Greg's Thoughts and Ideas

Feng Shui and Symbols - What You Have in Your House Says a Lot About You

2009-10-05T07:27:00.001-07:00

What does a broken statue of a rooster have to do with Feng Shui? Feng Shui teaches us that everything in our house is a reflection of what is in our mind. Symbolically speaking, your house and the things in it reflects your thoughts, feelings, and spirit.

So let's get back to that rooster. One of my clients had recently separated from her husband. I noticed that a statue of a large bird was directly facing her bed, so it was probably the first thing she saw when getting up in the morning. Upon closer examination, I noticed two things; first, one of the legs had previously been broken and was wrapped in what appeared to be a cast. Second, I realized that it was not a chicken; it was a rooster. Unfortunately, the coxcomb on the top of the head had broken off, probably in the same fall that broke the leg of the statue.

I examined this unfortunate art piece for a moment and then said to my client, "Do you realize that the first thing you see in the morning is a broken cock?"

After I picked her up from the floor (she was laughing so much she just collapsed), she gasped out, "You have no idea of how perfect that observation is." Not wanting to really know much more, I suggested we send out the broken rooster for repair. We then talked about what she really wanted to see first thing in the morning; it was her flute and music and a picture of her daughter.

Another client was having a hard time keeping relationships with men going. Visiting her apartment was like seeing a shrine to her daughter. Everywhere was a mother/daughter photograph. It felt like she was already in a relationship and there was no room for any other one to grow.

Everything that you choose to surround yourself with has symbolic meaning and reflects something about your life. Whether intentional or not, all those objects, pictures, photographs, and pieces of furniture resonate with information about you. Take a look around at your house. What is the first thing you see when you enter your home? When you get up in the morning? When you sit down to eat? Do those objects support you in living your best life? Observe what you have around you and then experiment. See how you feel swapping out the images that surround you for other ones that are a better reflection of who you are and where you want to go. I've seen this simple action do amazing things to improve people's lives.

Interested in learning more about Feng Shui and ways to improve the energy in your home or office? Get great tips and motivating messages by subscribing to the Empty Your Nest newsletter at http://www.emptyyournest.com

How to Install a Swimming Pool Liner

2009-10-04T22:03:00.001-07:00

Above ground pool owners know a lot about the time and expense associated with maintaining their backyard oasis, more commonly referred to as the swimming pool. In order to get the maximum life expectancy out of the pool liner itself, great care must be taken to maintain the chemical levels and prevent the build-up of debris and minerals in the pool. But what happens when the pool liner has outlived its usefulness and it is time to replace it before a leak or tear threatens your property?

There are several options available for the homeowner to address this situation. One could pay a professional to install a new liner, but that expense may be prohibitive considering the cost of the liner itself. You could hire the neighbor's kid to do the job, but then a poor installation could damage the liner and cost you more. If you were able to do it yourself and save the money and headaches, would you? The job is not as difficult as it may seem, and I can tell you how!

As always, the first step is preparing the pool for the new installation. This involves draining the water out of the pool, removing the old liner, and making arrangements for the purchase of a new liner. Draining the water will depend on the particular situation of the pool. It may require renting a submersible pump and discharging the water to the nearest storm drain. Be sure to check the local codes for this procedure. Removal of the old liner involves disassembly of the top cap of the pool wall which secures the liner in place. Once this is accomplished, discard the liner in an appropriate manner. Inspect the pool walls for damage or rust which may in turn damage the new liner. Make repairs as necessary to ensure a successful installation. When procuring a new liner, take note of the pool diameter (or length and width as the case may be) and the depth. These figures will determine the correct size of liner to request. Do not assume that the cheapest liner is the best value. The thickness of material ( mil thickness) will correlate to the expected life of the liner as well as the warranty provided. Liners may be available in 20 mil or more. Thicker liners will provide longer service, but will cost more initially. Be wary of a liner that is less than 20 mil, as they are less resistant to tears and chemical damage.

Once you have the pool prepared for the installation, unpack the new liner being careful to remove staples from the box or any other hazards that might damage the vinyl. Follow the manufacturer's guidelines for liner positioning inside the pool itself. Be sure that the liner seams meet where the walls and floor (ground) intersect. Do not be too concerned about minor wrinkles in the liner as these will be smoothed out when the pool is filled.

Once the liner is positioned properly, it is time to prepare for filling. This is accomplished by evenly pulling the liner over the pool walls until just a small area in the center of the liner remains touching the ground. The liner will be draped over the side walls for now. Replace the top cap of the pool wall over the liner but do not fasten it in place. This will support the liner during the filling process. Begin adding water. At regular intervals (when the water level begins to pull on the liner) remove portions of the top cap and allow more of the liner to come in contact with the ground. Do this evenly around the entire circumference of the pool. This will remove any wrinkles in the liner and assure a smooth pool floor. Reposition the top cap for support. Repeat this process until the entire floor of the pool contains water. Check the seams again to be sure they meet at the walls, and make any necessary adjustments. Once the entire pool contains 6" of water, and the liner is satisfactorily positioned, the top cap of the pool wall may be fastened permanently to hold the liner in position. Continue filling the pool to the specified level.

As a side note, before starting the pump, it may need to be primed. Avoid running the pump without adequate water as damage could result.

Pat yourself on the back for a job well done. You now have your oasis restored and can begin to enjoy the benefits of your pool.

For more great tips on pol care Go HERE!

Ferrel Kenda is an Internet author and webmaster specializing in Internet marketing and promotion and has 10 years experience in swimming pool care and maintenance.

Wooden Bench Making in 6 Easy Steps

2009-10-04T12:35:00.001-07:00

Although you may think it is really more difficult than it really is, bench making can be done in 6 simple steps. After we have gathered the needed materials and tools we can do bench making in no time. We can make ourselves a nice, simple and safe wooden bench; one that will be both functional and beautiful and something you will be sure to get compliments on and a great conversation piece. After all, what's better than saying, Yeah, I made that!"

Bench making is easier with these six steps.

1. First, we start off by measuring the frame of the bench seat to our desired dimensions, cut them, and then tack-nail them together. Bench making includes drawing a curve line on the side pieces lengthways and cutting them using a jigsaw before attaching them together. This forms the seat shape. We may also form it as we see fit.

Then cut and sand the seat slats and mark their face boards. Screw the seat frame tightly together. Glue and nail the slats to the frame, beginning from the back. A inch vertical spacer will help. A good bench making design is providing a slight slat overhang on the front.

2. Second, we come to the screwing portion of bench making. Glue and screw front legs to our seat frame by first pre-drilling and applying countersink holes for screws to fit in. Do the same with the hind legs.

3. Third is sanding. Bench making is also about safety so we round sharp corners and sand the seat face and legs to smoothen all surfaces. This avoids board grains or fibers from sticking out and hurting the user. Sanding also creates better-looking seat surfaces.

4. Fourth, we deal with the back rest in bench making. Get the top rail measurement and add a space 5/8 inch from the rail top to the back part of the hind leg. This should give a 1/8 inch space at the bottom of the rail between the back part of the leg and the rail.

Then place the router tenons or tongues and vertical back slats on one end. There should be a fitting groove at the top rail. The tongues should easily fit into the groove. Glue the slats and nail them.

5. Fifth, bench making with armrests requires putting wood cleats 3 1/2 by 3/4 by 3'4 inches to support the front legs. Make a 3/16 inch hole with a drill at the midpoint of the cleat and have it attached through the bracing at the corner.

The armrest should measure from the back of the hind leg to some inches off the front leg. An armrest notch should receive the leg support of the back rest. Drill a hole and countersink atop the front cleat piercing the armrest then glue and screw.

6. Then, sixth is final sanding. Bench making should end with all surfaces, ends, and corners smoothen before painting. There we have our nice, simple, and sturdy bench.

John Grant is a the author for a how to do it your self site where he is writing articles about how to build a bench.

Words and Truths That Will Challenge the Hearts of Leaders and Those Who Aspire to Be Leaders

2009-10-04T03:05:00.001-07:00

I vividly remember that night when our Professor of New Testament, James S. Stewart was preaching in Lothian Road in Edinburgh, Scotland, and his powerful and animated declaration, "Defend the Bible? I would just as soon defend a lion. Just turn the Bible loose. It will defend itself." It was only recently that I learned that it was Charles Spurgeon who first spoke these penetrating words.

Everything which relates to God is infinite. We must therefore, while we keep our hearts humble, keep our aims high. Our highest services are indeed but finite, imperfect, but as God is unlimited in goodness, He should have our unlimited love. Do these words not challenge our hearts?

We have the truth and we need not be afraid to say so. It was another strong Christian leader who spoke these words and they are so very relevant in 2009 for those of us who are in Christ and who believe the Bible.

Having a full life is not necessarily a long life. I have just been re-reading the memoirs of Robert Murray McCheyne of Dundee, and his influential ministry certainly supports these salutary words.

The world isn't reading the Bible. The world is reading Christians like you and me, and if they don't like what they see in us, they're not going to want what we have, and we have what everyone so needs, Jesus Christ. Again, that will not be popular in certain places in 2009, but it just happens to be true.

Only one life will soon be past and it is only what is done for Christ that will last. Let that sink in deeply!

Inner purity results in outer power. We see that so perfectly clearly in the life of Jesus Christ and to a lesser degree in the life of the early Church. But what a challenge it is to me! Is it a challenge to you?

With complete consecration comes perfect peace, and these words were breathed by a saintly Chinese believer in Jesus called Watchman Nee, whose teaching and writing has inspired many. He was a leader who continues to lead today as disciples of Jesus Christ study his writings.

No one ever became, or can become truly eloquent without being a reader of the Bible, and an admirer of the purity and sublimity of its language. Now, that is almost too strong but I know what the writer is getting at. Do you?

It's not the parts of the Bible I don't know that worries me, but the parts that I do. That statement from a leader is a very different field has something profound to say to each of us.

One of the greatest dangers in the Christian life is losing interest in what is familiar. Again this can happen almost without our noticing as we search for something fresh to say and at times perhaps even novel. It is better to say what is true than what is new!

Tell me what you do with your time and money and I will tell you where your heart is. How vitally important that is in these times of financial crisis.

We can have no power from Christ unless we are persuaded that we have none of our own. I need to remember that frequently. Would that not be true for us all?

Sandy Shaw.

Sandy Shaw is Pastor of Nairn Christian Fellowship, Chaplain at Inverness Prison, and Nairn Academy, and serves on The Children's Panel in Scotland, and has travelled extensively over these past years teaching, speaking, in America, Canada, South Africa, Australia, making 12 visits to Israel conducting Tours and Pilgrimages, and most recently in Uganda and Kenya, ministering at Pastors and Leaders Seminars, in the poor areas surrounding Kampala, Nairobi, Mombasa and Kisumu.

He broadcasts regularly on WSHO radio out of New Orleans, and writes a weekly commentary at http://www.studylight.org entitled "Word from Scotland" on various biblical themes, as well as a weekly newspaper column.

His M.A. and B.D. degrees are from The University of Edinburgh, and he continues to run and exercise regularly to maintain a level of physical fitness.

Sandy Shaw
sandyshaw63@yahoo.com

Glass Blocks Give a House Or Office a Special Touch

2009-10-03T17:13:00.001-07:00

With new home construction on the rise, there is no shortage of new and innovative designs. When we drive around some neighborhoods we cannot but help noticing how the builders of these structures have gone all out in making their homes unique and competitive. We now have homes in almost all shapes and sizes. Even people with existing homes have joined the fray. Since they cannot outright demolish their homes and reconstruct, they make a spirited attempt to modify their homes using innovative techniques. One of those techniques is using glass blocks.

Glass blocks as building blocks have been around for some time but they have become more prevalent in recent times as more and more people discover their inherent advantages. Glass blocks are not made of regular glass as there are many types of glass. Rather, they are made out of what is called tempered glass which is a specially made to specially-treated glass that is heated to certain degrees and then left to dry. This produces a type of glass that is more resilient than regular glass and can even be as hard as marble. This makes this a very attractive building material. Glass blocks have several advantages that make them an attractive building option.

One of their advantages is that they are obviously attractive. Having a section of a wall or building wing made entirely of glass is extremely attractive and is becoming popular. Hardly can we visit a number of offices than we see glass blocks adorning sections of the offices. This has translated to people's homes who prefer glass blocks in some patios and even entire walls of the homes.

What makes glass blocks attractive is the fact that they allow light in without necessarily being brittle. We normally associate glass with being brittle and delicate as with drinking glass. The same is not the case with glass blocks. These can be set to allow light while at the same time be as hard as marble. They can even be set to allow some light and not all, meaning that they become translucent rather than totally transparent. This can allow light to enter into the building without necessarily compromising privacy.

Another reason that makes glass blocks attractive is their resilience. We mentioned this before; that they are made out of treated glass which is enhanced with the addition of increased chemicals and moderated heat levels to create a glass substance that is hundreds of times stronger than regular glass. In the event that is cracks and breaks, it does not shatter the way regular glass does. Who would not want a strong glass block to form part of their walls at home or at the office which is very beautiful to look at and also very strong?

Glass blocks, because they allow a lot of light into the room, contribute to reduced power bills. This is because with the block, there is less artificial light required since the room can now be lit with natural outdoors light.

Need information about about glass blocks? Theodor Cartman recommends the best glass blocks when buying.

Granite for Bathroom Counter Tops

2009-10-03T07:33:00.001-07:00

Granite is commonly chosen for all types of projects within the home for many people across the United States and the world. It is used all the time when remodeling and can add that finishing touch to whatever part of the house that you want. One place that granite does well in the home is in the bathroom. You may wonder why granite may be chosen for the bathrooms, but there are actually a couple good reasons to have granite for bathroom counter tops. Many new homeowners like the look and feel of granite; it makes things look pure and elegant when the granite shows through in the bathroom counter tops. Additionally, granite for bathroom counter tops is a good idea because it will not take as much effort to clean as it would in another part of the house like the kitchen.

How can granite be used for counter tops in the bathroom? Many people actually line the whole bathroom sink and counter top with granite, making it the material of choice for all the bathrooms inside the house. Also, aside from having granite for bathroom counter tops, granite is also sometimes chosen for the floors of the bathroom as well. One of those reasons is that the bathroom is typically not the place where many spills or drops take place, thus making the bathroom a perfect place for granite material as well as bathroom counter tops made of granite.

Cleaning when you have granite for bathroom counter tops can also be very easy. When the granite bathroom counter tops are installed a sealant will probably be placed over it. By using a finishing polish on the granite bathroom counter tops you are ensuring that it continually looks nice, clean, and beautiful. The major reason that granite is used for bathroom counter tops is that the material is easy to clean. But even if anything small does happen to your granite bathroom counter tops, you will certainly be able to clean them yourself very easily by using a piece of fine steel wool or even calling in a professional to make your granite bathroom counter tops look beautiful again

Joseph Walker is webmaster of http://www.GraniteCounterTopsGuide.com a free informational site that helps to inform you about Granite Countertops and what to look for and how to take care of them.

Organic Food and Vegetarianism

2009-10-02T21:57:00.001-07:00

In this article, organic food vis-a-vis vegetarianism will be initially elaborated. Organic food has been previously described to be any food - vegetables, fruits, meat, processed food, food by-products - which is free from harmful chemicals and produced using all natural methods, processes and inputs. At some point, it must carry the organic certification seal, but some simple tips to distinguish organic from inorganic food have also been presented. On the other hand, vegetarianism, which has many levels, shall be defined here in broad terms, and that is the edible fruits and vegetables.

For some people, they learned and practiced organic food lifestyle first before becoming vegetarian. For others, they took the vegetarian road first before learning and being organic food consumer. Of course, there are also those who only consider themselves as vegetarian or simply into organic food lifestyle, whichever. They may be conscious of categorizing themselves or simply not aware of it.

Vegetarian consciousness has been more identified with spirituality. This consciousness has been as old as the Eastern Civilization. It is a discipline in attaining Oneness with the Divine or Yoga. Yogis and meditators believe that the physical body, being the temple of the soul, must be clean and therefore has to be purified. Being vegetarian is one way of purifying the body because vegetables eliminate physical wastes and toxins in the physical body. Scientific researches have already presented a lot of healing and cleansing properties of vegetables. An example is the way vegetable fibers do in eliminating wastes.

Organic food awareness, for its part, has been greatly brought about by the harmful effects of artificial and commercial food production. It is actually in advocacy stage as this caters only to a niche market Although it was a natural thing to consume natural food in the pre-historic age until the dawn of commercial production, this awareness was eventually replaced when the need for mass production arose. Therefore, while organic food awareness seems to be much older, the awareness dissipation caused by modernization has made it something new for the present age.

People who are becoming more aware of organic food consumption are indeed in the process of going back, of communing with nature and be at one with it. They would like to be as healthy as the people who once set their feet on earth. With the way cancer and other diseases are shortening the lifespan of people, organic food consumption is becoming a choice.

For vegetarians, this is the same process they are discovering and doing in their life. They also would like to go back, to be home. The Vegans have for thousands of years known the benefits of eating vegetables. These same benefits are the benefits being appreciated by organic food consumers. Both are now learning from each other.

Read more organic food articles and get ready for the organic and natural choice. Browse other related articles by visiting Natural and Organic Food Reviews. The site is dedicated to provide information about healthy habits and lifestyles, list and links to organic food stores and organic food online, campaigns and advocacy on organic and natural food, organic farming and production and a storehouse full of organic food tips. Exchange of information and comments are always welcome.

Tips in Remodeling a Small Bathroom - Carlsbad Home Remodeling

2009-10-02T12:40:00.001-07:00

Being among the top players world-wide in the financial, commercial, entertainment and cultural industries, New York City has become the most densely populated city in the country. With such reputation, the cost of housing soars leaving smaller living spaces a more popular option. Making a home out of these amply-spaced to smaller units is a challenge to many. This includes making important features of the home seem much cozier such as remodeling a small bathroom.

When remodeling a small bathroom, a complete focus on space fused with the right amount of creativity is key to the success of the project. Another important thing to ponder on is that quality does not come cheap. But it does not mean that you would have to always stick with the most expensive service or product, it only means that you should take careful considerations before letting go of your hard-earned cash to be able to give the most value to the money that you spend.

There are various ways to make less space appear much bigger. Enlisted are helpful tips in remodeling a small bathroom:

First off, unless you have significant skills and experience in plumbing, carpentry and electrical works, or the project is not a major one; you should seek the expertise of a competent NYC contractor to help you. Following this first tip in remodeling a small bathroom would save you a whole of time and money in the long run.

Instead of having a tub, maximize the space by having a shower instead. Rather than the traditional shower pan construction, a simple one-piece pan would serve as a much sleeker option as well as a leakproof solution. But if you still prefer a tub over a spacious shower, then go for the soaking bathtubs that are smaller but deeper designs.

In remodeling a small bathroom, choose a lighter and cooler hue for the walls and delicate patters for wallpapers or tiles. Light colors have an airy feel to them creating an illusion of more space. To create a better impact out of these designs, install fixtures offering heavy lighting. Another way to better illuminate the small bathroom is through skylight features. A bay window is a good choice as its alcove may also offer additional storage space.

Two elements have long since been known to give an illusion of more space. Reflection
and vertical objects and designs such as unframed mirrors and tall bathroom products that have shiny surfaces can be used in remodeling a small bathroom. You can have two mirrors installed opposite each other or facing the window. And when shopping, choose a tall but compact model of toilet and either a wall-mounted or sleek sink.

Important considerations when remodeling a small bathroom are the storage of toiletries and room for decorative items. Choose to have spaces cut out into the walls to serves as additional storage or display area rather than having free-standing cabinets or shelves installed into the walls. Lesser things protruding from the walls would help make the space seem larger.

Eugene Makeev has been in the home improvement industry for a while. His skills and expertise, which have been polished through time, are now used to help New York home owners avoid the common pitfalls in home improvements by matching their needs with the right, prescreened NYC contractor. To know more about remodeling a small bathroom, visit Contractors New York

Build New Or Remodel?

2009-10-02T03:30:00.001-07:00

There are three possible scenarios involved in that question:

1. Stay where you are and renovate

2. Move to an existing house and renovate

3. Build a new house for you to move into

There are numerous considerations, not the least of which is how you feel about your existing location. That word - LOCATION - should be your primary focus. Do you prefer to remain where you are, or not? Is staying where you are an option, or are you forced to relocate due to a job change, or other issues?

If you wish to stay where you are, there's no reason to read this article. Remodeling and/or expanding the place where you now live is the least expensive alternative - by far.
Your aggravation levels will increase during the construction, but they will do that with either of the other choices as well. If it gets to be too much, you can move to a motel for 2 months, eat dinner out every night, and still come out cheaper than either option 2 or option 3. If you want to be in your present home, case closed.

So let's assume you have to move, and we'll concentrate on option 2 vs. option 3. There are two important aspects of this topic which apply to both.
In both cases you have to research the property with the building department to make sure you will be able to do what you wish. Verify zoning, lot size restrictions, and access to utilities.
You will have unknown costs (moving, insurance, taxes, financing costs, etc.) in either case.

Advantages of remodeling an existing house:
Fewer hidden (or unknown) costs. New homes often have impact fees, ground preparation fees, and higher permit fees than those imposed for remodeling.
Hard construction costs will be less (usually, but not always).
You can move into the house much sooner. If you have to leave your existing home quickly, you may not have the ability to wait for a new home to be built.

Advantages of building new:
Unrestricted design potential, allowing you to end up with a more modern, better insulated home, with better traffic flow than you would have in an older building. Also, older homes have less closet/storage space than new ones.
Your long term energy costs will be lower because all of your equipment will be running more efficiently.
Less disruption to family routine. While construction is happening, you're still living in your present house. Then you move into a finished product (possibly with some decorative items to complete).

I'm sure you noticed that I haven't listed costs in either list. The determining factor is going to be the extent of the renovation to the existing building. Depending upon the condition of the house, age, building codes and other factors, it can actually be more costly to remodel than to build new.

In either case, allow an extra 20% in your budget over and above any quoted costs you've obtained. 10% is for upgrades that you decide upon after initial pricing. The other 10% is for the rising costs of material and labor. If the price of oil goes through the roof again, 10% might not be enough.

If the older home was built between 1950 and 1978, there might be issues having to do with asbestos and lead paint. Make sure you get a professional inspection performed. You may also be required to bring the plumbing and electrical systems up to date.

In conclusion, renovating a home might be very rewarding, as well as the cheaper alternative. However, you have to do your homework before making the commitment, in order to insure that you're not stepping into a money pit. Every situation is different. Your decision will probably come down to what your sixth sense tells you. Regardless of how you choose, anticipate that moving into a new home will take more time and more money than expected.

Charles Gueli

Home Helper

http://www.continuous-home-improvement-help.com

Thinking Can Motivate You to Start - Make Money

2009-10-01T18:00:00.001-07:00

Anybody can wish for riches, and most people do, but only a few know that a definite plan, plus a burning desire for wealth, are the only dependable means of accumulating wealth.

This statement is at the beginning of Chapter 13 from the book "Think and Grow Rich" by Napoleon Hill.

There are so many different methods, from so many different people, but most people don't know where to start, or plan their way to success.

I have heard some people mention the hardest part is actually starting, while others say you have to start somewhere, anywhere but start. Starting is usually the hardest part for most people, they get defeated by their own beliefs and of course never even start.

Fear of failure and fear of success, seem to be at the top of the list when thinking about starting a business. It's always been hard to imagine people being afraid to succeed, when this is what they seem to desire the most.

Wishing for riches can motivate you to start, thinking about the many different ways to succeed can motivate you to plan. A burning dire to succeed well often motivate you to start and create a plan eventually.

The key to creating wealth is developing habits and good daily habits performed over a lifetime, most of the time, will lead you to wealth beyond your wildest dream's. Sometimes this wealth is going to have nothing to do with money.

Get some books, talk to some people, watch some biographies about successful people throughout history, find out what they did and start paving your own trail. But you're going to have to start somewhere.

Greg Vanden Berge is a published author, internet marketing expert, motivational inspiration to millions of people all over the world and is sharing some of his wisdom with experts in the fields of writing, marketing and personal development.

Greg is currently working on a video library filled with great movies on a wide array of topics, like religion, self help and spiritual changes in the world.

Hire a Local Qualified Home Inspector to Do Your Home Inspections

2009-10-01T08:22:00.001-07:00

Did you know that a newly constructed house needs aresidential inspection performed on behalf of the home buyer? Even buyers of older homes often forget to have a home inspection or even know they can require a home inspector as a part of the pre-purchase process. Failing to have the inspection performed can relieve the seller from liability with any needed repairs, and leave you holding the money pit.

Did you know that a house inspection from a professional will usually consist of over 2500 different items being looked at. It is our job to completely evaluated almost all systems of the house from the roof all the way to the basement or crawlspace. Certified home inspectors have demonstrated their ability to locate structural issues, HVAC problems, plumbing and electrical issues, and even issues outside of the home that may have been missed even by the local building inspector. The cost of a home inspection is very low compared to the cost of almost any missed repair issues.

In areas like the humid Atlanta region there are issues such as water leaks, black mold, HVAC condensation, and leaching that may not be applicable in other areas. In fact each area of Georgia is different so if buying a home in North Georgia it is important to work with a reliable residential inspection specialist who has experience in the North Georgia area. After all, would an inspector from South ofAtlanta know how to look for roof damage caused by snow on a home in Ball Ground? Not likely. Keep it local and find a home inspector to provide a home inspection on your nexthouse or investment property. Every area has it's own set of issues related to the climate alone.

David Lelak is the owner/home inspector for IHI Home Inspections in Atlanta, GA. He is a Certified Atlanta home inspector, a member of Nachi and has been in the residential construction industry for over 20 years. My job is to protect one of the biggest investments you might ever make. So when I do a home inspection I inspect the property as if I were purchasing it for me and my family. Your families safety is my biggest concern and I want customers for life. Visit my website today at http://www.ihihomeinspections.com to schedule your inspection online.

Editorial services provided by my friend Ken Cook http://www.icobb.com

Does Windows Vista Need Registry Repair Software?

