Living In Your Home May Be Dangerous To Your Health

Writen by Brenda Hoffman

The hidden toxins in your home are quite harmful as they leak into the air and contact your skin. This is scarey when you hear scientists admitting that we don't know for sure how bad these chemicals are for you. In fact, most of the 18,000 chemicals that are produced each year have never been tested by humans. Many of these toxins are lurking just behind your front door. You may be surprised to hear, but it is true, that the air inside your home can be more polluted than what's outside your home, even if you live in a busy urban area. This is because modern building materials, furniture, everyday cleaning solutions and other household products release chemicals that linger in the still air of a well-insulated home.

So, you say you'll be vigilant... Well, chemicals can still enter your home in unexpected ways. For instance, while labels advise us to use paint strippers, adhesive removers and spray paints in well-ventilated areas, gases can still leak out of the closed containers. These products are known to contain methylene chloride which causes cancer in animals.

Carbon monoxide and benzene are known human carcinogens that are present in auto exhaust. These chemicals can leak from an attached garage right through porous drywall and into the house.

The glues, paints and adhesives holding your house together can pollute the air, too. New construction gives off gases that can irritate the eyes, nose and throat.

Pressed-wood products emit formaldehyde, which at elevated levels can cause wheezing in people with asthma. Thankfully, there are usually no permanent effects.

Plug-in air fresheners release a steady stream of pleasantly scented formaldehyde into your home.

Scientists admit that they are uncertain as to how much exposure, or how long, is necessary for many of these chemicals to harm your health. This is especially true since some people are more sensitive than others. For instance, those persons who have asthma or pulmonary conditions often react more strongly. Some symptoms that you want to pay special attention to include feeling nauseous, weak, or always sneezing. If you're concerned about these things, but lacking funding, it is nice to know that you don't have to gut your house to make it healthier. Simply use air cleaners, clean your ducts, and keep the windows open so that fresh air can flush out toxic chemicals. However, your biggest problem may be with the harsh chemicals that are found in cleaning products.

Some toxins arrive incognito, in products without ingredient labels. For instance, did you know that the flame-retardant chemicals that are used in thousands of household appliances and textiles can leach out into your home? Polybrominated diphenyl ethers, or PBDEs, build up in your body over a lifetime. In lab animals, they've been shown to disrupt thyroid hormone balance and alter brain development. Scientists have detected them in women's breast milk, human hair and fat cells. Several states are actually phasing 2 of these toxins out. The third 1 shouldn't be far behind in also being phased out. There are less-toxic flame retardants, as well as chemicals that are bonded to products so they don't leach out, available for use.

Convenience also comes at a cost. Did you know that nonstick and stain-resistant coatings typically contain perfluorochemicals, or PFCs? They're found in Teflon, Scotchguard, Stainmaster and Gore-Tex. They're found in cookware, clothing, wallpaper, paint and food packaging. They're also found in us. This is scarey when you consider that in animals they cause cancer, birth defects and developmental problems, as well as high cholesterol. These chemicals are turning up in unexpected places, including the water supplies of cities with no large-scale commercial use. This could be due to 1 known source: cooking. (Heating Teflon-coated pans to high temperatures releases the fumes that kill pet birds and sicken people temporarily.)

Even plastic baby products aren't necessarily safe. Phthalates are found in some soft vinyl toys, as well as in cosmetics such as nail polish and hair spray. Studies have already proven that infant boys who are born to mothers that have been exposed to phthalates had a higher chance of genital abnormalities. Phthalates are found in baby bottles, food storage containers and water bottles. It's also used in resins that coat the inside of food cans and in dental sealants for children. At low doses, this chemical causes reproductive abnormalities in lab animals. This is because this chemical acts like the estrogen that can be found in birth control pills. When heated, more of this chemical will actually leak into your food. Some studies have detected leaching even at room temperatures. You also should take note that heavily scratched or worn plastic degrades faster.

