Article by Riley Johnson

There are many business insurance Bethlehem Pennsylvania business owners have to consider when looking to protect their companies. Whether it is a small to midsize organization or large corporation, every business should have coverage in all kinds of areas such as commercial property liability, general liability or auto insurance. These needs will vary according to each industry as well as the size of each individual company, but policies are made to accommodate the needs of any kind of company. Each one must do some planning to determine its needs and shop around to find the best coverage for the lowest rates.

For instance, a shipping company that relies heavily on vehicles has to consider how much coverage it needs for its vehicles and its drivers. Its vehicles will need the regular kinds of coverage as mandated by Pennsylvania state law, but as a commercial venture, there may also be other stipulations on this vehicle coverage. A commercial vehicle may be required to have a larger amount of liability coverage than a private vehicle and every employee that uses that vehicle should be under the policy.

Another type of business insurance Bethlehem Pennsylvania business owners need to keep in mind is commercial property liability coverage. This policy protects not only against the possibility of damaged or destroyed property but also against any litigation that arises should a client or customer claim to be injured or harmed on the business

When people think of Pennsylvania, the beauty of rolling hills, valleys, and trees comes to mind. Amish are also a part of the Pennsylvania heritage. The Amish came to Pennsylvania as part of William Penn’s “Holy Experiment”, where he opened the doors of Pennsylvania to persecuted people of Europe.

The first sizable group of Amish from Europe settled in Lancaster County, where they thrived. Today it’s the second largest group of Amish in the country. The largest group is in Holmes County, Ohio. There are also many Amish in Indiana and Iowa, but about 80% of the country’s Amish live in the combined states of Pennsylvania, Ohio and Indiana.

Although Amish are found in other small communities in Pennsylvania, most people head to Lancaster County to see the Amish. Lancaster County was once a peaceful area with rolling hills, trees and rich red soil. Known as the “Garden Spot” of the nation, Lancaster County has been known for a peaceful tranquil place to raise a family. Today even though you will still see this, much of the farm ground has been turned into apartments, factories, and retail establishments.

Lancaster city is the oldest inland city in the United States, and is rich in history. Amish have been part of that history, and still thrive there today in many communities. Tourism is predominately focused on the history of the county, and the culture the Amish bring to the county. Much of the plain people’s lifestyle can be seen in the shops and stores. However, there is a whole different world in the cloak of being “plain”.

The Amish live in their own close knit communities. They follow their bishop and the Ordnung, which is the set of rules by which the Amish live and follow their strict beliefs in the Bible. People who are not familiar with the Amish may view the communities as living with rules of “don’t”; don’t do this, don’t do that. However from the Amish side of their beliefs, they see it as adhering to the strict rules of the Bible. They are literal believers of the Bible, which is the basis for their lifestyle. Scripture from the Bible such as “be in the world, but not part of it”, or “women are not to be adorned with jewelry” are the basis for the lifestyle you see today.

So when you visit the Pennsylvania Amish country, remember that there is a lot of history to see. And too, be respectful of their beliefs, just as they are of yours.

Article by Kaila West

Do you have a Little League baseball player or two at home? If so, then you need to read this article. Quality Inn hotels have a well-deserved reputation as one of the most economical and homey hotel chains in the country. That

Article by Gtrudell

Once in a while it would not hurt to spend the holidays away from home. Nearly 25 million Americans avoid the tedium by heading out come winter vacation time with many travel agencies as well as hotels and resorts on their heels eager to corner their business. The choices are numerous when it comes to potential winter holiday stops. A fun filled vacation is still possible even with limited finances through the affordable holiday packages most hotels and ski resorts as well as Caribbean cruises offer. Rock bottom rates can often be had at a number of cruise liners too.

To see white everywhere a trip to any of the ski lodges lining the area covering Stowe in Vermont to Lake Tahoe are excellent choices. Possibly the most renowned ski places are found somewhere in Colorado. Luminaries like spending winter surrounded by the over 3000 acres of land for skiing that Vail boasts of. There is snowmobiling along with bob or dog sledding for the family plus bobsledding and dog sledding not to mention sleigh rides as well as ice hockey and cross country ski tours. Telluride in Colorado is also becoming the alternative resort location for high end individuals.

Accommodations may include some fine hotels located in Beaver Creek with one hotel boasting of 300 rooms at an altitude of 8,100 feet and ski lifts outside its doors. Other fantastic Colorado ski resorts are located in Breckenridge, Keystone and Copper Mountain. The slopes providing a challenge to skiers include those of the Big Bear and Mammoth in the south and Lake Tahoe in the north of California.

