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Neutral colors are defined as colors NOT on the color wheel: black, white, gray, and tan. According to "The Hidden Power of Neutrals," an article published on the Behr Web site, neutral colors have been around for years. "These timeless hues come from pigments used by the earliest artists -- such as ochre, charcoal, umber, and sienna . . . "

The Behr Web site describes neutrals as "every color's friend." Light neutrals can make a small room look larger. Dark neutrals will make a large room look smaller. Variety is one of the biggest advantages of neutrals. There are hundreds of neutral shades. Yellow neutrals, for example, vary from cream to golden brown.

Flexibility is another plus for neutrals. A neutral wall color like taupe gives you the freedom to add contrasting colors, patterns, and textures. Some customers, however, are confused by television shows that describe yellow as neutral. Yellow goes with many colors, but it is not neutral because it is on the color wheel. What changed?

"Washington Post" writer Terri Sapienza says there are two neutrals today, "true neutrals" and "new neutrals." She discusses this change in her article, 'Living with Lavender." Sapienza thinks lavender is a popular "new neutral" because of the wide spectrum of colors that are available. "It's a grounding background color that does not call attention to itself, but allows everything around it to stand out," she writes.

All colors are based on the primary colors of red, yellow, and blue. The "new neutrals," according to the Behor Web site, are based on the primary colors and are either red-toned, yellow-toned, or blue-toned. Some designers are using pale green, even chartreuse, as a "new neutral." Other designers are using orange. Though the definition of neutral is changing, you can still find a color that works for you.

Tour model homes and check out the paint colors. Look at magazines, cut out photos that have appealing colors, and file them. Keep the file for several months and choose your top three colors. Get paint chips for these colors. Hold the chips next to your furniture and accessories.

Finally, take a tip from interior designers and make a color board. Go to www.dezignare.com Web site for precise instructions on "Color Board Presentations." Buy 36" x 24" poster board or so-called gator board. Glue magazine pictures, paint chips, fabric swatches, and texture samples to the board. Do these elements fit together? You may have to make several boards before you find the right color.

Whether they are true or new, neutral colors go with everything. With the right trim colors and accessories, neutrals make a dramatic statement about who you are, what you like, and how you live.

Copyright 2007 by Harriet Hodgson

http://www.harriethodgson.com

Harriet Hodgson has been a freelance nonfiction writer for 28 years. She is a member of the Association of Health Care Journalists and the Association for Death Education and Counseling. Her 24th book, "Smiling Through Your Tears: Anticipating Grief," written with Lois Krahn, MD, is available from http://www.amazon.com . A five-star reivew of the book is posted on Amazon. You will find other reviews on the American Hospice Foundation Web site (School Corner heading) and the Health Ministries Association Web site.

Streaming video is a sequence of "moving images" that are sent in compressed form over the Internet and displayed by the viewer as they arrive. Streaming media is streaming video with sound. With streaming video or streaming media, a Web user does not have to wait to download a large file before seeing the video or hearing the sound. Instead, the media is sent in a continuous stream and is played as it arrives. The user needs a player, which is a special program that uncompresses and sends video data to the display and audio data to speakers. A player can be either an integral part of a browser or downloaded from the software maker's Web site.

Major streaming video and streaming media technologies include RealSystem G2 from RealNetwork, Microsoft Windows Media Technologies (including its NetShow Services and Theater Server), and VDO. Microsoft's approach uses the standard MPEG compression algorithm for video. The other approaches use proprietary algorithms. (The program that does the compression and decompression is sometimes called the codec.) Microsoft's technology offers streaming audio at up to 96 Kbps and streaming video at up to 8 Mbps (for the NetShow Theater Server). However, for most Web users, the streaming video will be limited to the data rates of the connection (for example, up to 128 Kbps with an ISDN connection). Microsoft's streaming media files are in its Advanced Streaming Format (ASF).

Streaming video is usually sent from prerecorded video files, but can be distributed as part of a live broadcast "feed." In a live broadcast, the video signal is converted into a compressed digital signal and transmitted from a special Web server that is able to do multicast, sending the same file to multiple users at the same time.

