Archive for November 12th, 2008

How Do I Strengthen My Doorways Against Intruders?

by Pamella Neely

As you think about the various types of doors that are on the market, consider your criteria for choosing one. If you want something strong and sturdy, your best course of action will be to select a steel door. The worst damage that can be done to a steel door can easily be repaired with a repair kit. Steel doors cannot be broken or cracked, and they will not warp over time.

Consider replacing the hinges on all of your exterior doors. Installing new hinges that have nonremovable pins will provide you with extra security. Remove stop molding wooden strips, and put them back on using wood glue and nails for additional protection. You might also consider installing door reinforcers, such as high-security strike boxes.

If you have a sliding glass patio door, it is best to have one that has keyed locks at the top and bottom. Another much cheaper alternative would be to place a wooden rod in the bottom track to prevent it from sliding back and forth. Also, consider placing some type of reinforcement between the glass panels.

When you are ready to work on the rest of your doors, it is recommended that you consider purchasing deadbolts, deadlocks, mortise locks, or rimlocks. Deadbolts are considered to be the best option among all door locks when it comes to providing maximum security. A single-cylinder is the most common variety, and it is used primarily with solid steel or wood doors. It opens from the outside, and has an adjustable turn button on the inside.

A double-cylinder deadbolt lock uses a key on both sides, but in some instances these locks do violate some safety codes. It is advised that you check before installing this type of lock. While it does increase safety in case of a possible intrusion, there is also the possibility of the owner getting trapped inside a burning home if the key cannot be found.

Also consider hiring a professional alarm monitoring service, or installing your own home security camera system. Burglar alarms, motion detectors, door bars, strike boxes, and window bars are additional ways to increase the safety of your family members. Use this advice to gain further peace of mind by constructing a home security plan that is best suited for your specific needs.

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Pamella Neely on November 12th 2008 in Home

A Jade Plant For Your House Interiors

by Keith Markensen

Because they are easy to grow and extremely tolerant of a variety of conditions, jade plants are an ideal plant to grow indoors. They grow well in pots and are happiest in warm, dry conditions. They can tolerate long periods of dryness due to their succulent qualities and they do not require much in the way of fertilizer.

These plants will live for many years and can grow up to five feet tall, even when indoors. They are the perfect planting for a large, empty corner of a room, with their dark green leaves that are quite often edged in red. When they flower, they have clusters of pink or white flowers that are star shaped and these provide a lovely display.

To prevent disease and insect attack, they do require some maintenance, just like any other plant.

If the soil is allowed to remain dry for a long period of time, they will suffer from leaf drop. In contrast as well, if they get wet feet they will develop root rot. The soil should be kept moist during the warmer part of the year and there should be longer time intervals between waterings in the cooler months.

So long as these plants have well draining soil and a moderate and regular amount of water, they will thrive. The best soil for them is a cactus mix to which has been added organic matter. A good balance is 1 part sphagnum peat moss to 3 parts coarse sand.

Jade plants should be exposed to full sun, close to a south facing window, for periods of four hours or perhaps more. Ensure that the temperature is not too high, though - the best range is between 65-75 degrees F (18-24 degrees C). Jade copes well with night time temperatures around 50 degrees F (10 degrees C). If the plants starts to show browning of the leaves it should be moved to a spot where it gets less direct heat from the sun.

The feeding requirements of the jade plant are simple. It will only require some liquid fertilizer every three to four months. A standard fertilizer will be fine. Overgrowth is not common in jade plants and they don’t mind their roots being crowded. It is a good idea, though, to leave any feeding until after Winter, when the plant is dormant.

Mealybugs and spider mites enjoy snacking on many popular houseplants; and jade plants are no exception. Mealy bugs can be banished easily - just wipe the leaves with an alcohol-soaked cloth. Spider mites require a little more effort, but they can be brushed off from your beautiful houseplants when they are evident or sprayed if required.

Wiping the leaves with a wet cloth to remove any build up of dust is beneficial to the plant as it will help the plant to “breathe” through their pores, resulting in efficient transpiration. Dead leaves should also be trimmed to keep the plant looking healthy and to minimize disease.

