Window Safety Checklist - Homeowners Must Read

Broken glass is definitely a health hazard, for anyone who is near it, when the glass is actually broken. After the glass is broken and is laying on the ground in pieces, people can still get hurt. Here's a basic window safety checklist for homeowners that everyone must read. It will provide you with some simple tips that could prevent a loved one from getting seriously injured in the future.

1. Contact your local building department or fire department, to get the basic requirements for using your window as a fire escape. Your windows can be used to jump out of, if there is a fire inside your home.

2. Make sure that young children avoid playing around windows. You should always teach your children, never to throw large objects or balls in the house.

3. You might think about installing a window ladder, if you live in a two-story home, which could be made of rope or chain. These latter's can be thrown out of the window, while latching onto the window sill, in case there's a fire. It would provide you with an alternative from jumping out of the window. Don't under estimate these fire ladders, they can be extremely difficult to climb down.

4. If you leave large sliding glass doors open on a regular basis and clean them spontaneously, others might not realize they're closed, because they're so clean. Simply put a piece of tape on the window to prevent other people from thinking there open. You would be surprised how many accidents happen, from clean windows.

5. Last but not least, one of the most important problems with windows. Think security, if you leave your windows open and leave the house, someone now as easy access. There are plenty of ways to make your windows secure, using locks that clamp on to the side of the window. This will allow you to leave the windows open about 4 inches, leaving you the desired ventilation and preventing burglars from entering your domain.

If a window is cracked, or broken it should be replaced as soon as possible. Try to avoid fixing broken glass your self if you don't have any experience. Plenty of people get hurt every year, simply underestimating how sharp broken glass can actually be.

Home Window Ideas

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Five Things That a Termite Inspection Company Might Not Ever Say

I don't think that I've ever heard of a termite inspector, ever go to a home and not find any termites. Even if the home doesn't have any damage that is visible from the termites, it seems like it's always a good idea, to tent the home, just in case, for protection. Anyway, here's five things that you might not ever hear a termite inspector ever say.

1. Your house is free of termites. This means that there isn't, one termite on your property and the termite inspector isn't going to make any money. Let's face it, termite damage, whether it's visible or invisible, keeps these guys working.

2. Your house isn't going to fall down, if I don't do anything to stop the termites. I have seen homes, where termites have been working on them for quite some time and they still seem to stand up and function properly.

3. Termites don't eat much and I wouldn't worry about the damage. Most termite inspectors will tell you how much a termite in Hawaii or Africa will eat in a day, but doesn't seem to have an honest idea, how much damage they are doing to your home, if they can't actually see it.

4. Every one that works for our company, has at least 30 years experience, repairing any termite damage. Don't even get me started with this one.

5. We will replace all of the termite damage wood, back to its original condition. What they might say, is that they will replace the wood that is damaged by termites, that you can actually see.

There are plenty of great termite companies out there and this article was meant just to have fun with most of them. Termite damage can be a serious problem with some homes and I would suggest that you contact at least three termite inspectors, before proceeding ahead with any home repairs or use of chemicals.

Try not to forget, the only way that a termite inspection company will make any money, looking at your house, will be to find something wrong with it.

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10 Things a Homeowner Won't Tell a Contractor - Common Courtesy

I've been a contractor in the state of California for over 20 years and there are some things that a homeowner won't tell a contractor. These are a few things that a contractor might want to hear, but a reluctant homeowner, might have second thoughts telling their contractors how they really feel.

1. We are happy with all of the work that you did in a timely manner and we appreciate your services.

2. We are happy with the way you performed your construction tasks, efficiently and we appreciate your services.

3. The work was done by a true professional and we would recommend you to any one of our friends.

4. The payment plan that you created in the contract worked out perfectly and never made us feel uncomfortable. It never seemed like you had too much of our money or we were putting you in a bad spot financially.

5. Thanks for keeping the job clean, it meant a lot to us, because we have seen other construction jobs that look like a tornado ran through them.

6. Thanks for helping us with our design. Working with your contractor on a daily, weekly or monthly basis can be frustrating or joyful. Let the contractor know either way how you are really feeling.

7. You and your crew are extremely hard-working and we appreciate the simple fact that you didn't come to work late or leave early.

8. Thanks for the reasonable priced estimate on our project. You helped us say a lot of money and we appreciate that sincerely.

9. Thanks for doing the extra work at a reasonable price. You could have gouged us at certain times, but you chose to be fair and work things out, in a way that would benefit both of us.

10. This one is the most important and often overlooked by homeowners and it's simple and easy to do. Thanks for doing what you said you were going to do and actually doing it.

Just a simple thank you and paying them on time, for a service well done is enough for most contractors. However, a little common courtesy can go a long way, even in the construction industry.

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Home Purchasing Checklists Provide Protection

Home purchasing checklists provide protection for consumers with useful information for future home repairs or current home repairs that will need to be done before the home is sold. Home inspectors often use checklists like these, while they're inspecting the home.

If more home shoppers used home inspection checklist while shopping for houses, we would probably have more satisfied homebuyers than dissatisfied ones. Recently just purchasing a home, we had our real estate professional, the previous homeowner's real estate professional and a mortgage lender, involved in the purchase of the property.

There was a home inspection report from the current homeowners, available for us to look at. It provided us with the damaged parts of the home that were repaired or replaced. Some of these repairs were from termite damage and it was stated so on the report. This was helpful information for us as we walked around the home inspecting it for damage.

The work that was repaired to look satisfactory and the rest of the home had minor damage. Listening to one of the real estate sales people that were involved in the transaction, you would've thought we would get in the deal of a lifetime and they had nothing but good news to say about the product they were representing. I easily understood that, this person could have influenced some one into believing that the home was in great shape, if they didn't have a home inspection checklist with them.

The home had been re-carpeted, painted and was in generally good shape. The problems with the home, were the old windows that were hard to open, the heating unit leaked gas, the tile flooring that ran through the kitchen and a large room addition looked great, except for one thing, they installed the tile over linoleum.

This eventually will have to be replaced as the tile starts to separate from the linoleum. While I'm writing this article, there's about 40 square feet of tile that needs to be replaced, because it's popping up and cracking.

A home purchasing checklist does not guarantee that you will find everything but can't eliminate some of the things that homeowners have the biggest problems with. If you could just eliminate one of these problems, the small price of purchasing, one of these checklists would be worth it.

Home purchasing checklists provide protection for the shopper and I would recommend, never shopping for a home without one.

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By Greg Vandenberge

Attic Handrail Safety - Do it Yourself Home Repair

Some stairways that lead up to your attic will have a safety or guardrail to prevent people from falling down the stairs or off of them. Attic handrail safety can provide homeowners with a little peace of mind if they just follow the few simple steps. Make sure that the handrail is at least 42 inches in height. 42 inches is the minimum height for guard rails and can be found in the uniform building code.

The uniform building code is the Bible to the building industry and sets the standard for new construction and remodeling.

The 42 inches will be measured from the floor to the top of the handrail. Some older homes will have handrails that are 36 inches and some of them will be even 30 inches in height. A 30 inch handrail provides limited protection for anyone who is over five foot tall. 30 inches becomes the center point for any one over 60 inches and these people could easily fall over the short handrail.

Now for the homes that don't have any attic handrail safety systems. Some homes that were built before the 1960s won't have a handrail system at all in the stairway. Keep something in mind here, when these people were building these houses, some of them were trying to save money, some of them figured that it wasn't going to be a big deal and other builders simply forgot to install them.

It's not hard to install a working attic handrail for safety but keep in mind, that if the handrail isn't the right height, it will provide you with limited protection. Attic handrails that are lower than 30 inches can provide young children or others who are shorter than five feet with very little protection but can be a safety hazard to anyone over 5 feet tall.

If your attic doesn't have a safety handrail, use caution and be careful in these areas of your home. It wouldn't be a bad idea to install a locking doorknob if your attic access has a door that can be secured to prevent small children or other people from entering these unsafe areas.

Home Attic Repairs

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How Many Bathrooms Do You Really Need? Building New Homes

When my dad was a kid, they lived in a two bedroom house with one bathroom and the family consisted of him, his two brothers and his mother and father. When I grew up, we have it a little bit better. We had the same sized family as my father did, but we lived in a three-bedroom house with two bathrooms.

How many bathrooms do you really need? Think about it. Here's what I would like to suggest, if you have more money than you know what to do with and would love to help the economy, then you should put as many bathrooms as you need in your home.

If you really need to tell your friends, that you have a 250 bedroom house with 275 bathrooms, and you have the money to pay for it, do it and knock yourself out. However, if you are building a new home, I would like you to consider, this question. How many bathrooms do you really need?