Skiers do not have to pay huge resort prices to have some winter fun. There are inns close to popular cross country and downhill ski spots. Taos and Squaw Valleys along with Killington plus Aspen and Jackson Hole count among the exceptional locations.

Looking for destinations that kids will enjoy isn’t a problem. Some hotels in New York provide special menus such as peanut butter and jelly sandwiches as well as special recreational programs like scavenger hunts, cookie baking, kite flying and sand castle building. Travelers have loved spending the holidays at the Tennessee Blackberry Farm adjacent to the Smokey Mountains for nearly 80 years. This place features mountain sunrises, woodland trails, fireside gatherings and home furnishings that recall colonial times.

People pay Walt Disney World in Florida a visit lots of times each year too to make their vacation dreams come true. Marching toy soldiers, twinkling lights on towering Douglas firs, big parades and musical theme shows add a holiday sparkle. Families with sweet teeth will enjoy a visit to Hersheypark in Hershey, Pennsylvania.

America arguably has lots to offer in terms of travel places filled with both historic inclinations and local flair. For a Colonial American holiday, plan a trip to Williamsburg, Virginia where city fathers hold a 17th century Jamestown Settlement holiday celebration. A Nashville hotel holds a country Christmas each year and New Orleans does something in the spirit of France. Each time night comes new life is breathed into the city as Creole Queen gives jazz cruises and dinner establishments hold special rebellion eats. Cruising is another way to have a grand time on vacation. Reputable cruising companies offer a variety of holiday trip locations.

Winter vacations can also double up as shopping opportunities. Many of the key cities have fancy hotels carrying special rates so it is easy to shop around even if the stores are out of town. Certified moneybags get the lavish treatment in San Francisco.

Article by Riley Johnson

Owning an automobile is a great responsibility. There is always much work involved in the upkeep of a vehicle, whether you purchase a new or used model. Besides taking good care of your car on a daily basis, you need to take it into the mechanic periodically for regular tune-ups, wheel alignment, oil changes and more. Yet another responsibility that car owners face is purchasing automobile insurance. If you live in Pennsylvania, you can search online to obtain good deals on prices for your auto insurance Bethlehem Pennsylvania.

On average, new vehicles are much easier to maintain than older models as all the parts are new and function better. New vehicles will naturally cost much more than used cars, but you can keep the cost down by choosing a less expensive make and model. You can expect to pay much more for a luxury car manufactured by Mercedes Benz or Lexus than if you purchased a more conventional Ford or Toyota brand. Sports cars will cost much more than a small family car; SUVs will be more expensive than typical midsize vehicles. The type of car you choose plays a big part in the expense of monthly payments, insurance, gas mileage and more. Therefore, you should choose wisely.

By determining how you will use your vehicle, you can make a better choice on which car to buy. If you are a large family that loves to travel, you may want to invest in a larger vehicle such as a family van or SUV for this purpose. These vehicles offer large families greater comfort as they travel in addition to sufficient space to carry all their luggage. If your family is into hiking and camping, an SUV vehicle can drive easier on rugged terrain with its 4-wheel drive. Its durable metal construction also provides greater safety on the roads. Couples with one or two kids may prefer a midsize family car as it is big enough to accommodate their small family and much more economical on gas. The cost of auto insurance Bethlehem Pennsylvania for mid ize family cars will also be less expensive.

Singles may prefer a more compact vehicle geared toward driving to and from work and perhaps occasional trips outside the city. A frugal driver will be much more interested in economy and efficiency than a powerful engine and fancy design. The increase in popularity of compact vehicles is attributed to greater efficiency, high resale value and less expensive cost to run and maintain. You can purchase these in two-door or four-door designs and in all makes and models.

Different people have different tastes and needs when it comes to buying a vehicle. The automobile industry turns out hundreds of car makes and models each year to help fulfill individual’s personal preferences and needs. You will be happier choosing the exact vehicle type you want, the make and model you can afford and the car best suited to meet your need. Once you have made your choice, you can buy the best auto insurance Bethlehem Pennsylvania coverage to give you the protection you desire.

Located south of Huntingdon off of Route 26 and appearing like a splotch of blue cradled by the dark green hills which surround it, Raystown Lake is both Pennsylvania’s largest man-made water body and the only one where houseboats can be rented.

Created between 1968 and 1978 by the US Army Corps of Engineers to provide flood control for the Susquehanna Valley, hydroelectricity, and recreation, the narrow, zigzag-shaped, 28-mile-long lake, emulating the Raystown branch of the Juniata River which feeds it, covers 8,300 acres and offers 118 miles of woodland shores.

