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Visiting Philadelphia

Learn the many fascinating things that Philadelphia has to offer including historical places and a large compilation of dishes.

Philadelphia is the sixth most populous city in the US, the largest in the state of Pennsylvania, in the east coast. It has a huge population, the fifth largest in the US. Philly, as it is often called, is a seat of commercial, cultural, and educational activity in the east coast. Owing to Benjamin Franklin and his pivotal role in the American Revolution and independence, Philadelphia rose to prominence in the early days of the American history.

Given as part of debt repayment by Charles II to Quaker William Penn, Philadelphia has had a tumultuous history from a time even before Penn. From being the temporary seat of the Federal government in the early days of the Union to rapid industrial development in the ensuing hundred-year periods, to economic stagnation and corruption to today’s present state, the city of Philadelphia has probably seen it all.

Tourists visiting the City of Brotherly Like flock there for a historical and multicultural experience. Philly will delight you with historic sites, artistic collections from ethnic to modern, and an incredible array of dishes you will not find somewhere else.

Philadelphia is more than historic landmarks and cobblestone parks. It inevitably developed a rich mix of European architecture, ethnic art, rituals and faiths, plus a vast collection of culinary secrets because of the many people who have settled here through the years.

A visit to Philadelphia starts at the Independence Visitors’ Center. The Center helps visitors plot their itinerary. It is a one-stop shop for all information needs regarding the city.

Find excellent lodging accommodations, brilliant places to eat, and book transport services. You will also find events schedules, a list of ticket centers for sites and shows, maps and directions. The Independence Visitors’ Center is your personal concierge, assisting you with all your needs and making sure your stay is a memorable one.

It would be wise to browse through their website before you arrive and drop in first thing when you get to Philly. The site really even offers free internet access to visitors. Plus, they’ve got souvenir shops right at the center for your convenience.

The Philadelphia’s Multicultural Affairs Congress (MAC), a division of the Philadelphia Convention & Visitors Bureau, ensures that the many cultures of the city are promoted. it works to ensure that unique cultural traditions are kept alive in the city. If you are organizing a multicultural event, the MAC can help you with that.

Philly also has plenty of language translation services for visitors who might require that kind of help. You can run up a search for those companies that offer such services or contact the Independence Visitors’ Center for information and recommendation.

Much like many US cities and states with unique cultural and historical mix, Philly excites people because of the many roles it played in America’s history. Residents are a testimony of people coming together with their differences and finding a common ground to live alongside each other’s differences. Learn American culture, history, people, and life like nowhere else. Visit Philly today and share Ben Franklin’s passion for this fantastic American city.

To give you a head start, try to book on a walking tour to get an overview of the city. You will be taken for a ride around the well-known attractions. You can opt to have a guide to give you a background of the sites you see.

Philadelphia has magnificent structures amid the bustling urban way of life. St. Peter and St. Paul Basilica stand proud, also the Arch Street United Methodist Church. Also take time to visit the many museums and galleries around, Brandywine Workshop and Betsy Ross Bridge. And do not forget to pass by the grave of Ben Franklin, who the Phillies deeply revere.

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A Brief History of Fireplaces Down Through the Ages

Fireplaces are everywhere in today’s world and we take them for granted.  But when did they start? How have they changed over the years?  And what is their status today?  These are some of the questions we will set out to answer in this Brief History of Fireplaces Down Through The Ages.

A Million Years Ago

Though we may reckon of fireplaces (translated from Latin as a “hotbed”) as an invention that has evolved over the last few hundred years, they have been used by every culture in the world in some form or other for over 1 million years.  The first fire pits dug by the caveman are considered fireplaces even though they were simple holes placed in the ground or in their caves.  These “fireplaces” were used for warmth on cold days and nights along with cooking.  They were also the center for the gathering of people.  These fire pits were in the center of an area.  This allowed for the maximum number of people to gather around and experience the heat.   The problem with a fire pit in a cave or any other enclosed structure is you need a way to let the smoke escape.  With the first straw huts the smoke was able to escape through the tiny opens in the straw.  Or, as in the case of Indian tipis, an opening was placed in the top of the structure to let the smoke escape.  This lasted for thousands of years. 

1100’s

Around the 1100’s the fireplaces went from the middle of the dwelling to a position against a wall and in this century the chimney started to come into use.  About this time you start seeing fire hoods (is this time right???).  At first these were purely functional but eventually took on an ornamental purpose also. 

1500’s

When buildings started having second tales people wanted fireplaces on the second floor also.  These early fireplaces vented the smoke out of the building horizontally and since smoke wants to go vertically it was just as likely to come back into the room.  Now the real use of the chimney came into play.  This device allowed the smoke to rise vertically and flow out of the building.  The first and second floors would share a common chimney structure.  The chimney was a critical innovation.   About this time architects started to seriously study fireplace design. 