If you want each one of your children to have their own bathroom, then go for it. It will require more cleaning, more money to build these bathrooms and is it really necessary.

Here's what I would suggest as a guideline for deciding, how many bathrooms you really need. One bathroom for two or less people, two bathrooms for five or less people and three bathrooms for eight or less people. You could actually add one bathroom for every three people as a general rule of thumb.

Don't get carried away and start installing bathrooms all over your house, it doesn't make sense. Bathrooms are expensive and I have been in the homes, where I was the only person that used at bathroom. Some bathrooms might not ever be used.

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Pest Droppings in the Attic - Pest Problems

Sometimes I wonder how these large animals can get through such small holes in our homes and into our attics and crawlspace's. A few years ago, I was working on a home that had water damage to the siding that needed to be fixed. The homeowner of course didn't want anymore water damage and this required repairing roof, the original cause for the siding damage.

When I bid the job, I had no idea what I was about to run into. The first day on the job, went smoothly as I repaired some damage fascia board, but the next day I was in for a surprise, as I removed the damaged siding, I found what looked like dog poop in the attic.

I was looking around in the attic and trying to figure out how a dog could of got up there. I know that I shouldn't have, but I walked around the home inspecting it for a large hole, any holes, something that a small dog could have wiggled his way into. I got my latter off of the truck and then went on the roof, trying to find a place where a dog could have got into the attic.

I couldn't find any holes and after wasting about an hour, I decided it was time to get back to work and since the homeowner wasn't there, I couldn't show him my new findings or ask him any questions. I cleaned up the mess and repaired the water damaged siding, but in the back of my head I kept thinking about how in the heck a dog got up in the attic.

To make a short story even shorter, when the homeowner arrived home that day, I showed him my findings and he informed me that he didn't have a dog. He did however inform me that he has been hearing something walking around in his attic for about a year now. He had a pretty good idea that they were raccoons.

I told him, that I had inspected his home and only found one small hole on top of his roof underneath the roof eave, but there's no way that a small raccoon could fit through that hole. He told me that you would be surprised, what these animals were capable of squeezing into and out of.

Well that's about it, the mystery was solved, I repaired the small hole in the attic and have never heard from the homeowner again. Hopefully that meant I did my job well and not that he was embarrassed about the poop in the attic.

Pest Control Ideas, House Pest Pictures

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Tile Grouting Tips For Your Bathrooms, Kitchens and Floors

Isn't tile grouting supposed to be simple, if you read the directions and watch a couple of videos? What could make tile grouting so difficult? Grouting your tile isn't that difficult, by the time you're done reading this article, you should have a pretty good idea how to grout your floors, bathrooms, kitchens and anything else that requires tile.

I used to have problems grouting tile, but after I read the directions, I became a grouting wizard. This sounds hard to believe, but after reading the directions on the tile grout bag, I became a grout master. I know, you the type of person who never read the directions, you simply add water, mix and start grouting.

It's time to change your thinking about, whether or not the directions will be helpful. Whether it's about grouting your bathroom floor or putting together your home barbecued. I read one thing on the grout bag and it changed my entire grouting career.

The grout should slake. After you're done mixing the grout, you should wait between five and 10 minutes to let the moisture soak into the grout mix. Do this once, and you will never go back to mixing your grout and applying it, as quickly as possible after it has been mixed.

For more information on grouting, remodeling or home repairs, I would recommend reading books on home improvement and home repairs. Some of these books can make a big difference in your home improvement abilities as a handyman. I would also recommend reading more articles, there's plenty of information about tile and grouting, all over the Internet.

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Subfloor Damage From Poor Bathtub Installation - Read Bath Tub Fixture Manuals

You should never under estimate the amount of damage that water can do to your wood subfloor. Especially if this wood is underneath your bathtub. If the bathtub is not installed properly, you could find yourself replacing the wood underneath, within a short period of time. This repair is not uncommon and as more homeowners and handyman seemed to be doing projects like these, without the proper experience, it's becoming even more common.

I wish I had a solution to the problem, however, I don't. The best advice I could give anyone who is going to be involved in any home remodeling project, would be to get some books on what ever task you are about to undertake and read all of the information that you possibly can about the products you are going to be installing. This is extremely helpful for anyone who has never installed a bathtub or any bathtub fixtures.

If the product fails and was installed properly, the manufacturer should be responsible for the water damage. I have been reading the manufacturer's installation manuals for quite some time now and every once in a while, I find something that is of great value to me and I get to pass it on to my readers. That's what I'm doing right now.

Whether you want to remodel your bathroom to save money or you want to accomplish a task that you haven't done yet. I would recommend, taking the time to understand, exactly how the water flows off of and on to another section of the bath tub or shower on its way to the drain. Understanding the basics of bathroom remodeling can save you big money in the future.

Save yourself some money and make sure that you install your bathtubs properly. Taking a little time before you start to read the bath tub fixture manuals, can save you some money and grief in the future.

Find More Facts On Home Water Damage.

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Don't Let This Happen to You - Home Computer Electrical Damage

If you've read any of my other articles, you know that I am always coming up with great ideas, tips and even a couple of stories that can save homeowners lots of money. Here's another one of those stories, that involves a friend of mine who asked me if I could fix his outdoor electrical outlet.

I was over at his house one day, and told him that I could probably fix the electrical outlet and if we needed any parts, we could run down to the lumber yard and pick them up and his problem would be solved within a few hours. This two hour repair was about to cost him the hard drive on his computer, but neither one of us had any idea what was about to happen.

We each agreed to give it a shot, I told him to go over to the electrical panel and turn off the breaker that went to his outdoor shed. He proceeded to turn off the breaker and yelled out," It's off, try it." I plugged in an electric drill and it was still working, as he was walking around the corner, towards me, I showed him that the drill was still on and he hadn't turned off the right electrical breaker.

He went back and turned off a couple of more electrical breakers and the drill was still running. Now he frantically started to turn off one electrical breaker at a time, until I yelled out," It's off, the electrical power is, off you can stop."

I repaired the electrical outlet and he went back to turn every electrical breaker back on that he had turned off. We were proud of ourselves and he now had electrical power, back to his shed and he was happy.

Now for the bad news, his computer was running and when he turned the electricity off and on, it must've done something to his computer hard drive and it now needed to be replaced.

The moral to the story, isn't that you shouldn't help your friends. It's that you should, make sure that your computers are safely off, before you attempt to do any electrical work to your home.

It wouldn't be a bad idea, to have a battery backup, for your computer, if you use it often, just in case there is an electrical failure or something happens like the story above.

If your really interested in saving money on your home electrical bills - Energy Saving Books

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Important Do-It-Yourself Home Remodeling Advice

Often I'm asked by homeowners, if they think that they can build something on their own. Often I end up explaining the process to them and it's pretty confusing. I would like to give some homeowners and construction handyman some do-it-yourself home remodeling advice, about projects that I think they should avoid and the reason why.

1. Working on Electrical Service Boxes

I really don't recommend, anyone who lacks experience working with electrical, to be working on it at all. When it comes to the electrical service box repairs, if you don't have any experience working in this specific area, I am suggesting this to all homeowners and do-it-yourselfers, stay away from electrical service power boxes. Electricity can be extremely hazardous to your health, so take my advice, this is coming from an expert on the subject.

2. Plumbing Water Supply Lines

I don't recommend, anyone who doesn't have any experience working with plumbing water supply lines, because if they break, or if your repair, doesn't hold properly, you could destroy a large portion of your home. Picture this, you just got through putting a new faucet in, everything looks great, but it's time for you to go to your baseball game. You come home about four hours later and the entire house is flooded with water.

This kind of stuff does happen and you need to take the advice of an expert here. It has even happened to me and I understand the process, pretty good. If you plan on fixing any plumbing water supply lines, make sure that you can spend the time, keeping an eye on your new home repair. If you're going to have any problems with them, they will usually happen within the first few hours of use.

I hope this helps, sometimes it's better to pay a professional, but I can understand, every intelligent person, is interested in saving a few dollars and learning new skills.

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Do-It-Yourself Concrete Room Addition Foundation

This information can also be very important to do-it-yourselfers that will be building other projects, for future home improvements. How can a do-it-yourselfer learn to build a concrete room addition foundation? Let's get started.

The first thing that you're going to need is a set of plans or building blueprints and they should have been approved by your local building department and planning department. There should be specific architectural details, that you will need to examine carefully, to build your new concrete room addition foundation correctly.

