Felixy Live Articles

How Are Dry Flies Made

admin — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 16:07:50 +0000

Fly fishing is an interesting sport with a growing number of people participating.
When people start out fly fishing they usually just buy all of the gear that they need, including their artificial flies.
Once people get hooked on fly fishing though they often start thinking about making their own artificial flies as a way to stay involved with the sport during the off-season months.
While some artificial flies can be tricky to make others are actually well within the abilities of the average fly fisher.
Even children can learn to tie artificial flies and this is an excellent way to get them involved in the sport.
The earliest description of tying artificial flies dates back to the 2nd century.
Macedonian anglers, fishing on the Astraeus River, had devised a method of fly fishing using artificial flies.
These Macedonian fly fishermen started with a hook and then tied red-dyed wool around the hook.
They would then tie small feathers onto the red wool to complete the artificial fly.
Apparently these fishermen were quite successful with their primitive artificial flies.
18th century American fly fishermen took the design of artificial flies to a new level while studying the trout streams of the New York Catskill Mountains.
These fishermen discovered that their success with fly fishing could be greatly improved by designing artificial flies that mimicked the native insects around the stream.
These artificial flies successfully fooled the trout into thinking that a real insect had landed on the water.
This knowledge gave rise to studying insect hatches to determine which artificial fly would be most successful.
Different artificial flies are successful on different water at different times.
Artificial flies were originally made using natural materials like feathers, fur, wool and similar materials.
Most artificial flies are now made using synthetic materials.
Another recent development in artificial fly design has been the use of the barbless hook.
Many fly fishers practice “catch and release” and extracting a barbed hook from a fish after landing it can be quite difficult.
While barbless hooks make it somewhat more challenging to keep the fish on the hook they are easier to extract - from the fish or the angler!Artificial flies are now made in thousands of designs and styles.
The number of choices can be quite overwhelming to new fly fishers.
All artificial flies have certain basic characteristics though and, despite newer materials and more choices, the basics of artificial fly manufacturing has not changed much in two thousand years of fly fishing.
All artificial flies start with a hook.
The hook is then disguised to resemble an actual insect that the target fish eat or to attract the target fish with color, motion, etc.
The materials that the hook is decorated with have changed over the years but some of the classic designs have not.
Wool, fur and feathers were once common choices for artificial flies.
Newer materials include plastic, mylar, foam and metals.
These materials are either tied or glued onto the hook in special patterns to attract fish.

FAQs about Franchises

admin — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 11:08:42 +0000

There are many questions that go along with getting yourself into a franchise operation.
If you are the owner of the franchise then you particularly want to know all the specifics about owning a franchise, so here are some questions and answer that many people will typically ask the company directly in order to know where to begin first.
Franchise Question #1: How Much Capital Do You Need?Answer: The most obvious concern that one should think about before approaching a company for one of their franchise businesses is how much startup capital they will need.
Most of the time this answer will be laying right out in the open, but it’s okay too if one decides to approach the company directly and ask how much he or she will need.
Many times the company will have a startup capital requirement, but then again some companies are only concerned about getting their fees that are associated with a franchise being able to use the company name, logo, and reputation.
On the same note, it would be a good plan to pay the startup or initial fees of the company with cash instead of relying on a business loan for the money.
Considering the fact that many franchises will need to get business loans anyway for all types of supplies and other necessary furnishings the best route to take would be to essentially pay for your franchise with cash!Franchise Question #2: Where Will You Get Supplies?Answer: Perhaps the next thing that a franchise owner will want to know before he or she actually starts opening the business is where the supplies will come from.
When dealing with company headquarters there are many different rules and regulations that are associated with each type of franchise.
Some companies will require the franchise owner to purchase the supplies, such as seating, chairs, and cash registers from a specific company that furnishes all of their company’s store branches, but there may be other companies that have real loose guidelines about the whole issue.
One must make sure, though, that he or she knows all the ins and outs of furnishing the store with supplies before any agreement is ever made!Franchise Question #3: Am I required to Advertise?Answer: This is a very important issue in and of itself.
Many would-be franchise owners don’t realize this, but the advertising that is done for the franchise is actually done by the company itself! Some of the fees that are required to be paid by the franchise include advertising fees, and these advertising costs and fees are supposed to be used by the company in order to generate advertising and marketing for the franchise itself.
Such advertising methods may include special discounts that are given on a monthly basis, coupons that are placed in newspapers, and customer appreciation days.
Of course, if the franchise is allowed to advertise in whatever way the owner sees fit then no advertising fees may have to be paid, but knowing what exactly is required is of utmost importance before advertising for the franchise itself!