The long-term health effects of small doses of chemicals are difficult to study since they don't always show up in blood tests, and if they do, effects might take decades to develop. Animal studies don't necessarily translate into equivalent effects on human health either. This is why we urgently need more data. The hard thing is sometimes the data come too late. The other challenge is that there are definite trade-offs in choosing to use these materials (ie cooking your eggs in a nonstick pan means you can use less artery-clogging oil; extra-strength cleaners make housework go faster; plastic baby bottles don't break). A lot of these chemicals truly have made it more tolerable to live in our environment. Nevertheless, we should always approach their use with caution. Where clear, better alternatives exist, we need to choose the alternatives.

Reverend Brenda Hoffman, is ordained by the Universal Life Church, and has been delivering holistic health and wellness advice for over 7 years since receiving a BA in psychology. As a home-based professional and mother of 1, she operates a holistic wellness network. She invites you over to http://www.yourhealthyfamilyhome.com/ to learn how to improve you and your family's health.

Choosing Birthyday Party Supplies Decorations And Theme Packages

Writen by Jeff Bauman

Birthday party supplies and decorations are excellent for giving dimension and style to a birthday party. The variety of available supplies and decorations makes it possible to tailor a party to the specific interests and tastes of just about any child. The benefits of a themed birthday party go beyond just aesthetic... birthday party packages have an educational and developmental component as well. With just a bit of background, you can obtain just the right party package.

The variety of available birthday supplies is massive. Everything from packages geared towards girls like the "Barbie Princess" and "Ariel & Friends" theme packages as well sets for boys such as "Bob the Builder " and "the Justice League" are just part of the exhaustive selection supplied by industry. Packages are usually complete and include plates, napkins, cups, hats, a table cover as well as invitations and thank you notes. Many packages have other components as well. With this variety, the right one is certainly available and easy to use… it comes with everything.

Sometimes parents see selecting the most appropriate birthday party package as a daunting task. But it need not be. A good place to start is to consider your child's interests. A young man who is intrigued by fire trucks would certainly enjoy the "Fireman's Buddies" package. A young lady with a sense of fashion would likely appreciate the "Disney Princess Ball" package. Cutting edge packages with Harry Potter as the theme are quite popular. It really gets down to thinking about your child's tastes. With the huge variety of packages, the right one is certainly there almost as if it was custom made.

Birthday party supplies and decorations yield benefits beyond just adding color and excitement. A theme package affirms their interests and the worth of their preferences. It subconsciously confirms the idea that they can make choices regarding the world around them. The invitations and thank you notes also help to teach manners and decorum.

Online ordering is available to have birthday party supplies delivered directly to yoru door. There is nothing more convenient.

Express Birthday Party Supplies

Family Stories How To Gather And Save Them For Posterity

Writen by Chris King

Every family has years and years of stories -- happy, sad, exciting, humorous, adventurous, historic, good, bad, and ugly. These stories are often shared when the family has holiday or annual get-togethers. But, without being recorded on tape and/or paper, they are soon forgotten and never enjoyed by the following generations. Don't let that happen to your precious tales.

Begin by writing your family stories down as you remember them. And, don't be dismayed if others have a different perception of what actually happened or the worth of this work. The important point to remember is that writing down your family stories in your own manner is a great way to start and will also prove to be a wonderful experience for you.

Start with the elders in the family. Before your parents, grandparents, and/or aunts and uncles are no longer here, sit down with them and ask lots of leading questions. If you say, "Tell me your story," they will answer, "Nothing exciting ever happened to me. There's nothing to tell." If you ask thoughtful, open-ended questions about places they've lived, people they've known, teachers they've had, places they've traveled to, their remembrances of first dates, embarrassing moments, and happenings and important events that made a difference in their lives, they will fill up tapes and books with interesting stories.

Where can I find good questions to ask? Donald Davis, master storyteller of personal stories, has written an excellent book filled with thought and story provoking questions called Telling Your Own Stories: for Family and Classroom Storytelling, Public Speaking, and Personal Journaling.

Once you have the information, it's time to create the story for posterity. This is the most fun, but also the most demanding part of the storytelling and story capturing process. You will have many extra details and facts that will detract, rather than enhance, the final story. Keeping in mind the attributes of a successful story -- time, place, character(s), conflict, crisis, change, and resolution -- you will pull everything together for a story that will interest, entertain and last.