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Simple Steps to Avoiding Home Burglaries and Deterring Thieves

by Caden Flynn

According to FBI statistics, burglaries are committed every 15 seconds, on average. To avoid being a burglary victim yourself, there are some simple steps you can take as a homeowner. Start with locking the doors, and arranging for neighbors to watch the house if you will be gone for an extended period. Make arrangements with neighbors to watch each others’ homes for burglars. These steps are free, and just require a little thought on your part.

Other burglary deterrents, such as the installation of an alarm system, can be a little more expensive. However, keep in mind that these systems keep not only your home and possessions, but also your loved ones, safe. This should be worth any expense to you.

To begin burglar-proofing your home, start thinking of your home from a potential thief’s perspective. Walk around the outside of your home, noting any weaknesses where a burglar could potentially gain access without anyone noticing. Then, do something to lessen the chances of thieves gaining access in this way. For example, cut back bushes that serve to hide the thief. Cover any unprotected glass, particularly if it is low to the ground, so that a thief cannot enter by breaking the glass.

Once you have done this check during daylight hours, perform it again after dark. Consider the amount of light around your home, as well as any shadows that could hide potential burglars. Make note of any pathways down which strangers could walk unheard and unseen. Also consider any curtains or shades left open, allowing a clear view of interior spaces, inhabitants, and valuables.

Once you have completed this review, it is time to protect your home. Start with several basics that cost very little. For example, a strong wooden or metal bar can keep sliding windows secure. Although bolt locks won’t stop the most professional thieves, they will stop amateur burglars.

Most burglars are simply looking for the easiest targets. Make your house less of a target by making it look like someone is always home. Empty houses make good targets for burglars. Rather than leaving a light on all the time, which makes it obvious that nobody is home, install a few timers around the house. This way, lights and other electronics will turn on seemingly randomly, simulating normal use. These timers are an inexpensive and effective way to protect your home.

You may also wish to consider installing a home security systems. There are several choices that cost about a dollar a day, which is a relatively inexpensive way to protect your home, valuables, personal finance, and loved ones. They may also help lower your homeowner’s insurance premiums which is a great help on your household financial planning, and many can be installed without professional help. You may want to purchase a system with a battery backup, in case of a power outage.

The most basic systems will alert you when a door or window is opened. However, some burglars use glass cutters, so you may want to consider an alarm with a vibration sensor or motion detector.

Making the effort to install these simple, low cost solutions in your home can greatly improve your odds of avoiding a burglary.

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Caden Flynn on November 12th 2008 in Home

A Beginner’s Guide to Woodworking

by Colin Joss

Woodworking is a method of building, carving or making something using wood. Wooden products are seen everywhere these days. If you want to enhance the appearance of a room in your home, then there is no doubt you can find something made of wood.

But woodworking takes practice and great deal of skill.

Basically wood is of 3 types. They are hardwoods that is obtained from deciduous trees, man made materials that include plywood and softwoods that are obtained from evergreen trees. There are many wood workers who have made a mark in woodworking by building some of the finest architecture, furniture. Some of the popular wood workers of all times are Alvar Aalto, Norm Abram, and John Boson.

Most modern woodworking tools are power driven. Table saws, jointers, routers, and sanders are used by both the furniture maker in his woodshop and a construction worked on the job site.

From sanding a piece of wood smooth to shooting a nail, woodworking tools come in many shapes and sizes for all kinds of purposes. And it’s difficult to picture building a fine piece of furniture without many of the modern power tools. Luckily, power tools are easy to find in all good home centers.

But before operating power tools, it’s essential to understand how to use them. Lack of knowledge and training can lead to serious personal injury. Skilled carpenters take years of training to learn how to safely handle tools and to produce quality results.

A master carpenter will use these tools to make such fine furniture as cabinets, chairs, and dining tables. But of course, the better the quality of furniture and craftsmanship the higher the price!

