you can earn that great vacation.

For more on finding the best mileage cards, Robert Alan recommends that you visit CreditCardAssist.com.

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Power boating as a sport, leisure pursuit or used as a business instrument is incredibly helpful. There are also extraordinary sailing events which make it equally exciting & can be something that the total members of the family are able to go and take pleasure in simultaneously. One of the foremost weeks of the sailing calendar is the Cowes Regatta Week; this boating event takes place each year & has been established since eighteen twenty-six that makes it the longest running sailing event at this moment. With more than 1000 sailing boats and six thousand entrants contributing, being looked at by well over 70,000 spectators each day Cowes week has received the status as 1 of the premier yachting business hospitality & public event of the full year.

The 8,500 entrants entail Commonwealth & European class expert sailors to junior sailors. Nevertheless, if you are not contributing yourself, observing the sailing, taking pleasure in the parties & live activities, & to be involved in the unique vibe, makes it a one of a sort corporate event.

With Ondeck Sailing, two thousands and eight sees the launch of their up-to-the-minute Regatta Division. Developing on their outstanding position within the sailing charter market, this has seen Ondeck Sailing & Powerboat School, run some large sailing events for companies, they have currently teamed-up with Britannia Sailing Events the foremost organisers of industry regattas in the UK.

The path of the racing event itself will vary each day as topics such as the weather conditions, tidal streams and pace of each make of sailing yacht is taken into thought. A typical Cowes Sailing Event has over 35 start offs a day for contestants of cruiser series one designs and keelboats; adding to a sum total of over seven-thundered sailing boats. Through this instance the Solent which is a busy commercial shipping waterway, is overflowed with sailing boats of all classes and is principally colourful due to the spinnakers. As stated before besides of the yachting shows the week incorporates a big number of onshore events which include live festivals & cocktail parties. From private or commercial residential parties & nominally private yacht organisations and boats, there are big marquees set-up in the harbours providing canap©s & wine. If you’re planning to attend Cowes Week 2008 then find great corporate hospitality offers from Ondeck.

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Are you on a small budget, but you want to purchase a home? If you are on a small budget, and you want to get a home, to start living as a family in an area that you love, look towards homes that have recently been foreclosed. A foreclosure is one that someone else has lost. The homeowner may not have been able to keep up on their mortgage payments, and the bank has taken over the property. Banks and financial companies don’t like to hold onto these properties for long, because of the interest, the payments and the money that is being lost over all.

To find a home that has been through foreclosure you can begin your search online or offline. Many links to foreclosure companies and banks are going to offer listings of where foreclosure homes have been located. A foreclosure company is going to offer great rates, and will offer great prices on homes that they want to sell.

While nothing can be done for those who have been through the foreclosure process, and for those who have lost their homes, you can take advantage of the situation. You can purchase home, at a reasonable cost, and create a home for your family.

To purchase a home that has been through foreclosure, the process is going to be very similar to that of any other mortgage. You will have to apply for a mortgage, you will have to pass the background check, and you will be subject to interest costs, and closing costs of the mortgage. A foreclosure home may require some additional legal background work, so you will need to hire an attorney to look out for your best interests.

A foreclosure home is one that has been abandoned because the previous owners could no longer pay for the home. You will find that many types, sizes, and styles of homes are often included on the foreclosure listings by banks. You will find one bedroom homes, two bedrooms homes, rental units, retail and commercial buildings and you will find luxury homes, vacation homes, even mansions included on foreclosure listings.

The home of your dreams could be very affordable if you take the time to look at the foreclosure listings. The foreclosure listings will give you an idea of the city and the state where the home is located, and from there you are often required to contact the bank, the financial company or perhaps a real estate agent as listed, to find out more about the property. The only limitations you will have in purchasing foreclosure homes is going to be your credit limit and where you want to live. Homes from across the nation, from Vegas, California, to Virginia, Florida and in Washington are available for purchase.

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When a fundamental law of nature is revealed, the best inventions arise.

Here, the author heard of a mysterious unexplained oscillation in silicon bipolar transistors, and upon investigating discovered that it related to the band-gap energy of silicon.

With the phenomenon fully explained, it became possible to design electronic circuits of exquisite simplicity, reliability and performance.

Unfortunately, the author suffers from an untreated Addison’s disease. It is one thing to have the knowledge of progress - quite another to implement progress when one is half dead through metabolic disturbance.

The industrial climate was also not conducive to success. The whole of British industry collapsed - and the German economy is currently (2003) in recession.

There is no point in keeping good ideas secret until one dies. If one cannot use it - SHARE IT. And hope, perhaps, that those who gain benefit from it will reward you in the future.

During the thirty years that this concept was kept secret, millions of radios, televisions and portable telephones were manufactured. In many cases, enormous savings could have been made on each item. The economic value of the concept can be reckoned in billions of dollars worldwide.

see http://wehner.org/electro/short

Charles Douglas Wehner

Charles Douglas Wehner was born in 1944.
He was a technical draughtsman in computer manufacture in 1962, and became a technical author (radars of Concorde and Harrier as well as nucleonics), design engineer and factory manager. Further experience was in measurement-and-control systems, photoelectrics and ultrasonics.