Cake Decorating: How About Birthday Cakes For Adults

admin — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 02:00:42 +0000

Cake decorating for adults are a bit different than those you would do for a kids party.
It doesn’t mean they need to be boring or ugly.
Below are some great ideas for adult cakes that are fun to make and fun to eat.
Crunchie Rice CakeIn 2 square cake pans, make 2 batches of rice cereal treats according to the recipe found on the back of the box of cereal.
When they have cooled, do not cut the treats, take them from the pans like they are.
Cover the top of the first layer with icing, and then a layer of chocolate chips, and a second layer of icing, and then a layer of multicolored sprinkles, and a third layer of icing.
Place the second layer of the crunchie cake on top and frost the whole thing as you would a normal cake.
Place a layer of colored chocolate candy on the top.
You can even put the name of the recipient in candy.
This is a whimsical cake that can be used for adults or children.
Over the Hill Graveyard CakeBake two cake mixes in a roasting pan.
Make a gray icing with 2 drops of green and red food coloring and mixing it with white icing.
Turn the cake out on a cake board ice the entire cake with this icing.
Line a sidewalk with thin black licorice, and dot candy corn along the outside edges.
Rectangular cookies can be iced with a darker gray icing.
These can be used as gravestones.
You can find gummy skeletons at Halloween, or make your own out of toothpicks and use jelly beans for heads.
Ghosts can be made from cotton balls, but you need to make sure no cotton gets in the icing you may want to make some out of construction paper and stick them on a popsicle stick.
That might be a good idea for the skeletons too.
Ball and Chain Birthday cake This is a great idea if commissioned by a husband or wife.
Bake two round cakes and let them cool completely.
Remove the cakes from the pans.
Cover the top of one cake with the recipient’s favorite fruit pie filling.
Place the second layer on top and ice the entire cake.
Buy a bag of small cake donuts and frost them the same as you did the cake.
On the cake board place one of the doughnuts up against the bottom of the cake.
Follow this with several other doughnuts to make a chain.
You can add different decorations on the cake, or leave it plain, it’s up to you.
No matter what theme you choose, the cake decorating will be appreciated by the person having the birthday.
Make sure you add candles and bring a cake server when you attend the party.
Every time you make a cake and decorate it, you are honing your cake decorating skills and the more practice you get, the better you will be at cake decorating.

Finding the Antique Car Show of Your Dreams

admin — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 21:15:23 +0000

If you are looking for a great antique car show you are certainly not alone and there are dozens of shows each year that are ready and waiting to satisfy your craving for gorgeous old cars.
There are car shows in almost all locations around the world that focus on older cars and this is the perfect opportunity to get your fill of these beautiful cars.
But how do you really locate the show that you are interested in? There are plenty of great car shows that are available and with some tips and suggestions, you are sure to find the show of your dreams.
Start looking on the internet.
There are thousands of shows listed on the internet and with some decent research skills, you can move past the hot rod and street shows and are merely left with the antique car shows.
If you are determined to really put forth a good effort, you can typically find a show for each weekend for a year or more.
Finding the car show online can allow you to easily narrow the search down to just your particular area, and it can also allow you to search for shows that are only in a particular area you choose or during a particular time of year that you specify.
Another option that you have is looking in the antique car magazines.
There are always shows going on, and the antique car magazines are typically only going to list the antique car shows that are going on.
Additionally, many of the magazines are able to usually offer these lists broken down by both month and region in which they are held.
This can help you to easily organize several trips at the same time, rather than cross referencing information to even schedule a single trip.
One of your other options is to check with the antique car clubs that are in your area.
Many of the members are likely to participate in these shows so they generally know exactly when the shows are, where they are located and plenty of other useful information.
Always look for the clubs that are particularly specializing in antiques in order to get the best results.
If you call just a general car club, they may not be able to help you with antique car shows since most of their information will be lumped together by date, rather than type of car featured.
Look at your local newspapers as well as city calendar to help you as well.
Often these resources will list car shows that are coming up and are great sources of new car shows.
The good news about these is they are usually in your local region as well, but the options that are listed tend to be very limited this way because there is almost nothing that will be listed in different regions or even states.
The options will be much smaller, and additionally they are not generally announced as far in advance using these methods.
This can make planning in advance a bit of a hassle particularly if you are trying to organize numerous car shows for the same weekend, or fill up an entire summer with tons of antique car shows.
If you have a membership in a car club yourself look to your monthly newsletter to give you a bit of information.
These newsletters typically list all car shows that are coming up in the near future and will only list basic information but generally give you the information several months in advance.
This can allow plenty of time to plan out the trip if you need to travel and can be a huge timesaver.
Your last option is to ask around at each car show that you attend.
Most car shows are going to know about other shows that are around the same time.
Asking some questions of the organizers or even looking for a program of the car show will generally be a great way to help locate the next great antique car show that you are interested in attending without having to do hours of research.
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Finding yourself and self development with Zen