It is OK to embellish and add the emotions you felt when listening to the story for the first time. Once you have it in a tellable and/or readable form, start sharing it with others in the family at get-togethers and reunions. You will soon discover the parts that work and don't work. Make note of reactions and points of laughter and tears. Ask for feedback (don't listen to negative remarks).

Create a written version. I know that this whole process sounds time consuming and like a lot of work. It is both, but once you have these "treasures" written in final form, you and the whole family will be delighted. You can't give a better gift to family members -- beginning with the whole process of gathering and listening to the final product of sharing.

Remember, everyone in the family who takes part will be excited and proud, and, hopefully, will continue the process of capturing family stories for posterity.

Chris King is a professional storyteller, writer, website creator / designer, free agent, and fitness instructor. You will find her storytelling website at http://www.storytellingpower.com and her business website at http://www.creativekeys.biz You will find her new her information-packed E-book How to Leave Your Audiences Begging for MORE! at http://www.OutrageouslyPowerfulPresenter.com

Birthday Video Turn Your Childs Party Video Into A Fun Music Video

Writen by Mike Dougherty

Kid Birthday Party - Birthday Video

Most people shoot some random video of their child's birthday party, then toss the video in a drawer and forget about it.

Hey, we're talking about some precious video of an important event in your child's life. So if you're going to shoot some video of your child's birthday party, why not turn that footage it into a video everyone will want to see?

With just a little planning you can turn your child's birthday party video footage into a fun music video that's sure to become a treasured family keepsake and heirloom.

Choose A Favorite Song

Before you shoot your video, choose the song you want to use for your completed music video. It can be one of your child's favorites, or one that fits your party theme. Now you can shoot your video to go along with the music. Most songs are about 2 and a half minutes long which tells you how long your completed music video will be.

10 Things You Need To Shoot

Putting up the decorations

Party guests arriving

Activities and crafts

Party Games

Bringing out the birthday cake

Opening cards and gifts

Finished decorations and balloons

Parents, brothers, sisters, family members and pets

Staged shots of your birthday child and guests being silly

Guests saying good-by and leaving

The birthday child's parents collapsing on a chair after the party.

You may find other shots you want to include as well.

Fun Camera Angles

A series of short, fun shots will help make your music video more fun to watch. Try to make your shots at least 5 to 10 seconds in length, this will be very helpful when your footage is edited.

Stay away from using the zoom lens. Unless a zoom is done very well it tends to look amateurish.

Get lots of candid wide shots of your group.

Then move in and shoot medium shots with 2 or 3 people together.

Shoot close-ups of individual faces

Have fun by shooting some shots that are tilted to one side or stand on a chair and shoot down on the party. Put the camera on the floor and shoot up.

Editing Your Birthday Video - Music Video

If you have video editing software in your computer, you first need to digitize (transfer) the footage you've shot into the editing program. Then lay down your music track (the song you've selected).

Now start your music video with a simple but creative title like "Mary's 6th Birthday Party" with a sub title related to your birthday theme like "A Royal Celebration."

From the title you might want to use a fun wipe into your first shot. Try to keep your shots about 5 seconds long. That will keep the music video moving nicely without being too fast and visually annoying.

Also try to edit your footage together to tell the story of your party rather than just randomly mixing everything together.

Titles within your music video can also be fun. A title leading into some party game footage might read "Extreame Musical Chairs" or "Time To Pop The Balloons."

As you edit your footage together, take a minute and preview the entire video from the beginning. This will help you to get a better feel for the overall pace. You might need to slow things down or speed then up. Check your video from the top when you have 30 seconds edited, 60 seconds edited and 90 seconds edited just to make sure the video is coming together the way you want it to.

Give yourself a little song time at the end to add your closing titles. Give yourself a screen credit, your party producer, and of course this video stars your birthday child.

At the very end of your credits you can have a little fun by cutting to one last silly shot.

If you don't have access to a video editor, take a quick look at

Fun-Kid-Birthday-Parties.com

Birthday Video - Music Video "World Premiere"

After you've edited your award winning music video together, it's time for your world premiere. Why not invite all your party guests and parents over for a private screening? Make some popcorn and have some fun.