Streaming media is audio and video that are transmitted on the Internet in a streaming or continuous fashion, using data packets. The most effective reception of streaming media requires some form of broadband technology such as cable modem or DSL. A packet is the unit of data that is routed between an origin and a destination on the Internet or any other packet-switched network. When any file (e-mail message, HTML file, Graphics Interchange Format file, URL - Uniform Recourse Locater request, and so forth) is sent from one place to another on the Internet, the Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) layer of TCP/IP divides the file into "chunks" of an efficient size for routing. Each of these packets is separately numbered and includes the Internet address of the destination. The individual packets for a given file may travel different routes through the Internet. When they have all arrived, they are reassembled into the original file (by the TCP layer at the receiving end).

A packet-switching scheme is an efficient way to handle transmissions on a connectionless network such as the Internet. An alternative scheme, circuit-switched, is used for networks allocated for voice connections. In circuit-switching, lines in the network are shared among many users as with packet-switching, but each connection requires the dedication of a particular path for the duration of the connection. "Packet" and "datagram" are similar in meaning. A protocol similar to TCP, the User Datagram Protocol (UDP) uses the term datagram.

MPEG, the Moving Picture Experts Group, develops standards for digital video and digital audio compression. It operates under the auspices of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). The MPEG standards are an evolving series, each designed for a different purpose. To use MPEG video files, you need a personal computer with sufficient processor speed, internal memory, and hard disk space to handle and play the typically large MPEG file (which has a file name suffix of .mpg). You also need an MPEG viewer or client software that plays MPEG files. (Note that .mp3 file suffixes indicate MP3 (MPEG-1 audio layer-3) files, not MPEG-3 standard files.) You can download shareware or commercial MPEG players from a number of sites on the Web.

The term codec is an acronym that stands for "compression/decompression." A codec is an algorithm, or specialized computer program, that reduces the number of bytes consumed by large files and programs. In order to minimize the amount of storage space required for a complicated file, such as a video, compression is used. Compression works by eliminating redundancies in data. Compression can be done for any kind of file, including text, programs, images, audio, video, and virtual reality (VR). Compression can reduce the size of a file by a factor of 100 or more in some cases. For example, a 15-megabyte video might be reduced to 150 kilobytes. The uncompressed file would be far too large to download from the Web in a reasonable length of time, but the compressed file could usually be downloaded in a few seconds. For viewing, a decompression algorithm, which "undoes" the compression, would have to be used.

There are numerous standard codec schemes. Some are used mainly to minimize file transfer time, and are employed on the Internet. Others are intended to maximize the data that can be stored in a given amount of disk space, or on a CD-ROM. Codecs are used in many popular Internet products, including QuickTime, Netmeeting, Cu-Seeme, and VDOphone.

Flash, is a popular authoring software developed by Macromedia, and is used to create vector graphics-based animation programs with full-screen navigation interfaces, graphic illustrations, and simple interactivity in an antialiased, resizable file format that is small enough to stream across a normal modem connection. The software is ubiquitous on the Web, both because of its speed (vector-based animations, which can adapt to different display sizes and resolutions, play as they download) and for the smooth way it renders graphics. Flash files, unlike animated but rasterized GIF and JPEG, are compact, efficient, and designed for optimized delivery. Known as a do-it-yourself animation package, Flash 4 gives Web designers the ability to import artwork using whatever bitmap or illustration tool they prefer, and to create animation and special effects, and add sound and interactivity. The content is then saved as file with a .SWF file name extension.

Web users with Intel Pentium or Power Macintosh processors can download Flash Player to view Flash content, which performs across multiple browsers and platforms. Flash is lauded for being one of the Web's most accessible plug-in. According to an independent study cited by Macromedia, over 90 percent of Web users already have Flash Player installed. Macromedia was recently acquired by Adobe in a 3.4 billion dollar deal.

About the Author: Ole Arndt is President of Global Media LLC, in Branchburg NJ.