2009-08-18T18:32:00.001-07:00

All other versions of Windows needed to have the registry cleaned in order to keep the operating system performing at peak efficiency. A Windows registry repair software program actually helps to restore the corrupt registry to its pristine condition and enables your computer to fly again. The new Windows Vista is no different - it also needs for you to regularly use registry repair tools to keep it in peak shape. The Windows Vista registry file operates in the same way as it does in the other versions of Windows. The Windows registry file is used as a storehouse of all the locations of your files and programs that you use. Each time you make changes in your computer, such as adding or removing software or hardware, changes are made to your registry file.

Over time your computer develops a corrupt registry because pieces of programs are left behind. Many of these pieces end up not connected to anything that remains on your hard drive. Soon the file becomes bloated with a lot of unnecessary useless pieces of programs.

This means that your computer now must regularly search through a lot of useless files - which it does not even know why they are there. This can visibly slow your computer down, cause it to hang, and maybe even crash. A good registry repair software program can enable you to easily fix registry errors.

Finding a good registry repair tool online is easy to do, but you will need to compare them carefully in order to get the best registry cleaner. The software you need can be in the form of free registry repair software, or you may choose to go all the way up to a top registry cleaner. Make sure that it will provide you with both registry scan and repair features. It is quite possible that some freeware registry cleaner may only scan your computer registry and then you will have to pay in order to get it to actually heal your Windows Vista registry.

Besides that, you should know that only new versions of Windows registry repair software will be able to scan and repair the new Vista files. This means you will need to look to make sure - before you download it - that the software you want to use can actually do the job. If it can't, of course, you may actually end up with a further corrupted registry file that even your computer cannot use. This makes it a good idea to create a backup registry file before you use any registry cleaner software.

Check some of the review Web sites for the registry repair software you want to use, and then you can be sure to get the computer problems you may be facing corrected. Once your corrupt registry is fixed, it should restore your computer to its original operating speed and give you much better performance. This will keep Windows Vista operating in the way it was designed, and you will have far fewer operational problems with your computer.

Ronald Hudkins maintains a website that provides consumers a wide array of software solutions from business productivity, computer security optimization, anti spyware, adware, anti virus, language learning, scrap booking, computer and cell phone networking and more. To learn more about his outlet visit http://www.registryfixing.com

Structuring Your 24 Hour Day

The Media Savvy Leader by David Henderson

2009-08-18T09:01:00.000-07:00

Media Communications that Enhance Competitive Positioning and Brand Awareness

David Henderson, veteran communications strategist, provides "a candid look at why some leaders are high-profile media stars and titans of industry who generate outstanding results while other are relegated to stand in the shadows." The Media Savvy Leader" is the result of interviewing dozens of businesses, associations, non-profit leaders and over 150 journalists.

Henderson begins the book with an insider's perspective on up-to-the-minute ways leaders are made and become recognized in today's competitive media world. He stresses the importance of strategic positioning, reputation, and image management which create clear messages that produces influence. He offers the reader insight into the distinctive techniques which make news. He discusses the dynamics of technology, audience shifts, changing revenue streams, and news cycles. He shows how traditional tools of media are fast becoming obsolete.

Part One shows the reader how to gain influence in the midst of noise, hype and power. Part Two deals with achieving clarity in a cluttered world. Part three covers how to develop a distinctive voice of leadership. I found the chapter "Missions Statements Versus Positioning Messages" eyeopening and helpful.

Henderson communicates clearly with charismatic excitement with persuasiveness. "The Media Savvy Leader" is highly endorsed by well known entrepreneurs, in Television, the printed media, and internet communications. Packed with powerful content and strategies this is a book for executives of companies, associations, and organizations who recognize the benefits of favorable media coverage.

978-1934759202, Robert D. Reed Publishers,

As Reviewed for Midwest Book Review

Richard R. Blake, Christian Education Consultant, Book Store Owner

Hope In Religion

Outdoor Wall Fountains Are Good For the Soul

2009-08-17T14:32:00.001-07:00

Instant tranquility. Just position your chaise lounge near the serene sounds of an outdoor wall fountain. Stress levels decline, bliss readings rise.

Outdoor wall fountain tips for apartment dwellers
Flowing water brings sound and movement to even the tiniest of balcony gardens, creating an aura of spirit-lifting tranquility. In recent years, the choice of balcony-sized water features has grown to include everything from budget-priced kits to superb artist's pieces. Outdoor Wall fountains make the most of vertical space, while small bowls or pools can splash, spill, bubble or spray according to the music you like best. Water plants, such as water lilies and iris, are optional. Good ideas and practical advice can be found in by reading your favorite Website for Small Gardens.

Wall fountains are versatile-indoors or outdoors
The beauty of purchasing an outdoor wall fountain is that many of the kits can also be used inside as well.When selecting an outdoor water fountain, you want to think ahead and make sure the outdoor water fountain will age well over the years.They can be made from a variety of materials and for extra drama, can be illuminated.

Most outdoor wall fountains are not so hard to install
The sound of water in the back yard garden adds a lovely touch of serenity and a feeling that all is right with the world. The tinkling sound of gently running water from an outdoor wall fountain just has a peaceful effect to the heart and soul. An outdoor wall fountain relaxes, calms and takes us far away from the pressure cooker stresses of modern life.Many psychiatrists incorporate water fountains in the gardens of treatment facilities. Outdoor water fountains are featured on rooftops of metropolitan skyscrapers so that business executives can unwind and distress.

City dwellers with the small courtyard or compact backyard can create a haven of paradise by adding a variety of plants, goldfish, tasteful statues and an outdoor wall fountain. Just about all outdoor wall fountains are very surprisingly tasteful in design.Many even come in a lightweight resin, which has the added benefit of being easily attached to the common privacy wooden fence without additional hardware being necessary.

Tips for Apartment Dwellers:
Flowing water brings sound and movement to even the tiniest of balcony gardens, creating an aura of spirit-lifting tranquility. In recent years, the choice of balcony-sized water features has grown to include everything from budget-priced kits to superb artist's pieces. Wall fountains make the most of vertical space, while small bowls or pools can splash, spill, bubble or spray according to the music you like best. Water plants, such as waterlilies and
iris, are optional.

Kristina L. is resource for the website Serenityhealth.com, your one stop shop for any type of water fountains and water fountain information. You will find many outdoor fountains for your garden, wall fountains, tabletop fountains and even custom fountains. Visit Serenityhealth.com or call to talk to one of our water fountain experts.

No Stair Nosing

Imagine No Need for Greed or Hunger

2009-08-17T09:59:00.001-07:00

Imagine There's No Heaven, It's Easy If You Try, No Hell below Us, above Us Only Sky, Imagine All the People Living for Today. Imagine There's No Countries, It Isn't Hard to Do, Nothing to Kill or Die for, and No Religion Too. Imagine All the People Living Life in Peace. Think about It.

It's hard to imagine, with the information today and even 50 years ago that most people still believe in religions all over the world, just because they were raised to believe in them. Religions of the future will have to adapt to change, a little faster as more people read articles like mine to promote education within your religion.

Find out a little bit more about Your Religious Freedom

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 is currently working on a religous help library filled with great subjects on a wide array of topics, like religion, self help and spiritual changes in the world. His views on religious freedom are slowly changing the way people think about institutional religion.

Guilt Feeding On Your Conscience
Hope In Religion

Stair Treads - Stair Building

2009-08-17T09:57:00.001-07:00

If you've built as many stairways as I have, this is a very simple question to answer. Should I use 2 x 12 or 3 x 12 for my stair treads? Without a doubt I would use the 3 x 12 for a couple of reasons.

The thickness of the three by material gives it some additional strength and that strength could prevent someone from falling through the stairway and getting injured. Visually looking at the 3 x 12 it gives you the illusion that the stairway is safe. Once you start walking up the stairway and the stairs seem solid and well constructed, it takes the illusion and makes it a reality.

If you're walking up a poorly constructed stairway every day, not only is it a safety problem but it takes a little bit of effort as you walk up the stairway, holding on to the hand rail with a death grip, this can easily wear someone out physically and mentally, over time. Stairways should be constructed and maintained with safety as the main priority.

If you've ever walked up and older stairway that was built using 2 x 12 for the stair treads, you probably know what I'm talking about. Walking up and down the stairway, while the stair treads are moving, does not give you a strong sense that the stairway is safe. And of course sometimes the stairway isn't.

For example if you have a 3 inch knot in a 2 x 12 stair tread, over time as the wood expands and contracts, the knot can loosen up and fall out of the stair tread, often creating a weak spot in the step. With a thicker stair tread, it will take a little more expanding and contracting to create a weak spot in the stair step.

If you're building a stairway wider than 36 inches, with no center stair stringers to support the stairway, I would suggest using a 3 x 12 or 4 x 12 for your stair treads. 2 x 12 should not be used for stair treads on any staircase wider than 36 inches.

If you choose to use 2 x 12 for your stair treads, select premium grade lumber for safety. Try to avoid using center cut building materials and 2 x 12 with knots larger than an inch and a half. Large knots are one of the biggest problems in construction safety.

Greg Vanden Berge 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.

Learn more about the parts of the stairway, whether you're a experienced carpenter or homeowner. Stair building does not necessarily have to be as complicated as most people make it out to be. There's also a book on how to build straight stairs that can save you a lot of frustration, if you've never built a stairway before. Visit the website.

Prayer In My Earlier Life and Its Effects

2009-08-17T01:37:00.001-07:00

Genie Of Your Mind
Benefits Of Meditation

"Resistance is Futile" - Life Lessons From Star Trek?

2009-08-16T06:10:00.001-07:00

I confess, I used to watch Star Trek! Not that I'm a "Trekkie" by any means, but I did used to find the show interesting. My favorite character was Mr. Data - he always seemed to be the one to get them out of trouble, probably because he knew everything!

If you've ever watched the show at all, you'll probably be familiar with "The Borg" and their memorable phrase "resistance is futile". You know what? The Borg were actually right!

Most stress is created in our lives when we resist what is. When we try to fight against something that's happening because we don't like it. But the more we fight and struggle against it, the more stuck we become and the more stressed we become. Let's take a couple of every day examples:

You're late for an appointment. You rush out of the house, get in your car and on the road, and just as you get going on the highway, traffic comes to a standstill and you're stuck in a traffic jam. You get upset. You're late. Your boss or the customer will be upset with you. Tension mounts. Your heart rate increases, your blood pressure rises - this can't be happening. You're in resistance. But what does that resistance achieve? It can't change the fact that you're in a traffic jam. It can't make you move any faster. So what can you do? You can accept the fact that there is a traffic jam and that you're stuck in it. That's a fact. There is nothing you can do at this moment in time that will change that, so accept it.

When you accept that this is indeed the situation you find yourself in and there is nothing you can do to change it at this moment, it gives you the ability to relax. To stay calm. To breathe. It takes away all of the tension and stress. When you are in this calm state, you can think more clearly. Since you find yourself in this situation, what can you do? If you have your cell phone you can call the people you are meeting with and tell them of your situation so they know. You can listen to some music, or better still, some educational CD's that you keep in your car. Very often you'll find that once you've relaxed and surrendered the situation, that traffic will soon start moving again and you end up not being so late after all. But even if that doesn't happen it's okay.

Consider the alternative. You get upset, you fight, you resist the fact that you're in the traffic jam and you eventually arrive at your meeting, very late, very frustrated, and very angry. Will you be at your best in the meeting? This stress will most likely stay with you not only throughout the meeting, but throughout the day. You then go home and are upset with your family because you've had a stressful day and you're not able to let go of it. You may even find that you can't get to sleep because you're still thinking about what a terrible day you had. You just can't let go of it.

This can apply to any situation. Let's take another example: you're preparing a report that's due first thing in the morning. You've left it until the last minute and now you're rushing to get it done - so you're already stressed because you're under pressure. You work diligently on your report and now you're almost at the end when - the computer crashes. You realize you didn't save your work. You can't get your computer going again. You call technical support and are placed on hold for - who knows how long? This can't be happening. Why didn't you start the report sooner? Why didn't you save it? Why do these things always happen to you? Why is life so unfair? Why is everybody so incompetent that you can't get anybody to fix it when you need them to?

Does this sound familiar? Again, in this situation your blood pressure rises, your heart rate increases, you're upset, you're angry, you're worried. How can you possibly surrender this situation? It's terrible! Well, let's look again at the facts. You left preparation of the report until the last minute. You didn't save your work. The computer crashed. You can't get through to anyone to fix it right now. No amount of you jumping up and down, shouting, getting angry or frustrated is going to change any of that, is it? Acknowledge that. Accept that the situation is as it is. Getting upset won't change it. Once you can accept that these are the facts, this is what is happening now, and simply let go of trying to wish it were different or force the change, then the tension you feel will go away. You'll be able to breathe and become calm. Once you're in a calm state, then you can ask yourself the question - is there anything I can do right now that will change or improve this situation? Perhaps you can borrow somebody else's computer and start the report again. Perhaps there is somebody else you can think of who can get your computer working. Once you're in this calmer state of mind you might actually find that you get through to Technical Support and the situation gets resolved. You might even find that your document did not disappear thanks to document recovery in the program.

Most of us are extremely stressed. There is a great deal of research that shows that stress is the major cause of most illnesses, relationship challenges and so on. But we create most of it ourselves by being resistant to what is happening. When you can accept a situation as it is and be okay with it, that doesn't mean that you are giving in, that you'll never make any progress. Just the opposite in fact. When you give up the resistance, somehow you find that the ideas, resources, people - whatever you need to move forward just shows up. Instead of "making it happen" you're "allowing it to happen."

I encourage you to try this as you go through your day. Whatever challenges arise, simply accept them as they are. Stay calm, and allow the solutions to present themselves - without you trying to force the situation.

Linda Binns shows you how to be more successful in all areas of your life by working with your environment. Sign up for her free 9-step E-course at http://www.HarmoniousLifeChoices.com

Linda Binns is author of Feng Shui for Your Relationships: Changing Your Environment to Create Better Relationships. She has been a Feng Shui Practitioner, Author, Speaker and teacher for over 10 years. She has appeared internationally on television and radio and in local publications. Linda is also the founder of The Feng Shui Success Institute - which teaches in-depth Feng Shui training and practitioner certification.

Floor Framing Plumbing Problem

Prayer In My Earlier Life and Its Effects

2009-08-15T04:50:00.001-07:00

Amazing Sai Baba
Get Something Out Of Worship Or

Stairways And Feng Shui

2009-08-15T02:12:00.001-07:00

If you are looking for a new home, you may be thinking of the usual aspects of feng shui when evaluating potential homes - the shape of the home, where the various rooms are located, the prominence of your front door and entryway etc. However, one element that people often overlook is the stairway.

What does a stairway have to do with feng shui? Well, stairways are conduits of energy - that is, the energy you have created inside your living space travels along stairways. You will want to try to avoid homes with a couple of different stairway scenarios:

First, try to avoid homes that have stairways opposite the front door. In this scenario, the positive energy within your home will be flowing right out your front door, which can create a draining feeling in your home.

Second, a home with a spiral staircase can create energy challenges in a home. Energy moves along a spiral staircase in corkscrew fashion - this translates to a feeling of chaos in your living space.

However, if you find a home you like that has either of these features, all is not lost. There are ways that you can deal with either of these situations. If you have a staircase opposite a front door, you can place a mirror on the inside of your front door - a bagua mirror (an octagonal mirror with a painted frame) works especially well for this. A mirror will help to reflect the energy and keep it from flowing out of your home. You can also hang a crystal at the top of the stairs, which will help to retain the positive energy and keep it from flowing down the stairway.

If you are looking at a home with a spiral staircase, you can also use a hanging crystal to help calm the energy in this space. Also, try placing potted plants underneath the staircase - this will bring in the grounding element of earth and help to make the energy in that area more peaceful.

So while you don't have to let a challenging stairway situation keep you from buying a particular home, it is a good idea to keep feng shui solutions for this in mind while you are shopping for your next home, so that you will be able to deal with a stairway challenge if you find that a home is otherwise perfect for you.

FEEL FREE TO USE THIS ARTICLE! And, if you do, include this statement:

Linda Binns shows you how to be more successful in all areas of your life by working with your environment. She is giving away FREE Feng Shui Success Secrets. To get access to these powerful and practical secrets that can help you transform your life go to http://www.fengshuiexplained.com now.

Linda Binns is author of Feng Shui for Your Relationships: Changing Your Environment to Create Better Relationships. She has been a Feng Shui Practitioner, Author, Speaker and teacher for over 10 years. She has appeared internationally on television and radio and in local publications. Linda is also the founder of The Feng Shui Success Institute which teaches in-depth Feng Shui training and practitioner certification.

Damaged Exterior Drywall

TV Cooking Programmes Drive a Surge of Interest in Culinary Art Schools

2009-08-13T21:25:00.001-07:00

Over 53,000 people last month searched on the internet for information on culinary schools and this data is from just one search engine. This increasing trend for people looking for culinary art schools and for careers in the culinary world is believed to be driven by the significant rise in cooking and culinary related programmes which have been aired on television especially over the last few months. This has been coupled with the new high profiles of so called celebrity chefs, further driving interest in the field.

Anne Sprigpitt owner of http://1culinaryartschools.com says, Over the last few months weve seen a significant increase in the numbers of people using our site to find more information about culinary arts schools. Much of this is down to the popularity of TV cooking programmes such as Master Chef, Saturday Kitchen and Great British Menu, which have been screening on the BBC over recent months.

The main problem many people who search for information on culinary art schools is that they are overwhelmed by the number of different options available to them. For example there are French cooking schools, Thai cooking schools, Le Cordon Bleu schools, Italian cooking schools and many more. There are so many choices they just dont know where to start looking

My advice to anyone who is looking for a career in cooking and wants to join a culinary art school is to narrow down your areas of interest, so that you identify what area of cooking you are most passionate about and go for it. The most important thing is doing what you love.

Cooking to a very high standard is not easy and requires many hours of dedication, sweat and tears. If the increase in popularity of culinary art schools continues, we should see a new wave of celebrity chefs coming through over the next few years as more people see it as a viable way to achieve success and fame.

For more help and advice on finding a culinary art school visit, http://1culinaryartschools.com and discover the fine art of cooking for yourself.

Rust Stains On Concrete Floor

Did Jesus Actually Ever Get Mad - Video

2009-08-13T08:14:00.001-07:00

Why Do People Go To Church
Persistence Or Failure In Goals

How to Use Chinese Zodiac Compatibility to Predict Your Relationship

2009-08-12T17:50:00.001-07:00

Chinese zodiac compatibility is the most popular approach to predict a potential relationship by referring to the man's and woman's Chinese zodiac animals. For example, rat matches ox or monkey, tiger matches dog, rabbit matches pig, dragon matches rooster, snake matches monkey and so on. Ever since the time of ancient China, the above Chinese zodiac matches have been said to be perfect matches, which means the couple could live happily together forever. However, in reality, it doesn't always turn out that way. Among the couples which are supposed to be happy due to the Chinese zodiac compatibility, some of them still quarrel with each other often and even end up divorce. So one may wonder: is the so-called Chinese zodiac compatibility reliable or just for fun?

To deal with the question, we must know the Chinese zodiac origin and the five elements. Chinese Zodiac originates from ancient Chinese chronology of sexagesimal cycle. For easy memorizing, the ancient Chinese symbolized twelve earthly branches with twelve zodiac animals, they are rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, rooster, dog and pig. The five elements are fire, earth, metal, water, and wood, each of them generates or creates the next element in a creative sequence. For example, water generates wood, wood generates fire, fire generates earth, earth generates metal, metal generates water. each of the twelve zodiac animals has their own particular features resulting from the five elements. For example, the Zodiac years of dragon, dog, ox, and sheep are of earth. Among them, the years of dragon and ox are of "damp earth", and the years of dog and sheep are of "dry earth".
Because of the different aura fields of the five Elements in each Chinese zodiac year, the people born in a particular year are born to carry the features of the particular aura field, which makes people develop their own personalities. Therefore, the couple might be either mutually compatible or mutually conflicting resulting from different birth years and times. The Chinese zodiac compatibility is actually an inference based on the mutual compatibility and inter-restriction between the Chinese zodiac Animals and the Five Elements. So it has its scientific ground and certain value for reference.

However, the Chinese zodiac compatibility has limitations. Because the couples' personalities, values, and ways of thinking are important factors influencing their relationship, it is not enough to predict a potential relationship merely based on the birth years. Their birth month, date and time must be taken into consideration as well. This is what's called the eight character compatibility (Pibazi). The eight character compatibility readings will be much more accurate and comprehensive than the general Chinese zodiac matches mentioned at the beginning of the article, but it is a very complicated job that can only be done by professional Chinese astrologers. It is rewarding to predict a relationship by referring to Chinese zodiac compatibility and it would be a good idea to consult an expert to make a comprehensive analysis and prediction based on the eight character compatibility.

Yang Ching is a Chinese astrologer, graduated from Tsinghua University Major in Astrology and Divination in Beijing in 1976.She provides personal astrological readings including fortune telling, Chinese zodiac compatibility and Home Feng Shui, please visit her website to view more information about Chinese Zodiac and Feng Shui.

Wave And Flood Home Damage

How to Choose the Right Remodeling Contractor

2009-08-11T14:01:00.001-07:00

Remodeling your home yourself is no easy task. Some of the duties involved with remodeling are best left to the professionals. While acquiring the right assistance in itself is no easy task, here are some tips on how to find the perfect remodeling contractor for your remodeling project.

Remodeling contractors can be located using yellow-book listings or listings on the internet. They can also be referred by word of mouth. Select about a handful of contractors who specialize in what you're looking for. Thinking of retiling your bathroom and replacing appliances? Surely there is a contractor who specializes in bathroom modifications. Installing crown molding in your den? There are plenty of remodeling contractors who specialize in various home transformations.

After you've made your selection it's time to make your phone calls. A good contractor is one that the client feels comfortable speaking with. The contractor should be knowledgeable and approachable. They should be able to understand your wants and needs and have the tools and confidence necessary to get the job done. Ask for pricing quotes and ask what all is included in the contract price. Negotiate if necessary and see what kind of deal the contractor can offer for the work you're requesting.

Ask for references and feedback from happy (and even unhappy) customers. Assess the contractor's strengths and weaknesses. Feel free to call these references, including older customers to assess how the remodeling work has been maintained over the years. Inquire to the customer service involved with the remodeling job, and the overall job itself. If you can see samples of finished products, request them.

After you've acquired all of your potential offers, assess the cost vs what you're actually getting. Never just go for the lowest bidder. The lower the price may equal a lower quality of work, and that in itself is a bad investment. Consider your needs and the difficulty of the job. High bids may equate to good workmanship, and you should definitely take that into account.

Now that you've reviewed the advantages and disadvantages of hiring a contractor and assessed your needs for your remodeling job, it's time to hire! Good luck in your search for the perfect remodeling contractor.

Sarah Reece writes for Ciniva Systems, an award winning Virginia web design company. Ciniva specializes in web design and SEO. Sarah Reece is an SEO Specialist with Ciniva. Ciniva Systems is in charge of SEO for Chesapeake Remodel

Environmentally Friendly Architecture Design

2009-08-10T09:49:00.001-07:00

There once was a day where one someone was speaking about the word green, it was obvious they were referring to a color formed by mixing yellow and blue. That assumption is no longer true; with our society leaning toward a healthier environment and ways we can help save the earth, the term green now takes on a whole new meaning. One way to support an environmentally conscious lifestyle is with green architecture.

'Green Architecture' is a form of environmentally sensitive design and construction. Energy-saving, sustainable development and natural materials are all hallmarks of this form of construction. Green Architecture is also sensitive to the impact of the construction on the environment in the years and decades after the construction is complete. It explores a relationship between architecture and ecology.

One of the key points to green architecture is to create synchrony with the surrounding environment. Everything about a green building should easily transition from the natural landscape, including the building materials. The best material to use for green construction is materials that have been recycled or come from easily restored resources.

Advantages of Green Architecture:

1. Optimizes the use of resources, especially energy and water. At the design and construction stage, it incorporates resource recycling during construction, and later when the building is being used.

2. It causes minimal impact on the environment during the entire building life cycle of siting, design, construction, operation, maintenance and removal.

3. Where possible, the natural topography is used to optimize energy usage.

4. It leads to reduced operating costs by optimizing resource usage. Green Architecture focuses on recycling resources - especially water. Wherever possible, it focuses on using building materials from the building site itself. Well-insulated doors, windows and walls reduce energy usage and loss.

5. Green Architecture promotes improved health of the occupants of the building, due to better natural air circulation and use of natural light.

6. Provides onsite facilities for recycling, thereby minimizing waste being sent to landfills.

Materials Commonly Used in Green Architecture

1. Recycled materials such as wood, tiles and bricks that are available at the building site or in/near the surrounding area.

2. Where new materials are used, the focus is on material that can be rapidly replenished, such as bamboo, which can be harvested for commercial use in just 6 years.

3. Insulation made from low volatile organic compounds that use materials such as recycled denim as opposed to fiberglass insulation - which has long-term adverse effects. Insulation may be treated with boric acid to retard insect damage. Organic or milk-based paints also afford protection.

4. Solar energy is an abundant resource that is used through passive solar, active solar and photovoltaic techniques.

5. Packed gravel in parking lots and driveways instead of concrete reduces rainwater run-off and replenishes ground water resources.

Many countries have developed their own standards of Green Architecture for energy-efficient and sustainable building. Given below are some common standards:

1. Code for Sustainable Homes - United Kingdom

2. EnerGuide for New Houses - Canada

3. House Energy Rating - Australia

4. Green Globes - USA, Canada and UK

Practitioners of Green Architecture and sustainable development seek to achieve ecological and aesthetic harmony between structures and their surrounding natural environments.

James Heimler, Architect Los Angeles California, owns one of the leading firms in green architecture and environmental sustainable design practices.

Roof Repair And Replacement

2009-08-09T05:24:00.001-07:00

When replacing your roof you don't want to hire a company that will not stand behind their work or even worse yet, disappear once the job is done. If the roofing company can't answer your questions or provide you information needed to fairly evaluate them, then they are probably the wrong roofing company for you. The following is a list of questions you need the roofer to answer when giving you a bid. Make sure that the roofer gives you a written bid and all your concerns are addressed.