Years From Now

Imagine years from now when you and your child sit down to watch this video together. You'll both be very happy you did something with all that precious video footage.

And as the years pass, your granchildren might just get to see your treasured keepsake DVD from so many years ago... I wonder if they'll still call them "music videos?"

Mike Dougherty is a video editor and regional Emmy award winning videographer. Mike is now the webmaster for http://fun-kid-birthday-parties.com and the movie themed http://best-dvd-movie-club.com

Basic Barbeque Safety Tips Part One

Writen by John Gibb

Barbeque used to be a once-per-year, summer activity where family and friends gathered all together and cooked tasty, meat-based food outdoors. Nowadays, barbeque has become a very common practice; it has broken the boarders of the once-a-year practice and it's not uncommon to find families that will arrange a barbeque several times a month! However, along with all the fun that the barbeque brings you should also be careful and follow a few guidelines in order to prevent harmful bacteria from appearing on your food. This article will give you general guidelines and safety tips to follow in order for your food to be as clean as possible.

Okay, first of all when you buy food it is a good practice to buy it cold; especially if you buy meat or poultry then you should definitely buy it cold. After that, you should make sure to separate juicy food such as meat and poultry from other foods. By doing this, you are preventing cross-contamination among them. The best practice would be to place meat/poultry in plastic bags; plastic bags are 100% waterproof so you will have no problem if you pack the food carefully.

After you have bought everything, you should head directly to your home and put all fridge-preserved foods in the fridge. It's important not to let those foods come to a room temperature because if that happens then that's the best chance for bacteria to form.

When the time to take the meat out of the fridge so that you can cook it has come, make sure that you defrost it completely. Meat/poultry that has been completely defrosted will cook more evenly and the taste will definitely be better. Two good defrost practices are thawing the food in cold water or defrosting it using the microwave. Use the microwave approach only if you are going to grill the food immediately.

Finally, you should remember that although you can marinate food several hours/days before you cook it, it is always a good practice to marinate it in the refrigerator (so that it will be hard for bacteria to multiply). If you are going to reuse any marinade that was used on raw food then remember to boil it first; this way, any harmful bacteria that might have grown are going to be destroyed by the high temperature. After all this boring theory, I wish you to barbeque as frequently as possible and to have a great time, every time!

John Gibb is the owner of bbq food sources, For more information on bbq food check out http://www.bbq-food-sources.info.

Before You Leave

Writen by Ramona Creel

So you're planning to relocate to another area -- very exciting! Unfortunately, these days you can't just pack up the car and take off. You will need to settle all of your old business before starting fresh in a new community. Here are a few simple steps you can take to make starting a new life a bit easier.

CONTACT YOUR BANK

Of course, you will want to arrange the transfer of your accounts to your new area -- plan to do this at least one month before your planned move date. This kind of transfer is easy if you are simply switching branches. But you might be moving to a different city or state where your bank doesn't exist. Go ahead and open your new account and order checks with your new address -- but don't close out the old account until all of your checks have cleared (or leave enough in the account to cover all outstanding checks, if you trust your bookkeeping!) And be sure to transfer the contents of your safety deposit box to your new bank.

SUBMIT CHANGE-OF-ADDRESS

The easiest way to do this is to pick up a change of address packet at the post office. This will include a form that you turn back in to your postmaster -- allow at least 30 days for the change to go into affect. If each member of your household shares the same last name, you can simply fill out one form for the entire family.

But if your household contains several different last names, fill out a separate form for each person. You should also send out post cards to your friends, family, and creditors -- you can either have cards custom-printed or use the ones in your change of address packet. And if you leave someone off of the list, don't worry. The postal service will generally continue to forward your mail for 12 months after you change your address (6 months for periodicals). So if you receive any items bearing the yellow "forwarding sticker," you know to let the sender know of your new address.