Let's get started with the digging. You're building plans, should give you the width and depth and the exact location, of the building footings that will need to be dug. Grab your shovels and get started. Make sure that all of the dirt is removed properly, before you start to form the room addition foundation footings.

Next you will need to form the foundation. This can be done using 2 x 10 or 2 x 12 form boards. You can easily apply these form boards, in the exact location, that the building plans are suggesting. You can use 1 x 3 wood or metal stakes that can be purchased at any home improvement or lumber yard, to hold up your form boards in the correct position.

The sole purpose of the form boards, will be to hold the concrete in, once it is poured. Next you will need to install all of the rebar and building hardware, that will also be required on your building blueprints. Make sure that you examine these building plans to find the exact location, for all of your anchor bolts, hold down bolts and all of your structural rebar.

Once this is done, you're ready to pour your concrete, but don't pour your concrete, until you have contacted your local building inspector to examine your new room addition building foundation.

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How to Find a Excellent New Home Builder

Looking for a good home builder or contractor, isn't an exact science, but hopefully, by the time you're done reading this article, you will at least have a better idea, what you will be looking for. Let's get started.

As a general contractor, the most important thing that I would be looking for any new home builder, would be experience. You can't sacrifice price for experience. If you're looking for the cheapest contractor, there's a good chance that this person will be lacking experience in home building knowledge.

How long has this person been in business? Just because you're new home builder has only been in business for five years, doesn't mean that he isn't capable of building your home. The same holds true for someone who has been in business for 30 years. Just make sure that these people have actually built homes in the past.

What is their attitude like? This is the second most important thing and I tend to focus on this more than experience, sometimes. If you don't get along with the person, you're not going to have a pleasant home building experience. If you think that there lying to you, scammers or generally don't feel comfortable with them, but they seem to have the most experience and build more homes in your area than anyone else. I wouldn't think twice about getting rid of them and finding someone else.

Last but not least, you should contact some of the people that they have worked for in the past. Talking to past clients, is going to play an important role in making your final decision. You need to find out, if these home builders, treated their clients fairly and were they generally happy with the overall outcome and performance, not only of the homebuilder, but each one of his subcontractors.

I would recommend writing out a list of questions and offering your new home builders past clients a free meal. Offer to take them out to dinner, lunch or breakfast, this way you will have their undivided attention and get the low down on your potential future home builder, it could be the best money that you ever spent.

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How Wide Should I Make My Carport? Planning Your Next Project

Whether you live in a home with or without a garage, you might be thinking about building a new carport. You've came to the right place and by the time you're done reading this article, you should have acquired a little more valuable information for your next home remodeling project.

Some homeowners install carports in front of their garage, on the side of their homes or even in their driveway. Car ports can be built anywhere on your property, as long as you have enough room and access to these areas for a car to be parked safely.

The most important thing to remember, when building a carports, is the width that will be required to park your vehicle underneath it. You will need to allow plenty of room, so that you will be able to access your vehicle comfortably.

There are plenty of carports, all over the country that are built right next to something, like a retaining wall, the side of your home or even another garage. I myself have parked in carports that were too small and over a period of time became an annoying inconvenience.

The minimum width that I would build any carport would be 10 foot wide, if you're going to build your carport next to a building, I would suggest that you park your car, open your door and measure the width of your car, with your door open.

This will give you a comfortable width for building your new carport. This is the best advice I could give anyone, who is planning on building a carport.

Garage Building Tips

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Basic Home Electrical Wiring - For the Do it Yourself Home Electrician

The Green Bay Packers were one of the most successful football teams and Vince Lombardi said something to them that I will never forget," This is a football." All the football players laughed and he said that we're going to start with the basics and that's what I'm going to do, with this article.

Let's start with our electrical wire, the two most common electrical wire sizes, that will be used in most homes, will be 14 and 12 gauge electrical wire. Let's clear something up, right off the bat, the smaller the number, the larger the wire. In other words a 12 gauge electrical wire is a little bit larger and will carry more electricity, for longer distances than a 14 gauge wire.

What about electrical outlet plugs? These plugs are usually the same, except for the fact that they come in different colors. When I said that most electrical plugs are the same, I'm talking about your standard wall outlet plug. There are different electrical plugs that will be used for air conditioners and some kitchen appliances like 220 Volt electric stoves and ovens.

What about your home's light switches? Your standard two way light switch will usually turn a one light on or a group of lights on, from one location. A three way light switch will usually turn one light on or a group of lights on from two different locations. A four way light switch, will usually turn one light or a group of lights on from three different locations.

It doesn't get any more basic than that. I hope this gives you a better understanding about your home's electrical system.

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Plywood Roof Sheeting - Roof Framing Trade Secrets

Most framing contractor's look at the building plans and order all of the material, according to those that are specified on the plans. This works out fine, and can often save you money, but rarely produces the best home that you could possibly frame.

As a professional framing contractor, I would like to share one of my house framing tips with you. Most plans require half-inch plywood or oriented strand board as their roof sheeting. This product is fine and if you're building a lot of homes, you're not going to have the choice. Ordering larger sized plywood could cost you thousands of dollars, especially if you're building a lot of homes.

However, if your framing or building a home for someone or even yourself, you might want to take my advice and think twice about it, before ordering the roof sheeting. Half-inch plywood, works okay for 16 inch on center roof rafters or engineered truss roofing systems. It doesn't work well on 24 inch on center roof rafters spacing.

It is usually flimsy and weak at the center point, directly in between the 24 inch roof rafter bays. If you're going to use the half-inch plywood, I would recommend using plywood clips that are relatively inexpensive and can be placed in the direct center of each roof rafter bay on each sheet of plywood. These can be purchased at most home improvement centers or lumber yards.

The other alternative, and this is what I recommend, would be to use 5/8 inch plywood. This plywood works great for 24 inch on center roof rafters and you will have a nice sturdy roof to walk on, while roofing your home.

I have actually seen people step through the flimsy plywood, while lifting heavy roof tiles and bundles of composition roof shingles. Experienced roofers try to walk directly on top of the roof rafters, when loading their roof shingles or even carrying them on the roof.

If you're a home builder and your concern is about making a profit, you will need to use the half-inch plywood. If you want to build a superior roof, use the 5/8 of an inch plywood.

If You Live in Northern San Diego County or South Orange County, and You're Looking for a Great Contractor, Click on This Link House Framing Contractors.

You are free to copy this article to your site as long as you include the following resource information with an active link to my site:

Greg Vandenberge is working on the internet to promote the education for creating simple to follow guides and home building books to help professional building contractors as well as the weekend warriors. He has just finished a excellent home inspection checklist to take some of the frustration out of home shopping.

Thanks For Reading My Articles

Retaining Walls Suffer From Moisture Problems

Whether you're driving down the road or through a neighborhood and you notice a retaining wall that has large cracks in it, or is severely discolored, or one that has white calcium deposits from moisture covering the entire wall, you've got problems with moisture.

The retaining wall is designed to hold the dirt back, that's it's sole purpose. It's not going to hold any moisture back unless someone has installed a waterproofing membrane to separate the soil from the concrete block wall. If the soil isn't ever going to get wet, then you probably don't need to waterproof the retaining wall.

However that's normally not going to be the case. So we need to waterproof the interior of our retaining walls to eliminate future moisture problems that could eventually, deteriorate as moisture starts to accumulate, inside of our block wall for a longer periods of time.

If you don't know anything about waterproofing, I would suggest that you hire a waterproofing expert. Waterproofing looks easier than it actually is, and might be out of your scope of work.

I'm not going to suggest that you use waterproofing paints, because I haven't seen great results with these products. However, if you're not that concerned about your retaining wall and are looking for a cheaper way to apply any waterproofing materials, these paints might not be a bad idea. Sometimes, Something is better than nothing.

If you live in a relatively dry climate, it might not be necessary to waterproof your retaining walls. But if you live in a damp or moist area, especially an area where the ground is moist all year round or more than six months out of the year, I would suggest that you waterproof the back of your retaining walls.

If you're really interested in basement remodeling and repairs, you should click on this link House Basement Repair Ideas. Get some great home repair advice that can make a big difference on any of your home remodeling projects.

Dryer Vent In Basement Window.

Greg Vandenberge is working on the internet to promote the education for creating simple to follow guides and home building books to help professional building contractors as well as the weekend warriors. He has just finished a Home Buyers Guide to take some of the frustration out of home shopping.

Thanks For Reading My Articles

Reflexology - Holistic Therapy

Reflexology is a modality in treatment used to enhance circulation, relaxation and improve ones overall health and well being. By formal definition, it is: "A focused pressure technique directed at the feet or hands." "It is based on the premise that there are zones and reflexes on different parts of the body which correspond to and are relative to all parts, glands and organs of the entire body".