1. Determine if your roof only needs repaired or the entire roof should be replaced. You might receive different opinions from different roofers.

2. Ask the roofer how they will protect your windows, siding, shrubs, gutters, attic, lawn, etc. from damage. Find out how often they will remove the debris if they are taking off the old roof. Are they prepared for inclement weather? Will they put up temporary weather protection when they leave for the day?

3. If you are putting on a new roof, ask if removal of the old roof is necessary? Once again you may receive differing opinions, challenge the roofer to explain the difference of opinion.

4. Does the roofer need to replace only part of the existing sheathing or is all new sheathing required. If so, inquire about the type and thickness. You need to ask about the felt underlayment; what type and weight?

5. Make sure the roofer includes new flashing for the chimney, vent collar and valleys. What type will be used, will it be copper or aluminum and what gauge?

6. What shingles will be used (specific brand, grade, design, color)? Will the shingles be nailed or stapled?

7. Does the roofer guarantee his work? The guarantee should include the workmanship by the roofer and materials by the manufacturer. Since faulty application can invalidate the materials guarantee, sign a bid only if it has a workmanship guarantee.

8. Does the roofer have a certificate of insurance? Ask to see it. The contractor should have Workmen's Compensation as well as liability.

9. Does the price include the permit and taxes? Does non-contracted work require your inspection and written approval? What is the payment schedule?

10. Request start and completion dates (including penalties); be sure this is made part of the contract.

11. Ask for references: Get the names, addresses, and phone numbers of four roofing jobs. They should be at least two or three years old (to see how the job held up). Call the references and ask them if they were satisfied with the work and if they had any problems. Ask them if they would hire this company again. Drive by and look at the jobs, do they look good, is the flashing neatly applied?

Ultimately when the bids are in you should choose a contractor on the basis of price, quality of work, reputation, and work completed on schedule and your general impressions of the company and its people.

Find more home improvement advice, Solutions for Your Home, Yard and Garden

The Flood and Destruction of Hurricanes

2009-08-08T01:52:00.001-07:00

Hurricanes will do a nasty job to your area. The floods that it will bring are terrifying. It will or can wipe away many things, such as homes, cars, and other things outside. You could lose everything you have to your name, and it is very frightening to go through. People that have not been through a hurricane or a flood will not know how bad it can get and how fast it can take everything away from you and might not know the stress you are going through. If you have been through these before, then you know what it is like and how bad and stressful it is.

The floods can do damage to floors, walls, wires, can ruin the insulation, and it could do damage to the outside of your house as well. Flood waters can seep out of the cracks of your house, causing mold to grow inside those cracks. The professionals will have to look over every little nook and cranny so they can get rid of the water and the mold problem. Floods in buildings can cause elevators to mess up. The wires might become unsafe, weak, and can easily fall or snap the cords right in half.

The buildings have to be checked out just like houses have to be to make sure it is safe. It is not a good idea to go into a building or a home after a flood has been in it. In fact, you cannot go in it at all until it is allowed by the professionals and if it is not, you will not be able to go in because too many things can be wrong and unsafe for you. The buildings can have cave-ins and wires hanging down and causing electric currents going through the building. Unsafe things could have been brought in, which can be dangerous for you. There are a whole bunch of other things that can be in there.

This is why they tell you not to go in at all, and they might tell you not to go anywhere near it in case something happens to the building, your home, or to you. Debris will be floating on the water, and things from houses and cars, metal, toys, parts of houses, and many other things will be running down stream. Chunks of the ground would be taken out, and rivers of water could be running through your town, tearing down houses and taking them away. If a hurricane or a flood is heading your way, it will be a good idea to make a plan and get out of there as soon as possible before it comes.

Visit Adyan Corkerns
water damage chicago and
water damage sites if you have beed flooded or have water damage

The Art and Science of Painting Your Home Interiors

2009-08-06T21:46:00.001-07:00

So you want to have your home painted right? But you're not sure who to contact and how much you should pay, as well as what services to expect from the painting contractor you hired? In that case, you should do your homework first about what to expect when you undertake painting your home as a home makeover project.

First of all, you have to understand that painting your home is not one all-in-one job done by a one-size-fits-all contractor. Painting your home can be subdivided into the areas of interior and exterior painting, which are two very different fields altogether. As their names suggest, an interior painting job will involve painting the internal parts of your house while an exterior painting project encompasses all the external parts of your home.

For this article, we will focus on interior painting, which is more complicated than exterior painting.

First, in interior painting, your contractor and his team will remove all the furniture from the room they will be working on so that no paint splatters on them. Then, your contractor will tell you what paint brands he plans to use for your room, and present certain color schemes that he hopes you will like as the color schemes for your room. Some clients like to use different color schemes for every room, while others like to have a common theme throughout the interiors and exterior part of the house.

It would be great if the painting contractor is skilled in using paint software to visualize the house before choosing paint color, under your watchful eye of course. This then leads you to the problem of what kind of finish to choose for your interiors you can choose between the gloss, semi gloss, eggshell, flat paint types, among others. The rule of thumb to follow is that the better the sheen of the finished product, the more durable it actually is under regular wear and tear.

A gloss paint finish may also refer to the satin paint finish, which is a good type of paint to use if your contractor is not that experienced, or if you are painting children's rooms or trim which may require a degree of washing to clean them from crayon or pencil scribbles. Gloss paint is also used for furniture painting as well, due to the durability and modern appearance it gives to chairs and tables. Semi gloss and high gloss paint finish reflect more light than a gloss paint finish. Semi gloss alone is advisable for use on kitchen and bathroom walls which require a lot of exposure to water during periodic house cleaning blitzes.

Eggshell does not have much of a sheen to it since it absorbs much light, kind of like a matte finish. You can use eggshell paint finish on interior walls that may need it rather than flat paint which does not allow surface dirt and substances to be washed off as well. Flat paint, on the other hand, is generally used to cover up surface defects or application imperfections (like when the painter uses the brush in the wrong direction from his previous applications.)

Remember that the function or purpose of the room you will be painting should dictate what finish you finally use it for. When the interiors are done, you can then move on to exterior painting of your home.

Extreme Makeover Pros is your affordable contractor serving Orange County, Ca. for nearly 25 years. Specializing in Home Improvement For more details visit http://www.extrememakeoverpros.com

Anyone Can Build a Deck - Construction Advice

2009-08-05T16:21:00.001-07:00

Working in the construction business for over 30 years and listening to homeowners, tell me how fortunate I am to have the ability to work on my own home. It kind of makes me feel good to hear them praise me and when I have completed their project, they usually are extremely happy with how it turned out. I've been listening to this for years and came to one conclusion, anyone can do what I do, with the correct information.

I was building a deck and a homeowner and his son were there constantly, watching me work on the project. They would ask if they can help and if there was anything they could do, they would like to learn the deck building process, so one day they could build their own decks. Most of the time, they were in my way and slowed me down. I finally got to a point where I had to asked them if they could watch from a distance, because I was starting to run behind on the project. It was starting to cost me money to educate them. I just didn't have time for this and there was no way, that I wanted to hurt their feelings or make them mad at me.

They agreed and at the end of the day, would have a couple of questions for me. I told the father, that I would bring him a few books on deck building and he could keep them as long as he needed. Him and his son were more than happy to accept my offer and the next day, they were nowhere in sight. At the end of the day as I was putting my tools away, a homeowner and his son approached me and thanked me for loaning them the books, but they were done with them. The son explained to me, that they were going to purchase some of their own books on deck building, because mine were a little out of date.

To make a long story short, I finished the deck, got paid and went on my way. A few months later they contacted me and asked if I had time, can I come over the house and look at the new deck, that they built next to mine. I said I would be glad to, and would be there tomorrow evening. When I arrived at the job site, I couldn't even get out of my truck, the father and his son were waiting for me in the driveway and directed me to drive to the back of the home.

There new deck was about 10' x 10' and matched the one that I built pretty good. They did a great job and after I told them, what a wonderful job they did building the deck, they were like two kids in a candy store. It seemed like, I had just made their day and it made me feel good, and that they felt good.

Sometimes building a deck or home repairs can be performed like a professional, with a little bit of help, from the book.

If you're really interested in learning more about remodeling, new home construction, home maintenance, home repairs and really want to get the nuts and bolts of home improvement. Visit our web site and select from the best-selling home building books on the Internet.

Home Handyman - Fallbrook Home Repairs

2009-08-04T12:14:00.001-07:00

Home handymen are professionals who do varied kinds of jobs in domestic households related to electrical installations, plumbing, house renovation, house cleaning, and small construction works. Many home handymen are self-employed and are paid on an hourly basis whereas others work for a contractor or organization that pays fixed monthly salaries.

Home handyman provide assistance in carrying out small to medium level household repair and maintenance jobs such as remodeling the kitchen or bathroom, finishing the attic or basement, installing drywall or ceramic tile, hanging shelves, and building a deck or fence. These jobs are too small for hiring a full time contractor and are normally completed with the assistance of a handyman.

Home handyman use different types of tools and equipment for carrying out their activities. These tools may include insulated tools for carrying out electrical works that can withstand voltage in the range of 1000 volts to 1500 volts. Other tools may include pliers, screwdrivers, knives, scissors, bolt cutters, cable cutters, and hammers. Bags that carry these accessories are made from a combination of cotton cloth, leather, and other strong material to make it long lasting.

People wanting to avail of the services of home handymen can either contact a handyman contractor or find an experienced self-employed handyman who can perform the required job. Contractors usually charge a fixed rate whereas self-employed handyman quote their own hourly rates after assessing the type of work and the labor involved. It is better to hire self-employed handyman as their payment terms can be negotiated.

It is important to assess the work skills and experience of handymen before hiring them. An unskilled handyman can ruin the proposed construction or maintenance work and adversely affect the budget of the homeowner. People can take help from friends and associates in hiring a handyman who has all the required skills and experience for completing the required job.

Handyman provides detailed information on Handyman, Handyman Services, Starting A Handyman Business, Handyman Tips and more. Handyman is affiliated with Home Remodeling.

Real Savings With Artificial Stone - Decorating

2009-08-03T08:07:00.001-07:00

Home builders today are challenged as never before to deliver quality homes at affordable prices. The current economic climate -- reduced access to credit, lower prices, and nervous investors -- means builders must compete in a tough buyer's market. It's essential to reduce costs wherever possible.

Yet, home buyers still demand top quality and enduring beauty.

Increasingly, builders are solving this dilemma by taking advantage of modern materials like artificial stone veneer, sometimes referred to as a stone facing, manufactured stone, or faux stone. This remarkable material makes possible fresh and innovative designs, greater flexibility, and reduced costs, all adding up to the ever-important curb appeal that attracts qualified buyers.

Out With The Old

Traditional brick is a proven building material and has been used for centuries. But it is also expensive, both in its initial cost and in the added costs of shipping, masonry labor, and reinforced foundations required to support its extra weight.

To counter these drawbacks, builders have lately turned to vinyl siding, drawn by its cheaper cost, lighter weight, and easier installation. But these advantages are not enough to overcome a major drawback: the tendency to use the siding in unimaginative, even boring designs.

The popularity of brick and the convenience of vinyl siding has inhibited creativity and led to a rash of new subdivisions filled with repetitive designs that look as if they all came off the same assembly line. Limiting themselves to these conventional materials means many builders miss opportunities to attract new and design-conscious buyers.

In With The New

Countering this trend, savvy builders have discovered the range of possibilities provided by artificial stone veneer. Modeled after natural stone and virtually indistinguishable from the original, artificial stone veneer is manufactured from a formulation of Portland cement, natural aggregates, and carefully selected pigments. Durable, light weight, and easy to work with, the material can substitute for wall stone in both interior and exterior projects ranging from chimneys and fireplaces, to fences, pillars, stone walls, and stone facings.

There is also the option to add stone veneer to popular traditional materials like wood siding, stucco, and board-and-batten, giving your home a custom-built look at affordable prices. Now, in combination with stone veneer accents, these techniques make possible unique designs that are more attractive then vinyl siding and less expensive than traditional brick.

Solid Savings

Using artificial stone veneer instead of traditional brick leads to remarkable savings. Besides the lower cost of the product itself, artificial stone veneer's light weight means a substantial reduction in the cost of shipping, labor, and foundations and footings. For example, builders can easily achieve a savings of between $1,700 and $4,000 (Canadian) on an average-sized detached home.

When selecting a vendor for artificial stone veneer, it's important to look for a company with both a superior product and a solid reputation. For Canadian builders, Stone Selex satisfies both requirements.

In addition to its existing product line from Artistic Stone, Stone Selex is now an authorized distributor for Canyon Stone, giving customers -- builders and renovators alike -- even more options for creating stunning stone designs to attract buyers and increase the value of a home. For your security, they offer a 50-year warranty on every stone they sell, keeping you covered for generations to come.

Contact Stone Selex to find out more about how you can achieve real savings with artificial stone.

Jerry Lebiedzinski is the President of Stone Selex, a premier supplier of artificial stone wall and manufactured stone in Canada. Visit Stone Selex at http://www.stoneselex.com for the best options in manufactured stone veneer

What Do We Mean by "Spiritual Relationships?"

2009-07-31T03:27:00.001-07:00

"WIFFM" is the primary motivator for many people in their relationships. WIFFM is a marketing term for "What's In It For Me?" We have been taught to value people for how good they will look on our arm, how close they come to our fantasy of the ideal lover, or how we imagine they will fulfill our desires. It's about how it all looks, right? Except that when we focus on the outside, nobody is going to be good enough because everyone is flawed. Everybody. This is why we love the tabloids -- we get to see seemingly perfect celebrities with their defects hanging out.

One characteristic of a spiritual relationship is that instead of focusing on the other person's exterior, we focus on the perfection within. Just as we all have not-so-beautiful parts on the outside, we all have a perfect core inside at our center. When we want our relationship to have a spiritual component, we attempt to keep our attention on this perfection within, rather concentrating on what's outside.

The great Tantra Master Osho once said regarding relationships, "The Other is always right." I was stunned when I first heard this. Like most people, I had been constantly pointing out when I was right and my partner was wrong, all in the name of "communicating honestly." In retrospect it was all a thinly disguised power struggle.

I argued with Osho's statement in my mind, and then decided to see what I could learn from it. As a technique, I recommend it highly. You don't have to agree with it to experiment. Practice interpreting that the other was right and you were wrong next time you are reviewing a fight or disagreement. The ego spends all its time proving that it is superior. See what happens from the perspective of love.

When you begin this discipline of seeing what is right about the other person rather than what is, according to you, wrong, you may start to experience your partner as your teacher, or guru. Some of the other attributes of spiritual relationships that people have mentioned are a placing a high value on listening, integrity, emotional openness, sensitivity, truth, having a raise the bar attitude, and having a passion for learning and growing. When people's lives are dedicated to something higher than just getting their own needs met, their relationships will follow suit. This can show up as a dedication to make the world a better place by working for the environment, helping kids, or serving some other higher calling. Your relationship will be dedicated to something more important than merely trying to get your needs met, and this is what we call a spiritual relationship.

Catherine Auman 2008

Catherine Auman, MFT is a spiritual psychotherapist based in Los Angeles, California. She has advanced training in both traditional and alternative methodologies based on ancient traditions and wisdom teachings. Visit her online at http://www.catherineauman.com

Sometimes You Need to Cry

2009-07-30T08:36:00.001-07:00

I recall a period in time, at about 18 months after my husband passed away, that I felt pretty good about myself. I had handled what life had thrown me and come out battered, but mostly okay on the other side. After caretaking my husband for almost a year, I was battling some minor health problems of my own, related mostly to stress, but most days I was certain my life was on track. Steady and focused, my three boys were also adjusting and it seemed we all had a grip on reality.

On this day, I was on my way to an appointment with my holistic doctor when the radio began playing a song I had never heard before. The singer's words stirred something inside me. The song spoke of loving someone through the years, and even with that person gone, the threads of memory remained.

The words reverberated through me, and I experienced almost a kind of shock as their meaning sank in. Out of nowhere, I began to cry so hard I had to pull off the road. I had no control over the rush of anguished emotion. All my hard won calm fled, chopped off at the knees as I hugged the steering wheel of my car.

I cried as if a great well had opened inside and pulled my guts out. When I finally began to calm and the tears subsided, I had to wonder where this emotional outburst had come from. How could a song open a wound of such profound loss?

I arrived at my doctor's office, and as usual with holistic doctors, they not only want to know about you physically, but they dig deeper into the emotional aspects of your life. I hesitated only briefly before telling him what had occurred on the way to his office. I felt embarrassed by my earlier semi-breakdown. I tried to explain that I'd been feeling good, and then to suddenly have this upheaval had thrown me for a loop.

He explained it was to be expected there would be days where emotion could still catch me by surprise. With the loss still relatively fresh in my life, how could I expect to be 100%? I admitted to him that I'd been feeling excruciatingly lonely, but I thought I was handling it. Some days my idea of "handling" it meant ignoring or burying my feelings. Always a very private person, I hadn't shared much of my thoughts with anyone. When friends asked how I was doing, I would usually say I was okay. Inside, I kept thinking, who wants to hear that I just want to get through another day?

I felt much better after speaking with him. Not only was he a sympathetic ear, it felt good to open up and share my worries about being alone, my concern for the kids' welfare and fears that I wasn't handling my finances to my best advantage.

We talked extensively about the triggers that stirred my own private misery. Something as straightforward as a song, or as complex as past memories, seemed to have the power to entrench me in great emotion. He made me realize there would be times I merely needed to cry as part of grief's healing process. There was nothing complicated about it. Each time we are brave enough to reach down and allow our true emotions out, it brings a little more healing into our lives. As time passes, and we remain true to ourselves, a new sense of empowerment emerges.

Elaine Williams 2008

Elaine Williams is a writer across various genres. She is a mother and a widow of four years. She can be contacted at onwingspress@yahoo.com - http://www.ajourneywelltaken.com

Spicing Up Your Home With Asian Inspired Home Decor

2009-07-28T22:53:00.001-07:00

Asia is definitely a land which is full of rich culture which goes centuries back. A choice of elegant and distinct Asian decorations can be a great addition to any home. There are a variety of Asian inspired home decorations that you can find to spice up the atmosphere in your home. Here are a few ideas that you might want to look into.

Water fountains The sound of water flowing always helps to bring a calming and relaxing ambience. There are many different Asian inspired water fountains that can bring this ambience to your home, and bring in elegance as well. An example of a water fountain decoration is the Zen Table Fountain, which is imported right in from China. It represents a waterfall and features amber glass and resin. Bamboo fountains are also wonderful water fountains to add to your home. In fact, bamboo is believed to spread good fortune to things such as relationships and money. These fountains also feature decorative rocks and a resin bowl. There are even Asian inspired fountains which feature the well-known the Chinese Buddha.
Asian clocks Asian inspired clocks can bring a sense of sophistication and a bit of foreign style into your home. Many people are aware of the ancient Chinese art and science of Feng Shui, which optimizes the harmony in one's environment to make for quite a happy home. There are Feng Shui compass clocks available out there which are said to transform the flow of negative energy into a nourishing flow, also known as nourishing qi.
Lucky trees and plants Plants are a well-known as great decorations to any home. In Asia, there are a few decorative plants which are believed to be lucky. For example for thousands of years now, bamboo plants have symbolized good fortune in health and wealth. They also are great accents to any home interior. The Japanese have their own lucky plants known as the Jasper lucky trees. These feature the precious stone of jasper which is believed to bring forth protection and healing while keeping away negative energy as well. Also the vibrant red color will help it to stand out beautifully in your home.
Wall decor For a unique addition to the walls of your home, you could get a print of Chinese calligraphy. This ancient art is said to be able to evoke emotion by the different designs that can be made. Also, Chinese wall scrolls feature calendars and lucky bamboo images are a way to bring the Asian culture into your home.
Boxes Making use of boxes is another way to decorate your home. Some Asian inspired jewelry boxes can give your home that unique look. These boxes are intricately designed, and some are even hand crafted to perfection. There are Thai inspired boxes, Balinese inspired basket sets, and Tibetan boxes which bring back a little bit the culture of each place into your home.

No matter how your house is decorated, any Asian inspired accent can surely fit nicely with everything else, and maybe it could bring you a bit of good luck as well.

John James blogs about discount rugs at BoldRugs. Their site has a wide selection of rugs from traditional area rugs to contemporary rugs.

Home Repair Books

Spicy Garlic and Chili Prawn

2009-07-28T04:03:00.001-07:00

The common denominator with these easy fish recipes is taste. A fish chili recipe is great tasting food and easy to prepare. This recipe is lightly fried prawns in a hot and spicy sauce. Garnish with lemon wedges, sesame seeds, and cilantro. You can add more hot sauce if you want it spicier. If you can't find these ingredients at your local grocery store, I can assure you that you can find them at a Chinese or Indian grocery store!

Chili Prawns do come cheap nowadays. Prawns are marinated in lime, onion, and garlic and then quickly grilled. The chili prawn is a wonderful addition to an outdoor meal. A lovely spicy, EASY, fresh, tomatoey pasta dish with lots of kick! Pasta, chicken, bacon, and shrimp combined with chili come together as my all time favorite pasta dish! This prawn is the easiest way to cook spicy prawns and it can be done rather quickly as well. I bought the prawns recently and I managed to whip up a delicious chili prawn dish. I added some fish balls for more volume.

This is a one-dish meal. These prawns are coated with a spicy sweet and sour sauce. We served them with boiled upon noodles. Sweet chili prawn kebab salad is a simple salad to make, even more so if you add a little cheat, like I did, and use a ready prepared sweet chili sauce to marinade the prawns. Don't use a whole jar for the marinade though, you will want to save some to use as a dip.

Chili prawn also means that seafood is a popular staple in the meals of Americans. The first major reason has to do with the prices for the seafood. Something that is easy to harvest and widely available will be cheaper, and the second major reason has to do with taste. The fresh leaves as well as the tender roots are used to flavor many classic oriental preparations, in a prawn sea food. Please purchase online www.indomunch.com in NewYork city.

Representing the website http://www.indomunch.com

House Window Books

Feng Shui - Some Useful Points

2009-07-27T07:47:00.001-07:00

Humans are a part of the environment and everything affects us; the directions, the elements and even the placement of objects have a lot of significance in our lives. If we understand the energies that surround us and how best to harmonize our homes and offices with them, there can be a marked difference in our lives.

Feng Shui is a science of living in harmony with the environment so that the energies do not get disrupted. Healthy exchange of energies is vital for our physical and mental well being.

The scientific research has revealed that everything is energy. The smallest of the elements and matter can be broken down quarks which are nothing but energy. Einstein's equation also reveals that matter and energy are interconvertible. Hence the principles of Feng Shui are actually quiet scientific. Fen Shui believes that everything has energy which is known as "chi". The uninterrupted or the disrupted flow of this energy creates all the harmony or the problems in our lives. Hence the placement of objects, furniture, windows and doors needs to be in harmony with the environment. This harmony then permeates into the life of the person and brings prosperity.

There are many principles of Feng Shui which are simple and easy to follow, so here are some tips:

The entrance door or the main door of the house should be devoid of any clutter and dirt. Dirty smells or dirt should be kept away from the entrance since chi travels with the air and can bring dirty smells which can cause problems.
Mirrors facing your bed or on the side are strictly prohibited in Feng Shui since this can lead to a third person meddling into your relationship and cause fights.
The fashionable bunk beds are not allowed in Feng Shui since chi needs to circulate around and under the bed. Hence, the person sleeping in the lower bunk bed may have problems associated with health.
Many people like to decorate their homes with ornamental knives and swords. This is alright but you need to take care that the tips of these weapons should point in the direction of the doors and windows and not inside the house.
Clutter can really create havoc in your life since it blocks chi. Hence you need to keep your office space or worktable clean and clear so that positive energy abounds.

These are some general tips to enhance your life with Feng Shui. These days there are many divorces and break ups taking place. Here are some Feng Shui tips to enhance your relationship with Feng Shui:

If you are in a new relationship, then you need to let go of the past. Throw away everything which has a connection to a past relationship, old photographs and keep sakes need to go so that new ones can come in.
People often have computers and televisions in their bedroom. However, we need to remember that bedrooms are basically meant for tranquility, romance and relaxation. Hence, find a different place for these equipments as their energies are in conflict with the bedroom. Television and other equipments have a yang energy which interferes with your sleep and relaxation and also does not let you concentrate on your partner.

These tips will help you in understanding and enhancing your relationships to bring peace and prosperity in your life.

Keith Ward is the Founder and Director of the Circle of Professional Clairvoyants, which offers Psychic Readings with fully qualified Psychics and Senior UK Clairvoyants.

Home Fence Books

Physical and the Non-Physical Consciousness

2009-07-26T20:11:00.001-07:00

The junction point between different states of consciousness; i.e. waking and sleeping is a good time to notice this experience.

As your mind and body start to settle down to rest. You become aware of the more subtle nature of the body, mind and aura. For me this experience is one of first scanning my body and my feelings and becoming aware of my deeper connection.

If I become aware of any discomfort in the body, I take my attention into that region and consciously breathe, relaxing the physical body and clearing the mind of any associated thoughts.

As you continue with this process, you may become aware of a third level of awareness; a field of energy that both surrounds and permeates the mind and the body. I say field, as it is a kind of electromagnetic field of energy, similar to magnetism.

This field of energy is the aura, the energy field of the body, it has consciousness too and you may notice your awareness passing from the physical body to the non-physical aura as you settle down to sleep.

Sometimes I experience this like clouds of white light washing over the body and passing through the body. As you take your awareness from your physical body and step over and become aware on your feelings as being within the clouds of white mist of the aura. You notice a freeing of your awareness an expansion and raising slightly of ones vibration.

The human body is such a wonderful thing as we can experience it on many levels and see the connections into may different aspects or dimensions of its nature.

As we become aware of this non-physical connection to our higher Self we may also become aware of its nature. We could invite in our guides and angels to come around us. We could take a few minutes just appreciating the work they do for us.