Charles Wehner was professionally active in Britain and Germany.

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If you’re like me, when you were young, looking beyond your
mother and father to find out where you came from just wasn’t
important.

Well, I’ve found that the older you get, the more important your
ancestry becomes. I’m not sure why. Maybe I have a broader
perspective on things now. Maybe I’m just curious as to whether
there was nobility in my family. Perhaps I’m looking for some
closet skeletons.

Whatever my reasons, I do find tracing my ancestry fascinating.
It is so interesting to learn about other people–how they
lived, what they did, who they knew. But I’ve also learned along
the way that most people haven’t a clue what resources are
available to them beyond the usual - interviewing family,
checking birth certificates and newspapers, etc.

So here I’ve compiled a list of 25 resources you should take
advantage of if you’re really serious about finding out “where
you came from.”

1.The obvious, of course, is interviewing family members; not
only mom and dad, but aunts, uncles, distant cousins. Start by
drawing a quick family tree going back just two generations and
start making calls or sending mail or emails. Here are some of
the basic things you’ll want to know:

Complete names
(married and maiden names)

Addresses throughout their
live

Birth records

Military service (when and
where)

Marriage records (even attendants, if
possible)

Property records (state and county)

Burial records (where)

Old pictures, especially if
they have names and dates

2.Family bibles. While it doesn’t seem to be such a common
practice these days, in the past, families kept their bible
forever, often keeping record of family members, births,
marriages, and deaths on pages within the bible.

3.Old family letters. Once again, with technology, we’ve all but
lost the art of letter writing (what will our own children and
grand children have to look back on in years to come?). But
older generations tended to preserve letters of importance.
These letters can oftentimes be of great value in tracing your
ancestry. They may contain important dates, facts, and places
that will be of help. Check return addresses and postmarks for
information.

4.Legal documents are a great resource. Such documents include
deeds (property addresses), wills (names of kin you may not have
known about), marriage licenses (note the witnesses), birth
certificates, voter registration, adoption records, and even
judgements. Your search for these documents should begin with
state and county records.

5.What about associations your ancestors may have belonged to?
These would include churches, clubs, veterans groups and lodges,
all of which may be able to provide background information for
your search.

6.Census data. After 1840 the Census collected age, place of
birth, occupation, personal wealth, education, spouse, children,
hired hands, and even immigration information. Copies of the
original decennial census forms from 1790 through 1930 are
available on microfilm for research at the U.S. National
Archives and Records Administration in Washington, DC
(http://www.archives.gov/), at Archives regional centers, and at
select Federal depository libraries throughout the United States.

7.Naturalizations records. For Pre-1906 Naturalizations: Contact
the State Archives for the state where the naturalization
occurred to request a search of state, county, and local courts
records.

Contact the NARA regional facility that serves the state where
naturalization occurred to request a search of Federal court
records.

For Naturalizations After 1906: After 1906, the courts forwarded
copies of naturalizations to the Immigration and Naturalization
Service (INS). Naturalizations from Federal Courts are held in
the NARA’s regional facilities for the Federal courts for their
area. Learn more:
http://www.archives.gov/genealogy/naturalization/

8.Grave sites. Headstones will give dates and possible family
names.

9.Libraries. Here you’ll find newspaper articles (look for
obituaries, and birth and marriage announcements) and books on
local history (what was taking place during their life). Many
libraries can be accessed online. You will also find genealogy
information in several libraries, the Allen County Public
Library in Indiana having the second largest genealogical
collection in the US. Another good source is the Family History
Library in Salt Lake City, UT.

10.Genealogy message boards. Google “genealogy message boards”
and join in–you’ll find a wealth of information available!

11.Military records. You’ll find several sources online,
including NARA
(http://www.archives.gov/st-louis/military-personnel/).

12.High school and college yearbooks. These sources can help
locate a relative or provide other resources for your search.
Check online.

13.Family pedigrees. These are family groups already linked in a
computer system. Accessing an individual’s family group sheet in
a linked pedigree will also give you access to all of the
records that are linked to that individual. Two great sources
are Kindred Connections
(http://www.kindredkonnections.com/index.html) and the Family
History Library
(http://www.familysearch.org/Eng/Library/FHL/frameset_library.asp
).

14.U.S. Immigration records. Two great sources are Ellis Island
Records (http://www.ellisislandrecords.org/) and Ancestry.com
(http://www.ancestry.com/search/rectype/default.aspx?rt=40)

15.Social Security Death Index. This is a database of people
whose deaths were reported to the Social Security Administration
(SSA) beginning about 1962. The best source is RootsWeb.com
(http://ssdi.rootsweb.com/?o_xid=0028727949&o_lid=0028727949&o_xt
=41534187).

Now that you’re all grown up and interested in finding your
“roots”, these 15 resources should get you well on your way.
It’ll be a fun and rewarding adventure.

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