Northwest Gold Coast

Most people probably don’t sharpen their household knives as often as they should.  In fact, most people have never truly worked with a sharp knife because sharpening a knife seems scary or like too much trouble. 

Did you know cutting with a dull knife is much more dangerous than using a sharp one?  Many injuries in the kitchen while preparing food are caused by using a dull knife.  This is because the excessive force needed to cut with a dull knife can cause the knife to slip and then cut the user. 

Those who spend a lot of time in the kitchen know that a sharp knife is a vital tool and a cook’s best friend.  Taking good care of knives and keeping them sharp is very important.

Now there is a new service that can help both the novice cook and the experienced chef.

Cutlery on Wheels is a new, mobile business started in the Greater Seattle Area in late 2009 by Bill Magee.  Bill brings years of experience in cutlery sales and service. His new business is the fulfillment of a 20 year old dream to have a fully equipped utility van offering mobile knife sharpening service and a knife and kitchenware showroom. 

Customers bring their knives and scissors on to the van for Bill to sharpen.  While they wait they can browse the knives and kitchen gadgets displayed on the shelves and walls of the van as Bill shares stories of knives and life experiences that educate and entertain his customers.

Bill loves meeting new people and welcomes all questions regarding knives and cutlery and how to care for them.  With over 20 years experience in this field, Bill is very knowledgable on the subject and his storytelling style is lighthearted and warm.

Cutlery on Wheels carries a variety of quality knives from manufacturers such as Forschner, E Dick, Lamson & Goodnow, Messermeister, Victorinox and more.  Quality products and oustanding service are unparalleled by Bill Magee’s business.

For more info on this business and to learn how you can schedule your service, go to http://www.cutleryonwheels.com.

Tags: Services, Shopping by Michelle Leonard
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Cascade e-Commerce Solutions is one of over 100,000 brick and mortar businesses nationwide to have been recognized as a favorite place on Google.   Stop by our office and you’ll see the Google Maps decal in our front window.  Scan the decal with a cell phone (requires a cell phone that can scan a QR code) and you can access our business’ information in Google Maps, read any reviews, write a review or star our business as one of your own favorites in Google.

According to the letter that accompanied the decal, Google’s criterion for choosing our business as one of its favorite places included:

• the number of times Google users found our business listing between July 1 and September 30, 2009 (this number equates to a measurement of the popularity of the business’ Google Local Business Center Listing) and
• the number of times people requested driving directions and other information about our business.

In the future, Google may decide to send out more decals periodically to businesses that meet its criteria.  No purchase is necessary to receive a decal and it’s completely free to sign up for Google’s Local Businesss Center.  You can find out more information online at Google’s Local Business Center or contact us with questions.

Tags: CeSI News by Michelle Leonard
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You know it’s time to remake your company’s website when …

1. A first-time visitor says, “Ahh, I see your website is from the Early Web Period.”
2. Only your mother can find it.
3. A new customer comes to your store, sits down and cries, “It didn’t look like this on the web!”
4. Your staff informs you that the website just sold something you haven’t got.
5. Your web master has disappeared and no one else can figure out how to make anything work.
6. Your sales staff are ashamed to share the web address with anyone.
7. Customers complain they can’t find what you say is there.
8. Your logo and other design elements are new millennial and your website is past millennial.
9. Your web stats show that lots of people are finding the website, but no one’s buying.
10. A first-time visitor says, “Yuck.  I never go beyond those drum beat and swhirly dot pages!”

You know you don’t need a website makeover when …

Your business is working at capacity, income exceeds out go, your customers are happy and your staff have no complaints.

If you’re looking to update your website call us at 206.244.9092 or email info@4cesi.com.

Tags: Business Advice, Services by Elizabeth Paulsen
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Sea-Tac Airport takes the  Next Step in Avian Radar Development with Real-Time Bird Tracking System

In partnership with University of Illinois researchers and the Federal Aviation Administration, Seattle-Tacoma International Airport is the first airport in the country to begin the use of a new advanced bird tracking system with real-time displays of bird activity on and around the airport. This enhanced technology will allow wildlife management staff to access live data as they patrol the airfield to minimize bird hazards.
 