TRANSFER IMPORTANT RECORDS

It's crucial that your family's history follow you to your new home. A delay in transferring vital records can cause innumerable delays as you try to establish yourself in a new community. If you have students in your household, you will want to contact their current schools and arrange for a transfer of student records. Also send a letter to each of your family's doctors -- general practitioners, specialists, dentists, chiropractors, etc. -- and ask for your medical records. If you already have a new physician picked out, have the records sent directly to your new doctor's office. If not, ask your current physician for some referrals in your new community. And don't forget to change your insurance policies -- property, auto, and medical. This means not only changing your mailing address, but also adjusting your coverage and premiums as necessary. Also talk to your agent about any additional coverage you might need for the move itself.

ORGANIZE ALL IMPORTANT DOCUMENTS IN A FIRE-SAFE BOX

What happens if disaster strikes while you are en route to your new home? Moving is a time of great vulnerability -- all your most important papers and prized possessions are packed in boxes and sitting in a truck for days or even weeks at a time. Do yourself a favor as you pack -- take a moment to separate out any documents whose loss would cause you INCONVENIENCE during your move. These include:

- school records / pet documents

- home purchase / sale papers

- wills / marriage / divorce papers

- financial records / stock certificates

- credit card records / banking records / tax returns

- birth certificates / social security cards / passports

- moving contract / household inventory

- insurance policies (life / property / medical / auto)

These items should be stored in a small fire-proof box with a lock -- which stays with you at all times. Whether you ride in the moving truck or a separate car or take a plane to your new home, keep this box in your carry-on luggage.

GIVE NOTICES OF CANCELLATION OR RESIGNATION

In the rush of getting out the door, we often forget the most obvious details. Think about all of the people who provide you a regular service -- cleaning, lawn care, deliveries, child care -- let these folks know that you are moving and won't need their services any longer. Give proper notice of resignation to any clubs, organizations, or volunteer activities with which you are involved. And cancel local newspaper subscriptions. And, of course, arrange for the disconnection or changeover of your utilities (at least 2 weeks ahead of your move).

TIE UP ANY LOOSE ENDS

Moving is the perfect time to take care of all those little "chores" you've been meaning to do but never got around to. Clean out any club, gym, or school lockers. Retrieve and return all borrowed items from friends and neighbors. Pick up your dry cleaning and return those old library books. Then, make a promise to yourself that you won't pack anything on the truck that isn't in working order and doesn't serve a purpose in your life. Take items in for cleaning or repair. Clean Out anything that you haven't used in the last year. Finish up outstanding projects, or just let them go. Don't take a lot of unnecessary baggage to your new home.

LEARN ABOUT YOUR NEW NEIGHBORHOOD

Finally, take a few minutes to research your new community before you hit the road. You can contact the local Chamber Of Commerce, look around on the internet, or have the Welcome Wagon send you a packet of information. You will probably want to find out about:

- recreational activities and community events

- schools and child care

- churches in your neighborhood

- restaurants, theaters, museums, zoos, and other cultural activities

- professional and employment opportunities

Be sure to also ask for maps of your new community. You might even plan an extended trip to your new neighborhood, to help you get your bearings and become familiar with the amenities. With a little pre-planning, you can feel right at home from the moment you move in!

Ramona Creel is a Professional Organizer and the founder of OnlineOrganizing.com -- a web-based one-stop shop offering everything that you need to get organized at home or at work. At OnlineOrganizing.com, you may get a referral to an organizer near you, shop for the latest organizing products, get tons of free tips, and even learn how to become a professional organizer or build your existing organizing business. And if you would like to read more articles about organizing your life or building your business, get a free subscription to the "Get Organized" and "Organized For A Living" newsletters. Please visit http://www.OnlineOrganizing.com or contact Ramona directly at ramona@onlineorganizing.com for more information.

Is Your Family A Team

Writen by Ted Segura

Isn't it true that teamwork is very important for games such as Basketball, Baseball, Football and many more for them to win the game? Every time a player of a winning team gets interviewed after the game, he says "It's Teamwork." Even someone like Michael Jordan believes in teamwork and he doesn't highlight any particular player as the star of the show.

We know of companies that send their managers and employees to seminars that give trainings on teambuilding. As a human resource consultant, I highly recommend this because it will result to the efficiency of the company. It will be difficult for the company if one department cannot work well with another department.