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Colin Joss on November 12th 2008 in Home

One can protect their business with the help of Hidden Camera’s.

by Todd Martin

With the rising consequences of thefts in the social order, we all ought to take strict and preventative measures for our own safety. If you want to give your living space or surrounding a swift examine so that you can prevent any thefts in your house, then you ought to install a spy-cam in your house. This is a good revealing piece of equipment which can give you peace of mind even if you at home or you are away from your home. You can now spend your vacations also peacefully after you have installed a hidden spy cam in your house. This is the just the right piece of equipment which can be bought with reasonable price for your own defense requirements. It is very easy to install too.

We can feel safe and secure after the installation of the spy cam. If you are the one who cares much about your house, then definitely a hidden camera will be the best option for the safety of the house. After using the hidden camera I ensure that your life will become easier. By using proper gadgets you will be drawn by tasks that bring out creativity and originality. This way you can take a break from your household tasks and spend time engaging in activities that help you to relax.

You can also opt to bring them around should the need arise by utilizing wireless spy cameras. It is actually somewhat fundamental, yet it gets the work done! Nanny cameras also became so popular modes of spy cams after reports of nannies as well as maids misbehaving and mistreating the kids when the employers aren’t around. A spy cam comes in many designs. There are those that are placed in inanimate things made to match into the common atmosphere letting them inconspicuous, such as those disguised as or concealed in lamps, watches, as well as speaker systems; and spy camera glasses and button cameras which are also referred to as body worn, mini spy cameras.

Still a spy camera does not essentially imply a little surveillance technology. A well-hidden, usual security camera may also be thought of as a spy camera. These kinds of security cameras can be more dangerous than usual CCTV cameras. At least, with the CCTV cams, you are aware that you are being taped so you tend to get your act together. With wall clock camera, you don’t know when that tiny all-seeing eye is trained on you and there you are doing whatever you want like doing. Which is the main goal of having spy cams: to discover what you’re doing when you believe nobody’s watching.

As you may notice, when something as little as a mini spy camera could ruin a reputation, how sensitive can reputation be? I assume all we should do is take good care of it. However, respect may sometimes be very elusive. Temptation is a part of living, yet when you give in to temptation kindly, you are likely to get out of the problem unscathed, when you get into a mess at all! All I’m saying is get your act together before those covert video cameras catch you. Then if you have to give in, think of the aftereffects. I’m sure you’ll discover a way around it.

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Todd Martin on November 12th 2008 in Home

Exist Better, Exist Greener

by Simon M Skinner

Did you know that going green can make you live longer? Odd as it may seem it is a true statement. What is healthy for the earth is healthy for you also. Using naturally grown unprocessed foods, less driving, and so many other things will improve your health and increase your lifespan.

By eating healthy, organic foods you are not only helping your body by giving it fresh food, you are saving the earth from being contaminated by pesticides. Organic meats help by keeping the environment free of antibiotics and growth hormones. Plus you’re avoiding all those nasty things from going inside of you! By eating fresh, organic foods, you are avoiding all the processed foods that do a better job of clogging your arteries than they do of providing nutrition.

Try to drive less. By combining your errands, you not only save fuel and reduce the traffic on the roads; you are giving yourself less stress from dealing with traffic jams and other drivers. Carpool or use public transit when you can. If you choose to ride a bike or walk for some of your errands, you also get needed exercise. This will help keep your heart healthy and keep you limber and toned.

Composting your food scraps can save you money in garbage waste and provide you with great soil next season for your own garden. It also keeps a lot of good stuff out of the landfills. Just keep adding your fruit and vegetable wastes, egg shells, coffee grounds, and grains to the compost pile. You can add your raked leaves and lawn clippings as well. Don’t add meat or bones… they will attract insects like flies and will take longer to compost. Water the compost down once in awhile to get the enzymes activated. Come spring, you’ll have some nice compost soil to add to your own vegetable garden for more healthy eating.

Other things you can do will just make your home more comfortable. Larger windows can help let in more natural light so you don’t need to turn your lights on early. Using compact fluorescent bulbs can save you money and will save energy. Use energy-efficient appliances and don’t leave your air conditioner on when you’re not at home. You’ll be amazed at how much this impacts your energy usage.

Do some recycling, cans, bottles, plastic, and anything they will take will save you money and help the environment. You may even get a little money back if you have aluminum cans. Use your own bags when shopping instead of the plastic ones they have at the store. Some stores even offer discounts for doing this. Every little bit helps and perhaps will encourage others to do the same.

