Lookout Because This is My View

Are You Living in an Unhealthy Community?

2012-08-05T05:29:00.001-07:00

Experts say many communities across the nation are becoming less healthy, a dangerous trend that can harm children's health.

Often, these problems exist because the way communities are designed can have serious health consequences, especially for children and families.

For example, in urban areas, lack of sidewalks, safe spaces to play, and access to fresh foods contribute to increases in childhood obesity. In communities all across the country, children are exposed to preventable toxins at home, at school and outdoors that can cause serious diseases.

Many children, especially those living in low-income communities, do not have a nearby doctor or pharmacy to provide them with the health care they need.

Fortunately, there are things communities across the nation are doing to improve children's health. For instance, in MacArthur Park, one of the poorest neighborhoods in Los Angeles, the community came together to create a free health clinic and new affordable housing. An abandoned minimall was transformed into a new charter school that offers health and recreation programs for families in the community.

Now Available

2012-08-05T04:55:00.000-07:00

My first published book "Yavan Rising", an introduction and prologue to The Yavan Chronicles, is now available in both Paperback and ebook editions.

Sodium Vapour Lamp

2012-05-05T21:10:00.000-07:00

Sodium Vapour Lamp consists of a discharge tube made from a heat resistant glass, containing a small amount of metallic sodium, neon gas and two electrodes, Neon gas is added to start the discharge and to develop enough heat to vaporize the sodium. Because of law pressure inside the tube, a sufficiently long tube required to obtain more light. To reduce the overall dimension of the lamp, this tube is generally bent into U-shape. The light produced by this lamp is yellowish which is produced at its optimum pressure of about 0.004mm of mercury. This pressure is obtained at a temperature of about 280 C and so it becomes necessary to maintain this temperature. For this purpose the U-tube is enclosed in a double walled flask to prevent lose of heat. The double walled flask is interchangeable and can be fitted on to another U-tube. While replacing the inner U-tube one must be very careful because if it is broken and sodium comes in contact with moisture, it may result in fire. All electric discharge lamps require a higher voltage at the time of starting and low voltage during operation. Generally, sodium vapour lamps are operated by a high leakage reactance transformer. At starting a high voltage of about 450 volts is applied across the lamp which is sufficient to start the discharge. When the lamp is fully operative after 10 - 15 minutes, the voltage across it falls to about 150 volts. Because of the high reactance of circuit, the power factor is low and hence a p.f improvement capacitor is connected. The efficiency of a low pressure sodium vapour lamp is very high (about 40 - 50 lumens/watt) and it produces a light of particular wavelength having yellow color. Sodium lamps are mainly employed for street, high way and airfield lighting where color distinction is not so necessary.

5 Quick Gardening Tips to Save You Money

2012-05-03T22:20:00.000-07:00

It's easy to spend a fortune every year creating a beautiful yard. These five tips can help save you money in both this, and future gardening seasons.

1.) Plan your vegetable garden according to what your neighbors are planting so you can share your vegetables when they're ready for eating.

2.) Select perennials rather than annuals for your flowerbeds. As they multiply each year, cut them back and exchange with your friends so you both have lovely gardens and save money at the same time.

3.) Compost your kitchen scraps, as well as your coffee grounds. The end result is much better than any potting soil you can ever get buy from a nursery or hardware store. The price is right, and this is definitely recycling!

4.) Instead of using mulch, try pebbles or small rocks in your garden as ground cover. This will save you lots of cash since you won't need to buy mulch in the spring and fall of every year.

5.) Spend more money now by purchasing better quality gardening tools and you will save in the long run. They will last for years, saving you dollars because you don't need to replace them every planting season. The same goes for gardening gloves- make sure you buy the best you can afford so they last all season.

Chocolate: The Answer To Hydrogen Fuel Supplies?

2012-04-29T22:45:00.000-07:00

Mention hydrogen as a fuel source and politicians, scientists and techies get that glassed over look in their eyes. Simply put, hydrogen is a perfect fuel. It can be combined with oxygen to produce electricity. Hydrogen is the most comment element on our planet. When used as an energy source, it produces no greenhouse gases or other pollutants. Sounds great, right?

There is just one problem with the idea of using hydrogen as the solution to all of our energy problems. While hydrogen is the most common element on our planet, it is rarely found in a usable form. Instead, hydrogen tends to cling to other elements such as oxygen, which gives us H2O, water. The power required to separate hydrogen from these other elements is shockingly large.

In the United States, Honda has a number of hydrogen vehicles it is testing on the road via some families. The cars work well. Powering them, however, is the problem. The families must take the cars to a specific station at a Honda facility. There, they will find a few hundred feet of solar panels and a hydrogen tank. It takes the system roughly two to three weeks to create enough usable hydrogen for one full tank for the car. Given the fact there are millions of cars on the road, you can see the problem. Yes, there are more efficient methods for conversion than solar power, but nothing remotely efficient enough to create enough usable hydrogen.