Reflexology is not a "new age" treatment, but has in fact been around for thousands of years. There is documented evidence of this therapy dating back as far as 2,500 BC. It can benefit those as young as new born up to the elderly.

Reflexology, in simpler terms, works to stimulate the body's natural electrical energy to help increase the body's circulation. This is done through manipulation, pressure enhanced massage and focusing on various pressure points of the foot or hand. By increasing circulation, one will feel the instant benefits of reduced stress and enhanced relaxation. For those on medication, with medical conditions or enhanced side effects due to treatment; reflexology can improve feelings of overall well being and help to decrease pain or unpleasant side effects from modern medicine. For those practising other treatments in achieving good physical and emotional health, this is a perfect treatment to compliment other modalities as well.

A treatment session will usually last 45-60 minutes where the client will be fully clothed and draped with a sheet for comfort and warmth. It can be administered lying down or sitting up, which ever the client is most comfortable with. The treatment room will be clean, the atmosphere will be calm and usually with soft calming music playing in the background. The benefit of Reflexology over other treatments is that the results of a reflexology session can last up 5 days or more and treatment can be determined by the client on a as per need basis.

For those that have never experienced this type of therapy, it is well worth trying. To find a reputable and highly trained reflexologist, you can start by choosing a reflexologist that has been Certified by the College of Reflexology which practises strict standards and ensures a quality professional.

Don't settle for anything less.

2007 Silvana Rosati-Capizzano

Silvana is a well respected Interior Decorator, International Feng Shui Expert and the Principal of the Award Winning Home & Life Design Firm: Blue Avalon. Along with her years of study in Home Decor and Feng Shui, she has the unique ability of being able create luxurious interiors with balance and optimum energy flow thus creating a beautiful environment of positive energy, balance and harmony.

Silvana also devotes her time to her Holistic Practise at the Dove Spa, Canada. She is a well respected Reiki Master and Certified in Reflexology. Her passion for positive energy and it's effects on our surroundings as well as personally are encompassed in her practise of Feng Shui and Holistic Therapies. She offers Reiki, Reflexology, Indian Head Massage and Hopi Ear Coning.

Blue Avalon specializes in Interior Decorating, Feng Shui and Abundant Living. Blue Avalon is the publisher of The Blue Avalon Journal; a monthly e-zine packed with ideas, tips and insider secrets! To subscribe, log onto our website today at http://www.blueavalon.com and you will receive a bonus book, The Number One Feng Shui Secret That Will Transform Your Life!

Blue Avalon - "Harmony for your home...Balance for your life http://www.blueavalon.com.

Raising Your Grandchildren - Tips For Finding Help

Your grandchildren are living in your home. Now what? Raising your grandchildren is not an easy task and there are legal questions to be answered.

You are to be commended for taking on the task of raising a second family. I know you didn't ask for the job, but now it is yours.

Have you checked with a lawyer?

You may not feel you need one, but if it comes down to you having legal custody of your grandchildren you cannot afford to walk into court unprepared. Grandparents do have some legal rights now, but nothing is set in stone.

How are you doing financially?

Some of you may still be working and are able to absorb the extra expense of your new family. While, some may already be on a fixed income, used to be called retirement, and may be struggling to make ends meet.

How's your relationship with the parent of the grandchild?

That parent is still your child. Sometimes they are just in need of a little help until they can get life together. Sometimes they have gotten themselves into a mess and need some serious help. Help you may not be qualified to give.

Are there other grandparents involved?

You may desire to have your grandkids with you, but they may have been given to the other grandparents. That's the problem with this situation, you have some many people and personalities to deal with and that can be a big problem.

What about the home life the child or children came out from?

Sometimes this can be a real problem. There can be abuse, drugs, alcohol, pornography and who knows what else. The society your grandchildren live in today is much different from the one in which you grew-up.

Here's a few tips for overcoming these problems.

1. You really need a lawyer, even if you do not plan to get legal custody of the children. You need to know your rights and things do change.

2. Seek out financial advice. Proper financial planning is crucial if you are short on cash. You may want to investigate additional sources of income. If you have legal custody you may qualify for financial aid.

3. Check out various support groups. Some online forums offer limited legal advice and you can find others in the same position as you and can be a big moral booster.

4. There are several good books available. Check Amazon and others for suggestions.

The information in the raising grandchildren is limited right now, but I am sure that will change soon, as there are 4.5 million kids living with their grandparents in the United States. This is a huge market and I am sure there will be more help soon.

Click Here to find the information you need. I know how tough it is my two grandkids have lived with me for three years. Get the help you need at http://www.squidoo.com/grandparents-rights-1

Feng Shui Kua Numbers and Lucky Directions For Success

The best way to get into the world of Feng Shui is to determine your personal Kua Number, find out if you are an East or West Group person and your lucky directions.

Supposing you are born in the year 1871:

Step 1: Add the last two digits of your year of birth which in this example would be 7+1 = 8.

Step 2:
If you are a male:
Deduct the number that you derived from (Step 1) from 10. So in our example it will be 10-8 = 2. Your Kua Number is 2.
If you are a female:
Add the number that you derived from (Step 1) to 5. So in our example it will be 8+5=13 and then 1+3=4. Your Kua Number is 4.

Armed with the knowledge about your Kua Number:

Step 3: Find out if you are an East or a West group person:
Kua Numbers 1,3,4,9: EAST Group
Kua Numbers 2,5,6,7,8: WEST Group

Step 4: Find out your lucky directions:
Kua Number 1:
Success Direction: South-East
Health Direction: East
Romance Direction: South
Personal Development Direction: North

Kua Number 2:
Success Direction: North East
Health Direction: West
Romance Direction: North West
Personal Development Direction: South West

Kua Number 3:
Success Direction: South
Health Direction: North
Romance Direction: South East
Personal Development Direction: East

Kua Number 4:
Success Direction: North
Health Direction: South
Romance Direction: East
Personal Development Direction: South East

Kua Number 5:
For Males:
Success Direction: North East
Health Direction: West
Romance Direction: North West
Personal Development Direction: South West

For Females:
Success Direction: South West
Health Direction: North West
Romance Direction: West
Personal Development Direction: North East

Kua Number 6:
Success Direction: West
Health Direction: North East
Romance Direction: South West
Personal Development Direction: North West

Kua Number 7:
Success Direction: North West
Health Direction: South West
Romance Direction: North East
Personal Development Direction: West

Kua Number 8:
Success Direction: South West
Health Direction: North West
Romance Direction: West
Personal Development Direction: North East

Kua Number 9:
Success Direction: East
Health Direction: South East
Romance Direction: North
Personal Development Direction: South

By orienting yourself to face your lucky directions you are tapping into the goodness this will bring in all your activities thereby enabling you to succeed. Try to face your lucky direction as directly as possible. Where it is out your control (such the office space configuration is such that it is not going to be possible for you to sit facing your success direction) opt for the next best direction in the list pertaining to your Kua Number.

Veda Singam offers quality articles, short snippets on Feng Shui and Astrology. Moreover she also offers astrology horoscope content. Her work is published in Astrojasta.com a free online resource for astrology horoscopes. Visit the Zodiac Zone of that website for free monthly and daily horoscopes, astrology, numerology, feng shui and kua number resources.

The Three Sage Kings and the Five Legendary Emperors

Suiren, Fuxi and Shennong are regarded as the Three Sage Kings of ancient China who made personal sacrifices to improve the lives of the people. They are known for one or more unique contributions to mankind.

Suiren who reputedly lived 18,000 years ago discovered how to make fire by drilling wood. This discovering enabled mankind to eat cooked food and use fire to keep warm and ward off wild animals.

Fuxi taught people how to domesticate animals. He also taught them to make nets to catch fish, birds and wild animals and in the process ensure the supply of food all year round. He was also responsible for creating the institution of marriage and the for a 35 string musical instrument. His most important contribution however was the Bagua or Eight Trigram that formed the basis for the all important I Ching or Book of changes.

Shennong, also known as Yandi, invented the ancient rake, spade, plough and sickle and taught people to grow five types of cereals, rice, two types of millet, wheat and beans. He also invented barter trade and further modified Fuxi's 35 strings musical instrument into a 5 strings one.

However he was best remembered for tasting hundreds of wild herbs to find remedies to treat illnesses. In the process he suffered continually from poisoning and eventually die from eating one too many.

The emperors after Shennong were Huangdi, Zhuanxu, Diku, Yao and Shun and they are collectively known as the Five Legendary Rulers.