Once you start doing this, you will feel much better about yourself and also see how easy it is to live green. You will probably be surprised at the money you gain too. You can rest easier knowing you are doing your part to keep the earth greener and healthier for future generations as well as right now.

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Simon M Skinner on November 12th 2008 in Environment

Fireworks and Skip Hire

by Tasgo Skipern

Kaaaaaaaaaaaaa Boom! This is the sound you hear for weeks running up to Guy Fawkes night. As soon as you hear that noise, you know its that time of year again with little sleep especially if you live near open land like a park.

thankfully, I lived in a nice quiet area, nowhere near a park or open land where havoc could be caused. But still the sounds could be heard from far away. I have two children. They loved it, and begged me to get some for ourselves.

so I trotted off to the local shop, and purchased some sparklers, and fire bangers. I needed something small, as we are paving up the garden and a skip hire company had placed the skip in the front garden, and the back was all dug up.

But for sparklers, we could make do with the mess of a garden. This however did not please the children. They wanted fireworks like their friend ‘Rick’ had in school. Day and night I got nothing but ear ache. So I finally gave in and bought some.

The skip hire company came to collect the full skip, yet the work was no where nearly finished. I called for another skip from the skip hire company. The very next day it turned up on the doorstep. I never knew skip hire was so easy!

I didn’t know where to set off the fireworks, the garden was a no go area and the front had no room. It was a real dilemma by any standards.

thinking about things, I had a eureka moment. The skip was empty. It was steel. It looked safe to use as a starting point for the firework! Im sure the skip hire company would thank me, they have a new avenue in which they could promote their skips now!

I lit the first firework and stood to one side with the kids. I thought I was definitely a safe distance away. This plan went really wrong and the firework fell over and hit the side of the skip, rebounding off and heading for the house. Then it flew through the open window and the next thing i knew, it was the house that was brightly lit.. on fire!

Thankfully, none of us got hurt in the process, and the insurance covered the house. As for the skip hire company, they were not so understanding. Which to be honest is fair. It was entirely my fault. Never use a skip for fireworks!

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Tasgo Skipern on November 12th 2008 in Environment

Odor Remover For Cat Urine And Dog Urine

by Gary Homesetter

Having a pet to share your love with is an incredible feeling. Just like us humans these pets have unique characteristics and their own personalities. Sometimes pets even start to look like their owners. One of the reasons why people adopt pets is because to some they are like children. To others they are companions, and provide people who are handicapped the help they need to get them through each and every day.

But what about when your pet is new and you have to train them? Things can go wrong. Little accidents on the carpet. You know what I mean. These are some of times where are patience runs extremely thin.

Every pet is different. If it is a dog or a cat it has its own unique personality and way of life. Either way, all of these pets have to become housebroken sooner or later.

Everybody who has ever loved a young puppy and taken him home will understand that pet urine removal is a must or else you whole home will smell extremely terrible. Training the puppy to use the rest room outside must be focused on first. As always there are going to be accidents when training your new puppy to go potty outside. That’s why it is always good to plan a certain time in the mornings and afternoons to plan a time to take Rover out for a walk.

Even though your puppy may be house broken there is always that time where you will need a good pet urine remover to clean up a little mess. Hey, nobody is perfect and neither are our pets.

The mess caused by the puppy tearing up your garbage bag to get at last night’s food scraps from your dinner… it’s also the little messes that will happen after this old food gives the little guy a tummy ache.

A clever preventive thing you can do is to hide your trash can in a pantry closet or somewhere up high where the puppy can’t get to it. This is going to save you a lot of time cleaning up your floor of all the table scraps from the other night.

This will also keep the puppy from getting sick and messing on the carpet or tiles as well. No one wants to spend time cleaning the house up after a puppy. Knowing how to prevent the puppy from having accidents will help you in the long run and save you tons of time with the pet urine removal process.

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Gary Homesetter on November 12th 2008 in Home

Live in maid in Hong Kong receives Bahamas work permit

by Alice Sy

There is an increasing trend among wealthy Bahamian household in hiring a live-in maid from overseas. One sample case is a retired couples in their 50’s who found 1MaidHK.com and placed a live-in maid job order.