In a humorous turn, scientists in the UK have discovered that hydrogen can be produced from the wastes of creating confectionaries such as chocolate. The waste is treated with e-coli bacteria. Yes, e-coli. The bacteria then process the food material and produces gas. Guess what kind of gas is produced? Yes, hydrogen.

Could it be that chocolate will play a fundamental role in a hydrogen fuel future? Could we really be that lucky?

PLR

Grandfather Clocks

2012-04-29T00:11:00.000-07:00

Among the most revered of all clocks are the majestic grandfather clocks that have been seen throughout older homes and also in places of high regal nature. These clocks have been replicated, but the replicas lack the history that has made the antique grandfather clocks so respected in most circles. These have been something that has been sought after by many collectors and people that have a strong attraction to antiques.

Many people have associated them with a link to their ancestors and this creates a desire to have one in their homes. They may have heard one of these antique grandfather clocks chiming the hours away when they visited their grandparents as a child. Owning one allows them to constantly relive those childhood memories.

One of the areas that most people don't think about when they get one is that they have special needs. They need to be wound up or have their chains pulled to keep the clock running. Some antique grandfather clocks that have been allowed to stop are a challenge to get the pendulum started as they are so old that the gears are tight.

Many that are still in use have usually been in a family for generations and are a reflection of the heritage of the people within the family. There are some people that have never gotten used to the ticking of the clock or the constant chiming that comes with one of these clocks. They tend to have their antique grandfather clocks at the opposite end of the house from the bedrooms to help make it possible for them to sleep.

This is something that many of the people of old may have been wise to as the most popular place for the clocks tended to be in the parlor or some form of formal room on the ground floor while the bedrooms were usually in the upper levels of the homes. This was not always the case, but many times this was the goal that was strived for when there was one of these antique grandfather clocks within the home.

Some individuals have held onto these huge pendulum clocks, yet have had to pay a pretty penny to have them moved and to be preserved. Many times a special person must be contacted to have the antique grandfather clocks maintained to help ensure that they are kept running and in a good state of condition.

Whether you have one in your home is strictly a matter of personal preference. What some families have done with antique grandfather clocks they have inherited is to display them without having them operational. This saves them having to worry about the noise or the cost of maintenance while allowing them the joy of sharing the beauty with their guests. It's a great compromise that is ideal for some.

PLR

Growing Tomatoes

2012-04-26T13:21:00.000-07:00

Though most people love to start growing their tomatoes from starter plants, they can be started early inside the house. This is the hard way to do it though, and the starter plants you can buy are much easier to deal with. Either way, they should be a certain size before planted outside or they may not grow correctly. These are easy to transplant, but they should be given a lot of space. Each plant will spread as they grow and they need room to get the sunlight they need.

Though most like to have a large garden when growing tomatoes, it can be done in a window box for those who do not have a yard. This might mean only planting one or two plants, but they can still produce a good number of tomatoes for personal use. When growing tomatoes, they have to be watched very carefully. Then they reach a certain size they must be staked. This means a stake or a fence must be put near the plant to hold it up. It might very well grow up the fence. This keeps the tomatoes up out of the soil.

When growing tomatoes, a good fertilizer should be used to ensure the plants remain healthy and that the fruits grow as large as they can. Much like any other type of plant, they should be free from nearby growing weeds, and watered when necessary. Though some use to claim watering during the day would cause sun damage, this is not always true. If a person feels this might be a problem they can water the growing tomatoes after the sun goes down each night. Tomatoes do not have to be red before they are picked, but some prefer to let them ripen on the vine. They can be picked when they begin to turn yellow or orange and then brought in to ripen on the window sill. They taste better if they are not refrigerated.

PLR

Life of Leonardo da Vinci

2012-04-25T23:32:00.000-07:00

Leonardo da Vinci was a painter, sculptor, architect, cartographer, engineer, scientist and inventor in the 15th century. Yet, despite his genius, he referred to himself as "senza lettere" (the illiterate, the man without letters). Until late in life, he was unable to read, or write, Latin, the language used by virtually all other Renaissance intellectuals, the lingua franca, akin to English today. Nor was he acquainted with mathematics until he was 30.

Leonardo was born out of wedlock but was raised by his real father, a wealthy Florentine notary. He served at least ten years (1466-1476) as an apprentice to Andrea del Verrocchio and painted details in Verrocchio's canvasses. Only in 1478, when he was 26, did he become independent.

He was not off to an auspicious start. He never executed his first commission (an altarpiece in the chapel of the Palazzo Vecchio della Signoria, Florence's town hall). His first large paintings were left unfinished ("The Adoration of the Magi" and "Saint Jerome", both 1481).

Most of the sketches and studies for Leonardo's works of art and engineering are found on his shopping lists, personal notes, and personal expenditure ledgers.

No one was allowed to enter Leonardo's den, where he kept, a number of green and other kinds of lizards, crickets, serpents, butterflies, locusts, hats, and various strange creatures of this nature.