admin — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 16:46:06 +0000

If you are looking for a new outlook in the way you live your life, you may want to think about the powers o Zen.
You can find a great new way of thinking and becoming a happier and more exciting person.
You will see that Zen is something that you can rely on no matter what you are doing and how often you do it.
Learning about your body and your mind is something that we all have to take the time to do.
There is so much to learn about ourselves and the only way that we can do it is if we work hard.
We need to find something that gives us enjoyment and opens up the mind to new and fresh ideas.
Zen may be just the thing that you are looking for to create this wonderful new feeling.
Sitting down and meditating can be a great healing experience.
We can all use the time away from the rest of the world and what it is throwing our way.
It is not always easy to deal with hard circumstances and using Zen to keep us strong may be the right choice for many.
Taking time each day to learn what we can use Zen or is something to think about.
It is not going to take much time and it is not something that is going to take over your entire life.
All you need is to think about what is important to you and go with it from there.
Self-development is a great way to make a new start in life.
When we are tired of the way that things are going and we want to make a change, we have to think about the healing of our minds.
Using Zen can be a good opportunity for most of us to clear out the negative thoughts and replace them with the happiness and the faith that we are in search of.
Getting to be more calm and motivated for something fresh can be an exciting way to live.
Using Zen is a good way to start that process.
Finding yourself can be something that is not always right there in front of you.
It may take some time.
If you learn to do your Zen and make it something that you work on each day you are going to be a more empowered person and not have the challenges staring at you all the time.
You are going to be more acceptable in life and be able think about the problems in a more positive way.
You can think of the ways that you can fix your problems when you have the help of Zen behind you.
Zen is a culture that many people are turning to and using for the process of a better life.
When we are in search of something that is going to make us happy we can use Zen.
Find a room in your home and relax.
Use the Zen process to help you be more physical and emotional outgoing.
You can do it.
You do not have to worry about others finding out your secret.
You can be the only one to know if that is what you really want.
You can feel good because you are using something that can help you be a stronger and more enjoy able person with every passing day that you practice the Zen that you have learned.
You can constantly learn new things and make it something that is going to help you do just about anything that you want in life.