Sea-Tac Airport has been the demonstration site for avian radar research since 2007. Three avian radars are currently installed at Sea-Tac, two on the top of the airport’s office building and one in the middle of the airfield between two runways.
 
“Sea-Tac is a leader in the evaluation of this technology,” said Dr. Edwin Herricks, the leader of the University of Illinois research program, a professor of civil and environmental engineering. “I don’t know where this program would be without the input and real-life evaluation efforts by the staff and support from the Port of Seattle.”
 
Through the FAA-designated Center of Excellence for Airport Technology (CEAT) at the University of Illinois, the latest milestone in the research program builds on equipment from Accipiter Radar Inc. that provides geographic displays of bird activity on Google Earth ™ maps.
 
“This technology will give us situational awareness of the entire airfield day or night – it will be like wearing a huge pair of binoculars,” said Steve Osmek, Sea-Tac Airport’s wildlife biologist. “Rather than depending only on what we can see from our particular location, we’ll be able to know if there are bird issues anywhere around the airfield so we can respond quickly and appropriately.”
 
For more information on the CEAT research, go to the University of Illinois Avian Radar Assessment Program at http://ceatasmp.cee.illinois.edu/
 
For more information on Sea-Tac Airport’s wildlife management programs, go to http://www.portseattle.org/community/environment/wildlife.shtml

Tags: CeSI News, Travel by admin
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Businesses that developed simple text-dense websites in the early years of the Internet (before 2001) benefited from a phenomenon known as “grandfathering”.  If these businesses listed their websites in the major search engines before the engines began charging for inclusion or pay per click, their sites stayed in the search engines for free because the search engines were each trying to compile the biggest, most relevant database.

If the businesses were in well-defined niches, the websites of these businesses had quite high rankings for several phrases related to their business and web-generated business was good!

Then by mid-1995 many businesses that had had natural search high rankings for several years saw their rankings drop significantly (from first page to 16th page or below).  This was because the algorithms (formulas) utilized by the search engines evolved continuously while the websites did not keep up with current international standards.

While each website varies, optimizing an older website to meet current international standards typically involves over a dozen discrete tasks.  There is no silver bullet, simply a list of tasks that take about three weeks to complete.  These tasks include:

1. conducting research to identify which phrases will get the most web traffic (highest count of searches to number of competing web pages),
2. scripting improved text for the search engines and human readers,
3. eliminating code that slows down search engine robots,
4. adding structural elements that help people and search engine robots get through the site more quickly, and
5. deleting any inappropriate strategies that may have been in place prior to optimization.

Businesses that have experienced dropped rankings currently represent about half the new clients for the search engine optimization services provided by Cascade e-Commerce Solutions, Inc. (CeSI).  CeSI calls this work “ranking remediation” because it involves working to remedy dropped rankings so that web-generated business levels are restored.

Restoring lost rankings takes less time than securing rankings for sites that are new or have never been well ranked.  Businesses that have lost ranking know the value of their search engine position in terms of sales and new customers and so are highly motivated to assist in the process.  Short turn around time and high client motivation make ranking remediation an especially fun effort for CeSI.

If your business’ website is in need of ranking remediation, please don’t hesitate to contact Cascade e-Commerce Solutions at 206-244-9092 or info@4cesi.com.

Tags: Business Advice, Services by Elizabeth Paulsen
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The Exhibition– BODIES: Visitors can see inside the human body structure, and watch it function from the inside out. Many of the full body specimens are dissected in vivid athletic poses, related to everyday activities. Educational for all ages. | Sun.- Thur. 10am – 7pm, Fri. & Sat. 10am-10pm, Dec. 9th, 2009 – March 31, 2010 | 1505 Fifth Ave. Seattle, WA 98101 | For more info: www.bodiestheexhibition.com/seattle