Leonardo's clients were often dissatisfied with his glacial pace, lack of professional discipline, and inability to conclude his assignments. He was frequently involved in litigation. The Confraternity of the Immaculate Conception sued him when he failed to produce the Virgin on the Rocks, an altarpiece they commissioned from him in 1483. The court proceedings lasted 10 years. The head of Jesus in "The Last Supper" was left blank because Leonardo did not dare to paint a human model, nor did he trust his imagination sufficiently. Leonardo worked four years on the Mona Lisa but never completed it, either. He carried it with him wherever he went.

Leonardo's terra cota model for a colossal bronze sculpture of the father of his benefactor and employer, Ludovico Sforza, was used for target practice by invading French soldiers in 1499. The metal which was supposed to go into this work of art was molded into cannon balls.

Leonardo was a member of the commission which deliberated where to place Michelangelo's magnificent statue of David. His cartographic work was so ahead of its time, that the express highway from Florence to the sea - built in the 20th century - follows precisely the route of a canal he envisioned. His scientific investigations - in anatomy, hydraulics, mechanics, ornithology, botany - are considered valuable to this very day. Bill Gates owns some his notebooks containing scientific data and observations (known as the Codex Hammer).

But Leonardo's loyalties were fickle. He switched sides to the conquering French and in 1506 returned to Milan to work for its French governor, Charles D'Amboise. Later, he became court painter for King Louis XII of France who, at the time, resided in Milan. In 1516, he relocated to France, to serve King Francis I and there he died.

Leonardo summed up the lessons of his art in a series of missives to his students, probably in Milan. These were later (1542) collected by his close associate, Francesco Melzi, as "A Treatise on Painting" and published in print (1651, 1817).

PLR

Conservation In Your Life

2012-04-25T16:18:00.003-07:00

Perhaps one of our societies biggest downfalls, is that we are wasteful. Incredibly wasteful actually. Our lives are spent wasting time, energy, and emotion on people and activities that do nothing for us. Everyone is guilty of wasting, and therefore everyone needs to add an important concept to many areas of their life: conservation.

Our first thoughts about conservation probably take us to picturing a rain forest somewhere in the jungle whose trees are being quickly cut down, or to a village in Africa whose meager water supply is wasted on unnecessary things. These are both situations that could rightly learn from the concept of conservation.

Any true change in the world will only happen when individuals start to change their own lives. So let's begin thinking about conservation as it relates only to our individual lives. Think about the most valuable resources you have at your disposal. Some of the most valuable resources we have are time, energy, mind, and health. It is only as we begin to see our lives as full of natural resource that we can begin the process of conservation and protection of these resources.

If time is one our greatest assets, then we must think about the ways you spend or use that resource. We can practice conservation by looking for ways to use our time more efficiently and wisely. We must also look for ways to practice conservation of our energy. This can be done by taking time for exercise, proper sleep, and relaxing activities. The great resource of the mind needs to be conserved by taking time to enrich it through reading, studying and even writing. We should consider your most valuable resources and look for ways to practice the conservation of each of them.

When you are committed to practicing conservation in your own life, you can begin to look outside yourself and see resources in your neighborhood or city that can be conserved as well.

PLR

Guide for Rare Coin Collectors

2012-04-23T13:04:00.000-07:00

Coin collecting is one hobby that is both fun and challenging. To help those who are looking for those rare coins, here is a list of hard to find ones that are worth moving "Heaven and Earth" to get.

Gold coins are something of a rare commodity. They were circulated only until 1933, which makes them expensive when they are auctioned. The nice thing about gold is that its value probably will never go down - making it a good investment.

Another rare coin sought by collectors is the Liberty Seated Dollar. These were last produced some time in the 19th century and are considered to be a rare find.

From 1875 to 1878, twenty cent coins were minted. This coin looks very much like a quarter and since its value is very low today, it is a coin worth looking for.

The Barber half dollars are rare coins that were minted from 1892 until 1915 and are collected by people depending on date or type. One of the challenges that occurs when searching for this coin is finding one in good condition.

The 1917 type One Standing Liberty Quarter is another coin worth owning. It was only minted for 2 years and shows the exposed breast of Ms. Liberty. This design created such an uproar that it had to be replaced and was only circulated for a year.

Mercury dimes were produced periodically during the 20th century. The market value of them is $50 a piece.

PLR

Green Tea Concentrate

2012-04-22T19:08:00.000-07:00

It is common knowledge that green tea is one of the healthiest things that you can consume. The one thing that a lot of people do not understand is how much green tea is necessary. Have you ever wondered? Although drinking green tea alone is good for you, it really just does not have quite enough of the good stuff. If you want to get your full dose of antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals, you really cannot do it without green tea concentrate.