The job offer was too hard for any filipina domestic helper in Hong Kong to resist. It consists of 5-day work, free food, accommodation and airticket to Bahamas and four weeks paid annual leave upon completion of 2 years contract. And the good news is that the much awaited Bahamas work permit has finally been approved.

Lorena, the lucky applicant among 4 candidates, is now very excited to work in Bahamas after receiving the work permit and air ticket from her Bahamas employer. “Don’t easily give up amidst trial, grab every job opportunity for your family’s future and apply through reliable agency — World Champ International Employment Agency”, advises Lorena.

During the application process in Bahamas, the employer is required to post an advertisement in local newspaper. An important part of the requirement is to show that there is no suitable Bahamian candidate for the live-in maid position. The processing of Bahamas work permit took approximately 2-3 months from the time the job offer was confirmed. For the live-in maid category, the employer paid an annual fee of $650 for the work permit.

Bahamas work permit is light yellow green in color, approximately 5 inches x 7.75 inches in size and valid for one year from the date of issue. The top of the work permit read as “Permit to engage in gainful occupation”. It also contain information such as employer’s name, employer’s residence address, live-in maid’s name, job position as well as the applicant’s photo.

Applicant who wish to enter through USA enroute to Bahamas is required to apply for a transit visa. The procedure and requirements of application is actually the same as US non-immigrant visa. Though the cost is considerably less to travel through the US, however, this does not guarantee that you’ll have the transit visa application approved. One surefire but more expensive option to avoid transit visa problem is to fly from HK to Bahamas via London.

Many lives have been transformed after the launching of 1MaidHK.com in a short span of time. It is believed that many more life changing job opportunity awaits many filipino domestic helpers in Hong Kong who dares to face the challenges of working abroad in the days to come.

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Alice Sy on November 12th 2008 in Home

Lose your Tummy - 5 Tips to Stop you from Quitting

by Teresa Brown

As a new mom you have the joyful but demanding task of looking after your baby and somewhere in the busy mix of family life and responsibilities, you have to find a way to lose the pregnancy weight. Starting your weight loss plan to lose your tummy is the easy part. It’s committing to your plan that can put a strain on reaching your goal. Adding these 5 spicy tips to your plan may just do the trick to keep you motivated to stay in the game.

1. Yoga - This is a popular exercise for moms who are keen to lose the tummy and get toned and lean. Yoga comes in various traditions so find one that suites your tastes and sign up and get stretching. If you like saunas and don’t mind sweating, you should try a 90 minute session of Bikram Yoga to burn the baby fat and sweat out those toxins from your body. Or you can join a Yin Yoga class for deeper stretching and challenge your muscles with its longer duration of the poses. No time to leave the house? Then rent or buy a Yoga DVD and workout at home.

2. Kickboxing - On the flip side of the coin, a good way to lose your tummy fast while freeing stress is to take up Kickboxing. The pacing of your feet, the muscles used in your legs and the intensity of the workout ensures knockout results when burning the baby fat.

3. Tea - A good alternative to cold colas and saucers of coffees would be a stress free cup of tea. Opt for green tea and you’ll get the weight loss benefits of rich anti-oxidants. Getting into Green Tea can give you another caffeine alternative to those other drinks, which could be high in calories and sugars.

4. Beef it up - Lean turkey and chicken is a safe bet when you are on a diet and trying to get your protein. But people often forget about the benefits of beef. Rich in zinc, iron and B vitamins, beef can reduce the mood swings and settle down the stress while giving your body the nutrients it needs. Portion sizing is the key to including beef in your diet successfully.

5. Laughter - Laughing really is the best medicine when stuck in the stressful chore of losing pregnancy weight. Rent a comedy or play some games over dinner with friends. Laughter releases endorphins just like your morning jog and can take your mind off your bodies weight gain and loss.

Life is what you make it and so is losing the pregnancy weight. Jazzing up your workouts to keep things fresh will make your transition to lose your tummy from “flab” to “fab” more fun and less of a chore.

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Teresa Brown on November 12th 2008 in Home