Occupying land first discovered by Native Americans, it sports a significant, once-exposed archaeological site designated Sheep Rock Shelter, a sizable, overhanging ledge near the present-day Susquehannock Campground originally used for tribe and animal protection.

Excavating the site before the reservoir was expanded during the 1960s, researchers from Juniata College and Pennsylvania State University unearthed a 6,000-year-old skull and bones from a Native American woman, along with knives, pottery, and spearheads.

The rolled earth-and-rock dam which created the lake, with a 1,550-foot base width, a 24-foot top width, a 1,700-foot length, and a 225-foot height, created what could be considered Pennsylvania’s “crown jewel,” enabling Allegheny Electric Cooperative’s powerhouse to provide hydroelectricity to 8,500 homes and Huntingdon County to establish tourism as its second-largest industry after agriculture with more than two million annual visitors.

Although it has considerably evolved since its inauspicious beginnings as a collection of cottages for boaters, the area’s shores and hills, because of US Army Corps of Engineers regulations restricting development, still sport their natural guise, wearing coats of thick trees and retaining the indigenous wildlife which depends upon them.

A Mecca for nature-lovers and sports enthusiasts today, it offers an array of leisure activities for both day and extended-stay visits, prerequisite to whose understanding and enjoyment is a look inside the Visitor Center perched on a ridge and affording pristine views of the azure lake it represents.

Dispensing information, directions, and brochures, it offers a glimpse of conditions 6,000 years ago through its interactive, paleontology exhibits, as well as interpretation through displays entitled “Building and Operating a Dam,” “Raystown Bygone Days,” and “Generating Electricity.”

Huntingdon County Visitors Bureau and US Army Corps of Engineers Ranger and Reserve Staff offices are located on its lower level.  Audiovisual presentations are given in its multi-purpose room and a gift shop sells drinks, snacks, books, and souvenirs just beyond the entrance.

Lake- and surrounding wilderness-related activities are numerous.

Swimming, for example, can be enjoyed at one of two Corps-managed beaches located within the Seven Points Recreation Area.  The first, the appropriately named Seven Points Beach near lake mile marker 9 on its west side, is subdivided into a 200-by-600 foot buoyed area with a concrete bottom and a 100-by-150 foot one with a sand base primarily used by children.  Its facilities include a shower and changing house, picnic tables, playground equipment, and the Lighthouse food concession.  The Oak Picnic Shelter is located on a peninsula across from the beach.

The second swimming facility, Tatman Run Beach, is located on the lake’s southern end and features a 200-by-700 foot buoyed area, along with a change house, a playground, picnic tables, grills, and a boat launch.

Boating itself can be done at any of seven Corps-managed launches—Snyder’s Run, Aitch, James Creek, Tatman Run, Shy Beaver, Weaver Falls, and Seven Points—the latter of which, bordered by the Tuscey Mountain ridges and located off of Bay Drive, offers a paved, three-lane, 40-foot-wide boat launch with capacity for 119 trailered vehicles and a modular courtesy floating dock.  There is neither a limitation on boat size nor horsepower on the lake, but there are no-wake zones to preclude disturbances of wildlife viewing and fishing.

Fishing itself can be accomplished at a variety of areas, including from rocky points, shallow bays, coves, and right in the middle of the lake from a boat, and might yield smallmouth, largemouth, or striped bass, muskie, walleye, crappie, stripers, perch, carp, brown trout, lake trout, or Atlantic salmon.

More than 700 campsites, ranging from primitive-tent to full-facility hookup types, blanket the area.  Six Army Corps facilities include Seven Points, Nancy’s Camp, Susquehannock, Group Camp, Lake Raystown Resort, and Branch Camp.

Hiking can be pursued on four established trails: the Hillside Native and Old Logger’s trails, both at Seven Points; the Riverside Nature Trail below the dam for wildlife viewing; and the 30-mile-long Terrace Mountain Trail.

Aside from recreation and waterfowl areas, Raystown Lake offers unrestricted hunting for rabbit, squirrel, grouse, beaver, pheasant, raccoon, turkey, and whitetail deer.

Several nests offer bald eagle viewing opportunities.

Most of Raystown Lake’s facilities are concentrated in two areas.

The first of these, Seven Points Marina, is located at its northern end.  Initially offering only a handful of boat rentals, it developed into Pennsylvania’s largest facility, with a shop, restaurant, a 35-strong rental fleet, and 946 slips.