Green tea concentrate is good for almost everything. Not only will it strengthen your immune system, it will give you more energy and vitality. It will even protect you from a wide range of health problems as you grow older. The antioxidants in green tea concentrate will protect you against heart disease, and many other things as well, at least according to some experts. Many people say that since they have been drinking green tea concentrate, they have felt better than ever.

Of course, green tea concentrate is no substitute for the other pleasures of tea. As any avid tea drinker can tell you, the health benefits are only half the picture. Just because you begin to take green tea concentrate, does not mean that you should give up drinking green tea. On the contrary, the only thing that is more wonderful than the effects of green tea on the health of the body as a whole, is its taste.

Peace On Earth? Not Any Time Soon

2012-04-22T16:35:00.000-07:00

When asked, "If you could wish for one thing only, what would that wish be?" almost everyone; from beauty pageant contestants, to politicians, to religious leaders, to children, to the average person on the street states, "Peace On Earth" or "An end to all wars". Those wishes, while exemplary, are meaningless. As long as humans exist there will never be peace on earth.

Throughout the history of humankind there has never been peace on earth. Cavemen fought other cavemen over territory, food and even women. Cain killed Abel over God's respect. Gabriel blew down the walls of Jericho. America fought the Revolutionary War for freedom and brother fought against brother in all the civil wars in history. There have always been wars and there will always be wars.

As long as humans can think, there will be wars. Wars over such concepts as freedom, honor, dignity, etc.. Wars over territory, greed, power, prejudice, etc.. War is a part of human nature. For example, every human being is prejudiced. If they don't like some race, nationality or religion, they don't like short or tall or fat or skinny or smart or not smart or loud or quiet people. Some people don't like children, some people don't like old people, some people don't like people with pets, or people that play their music too loud, or bad drivers, or people that believe in God or people that don't believe in God. What is right and proper to some people can be wrong or even enraging to other people.

Religion can not stop wars, in fact many wars are fought over religion (Note: I believe that religion is used as an excuse for war not the real reason for war.). Christians fought against Muslims during the Crusades. Many Extremest Muslim groups want death for all non believers. The Catholic Church killed heretics during the Inquisition. The Nazis killed millions of Jews and then started killing Catholics. The Russians under Stalin killed anyone even remotely religious. Protestants killed other Protestants for being the wrong type of Protestant. Muslims killed Muslims for being the wrong type of Muslim. Don't forget about Atheists (I believe that Atheism is a religion of non belief.), Stalin was an Atheist and wanted to get rid of all religion. History is rife with various types of religious battles.

The main reason for war, however, is the lust for power. The power to make others do and believe as you do and believe. The power to make other people render unto you what you believe is rightfully yours. The power to make other people treat you as you believe you should be treated. The power to gain what you want (ie: money, love, respect, etc.). The power to punish others for doing things that you don't believe they should do. The power to keep other from having things or thoughts that you don't have. In other words, the power to be, in some ways God, to make everyone else in your image with you as their ruler.

As long as people have the ability to think, there will be greed, envy, prejudice, and anger. As long as those things exist, there will be wars. Most people believe, either religious or secular, in the rules set down in the Ten Commandments, but very few people can follow those rules all of the time because our ability to think causes us to want. Wanting causes us to break some or all of the rules. Humans are not perfect. If they were they would not be human.

PLR

Benefits of Aloe Vera

2012-04-22T14:38:00.000-07:00

When confronted with needing something for your body, you probably have more options than you could ever hope to try. There used to be a few products for each need a person might have, and most tried them all and then chose their favorite. Once they did that, they stuck with that purchase for a long time. Today, you have so many options your head might spin, and each is a just a little different. Those with sensitive skin often have the hardest time finding things to go on the body, but that is when they should think about the benefits of Aloe Vera.

You may notice that lots of products on the market made for the skin have Aloe Vera in them. There are probably more products that tout the benefits of Aloe Vera than almost any other types of additive. The reason for this is that Aloe Vera most often is used to soothe the skin. That means it works well in lotions meant to help with sunburn, and for lotions used for shaving. You can find both men and women's shaving creams with Aloe Vera because it helps soothe the skin after it has been subjected to a razor.

Besides being soothing, the benefits of Aloe Vera include the fact that it is natural. It comes directly from a plant that you can grow in your own home if you want. Some use this on cuts and rashes, and of course, as a way to help with sun and razor burn. Being natural means that you don't really have to worry about any weird side effects. There are some things on the market that soothe, but then they leave the skin red, or create more problems as a result. That is not exactly something anyone wishes to put on their sensitive skin.

If you want to try something to see if the benefits of Aloe Vera would work well with your skin type, there are many different products that you can try. You can usually find anything meant for the skin with this ingredient so that you can see if it is right for you. You can even find gel that is almost completely made from Aloe Vera. That might be a great way to try it out before you spend money on a bunch of other things that may not help you. If you have sensitive skin, more often than not, the best benefits of Aloe Vera are going to be smoother skin that no longer stings after applying shampoo, creams, and lotions.