Correspondence to: oarndt@streamingmediabiz.com

All cars have their own unique type of car speaker installation issues although installing speakers is a relatively simple process. Most speaker installations can be finished in about an hour or less. The intricacy of the installation will vary depending on the vehicle. And again, depending on the vehicle, speakers may be installed in the dash, doors, or rear deck.

Most importantly, remember that safety should be considered when installing speakers. Damage can be caused by not installing speakers properly this can impose added cost and even possible injury. Protection for hearing/vision should be used as necessary.

Here are fundamental steps to consider for installing speakers. Remember, some vehicles may require extra steps. Although the location of the speakers in your vehicle may vary from the mounting locations noted here, the method should be comparable.

For installation of dash and door speakers, you will need to ascertain if the vehicle has speaker grilles that are removable. If they can be removed, take the grilles off utilizing the appropriate tools, remove the screws holding the speaker in, disconnect the speaker harness that was attached to the speaker, connect the speaker harness to the new speaker, plug the speaker harness which is connected to the new speaker to the harness in the car, set the speaker in the opening and reinstall it using the screws for mounting, replace the grille and repeat with the other speaker. If installing speakers in the door, make certain the depth of the speaker will not interfere with the window operation after installation.

If the grilles cannot be removed, the dash pads or possibly the door panel will have to be removed. Be sure to keep an eye on any screws/clips removed should this be the case. Next follow the same steps shown above except you will need to reinstall the dash pads/door panel. If removing the door panel, be aware that screws can be mounted in the armrest or inside the door latch space and may be behind the trim panels. After all the screws are removed from the panel, raise it up so you can disconnect any wiring harnesses.

If installing rear deck speakers, you must determine if the speakers are top-mounted or bottom-mounted as this will determine your steps. If top-mounted, remove the grilles, remove the screws holding the speaker in, disconnect the speaker harness, connect the harness to the new speaker, plug in the harness connected to the speaker to the vehicle side of the harness, place the new speaker in the opening and mount with the screws, replace the grille and repeat with the other speaker.

If the speakers are bottom-mounted, reach in the trunk and remove the screws mounting the speaker. Then follow the same basic steps as above.

Eventually, youd have to turn on the radio and check the operation of the new speakers.

Car sound systems and anything related to car audio are dealt with on http://www.car-sound-systems.com

A 0% interest credit card balance transfer can go a long way in alleviating financial stress. I know that with a lot of Americans the feeling of being overwhelmed can be quite stifling. If you happen to carry a high amount of credit card debt you may feel as though you will never get it completely paid off.

Compounding this problem is the fact that many credit card issuers will raise the Interest rates on people carrying substantial debt because they are considered to be a greater credit risk. Sounds cold doesn't it? They just keep piling it in.

If this is your present situation then you can at least take some solace in the fact that you are not alone. More and more Americans find themselves deeper and deeper in debt. There are many reasons for this and really no reason to go into that here. That is an exhaustive subject unto its own.

A viable solution can be found in 0% interest credit card balance transfers. They are becoming an increasingly popular way to consolidate and manage credit card debt. And credit card issuers including Bank of America, American Express, Discover Card and Chase are eager to issue them.

These are great promotional instruments for the banks and credit card companies. What they are actually hoping for are to, of course, gain new customers. But ultimately they know that many of these new customers will carry the debt that they transferred beyond the introductory period.

They have this down to a science and know full well that the majority of people are going to do just that. And the credit card company rakes in huge profits from the interest payments. But I'm here to say that it doesn't have to be that way.

Take advantage of 0% interest balance transfer credit cards by setting up an aggressive payment schedule. Most introductory rates last between 6-12 months. Do some quick math and see how much you would need to pay back each month to pay off the debt before the introductory rate expires.

And take heart. Even if you can't afford to pay it off in full you most certainly can take advantage of the zero percent interest and pay off a substantial portion of it. And now you are well on your way to being free of credit debt and those nasty interest rates.

Morgan Hamilton offers sound financial advice and helpful tips with regards to the credit card industry including 0% Interest Credit Card Balance Transfer Responsibly employing 0% Interest Balance Transfer Credit Cards can be an outstanding way to save money. You can get more helpful information by visiting www.BestCreditQuote.com