We could start to ask them for guidance or plan what we would like to do or experience tomorrow. This is a magical time, as we start to drift off into sleep, and if you witness your sleep, you may even have the experience of your spiritual awareness going out of body and astral travelling through the Universe.

This is all apart of your higher Self, the clouds of white light that you feel, is your spiritual connection into the non-physical world. This non-physical, although it is not localised like your body, is still as much apart of who you are as the physical nature of your body, in fact I would say is more your true nature.

So next time you are going to sleep, just in an innocent way, stay a little more aware of your feelings and experiences and consciously enjoy being aware of the many aspects of who and what you are.

* New book * "A Journey into the Self -- the multi-dimensional nature of being human": HealerGeorge Web Site and New Book

Description: What is this book going to do for YOU? For those who are seeking a complete energetic makeover, as you read it you will feel a stirring and awakening in the depths of your heart. For those who have questions about Shifts in Consciousness, Energy Balancing and Healing within the body, you will find clear answers.

Read HealerGeorges Blog: Curezone Blog or ask at question at: Ask HealerGeorge

Do You Really Know Why Your A Christian

2009-07-26T16:17:00.001-07:00

Power Of Visualization

Religion Poisons Everything

2009-07-26T00:51:00.001-07:00

During the "Does God Exist?" debate between Frank Turek and Christopher Hitchens, Hitchens made much ado about how "religion poisons everything." That's the subtitle of one of his books, in fact. Turek countered in his closing statement by remarking, "religion doesn't poison everything...everything poisons religion."

At the time, I thought "woaaaa, good one!" It had a rhetorical punch to it.

On second thought, though, I can see that the statement's value is limited.

Of course Hitchens' statement goes too far, and Turek's notion of religion being poisoned from the outside brings some balance. However, some religions really are poisonous in and of themselves. Some religions really do teach hate and violence. I'm primarily thinking of Islam here. There is no doubt that some followers of Islam are peaceful people, but the Koran really does incite violence and backwardness. A study of the Koran or a cursory glance at a culture where Islam reigns will tell you that.

I know certain verses in the Koran prescribe peace, yet those verses tend to come from the time when Muhammad lacked military and political power. The surahs "revealed" when Muhammad had power tell a much different tale, however.

There are other examples. One doesn't need to stretch to see the poison of a religion that prescribes sacrificing children to Molech, for instance.

Some religions *are* poisoned from the outside. Take Christianity, for example. Jesus is sublime. His followers-not so much (not that I'm biased.. :) I do think that I've got good reasons to be biased, however!)

But others are poison themselves, and any followers who are peaceful and moral are such not because of their religion, but in spite of it.

Plus, similar to "curing" cancer with a medication that dulls the pain, all religions but one only cure the symptoms of the human problem, not the disease. Only Christianity, with Jesus the true doctor, cures our disease of sin. Therefore, all others are impostors and hence are not intrinsically good.

Rich Bordner authors "The Pugnacious Irishman," a blog on the intersection of spirituality, ethics, and politics in the public square of ideas. He holds a B.A in English and Philosophy from THE Ohio State University (go Bucks!), and is in the process of earning a M.A in Philosophy from Biola University. Check out the blog at http://pugnaciousirishman.wordpress.com

Can It Actually Prove That God Does Exist

2009-07-25T21:14:00.001-07:00

Choices We Make In Life

Marking 50 Years of Achebe's Things Fall Apart - Maintaining a Proud Presence in World Literature

2009-07-25T05:55:00.001-07:00

50 years ago in 1958 a young Nigerian, Chinua Achebe, at the young age of 28, made major breakthrough for African Literature with the publication of his novel Things Fall Apart. This novel became widely read and recommended in schools and colleges all over the world. I could remember reading it for two years in succession 30 years ago when I was in secondary school in Freetown, Sierra Leone, and all of us in the class were as thrilled not only by the events but by the infectiously fresh idioms and imageries used to describe characters and scenes.

Up to now the imageries that lard the texture of the narrative still have place in the lexicon of my students. The most common included that comparing the speedy growth of Okonkwo's reputation and power: to "a bushfire in the harmattan" and that if a man should say yes his chi, his personal god, should also say yes, in accord with him. Unoka, Okonkwo's father, the "agbala" soon had his counterparts identified amongst us as much as were the fools and weaklings dubbed 'efulefus'. But Unoka was not seen as such a hateful character as his son was trying to make him, for he seemed like a lively fun-lover who had no problem with anyone, except of course his son who was ever burning with the hatred of a failed parentage and heritage as his father spent most of his time playing flute and drinking palmwine unmindful about tomorrow. I have had to read, teach, lecture, discuss, read and reread with new layers of meaning and interpretations unveiling themselves to me at each stage in that joyful cycle of engagement with it, with the text taking a permanent place in the imagination.

I am still trying to retrieve an essay I wrote whilst doing my masters on Achebe's unique style across his novels, then restricted to Things Fall Apart, No Longer at Ease, A Man of the People and Arrow of God. For Anthills of the Savannah had not yet been written. So when I read the preamble to Joyce Ashuntantang"s interview of the literary sage in "50 Years After "Things Fall Apart": A Chat with Chinua Achebe" it was as if she was a spokeperson for our experience which I expect might be one all across Africa, especially. She recalled many secondary school children who were not macho enough ending up with the nickname "agbala" which meant womanly, a derogatory reference to a man in Umuofia who had not taken any titles as was the case with Unoka. Another name she identified was "efulefu" meaning worthless person,

Many of the proverbs from the text have flown beyond Umuofia to Anglo-literate communities across Africa like ours in Sierra Leone, Cameroon, Ghana and Gambia. For example, "The lizard that jumped from the high Iroko tree to the ground said he would praise himself if no one else did"; "Eneke the bird says that since men have learned to shoot without missing I have learned to fly without perching"; "A child who washes his hands can dine with elders"; "An old woman is always uneasy when dry bones are mentioned in a proverb".

Chinua Achebe's fate was being sealed from 1948, when in preparation for independence, Nigeria's first university, now the University of Ibadan, opened, as an associate college of the University of London.

Achebe obtained such high marks in the college entrance examination that he was admitted in its first intake with a bursary to study medicine.

After a year of gruelling work, however, deciding that science was not made for him, he changed to English, history, and theology. But this switch cost him his scholarship. He now had to pay his tuition fees. Luckily, he received a government bursary, which helped him halfway together with money contributed by his family. His older brother, Augustine, gave up money for a trip home from his job as a civil servant to enable Chinua continue his studies. From its inception, the university had a strong English faculty which attracted the brightest intakes including those who like Achebe were to become famous writers like Wole Soyinka, Elechi Amadi, John Pepper Clark, Christopher Okigbo and, Kole Omotoso.

In 1950 Achebe made a further advance towards his literary goal when he wrote his first piece entitled,"Polar Undergraduate" for the University Herald even serving as its editor during the 1951-2 school year.Through irony and humour it celebrates the intellectual vigour of his classmates. He followed this with other essays and letters about philosophy and freedom in academia, some of which were published in another campus magazine, The Bug.

Achebe then wrote his first short story, "In a Village Church", which combines details of life in rural Nigeria with Christian institutions and icons, a style which was to be of much use in many of his later works. Other short stories he wrote during his time at Ibadan include "The Old Order in Conflict with the New" and "Dead Men's Path" which examine conflicts between tradition and modernity, with an eye toward promoting dialogue and understanding on both sides. Professor Geoffrey Parrinder's arrival at the university to teach comparative religion, set Achebe on exploring the fields of Christian history and African traditional religions.

He was now becoming critical of European literature about Africa.like Irish novelist Joyce Cary's Mister Johnson, about a cheerful Nigerian man who was working for an abusive British store owner for which Achebe and some of his classmates could not conceal their dislike . One of his classmates even went as far as announcing to the professor that the only enjoyable moment in the book is when Johnson is shot . In amother move to cultural nationalism, Achebe renounced his British name, Albert, replacing it with his indigenous name "Chinua."

At the end of his undergraduate studies in 1953 Achebe was so disappointrf at being awarded a second-class degree and not the first class that he had been expecting that he became uncertain as to how to proceed after that. So he returned to his hometown, Ogidi, to sort through his options. There, a friend from the university who visited him convinced him to apply for an English teaching position at the Merchants of Light school at Oba, a ramshackle institution with a crumbling infrastructure and a meagre library built on what the residents called "bad bush" or evil forest as a similar area in Things Fall Apart is called - a section of land thought to be tainted by unfriendly or evil spirits which was what was allocated to the Christian missionaries to build their church with the hope that they would not survive the evil spirits..

As a teacher, Achebe encouraged his students to be original in their work and read extensively. As the students did not have access to the newspapers he had read as a student, he made his own available in the classroom. But after four months here he grabbed an opportunity which arose in 1954 to work for the Nigerian Broadcasting Service (NBS), in Lagos, and left.

Achebe was assigned to the Talks Department, where he was responsible for preparing scripts for oral delivery, a task which helped him master the subtle nuances between written and spoken language, thus enabling him later to write realistic dialogue with ease.The city of Lagos, a huge conurbation teeming with recent migrants from the rural villages also made a significant impression on him, as it did on Ekwensi. Achebe revelled in the social and political activities around him later drawing upon such experiences when describing the city in No Longer At Ease.

While in Lagos, Achebe started work on a novel though quite a challenging task, since very little African fiction apart from Amos Tutuola's Palm-Wine Drinkard (1952) and Cyprian Ekwensi's People of the City (1954) had been written in English. While appreciating Ekwensi's work, Achebe worked hard to develop his own style, even as he pioneered the creation of the Nigerian novel itself. Queen Elizabeth II's visit to Nigeria in 1956 which brought issues of colonialism and politics further to the surface, was a significant moment for Achebe.

His first trip outside Nigeria also in 1956, when he was to undergo training in London at the Staff School run by the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC).was an opportunity for Achebe to advance his technical production skills, and to solicit feedback on his novel. In London he met a novelist, Gilbert Phelps, to whom he showed the manuscript. Phelps with great enthusiasm, asked Achebe if he could show it to his editor and publishers. Achebe declined, insisting that it needed more work.

On his return to Nigeria, Achebe started revising and editing it, now titled Things Fall Apart drawn from a line in the Irish poet, William Butler Yeats' poem "The Second Coming". He concentrated only on the story of a yam farmer, Okonkwo, adding sections, improving various chapters, and restructuring and tightening the prose.

By 1957 having sculpted it to his liking, he took advantage of an advertisement offering a typing service to send the only copy of his handwritten manuscript (along with the #22 fee) to the London company. He waited several months without receiving any communication from them, and began to worry.

So when his boss, Angela Beattie, was going to London on her annual leave he requested her to visit the company and act on his behalf which she did rather decisively, angrily demanding why it was lying ignored in the corner of the office. The company quickly sent a typed copy to Achebe. Beattie's intervention thus rescued and revived Achebe's spirit thus enabling him to continue as a writer. Had the novel been lost, he would have been so discouraged that he would probably have given up altogether.

In 1958 Achebe sent his novel to the agent earlier recommended by Gilbert Phelps in London. The agent upon receiving it sent it to several publishing houses. Some rejected it immediately, claiming that fiction from African writers had no market potential. Finally it reached the office of Heinemann. Executives there hesitated until an educational adviser, Donald MacRae, - just back from a trip through west Africa - read it and forced the company's hand with his succinct report: "This is the best novel I have read since the war"

In the book Okonkwo haunted by the failure of his father - a shiftless debtor fond of playing the flute and drinking palmwine - tortures himself not to resemble him in any way by working hard and not showing any feelings or compassion. It also evplores the complications and contradictions that arise within him and in the wider community when white missionaries arrive in his village of Umuofia. Exploring the cultural conflict, particularly after the first encounter between Igbo tradition and Christian doctrine and European administration that ensues, the novel shows the crumbling of the infexible and inhumane structures of Umuofia along with the equally infexible Okonkwo. Achebe thus retold the history of colonization from the point of view of the colonized, in reversal of previous images presented. For Achebe's emergence as "the founding father of African literature ... in the English language," is traceable to his reaction to Joyce Cary's novel Mister Johnson, set in Achebe's native Nigeria which he studied at the University College in Ibadan. In a curriculum full of Shakespeare, Coleridge, and Wordsworth, Mister Johnson stood out as one of the few books about Africa which Time magazine recently declared the "best book ever written about Africa," but Achebe and his classmates had quite a decidedly hostile reaction to. For they saw the Nigerian hero as an "embarrassing nitwit," as Achebe writes in , Home and Exile, and detected in the Irish author's descriptions of Nigerians "an undertow of uncharitableness ... a contagion of distaste, hatred, and mockery." Mister Johnson, Achebe writes, "open[ed] my eyes to the fact that my home was under attack and that my home was not merely a house or a town but, more importantly, an awakening story."

Home and Exile, which describes this transition to a new era in literature is then both a kind of autobiography and a rumination on the power stories have to create a sense of dispossession or to confer strength, depending on who is wielding the pen. Achebe depicts his gradual realization that Mister Johnson was just one in a long line of books written by Westerners that presented Africans to the world in a way that Africans didn't agree with or recognize, and he examines the "process of 're-storying' peoples who had been knocked silent by all kinds of dispossession." He hopes -- that this "re-storying" will continue and will eventually result in a "balance of stories among the world's peoples."

Things Fall Apart marked a turning point for African authors, who began to take back the narrative of the so-called "dark continent."

The style of Achebe's fiction draws heavily on the oral tradition of the Igbo. He weaves folk tales into the fabric of his stories, thus illuminating community values in both the content and the form of the storytelling. The tale about the Earth and Sky , for example, emphasises the interdependence of the masculine and the feminine. Although Nwoye enjoys hearing his mother tell the tale, Okonkwo's dislike for it is evidence of his imbalance. Later, Nwoye avoids beatings from his father by pretending to dislike such "women's stories".

Achebe' s free but deft use of proverbs, which often illustrate the values of the rural Igbo tradition. sprinkled throughout the narratives, repeating points made in conversation is deft. For Achebe, however, proverbs and folk stories are not the sum total of the oral Igbo tradition. In combining philosophical thought and public performance into the use of oratory - "speech artistry" -, his characters exhibit what he called "a matter of individual excellence ... part of Igbo culture." as Okonkwo's friend Obierika voices the most impassioned oratory, crystallising the events and their significance for the village.

Ceremonial dancing and the singing of folk songs also reflect the realities of Igbo tradition. The elderly Uchendu, attempting to shake Okonkwo out of his self-pity, refers to a song sung after the death of a woman: "For whom is it well, for whom is it well? There is no one for whom it is well." This song contrasts with the "gay and rollicking tunes of evangelism" sung later by the white missionaries.

Okonkwo's tragedy perhaps could be seen as emanating from his furious manhood overpowering everything feminine in his life, including his own conscience. For example, when he feels awful after killing his adopted son, he asks himself: "When did you become a shivering old woman?" All things feminine are distasteful to him, in part because they remind him of his father's laziness and cowardice. The women in the novel, meanwhile, are obedient, quiet, and absent from positions of authority - despite the fact that Igbo women were traditionally involved in village leadership. Nevertheless, the need for feminine balance is highlighted by Ani, the earth goddess, and the extended discussion of "Nneka" ("Mother is supreme") in chapter fourteen. Okonkwo's defeat is seen by some as a consequence of his suppression of a balancing feminine ethos.

Heinemann published 2,000 hardcover copies of Things Fall Apart on 17 June 1958. According to Alan Hill, employed by the publisher at the time, the company did not "touch a word of it" in preparation for release. The book received such a rousing reception that merits a whole book or at least an article to detail.Mean while as we celebrate 50 years of Things Fall Apart the book keeps moving into new corners of the globe while holding and tickling the imagination of those of us who have grown and fed on it for decades.

Born and schooled in Freetown, Sierra Leone, Arthur Smith has taught English for over thirty years at various Educational Institutions. He is now a Senior Lecturer of English at Fourah Bay College where he has been lecturing for the past eight years.

Mr Smith's writings have been in various media. He participated in a seminar on contemporary American Literature in the U.S. in 2006. His growing thoughts and reflections on this trip which took him to various US sights and sounds could be read at http://www.lisnews.org

His other publications include: Folktales from Freetown, Langston Hughes: Life and Works Celebrating Black Dignity, and 'The Struggle of the Book'

Don't Tithe If You Can't Afford to - Poor Christians Beware of Motivated Church Leaders

2009-07-25T02:21:00.001-07:00

Index

The God of War Or Peace - Helping With Bible Problems

2009-07-24T11:00:00.001-07:00

Here's two verses I found in the Bible that seem to contradict themselves but I'm sure that with a little creativity and manipulation, a good minister or religious scholar, could make some sense out of it.

Exodus 15:3 (New International Version) The LORD is a warrior; the LORD is his name.

Romans 15:33 (New International Version) The God of peace be with you all. Amen.

The Lord is a warrior does not mean that he fights or kills, does it. According to the Old Testament, God killed plenty of people and even took out an entire city one time, flooded the earth to get rid of the evil and of course who could forget, that once we get into the New Testament, God killed his only begotten son Jesus. I don't know if I would really want this guy as my father.

It seems like he has a pretty bad temper on him but is extremely loving, caring and understanding. Are you confused yet, I am. Maybe I shouldn't be throwing the word I am around.

The God of peace states that he is a loving and understanding leader. This makes more sense to me because he did create the earth and everything around it. If I was for example, building a home to create a nice peaceful place to live, I wouldn't be thinking about destroing what I created. I would be thinking more along the lines of how I could take care of this creation.

It makes more sense to me that God would be peaceful but sometimes in order to have peace, we need to be a warrior. If God would have created us to be more compassionate, gave us plenty of food to eat, plenty of homes to live in, removed our sinful nature and of course who could forget, give us a purpose in life that is clearly understandable, I wouldn't see a need for warriors.

Maybe the God of peace is different than the Lord is a warrior. Thinking is a good thing, put your thinking caps on and start reading some of the Bible with an open mind.

Treated Fairly Christianity

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Greg is currently working on a spiritual video library filled with great movies on a wide array of topics, like religion, self help and spiritual changes in the world.

Did Jesus Actually Ever Get Mad

2009-07-24T07:19:00.001-07:00

How To Create Good Habits

Reflections on Goddess Religion

2009-07-23T15:50:00.001-07:00

The renewed interest and critical discussion of the ancient goddess religion open a path to the Perennial Philosophy, a substratum of human culture and consisting of a cluster of ideas, insights, view points, and attitudes about life found in most, if not all, societies. Basic concepts of the goddess religion can also offer insights into Hermes' art, which is still relevant and beneficial today.

Pelasgians are a people and their language who populated the southern Balkan Peninsula, Aegean Islands, and coast of Asia Minor before Greek invasions of the second millennium B.C. They were the last of the Neolithic goddess cultures. The name is even mentioned in some alchemical texts. Fulcanelli, the Master Alchemist of the twentieth century, specifically states that the hermetic cabala, Hermes' language, maintains the essence of the Pelasgians' mother language. Hermes' language birthed from the Neolithic cultures, if not earlier.

The goddess has many images linked to her: cave, moon, stone, serpent, bird, fish, and tree; spiral, meander, and labyrinth; wild animals such as lion, bull, bison, stag, goat, and horse; rituals of fertility; and journey of the soul to another dimension. Each historical goddess has many of these characteristics and often several different ones.

Isis, the greatest goddess of Egypt, was worshipped for over 3000 years. Her attributes are the tree of life, cow, serpent, pig, bird, underworld, Sirius, words of power, and great mother goddess of the universe.

According to the twentieth century scholar Marija Gimbutas, the serpent crown refers back to the Neolithic snake goddess, who wore such a crown. These snake crowns symbolize wisdom and wealth. Struggling with a huge white snake will gain the seeker a crown. Wearing the crown, the initiate knows all, is able to find hidden treasures, and can communicate with animals. Hermes knows that the serpent goddess is the living water, the philosophical mercury, and the white queen. Gimbutas' book, The Living Goddesses, is filled with many insights and presents an excellent comprehension of Neolithic culture and the goddess tradition.

The ancient rock art in Australia that depicts hermaphroditic figures is similar to some goddess images in European Neolithic art. Humans have lived in Australia for more than 40,000 years, arriving there during the Paleolithic. The hermaphrodite (the word is a blending of Hermes and Aphrodite) is an important alchemical concept.

The discussion about the stone symbol in Anne Baring and Jules Cashford's The Myth of the Goddess is profound. A stone lasts a long time and can symbolize eternity or timelessness. During the Neolithic, or earlier, it represented the foundation or essence of life, such as the soul or spirit that endured after the death of the body. The stone is, of course, a dominant symbol in alchemy: its goal is to obtain the philosopher's stone.

Two major themes of religious ceremony, starting in the Neolithic if not earlier, are the sacred marriage and birth of the child. A union with a divine spirit is inherent in all mystical ceremonies and practices. Initiation into the great spiritual mysteries has been a human activity for thousands of years, perhaps since the beginning of time. The female signifies the continuous pattern of birth-death-rebirth, which is the principle of regeneration. The male signifies the life of the individual, the short span of temporal life beginning with birth and ending with death. The neophyte enters the hidden subterranean recesses and dies a first death and only then does rebirth occur. Now the worldly and spiritual realms remain open to each other. The goddess was the portal into the hidden dimension through which the dead passed on their way to rebirth.

The dying god, a religious theme originating in antiquity, symbolizes physical life that is constantly changing, and the goddess illumines the principle of life that endures by eternally renewing itself. The goddess represents continuity while the god, sharing in the impermanent essence of the seed, dies annually.

More insight is revealed in The Myth of the Goddess. In goddess culture the manifest is the physical emanation of the unmanifest. So time is cyclical, a movement of manifesting to non-manifesting to manifesting and so forth. This is the lunar cycle. Because patriarchal culture sees time in a linear fashion of conflict with and conquest of opposition or the other, war and warriors are the central theme of history. Conquest in battle is the primary means of overcoming separation, but it never completely solves the problem because some opposition continues and remains hidden until it grows strong enough to challenge the victor. Thus, life is viewed as a perpetual struggle, battling foes and winning victories or being defeated, an onerous happening.

The goddess trinity comprises a young woman, a mother giving birth, and an old woman. The trinity is an ancient concept, probably in use before the Neolithic.

The trinity or three goddesses are the three visible phases of the moon. The hidden fourth-the dark or new moon-is the goddess of the night or of the unmanifest. The child born to the mother is signified by the sun born from the moon. At new moon the night sky is dark. Afterwards, the sun is gradually resurrected until full moon when its full light illumines the night sky. Then daily the sun dies away until its light is gone.

The goddess as mother of life sends her children forth into the world and as mother of death gathers her children unto her as they return from the world. The natural cycles signify this process of life and death.

The visible part, the son or daughter, comes from and returns to the invisible: the whole is the mother goddess. This idea is found in the Bronze Age. Based on the observation of natural phenomena, the idea no doubt is primeval in origin.

The ancient Middle Eastern cultures of Sumer, Babylon, and Egypt demonstrate the change from goddess religion to god religion. Inanna, a Sumerian goddess who later becomes Babylonian Ishtar, is the Great Mother Goddess, who holds the caduceus and double-headed ax as symbols of her power. The lunar cycle represents her power of life and death. The queen of heaven and earth, she has these attributes: the tree of life (palm tree), dove, owl, lion, dragon, serpent, scorpion, planet Venus, and Sirius. In Sumerian times Sirius was known as the Bow Star and rose in conjunction with the sun at sunrise during the month of July. Dumuzi or Tammuz is the son-lover, consort of Inanna-Ishtar. The caduceus and double-headed ax become his symbols; he is also imaged as a fish-god and a shepherd and sometimes wears a skirt with a net pattern. The son-lover possesses some of his mother's features.

The great cosmic cycle of life and death can be described in this way: the soul comes from or is born from the goddess, and its life cycle resembles the lunar cycle; at death the soul returns to the goddess. This cycle is very conducive and supportive of reincarnation.

So much evidence leads to the conclusion that the Paleolithic moral order as encompassed in the goddess religion did not die but lives now albeit underground renewing itself. It will assert itself when the times beckon. An important cosmic principle is that the seed must die for it to live.

Having been a Humanities and English college teacher for thirty-six years, I now manage Ye Olde Consciousness Shoppe which presents ideas about transforming consciousness and reaching a higher level of reality. The website has information about my three books: Hermes Beckons, a tale of alchemy and magic; Foundation for a New Consciousness; and Reality Inspector, a novel of chess and computer-hacking.

Christians Who Believe Everthing That They Hear And Read

2009-07-23T12:13:00.001-07:00

Learning From The Masters

From Pain To Power: Suicide, Part One; The Big "Why?"

2009-07-22T20:26:00.001-07:00

Just last week, I heard of another friend who committed suicide.

I can think, offhand, of about five people, not including him, whom Ive been somewhat close to, whove made that choice in my lifetime of 55 years. Sad to say, but my immediate thought when writing this was, That aint bad, considering the state of the world and the challenges of living!

Corey (name changed) was special to me in that I had been a part of a healing ceremony with him where, essentially, he was baptized by fire. I believe I witnessed his physical transformation from a man hounded by personal demons into a man willing to face life squarely. It was a phenomenal experience that happened in an instant. Youd expect someone like Robert DeNiro to pull an instantaneous, visible, change like that off, but the actor would be doing it so we could see it, whereas what we witnessed in Corey was the choice to be it.

Transformations like that happen all the time. We say to ourselves, Well, in Coreys case, it didnt hold very well, did it? But who are we, who keep on going, to say?

What I havent mentioned is that Ive been an integral part of one or another stage of two hundred or more suicides. I was in emergency services as an ambulance paramedic for twelve years, and I doubt theres a phase Ive missed in whatever process there may be. In those and subsequent years, Ive counseled many on the brink. Of those whom Ive counseled, I dont know that any have followed through on the act. Usually, the encounters were flashes of despair that dissipated over time (more on this, later).

But the first thing I say to someone whom I counsel is Yes, suicide is an option.

I come from the point of view that it happens enough, it is such an integral part of the experience of being human, that it could not be otherwise than an option. No matter how much you may try to regulate it, you cannot stop it. You cannot even stem its tide by promising eternal damnation. Its something we do, and some of us more happily than others.