PLR

10 Profitable Reasons To Add A Discussion Board Or Chat Room To Your Web Site

2012-04-21T21:00:00.000-07:00

1.) You'll be able to communicate with your visitors. They'll begin to trust you and get to know you on a more personal level. People will purchase products quicker from somebody they already know and trust.

2.) People will revisit your web site to participate on your discussion board or chat room. They will meet other people with similar interests and your web site will become a hang out were they can chat.

3.) You can learn important information about your visitors by reading the conversations they have. They may chat about your web site or products. With this information you could learn to market your products more effectively.

4.) You could answer the questions your visitors ask in your online communities. You'll become known as an expert by giving the answers to their questions. This will give you and your business more credibility.

5.) You could teach a free online class using your chat room. This will give you an expert status and increase traffic to your web site by offering the free class.

6.) When your discussion board or chat room becomes popular, you could sell advertising space on them. This will give you an extra income stream for your web site.

7.) You can network with other businesses by having a chat room or discussion board. You could exchange business ideas, leads, advertising, etc.

8.) You could allow other web sites who don't have a discussion board or chat room to use yours. You will get free advertising by allowing them to link to your online community.

9.) When you have a discussion board or chat room you can get free advertising by listing them in online community directories. You can also join web rings with similar discussion topics.

10.) You can make money by advertising your own products and services on your discussion board or chat room. You could also join other people's affiliate programs and make commissions advertising them.

Silk: A Hard Job For Everyone

2012-04-21T14:13:00.000-07:00

Producing silk isn't as easy as it sounds. We'll examine some of what's involved including a look at what typical mass production is in some of the more productive countries such as Japan, China and Thailand.

The first stage of producing silk is hatching the silkworm egg in a controlled environment. This is usually done in an aluminium box. The boxes first have to be examined to make sure they are free of disease. The female silkworm usually lays about 300 to 400 eggs at a time. In an area about the size of a piece of typing paper 50 moths can lay over 20,000 eggs at one time. Each of these eggs is about the size of a pinhead and virtually undetectable to the human eye. After laying the eggs the female dies almost immediately. The male lives only for a short while after this.

The eggs are then tested for disease. If they are disease free they are then raised in a controlled environment. The eggs are fastened to a flat surface by a substance that is secreted by the female. The larvae hatch out of the eggs in about 10 days and are about a half a centimeter long. When the larvae hatch they are placed under a layer of gauze. Afterwards, they are fed a large amount of cut up mulberry leaves. During this time they are left to shed their skin, which they do about four times during the process. Sometimes they'll feed the larvae orange juice or lettuce. The larvae that are fed the mulberry leaves are the ones that produce the finest silk. Each larvae can eat over 50,000 times its size in food.

Once the larvae has reached its maximum length, which is about 7.5 centimeters, it stops eating. This takes about four to six weeks. After this happens it changes color and attaches itself to some kind of object like a frame, tree branch, twig or shrub. Once attached, they start spinning their silk. This goes on for about three to eight days.

This is where the hard work by the silkworms comes in. Over the next few days, the silkworm produces a thread by making a figure eight motion over 300,000 times, during which time it is actually constructing a cocoon. This is a non stop process. The cocoon is made because this is where the silkworm plans to live during what is called its chrysalis stage. During this stage it sleeps and sheds its skin. Also during this stage, which lasts about sixteen days, the silkworm begins the next process of turning into a moth. The problem, for the silk manufacturer, is if the pupae remains alive it will secrete a substance that will destroy the cocoon, thus ruining the silk threads. To prevent this from happening the pupae are killed. This is why activists have such a problem with the process.

The truth is, the percentage of silk that is actually saved in this process is very small but it all counts, as it takes about 80 kg of cocoons to produce just 1 kg of raw silk.

PLR

3 Tips On Free Website Marketing

2012-04-20T22:03:00.002-07:00

Online marketing is not cheap. You can spend thousands of dollars on Pay Per Click (Google Adwords) and thousands more on buying text links from individual sites.

However, everyone's favorite form of marketing is the free kind. Anything free we like, especially if it helps our websites make more money without increasing advertising costs. Here are three easy and quick ways to market your website at no additional cost.

1.) Free Online Directories.

Listing your website on free online directories is staple in any advertising arsenal. You can find hundreds of directories or search engines where you can register your site. Use all of them you can find. This will give your website more exposure and generate more traffic. The best thing is, it's Free!

2.) Link Exchanges

Link exchanges are a great way of spreading Page Rank, but also of sharing visitors. Most people who like a site will bookmark it. After they have read everything they want, they will read the site that you link to. You get the visitors, and share the visitor through a link exchange.

3.) Business card networking

Free business cards are a marketing prop that are easy to come by. After you have received your free business cards, use them to network with other people. Every time you meet someone, hand them one of your free business cards. After that, ask for one of their business cards in exchange. If they don't have one, make sure you mention what you do, and the website address that is also listed on your free business card. Free business cards make a great networking tool if you will put them to use. Never forget, they are free, and should not be used sparingly. Use them in any situation you can think of. People will take them home and visit your site when they pull your business card out of their pocket.