I recall one game we played on teambuilding. The game had to have 6 people walk together stepping on two wooden boards and the first person held on to the rope tied to it while the rest held each others waist. Just imagine 2 long skis with 6 people on top of it. We had to think and work together how to go to the end of the line without having to fall and win too. Because each one cooperated, we had no problem winning. But if each one did his way, what a disaster it would have been and someone could have gotten hurt too.

I should say that we can highly apply this in the family. Wouldn't it be great if each member in the family played his part well in the task he is given at home just like a player? For example, when dad comes home from work, mom has already prepared a delicious meal, Ann, helped mom prepare the table and Liz and Joey are ready to help clean the dishes after. What a relax evening it would be for everyone particularly mom and dad.

How about on a Saturday, dad would be so glad if Joey could help him out wash the car and bring out the garbage while Ann and Liz help mom on the laundry. Then when the work is done, everyone can spend the rest of the day enjoying a picnic or a movie together and the day wasn't wasted.

Let's be creative and make it fun too for the children. This way they themselves will not feel that it's all work. At the same time this builds discipline in each one just like the basketball players. Yes be a Family Team!

Ted and Christine Segura have been involved in the topic of relationships for several years. They are seriously involved in an organization that helps couples and families in the areas of family life and enhancing relations. They can be contacted at http://www.idealfamilylife.com

Settling In Your New Home Part 1

Writen by Jony White

This must be the minute you were looking forwards to since the minute you decided to relocate. You are finally in your new home and expecting your movers to arrive any day mow. However, there are some tasks that require your attention before this process can come to an end. Completing the following tasks will assure a smooth start in your new home.

Be Prepared for the Movers

To assure that your moving process ends as simple and smooth as it began, you will have to be prepared for your items arrival and be absolutely ready to work with your movers until every item is placed where you plan.

Easy Unload

It is likely that your mover will contact you one day prior to expected delivery time. This will notify you that it is time to begin preparation for the unloading. Keep in mind that the easier it is for your movers to unload your goods into your new residence, the faster and cheaper will this process be. The two most important factors for an easy unload are elevator access and parking for the truck. If your new home is located in a skyscraper, reserve the elevator for your move date to allow the movers to use it instead of the stairs. Depending on your new location, parking may and may not be a problem. Do your best to provide your movers a good parking spot to prevent additional long carry charges. For example: If you moved to a place where parking is not a problem then you will only need to make sure that your street is wide enough for a truck to enter. However, if you moved to a place where parking is an issue such as Manhattan, you may need to reserve a spot the night before and in some cases you may even need to obtain a special permit.

A Clean Fresh Start

Clean your house before your movers arrive. That will allow you to start fresh and place your furniture in clean rooms. Consider that: it is a lot easier to clean your home before it is full with your items. Take the time to review your floor plan in order to plan your item placements. Keep in mind that the better you know where things suppose to go, the faster you will be able to get the unload process done. In addition, a good plan will help you determine final placement of items so you will not need to move them again yourself after the movers leave.

For more information visit http://www.moveeast.com Free guides are available

Jony White is a relocation consultant for California New York Express, a leading moving company since 1995. California New York Express specializes in the New York – Los Angeles – San Francisco routes. To learn more about this moving company and the relocation services offered, visit moveeast.com or call 1-888-680-7200

Planning Your Move 1 Week Prior To Your Move

Writen by Jony White

Excitement and impatience probably well describe how you must feel in the last week remaining before you move. During this phase there are still a few assignments that you must complete before you hit the road. This coming week's tasks are going to be focused mainly on your preparations for the trip and to the first days in your new home.

Prepare Your Furniture

One of the tasks you need to complete in order to prepare your furniture for the move is disassemble. Most movers will offer a free disassemble of furniture. This service is commonly provided by moving companies. If this service is not offered by your moving company, you will have to do it yourself. Start to disassemble the furniture you use less.

Travel Arrangements

Confirm your family's travel arrangements such as flights, hotel, and rental cars. Keep your plans flexible and be ready for possible changes of schedule. If you are going to stay in hotels, check that your stay can be flexible.