Bellevue Home Show: If you’re looking for ideas, exhibits, seminars and demonstrations in home remodeling, landscaping, new construction and interior design, Bellevue’s Home Show has it all. Located at the Meydenbauer Center | January 22nd-23rd | 10am-8pm | Sunday Jan. 24th | 10am-6pm.  Admission is $8. for adults, $5. for seniors, and kids 12 and under are free.  For more info on this event and parking, go to: www.bellevuehomeshow.com

Children’s Film Festival: Northwest Film Forum’s annual film festival for kids. Look for opening night special. Audiences have a chance to engage into activities and songs for Spanish-language films. |January 22nd- 31st  | Northwest Film Forum | For more info: www.nwfilmforum.org

Country Village Train Rides: Enjoy a half-mile train ride through the Country Village grounds.| Fri. – Sun., 11:30am – 4pm | Country Village Bothell | For more info:www.countryvillagebothell.com

Friday Night Family Ice Skate: All ages and abilities are welcome! This is an ongoing event for family with great price $3 | Fri. 6:45-8:45pm, Jan. 8th-Mar. 26th  |  Alki Community Center, Seattle | For more info: www.seattle.gov

Daddy and Daughter Dance: Take your princess to the Ball! Make your daughter’s fantasy a reality in this fun community event. | Feb. 6th |  3-5pm or 6:30 – 9pm | For more info: www.ci.lacey.wa.us

Community Spaghetti Dinner: Your family can enjoy a delicious spaghetti dinner while making new friends and a complimentary moonlit stroll to learn about nighttime animals of Seward Park.| Jan. 29th |  6-7pm, Full Moon Walk- 7-8:30pm | $4 adults, $3 children | Seward Park Environmental and Audubon Center | For more info: sewardpark.audubon.org or buy tickets online at www.brownpapertickets.com

Free First Thursday: Enjoy free admission to Seattle museums, Seattle Art Museum, Seattle Asian Art Museum, The Burke Museum, Wing Luke Asian Museum, the Museum of History and Industry and the Museum of Flight | Varies by Museum hours | FREE

Pero (or The Mysteries of the Night): Children, and children-at-heart, will smile at this sweet show about a night-shift baker who loves a day-shift wash woman. Will the colorful new stranger in town win her, or will Pero triumph? | Fri. 7pm | Sat. 2pm & 5pm | Sun. 2pm, Jan. 14th – Feb. 14th | Seattle Children’s Theatre | For more info: www.sct.org

The Knight and the Mermaid: Imagination, heroism and magic come in abundance with the Carter Family Marionettes. Children and adults will love these 3-foot characters with their lavish constumes. | Sat.& Sun 1pm & 3pm |  Jan. 9th-24th | Northwest Puppet Center 9123 15th Ave. Seattle 98115 | For more info: www.nwpuppet.org

Peter and the Wolf Introduce You to the Families of Orchestra: Children’s concert with Dr. Duane Hulbert and the Tacoma Youth Symphony. What a great way to learn music and a classic tale at the same time! | Sat. 3pm | Jan. 23rd | For more info: www.pugetsound.edu

Tet Festival – Vietnamese Lunar New Year: The Year of the Ox comes with music, food, exhibits and other cultural presentations. | Sat. & Sun. Feb. 6th & 7th | Seattle Center House | For more info: seattlecenter.com

Sweeties Pancake Breakfast: City of Seatac’s Community Center Seniors hosting a delicious pancake breakfast for all. February 13th | 9am-11am. Bring your favorite sweetie, spouse, friend, or family member as a live band will seranade with song and music. Cost is $4. in advance, $5. at the door. For more info, call 206.973.4690 or go to  www.ci.seatac.wa.us

Daddy/Daughter Valentine Ball:  The city of Burien invites you to join in for an evening of dancing, refreshments, flowers for the daughter, raffle prizes and a photo in cupid’s corner.  This event will be held at Burien’s Community Center on February 6th | session 1: 5:30-7pm | session 2: 7:30-9pm | Cost is $27.00 per couple for 1 father, 1 daughter | $5.00 each additional father or daughter.  For more info: www.burienwa.gov

Tags: Events by Michelle Leonard
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