With these three website marketing ideas, your website will not only be more successful, but you won't have to spend any of your hard earned money on marketing!

PLR

5 Great Tips to Decorate Your Modern Home

2012-04-20T20:08:00.000-07:00

Today's contemporary designs replicate the classic modernist use of space, while renewing it with the durability and comfort required by the busy new generation. The modern furniture of these days is designed keeping comfort and warmth in mind that calls you to settle down and unwind. Materials used in this type of furniture such as leather, and excellent upholstery enhance the decor of your living room. From its shapely contours and gentle angles to its fine craftsmanship and modern materials, contemporary furniture generates an ambiance of effortless elegance.

When choosing any furniture for your home it has to reflect your life; a definite understated elegance, with fashionable sensibilities and eternal simplicity. Your furniture should reveal your personality and flair. Contemporary furniture stores offer many attractive designs and colors. These designs and colors attract many consumers, and these people usually have, or will soon have, pieces of contemporary furniture in their home. It may be a modish rug, streamlined sofa, or a stylish dining room set, and it is obviously clear that contemporary furniture has turned into a symbol of modern simplicity.

Here are some tips that you can use while decorating your home with elegant contemporary furniture:

1.) Neutral colors are the best choice for modern design. Neutral colors in your bedroom produce a clean and fresh look. They also create the perfect backdrop for a lovely modern painting that will add more charm to your room. Contemporary designs are made with subtle colors to make them completely different from the typical traditional colored rooms.

2.) Efficient lighting is important to prevent eyestrain. You may love to work in front of a window; but it is not the appropriate place for a computer. If you can find a L-shape set up, you can turn to face the window, while your computer screen will face the wall. Consider a contemporary adjustable lamp, or fix halogen lights or spotlights to the shelf or a wall for correct visibility.

3.) In your bedroom, keep the other things to a minimum. Simple nightstands, full-length mirrors, subtle recessed reading lights, a pair of bamboo, wooden, or chrome stools, on which you can keep cushions similar to the duvet cover.

4.) You can arrange your living room furniture in the method of the American Southwest. A stunning Italian leather sofa in front of an exposed brick fireplace in a subtle brown or red color can change the entire decor of your room. That single piece of contemporary furniture will transform the entire set up of your room and make it more attractive and stylish.

5.) While maintaining contemporary design, remain sleek, cool and uncluttered. In a neutral walled bedroom, choose an encrusted look like white and black, or red and black sheets. If you desire a pattern, just remember it has to be bold and cool. In a modern bedroom with neutral walls, bright red on a bed will add elegance and warmth to your bedroom. It will also lighten the room, and formulate it more inviting, just the way you want your bedroom to be.

PLR

Chemical Element Silver

2012-04-18T09:56:00.000-07:00

Silver, a chemical element, exists in the periodic table with the symbol "Ag" and atomic number 47. Silver is a soft white lustrous transition metal. Due to the fact that it has the highest electrical and thermal conductivity of any metal, silver is widely used throughout the world, used in coins, jewelry, tableware, and photography. Silver occurs in minerals and in free form.

I'm sure if you looked you would have in your household several objects that are made of polished silver. For example: Silver dollars, or Silver cutlery, or photography equipment.

Being just a bit harder than gold, silver is very ductile and malleable. Because of silver's physical properties as a brilliant white metallic luster it can take a high degree of polish. Copper has replaced silver in several instances due to it's hire cost, this is especially true for electrical purposes.

Silver has a number of other notable characteristics:
- Silver has the whitest color of any metal
- Silver has the highest thermal conductivity of any metal
- Silver has the lowest contact resistance of any metal
- Silver has the highest optical reflectivity of any metal

Silver is stable in both pure air and water, but does tarnish when it is exposed to ozone, hydrogen sulfide, or air with sulfur in it. The most common use of silver is as a precious metal and its halide salts. This is especially true of silver nitrate. Silver is also widely used in photography, which has today, become the biggest single industry in which silver is used.

PLR

Green Tea Vs Coffee

2012-04-17T14:09:00.000-07:00

This world has never had more healthy options than it does right now. Although it seems like the opposite with all the fast food, there truly is a great deal of good stuff to choose from. You simply have to know where to look and what to look for. To be totally honest with you, it's not difficult to eat healthy. At least not from a shopping and preparing point of view. Now, your cravings on the other hand may be a completely different story. It's up to you to curb and suppress with those. But what about other things you can do besides simply consuming the right diet? There are infinite possibilities. Think supplements, vitamins, and herbs. It's time to learn what a daily cup of green tea can do for you. Got your green tea information?