Knowing The Pros And Cons Of Living Wills

admin — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 08:02:07 +0000

A living will, in essence, outlines the type of medical care you wish to include or exclude in the event that you become too ill to actually make an autonomous and informed decision.
The directives may consist of your desire not to be given cardiopulmonary resuscitation in case of a cardiac or respiratory arrest.
You may even indicate your request not to receive tube feeding.
Then again, it would be a good idea to be informed of the pros and cons of living wills prior to actually drafting one.
Pros Of Living WillsSince living wills are considered to be legal documents, they need to be signed in the attendance of witnesses.
Some states in the U.
S.
even require the presence of a Notary Public during the signing session.
The very obvious importance of making a living will lies in the fact that this legally binding piece of document sheds light on what you as the patient want to happen in case something bad occurs and you become too unwell to the point of incapacity.
The phrasing in a living will, however, is meant to be rather vague so as to encompass a wide array of circumstances.
In spite of this degree of ambiguity, you would be surprised to know how difficult the situation would be if you did not have one.
Needless to say, the apparent beneficiary of this legal document is none other than you the owner/maker.
In the nonexistence of a living will, some states necessitate the appointment of a patient advocate someone who would essentially perform the decision-making in behalf of the patient.
This individual, also known as the surrogate, may be a spouse, a family member, or a significant and trusted person.
The situation may be a bit different if you have previously drafted your own living will.
The indecisiveness in the air during family visits may be assuaged due to the fact that you have already summarized your wishes concerning life support and other health care measures.
In addition, it is never too early to make a living will.
For as long as you have reached a legal age and have established the mental capacity to draw out one, then you can go ahead and specify your wishes for the health care provider to follow.
Always remember the inevitability and unpredictability of life.
It is definitely better to be geared up than to endure the consequences.
Cons Of Living Wills The cons of living wills involve a certain number of limitations and conflicts.
For instance, the vague use of terms may often lead to differing interpretations.
You may perceive the directive of “no heroic measures” to encompass artificial nutrition, while a doctor may not view the phrase in that same light.
In addition, living wills only become active when a person is diagnosed of a terminal illness, or when he or she has become incapacitated.
Accordingly, physicians may dispute about whether or not a patient’s condition falls under any of these valid categories.
Without the required diagnosis, the individual may continue to receive medical treatment that would have been in contrast to the directive if it were to take effect.
That is why a lot of people opt to be more specific in the use of words for their living wills.
The pros and cons of living wills should always be taken into account when making one.
Remember that you will only be able to improve the draft after you have considered the negative aspects of the situation, as well as the possible ambiguities in the document.

Vintage Car Stereo Repair: Get the Tunes Back Into Your Ride

admin — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 03:12:47 +0000

Riding around in a newly restored vintage car can give anyone a distinct feeling.
Sophistication, class, an air of style, maybe, but its more than just that, vintage cars are a part of history and their presence lends character to an otherwise world full of similarities and drone like fleet of cars.
This doesnt mean though that you have to have a ride that wont give you entertainment.
Most restorers would go all the way and fully recreate the look, feel and overall characteristics of its original manufacture.
This means that even the stereos should be the same.
Most stereo systems then though were not what you may call state of the art, it may be in their time, but today, they dont really offer the high quality that we are used to.
But does this really matter? I mean, most vintage cars are rarely used and are just taken out for short rides a few times a year.
Also, most vintage cars are only taken out for car shows and the like.
So what good would having a good stereo system or a working one for that matter do for you and your vintage car.
First off, if you decide to stick with the original stereo system for authenticity, a working stereo would up the level of your vehicle.
This means that if you enter your vintage car to car shows and vintage car competitions, your car would have a higher chance of winning as vintage cars with all its components working gets higher points.
Since the car stereo is a part of the stock car when it was released, this is detrimental to its full restoration grade.
If you are a wiz with engines and other car problems but you have problems with electronics like stereos and radios or the speakers for that matter, then you need to put the screw driver down this minute and leave the problem to the pros.
If you are in dire need for a vintage car stereo repair work, then all you have to do is find one online.
There are numerous websites, numbering to hundreds that are able to do repair work on vintage radios.
You may think that since those are old stereos, they are less complicated than the ones we use today so most anybody who knows stereos will be able to work on them.
On the contrary, the old stereo systems use way different mechanisms that are not taught today.
So there are only a handful of persons who are still quite familiar with their mechanisms.
Also, the parts may be difficult to find and a specialist may need to fabricate or customize parts to make them work again.
This is why you have to go to repair service websites that specializes in these types of radios and make sure that they guarantee their work.
Guarantees can help ensure that they stand by their work and they are confident with their abilities, also, this ensures that you are doing business with professionals and your money is not wasted.
So dont waste your time searching the yellow pages.
The internet is your best resource for vintage car stereo repair.
If you are restoring a vintage car, you dont need to stop with an old and broken stereo, go all the way and have a fabulous fully restored vintage car.