Yes, I said more happily. In conversation, Im sure youve heard of the term shit-eating grin. In the ambulance trade it refers to a look of complete relief and contentment on the face of a dead body. I have encountered these kinds of facial expressions most often in suicides.

With most everyone else, if there is any clearly definable expression at all its in the vein of What the Hell? Get me outta here! The grins of these suicides, however, speak, Ive made it!

Generalization is a trap, of course, and by no means am I saying that suicides are a happy thing. The point I wish to make is that suicide can be as much a vehicle of personal empowerment as it appears to be evidence of resounding defeat.

To live is to get scarred. No one gets out alive -- in the form we have right now, anyhow. The only difference for any of us is when. There is not a one of us who isnt doing something to hasten our own deaths, if nothing else than clinging to a belief in it.

What we do with our lives is a function of choice, which is so sacred even God doesnt mess with it. Free will has no limitations, which means even causing our own deaths (which happens all the time) is a gift offered by life.

What our impressions of life are what our interpretations of our circumstances are is what our lives become. If we interpret our lives as intolerable, with the only outlet remaining to be death at our own hands, then that is exactly what it will be. To the person who commits suicide, it is a by-product of their considered, not casual interpretation of their circumstances.

By no means am I advocating suicide. I am just suggesting that those who are left behind make room to see the world through the eyes of the person who has cashed in his or her chips. If you begin from the place that, for the individual, her world-view was valid, under the circumstances you may be able to grasp that taking her own life was appropriate.

Its funny how we use phrases like, those who are left behind, or, we, who carry on, or, the ones remaining to describe who is left after the dying go and these not being specific to suicides. The implication, as Buddha says, is that life is suffering. We all know and experience this. Perhaps the wonder is not that so many people commit suicide, but that so many more of us dont.

Next, walking in the others shoes.

Russ Reina shares over 35 years of experience in the healing arts through his web site http://mauihealingartist.com. It is a potent resource for those wishing to deepen their abilities in connection and develop their powers as healers. For a powerful free tool to explore your inner world, please check out his adjunct site http://thestoryofthis.net

(Permission is granted to reprint this article, unedited, provided proper attribution is made and the signature line -- the above resource paragraph -- is kept intact)

Did Jesus Actually Ever Get Mad - Video

2009-07-22T16:18:00.001-07:00

Gregs Videos

Religious Fundamentalism Can Create Problems

2009-07-22T14:45:00.001-07:00

Religious groups can easily justify their actions by using religious text to benefit and promote their beliefs. The Muslims can sling quotes out of the Quran to justify their treatment towards women as second-class or even third class citizens in society, often removing certain rights from them because they weren't born men.

Shouldn't these women be treated equally. This is where religious fundamentalism evolves into religious fanaticism.

Christians can often use the same tactics to justify their beliefs and Christianity. This list goes on and on and has created hardships in the past on some people in our civilizations and will continue to do so in the future. As long as people continue to turn a blind eye to evil religious and government leaders, atrocities will take place and some of them will even be supported by those who eventually will become accused are victims of their own wrongdoings.

Does anyone remember the Ku Klux Klan? If you live in the south eastern part of the United States, there is a very good chance that you have heard of them or even know someone who belongs to this organization. The Ku Klux Klan was responsible for hanging African Americans throughout the early 1900s to prove that the white race was superior to the race of black people. Their religious beliefs fueled them with righteousness.

If this going on anywhere in the world today, may be issues about abortion or gay marriage. It seems like an oxymoron, if we allow gay people to get married, we won't have to worry about the abortion issue.

Some Christians, but most Americans look at this as a shameful part of our American heritage. It's not something that most Americans would ever support today. I would like to point something out about the Ku Klux Klan, they started out as a Christian organization and made examples out of other white people who weren't conforming to their ideal Christian society.

There are stories of people that abused their wives and the Ku Klux Klan set them straight, one way or another. If it required beating the crap out of them or killing them, something needed to be done and they are morally obligated to perform the task as Christians. These people took their Christian beliefs to an extreme.

When are we as a country and the world going to start fighting religious fundamentalism at its core and stop the atrocities that are going on today, using religion to justify their wrongdoings.

Create Personal Power

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Greg is currently working on a self help library filled with great subjects on a wide array of topics, like religion, self help and spiritual changes in the world. His views on religious freedom are slowly changing the way people think about institutional religion.

Peace And Religion
Creating Success For Teenagers

Why Solar Energy? - 5 Reasons to Use Solar Energy

2009-07-22T10:19:00.001-07:00

Many of us are aware of the changes being made to our climate causing weather patterns to severely alter around the globe but what are the major factors attributed to this anomaly? One of the major factors to Global warming as it's called is the emissions of Carbon Dioxide from power stations still burning fossil fuels.

Relying on coal oil and natural gas endangers our future. Toxic pollution global climate changes and the knowledge of diminishing fuel supplies is causing social unrest but we are adding to all this every time we use electricity. Instead of continually using fossil fuels that are unsustainable we should be looking to transform our world economy and global warming by using the alternative renewable energy that's so abundant on our planet, namely solar energy.

Here are 5 reasons why we should be using Solar Energy

1. All over the States people have been left without power. In California alone over the past few years Millions have constantly experiencing power cuts. Experts tell us this is just the begriming.

2. The Earth's population is estimated to reach 10 billion over the next 40 years so with energy sources depleting rapidly now is the time to make more use of Solar Energy for our power electricity needs.

3. Solar energy is clean, easy to use and solar panels and solar installation kits are constantly being improved upon while coming down in price.

4. Cost Effective: Using Solar energy to run electrical item in our homes was once thought of as too expensive but after the initial installation has been paid for there are no ongoing cost's so it's more cost effective in the long run.

Just think, the cost of electricity on the Grid is constantly increasing so by installing your own solar power you could pay off the installation fees in a few years easily from the amount you will be saving.

5. It may surprise you to learn that just a small fraction of the solar radiation that hits the earth could in fact replace the worlds energy consumption. Take into account that sunlight is a free commodity and you have another reason to use Solar Energy.

So to recap on why we should be using Solar Energy to replace fossil fuels. It's cleaner, it's not toxic, homes do not have to be connected to a national grid allowing remote places the luxury of electricity.

The earths population is increasing rapidly while our natural resources are depleting making it imperative that we use an alternative energy supply. And lastly it's a free resource that's in constant abundance.

Saving money is great but saving the planet is something we should all be doing our part in. By installing solar panels you will save money on electricity bills and help save the planet. To find out more about how solar power energy works and how easy it is to install visit http://www.solarpowerenergysaving.com

Tile Setting Books
Home Repair Books

Aum Mantra For Mediation

2009-07-21T21:30:00.001-07:00

Ahhhhh is the sound of God and can be used for meditation. Listen to this wonderful sound and try to find God in it.

Question Your Religion

Greg is currently working on a religious help library filled with great subjects on a wide array of topics, like religion, self help and spiritual changes in the world. His views on religious freedom are slowly changing the way people think about institutional religion.

Childhood Religious Control
Problem Solving Tips

Bedroom Heater Saving Money While You Sleep

2009-07-21T20:47:00.001-07:00

Winter energy bills can be terribly upsetting. It seems that we spend way too much on heating our homes in cold weather. Wouldn't it be better to spend this money on something more fun? Well, there are several ways to cut your energy bill, and the simplest way is to invest in a bedroom heater.

We spend almost one third of our life in bed and there is no need to have central heating on while you sleep. It is only the bedroom that you want to be warm at night, is not it? For the bedroom you can get a separate wall heater or a portable electrical heater. Make sure you select a heater that is safe and doesn't require constant attention. Heaters with open radian element should not be used. It can start a fire if a curtain or your cloth blows across the heating element.

Bedroom Heater Features

The best choice for a bedroom heater is oil filled radiators. They are safe, silent (which is very important while you are asleep) and they provide enough heat to comfortably warm up an average size bedroom.

It pays off to get a more expensive model that has a timer. This way you can set it to warm the room more before you have to wake up and get out of bed. But while you are actually asleep it is best to have the temperature not too warm.

Also some new models have an instant heat button that allows you to heat up your room very quickly. This is very useful if you forgot to set the timer or when you just came back home and want to warm up fast.

To find the right size heater for your bedroom, look at its specifications. Most models tell you for what heating aria they are intended. Don't assume the bigger the better. Heater that is too big will not provide any additional benefits, but will consume more energy than necessary.

More Energy Saving Tips

Did you know that you can add timers to your central heating? There is no need to make your central heater work all day while you are at work. With the timer you can make it switch on about half an hour before you come home, this will warm up your house adequately. Of course, this won't work if you have pets, they dread cold as much as we do.

Also check all drafts and increase insulation. If you have old windows, consider replacing them with storm windows. Having good insulation can make a huge difference, especially when it is windy outside.

In conclusion, a bedroom heater is very convenient and saves you a great deal. So if you don't have one yet, it is time to compare different models of bedroom heaters and get one that is suitable for your room.

Find reviews of bedroom heaters in Heater Buying Guidepublished by Tanya Turner. We provide information and tips on electric, gas, portable and water heaters.

Hiring Contractors Books
House Attic Books

Consider These Three Key Issues Before Purchasing Solar Panels For Your Solar Home Heating!

2009-07-21T07:14:00.001-07:00

There is a lot of talk about solar energy being a solution for the world's energy problems. I mean all the buzz is about having a solar home heating, but wouldn't it be wise to know if there are any dangers or hidden negative issues before starting such a large project? Here are 3 things to consider before you spend your money:

1) Toxic materials. Some of the materials used in the newer thin film solar panels are toxic to the environment. Even though this only becomes a problem when you dispose of the solar panels (which probably won't be for another 20 years or more), it's important to know that the panels will need safe disposal when that time comes. But new disposal and recycling methods are being researched and developed. Hopefully, they will be in place by the time you need to use them.

2) New Technology. If you read the news about solar energy research, you will be amazed at the number of companies that are developing new systems and products. Solar energy research is a worldwide growth industry, with new discoveries being made every month. There is a real temptation to hold off on your solar energy project so you can use the latest technology. But not every experimental product with market potential actually makes it to the consumer. Solar panels are no different than any other new product in the process of research and development. Sometimes the best ideas just don't work out as expected, or are just too expensive to produce. So it's always a bit of a gamble to wait too long for breakthroughs in new technology. You could be unnecessarily wasting several months or years of using your solar energy system.

3) Old Technology. Are you afraid of buying your solar power system right before the next new product breakthrough? This dilemma is the other side of the coin from waiting too long for a breakthrough. The fear is that a cheaper and better technology is right around the corner, but you just spent thousands on "old" technology.

You can do a lot to prevent this scenario by doing a little research on the internet or the library. There are professional business journals that have the latest news on industrial R and D (research and development), and forecast when new products will reach the consumer market. But many of these journals cost several hundreds or thousands of dollars for a yearly subscription, so only libraries can afford them. If your library doesn't subscribe, ask your librarian to get it for you. Then you'll need to decide whether you want to wait for the newest product for your solar home heating, or go with a traditional system that might be more reliable and predictable because it has withstood the test of time.

Get paid to convert your home for Solar Home Heating. All you have to do is Click Here to realise how easy and safe this is to achieve!

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What's so Important about Learning - Zig Ziglar Video

2009-07-21T04:22:00.001-07:00

Zig Ziglar explains how the learned will inherit the earth.

Powerful Media Influence
Why Do We Need Religion

Renters - Take Control of Your Energy Bill

2009-07-20T17:28:00.001-07:00

Even if you rent an apartment, you still have control over your electric bill. No, you can't go out and buy Energy Efficient Windows or a new Energy Efficient Roof for your landlord, but there are many things you CAN do. Some are very easy and some require a bit of effort, but every little bit helps! Whenever you can reduce your energy usage, you will save money AND help the environment.

Take a look at these energy saving ideas. One of them may just help you save energy and money in your apartment home.

1. Window Coverings

Windows let in the sunlight to brighten your home. They can also let in the heat and cold if they are not energy efficient. If you can talk your landlord into buying new windows, great! If not, window coverings could really help and you can take them with you when you move. They can be inexpensive and easy to find at home improvement stores, home design stores and online.

When it's warm out keeping out the sun will also keep out the heat. Try using:

~Blinds and Curtains - most apartments come with some sort of blinds or curtains but they may not be enough. Combining them with window shades and/or window film can help keep even more heat out.

~Window Shades - thicker than curtains to keep more sun out. The variety of fabrics and colors can also help you personalize your home a bit.

~Window film - this is like tinting your windows. You can buy film by the roll and it's temporary so you can remove it when you move. This film comes in different colors and designs that you can have fun with.

2. Energy Efficient Light Bulbs

These are great because they are an inexpensive investment and, like window coverings, you can take them with you when you move.

Compact Fluorescent Lights or CFL's are super energy efficient, using about 1/3 the energy of regular light bulbs and they last much longer. You can find them at home improvement stores, hardware stores and sometimes in supermarkets or you can order them online.

CFL's are more expensive than regular bulbs but will quickly pay for themselves by saving you energy. And all you have to do is change a light bulb.

3. Use the Clothes Dryer Less

Using the dryers down in the laundry room can be expensive and harsh on your clothes. You may be lucky enough to have a washer and dryer in your home, but the electricity to run them will cost you. So, instead of using the dryer, try hanging out your clothes using drying racks, camping clothes lines, even stair banisters - whatever works for you and the space you have. You can get inexpensive drying racks at places like Target and Bed Bath and Beyond and cheap camping clothes lines at sporting goods and camping stores.

In an apartment, hanging out clothes is a bit of an effort and may take some creativity but every load of laundry you keep out of the dryer, the more money you can save.

Visit MakeYourHomeEnergyEfficient for more energy saving ideas for any home.

Home Remodeling Books
Bathroom Books

Aum Mantra Mediation - Spiritual Video

2009-07-20T11:17:00.001-07:00

Ahhhhh is the sound of God and can be used for meditation. Listen to this wonderful sound and try to find God in it.

Question Your Religion

Spiritualbooks4u
Benefits Of A Bad Childhood

Build Your Own Solar Powered Generator

2009-07-20T03:58:00.001-07:00

If you are interested to know how to build your own solar power generator, don't worry; you have arrived at the right place. Here we will see some easiest and cost effective methods for building your own solar power generators. Making these solar power generators is very simple and you need not to be an engineer or a scientist. The advantage of learning the technology yourself will benefit you in terms of cost and you will be able to save huge cots otherwise would have been paid to the shopkeeper or supplier of the solar panels.

Solar energy is available around the world and for cutting down your electricity bills; this is the right option for you. The advantage of getting solar electricity is that it does not produce any pollutants and further it is renewable. Solar energy is available in plenty and you need a simple kit which will convert the heat of solar energy into electricity that will stored in a battery and whenever we require electricity we get it delivered from battery.

You will need to get a few items including copper, plywood board, wood boards, glass sheets, solar cells etc. All these materials are easily available in electrical and plywood shops and you can select a suitable size of board so that it meets your requirements. You will further need an audio/video guide so that once you go through the guide you can do the fabrication job yourself. If you purchase a ready made solar power generator from market, you will be spending any amount between $2000 and $3000, however if you build your own solar power generator, you will have to spend only $200. So, a huge cost saving can be achieved if you build solar power generator your own.

Earth4Energy is a DIY (do it yourself) guide which explains you building your own solar power generator and Windmill. The step by step instructions provided in Earth4Energy will help you in quick learning and at the same time the detailed Pictures will help you in achieving hundred percent accuracy in building your own solar power generator. Check out Earth4Energy Review

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Aum Mantra For Mediation

2009-07-19T18:12:00.001-07:00

Ahhhhh is the sound of God and can be used for meditation. Listen to this wonderful sound and try to find God in it.

Question Your Religion

Motivational Speech Review
Start Liking Yourself First

Company Profiles - Veolia

2009-07-19T14:28:00.001-07:00

Veolia is a company founded at the dawn of the industrial era and the start of urban development and focused on water, waste, energy management and transport. As urban development changes continuously, the question for the future is how 8 billion of people on the planet and "half of them in urban environments" will impact: water, waste energy and transport.

Looking forward requires first of all looking back.

The company was founded in 1853 as CGE - Compagnie Gnrale des Eaux by an imperial decree with the goal to irrigate and offer water supply to urban areas. A few years later (1867) the added business was to clear streets of sewage and waste. A century later (1967) the company began operating its first waste incinerators. New business development was focus on energy saving (during the energy crisis of 1973) and in 1986 the first waste drop-off centers arrived. In 1998 CGE becomes Vivendi and a years later Vivendi Environnement was created to consolidate all environmental activities, which were managed from different entities: Vivendi Water (Water), Onyx (Waste Management), Dalkia (Energy) and Connex (Transportation). In 2000 the company got listed on the Paris stock exchange by an initial public stock offering and in 2003 Vivendi environment becomes an independent company under a new name: Veolia environment.

This name (Veolia) is derived from Aeolus, the keeper of the winds in Greek mythology... The reference to air is heightened by the first letter of the name, "V", which is the first letter of the French word for the wind ("vent"). The wind, which is always on the move, clean, transparent and rapid, is also a force symbolizing all our activities. (1)

What is so unique about this company and the environmental business?

Environmental services are most of all local!

Veolia is committed to conserving the (quality of) "blue gold" (water) of the 21st century and it is focused on greenhouse gas reduction.

Some figures, Veolia has:
- 320,000 employees.
- 32.6 billion in consolidated revenue in 2007 of which per division:
- Transport: 17%, Water 34%, Energy 21% and Environmental services 28%.

The energy division is still labeled separately under the name Dalkia. New activities are: wind energy, green fuel and home services.

The Workforce by grade(2):
- Managers 8.5%
- Supervisory / technical 15,3%
- White collar 11,6 %
- Blue color / operatives 64,6%

Growth by diversity: Because of the "local" business model the company "boasts" a wide-ranging cultural, economic and social diversity. Employing people from more than a hundred nationalities.

The company is research-intensive with seven (7) major areas of expertise:
Water: resource protection, water and wastewater treatment.
Energy: energy solutions to reduce consumption and combat climate change.
Waste Management: waste treatment and recovery.
Transportation: logistics, electronic ticketing and payment, clean vehicles and new services.
Analysis: steering analytical research and coordinating a network of laboratories.
Health: assessment of health risks and benefits for specific population groups (employees, users and consumers, and residents near facilities) associated with company activities.
Environment: steering research programs on water resource management and protection, environmental modeling, and the evaluation of risks and environmental impacts (LCA).

Finally the corporate values which show on the website:
- Customer Focus (... listen ... anticipate and adapt to client needs)
- Responsibility (never forget how our business affects our employees and society)
- Innovation (continuously improving our environmental solutions)
- Performance (... financial discipline at every level)
- Team Work (... a shared victory)

Interesting about these values is first that the customer is the local client as the environmental business is global but business-wise: local. This makes the solution diverse and the challenge is to scale the environmental business in such a diversified "environment." Teamwork is then a key success-factor. Performance ...
The main challenge is the reconciliation of the decentralized sales effort (local environment business) with a more centralized engineering and research business.

(1) - http://www.veolia-transport.com/en/company/press/123.aspx
(2) - Veolia annual report / website

2009 Hans Bool

Flipping Houses Books
Home Door Books

Doreen Virtue appeared discusses the Crystal Children part two

2009-07-19T01:03:00.001-07:00

Doreen Virtue appeared discusses the Crystal Children, a type of child born since 1995 that has unusual attributes such as very large eyes, telepathy, and fearlessness. Virtue had previously studie

Life of Jesus

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 is currently working on a spiritual help library filled with great subjects on a wide array of topics, like religion, self help and spiritual changes in the world. His views on religious freedom are slowly changing the way people think about institutional religion.

Treat Others As You Would Like T
Gay Teenager Problems

Solar Panel Construction - Make Your Own Solar Panels For an Affordable Energy Solution!

2009-07-19T00:55:00.001-07:00

It used to be that the only way to power up your home is to connect to the local power grid. Until more recently, we're seeing homeowners installing solar panels in their homes. But these typical solar panels don't come cheap, and are typically priced beyond the reach of the average homeowner. But that said, there is nothing to stop you from building your own solar panels...and the truth is, solar panel construction need not be a daunting or expensive affair.

To get started, what you need is a solar panel kit. Being a kit, it typically comes complete with everything you need to assemble and install your very own energy saving device. There are many excellent kits out there that give you comprehensive step-by-step instructions to get you going.

If you're do not like reading long detailed instructions (many folks don't!), I suggest you go for a DIY solar panel construction guide that also provides you with videos. I can assure you these videos will be of great help, especially for folks who are visual learners.

So what can you really get out of these nifty energy saving devices?

Well, for a start, build a small solar panel to power a few simple appliances, like your computer, TV, or small lightings. You'll begin to see your monthly energy savings piling up pretty soon. Once you get the basics right, go expand into a bigger solar panel network. By doing so, you can eventually even power your home completely on solar energy...and cutting off the power companies from the equation!

So, if you're really serious about reducing your energy bills - and do this without breaking the bank - it's high time your consider the DIY solar panel construction. Once you've done it, you'd wish you had discovered this simple DIY technology earlier!

Want to build your own solar panels but don't know where to start?

Fret not! Many people just like you have successfully built these on their own to DRASTICALLY cut their monthly electricity consumption. They are already shaving $1000s off their energy bills every year. If you need STEP-BY-STEP guidance in installing one, I have reviewed the Best Online Guides on Homemade Solar Panels for your convenience. These highly recommended guides provide EASY-TO-FOLLOW instructions that will help you save money in no time.

Dave Keller is an Renewable Energy Specialist who takes pride in helping the average consumer save on their energy bills using simple DIY devices... and give power companies a run for their money! For a candid review of the best-selling guides, go to his website at http://www.HomeSolarPanels4u.com now.

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Home Solar - The No Fail Secrets of Saving Money by Generating Your Own Power

2009-07-18T11:28:00.001-07:00

With the rise in fuel prices, the need for a suitable alternative through home solar is considered an essential perquisite. While home solar systems are stated to be fairly expensive when it comes to setting them up, there are a few home solar systems which are also affordable in nature. Taking cue from the above statement, let us throw light on just how a natural source can save your money from being spent unnecessarily.

The Source Does Not Involve Any Cost

The very first reason why a solar powered electrical unit is said to save your money is because it happens to be free of any recurring costs. When it comes to assessing costs, you need to understand that ordinary sources of energy use coal and natural gas as their feeding mediums-hence they are expensive in nature. On the other hand, solar panels use the energy of the sun and hence they are relatively inexpensive in nature.

It Is A One Time Investment Only

If you wish to generate power through the means of the sun's energy, you need to understand that the only visible expenditure would be the installation cost. Thereafter there is no recurring expense as the power is directly derived from the sun's rays. On the other hand, if we are to take the example of a normal source of energy, we would be required to pay a monthly bill.

It Is Free From Technical Snags

Most panels which are powered by the sun are sturdy and free from any technical snags. Hence there is no need for a recurring expense in terms of a regular repair.

Hi, I am Mark Morris and I am an energy conservationist. I have a secret to share.

The Recommendation: To adopt a widely approved Solar Energy Program, which allows you to permanently get rid of your recurring electric bills. It has helped over ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND people worldwide-it is now your turn.

Who Is It For: Folks who are tired of polluting power programs and have lost thousands of dollars on wasted power bills. It is for any and everyone who wishes to see instant results and save money.

How To Get There: Simply click http://purelyfitness.com/earth4energy-review and join the successful campaign to save our environment from further pollution.

House Attic Books
Home Security Books

Three Seperate Gods Video

2009-07-18T08:08:00.001-07:00

Can One Book Change Your Life
Living With Out Limits

Low Energy Lamps - An Update

2009-07-17T22:03:00.001-07:00

Three Ways of Reducing Electricity Bills for Lighting.

The most common is to use compact fluorescent low energy lamps (or the larger 'strip' fluorescent light fittings, for commercial buildings or where their appearance is acceptable). A rapidly growing alternative is to use LED low energy lamps, although these are still not bright enough for many applications, unless you are prepared to pay a lot more money. If you still insist on using incandescent bulbs (many of which are being phased out in some countries), energy usage can be reduced using dimmer switches.

Compact Fluorescent Lamps

Many people have already switched to these, but there is still considerable resistance to their use, mainly because some people still base their opinions of them on early examples. They have improved considerably and I would like to counter some of the most common prejudices:

1. They are not made with fittings that fit my lamps. Compact fluorescents are now made to fit nearly all kind of fittings (except the very small halogen capsule bulbs - fittings taking these bulbs are best avoided). There are 'retro-fit' ones, which replace ordinary incandescent or halogen lamps, and ones fitting dedicated compact fluorescent fittings. These have bases that conventional bulbs will not fit, and are commonly found in new builds.

2. They take a long time to come on. We are used to incandescent bulbs, which reach full brightness in a fraction of a second. It is true that they do take a few seconds to reach full brightness, but certainly not a few minutes, as early ones did. I have tested current examples by Philips, Osram, GE, Megaman and others, and found that while the first time they are used they may take a longer time to 'warm up', after that they reach full brightness in a few seconds. In most applications, does this matter?

3. They are very big or very dim. The brightness of the lamp depends largely on the length and thickness of tube. By various ingenious methods of cramming longer lengths into smaller spaces the bulbs have got brighter and smaller. These include 'U' tubes, spirals and other shapes. While it is still true that an incandescent lamp giving the same amount of light can always be made smaller, this is often not important. A lampshade of sufficient size will hide the bulb. and if you are buying a new light fitting, always ask yourself or your retailer whether it will look good with low energy bulbs. In fact low energy bulbs should automatically be supplied with most new fittings these days.

4. They look ugly. Do they? I contend that some people think this because for many decades, we have got used to the look of incandescent lamps. If the positions were reversed, I imagine that so would these opinions.

5.Incandescent lamps contribute more to heating. This is true (in fact the reason they are so inefficient is that they give out about 85% of their energy as heat, not light). But do we buy lamps to provide heat or light? Do we want this heat in warm weather when we may want light? Do we want the majority of this heat near the ceiling of a room, where most lamps will be?