As we all know from the media and contemporary film, the British are a bunch of tea-drinking fools. Okay, so maybe they're not as foolish as the rest of us. We're all chugging down coffee every day. That's not healthy! Even if you don't care for green tea information, you should at least know the scoop on java. Coffee is full of toxins and caffeine. Both of which are terrible for your body. That whole spiel someone gave you about coffee being healthy was bogus. I heard it too, and it doesn't add up. Now, green tea and many herbal teas are quite different. This particular beverage has the ability to clean your kidneys. It flushes out the system in a sense. Many people drink green tea daily for its health benefits. Unlike coffee and soft drinks, it actually cleanses your insides. Note the fact that one beverage has herbs and the other has toxins. That should make things pretty clear.

Have you had you cup of tea today?

Coupons For Online Shopping

2012-04-16T15:12:00.000-07:00

There are many different coupons and promotional codes available for the online shopper. The most common types of coupons and promotional codes are those which offer a discount on the total price of an order, and promotional codes which offer free shipping on an order. Both of these offers can be financially beneficial to the shopper if he is able to find these valuable offers. There are a number of different ways in which a shopper may acquire coupons and promotional codes for online shopping.

Many online shoppers receive promotional codes for online retailers in catalogs they receive in the mail. These catalogs may include special offers in an attempt to entice the recipient to make a purchase online. The shopper may receive these catalogs because they have made purchased from the online retailer in the past, or because the online retailer is advertising to new clients.

Shoppers may receive promotional codes offering discounts via email. This is common for shoppers who belong to buyer's clubs organized by the online retailer. These types of clubs typically offer promotional codes to regular customers to reward them for their loyalty. This also is meant to encourage the shopper to continue to patronize the online retailer.

Another way for shoppers to find promotional codes for online shopping is via the Internet. There are websites where members frequently post the codes they acquire via catalogs and emails. This is for the benefit of others who may be seeking a discount on a purchase from a particular online retailer. Shoppers can use these promotional codes as long as there are no restrictions on sharing these codes.

Restrictions on Coupons for Online Shopping

Shoppers who utilize coupons and promotional codes should be aware there may be restrictions on the use of these coupons or promotional codes. Common examples of these restrictions include dates of expiration and required minimum purchase to use the discount. Similar to coupons which are valid at traditional stores, online coupons or promotional codes usually have an expiration date and the discount is no longer valid after this date. Another common restriction associated to offers of free shipping is a minimum required purchase. In these cases the consumer must purchase more than a specific dollar amount from the online retailer in order to be eligible for free shipping. Another example of a common restriction on online coupons or promotional codes is a required minimum purchase necessary to receive a discount.

PLR

MALARIA: A Simple Guide For Travellers

2012-04-16T13:25:00.000-07:00

What is Malaria?

Malaria is a very serious disease caused by protozoan parasites of the genus Plasmodium. Four species of the parasites produce the disease which is transmitted by the female anopheline mosquito. The most dangerous is P. falciparum. If untreated it can lead to fatal cerebral malaria.

What are the symptoms?

Flu-like symptoms: headaches, muscle aches, confusion, dizziness, vomiting (lasting several hours), sweating, tiredness, but most of all, fever. Anemia and jaundice can occur. Symptoms generally occur from 7 days to a few weeks after being bitten, however may not occur for up to one year.

How is it prevented?

The following drugs should be taken before embarking on a trip to a country where malaria is prevalent:
Atovaquone/proguanil
Doxycycline
Mefloquine
Primaquine (in special circumstances)

Visit your doctor or health clinic several weeks before travelling as these drugs need to be administered in advance. A good insect repellent should also be applied to exposed skin whilst abroad; preferably one containing DEET (N.N - diethyl meta-toulamide) which is the only ingredient guaranteed to work and is long lasting. There are other repellents on the market for those not wishing to use DEET, but they need to be applied frequently.

What countries are at risk?

Afghanistan. Angola, Brazil, Benin, Burkino, Cambodia, Camaroon, Central African Republic, Chad, China, Comoros, Congo, Djibouti, Equatorial New Guinea, Eritrea, Faso Burindi, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Bissau, Indonesia, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria, Principe, Rwanda, Sao Tome, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Sri Lanka, Swaziland, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Uganda, Vietnam, Democratic republic of the Congo, Zambia.

PLR

Antique Cufflinks: What to Know

2012-04-16T01:22:00.001-07:00

Antique cufflinks are classic gifts that are appropriate for any special occasion. These magnificent details are truly striking and it doesn't take a trained eye to distinguish between a genuine piece of art and a regular old pair. Following are some examples of the best of the best in antique cufflinks.

Let's start with the beginning of the 20th century. It's very difficult to find a pair of antique cufflinks circa 1900. Quality links were commonly made of 14 karat gold and offered intricate designs. Some were embellished in gemstones or diamonds for a little extra sparkle.

These antique cufflinks will cost a pretty penny, but you can find some for good prices. Look for items that are from the late Victorian era. These links will commonly have designs like olive leaves or scrolls. If you find a pair of these vintage cufflinks at a decent price, grab them. I have a pair from the 1890's with scrolls that look quite sharp on the cuff.