What's Moving?

Getting ready for your trip, you will have to start sorting your items and put aside items that you plan to take with you on the road. Start thinking on the packing for the trip and pack the right amount of clothes and supplies. The amount of items you take with you depends on the time you plan to spend without your belongings (while your household is in transit). It is recommended to include essentials such as money, toilet paper, contact lenses, food, and medication. Take any important documents such as social security cards and any financial documents along with any valuables such as expensive jewelry. Unless you purchased a Guaranteed Delivery Date service, be flexible for the event of unexpected delays or slight schedule changes. It is recommended to think ahead and pack the necessary items in a box labeled: Do Not Load. Start packing this box even before you start your final suitcase packing for the trip.

Additional Planning

If you are moving your kitchen appliances, within one week you must have it uninstalled, emptied, and clean. That will require that you take the time to think about the last night and create a simple meal plan. Decide what and where you will eat the night before your move and each night in between homes.

For more information visit http://www.moveeast.com Free guides are available

Jony White is a relocation consultant for California New York Express, a leading moving company since 1995. California New York Express specializes in the New York – Los Angeles – San Francisco routes. To learn more about this moving company and the relocation services offered, visit moveeast.com or call 1-888-680-7200.

Get Ready For Summer

Writen by Aldene Fredenburg

Ah, summer! Long hot, lazy days, picnics in the sun, afternoons at the beach, barbecues in the backyard.

Bug bites. Sunburn. Poison ivy. Indigestion.

Better get ready - summer's coming, and so are all the little annoyances associated with it. Taking a few precautions and putting together a first aid kit of natural remedies will help you get through the season with a minimum of problems.

Combining light-colored clothing with a strong SPF lotion will help you avoid sunburn. Even with the right clothes and a good lotion, however, you still need to pay attention to the length of time you stay in the sun; SPF lotion only lasts for a certain amount of time. In case you do end up with a sunburn, applying a combination of aloe and lavender oils will soothe your skin and help heal the burn. Calamine lotion is great for poison ivy and poison oak. For insect bites, cuts, scrapes, and splinters, an effective remedy is Quret salve, a popular potion since 1918. And for upset stomach and motion sickness, stock a supply of Ginger Chimes, a chewy candy that's a great assist to digestion.

If you're prepared with a few simple remedies, you and your family should be able to enjoy the summer weather and avoid the hassles commonly associated with the season.

Aldene Fredenburg is a freelance writer living in southwestern New Hampshire. She has written numerous articles for local and regional newspapers and for a number of Internet websites, including Tips and Topics. She expresses her opinions periodically on her blog, http://beyondagendas.blogspot.com She may be reached at amfredenburg@yahoo.com

How Black Mold Affects You And What You Can Do About It

Writen by Lee Dobbins

The toxic kind of "Black Mold" is known as the Strachybotrys atra. This slimy, greenish black substance can actually lead to health risk such as asthma and bronchitis. Studies conducted by the Center of Disease Control or the CDC reflect that this mold is the reason for over "100 cases of lung disorders."

Molds can also be located in anyone's home. These industrial molds may not be toxic and it takes a lot of time and effort to specify which mold is toxic and which isn't because it will entail laboratory exams. However, the best conclusion we can tell you is that if a mold is found in your home, it is considered to not be a healthy home.

Mold is a parasite which attaches itself to various hosts: be it people, animals, clothes, shoes or even the doors and windows of houses. These spores grow faster when it is moist and damp. Some molds even develop under water.

Look above your ceiling now and check for molds. If there is a spot which is frequently wet from rain and drips a lot, chances are you'd see some molds there. Also, go to the bathroom and check your tiles. Chances are there is a bit of a mold there.

Wall paneling and cardboard, they can have molds in it. Even cotton. Clothes you haven't worn for a long time now and has been stocked up in the attic or in the basement can have molds attached to it.

Try touching a mold. It is slimy. Try rubbing it on the surface. It would smear its greenish and blackish fluid.