Tips to Finding the Perfect Collector Car Club

admin — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 17:38:33 +0000

When you are in search of the perfect collector car club there are always several considerations that you need to take into account.
Many clubs have specific cars that they focus on, while other clubs tend to limit their membership to only people who live in certain areas.
In addition, there are always different personalities and people who can alter which club is best suited to your needs.
If you are simply looking for something that is just a casual once in a while occurrence you are not likely to enjoy a club that has a weekly meeting requirement.
Yet if you are looking for frequent meetings you are not going to be happy with a club that only meets on occasion.
Ensure that you are comfortable with the meeting schedule that is in place, and always be sure you know if the meetings are mandatory, or whether they are optional.
There are some clubs that do require you to attend meetings, while others do not require the meetings to be attended.
You need to also carefully look at the club.
Some clubs are designed to be organized and highly professional, with specific meetings that are required, and certain events that are required.
Other clubs are more flexible and are geared more towards the light car hobbyist.
Ensuring you know the type of club you are looking for will ensure that it fits your needs perfectly.
One important aspect of the car club that most people tend to overlook is the members themselves.
You may not immediately realize it but the type of members the club attracts can have a huge impact on your overall satisfaction with the club.
If the club is geared heavily towards those who only light hobbyist then you are going to want to be a light hobbyist yourself.
If however the club is geared heavily towards older adults, then you are going to want to fit in as well.
Look for a club that either has open membership to a widely diverse group, or find a club that fits your exact needs and personality.
It will generally take a bit of work to ensure that you are completely comfortable but it is well worth the effort.
You need to ask about any specific membership dues, as well as time requirements.
If you are a busy executive with barely enough time to think then you are not likely to be able to fulfill a busy schedule of required events.
This is just a plain and simple determination based upon your schedule.
Never commit yourself to more than you can reasonably handle.
If you have the time to spend, then the activities that the car clubs offer can be a great way to learn more about cars, enjoy your leisure time and really maximize your membership.
-If you are a female looking for a car club you may want to spend the time looking around for a club geared towards women.
While there are far fewer clubs, you can usually find help and support that a mens club just cannot offer.
Many women are finding that by grouping together they can better learn about cars at their own pace, as well as enjoy the more feminine aspects of the classic and collectible car.
Overall, choosing a good car club is going to be heavily dependent upon your own individual needs.
The club that is best suited to your friends may not be the perfect match for you.
What fits best for you in terms of needs and scheduling as well as the benefits that the club provides to you is very important in order to really ensure you are getting the most possible from your collector car club membership.
Most people enjoy the time they spend searching for the car club of their dreams, but more importantly they are thoroughly excited when they find the club that best matches their needs.
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Dealing With Negative Feedback on Ebay

admin — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 13:23:36 +0000

Ebays feedback system is the backbone of sellers success.
All the top sellers have large quantities of positive feedback.
On the flipside, negative feedback can hurt sales and prevent businesses from taking off.
The feedback system was intended to be a collection of impartial reviews of the performance of buyers and sellers.
If a buyer pays quickly, their seller will leave positive feedback.
If a seller ships quickly, their buyer will leave positive feedback.
This way, future buyers and sellers can get the scoop on who to buy from and who to avoid, from people who have been there.
Negative feedback has an enormous impact on sellers in particular.
If your feedback score falls below the nineties, or even into the lower ninetieth percentile, buyers might take their business elsewhere.
But what if you feel like the negative feedback was unjustified? Maybe the buyer was just unpleasant to work with, or had unrealistic demands.
As a seller, do you have any recourse?You do, but its not easy.
The best strategy is to avoid negative feedback in the first place.
But if thats not possible, turn to a mediation service like Square Trade.
With a mediation service, youre able to file a case regarding your negative feedback.
Explain why you think the charge is unjustified.
The other party will have two weeks to respond.
Square Trade says that most cases are resolved for free without having to turn to a mediator.
But if a mediators services are used, case resolution will cost between twenty and thirty dollars.
There are certainly times when amicable resolution is worth the price.
As a seller, its up to you to decide when to pay up, and when to leave things as they are.
Never make the mistake of arguing with or harassing customers who leave you negative feedback, deserved or not.
Nothing looks more unprofessional than a seller and buyer fighting back and forth over feedback comments.
Its understandable that you might be angry or emotional when hit with negative feedback, especially if you dont feel that you did anything wrong.
But for the sake of your professional reputation, learn to overcome those emotions before responding.
Employ the 24 Hour Rule; that is, dont make a reply until youve had a day to cool down.
When you do respond to unfair negative feedback, stick to the facts.
If the buyer claims that the item was not as described, point out that every defect was carefully documented in the items description.
(It was, wasnt it?) If they complain about slow shipping, post the shipping dates as well as the shipping policy that they agreed to when they purchased the item.
Never use personal attacks, only facts.
If you did make a mistake that earned you negative feedback, respond with courtesy.
Apologize for the honest mistake you made, and mention that you were not given a chance to rectify the situation before feedback was left.
This type of follow-up can make buyers more sympathetic to your situation.
There are right ways and wrong ways to deal with negative feedback on Ebay.
As long as you respond with class and professionalism, you can minimize the damage to your reputation.
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Requesting Payment Options to Repair Credit