Huangdi have many achievements attributed to him. He had good management skills and knows how to use men of ability to help him rule the country and come out with innovations.

He commissioned his subject to develop a written language which contributed to the growth of Chinese Culture. With another he studied the art of healing and compiled "The Yellow Emperor's Medicine Classic". Yet with another he developed the 60 year cycle "Jia Zi" calendar that aided in farming.

Huangdi advocated peace and avoided war. During his reign, the people enjoyed peace and prosperity and it ushered in the age of civilization for the Chinese people.

Zhuanxu who succeeded Huangdi was not his son. He was chosen over Huangdi's many sons because of his outstanding ability. Zhuanxu greatest contribution was to bring law and order to the people plus consolidating the power of the central authority.

After Zhuanxu comes Diku who was a great grandson of Huangdi. Diku was a benevolent king who placed the people's welfare above self. He created new official posts and ministries with clearly demarcated duties such as the Ministry of Land, Forestry, Water, Metal Ores and Fire. And he personally conducted inspections frequently to ensure that the country was well run. He also further improved the calendar which contributed to farming.

Yao was Diku's son. He was industrious and benevolent like his father. He further developed the calendar and modified the timing of planting that resulting in bumper harvests.

Shun was Yao's son in law. Although his mother died when he was very young, and his step mother and father ill-treated him, he remained filial to them. His great virtue helped him to gain fame and he was summoned to King Yao's service at 30. He eventually married King Yao's daughter.

Shun drafted the five rules of etiquette and others rules and regulations which the dukes and princes had to observed. He also divided the country into 12 states with each having its own administrator. He continued to implement changes at the administrative level and set up the department of rites, music, farming, mulberry planting, works, water and land.

Shun was succeeded by Yu who founded the Xia Dynasty. Yu was famed for his ability to control flooding but that is another story for another time.

Henry Fong

Feng Shui Consultant.

Feng Shui Absolutely

Facts About Banana Potassium

For a healthy, happy life and a great source of energy, banana potassium is very important. Bananas are great tropical fruit that has a great source of minerals, vitamin, and protein. It has the capacity of preventing and healing various infections and diseases. It can act as a great diet food due to the calorie content. It can also satisfy people who love sweet products due to the glucose contents.

It is very essential to have a banana as a daily fruit in your diet. Among many fruits, banana is also important as it has a lot of potassium. Potassium is an element which is essential for keeping the blood pressure normal. It also helps in proper functioning of the heart.

Research has found an average banana has an amount of potassium varying from 450 milligrams to 467 milligrams. It has only one milligram of sodium. Apart from bananas, potassium is also present in milk, meats, vegetables and fruits. If you have one banana per day, then you are preventing yourself from atherosclerosis and also from high blood pressure.

A research done on more than 40,000 American men for more than four years showed how a proper diet affects blood pressure. It was found that people who had diet of foods that were high in cereal fiber, magnesium, and rich in potassium had a much less chance of stroke.

The 'Archives of Internal Medicine' has points to prove that people who eat foods high in potassium and fiber like bananas, have a much less risk in developing any heart disease. The potassium-enriched fruit of banana also have the capacity of providing cardiovascular benefits.

Potassium can also increase the health of bones. Banana potassium has the capacity of counteracting the increasing loss of urinary calcium. Such loss is caused by the diets high in salt. This can lead to thinning of the bones at a very fast rate.

Visit the Banana Facts website to learn about how to ripen bananas and banana potassium.

Calories in a Banana

It is important for everybody to know the amount of calories in a banana. Bananas are the immense foundation of dietary importance. They have been looked upon as nature's most beautiful gift.

The carbohydrate constitution of calories in a banana depends on the ripening of the fruit. The sugar level and starch level depends on how ripe it is as well. As the banana ripen, the level of starch falls and the level of sugar rises.

It can be said that bananas become easy to digest if it ripens and the color becomes more yellow. In comparison, the 'protein calories' are only of one percent of the aggregate calorie content. However, one half percent are 'fat calories'.

The amount of calories in a banana varies from medium quantity to low quantity. The source of the amount of calories in a banana is mostly carbohydrates.

Bananas that are peeled and weigh 1 pound will typically have 260 calories.

If you count the amount of calories in a banana which is peeled and small in size, you can find the calories to be around 80.

A banana of standard size can be full of roughly speaking 115 calories.

A small plantain banana, also every so often called as "red bananas", have approximately 115 calories. A pound of red plantain bananas consist of about 400 calories.

Bananas supply a great source of energy when eaten around half an hour prior to any exercise. This is mainly because bananas get digested in a slow manner and a stable continual energy source is achieved and supplied to the body.

Some people suggest avoiding banana when watching your weight. This is because of the heavy calorie composition. For a dieter, the amount of calories in a banana he can have is an 80-calorie banana in his diet chart.

Find tips about growing bananas and how to ripen bananas at the Banana Facts website.

How to Test For Pure Honey

The term "adulterated honey" implies that the honey has been added glucose, dextrose, molasses, corn syrup, sugar syrup, invert sugar, flour, starch, or any other similar product, other than the floral nectar gathered, processed, and stored in the comb by honey bees. Legal standards and requirements for foods, including honey quality, and tests for honey adulteration vary widely amongst countries and some may not meet the wish of every consumer around the world.

Personally, when selecting honey in the shop, I think it's almost impossible to tell the bad from the good by just looking at the honey content through the bottle or studying its food and nutrition labels. My take is always -- go for the trusted or more known brands. We all know that a "pure honey" label doesn't guarantee at all that it is not diluted with water and further sweetened with corn syrup; it just promises that there is real pure honey inside, with no suggestion of its amount.

The law does not require a "pure honey" label to say how much pure honey is in the bottle. Some honey brands you get from the supermarkets don't carry any ingredients list and this is enough to make me feel suspicious of the quality. Also, prices are not always a good indication of quality honey. In food fraud cases, manufacturers can mix different honey floral blends and sell it as more expensive varieties such as Manuka honey. And so-called "local honey" may not be locally produced and processed local honey but cheap, low quality honey imported from other countries but bottled and distributed locally.

A common misconception is that granulated or crystallized honey is proof of adulteration with sugar water. The truth is honey is a supersaturated sugar solution and can granulate whether or not it has been adulterated, so crystallization is normal, especially in temperate climates. Furthermore, some honey from certain floral sources is especially prone to crystallization. Buying honey in the comb is one way to assure ourselves of a quality product. Comb honey is sealed in the hive by the bees; therefore consumers can be confident that the honey has not been adulterated with sugar water. However, to boost honey production, some irresponsible beekeepers feed their bees with sugar syrup so that the bees can convert the syrup to "honey". What these bees produced is honey that is adulterated, very clear and runny, just like syrup.

Some websites teaches that ants don't fancy pure honey and will not hover around it. I don't quite understand or believe this, there's no reason why ants would favour processed sugar over honey. Also, I was wondering how to invite the ants for a honey assessment (does "no ants" mean pure honey?). The reason why a sweet liquid is more attractive than another for the ants could also be due to the liquid density and we know that honey viscosity varies depending on its floral type. Another test that is commonly discussed over the internet is the flame test which involves lighting up a cotton bud dipped into the honey with a match-stick flame. It's believed that the honey will burn if it's pure. I have tried this method many times using different types of honey, some of which I was very sure they're pure honey (e.g honeycomb honey), but the result I got was never consistent, and it seemed to depend very much on how much honey was dipped and how long the honey was exposed to the flame.

There's another simple way which I have tried to verify the purity of honey: Observe how liquid honey comes down into a glass of water. Pure honey does not immediately dissolve in water; you will notice that it takes a bit of effort to stir it in the water to dissolve the lumpy bits, whereas sugar tends to dissolve easily in a jiggery as you drop them into the water. However, test result is sometimes not that clear because different honey varieties have different viscosity, some are denser and thicker than others, and obviously honey in cream form, even if it's adulterated with other substance, will not dissolve as easy as liquid honey in water.

It is suggested that people who are used to tasting honey may be easier to detect any added sugar. But frankly, because there are just too many floral varieties and blends, and the amount of adulteration may not be sufficient to affect the taste and aroma of the honey, even though I frequently take honey, I am still not 100% certain about my suspicion sometimes.

Hence, it's hard to be really absolutely sure about honey authenticity, unless from home you can perform scientific laboratory test like spectroscopy, a method that uses the principle of interaction of light with mater to differentiate substances or conduct carbon isotope ratios analysis to determine if sugars were added to the honey (don't bother if these jargons sound totally bizarre; as a consumer, I am not familiar with them either). Nevertheless, from all the verification ways that are discussed above (labels, pouring, dissolving honey, etc) if you have reasons to suspect that the honey is diluted and corn syrup has been added, my stance is - stay away from those brands. Better to err on the side of caution than to be sorry...well, you most probably won't fall sick by taking the adulterated honey, but you know adulteration with cheaper sugars brings down the natural value of the honey and this doesn't help in justifying for the amount of money you pay.