1600’s

Sir Christopher Wren, one of the greatest English architects and the re-designer of St. Paul’s cathedral in London, started to design fireplaces to go with the look of the room.  Under Wren fireplaces were no longer objects with no design ties to the rest of the room.  Now the fireplace became an architectural feature of the room. 

In 1678, near the end of his life, Prince Rupert of the Rhine, a nephew of Charles I of England, learned that raising the frame used for holding the burning fuel allowed more air circulation.  Now the air could get underneath the fire and fuel it.  His design also included a switchable baffle to allow the air to flow up, then down, then up again.  This meant that hot gases had longer to travel before being completely burnt thereby producing more heat.

1700’s

In the 1740s a prominent American, living in Philadelphia, named Benjamin Franklin invented a unique stove that became known as the Franklin stove.  This went the heat source back into the middle of the room which helped in heating the whole room more evenly.  The stove was made out of cast iron.  This continued to radiate heat long after the fire was out.  The stove had more advanced features than Prince Rupert’s discovery.  The Franklin stove allowed the hot gases to travel even further and this was more heat efficient.  A heat vent at the top allowed the heated air to escape into the room.  This provided convection along with radiated heat.

The Franklin stove had a flaw though.  The smoke was vented from the bottom and air could not be drawn in.  Another Philadelphian named David Rittenhouse added an L-shaped stovepipe to go the air through the fire and vent the smoke out through the chimney.  This vastly improved the performance of the Franklin stove and by the end of the 1700’s the stove was being used throughout the new country. 

In the late 1700s Count Rumford (Sir Benjamin Thompson, born in the United States and later went to Bavaria) designed the first fireplace with a tall and shallow firebox.  The firebox reflected heat more efficiently and provided a much better way for smoke to escape.  Count Rumford’s design is considered the foundation of modern fireplaces.  His design led to a decrease risk of chimney fire and allowed the chimney to be placed in the wall of the home.  Before this chimney’s were designed to be kicked away from the home when they caught fire!

The industrial revolution led to large scale housing developments that brought about the standardization of fireplaces.  The best known fireplace designers of this time were the Adam Brothers architects.  They perfected a style of fireplace that was used for generations. It was a smaller and visually lighter fireplace and emphasis was placed on the quality of the materials.   

1800’s

By this century the basic structure of the fireplace was in place.  It consisted of two parts – the surround and the insert.  The surround is the mantle and sides and was usually made of wood, marble and granite.  The insert is the part of the fireplace where the fire is burned.  This part was constructed of cast iron and sometimes decorated with various tiles.  The Victorian era viewed fireplaces as adding a cozy, quaint environment to homes.  A gorgeous fireplace added a touch of class to the home.

Early 20th Century

After World War I the Art Deco movement focused on function over form.  It emphasized modern aesthetic values and fireplaces built during this period reflected this trend.  Then with the wide spread destruction of Europe caused by World War II there became a real urgency for housing and with that started the development of prefabricated electric fire and fireplaces.         

Mid-20th Century

With the introduction of central heating the fireplace became more of a decorative statement in the home rather than a source of necessary heat.  But the recognition of the importance of a hearth to family and home started to be acknowledged and there was a refocus on more traditional fireplace design.  Today a fireplace in the home provides heat and an architectural element.  In many homes the fireplace is the center for social gatherings.  They are appealing since they add a certain amount of style to a home.  And who doesn’t find a fire mesmerizing and relaxing.  In our post industrial, modern society their purpose has evolved from providing necessary heat and cooking to a symbol of warmth and like. 

Franklin Speaking Global Translator
Video Rating: 1 / 5

Here I talk about the features of this product and how simple it is to use.

Episode 22 – Segment 5 Get Connected host AJ Vickery gives you a quick lesson in Chinese and reviews the Franklin Speaking Global Translator, a device you’ll want to bring along on your next overseas businesss trip.

Smart Summer Travel Gadgets

Every traveler knows that a vacation is not a vacation without at least a few handy gizmos to enhance the overall experience. Though the whole point of a vacation is to disconnect, nowadays many of us find it nearly impossible to do so – whether it’s prompted by a mounting workload left behind at the office or simply the urge to stay on top of your latest batch of Tweets. That’s where nifty travel devices from travel adapters to language translators come in, all of which help to alleviate some of the stresses of travel. You don’t have to be a tech guru to appreciate how the four gadgets below can make brilliant travel companions for the summer.