You might also want to check out antique cufflinks circa 1910. Platinum was the precious metal of choice during this era in the new century. The base precious metal is sometime embellished with yellow gold around the edges and rich engravings in the center.

You can have an easier shopping experience if you look for vintage jewelry for men made during the 1920's. This era offered many different looks in style and fashion. Its fresh attitude is reflected in the antique cufflinks designed during this turbulent decade.

These items are relatively inexpensive compared to the men's vintage jewelry from the late Victorian era but they are every bit as interesting. The 1920 designs are more sleek and are typically about half the price of their earlier counterparts.

Surprisingly, the Art Deco geometric designs from the mid 1930's are quite expensive. These antique cufflinks are quite stylish and a good pair can run close to 1,000 dollars. While this is a great deal of money, you may find that the looks of the Art Deco vintage jewelry is more inline with you tastes, so well worth the investment.

All and all you really just have to consider two things: your tastes and your pocketbook. Of course, buying something like a pair of antique cufflinks is a good investment so you really can't lose in the long run.

PLR

Audio Books - THANKYOU !

2012-04-15T21:29:00.001-07:00

I love to read. The problem was finding time to sit down and read. Working as a Security Guard driving Petrol, I had gotten a FM transmitter form my iPod. The problem was listening to the same music all the time. Then it occurred to me that I could be listening to all the books that I was wanting to read.

I went through a five book series in a week, and then started another. Meanwhile my library of audio books increased. I now owned several series that I had wanted to buy. I could listen to them even though I had no time for reading, and my hands were busy.

Remember, every problem is an opportunity. If you need you hands for a thousand and one tasks and you have no time to read. Put in some earphones and off you go. Enjoy all the books that you have wanted to read, and get all your many tasks one at the sametime.

So if you love to read and simply don't have the time to start or finish a book , do try to make your day a bit more enjoyable and get yourself some audio books. Whether you purchase them from a bookstore, or "iTunes", join a Audio Book Site like "Audible" to get them at a discounted price, or find them at your local library, you'll find that it is worth every single penny.

The Benefits of Coupons

2012-04-15T14:32:00.000-07:00

One great irony of life is that people find it so easy to spend money and yet, they find it doubly hard to save money.

What people do not know is that they can easily save more money even on their daily expenses if they just know how to do it. If they were really wise consumers, they would definitely take advantage of freebies and discount items that can absolutely cut their expenses almost in half.

One of the best examples is to use money saving coupons.

The problem is that many people are still not aware of the benefits that coupons can give. They contend that these freebies just offer such a little amount of money and that they can be better off without it.

For those who are not yet fully aware of the benefits they can derive from these coupons, and what they can do in order to save more money, here is a list of some of tips on how to use these coupons:

1.) Look for the right places

If you are not yet aware of the right places where you can get excellent coupons, try to look in your local newspaper, especially the Sunday editions. It's one of the best places where you can get discount coupons.

Several different establishments provide discount coupons to entice consumers to buy their products. That's why they use the paper to distribute their freebies.

2. Shop online

Online businesses also provide coupons. What people do not know is that online discount coupons provide more money saving percentages than what the newspapers can give.

Best of all, it is so easy to accumulate discount coupons. All you have to do is to sign up for the online business, and you can easily get some of their freebies.

3. Coupons are great money savers

The advantage of coupons is that they can cut your bill down by almost 50%. Using coupons can definitely save you more money than what you have expected. So, for those who do not know this yet, try to cut more coupons and start saving.

PLR

Avoid Impulse Spending

2012-04-15T12:08:00.000-07:00

Answer these questions truthfully:

1.) Does your spouse or partner complain that you spend too much money?

2.) Are you surprised each month when your credit card bill arrives at how much more you charged than you thought you had?

3.) Do you have more shoes and clothes in your closet than you could ever possibly wear?

4.) Do you own every new gadget before it has time to collect dust on a retailer's shelf?

5.) Do you buy things you didn't know you wanted until you saw them on display in a store?

If you answered "yes" to any two of the questions above, you are an impulse spender and indulge yourself in retail therapy. It can be a very bad thing.

It can prevent you from saving for the important things like a house, a new car, a vacation or retirement. You must set some financial goals and resist spending money on items that really don't matter in the long run.

Impulse spending can not only put a strain on your finances but your relationships, as well. To overcome the problem, the first thing to do is learn to separate your needs from your wants.

Advertisers blitz us, hawking their products 24/7. The trick is to give yourself a cooling-off period before you buy anything that you have not planned for.

When you go shopping, make a list and take only enough cash to pay for what you have planned to buy. Leave your credit cards at home.

If you see something you think you really need, give yourself two weeks to decide if it is really something you need or something you can easily do without. By following this simple solution, you will mend your financial fences and your relationships.

PLR