Its Memories at the Lake restaurant offers both indoor and outdoor dining, while its Oar House store sells clothing, supplies, souvenirs, ice, bait, and tackle.

Its rental fleet includes seven 16-foot, ten-hp, four-person aluminum skiffs for sightseeing and fishing; nine 90-hp, eight-person pontoon boats; and 19 houseboats.  The latter, rentable during either Monday-to-Friday or Friday-to-Monday intervals, vary in size and accommodation, including those which sleep four, six, eight, or ten with cabin-style bunk beds, full bedrooms, sliding boards, and hot tubs.

Public excursions are offered on the marina’s own “Princess” houseboat.  Accommodating 125 on both lower-enclosed and upper-open decks configured with tables and a buffet, the aluminum-hulled, 75-foot-long vessel, propelled by 440 horsepower, takes sightseers on 90-mnute trips with appropriate commentary, tracing the lake’s red cedar tree-lined shore, exploring its islands and coves, and examining the Sheep Rock archeological site with its red shale, diagonal-patterned face.  Although it is mostly submerged, its upper portion, depicting its latest layers, is still visible.

Other cruises include the two-hour one to the dam, fall foliage trips, holiday and seasonal excursions with fireworks, and those with theme buffets, such as seafood, Italian, and surf-and-turf.

The second major concentration of facilities is the Lake Raystown Resort, Lodge, and Conference Center.

Located on 400 acres of waterfront property, the family-owned resort, having evolved from a small Army Corps campground, opened in 1984, and today offers a wide range of accommodations, restaurants, boat rentals, and related activities.

Of the former, its lodge offers 50 rooms and two suites.  Its rustic, one-room, original Army Corps cabins, constructed of native hemlock logs, sleep six and are the closest to the lake, while newer ones feature pine and maple wood.  The Oak Park cottages accommodate up to seven, or one more than the beachfront bungalows, while an equal number can reside in the two-bedroom villas nestled in the woods on their own peninsula.  The resort’s 221 campsites, offering water, electric, and cable hookups, accept tents, pop-ups, travel trailers, fifth wheels, and motor homes.

Dining venues include the Marina Café, Bistro Express, and three convenience stores: the Trading Post, the Marina Store, and the General Store.

The full-service, 650-slip seasonal marina offers canoes, Jon fishing boats, pontoon boats, and houseboats for rent, the latter of which, measuring 60-by-16 feet, sleep up to ten, and sport swim and upper sun decks, waterslides, barbecue grills, four bedrooms, two full baths, a galley/kitchen, a dining room, a living room, and air conditioning.

The Lake Raystown Resort offers its own, 90-minute public sightseeing cruise on the “Proud Mary Showboat,” along with other dinner, full-bar, and sunset excursions.

Article by Susan McCrossin

If you are a business owner with a website, itâ??s time you considered a smart phone application that drives business and communicate with customers. Why? Take a look at these compelling statistics. Morgan Stanley Research has recently estimated that the sale of smart phones will outpace the sale of PCs in 2012, and Gartner estimates that more than 500 million smart phones will be sold in 2012. People are using their phones not only for calls, but also to access their email, the internet, and communicate by text and even video. As a company focused on website design in Pennsylvania, we see evidence of small and medium sized business owners recognizing this trend and asking us to design smart phone applications for their products and services.

We have been asked to design business smart phone applications to accomplish the following:

Reminders for healthcareNotices of expirationLocating items at storesPrice comparisonsPay for purchases by phoneCheck online and in-store availabilitySign up for price alerts and promotionsOpt-in text coupons

Many people this holiday season are using their smart phone to find holiday deals, receive price updates and see what others who bought products have to say. Other shoppers post sales and their shopping experiences on Facebook and Twitter, and shoppers can use their smart phones to try to get the best deal or the shortest line.

Smart phone applications can use a camera to capture the bar code of a product and deliver coupons or other information. Some applications can interface with Google results show weather, parking and other nearby services based on location.

From a website design in Pennsylvania perspective, these mobile smart phone applications present a considerable technical challenge because phones come in many different forms and run different technologies. Screen sizes and keyboards are not standard, and some phones have different touch screen technologies as well. So it makes sense from a website design in Pennsylvania perspective to look at the economies of scale and approach the smart phone application problem on a device specific framework, tailoring applications to individual devices.

In August, the Nielsen ratings for US smart phone use show that (blackberry) RIM is on top, followed by the iPhone and Android. But when only recent purchasers are compared, the order of the top 3 changes to Android, iPhone and RIM. Therefore designing applications that work for these three technologies seems to make the most sense for smart phone application website design in Pennsylvania.