6. Compact fluorescents contain hazardous mercury. This is also true, as do longer 'strip' fluorescents. We are talking about tiny amounts though, and when they are disposed of leave them intact when giving to the refuse disposal people. Do not smash them, and they will provide no danger.

7. Compact fluorescents affect certain conditions, causing headaches, nausea, etc. This can be a problem with a very few people. Controlled tests have shown it is somewhat exaggerated, as the psychological effect of people expecting this, because they have been told about it, makes them think they are experiencing it. Remember that offices having banks of flourescent fittings, where many people work, function in the same way. Some people say they experience no ill effects with these, but do not like compact fluorescents. I do not understand this. There are however a very few conditions that are worsened by them, and if you are affected, I do not know of any way around this, other than not using them.

8. The 'whiteness' of the light they give doesn't look right. The 'colour' of the light depends of the colour temperature, and they now come in a big range of colour temperatures. The higher this is, the more blue the light (nearer to natural sunlight). Choose one that suits you - some people prefer 'warm white' at the lower end of the scale, while others prefer a 'cool white' or higher. Here is a list of approx. colour temps for different types of light: 2700K to 3000K - warm white (sometimes given the colour code 827 to 830) 3500K - white (colour code 835) 4000K - cool white (colour code 840) 6000K - daylight lamps or craft lamps (colour code 860) 8000K - sky white (colour code 880) As a means of comparison, most incandescant bulbs have a colour temperature of about 2800K and halogens of about 3000K. Natural daylight can be anything between 4000 and 10000K. All the above range is available in various types of fluorescents although you will pay more at the higher end of the scale.

9. Compact fluorescents cannot be dimmed. This is true of most of them, but there are now compact fluorescents that are dimmable. There are two types. One of them is used with a dimmer switch, used the same as with a convential lamp. The second can be dimmed from a normal light switch, so even a dimmer switch does not have to be fitted.

Savings in cost and CO2 emissions using compact fluorescents are made using the following assumptions: (a) the cost of one unit of electricity (1kWh) is 12p in UK prices. (b) the cost of one retro-fit cfl is 42p - this is a Megaman 'My Planet' 15W lamp, taken from the author's website. Some other lamps are more expensive, but this is a basic cfl, suitable for most applications. The cost of an equivalent incandescent bulb is 39p. (c) the lifetime of the bulb is 10000 hours (compared with 1000 hours for the average incandescent). Again there are longer and shorter lifetimes of both types, but these are typical values. (d) the energy consumption of a cfl is one-fifth that of an incandescent for the same light output. (e) the bulb is used for an average of 4 hours a day.

The average saving in costs over the lifetime of the cfl (6.8 years) is 75.68 or 11.13 per year. This saves over one-quarter tonne of CO2 emissions over the lifetime of the lamp. This is just for one lamp. Good for your electricity bills and good for the environment.

LED energy saving lamps

These are an order of magitude more efficient than compact fluorescents. Advances in these have been made in recent years, so that a greater selection of fittings and brighter light is now available, but bright ones for normal practical lighting are still very expensive. Moderately priced ones are useful for low level decorative or emergency lighting. There is no extra cost for coloured ones, and colour changing ones are becoming increasingly popular for special effects. Whereas cfls use about one-fifth of the electricity of incandescent lamps, some LEDs use one-tenth to one-fifteenth. I would particularly consider using them as GU10 halogen replacements, providing bright light is not needed. A reasonably priced GU10 replacement LED will give the equivalent of 20W of light, but only use about 1.5W electricity.

Dimmer switches

Where all else fails, an incandescent lamp run below its rated wattage on a dimmer switch will save electricity and increase the lifetime of the lamp. I am often asked if running a lamp at, say, half power using a dimmer switch saves half the running cost. The answer is more or less yes (a very little power is lost in the dimmer switch, but this is negligible). Thus it makes good sense to run lamps more dimly on dimmer switches, except on occasions when the brightest light is needed.

Barrie Newton B.Sc.
Owner of Rhyl Lightworks Co
http://www.thelightworks.net
or for energy saving lamps see:
http://www.thelightworks.net/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=37_73

House Framing Books
Home Fence Books

Light Workers Movie on Estoic Wisdom

2009-07-17T14:57:00.001-07:00

This video tells of the estoic wisdom between the three types of light workers and how they are going to bring the earth into a new earth full of love and light.

Life of Jesus

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:

Fix Yourself Before Fixing Other
Changing Someones Bad Attitude

'G' Up For Energy Performance

2009-07-17T08:34:00.001-07:00

From October 2008 landlords offering property for rent will be required by law to provide prospective tenants with an Energy Performance Certificate for their property.

The certificates ('EPCs') will have to be provided free either when (or before) any written information about the property is provided to prospective tenants or a viewing is conducted. They will not have to be provided if the landlord believes the prospective tenant is unlikely to have sufficient funds to rent the property or is not genuinely interested in renting, or the landlord is unlikely to be prepared to rent the property to the prospective tenant.

A new certificate will not be required on each let since, in the case of rental property, EPCs will be valid for 10 years.

The requirement is being introduced to comply with the EU's Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) which applies to all property, including rented property. This became law in 2003 and allowed until January 2009 for full implementation so as to provide time for sufficient numbers of energy assessor to be trained.

The Directive's requirements have been introduced into English and Welsh law along with the controversial Home Information Pack regulations that require sellers to produce packs providing information about their title, local searched, plus an EPC. The full requirements are included in the Home Information Pack (No 2) Regulations 2007 and the Energy Performance of Buildings (Certificates and Inspections) (England and Wales) Regulations 2007.

In Scotland, the Single Survey, the equivalent to HIPS, also includes an energy report requirement.

So far as energy performance is concerned, the regulations require an EPC when a building is constructed, sold or rented out. When included in a HIP related to a property sale, the EPC should be no more than 12 months old when the property is first marketed. In other circumstances EPCs have a 10 year life.

HIP requirements have already come into force so far as three and four bedroom properties are concerned. And EPCs will be required for all new builds from 6 April 2008, and for all rentals as from 1 October 2008.

In Scotland EPCs for rental properties will be required by January 2009.

By 2009, all buildings in the UK that are constructed, sold or rented out will have to have an Energy Performance Certificate. In the case of larger public buildings a 'Display Energy Certificate' will have to be on show.

There are a number of different permitted assessment methods, their use depending upon the type of building being assessed. Dwellings will usually be assessed using the 'Reduced Data Standard Assessment Procedure' (RdSAP), an industry agreed standard that allows some data to be inferred.

Its use involves inspectors collecting standard information on the type of property and construction, the property dimensions including room sizes, types of windows, room and water heating systems and controls, plus other details such as wall, loft and water tank insulation. Agreed reference coefficients are then applied to arrive at an energy rating.

EPCs for dwellings will rate the energy performance of buildings (not the appliances within them) on a scale of 'A' to 'G' - where 'A' is the most efficient, and 'G' the least. This will be displayed graphically in a similar way as present energy labelling on white goods such as fridges and washing machines.

Two ratings will be shown: an overall energy efficiency rating, and an environmental impact rating in terms of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions - the higher the rating, the less impact on the environment.

The idea is that because EPCs will be prepared using standard methods with standard assumptions, it will be possible to make comparisons of the energy efficiency of buildings. The Government argues that in the case of rental properties, high rating will be more desirable and will impact on the marketability of properties - and hence ultimately on rent levels.

EPCs will always be accompanied by a recommendation report including a list of measures (such as low and zero carbon generating systems) that would improve the energy rating of the building and an indication of the rating that could potentially be reached should these recommendations be implemented.

It suggested each year an estimated 2.5m plus homes will require an EPC.

ECPs may only be produced by authorised Domestic Energy Assessors (DEAs) who have been able to demonstrate appropriate qualifications or competence.

At least one DEA trainer is claiming, that besides benefiting from flexible working hours, qualified assessors will be able to earn up to 100,000 a year.

According to the Government, buildings are responsible for almost 50 per cent of all energy consumed in the UK and over a quarter of CO2 emissions, while forecasts suggest a large proportion of current buildings will still be in use in 2050.

An initial survey of EPC results found that on average four bedroom homes were being rated 'E'. 'This could potentially rise to a "C" if consumers undertake measures recommended in the certificates, such as loft and cavity wall insulation', claimed the Government.

The top five recommendations given by assessors for improving energy efficiency have been: cavity wall insulation, changing to low energy lighting, putting thermostatic valves on radiators, loft insulation, and double glazing.

The Government said the price of an energy performance certificate will be set by the market and it expects the cost to vary according to the size, type and location of the property. However, it is predicting that the cost of a stand alone EPC for an 'average' home is approximately 100. This seems to be borne out by prices currently being quoted by providers.

The Government also suggests that the time taken to perform an energy assessment will be 'about the same time as performing a housing valuation report'.

Landlords wishing to make energy saving improvements to their properties either before or after obtaining an EPC are offered some help from the Government.

The Landlord's Energy Saving Allowance, originally introduced in April 2004, now covers loft insulation, cavity wall insulation, solid wall insulation, drought proofing, hot water system insulation, and floor insulation.

Expenditure on these items would otherwise be treated as capital expenditure - which means it could not be deducted from rental income to arrive at a taxable item. However, the LESA allows up to 1,500 per property spend on such items as a straight deduction from rental profits.

The allowance is to run until 2015. The 'per property' rule (rather than the former 'per building' restriction means that for a house converted into three flats an allowance of 4500 can be claimed. However, the allowance is not available for holiday lets or resident landlords.

For further information on energy performance certificates visit Residential Landlord the premier, and complete information website for landlords and property investors with UK buy to let rental property investments.

Interior Decorating Books
Pest Control Books

The Meaning of Soul Video

2009-07-16T21:42:00.001-07:00

What is soul, is it someone dancing around to some great music or is it something inside of us, find out what two people think about the word soul.

Question Your Religion

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:

Problems With School Bullies
Childhood Religious Control

Easy Do-It-Yourself Solar Panels - Learn More Here

2009-07-16T18:58:00.001-07:00

For most families their electricity bill forms a large part of their monthly household expenses. The price of power will rise in the future due to increase in the demand for fossil fuels as supply dwindles. The main reason is that the delivery of oil required for the production of electricity by power companies is limited. The simplest way to decrease power consumption in your home is to use do-it-yourself solar technology. This article serves as an insight into the working of a homemade, or do-it-yourself, solar panel.

Before you begin construction of your new solar panel, you should know to handle simple tools and have a sufficient working area. To make your home solar unit you must assemble your array on your roof, as this is the prime location for receiving direct sunlight.

Solar cells are connected together in a series to build solar arrays. Solar power is converted to electrical energy through these arrays. A solar array, connected with charge controller which diverts electrical power to deep cycle battery bank, is used to utilize your produced power.

These batteries store electrical power in order to fulfill your daily requirement of electricity around your home.

Since our household electrical equipment requires AC(Alternating Current) power and a battery can store only direct current an inverter, which is in the form of DC power, a converter is required to convert AC into DC.

This is basically all that there is to the very simple process of building your very own do-it-yourself solar panel. All that you need from here is some basic materials and tools as well as a set of good assembly instructions.

The cheapest option for installing solar panels is to go with DIY Solar Panel Instructions which include detailed instructions, step-by-step video walk-throughs and even locations to get all of your materials as cheap as possible.

With DIY solar panel instructions you can be living off the grid, on free solar energy, for as little as a $200 start up cost. Start saving money and the environment today, what are you waiting for?

Home Buying Books
House Painting Books

Solar Energy For Farms

2009-07-16T05:19:00.001-07:00

Using solar to produce energy is the most effective away keeping our environment clean and green. Solar radiation or sun's rays are channelized to produce energy with the help of solar cells and solar panels. As farms are open and they receive ample amount of sunlight during the year, solar energy for farms can be very cost effective and also helps to keep the pollution at zero level.

There are numerous ways to produce solar energy on farms. Among the most effective ways to are using solar panels, solar liquid systems and solar cells to produce energy directly from the sun. These energy can be channelized for different purposes like pumping water from the well or river, threshing out weeds, milling grains and for many such purposes.

Numerous people think that using solar panels and solar cells will not be cost effective for them to produce solar energy for farms. But they should deeply understand the benefits of this revolutionary do it yourself solar technology. First of all with the advancement of the technology solar equipments are available at affordable rates and are most efficient to produce ample amount of solar energy. The mechanism used in to produce solar energy for farms have no maintenance that saves lots of money.

Solar energy on farms is the most effective way to curb out heavy energy bills. Using solar energy on your farm helps us to keep our environment clean because there are no harmful or hazardous residues left after the energy is produced.

To learn how to create your own solar energy for farms, check out http://www.earth4energy.org

Handyman Books
House Framing Books

Light Workers video

2009-07-16T04:35:00.001-07:00

This video tells of the estoic wisdom between the three types of light workers and how they are going to bring the earth into a new earth full of love and light.

Life of Jesus

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One Step Away From Success
Feeling Alive Teenage Problems

The Eco-Friendly Kitchen Remodel

2009-07-15T15:42:00.001-07:00

The environment may be suffering from the endless barrage of technological advances, but your kitchen remodeling project doesn't have to contribute to the eco-unfriendly trend. Fortunately for the modern-day homeowner, there are many ways to remodel a kitchen without leaving behind a jarring impact on the world in which we live.

Late last year, Low Impact Living, a Web portal devoted to helping individuals lower the environmental impact of their home and their daily life, published an article titled "Low Impact Living: Green Your Kitchen." Therein, advice was given on how to reduce the "biggest resource hog" room in the house: the kitchen.

More specifically, the site offered the following seven suggestions to homeowners who are planning a kitchen remodel on how "to lower their environmental impact and also to live in a healthier home":

Tip #1: "Use energy-saving appliances." - In particular, the article recommends choosing appliances with an Energy Star label. Such appliances, the author points out, "can save as much as 50% of your energy and water use, and can cut your carbon footprint by 1000+ pounds, compared to standard appliances."

Tip #2: "Use compact fluorescent lighting." - These types of bulbs "use 1/4 the energy and last up to 10 times as long as standard bulbs," the author enthuses.

Tip #3: "Recycle and Re-Use." - Never throw away anything that can be used again. The world's landfills will thank you.

Tip #4: "Eat Organic, Eat Local." - Organic eating "keeps chemicals from running off into our oceans and rivers from non-organic farms" while local eating "means tons of carbon dioxide are not released into the atmosphere in the process of transporting food to you."

Tip #5: "Get green cleaners." - No more breathing "in a fine mist of harmful (to you and the environment) chemicals" every time you spray.

Tip #6: "Compost." - "Save landfill space and make your own rich potting soil using a composter," the author suggests

Tip #7: "Only run your dishwasher when you have a full load." - You'll save energy and water at the same time.

Tips # 4 through #7 are up to you once your kitchen has been remodeled, but tips #1 through #3 can be taken into consideration prior to your kitchen remodeling's commencement. To work maximum green friendliness into your remodeled kitchen, you'll want to consult an online provider of kitchen remodeling ideas and links to a wide array of recognized leaders in the world of cabinet, countertop, faucets, sinks, flooring, lighting, ventilation, window and appliance manufacturers. That way, you can pick and choose the kitchen remodeling options that are most environmentally friendly.

An environmentally friendly remodeled kitchen with Energy Star appliances, compact fluorescent lighting bulbs and recycle-encouraging furnishings is just a few mouse clicks away.

While you're at it, work these additional HGTV green kitchen ideas into your kitchen remodel:

Water-Saving Features - "Choose faucets with aerators, which inject air bubbles into the water stream to achieve the same pressure with less volume."

Flooring - "Linoleum is enjoying a comeback, largely due to its green properties."

Finishes - Look for "eco-friendly paints, stains and finishes that reduce exposure to harmful compounds."

Carmen Fontana is a Web Services Manger for Western Reserve Internet Services. She recommends visiting the SuperKitchens website for more information on remodeling your kitchen with green principles.

Home Door Books
Home Garage Books

Light Workers video

2009-07-15T11:25:00.001-07:00

This video tells of the estoic wisdom between the three types of light workers and how they are going to bring the earth into a new earth full of love and light.

Life of Jesus

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:

Listen To Your Own Advice
Don Miguel Ruiz

Create a New Green Bathroom Without Replacement

2009-07-15T02:02:00.001-07:00

Creating a green bathroom without replacement saves money, time, valuable resources and the environment. It requires accurate knowledge about the resources available today that can save water and energy resources, in order words utility bills, while treading very gingerly on the environment. It means replacing old and inefficient fixtures and appliances with ones that conserve water and energy. It goes much further to include recycling, refinishing and using materials that are recycled.

Benefits

In a hopelessly depressed and sluggish economy, many are creating green bathrooms, without replacement because in addition to saving time, money and the environment, it offers comfort to those that want to wait out a bad housing market. Those that wanted to buy new homes, can wait for the economy to improve while continuing to enjoy the present home with a bathroom face lift for some, and total remodel for others.

Additionally, remodeling adds value to the home and makes it more appealing to potential buyers. Since green bathroom renovation emphasizes reduction in water and energy use, lower utility bills is exactly what many prospective home buyers are looking for in a very tight economy.

Another component of green bathroom renovation that is often over looked is that it saves trees and landfills. It is well known that trees are still the cheapest and most effective way of sucking excess carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. The fuel council estimates that an average drive of 1,000 miles, even with fuel-efficient cars emit 3.5 tons of carbon annually.

In order to offset the impact of a single car every year, it takes about 17 mature trees. Interestingly, a single mature tree can absorb 48 pounds of carbon dioxide a year and release enough oxygen to support two people. By shading homes and offices, trees also reduce up to 30% of air conditioning bills.

Creating a new bathroom that does not require replacement benefits the landfills and ultimately the environment. It is estimated that 47% of the junk that goes to the landfills comes from renovation. The reasons are obvious because new construction does not waste a lot of materials compared to total tear-outs. Energy is used in making new fixtures and appliances and is saved when those items are not replaced.

Creating a new bathroom without replacement and on budget:

The easiest and most cost and time effective way to create a new bathroom is to refinish the bathtub, sinks and counter-tops. Cabinets can also be refinished saving precious trees. It costs about $450 to $650 to refinish a bathtub compared to $1500 to $2500 to replace a bathtub. If you are new to bathtub replacement, the price goes so high for a replacing a bathtub that costs a couple of hundred dollars to install, because of the work and contractors involved. Replacement calls for a plumber, removing and replacing tiles, perhaps floor work and the dumping of replaced fixtures. It is usually takes more than a day, while bathtub refinishing can be done in about four hours. Since bathtub refinishing does not involve replacement, money, time, energy and the environment are saved.

Many that have used the services of a few cheap 'bad apples' in the bathtub refinishing industry have complained of peelings. When you pay peanuts, you get monkeys. Period.

After bathtub and sink restoration, shower heads are the next inexpensive items to tackle because they reduce water use. There are many varieties and the prices range from cheap to expensive. Find one that saves water, money and performs equally as a standard shower head.

There have been more strides in the development of varieties of water and energy efficient toilets in recent years and the prices are getting comparable to standard toilets. Take the dual-flush toilet for instance, it uses less than .8gallons per flush for number one and 1.6 gallons of water to send number two down the drain. An average home saves about 15000 gallons of water a year.

Many suppliers of building materials carry recycled tiles, vanities and flooring materials.
These can be used to affect the least impact on the environment, while saving lots of green. Those that are blessed with an antique claw foot bathtub have seen a renewed interest in their use. They are in-expensive to re-glaze, colors can be changed and they are a beauty to be soaked in.

Saving energy can be achieved by using energy efficient light bulbs. Some have added dimming lights to save energy, while others have take advantage of the orientation of their bathrooms in their use of skylights.

Creating a new bathroom without replacement is a sure way to save up to 80% of the cost of bathtub replacement, saving on counter-top and sink restoration, coupled with savings of natural resources. With a tightened economy, you can eat your cake and have it too if you follow these recommendations.

Wilson Uche Ukah, is the President of Refinishing Stars, a bathtub refinishing company serving homeowners in Atlanta, Chattanooga, Nashville and Knoxville. Refinishing Stars, refinishes bathtubs, sinks, and countertops for hotels and motels nationwide. Wilson can be reached at http://www.refinishingstars.com or sales@refinishingstars.com

Architecture Books
Home Stucco Books

Growing Your Psychic Powers - Spiritual Video

2009-07-14T18:13:00.001-07:00

Ahhhhh is the sound of God and can be used for meditation. Listen to this wonderful sound and try to find God in it.

Question Your Religion

A Life Of Spiritual Education
Prosperity Thinking Like The Rich

Exploring the Use of Solar Power For Homes

2009-07-14T12:28:00.001-07:00

The concept of using solar power for homes has come a long way in a relatively short period of time. Although solar power has been used for ages, systems designed to replace or augment electrical use are only now just catching on in a very big way. In general there are three main system types for home use. Each can have a major and positive impact on how well a home functions.

The systems that provide solar power for homes all operate off the same principles. These systems are designed to use solar panels or modules in an array design to absorb energy from the sun's rays. This energy is transformed within the panels to create direct current electricity. The electricity created by the panels is then sent to an inverter for transformation into alternating current. This AC power is then stored in a battery for future use. The three basic systems that drive solar power for homes vary in design and function. They include:

Full, off-grid systems - As energy costs climb, more homeowners are exploring this option. It is feasible for solar power for homes to take a property completely off the electrical grid. How efficient this type of system will actually be will depend on its location, the amount of sunlight received, the design and the efficiency of the individual components. To make solar power for homes more reliable, many builders are exploring energy saving measures that can coincide with their use. This can include strategic positioning of a home to provide the best insulation, landscaping for shade and other similar moves that would cut demand for power within an off-grid home.

Augmentation systems - Most solar power for homes comes in this form. This type of system is meant to power a specific system within a home - not the entire home. Solar systems, for example, might be self-contained devices that operate outside lights, or water heaters. Some systems are designed to completely power heating and cooling systems. This type of system can take a lot of the pressure of powering a home off the electrical system and put money back in a homeowner's wallet.

Backup systems - Solar power for homes can also extend to backup systems, such as sun-powered generators. This type of system works much like an augmentation system in that it might not be designed to keep a home completely functional when backup is needed. Backup systems are ideal, for example, for running heating, cooling or refrigeration systems during a blackout.

Solar power for homes has improved greatly over the last few decades. More and more homeowners are realizing that the sun's power can helps make their homes more energy efficient and environmentally friendly. In the process, these systems can also save homeowners money in electric costs.

Is it any wonder why the average home owner has not invested in solar power? With all the hurricanes and power outages, fuel costs rising and the US dollar falling...

Thanks for reading,

Denis W Darling

http://www.sustained-development.com/solar

Home Garage Books
Home Theater Books

"Installing a Solar Energy Generation" System - Act Now!

2009-07-13T22:54:00.001-07:00

It simply provides a perfect opportunity for you to say goodbye to the Power-Company - "Installing a Solar Energy Generation" System enables you to quickly produce your own in-house power-supply. The first impression may not reveal that, but this technique provides quick results almost instantly. Read the following article to find out more about this special technology.

Some background

Buying such ready-made "Installing a Solar Energy Generation" System can be quite expensive, fortunately it is now possible to assemble Solar-Panels on your own by following one of these 'secret' guides. Some guides can be really useful while others miss their target; make sure it offers clear instructions, video tutorials, diagrams, and technical support. Anyway, here are several tips & benefits that can help you out.

Quick advantages

Let's quickly see what is in it for us:

* Rely only on your own energy-resources and not the ones supplied by governments or corporations.

* Should you create more energy than needed; the power-company will actually pay you!

* Knowing that we are doing our part to conserve the planet.

* Requires no more than a weekend to be installed.

* No need to remember to switch off the lights each time we leave the room.

Quick advice

Using a printed guidebook isn't recommended - technology keeps changing and online guides usually get auto-updated with the latest information.

Bottom line

This technology is considered highly popular for the following reason: "Installing a Solar Energy Generation" System requires almost no special technical/professional skills from the user's side to get outstanding results. Without any question - there are plenty other great benefits provided by this remarkable idea, simply because it is innovative. Now is the time to take action - it is recommended to simply try it so you could explore the various advantages that it provides.

Learn how "Installing a Solar Energy Generation" System easily enables you to produce free and unlimited electricity in just few days.

Visit: http://www.EasyFreeEnergy.com

Deck Building Books
Home Plumbing Books

Paper Towels - 3,000 Tons of Landfill Waste Each Day

2009-07-13T09:02:00.001-07:00

With over 90% of US households taking advantage of the convenience of paper towels we produce over 3,000 tons of waste each day. Is this problem insurmountable? No - if each home simply replaced one roll of their traditional paper towels with paper towels made from recycled paper, we could avoid wasting 3.4 million cubic feet of landfill space and prevent 864,000 trees from being cut down.

The Benefits of Recycled Paper Towels

By using recycled paper towels we are doing much more than just reducing landfill waste. According to Ideal Bite, "For every ton of 100% recycled paper that is bought, about 4000kWh of energy and 7,000 gallons of water are saved. It also avoids releasing 60 lbs of pollutants into the air."

Reducing Paper Towel Waste

Even using recycled paper towels people tend to have wasteful habits. What can you do to graciously help remind people to reduce their paper towel consumption? You can participate in campaigns against consumer paper waste. It is these very wasteful habits that motivate projects like "These Come From Trees."

"Remember... These Come From Trees"

According to the "These Come From Trees" blog they are an "experiment in environmentalism, viral marketing, and user interface design with the goal of reducing consumer waste paper!" What exactly is this "experiment?" Using low cost vinyl stickers and guerilla marketing tactics the ad-hoc "The Come From Trees" team spread the message of reducing consumer paper waste. Here is a breakdown of their strategy:

People just like you affix vinyl "Remember... These Come From Trees" stickers to public area paper towel dispensers.

That's it. To quote the These Come From Trees Blog, it really is amazing "how the right message at the right time can make the difference." Since each sticker includes a URL for people to visit (http://www.thesecomefromtrees.com/) they help promote public awareness to this growing issue.

How Effective Are Projects Like This?