1. Kensington Travel Plug Adapter: Priced at .99 and weighing just 8 ounces, the Kensington Travel Plug Adapter makes both an affordable and lightweight tool to keep your iPhone, iPod, camera, notebook or other mobile device charged on the go – especially if you plot to travel outside of the country. In fact, the pocket-size device features AC power plugs – all are built into the adapter itself – for more than 150 different countries. A built-in safety release button and fuse ensure safe operation, and the adapter comes with a 1-year warranty. How’s that for staying connected while abroad?

2. SteriPen: Contaminated water is a leading cause of illness in travelers, hence the reason why many travelers refrain from drinking tap water while on airplanes and at hotels, stores and restaurants in their target destination. That won’t be necessary, but, if you’re thirsty for water and have a SteriPEN in tow. Compact and portable, the SteriPEN – its name being a nod to its clean pen-like appearance and capacity to sterilize water – uses UV light to kill off 99.9% of viruses, bacteria and protozoa that produce water-borne illness. Not only does it work quicker than chemical treatments, but it doesn’t have the unpleasant taste of iodine or chlorine. Plus, this handy gadget has earned the Water Quality Association’s Gold Seal. Talk about seeing water in a whole new light!

3. Nikon GPS Geotagging Device: How often have you glanced at pictures taken on vacation and had distress recalling the name of the river, bridge, street or well-known landmark that graces the background? With the Nikon GP-1 GPS Unit firmly affixed to your Nikon camera, you’ll be able to remember the exact coordinates of where you snap every single photo.  Moreover, geotags can be added to your images so you can record longitude, latitude, altitude and time information. To place it another way, it’s like having a slick device that takes the place of your memory as needed. The only caveat, of course, is that you’ll need a Nikon camera.

4. Franklin Speaking 12-Language Translator: Interested in boning up on your Spanish before traveling to sunny Miami? How about polishing your French ahead of your trip to New Orleans? The TGA-490 pocket-size translator by Franklin translates and speaks over 200,000 words and 12,000 travel phrases in 12 languages. In addition, Franklin’s phonetic spell correction allows you to enter words by how they sound. Other fantastic features include five games, a local/world clock, metric converter, and a Databank that stores and instantly retrieves vital names and numbers.

Although these products won’t ease all of your travel worries, they make fantastic finds for summer travel and will help keep you at least a tad more relaxed and occupied. After all, a vacation should be as stress-free as possible!

Jon gets to grips with the Franklin 12 language speaking global translator

The Franklin i-Pen speaking translator pen is perfect for your translating needs whether youre traveling or need to engage in casual conversation. No need to fumble through a long dictionary or look up words on your PC, just a simple touch of the phrase with the pen will return a spoken translation for you. Key travel and conversation phrases have been predetermined in Chinese, Japanese, Korean and English. The enclosed phrase book is smartly organized by twelve useful subjects including personal greetings, airport travel, transportation, sightseeing, restaurants and shopping. Easily access thousands of translations.

live.pirillo.com – While in Frankfurt recently, we had an incredible time. The food was fantastic, the people were friendly, and the city was gorgeous. But, Ponzi and I neither one speak a lick of German.
Video Rating: 4 / 5

The Franklin E-Book Reader – An E-Reader At A Price That Is Sure To Please

E-Book readers have been developed for the person on the go, starting from Franklin’s EBook Man in 1999. Franklin Electronic Publishers is the leading worldwide provider of handheld electronic book. On October 23, 2001, it announced a major software release for its multimedia content device, eBookMan. 

The market scenario is perpetually dynamic and these electronic devices are slowly but surely becoming a book-lover’s option. The new device has an updated operating system, new memory storage along with application and audio capabilities. It brings a comprehensive e-book library with 4000+ new titles. This e-book reader supports E-Books with images. It also includes a ‘Virtual Tour’- a quick glance at the key features and a ‘how to’ going with it.  

Not only the device acts as your all-round language helper but it also doubles up as a flexible and accomplished personal assistant. And that does not end its attractive features. It is a dictionary, a learning tool and an mp3 player, along with a whole host of other useful features. 

The LCD touch screen has a high resolution screen (240X200 pixels) with 16 gray scale levels. Reading is comfortable and friendly to the eyes. With a dimension of just 130mm by 90mm by 13mm, the device is comfortably sized to fit comfortably into your pocket. And at just 6.5 ounces, this snazzy small device does not weigh you either. Then there is a USB cable provided that allows you to download e-books from your laptop or PC. 

The touch screen allows for smooth and simple navigation. Once you choose to go for it, this device will be your e-book reader, language translator, organizer and personal data recorder. It plays music for you too, whenever you are in the mood. 

It sure can be your answer to going the e-book reader way, with affordability and a number of essential tools thrown in acting as a bonus.

Live coverage: Silva vs. Sonnen — UFC 117 in Oakland
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Waukegan school honest helps kids get health care
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