Source: http://www.benefits-of-honey.com/pure-honey.html

Ruth Tan runs the popular website Benefits of Honey which is an immensely rich, quality resource on honey and its benefits, and a plethora of health-related issues. Discover the amazing health benefits and all the positive spin-offs super-food honey can bring to your life and the lives of your loved ones at http://www.benefits-of-honey.com

Mexican Food Varieties

Are you interested about Mexican Food and its sumptuous variety? The country of Mexico is renowned throughout the world for its incredible menu of delicious cuisines. The different states of Mexico delineates a mouthwatering a-la-carte which redefines authentic taste to the core. But the origin of food habits and culinary items in the country considerably depends on its ethnic variety and climatic patterns.

So here are some mouthwatering varieties of Mexican Food :

If you venture out to the northern part of Mexico, you will surely come across a delectable variety of meat and beef items. On the contrary, the south -eastern section of the country welcomes you with a range of vegetarian delicacies.

Mexican food is savoured and appreciated by a large number of people on a global basis. The secret of cooking up a storm with Mexican delicacies is to make slight transformation in the blend of ingredients and also meticulously work on methods of preparation from time to time. The legacy of the Mexican food goes back to an ancient time and according to the opinion of culinary experts from round the world, it has a major health benefit. Some of the healthy inputs of Mexican food can be found in the corn, bean, lean meat and also other fresh vegetables.

The Hispanics or the Aztec people were one of the first sources who brought in the entire practice of Mexican food and the culinary art associated with it. The Caribbean and the French people also delved into the various styles of Mexican food from an early age. The spicy feel, wonderful decoration and entire presentation surrounding the Mexican delicacies stands out as an exemplary art in its own way. Some of the important vegetarian items of Mexican dishes can be made by cauliflower, radish and broccoli to name a few. If you do not like the vegetarian cuisines, you can obviously select the beef, chicken and pork items.

One of the most popular and enticing Mexican delicacies, which has impressed with its fascinating taste is the Enchiladas. But if you are quite health conscious, this particular delicacy can be avoided by you, as it consists of a heavy quantity of fat. The spicy and oily element brings along the marvelous flavour of the dish. To mitigate the high constituent of calorie, you can avoid dipping the corn tortillas in the hot oil. You can also make it a little softer by mixing it with tomato.

The Arroz Con Pollo is another scrumptious Mexican delicacy, which has managed to win accolades for its unique authenticity. The main constituents of the dish are rice and chicken which when cooked together provides an unforgettable taste. The sofrito ingredient of the dish makes it all the more exclusive.

If you want to check out another variety of traditional Mexican dish, the Taco can feature as one of your best choices. The perfect combination of maize tortilla and meat feelings provides it with an amazing flavour. You can also make it spicier with an input of chilli salsa and cropped onion.

You can also make your gourmet journey of Mexican food all the more exciting, by sipping the Aquas frescas beverage. It is a delicate mixture of cereals, sugar, fruits and water.

So just enjoy the above-mentioned variety of Mexican Food with a brief insight on them.

Shuvojit Dasgupta is a contributed writer for Batchmates.com the largest Alumni portal in India. With his research work and articles he has added an additional edge to the entertainment e-magazine BM Times. His articles reach to millions of readers every day which are varied in subjects.

Five Reasons Why Solar Power is Right For Your Water Fountain

A solar water fountain could become the highlight of your entire landscape. Some people plant bedding flowers and flowering shrubs and perennials to beautify their gardens. A solar fountain will make an interesting feature to your garden or patio dcor simply, easily and inexpensively.

If you have hesitated about buying a garden water fountain before, the benefits of solar power will quickly change your mind.

• There are no running costs - No mains electricity or batteries to buy
• No installation costs - Are easy to install for all skill levels
• Eco-friendly - do not use non-renewable fossil fuels
• Can be placed anywhere - user-friendly and easy to set up
• Inexpensive and last for years

When you purchase your solar water fountain, it will be a self-contained unit. You may buy a direct power kit but you will probably want to go with the power pack. The power pack has the advantage of absorbing the suns rays then storing that energy for continued usage, day or night. You can take advantage of the fountain even when the sun goes down for those evening garden parties or poolside parties.

Because you are not using mains power, you are not contributing to the depletion of the Earth's resources. There are no holes to dig, no electric cables to install and no dry cell batteries to buy. You do not have to worry about hooking them up to a power source to make them run. Solar fountains and solar water pumps require no power source and so can be installed anywhere. Find a nice spot in your garden where your fountain will have maximum impact

Setting up a solar water fountain is an easy project even for the most novice DIY person and you will have your fountain up and running in no time. Just add water.

Solar powered water fountains are comparatively inexpensive and will last for years. Even when you redesign your landscape, the fountain can be incorporated in a different area of the garden and continue to run effortlessly.

Solar water fountains will enhance the beauty of your garden or patio.

Solar fountains run off the energy of the sun and are quickly becoming very popular.

Solar fountains are extremely friendly to the environment. They don't require any external power source so they don't increase the demand for electricity from polluting coal or natural gas electric plants. Solar fountains are the organic way to enhance the ambience of your garden. Few sounds are as pleasing as the slow murmur of cascading water.

Outdoor water fountains come in all sorts of designs, from those with cascading waterfalls to those that include a birdbath pool, to those that spout jets of water into the air, to decorative wall fountains. serenityhealth.com has a great selection of solar water fountains available in many different styles for use landscapes and in ponds.

There is a large range to choose from, depending on the style you're after for your garden's new image. Make the solar fountain the centerpiece of your garden or simply use them as accents, to increase your gardens overall beauty.

Solar fountains are a great addition to a water feature. Take advantage of their benefits.

Now emerging from the mist of a colorful and varied career, Ian Patterson was born early in is life somewhere in a long forgotten postal code. The mantra that he learned from his parents, while growing up on their farm was "if you want it done right, then do it yourself".

That's just what he did.

Ian Patterson is someone who's been there, done that, printed the T shirt and wrote the book. A firefighter, soldier, yachtsman, skier, climber, mechanic, plumber, electrician, data technician, business continuity planner, and web writer are just some of the things he's been.

He was a pescaterian before it was fashionable and is an avid animal lover and a longtime dog handler. He has traveled to most countries around the world. Set up home in three of them and learned their language and culture.

Now he is the founder and CEO of Write Research Office since 2004.

Vegan Options at Some Common Restaurant Chains

Finding vegan options when eating out isn't as difficult as it used to be. Many restaurants have recognized the market for vegan food and have added products to their menus to attract this traditionally underserved customer base. If you've had difficulty finding vegan food when you eat out, that's about to change. In this tough economy, restaurants are eager to bring new customers to their establishments, and vegans are high on their radars! Here's where you can find yummy vegan food at the restaurants you know best!

Burger King--The BK Veggie--This vegetarian burger is available at nearly every Burger King. Order it without mayo to make it completely vegan.

McDonalds--TheMcVeggie. This is only available at a select few stores right now, but if you ask your local McDonalds to serve it, chances are they will seriously consider it. Get a bunch of your friends to request it, and it's a virtual shoo-in for the menu!

Denny's--Substitute a vegan Boca burger on any burger dish on the menu.

Subway--Order a veggie sub with no mayo or cheese and get it on whole wheat bread. Be aware, though, that if you're avoiding honey, Subway DOES put honey in their bread dough.

Quiznos--Order a veggie sub without the cheese.

Cheesecake factory-- Order angel hair pasta with garlic and marinara sauce, the eggplant sandwich or the portabello burger. You can also ask for other menu items without cheese to make them vegan.

PF Changs--Order the seasoned tofu lettuce wraps, spring rolls (ask for them without eggs, if possible), coconut curry vegetable plate, as well as any other purely vegetable-based dishes you see on the menu. PF Changs usually has quite a few vegan options for its customers, as do most other Asian restaurants.

For great vegan breakfast recipes that are easy to make and unbelievably delicious, go to the Vegan Breakfast Recipe blog at http://www.veganbreakfastrecipes.com.

Mexican Food - Brief Introduction to Mexican Food

Mexican Food is one of the most sought after cuisines and around the globe. Everywhere you go, you are bound to find Mexican food as the gastronomic demand for this cuisine is increasing. Mexican food is famous for its flavours, exciting flavours and its enticing spicy taste.

