Easy etching and engraving
The personalization and customization of products is in high demand. The Zing 24 from Epilog Laser is a way to take the graphics created on a PC and print them on much more than paper. A design can be added to items made from glass, plastic, wood, marble and many other materials with this entry level engraving machine. The machine can handle scanned photos, logos, graphics, text — essentially any file that can be sent to a printer can be reproduced.
At 24 by 12-inches, the Zing 24 provides a large work table. Additionally, the Zing 24 is available in a variety of wattages ranging from 30 – 60. The Zing 24 allows for 1000 dpi engraving and features Epilog’s exclusive Laser Dashboard that allows users to print directly from many of the Windows-based software programs they already know, such as Adobe products or AutoCad. Design the artwork the way it should appear on the sample and send it through the Zing 24’s print driver, just as if printing a document.
The Zing 24 uses a Class 3A laser, which means that the laser is secured with interlock devices. It will not run if the doors of the system are open. The Zing 24 works with any Windows 2000, XP, or Vista operating system.
E-mail and letters afterlife service
From LastPost.com comes a new e-mail and letters service. Users can store and schedule up to 10 free e-mails to be sent out immediately after their death, plus store letters for delivery many years later. The company suggests that such missives would provide people with the opportunity to say goodbye to loved ones in case of a sudden or accidental death. It is also marketing the service to parents who might die early and would then be able to reach out in writing to their children on special occasions.
Advice to get healthy
With funding from the US National Institutes of Health and the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), the Healthy People Library Project has created an electronic book series called “The Science Inside.” The books are intended to be used by health educators and the general public. The topics covered include diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure, asthma and allergies, pregnancy and AIDS. There are also links to on-line brochures on the same topics; and profiles of people who are researching, treating, and/or making lifestyle changes to improve their health. Check it all out through www.healthlit.org/scienceinside.
Motivate kids to move
Having trouble getting your kids to do something besides playing video games? “Sofa Boy” by Scott Langteau provides parents with a humorous way to lever kids off the couch. Sofa Boy, from Shake the Moon Books, aims to remind kids that video games are fun, but should be played in moderation and enjoyed along with other activities.
In Sofa Boy, a youngster discovers that lounging on his favorite couch playing videogames around the clock is not all it’s cracked up to be. His lack of attention to bathing, good food, fresh air, sunlight and old fashioned exercise wreaks havoc on his young body. Before long the boy finds himself a prisoner of his own designing, as well as the fascination of many an onlooker as he becomes literally joined at the hip with his increasingly disgusting environment. It’s a funny book that teaches an important lesson.