admin — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 09:02:55 +0000

When you are in debt the best solution for repairing your credit is to ask for extensions, or arrange payment plans.
If you have student loans, you can call your loan officer and request deference on your payments.
If you are turned down on deference, you can ask for forbearance.
Forbearance is a postponement of your monthly installments.
Most times, it is easier to get forbearance than deference.
The problem is your interest rates accrue even when no payments are made.
The forbearance against your loan often lasts six months to two years and then you are expected to pick up regular payments.
If you are suffering debt related problems then this is a great solution for getting out of debt.
You can also consolidate your student loans.
If you have been turned down for deference, forbearance your next solution is fill out an application for a loan to repay your debts.
It is also possible to refinance your student’s loans.
If your credit is severe, you might however have difficulty with getting support on consolidation.
You also have the option of requesting a flex payment plan.
If you have a FFELP Stafford Loan ask for an extension on your loan, or else ask for a renewal on your loan for payments that allow you to pay according to your current income.
The downside is when you seek other people’s help for resolving your debt issues you are only adding more debts to your plans.
DefaultsIt is possible to get out of a default if you have made payments faithfully in the past, but can no longer repay your debts.
First, you must apply for a plan that is ‘reasonable and affordable.
‘ The plan applies to your current financial situation and if you faithfully make six months of payments on time, you may qualify for a default.
The default does not excuse you from the debt but allows you to make payments according to your financial situation.
If you obtain the default it is important to payoff your dues on times, since it is not possible to obtain a second default.
If you faithfully pay toward your default for a year, you can slide through some loopholes and get the default dropped.
The downside is when you apply for a default and makes your payments, in the long run your payments increase.
This is a temporarily solution for debt relief.
Credit Repair Doctor Bills If you have doctor, dental, or lawyer debts and need a solution, be aware there is an option available.
If you owe a lawyer, doctor or dentist it is wise to contact them as soon as possible and negotiate.
Most lawyers, doctors and dentist will work out a payment agreement lowering your monthly installments.
Some reduce your bills, while others will completely wipe out interest charges or late fees.
Most times lawyers, doctors and dentist will put off sending your debt to a collection agency providing you meet your agreed payment each month on time.
If you suspect you will be late sending payment, make sure you contact the creditor immediately to avoid complications.
If you make contact with the creditors, it tells them that you are not trying to avoid your problem rather you are delayed.
It is essential to careful review your bills each month searching for errors and disputing them immediately if any occur.
After your review your bills and there are no errors found find a resource for paying each bill immediately.
This is the ultimate solution for repairing credit or saving your credit.
If you have, credit cards make sure you meet monthly installments regularly to avoid paying additional rates per month.
Car LoansFinally, if you have a car loan and see that you cannot meet monthly installments contact your creditor immediately.
Be sure to tell your creditor your situation and ask for an extension or else a lower payment for the month.
DO NOT lie to any creditor.
Lying only complicates matters worse.
If you lender sees that you can make next months payment, or else repay your debt for the month at a later time they may excuse your tardiness.
However, if the creditor sees this is a long-term financial issue they may refinance your vehicle providing you lower monthly installments and lower interest rates.