Mexican food goes way back to the pre-Hispanic era. The Aztecs and the Spanish colonists contributed to the evolution of this type of food. Among the non-vegetarian ingredients used in Mexican cuisine are Pork, Beef and Chicken. As for the vegetarian ingredients, broccoli, cauliflower, radish and pepper are used in abundance. It has also been stated that the Caribbean and French were also responsible for the evolution of Mexican cuisine.

Every region in Mexico has its own unique taste, style and variety. Different climate conditions and various ethnic groups contribute to the impact on Mexican gastronomy. The South-Eastern part of Mexico is famous for its chicken and spicy vegetables. Whereas in the Northern region, you will find more beef and meat used in the dishes. If you are fortunate enough to travel the whole of Mexico, you can easily distinguish the dishes between the regions.

"Arroz con Pollo" is a well known Mexican delicacy that has the capability to tickle your taste buds. It is made up of rice and chicken and is considered to be a traditional delicacy. The dish gets is very colourful as it is made up of a mixture of vegetables, fresh herbs and saffron.

"Barbacoa" is similar to your barbecue and since it dates back to historical times, barbecue is said to have been originated from "Barbacoa". Similar to how we do a barbecue, meat is slowly cooked over an open fire in this type of dish. "Barcacoa de cabeza" is a North Mexican favourite where the cow head is cooked slowly over open fire.

"Pico de gallo" means rooster's beak in Spanish and it is a fruit salad with limejuice spread all over. Before serving, salty white chilli powder is sprinkled on the dish to add some more spiciness to the dish.

If you are a food person, you would have heard of the word "Taco". It is a Mexican platter made up of rolled maize tortilla with meat fillings. The fillings can be made from grilled beef, pork, fish, picadillo or chicken. "Taco" is best eaten together with chopped chilli, salsa, onion and other garnishes to bring out the flavours of the dish. "Taco" is served flat on a tortilla that is warmed up on a comal. As tortilla is soft, it can be folded into a U-shape which makes it easier to eat. Taco is a mouth watering dish and can be easily prepared suitable for a quick and healthy meal anytime of the day.

In the beverage category, "Aquas Frescas" is a refreshing beverage made from fruits, seeds, sugar, cereals and water. This beverage is not only popular in Mexico but also in Central America and the Carribean. Tamarind is added to create a variety called "Aqua de tamarindo" which is highly sought after. "Aqua de horchata" includes rice while Roselle is added to make "Aqua de jamaica". These drinks are easy available from street vendors and very affordable.

Mexican food has a very wide variety and is very rich in taste. This type of food not only tastes good but also provides you with essential vitamins, minerals, proteins and fibre. As the vegetables used are not overcooked and most raw, they contain a much higher nutritional value as compared to cooked ones. To those who are not used to spicy food, you should stay away from Mexican cuisine as lots of chillies and peppers are used.

Find out more on Mexican Food by visiting http://fooduniverse.info --a popular food website that specializes in offering free food information on cuisines, diet, exotic dishes and of course Mexican Cuisine

Why Learn History of Feng Shui - Part I

In my previous article about the psychological explanation of human resistance to change, I talked about how people are mentally conditioned against changes and usually back themselves up by falling back on precedent cases.A more extreme form of precedent cases are historical ones.Ask ourselves, do the past always oppose to changes in the future?Without change, how can improvements come about?

Ask yourself whether a man living in contemporary society like you will like a dish that was cooked exactly the same way 1000 years ago? With technological advancements we have high pressure cookers, deep fryers and plenty of other cooking equipments.Why should we still think that a dish that was cooked using wood and the pathetic stove of few hundred years ago is still the best way to process it? Such an insistence to adhere to historical practice betrayed one's reluctance to innovate and follow up with times.

In fact a Feng Shui practitioner oughtto be lauded for his ability to modify and adapt Feng Shui advices to the modern and local context.Why is this so?The logic is that Feng Shui method evolved from a context was set few hundred years ago in China andhouses and social practices have changed significantly since then.Even if Feng Shui methods were only developed in recent years in China, its geo-political and cultural differences with other countries meant that modification and adaptation of the methods must still be made for Feng Shui advice in another country.

For example, few hundred years ago in China, toilets were never housed within the same roof as the living quarters. But in modern society, toilets are under the same roof as the living quarters are the norm now and differences like this inevitably means that a Feng Shui practitioner that continues to copy methods listed in Feng Shui classics blindly run a great risk of messing up his client's environment.Feng Shui practitioners should not be mistaken to think that they can continue to practice Feng Shui by following ancient Feng Shui classics to a T.

I am a Feng Shui Enthusiast in private practice and I specialise in Ba Zi or 4 Pillars, Zi Wei Dou Shu or ZWDS, Feng Shui, I-Ching, Qi Men Dun Jia or QMDJ, Chinese Name Analysis and other tools. My blog site is at: http://fengshuiforward.com and http://fengshuiforward.com/forum

Chinese Vases Fengshui and Why You Should Own a Wealth Pot

Feng Shui is one of the best ways to bring goodness into your life, though it only works if you believe in it with your heart. There are many symbols and many traditional Chinese items which are used in Feng Shui. Chinese vases Feng Shui are one of them.

These Chinese Feng Shui vases come in many shapes and sizes and in many colors which are important in Feng Shui. They are most beneficial in enhancement of money luck. They attract prosperity and help in maintaining it in the house. It's very important that you follow the various rules and guidelines in Feng Shui to get the best results.

Materials For Vases
The material of the vase should be in balance with all the elements of the area where the vase is supposed to be placed. For different directions, there are different materials to be used like for southwest or northeast you should use crystal and for west or northwest go for metal as it brings in the best of luck in wealth.

You can place Chinese coins and crystals and some jewelry and gold ingots or maybe some precious or semi-precious stones in it. It will help if you cover these vases with blue, green, red, yellow and white cloth and never open it again as it will help to retain the vases power. Besides keeping it covered, do hide it from the eyes of others.

Types of Feng Shui Vases

Porcelain Feng Shui vases symbolize perpetual harmony. They come in many colors such as blue. Blue is a magnificent Feng Shui color. It is connected to the healing and refreshing water and with the clear skies. The shades of blue can vary from a gentle aqua blue to the bluish green of the sea. There are also shades of blue that go into the deep indigo blue.

One of most magnificent vases is the large Ram vase with ancient Chinese characters inscribed on the face. The handles of the vase look like the horns of a Ram which happens to be one of the Chinese zodiac animals. Then there's a white and orange mother and child Chinese Feng Shui vase. You can energize your family area with this and it's very good for expecting mothers.

The triangle shaped vase with mountain and moon design with flying birds has special significance in Feng Shui. All these Chinese Feng Shui vases bring the money luck closer to you and keep them in your houses.

Similarly there are Feng Shui wealth pots that symbolize never ending good fortune and are symbols of prosperity. The Feng Shui wealth pot, as the name suggests, invites spiritual and materialistic good luck into your lives and it maintains it as well. It works as a wealth energizer and pulls lots of wealth in your house. There is an ancient practice of keeping wealth pots in homes practiced in china for several years by many rich people. It brings in lots of good fortune and loads of wealth too.

Now the question is why you should own a wealth pot? Isn't the answer obvious? Who wouldn't want wealth in their lives and would want to maintain it too? These wealth pots bring lots of good fortune in your lives so that's brings happiness too.

What's important is that you must follow all the guidelines and never open these wealth pots. They should be cleaned only on the day of the Chinese year and kept back again. So lets' bring in all the luck and let the magic begin with Chinese Feng Shui.vases

Click Here to get Free Tips on how to improve your life with Feng Shui. Lynn Lee is a celebrated authority on the traditional Chinese art of Feng Shui, providing valuable advice on Feng Shui Decorating.

The Brilliance of the Bagua

Today, people are folding more and more Feng Shui practices into their lives. Restaurants, malls, shops and even public places have realized the remarkable usefulness of Feng Shui and its many facets. One of the most important aspects of Feng Shui is the Bagua. The Bagua is an octagonal mapping system that is designed to help you understand how to maximize your energy. The Bagua is a great tool to bring all the elements of Feng Shui into perfect synchronization.

The nine aspects of the Bagua, and thus Feng Shui, correspond to integral parts of our life and must be harmonized for optimal results. It's an accepted fact that

subtle vibrations play a very important role in our lives. The right vibrations can help is achieving prosperity while the wrong ones can create problems in our lives. According to the Bagua, there are nine areas of our lives, namely: family, health, relationships and love, prosperity, fame and reputation, creativity and children, skills and knowledge, helpful people and travel, and career.