According to testing completed by the These Come From Trees team, their awareness stickers can reduce paper towel consumption by up to 15%, they continue, stating each sticker can save about 100 lbs of paper a year which is the equivalent to one tree. When you consider that the average coffee shop uses around 1000 lbs of paper towels and the average fast food restaurant with two restrooms can use up to 2000 lbs a year, 15% can add up to a lot of savings.

What about Reusable Replacements for Paper Towels?

Even though paper towels are commonplace they are not the only solution, products made of cotton or linen can be washed and reused many times over. In some cases sponges which offer a longer product lifetime, can handle the work you may normally relegate to a paper towel.

Choosing the Best Option for the Situation

While you can easily control your options at home and guerilla projects like "Remember... These Come From Trees" remind people to reduce their usage in public areas, it's important to always understand the best option for each situation you find yourself in - environmentally speaking.

If you are drying your hands and have the choice between an electric hand dryer and paper towels, what is the best choice for the environment? While electric hand dryers have the environmental cost of the electricity used to power them, in terms of overall energy costs, solid waste, maintenance and janitorial costs, electric hand dryers are more efficient than paper towels. While electric hand dryers are continually improved by manufacturers and continue to get more energy efficient, the paper towel has, for all intents and purposes, reached it's plateau.

Reduce, Reuse and Recycle

While you are constantly bombarded by the three R's, "Reduce, Reuse and Recycle," this is yet another case where the three R's offer society the best solution. By reducing our paper towel usage, we can prevent more trees from being cut down and prevent the emissions created by the manufacturing of new paper. By moving towards more reusable options such as washable cloth, we can stop the cycle of waste completely. By purchasing recycling paper products and recycling our paper products at the end of their lives we can conserve our valuable natural resources and reduce emissions.

Convenience items such as paper towels began as a luxury, became commonplace and now are subject to mass abuse. Who pays the cost for this abuse? The environment. By making smarter choices we can reduce the paper waste we contribute to and recycle our existing paper products. With an ever growing population and a static land size we are faced with the sobering prospect of running out of our precious natural resources. Do you part by remembering to conserve what and where you can.

Sam Greyhawk is an energy efficiency evangelist working with Cool-N-Save(tm), an Energy Star Partner, based in Huntington Beach, California.

Cool-N-Save(tm) is an amazing new energy efficiency add-on for air conditioners and aircon units. It can be installed in only 10 minutes with no tools required. In the hottest summer months, your air conditioner can be responsible for up to 90% of your electric bill each month. Cool-N-Save(tm), an air conditioner mister, has been scientifically proven by Tulane University to improve air conditioner efficiency by up to 30% - which translates into real monthly savings for you. Saving energy helps fight global warming and Cool-N-Save(tm) is a cost effective way to reduce your energy use.

Home Skylight Books
Feng Shui Books

What Does the Word Soul Mean

2009-07-12T18:56:00.001-07:00

What is soul, is it someone dancing around to some great music or is it something inside of us, find out what two people think about the word soul.

Question Your Religion

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:

You Can Have It All
Magic Of Believing Book

Renewable Energy - Lesson 2 - Solar Power

2009-07-12T18:48:00.001-07:00

People have been aware that the sun's energy can be harnessed to power various devices and machines for years, but it is not until recently that the technology and the motivation has pushed people to seriously consider solar energy as a viable power source.

With the current state of the economy and with the growing move toward a more environmentally responsible lifestyle, many people are considering various forms of renewable energy and "green living" principals. Solar power is usually at the top of the list when it comes to renewable energy sources. Solar power has been used for years by the government and various businesses, but it has only recently come into the mainstream for the everyday average household.

In almost any area of the country it is possible to dramatically cut one's electric bill by installing and maintaining solar panels. Some people are even able to go entirely off the grid and power their homes completely independently of the traditional local electric company, all by solar power. While going off the grid may be an intimidating prospect for some, there is absolutely no reason why a household cannot install solar panels on the roof and greatly reduce the monthly electric bills.

Until recently, the cost to buy and install residential solar panels has been prohibitively high, and not everyone has the technical know how to do it themselves. However, with the shift toward renewable energy, many companies have seen this as an opportunity in an untapped industry and have started offering solar panels at much more competitive and affordable prices. The installation and upkeep of the solar panels is very easy and affordable. Many households find that they can pay for the solar panels in less than a year through the reduced electric bills they produce.

Obviously, once the panels are installed, the solar power is completely free and produces absolutely no harmful emissions, unlike traditional fossil fuels. As the technology becomes more mainstream, manufacturers and builders are constantly refining their techniques to make the solar panels more efficient, durable and innovative.

Recently, some builders have started to integrate solar power into their overall design by including solar panels as standard features on top of garages and in other unobtrusive places such as the roofs of gazebos, tops of pool houses, and on every available foot of roof space in general. Some pool decks are being built with embedded solar cells. As the renewable energy movement continues, more and more builders will find it necessary to integrate a solar power plan into their overall building plan in order to stay competitive with all the other builders who are doing the same.

Solar power is one of the easiest and best solutions to not only help the environment and climate, but to save significant amounts of money in electric bills as well. With solar power components being more affordable now than ever before, every homeowner should at least consider installing solar panels.

To learn more about solar panels price please visit: http://www.RenewableEnergyForUs.com.

Thriving During Tough Times

2009-07-12T18:36:00.000-07:00

2009 is predicted to be a tough year for everyone! Thus, in response to the challenges of 2008 and the predictions for 2009, I have a theme of "Thriving during Tough Times" and I recommend that you do to.

While I sense that many other people are "Tumbling during Tough Times," now is not the time to quit pursuing thriving success! As Seth Godin discusses in his book, The Dip, quitting is an extremely poor tactic just because the dip is hard!

So, how do you get started on thriving during tough times? Start with The Power of 3.

The number three has special meaning in this world.

Three has special meaning in many religions and cultures including Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism, and the American and Chinese cultures.

Three is often described as solid, real, substantial, and complete. It is the trinity number representing fullness or something that has come full circle. It is considered divine perfection.

Most importantly, the sum of human capacity can be summed up in three components...thought, word, and deed!

These three components of human capacity, when properly applied, help you attract, get, and keep lasting success. When improperly applied, they help you create much less desirable conditions, situations, and results.

Champions use their human capacities (thought, word, and deed) to focus on the following three key components of lasting champion success:
Activate the attraction factor
Take inspired and leveraged action
Reinforce success, goals and vision

The number three also has power in process and prioritization! The process of focusing on the three most leveraged and impactful ways to achieve any goal/objective or enhance any relationship generates special results!

This is where I started creating my thriving momentum in 2008! I have also used the power of three to help individuals focus their energy, make decisions, and generate synergy among their decisions/choices countless times. This process has led to breakthrough results significantly more often than any other process and prioritization method I have seen or used!

In fact, the consistent breakthrough results that I have achieved (and help others achieve) through this process led me to want to research the meaning of the number three in religions and cultures.

If you want to find the keys to anything around you, I suggest you look for three keys that generate 80% or more of the impact. I spent the last 90 days researching the three keys to other successes during tough times. I have assembled all these key strategies, tactics, and tools that helped others "Thrive during Tough Time" and I will be sharing them in 2009.

Until we cross paths during some of this 2009 work, I suggest you focus on finding your specific three elements and components that are appropriate for your situation and will quickly accelerate your results. Everything else is just noise and distraction!

Even one of the most popular and influential books of the late 20th century, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Steven R. Covey, divides the habits into three categories; private victory, public victory, and renewal. Maybe those are the right three for you to focus on in 2009!

Cheers!!! Here's to "Thriving during Tough Times" in 2009!

About the Author:
Jon L. Iveson, Ph.D., The Champion's Coach, is a Gazelles Certified Coach who helps individuals and companies produce champion results and build champion relationships. Assess how ready you are (http://www.learningtobeachampion.com/assessments/thechampions.htm) or your company is (http://www.learningtobeachampion.com/assessments/winningcompanies.htm) to "Thrive during Tough Times."

Osborne Phillips

Spirituality - 3 Questions to Develop Your Personal Spiritual Relationship With Your Higher Power

2009-07-12T14:40:00.001-07:00

Women often find themselves searching for deeper meaning in life.

We all know a woman who seems to be at complete peace with her divine relationship. She is serene, has confidence and her life works.

Maybe she grew up in a spiritually rich environment and has always felt guided and protected by her Higher Power.
Maybe she grew up without a spiritual foundation at all and has developed her Divine Relationship on her own.
Maybe she had to reinvent her relationship with her Creator for various reasons.

Whatever her path, a woman in an intimate relationship with her Higher Power is a beautiful being indeed.

So, what about you?

You intuitively know that you are intricately connected to something greater than yourself but if you don't have an established spiritual belief in place, where do you start?

Start here.

Ask yourself these 3 Important Questions designed to help you develop your own deeply personal and satisfying relationship with a Divine Power, however you choose to understand that Power.

#1 What is your current understanding of a Higher Power?

You may or may not have had any religious or spiritual instruction growing up. Some of what you did receive may no longer fit what you truly believe. Maybe you have gleaned bits and pieces from various sources and haven't taken the opportunity to put it all together. It doesn't matter really, you are who you are, and you are enough.

#2 How would you like to feel about your relationship with your Higher Power?

This may seem like an unusual question. By answering it you will understand what you need from your Divine Relationship. Everyone will want something different.

#3 What questions would you like to find your answers to?

You undoubtedly have some questions about spirituality. Gather them up and go looking for answers that feel right.

In the end, all paths lead to the same place.

There are no right or wrong answers. There are so many aspects of spirituality in the world. With a bit of insight you will find the path that feels right for you. You will know when it is a good fit. It will feel like you have "come home".

Caution: Some of us have been wounded spiritually at some point in our lives. If this applies to you, please give yourself the gift of finding a support system. This journey is supposed to feel good, you are supposed to feel connected and loved. Anything less than that is unacceptable. Ask someone for help.

Wishing you Peace & Abundance... Joyce Lee "Your Life Empowerment Coach"

2008 joyceleelifecoach.com

Are you ready for more opportunities to explore and reflect? Go to http://joyceleelifecoach.com/prompts.html for your special gift of "20 Profound and Provocative Journal Prompts" designed to help you focus on your life with a spirit of peace.

Joyce Lee is a certified Life Empowerment Coach, Personal Growth Facilitator and Law of Attraction Practitioner, specializes in helping women understand the Law of Attraction and deliberately creating the life they really want.

Is Jesus the Only Way to Heaven? - The Good People Get to Go to Heaven Also

2009-07-12T10:00:00.001-07:00

I found a website that was recommended to me and it had the comment, is Jesus the only way to heaven at, Gotquestions, seems like your typical Christian website that replies with biblical quotes and simple to follow information. If I was lost, they will help me find a way. There's even a button at the bottom that states, I have accepted Christ today. I guess if I was to push that button, I get to go to heaven and be with Jesus. Hard to imagine, avoiding a life of burning in hell could be as simple as pushing a button and uttering a few simple words.

I found this question and began reading their comment. The first comment is from somebody answering as a nonbeliever in Christianity. It states something like, if I'm basically a good person and live a moral life, I get to go to heaven, right, only the bad people like murderers go to hell.

Now the answer that the website gives, seems to create fear if you do not belong to Christianity and provide you with hope if you join the group.

It mentioned Satan as the ruler of the world, and he can plant these thoughts into your head if you're not a Christian. He also controls your mind and let's you believe, that it would only make sense to any rational person, they get to go to heaven if they're good.

Now this is what makes sense to me but according to this information, I am doomed to rot in hell for eternity, even if I am a pretty good person. All I have to do is accept Christ as God and I get to go to heaven. That seems pretty easy and I wonder why more people don't do it. Just push the button.

I wonder if Satan is controlling, non-Christians minds and that's why there's brutality and war throughout the world. If everyone was a Christian, would our world be better.

Here's a quote from Wikipedia The Crusades were a series of religion-driven military campaigns waged by much of Christian Europe against external and internal opponents. Crusades were fought mainly against Muslims, though campaigns were also directed against pagan Slavs, Jews, Russian and Greek Orthodox Christians, Mongols, Cathars, Hussites, Waldensians, Old Prussians, and political enemies of the popes.

These Christian Crusades killed thousands of people. To give you an idea how many people were killed, all I had to do was type the word crusades into a search engine and it took me to the Christian Crusades.

I guess that rules that out, it seems like the Christians a long time ago were pretty aggressive towards their enemies, I wonder if most Christians would refer to these people as enemies today or are they just being controlled by Satan. Do these Christians from the Crusades get to go to heaven? If people like this get to go to heaven, may be hell is a better place anyway.

Here's something to think about, go to heaven

Problem Solving Tips

Does God Not Like Corner Backs?

2009-07-12T03:06:00.001-07:00

I am a person that has been on a journey. Over that last few years I have really searched for a spiritual centeredness in my life. I grew up in a very religious family. Religion tore our family apart because certain philosophies could not exist. Everyone felt they had the true way to heaven. Now mind you all of them considered themselves Christian, but with their own brand of Christianity.

My family for me is a microcosm of the world. Everyone is not Christian but each religion feels as though THEY have the way to heaven. As a matter of fact if you do not believe as THEY do then you and others that think like you deserve to die! I never could understand the thought process that another creation of the God you worship should not live because you disagree on some miniscule point. For me it is difficult to understand how a creator of all things can choose one group or one person over another.

One day I was watching a football game. My team did win the game on this particular day. One of the receivers was very emotional during the game after he caught a touch down pass. He sat on the sideline actually crying! After the game a reporter asked the receiver what was going through his mind at that time. The receiver stated that he had spoken with his pastor at church the day before or sometime during the week. He said the pastor told him that God would allow him to do something great in the game to glorify him. Because the touch down was a turning point in the game the receiver surmised that this was the great thing that God had allowed him to do. God was on his side that day according to the receiver. A thought came over my mind at that moment. What did the corner back (this is person that plays a position on defense in American football) do to fall out of favor with God? Did God not like the corner back so he allowed him to get embarrassed on national TV?

I make lite of the situation with the cornerback, but it puts religion in a perspective that we should start to think about someday and I hope soon. Many people think of God as someone watching over all facets of our existence. I know some days he must get tired and just rest. He takes his eyes off the window to the world for brief times. I know this is true because I was going to the barber last week and prayed for a good hair cut. The barber messed up!

I figured I got in the same dog house as the cornerback or else he would not have gotten beat for a touch down and my barber would have had a steady hand. Or maybe he was busy with the guys involved in the war that had the guns praying that they be the ones to live and the other guy die? Have you ever thought how a God would choose which one of his creations would live when they were in conflict? People often speak of God as being the father. If that is so then how does a father choose one child over another? If you are a parent, what could your child do that you would never forgive them for and send their souls to burn in hell for eternity?

I don't think any religion has it right. When there is any thought that God will favor one over another for any reason it is wrong. When we start to question why a God does not work favorably for everyone then maybe we can move away from the thought process of God punishing one person over another. That cornerback has to know that he was not out of favor with God and that is the reason he was embarrassed by that receiver. I have come to believe that God is not a being in any sense of the word. However, there is a source that is greater than us, a source that we are all connected with. This source does not favor anyone anymore than the next person. One day I hope that religion will come to grips with its contradictions and let that lowly corner back know that him being out of favor was not the reason he was beaten on national TV. In our connection with universal consciousness, we all are as great as we choose to be.

Hi my name is Reginald Martin and my perspective is one of a holistic approach with the knowledge of how the universe weaves its interconnected tapestry and affects our lives. I am just like many of you. I have been through many of life's major ups and downs, like the birth of my children, raising a family, a divorce, Amway (any former distributors out there?) starting out dating again after years of marriage and being laid off from a job. These ups and downs can either make you or break you! My friend they made me. Although when my Amway business went under that was close to the straw that broke the camels back for me. J Just kidding. I developed a consciousness about life through the school of hard knocks that I would like to share with you. I look back on many of those events now and can laugh a little. I have been where many of you are about to go. There is a saying that I like, "you can learn from your experiences or from the experiences of others. The former will take you a lot longer to get the lesson but you will eventually learn it." I have mucho experience! My expertise is the areas of man, husband, father, brother, uncle, boss, friend and neighbor. I enjoy sports, reading, blogging and manly things like crotch scratching, yawning and stretching in the morning. Unless you have not lived you know that anything going haywire in those areas can cause you to have mental breakdown followed by a spiritual awakening, or not! And oh yeah, I kinda look at life in an irreverent quirky kind of way. I swear this is like writing an online dating profile!

Guides and Spirit Helpers

2009-07-11T18:29:00.001-07:00

As group consciousness grows and the electromagnetic field of energy gains strength, people are becoming aware of their spirit guides and helpers

In the New Energy and oneness of consciousness, it is getting easier to sense the presence of spirit helpers coming around us.

These can be sensed in many ways. I have noticed them as a slight disturbance in the field of energy, in the aura of the body: a slight tingling on the surface, or the sensation of cobwebs around the skin.

On one occasion I could see the outline of the presence and noticed a breaking up of the normal space/time as the entity passed by. This was like a crack in one reality as another reality came through.

Spirit guides and helpers are usually invisible but some sensitive people can see them with clairvoyance or connect with one of the other "clairs", like clairsentience.

In our quiet moments or times of danger, we can communicate with these Spirit helpers. Sometimes one of them puts themselves forward to act as our Doorkeeper: a single channel through which communication passes to our Higher Self and the Spirit and Angelic Realms.

Spirit helpers will work with us if asked; so it is important to clearly feel what we would like to show up in our life.

We can communicate with them with our imagination, day dreaming or night dreaming. It is easiest to connect through images, symbols or pictures, using our powers of visualisation on a feeling level.

When working with the Spirit world it is good to think of the perfect outcome or creation, as the imagination is unbounded and has a field of all possibilities as its basis. There is no need to be concerned with where the resources are going to come from as the Spirit world has infinite energy at its disposal.

Evolutionary desires are loved by the Spirit world as the nature of life is to grow and expand. New ideas which have never been put forward before are appreciated by the Spirit world as they open up new channels for energy to flow in.

Things which help to bring wealth and joy into other people's lives by giving from your heart using your creative aspects in an artistic or cultural field gain a lot of support and help.

Using Spirit communication through telepathy and subtle imagination of specific connections to loved ones and family, bring the awareness of this power to the surface of one's consciousness.

Relax and know there is nothing to fear except fear itself, as on this level of awareness you see your subtle connection to everything: it all becomes you.

As you become skilled in using the more subtle levels of the conscious mind and feelings to interact with Spirit, you are also helping to bring these gifts to more of the population: as your awareness grows, so does the general awareness in group consciousness.

You will be helping the planet to evolve and grow in the New Energy and increasing the power and awareness of the Spirit kingdom and all the various levels of spirit guides and helpers in the Angelic kingdom.

There are also healing helpers psychic surgeons (surgeons in Spirit) to help improve the health of your own body and those around you.

So why not spend a few minutes each day using your spirit guides and helpers to connect with the subtle feelings, to communicate with your Higher Self, inviting them to co-create with you different aspects of your life.

* New book * "A Journey into the Self -- the multi-dimensional nature of being human": HealerGeorge Web Site and New Book

Read HealerGeorges Blog: Curezone Blog or ask at question at: Ask HealerGeorge

Followers Or Leaders

Does God Not Like Corner Backs?

2009-07-11T15:27:00.001-07:00

Ramadan - Fasting in 2009

2009-07-11T03:47:00.001-07:00

Ramadan is the time of the year when Muslims must obey one of the five pillars of Islam, fasting. Fasting is an important step all Muslims must take.

What time does fasting begin and what time does fasting ends depends on the rising of the sun and setting of the sun. You can find out what day Ramadan begins and the last day. It is customary to open you fast with dates, which are very inexpensive and can be bought from many shops, if not than something sweet will do, such as fruits etc.

When a Muslim man or woman fast they are learning how precious life is and how we should be grateful for what we have and feel as others less fortunate then we are.

Tips for fasting. There shouldn't really be any tips on Ramadan or fasting as that would perhaps defy the whole point God found Muslims to complete this task every year. But there are some things Muslims can do. Drink plenty of water before starting your fast to avoid dehydration as you are not permitted any foods or liquids of any kind while fasting.

For all of you who want quick facts about fasting than here goes, Please remember these are guidelines.

1. No eating or drinking during fasting times

2. No smoking or taking of illegal drugs

3. No sexual activities

4. No behaviors which are considered harmful

5. Fasting is not allowed during menstrual periods.

6. Medical conditions which would require you to break your fast is allowed.

Remember this is a fast of not just food but also of the soul, of our daily luxuries.

This is the time of contemplation and spirituality.

Shazia Shah is a practicing Muslim and has been a driving force behind the Muslim Matrimonials website http://www.muslimandsingle.com and http://www.asians4asians.com With Muslim Members from all over the UK and rest of the world.

You Don't Become a Wicca, You Either Are Or Are Not

2009-07-11T02:32:00.001-07:00

There is a major growth in today's society for older religions, this includes people who want to become a Wicca. First of all, people need to understand that you do not become a Wicca, no more than you become a doctor and an engineer. Sure, there are signs of progress, and as a doctor or an engineer you get a piece of paper, however, that doesn't make you a doctor or an engineer.

As I said you do not become a Wicca. I am sure this raises some degree of curiosity and confusion. If I don't become a Wicca, then why do people call themselves such? See, it's not about becoming as much as it's about being. You don't become a Wicca, you are one.

I learned this a long time ago when I was studying the martial art of Ninjutsu, and it carried over as I began practicing witchcraft. As I gained belt after belt, I wondered at what point I would be a ninja. I couldn't wait to tell people I was a ninja. Once I earned my black belt, I wondered if I was now a ninja. I asked my teacher and his only response was, "you will know."

Eventually I came to understand that I can't become a ninja. It is something I am or am not. It wasn't about becoming, it was about being a ninja. The same is true when talking about how to become a Wicca. I now live, day to day, the way of the ninja. I use the philosophy and strategies I learned as I trained to live my life on a daily basis. The same is true for my spiritual practices.

You see, you didn't become anything, I either was or wasn't. I either lived as one, walked as one, talked as one, made decisions as one based on what I had learned, or I didn't. Learn, study, and apply what you learn as you grow, and you will be a Wicca. Then there will be no need to become a Wicca.

Are you ready to become the most powerful witch you can? Do you want to learn what it means to be a witch, and how to create your own spells at the drop of a dime? Do you want more free spells and the best resource for ancient witchcraft and Wiccan knowledge? Then Click Here Now to learn how! Don't forget to sign up for your completely free spells!

Creating Success For Teenagers

The Missing Years of Jesus Resolved

2009-07-10T15:47:00.001-07:00

Shrouded in mystery, fable and legend, nevertheless the Bible recorded the birth of Jesus Christ and follows His life up to about 12 years old.

To this day Jewish male children undergo Bar Mitzvah at the age of 13. This was not recorded by the Evangelists. Indeed, the life of Jesus is not considered again till the age of 30.

To accept that Jesus was just at home with His family is a plausible explanation, but not in keeping with the Gospels that say at the age of 12, Jesus was at the Temple, and the people marveled to hear Him.

Certainly, after His Bar Mitzvah, He would have been technically a man and no longer a boy, and would naturally continue to marvel the people. It would have been His right to speak in the Temple. There is no such record.

There is much speculation, but a lot of recorded incidents and connections. One very important one is Joseph (Saint) of Arimathea. Certain he was a rich man, and certainly he was able to speak (in Greek and /or Latin) to the Roman governor at a very sensitive moment, so he was certainly influential.

He gave his own tomb for the burial of Jesus, and paid for all the necessary burial formalities. There is no question he was close to Jesus, and as a member of the Sanhedrin, would have defended him in that assembly. There were more connections, and many very plausible.

Joseph of Arimathea was certainly wealthy, but how did he amass his wealth? Arimathea, is not a town or district at all, but a Greek compound word meaning Harima Theo (by the Grace of God).

He most likely came from Ramle or another town. He was said to be in the trade of metals; tin precisely. This would have theoretically put him in contact with England, where tin was mined and sent throughout the Roman Empire.

More speculation has Joseph related to Jesus directly. It is been written by early Church fathers that Joseph was the uncle of Mary, the mother of Jesus. Certainly the Gospel has them familiar as when Joseph was burying Jesus in his tomb, he was accompanied by Mary (the mother of Jesus), and Mary Magdalena.

Jesus Himself was familiar with Alexandria in Egypt (where He grew up) and as a major center of learning (the Library was there), Jesus would have also spoken Egyptian.

Since where there is so much smoke there must be fire, the story of the young Jesus being accompanied by Joseph, his uncle, on a journey to England is certainly possible.

The legend records the journey home, but with a diversion to Greece, and then into Asia Minor. There it is said that Jesus and Joseph departed, with Jesus joining another wealthy traveler with his son.

At the time, there were Buddhist missionaries all over Asia Minor, and indeed as far as Rome and Egypt. It is plausible Jesus had encountered one or more, and thus found His interest and way to India.

There are many records from early travelers to India having been shown or heard about Jesus time there.

The famous James Churchward in his major work Mu the Lost Continent describes such an encounter. There have been many others including Notovitch in 1888.

Aside from the fantastic speculation, many of the diversions from classic Judaism appear to be oriental in nature, and very specifically Vedic in nature.

Where the Jews were waiting for a Messiah, the Hindus have their belief in Avatars which are human incarnations of God.

So the missing years perhaps saw a journey from the Holy Land to Egypt, to England, passing central Europe into Greece, Asia Minor, and the Hindu Kush all the way to the Himalayas.

There, Jesus would have found the perfect environment to slowly become the world Avatar that He has indeed become.

There is no Hindu which does not accept Him as a divine incarnation.

Here is William Blakes poem Jerusalem which alludes to such a visit

And did those feet in ancient time

Walk upon Englands mountains green?

And was the holy Lamb of God

On Englands pleasant pastures seen?

And did the Countenance Divine

Shine forth upon our clouded hills?

And was Jerusalem builded here

Among these dark Satanic Mills?

Bring me my Bow of burning gold;

Bring me my Arrows of Desire;

Bring me my Spear; O clouds unfold!

Bring me my Chariot of Fire!