Feng Shui and the Bagua suggest people with money problems concentrate on prosperity. The associated elements are water, wood, and the color purple. When you want your fame to grow, then the area of fame and reputation is to be concentrated upon in Bagua. This aspect is governed by the elements of fire and wood. The color of this aspect is red. If you want to enhance or initiate a new relationship, then you need to concentrate on the area of relationship and love in Bagua. The color of this aspect is pink and it's ruled by the elements of earth and fire.

These days there are a lot of divorces happening across the world. If you have a family issue that needs to be sorted out then you need to concentrate on the family area of Bagua. This aspect has the main element as water. The colors associated with this aspect are green, black and blue. If you are suffering due to your health, then you can harmonize the health aspect of Bagua. The colors related to this area are yellow, brown and orange. Health is governed by the components of fire and earth.

Children tend to have a number of developmental adjustments to deal with as they grow. Feng Shui and the Bagua has an answer to a number of age-old problems. The Bagua is designed to help children by optimizing their space and their environment. Child development is governed by the color yellow and earth tones. Life skills and knowledge and prosperity can all be enhanced by the use of this powerful design mechanism.

H. Reich

http://www.sheffield.edu/

What is Your GQ? - Grandparent Quotient

No matter when we senior citizens finally achieve being a grandparent, there are some tests to help identify our capability and capacity for being a good one. My experience is certainly limited in the role and I have never taken courses in retirement to boost my GQ. Basic intuition and sensitivity contribute about as much to ability and smarts as most anything else.

First, a grandparent is not a replacement for the parent. Of course, this assumes all are available to fulfill their roles and to understand the limits of each. If circumstances have created a situation in which the roles are different, that has to be worked out accordingly.

Complexities introduced before and continuing in the 21^st century contribute to keeping abreast of inter family dynamics. It ain't what it used to be, if it ever were that way.

If there still is a "nuclear" family, the dynamics aren't necessarily simplified. Families who have meals together at home, without interference by television, etc., is an increasingly unusual phenomenon. Perhaps one of the roles grandparents can fulfill is offering an occasional get together around the table for a meal. Assuming this won't be a forced occasion, but one which can contribute to frivolity and good times, such an opportunity can create fond memories.

Finding something in common with grandchildren, such as activities you enjoy together, (no matter their age) remains a challenge. It is, however, a challenge worth pursuing. Genuine companionship between generations offers a wealth of recollections worthy of posterity.

Adolescence offers its own challenges. When grandparents find ways to contend with that hurdle, then a true, lifelong affection will surely be shared. I think we are there with our grandchildren, although times together are predictably less frequent.

Finding gifts that respect the grandchild and are age appropriate will also offer memories, for the item will likely be one that the grandchild chooses to keep.

Communicating with some frequency becomes more and more a challenge. However, with email, text messaging, cell phones, etc. available some contact can be established and maintained. It is an easy exercise to overlook, but one that needs nurture for the benefit of both parties.

Identifying and reserving some special alone times is also important and necessary. Before long, graduation and off to college, distance and demands will consume more and more of what had been time a grandparent could claim. Try to hang on to some of what soon will be absorbed by the claims of normal growing up and going away.

Check out your GQ once in a while with other senior citizens learn from them, both what to do and what not to do. Thank your grandchildren for the wonderful contributions they make to your life. Let them know often, with genuine sincerity, how special they are.

Article provided by Dr. Jerry D. Elrod. For information on retirement, Baby Boomers and everything related to Seniors, please visit my blog at http://seniorcitizenjournal.blogspot.com

Tips For Getting Fresh Lobster Shipped to Your Door

Many people do not realize how easy and inexpensive it is to get fresh lobster shipped right to your door. While you do need to exercise caution when dealing with live lobster, follow these simple tips and your seafood will arrive in great shape, ready for that gourmet meal.

• Clearly understand the shipping conditions

Many online merchants and retailers will explain they can have fresh lobster shipped to you within one day. While this is likely true, many companies will freeze dry the lobster and will not ship live lobster to you. Even frozen lobster can lose quality quickly. Make sure your company of choice offers live shipping and that the process is detailed on their page. If you have any doubts, give them a call.

• Understand the return policy

While getting fresh lobster shipped to you is relatively easy, you do need to understand the return policy of the company. Some companies do not offer a guarantee of the lobster arriving alive, and will not refund if your catch is DOA. Read the fine print, and understand the proper procedure should you need to return the shellfish for any reason. However, it should be noted that I have been getting this tasty crustacean shipped to me for years, and have never had an issue.

• Check for Specials

Most companies will offer great specials on whole lobster plus sides or other great items, normally at a nice discount. I have seen packages many times before that include 4 live lobsters of 1.5 pounds each, 4 filets (for the classic surf and turf), and even side dishes, for less than $130 and complimentary shipping. Pricing that kind of meal at a restaurant and you are looking at well over $200 for that kind of meal.

Getting fresh lobster shipped to your home is a great way to celebrate a special occasion or to enjoy using in great soups and other dishes. I have used these companies to send lobster for everything from birthdays to Valentines day.

My wife and I have enjoyed fresh lobster shipped to our door on many occasions. There are so many unique recipes and options available that it never gets boring coming home to find a beautiful box of lobster waiting for you. We have even created a site to share some recipes and resources regarding fresh lobster and other great seafood, including our favorite online merchant for fresh lobster. Visit our site here: fresh lobster shipped.

It is the Thought That Matters

To be more precise, it is rather the after-action that arises from your thought that really does matter.

Well, what is the definition of thought? A thought is the act or process of thinking; a concept or idea; a hope or intention of achieving something. In short, it is just a thinking which has yet to be actualized. So here, when nothing has actually been done, it would simply mean nothing.

Yes, nobody is able to read what is on your mind. At the end of the day, it is your action; the end result that they are going to see. It is through true action and not thoughts that is going to bring about the actual happening of things; to making a difference in life.

To be having positive thinking is definitely to be encouraged. But still, you have to understand that thought is after all just the very initial stage of the process and to complete this process of the want of achieving something, it would still very much require that physical action of yours. So to be saying, even if you are someone with strong determination, that is only just the beginning. No matter how much you keep telling yourself; despite waking up every morning to tell yourself that you are going to be successful in life, you just will not be if you have done nothing at all. The great power of thought no matter how strong it is will just yields zero result if there were to be zero action taken.

Give you an example. Just picture the hundreds of passenger in the plane; altogether, each and every of the passengers hymning the thought that the plane is going to crash. Now, isn't this going to bring about an extremely strong power of negative thought? But still, the plane is not going to crash isn't it? And why is this so? It is because action overwrites the power of thoughts. Before even actually taking off, strict maintenance and check had been performed on the plane; proper planning that includes route of the flight and contingency plan had all been pre-made. And the technicians and pilots to handle the job are not any Tom, Dick or Harry. They have been all strictly and professionally trained. Well, they are not paid so much for nothing?

Now, by telling you all these is not to discourage you but rather to remind you of what you might have missed to realize. Give it some thoughts, have you unknowingly forgotten all those dreams and aspiration that you used to have?

Well, this is after all one very bad habit of ours - to find excuses for ourselves to not be facing the harsh reality. Human are very good at this. We never fail to come out with thousands and thousands of excuses to avoid the confrontation of our fear and the unpleasantness; very proficient in our thinking and complaining but when it comes to taking real action, we instead hesitate and find excuses to telling ourselves that we will do it tomorrow. And did that tomorrow come? Most of the time, that never happens and we soon forgotten and loses all those great dreams and aspiration that we used to have. And in the blink of an eye, we are left with only thought of regrets and disappointment.

Regrets and disappointment, are these going to be the thought that matters for you?

Now that you still have the chance, recall all those dreams and aspiration of yours. I am sure you have had before the thoughts of achieving something great for yourself?

And since you have already taken that first step to think and dream big, why not just make the other step toward it, to making your dream come true? Well, whether or not are they going to be achieved, that we wouldn't know. But one thing for sure, if you not going to make that move, nothing will ever happen. This is one very basic principle of life; Newton first law of motion - An object at rest will remain at rest unless acted upon by an external force.

The same principle applies here. If you are going to sit around and do nothing, nothing is going to ever happen. What are dreams and aspiration then? Just images of fantasy and delusion in your sleep?

Well, you can choose to dream on or move on, which say you? Ready for some real action?

Derrick Sim

Staff Writer

http://www.thesecretlifecode.com The Secret Code to Life and Destiny

http://www.art-of-fengshui.com Art Of Feng Shui Consultancy, Traditional Classical Feng Shui

Consultation and Life Destiny Analysis

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