I will not cease from Mental Fight,

Nor shall my Sword sleep in my hand,

Till we have built Jerusalem

In Englands green and pleasant Land.

There have been many theories on Jesus the missing years and we hope you find our view thought provoking.

More free information

For more thought provoking articles on http://net-planet.org/newage.html visit our website for more articles, features and downloads at:

http://www.net-planet.org

Change Our Thoughts to Change Our Lives

2009-07-10T09:32:00.001-07:00

We learned in science that objects and our bodies are comprised of atoms which are in constant motion. Matter vibrates. If the motion increases, the state of the object changes. Ice is heated to water. Water is heated to steam. Light, heat, and electricity vibrate. Colors form a spectrum from red to violet. As the pulsation increases, the colors shift from red to orange to yellow to green to blue to violet. All energies move and shift. We energy; we are vibrations.

What is true of our physical bodies is also true of our mental states. Just as physical objects modify their state, such as water to steam and lights from red to orange, our thoughts adjust. Thoughts are vibrations. We can stimulate our ideas and move them to a higher state, or we can lower them and become caught in negative emotions. We change. How we do that is our choice.

A practical spirituality teaches us that we can't cling to old ideas or patterns that are no longer useful or positive. We can think better thoughts. We can think higher thoughts. Our emotions are influenced by people around us. While we may not sense, observe or describe the differences as vibrations, we are aware that some people are more uplifting. Others bring us down.

We choose those who surround us. We choose which thoughts and emotions dominate our lives. Each mental or emotional state has its own rate of vibration. We can transform that rate at will and maintain a mental calm, unaffected by the opinions around us. Negative beliefs do not have to alter our positive state. We manage our thoughts. We do not have to get caught in the up and down drama of family, friends and associates.

Our challenge is to rise above the normal, material thoughts and be more positive, more evolved, and more spiritual.

Cheryl A. Chatfield, Ph.D. is a writer, teacher and inspirational speaker. This article is an excerpt from her recent Do It Yourself Guide To Spirituality: Seven Simple Steps . Visit http://NottInstitute.org to download and read this 40-page booklet, or to receive a free monthly Practical Spirituality Newsletter. The Nottingham Institute is a nonprofit organization that promotes material for an everyday, practical spirituality for people who don't find answers in traditional religions.

Mohandas Gandhi

What Do Tomatoes Need to Grow Fast and Big?

2009-07-10T09:04:00.001-07:00

What do tomatoes need to grow fast and healthy? In this article I'm going to show you a way to get your tomatoes growing faster and healthier. If your new to vegetable gardening then this is the perfect article from you to learn from. Even if our not new to vegetable gardening I still think you might learn a thing or two here. With that being said lets go ahead and get into the good stuff shall we?

First your going to need to start with the flats. A quarter size flat will work well here. A flat is basically just a seed tray, you will need to fill this with an multi purpose compost. You should use a peat free compost. This is good for the soil but for actually sowing the seeds you should use a peat based compost.

- Next you will need to press the compost down so that the seedling roots will actually grow better in a loose soil compared to soil that is hard and firm.

- Make sure you that you space your tomato seeds apart so that they do not still nutrients from each other. This will allow your plants to grow bigger and faster. If you space them to close you get more plants but in the end they could end up dying or at least hindering the growth of each other.

- Now you should water the flat, just place the flat in a container and let it soak up the water. The color of the vermiculite will change once the water is soaked in.

- Lastly you need to set your flat in a warm place. You can use a heat pad for this, but as soon as you see a sign of germination you need to remove the flat from the heat source.

I hope this was not too vague for some newer vegetable gardeners. If you still need help check out my bio box below. I hope this short overview on what do tomatoes need to grow has helped you!

Learn More Tips On Growing Tomatoes And Get A Free Vegetable Gardening Guide At http://www.vegetablegardeninghelp.com And See More Information On What Do Tomatoes Need To Grow!

Open Plumbing Waste Pipes

Are Home Remodeling Costs Down?

2009-07-10T07:57:00.001-07:00

Lately we've been inundated by doom-and-gloom news in the media about the real estate market. But if you're planning to stay in your home and remodel or upgrade a rental for future resale, there is actually some good news to report: it's becoming less expensive to remodel as the market slows down and the law of supply and demand kicks in.

A year or so ago, the market was on fire and building materials and labor were scarce and expensive since the demand for both was equally hot. Construction material was in short supply, if you could find it at all, and finding skilled craftsmen for your project was an exercise in frustration. That situation was made even more difficult by the demand for rebuilding areas of the country that had been hit by Hurricane Katrina. On top of that, delivery costs also rose, due to a spike in gas prices. All of those factors contributed to cost increases of as much as 50 percent in certain areas.

The good news about all that? With the slow-down in the real estate market, materials are more readily available and construction people are actually looking for work to fill their schedules. Gas prices came down briefly, though they've begun to rise again, but the other pressures have lessened, which means that the cost of many common remodeling projects has decreased by 20% or more.

That's especially good news if your project is relatively small. During the height of the real estate boom, many contractors turned down smaller projects or told home owners to wait until they could get to them. However, many contractors are now actively trying to drum up work as the market continues to soften.

The downside of remodeling with an eye toward increasing your property's value is that, at least for the near term, your upgrade probably won't immediately pay for itself like it would have in the last few years. Since real estate prices have declined significantly in many parts of America, your remodeling project won't do much from an investment standpoint as it used to. Recent surveys have suggested that even the most popular upgrades, bathroom and kitchen remodels, are only returning about 80% of their cost.

The bottom line: this may be a good time to schedule that major remodeling project you've been wanting, assuming you're not doing it to quickly turn around and use the upgrade to increase your profits. If you do want to sell for top dollar in a buyer's market, you can increase your profits by turning your home into a buyer's dream home using less expensive faux paint techniques.

Whether you want to remodel or just decorate your home, you can benefit from exploring Flip That House with FAUX. See the controversial home that was on Flip That House at http://flipthathousewithfaux.com/book.html Enjoy your home!

Using Referrals To Find Bathroom

Mature Wise Leadership

2009-07-10T06:43:00.001-07:00

This experienced man, John, writes a vitally important letter that we might know certain vital truths and know them with certainty. Good leadership is always concerned about that.

How do you know that you are a Christian and that is all is well with you spiritually?

John is going to give three certain ways to test yourself - a historical test - a theological test - a social test. The people in the early Church could apply these to themselves and discover whether or not they had the real thing, or whether or not they had been deceived by a counterfeit. Many today believe a deception. Do read the text of John's first letter in the New Testament. It is crucial because various wrong teachings were creeping into the Church of Jesus Christ at that time just as they have crept back in today.

God does not want any disciples of Jesus Christ to be deceived and this letter is being written to the Church of Jesus Christ.

Is our faith based on facts or feelings? Do I have a good history - a sound conversion? Is it all based on Jesus Christ - is it all real - did it actually happen?

When you are baptised in the Holy Spirit and speak in tongues that reinforces the reality. Why do I put that in, if it is not mentioned here directly? It was not an issue at that time, but it is an issue today in various places and leaders are called to lead and deal with important matters, irrespective of how popular it might be.

John mentions what we have seen and heard. When your Christian experience is based on facts then these cannot change. It has little to do with feelings. John acted because Jesus Christ called him, chose him, saved him, anointed him. He had so many real experiences of Jesus. There is a theological test. Do we have the right view of Jesus Christ? He was both human and divine - man and God.

We need all that we read in the whole Word of God. As we stay in the Word we will be saved from years of heartbreak, and that goes for an individual, for every Christian fellowship - and even for a nation. God invaded this world in the Man, Jesus Christ. He was not just a good man. He was GOD.

Our history - do we have a firm foundation? Our theology - do we have a right view of God - and now the moral test! You do not live as you used to. You keep the commandments. Obedience is a recurring note in authentic Christianity. It is one thing to know something - but how do you know if you know - Chapter 2 verse 3 - if we keep His Commandments.

And there is a social test too to check that we have the real thing - You must love your brother Christians. Now that is not just being nice - it is much more than that. It is not sloppy - sentimental - superficial - it is being as loyally loving and as lovingly loyal as Jesus was.

Jesus was utterly loyal. He did not go and look for other men when the men he chose let Him down. He never spoke about His men behind their back - except to the Father in prayer - but that is rather different. These people had to get on with each other. It was not easy - particularly in Corinth was it a real problem - but there the root of the problem lay in what they believed. When that is sorted out then they could come to the Table and eat and drink.

There is the story told of aged John being carried into the Church, and being asked to speak, and all he could say was, "Little children - Love one another". This after all is the Lord's command, and Jesus has this aged and mature apostle speaking these words and writing these truths to the very end. John begins his letter by focussing our attention on Jesus, and it would be difficult to improve upon this quality of mature leadership, which is so greatly needed in these present days.

Sandy Shaw

His M.A. and B.D. degrees are from The University of Edinburgh, and he continues to run and exercise regularly to maintain a level of physical fitness.

Sandy Shaw
sandyshaw63@yahoo.com

Difficulties Talking About Religion

Creating the Perfect Home Remodeling Priority List

2009-07-09T20:58:00.001-07:00

Home remodeling is one of those projects that can be fun or a pain in the -- you know what. It is best to start your home remodeling plan with one room at a time and decide on the value of each room to prioritize where to save and where to spend. This article will look at the value of each room to help you deiced the type of home remodeling project you may consider.

The big debate on what room is the most used room in the house could go on forever. Some say it is the kitchen others say it is the living room while others say the master bedroom. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, and you can use some basic rules to see what the highest priority is for you.

If you have kids then you probably spend more time than you like in the kitchen cooking. If you have a smaller family maybe the kitchen is just a place where you are in and out. If you cook allot then the kitchen should get some very high consideration for your home remodeling project.

Do you like to play games and watch TV? If you find yourself or your family watching television often and you perhaps enjoy family night games then you should place the family room at the top of your list. Maybe it is time to add family room to your home remodeling ideas. Perhaps you could remodel a spare bedroom or add a new room to the house.

Do you have guest spend the night often? You may want to think about making a nice guest bathroom with all the luxuries of a five star hotel for your guest. Do not do this unless you love to have people stay awhile and come often. They are likely to really enjoy visiting you.

When planning your home remodeling ideas you will find that they become much easier with a good priority system. Once you know which rooms are the most important to you and your lifestyle then that is where the money should be spent on nicer upgrades. On rooms that are not high on the list, but still need some fixing you could use less expensive things to fix them up.

Find more helpful remodeling tips by visiting http://best-home-improvement-projects.com where you will find helpful remodeling tips, advice and resources to include Home Remodeling.

Is Money A Big Part Of Organized

Our Future Energy Sources

2009-07-09T20:40:00.001-07:00

Although renewable sources should also be used, Nuclear energy should be top priority. It's widely used in Europe, why not here? We haven't built a nuclear plant in over thirty years. Yes, environmental concerns are important, but so is energy independence. If nuclear energy provided all our electricity needs, we could use coal to make oil. It's been done in South Africa since the seventies. And using sugarcane to make Ethanol, like they do in Brazil, would be a great boost for Florida's sugar industry. In a couple of years, the Chevrolet Volt electric car from General Motors, will go on sale. Although it uses a small gasoline engine, it's used only to recharge the electric motor, which powers the driving wheels. Nissan will also debut it's electric car about the same time, which is being made in cooperation with French affiliate Renault. They can go for about 125 miles on a charge.

Israel is already building a network of electric car recharging stations. They will be like an enclosed car wash. You drive in and immediately the spent batteries are replaced or recharged. They have ordered about 500 of the Renault-Nissan electric cars. Many other countries will be watching the Israel's example closely. The biodiesel-electric hybrid bus is already in use by the Miami Transit Authority, and by the city of Bradenton, on Florida's gulf coast.

Honda has a natural gas powered car, it's being test-marketed in a few cities. There is plenty of natural gas in the western United States. BMW is testing a gasoline-hydrogen hybrid car. About ten of them are being tested in the United States. A button on the steering wheel switches from gasoline to hydrogen. There is also a hydrogen powered Volkswagen touring the USA, it's visited about eighteen states so far. Hydrogen would require all new infrastructure to make it viable. This alone, plus the public's perception of hydrogen as being dangerous, means it's well behind the electric car.

Whenever I see an oil tanker in Tampa Bay, I imagine a big oil spill creating a great disaster for our area.

Water Heater Damage

Candy Cane Know How

2009-07-09T20:23:00.001-07:00

Every Christmas season, people go out to buy a Christmas tree if they don't already have one in the basement and things to decorate it with. Usually, these things include some assortment of ornaments, lights, sometimes tinsel and the ever delicious candy canes. For over three hundred and fifty years, candy canes have been a candy favorite. Originally just straight and white lines called sugar sticks, candy canes have definitely evolved.

The way they got their curved cane shape which they are known for today, was dated back to when a choirmaster in a church bent the sticks to look like a Sheppard's staff around Christmas time and handed the sugar sticks out to the children for the festivities. This quickly became a popular festive event, and these sugar sticks which would one day be known as "candy canes" were given out around the world on Christmas time.

The furthest back event when people could find these candy canes in America occurred when a German immigrant decorated his Christmas tree with these white curved sugar sticks. This delectable Christmas decoration became popular in America from that point on. It wasn't until fifty years later, during about the late 1890's, when the well-known stripes were added to the candy canes.

Most people don't know who exactly started this trend, they only know that up until a certain point, Christmas cards and advertisements had always displayed white candy canes, and after that point, they were shown with the red and green stripes we all know and love. It wasn't too long before they were advertised in peppermint and wintergreen flavors, which became Christmas flavor favorites and, while no one knows the entire truth about who did what when it comes to the candy cane, given the information we have, this seems to be the most well-known theory: and a tasty one at that.

Looking for something sweet to lighten up your holiday spirit? Shop for bulk candy online like Laffy Taffy and have it shipped right to your door.

Daniel Quinn

Hope in Religion

2009-07-06T04:29:00.001-07:00

I was reading a book on advertising when the author mentioned, "All Advertising Is about Hope."

This got me thinking about other people's dreams and aspirations, most of this is wrapped around them hoping to accomplish something or do something. I never gave it much thought but hope is one of the most important things in our lives. Some people go around hoping that they will keep their job, when the economy is in bad shape. Others go around hoping for forgiveness for their sins or other bad deeds they have done in the past.

What is it you're hoping for? There's got to be something. Are you hoping to become a multimillionaire or even the world's first trillionaire. Are your dreams big or small? Are you the kind of person who is happy living a simple life with very little possessions like a Buddhist monk or are you one who is seeking the lifestyle of the King.

Hope supplies us with the will to continue through hopeless obstacles during our lifetime.

Most people seeking hope are looking for a way out of something or a way toward a better life. These people often fall easy prey to large religious organizations, as they take them under their wing and slowly start to brainwash them. They seek the weak minded, helpless, poor and trusting people and build their organizations using them. I once believed in Christianity, but it no longer offers me true hope, the more I study Christianity and other organized religions, I noticed certain similarities based on inspiration.

I hope I live the good life, so I can go to heaven, the promised land, our ultimate enlightenment.

I hope I am living the true will according to God, Buddha, Krishna or other supreme beings.

I hope that the Bible is wrong about the 144,000 people from the 12 tribes.

I hope I'm living a life that is pleasing to the Lord.

If you're part of an organized religion, ask your religious leaders, any questions that you have about your religion. If they can't answer these questions, try to find them on your own. Books, videos, and the Internet are great sources for information. If you're living your life for the sole purpose of going to heaven one day, you could be disappointed, when that day arrives.

Ask a couple of questions and I hope you will get honest answers to them.

Greg is currently creating articles on religion filled with great subjects on a wide array of topics, like religion, self help and spiritual changes in the world. His views on religious freedom are slowly changing the way people think about institutional religion

Dealing With Contractors

Kitchen and Bathroom Remodel - How Do You Begin?

2009-07-06T04:11:00.001-07:00

Kitchen and bathroom remodels are on the rise as many people are deciding to invest in their existing homes instead of trying to sell their home and buy a new one. While the return on investment can be great, the details involved with making it all happen are often overwhelming.

The key to successful remodeling projects is having a plan in place that identifies all the major functional and aesthetic items needed to complete the job even before one hammer stroke is made. Setting up a binder or a accordion style file folder to organize all of the information you need to collect is crucial. Your contractor is going to be asking you for decisions on the big things such as flooring and counter top materials, and the small things such as cabinet hardware and towel holders. You should ask your contractor for a project plan so you are aware of the flow of work and can anticipate what materials will need to be selected and paid for, and what level of disruption you will be experiencing at the various stages of the project. Often plumbing fixtures and decorative lighting need to be ordered and there can be a lead time of up to two months. If your flooring or counter top materials are coming from over seas, there can be a three month or longer lead time.

Although it may seem counter intuitive, hiring a professional interior designer to assist you can actually save you money in the overall scheme of things. A professional designer will be able to select finite options for you to chose among, and has knowledge about the pros and cons of building and design materials. He or she will be able to help you make educated choices about where you can save money, and where there is a firm link between price and quality.

About the author:

Suzanne Lasky, Allied ASID is the owner of S Interior Design. S Interior Design makes homes harmonious, functional and beautiful for families with 2-legged and 4-legged members. Suzanne has an M.B.A. and an A.A.S. degree in Interior Design. Suzanne offers years of real world experience, giving her clients the peace of mind to know that their projects will be professionally handled from start to finish. She is an experienced residential and small commercial interior designer and is the exclusive provider of Pawprint Design Services 'Stunning Interiors with Pets in Mind'.

For more helpful tips-visit http://www.sinteriordesign.com

Brainwashing People

Problems While You Are Building With Contractors

2009-07-06T04:04:00.001-07:00

Sometimes as contractors we get in a hurry and we just want to finish the job. We told the homeowner we would be done in three months, at the same time the homeowner keeps adding new work to the list.

I ran into a problem like this on one job where the contractor was in a hurry to finish the flooring and chose to go right over the existing floor that was out of level. He told the homeowner he didn't have time to repair that section of the floor. He was installing half-inch plywood over 1 x 6 diagonal floor sheeting to strengthen up the floor.

This floor was going to require quite a bit of attention from the contractor and his crew. The homeowner should have hired another contractor to repair the floor while the original contractor finished the house remodel. When your contractor gives you that much grief about any work, you need to start thinking about hiring another contractor or at least finding one to complete the task your original contractor has no interest in.

I felt sorry for the homeowner because this was not what he wanted and he was upset with the contractor but the job was done. This is my warning to any contractor, handyman or home repair specialists. When installing a new plywood floor over an existing floor to strengthen it up, use some common sense and repair the floor correctly or don't do the job at all.

I wrote this article for contractors to have a little more sympathy for the homeowners you are working for because sometimes they can't see the whole picture like you can. I also wrote this article for homeowners to listen to your contractor carefully when he is explaining a potential problem that you can't visualize further down the road. Any contractor with over 15 years experience remodeling homes has a pretty good idea what's going to happen next.

Greg Vanden Berge 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 is currently working on more building stairs books and adding useful content to help solve problems created by the lack of construction knowledge in the building industry.

Personal Development

How to Stay Positive No Matter What

2009-07-06T03:57:00.001-07:00

Now more than any other time in our recent history is as important that we find ways to stay positive no matter what. Why? Because your success depends on your mindset, not on the economy or on the marketplace. How do I know this to be a fact? I've interviewed hundreds of top producing real estate agents all over the USA and Canada, and when I asked them the secret to their success, unquestionably and without a doubt and independent of each other, they all said the same thing, "My mindset."

These are top producing real estate agents that have been in the business for sometimes 10, 20, or even 30 years. They've been through up times, down times, and all kinds of different markets, and they said without a doubt it was their mindset, and I feel that this is kind of a best kept secret. I think when times get tough, people start to look outside of themselves for answers and what they really need to do is look inside themselves and ask themselves the question, "How can I stay positive, how can I stay hopeful, how can I stay optimistic?" And this article will provide you with some tools to make it easier to be in a positive mindset no matter what.

The first tool is to really stop watching, or listening, or reading the news. Why, because the news is based on negativity. The news amplifies fear and negativity in order to capture more listeners, more readers, and more viewers. The media is a business like anything else and there's a saying called, "If it bleeds, it reads." So the more scared they can make people, the more people will buy more newspapers to find out what's going to happen, or turn on the TV more, or in some way stay fixated because they're in fear, they stay fixated on what the media is telling them.

The second tool is stop being around negative people. Your colleagues are going to want to constantly come up and talk to you and tell you how bad it is. Maybe your clients or prospective clients are going say to you on the phone how bad it is, and even friends will do the same thing. You will go through a day and everybody will want to tell you how negative it is. Here are my suggestions. First, avoid those kinds of people that are negative and second, if you're stuck with them in an elevator or your car, I suggest you do what a former client of mine does. When the other person is talking negatively, my client just tunes them out and just says, "Well that may be true for you, but that's not true for me." It's like an inner mantra "It may be true for you, but it's not true for me." You're creating your own inner environment.

The third tool is a technique that I've used with my clients this past 12 years as a real estate business coach. It's a very powerful tool called The Stop Technique, and there's three steps to it, and the first step is just called Stop. The way it works is that if you start to notice your mind going in a negative direction such as, "Oh I can't succeed in today's economy. Oh I just don't have what it takes to be successful or to make money. I have to work really hard and struggle and sacrifice." Any of those negative thoughts that will bring your energy down, your job is simply to catch those as early as you can in the beginning and say, "Stop." Take a deep breath, and then put in a positive new thought.

You can put in your choice of however many positive new thoughts you have ready in your aresenal. If some of your negative statements are about yourself like, "I'm not good enough, or I'm not smart enough, or I'm not experienced enough," or whatever those kind of disproving thoughts, I would say a really good generic thought to put in, an empowered belief to put in is, "I love and approve of myself unconditionally." That takes care of those self judgmental statements. Another kind of self limiting belief is something that you continually tell yourself, "Oh well, to succeed I'm going to have to really struggle, and sacrifice, and stress out, and work hard, and then I won't have a life." If that's been your primary belief then you put a stop on that when you hear it coming, and in inside you're saying to yourself, "I'm not going there. I'm not going there." You take a deep breath and positive new thought could be, "I'm committed to working smarter, not harder."

One of the things that's great about this technique is that it really forces you to become aware of what you're thinking from moment to moment, and it's what you're thinking from moment to moment that will create a negative or positive mindset. If you're continually thinking negative thoughts either about yourself, or the market, or about money, or any of that, then guess what, you're going real fast into a negative mindset. Then what happens is what you believe tends to come true, and it becomes a self fulfilling prophesy. For example if you tell yourself, "I don't have what it takes to succeed in today's market," and you tell yourself that over, and over, and over again, your thoughts will create your reality and then you'll find that you don't have what it takes.

Henry Ford said, "Whether you believe you can or you can't, either way you're right,". The way to create a positive mindset is to continue to bring your thoughts back to, "I can do it,". You need to have unwavering faith in your ability to be successful. The way you do that is to retrain your mind. The stop technique is the most powerful technique for retraining your mind, but you may have to use it a few hundred times a day at the beginning. Your mind has been going down that negative track in a very undisciplined way for a long time and like wild horses that have been all over the place, you now have to reign them in and that is going to require a lot of vigilance at the beginning.

Dr. Maya Bailey, author of, Law of Attraction for Real Estate Professionals, integrates 20 years of experience as a psychologist and 12 years as a business coach with her expertise in the Law of Attraction. Her powerful work creates a success formula for real estate professionals ready to double and triple their incomes. Get Dr. Maya's free report, 7 Simple Strategies For More Clients in 90 Days, by visiting http://www.90DaystoMoreClients.com Also, check out her new Success Program, designed to help you get focused , motivated, stay on track and create a Positive Mindset, no matter what. http://www.positivebuzzsuccessprogram.com

Spiritual Growth

Spreading the Good Word of God Gently - Religious Conversions

2009-07-06T03:42:00.001-07:00

The other day I was walking through the park when I saw a man, an extremely large man reading the Bible. I was minding my own business like I normally do in full observation mode, just simply enjoying life. When what I thought was a tree reading the Bible, moved and scared the crap out of me. This man was about 6'9" and look like he played professional football but when he spoke it was nonthreatening and very gentle.

Have you read the Bible he said. I thought to myself, you have got to be kidding me. Couldn't this person have been smaller and what's he going to do when I tell him that I have but no longer follow Christianity. I liked my face and the rest of my body, should I lie to this man to save my own life or would he be understanding about my beliefs.

I threw the dice out on the table and told him that I have read the Bible and do not believe it is the word of God, the Creator of the universe. I explained to him that, there is a lot of useful information and some wonderful stories in the Bible but that it could not completely be proven as factual information. I continued to explain to him that there was a lot of information in the Bible that contradicted itself and some that simply wasn't true.

He sat back down on the park bench and asked me to join him. I couldn't resist as I always have enjoyed talking about religion and ready to learn something about this man and why he is a Christian. He started to tell me about some recent events that have happened in his life, some bad, some worse and of course some that he didn't want to talk about. However, he did mention a trip to church a few Sundays ago that changed his life.

I was happy for him that he had found peace but explained to him that he is extremely vulnerable to anything right now that can make a little sense out of his life. Be careful I told him, because you could get caught up in something that feels and sounds good, only to find out later in life, that you have questions about Christianity that can't be answered.

I had a very pleasant conversation with this person and I believe he appreciated a few of the points I made. When people are down and out and their lives seem to be really messed up, they're extremely vulnerable to others religious beliefs, whether they're right or wrong.

Don't force your religious beliefs onto others, be kind and courteous to those who are on the edge and having difficulties in life. Explaining to them about your religion and how it has benefited you is wonderful but it might not be as beneficial to someone else. The next time you plan on converting someone who is down in the dumps, make sure that you understand your own religion before you pass false beliefs onto others.

It's like a cancer spreading through the body, most of the cancer cells don't know what they are doing or how much damage is going to be done until it's too late.

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 is currently working on a great spiritual articles filled with great subjects on a wide array of topics, like religion, self help and spiritual changes in the world. His views on religious freedom are slowly changing the way people think about institutional religion.

Thomas Williams