Once you see a mold, try to remove it when you can. Clean it up as soon as possible. Although these can be easily done if the infested area is small like leak and plumbing problems. These can easily be handled by bleach and water. If you want, you can also add soap to the solution that you have handy there. Apply the bleach solution to the moldy are and let it stay there for about fifteen minutes. Then concentrate on the surrounding areas. This will lessen the chance for the mold to spread any further.

If the mold is located in insulation or on fabrics like carpet, then it will be harder to remove it. An infested area that is over 2ft is termed "highly infested" and it is something you cannot remove on your own. It is best you seek professional help in eradicating that risk. If you ignore the molds, this could result to flooding and possible health risks.

It is because if you take these molds not as serious as you should, they can actually lead to you inhaling them, therefore risking your health.

Prevention is better than cure and you can actually apply these preventive measures so you won't have any black mold to eradicated in the first place.

- Keep the humidity down in your house. Double check if the ventilation is just right in rooms in your household – specifically the bathroom and the kitchen. It is because molds usually appear in these two rooms.

- Before painting any of your walls, add mold inhibitors.

- Clean the carpet by using mold killing products even if there is no mold found. The same applies in the bathroom tiles and corners.

It may seem to not be a problem but it is. Black mold are something everyone must learn how to eradicate and better yet, prevent.

In institutions, black mold can actually cause an allergic reaction to people who have allergies to black mold. People who also have respiratory problems such as asthma may also have their attacks triggered through these infested areas.

A clean home is a mold-free home. Molds are a form of bacteria. Just like any kind of bacteria, it must be extinguished as soon as possible.

Lee Dobbins writes for http://mold.home-webzone.com/ where you can learn more about mold control.

Birthday Invitations Some Helpful Tips For Celebrants

Writen by Trevor Mulholland

Birthday invitations are an important part of the whole celebration. They set the stage for the event and can influence the outcome of the party. They can get even the most reluctant invitee to change his mind at the last moment and attend the event. The important thing is to make these invites interesting to get the recipient's full attention.

Birthday invitations can be personally made using art kits, printed from free samples provided by the Internet, bought as packaged sets or sent through emails as e-cards. Whatever option a celebrant or a party planner chooses, knowing the basic parameters for these invites is very important.

Invitations for birthday parties should give an idea what kind of party the guests will be attending. Whether it is a drinking party, a sit-down dinner, a costume event, a kiddie celebration or an activity or adventure celebration, the invitation should be able to tell the invitee what is expected of him or her. The theme of the party should be reflected in the invitation's design and message. If there are instructions to guests like, what to wear, or they need to bring something to the party, the invitation is also the place to let them know about it.

Technological developments, particularly computers, have made invitations really cheap, easy to make and fast to send. For free invites, the best option is e-cards sent through emails. Another money-saving type is free printable invitations offered by various Web sites that can be printed and reproduced using a copier machine. If they would be made personally, ideas and design suggestions are available in the Internet by the thousands. Kits for making them are also available at very low prices. For really busy people, buying packaged, ready-made invites is a reasonable option. Savings can be earned from this last option by buying a larger number.

Invitations should always include the venue, date and time of the party. The theme of the event should also be reflected in the invitations. Before choosing them, take note of the kind of celebration that will be held; that is, whether it is a formal or an informal party. It might also be helpful to include the celebrant's telephone number or email address on the birthday invitations so that guests can confirm their attendance.

The invitation will usually be styled accoding to the celebrants wishes. This could mean a very vibrant happy happy card, or somewhat subdued.

Birthday-invite.com provides you with information on where to find stunning birthday invitations, or how to make them yourself! http://www.birthday-invite.com

Hurricane Season How Can You Prepare For It

Writen by Michael Bresciani

As we waited to return to the New Orleans area to see what was left of our house after hurricane Katrina, our area was visited by hurricane Rita and that storm summarily squashed any hope we had left of recovering anything. When we finally saw our house and our entire neighborhood, there was nothing to salvage and we could only stand in awe of the destructive power of these mighty storms. What did we learn from this experience? How can anyone prepare for these kinds of disasters?

We quickly learned that there is a short range preparation and an equally important long range preparation but sadly most people have not thought beyond the short range. Almost everyone knows the short range preparations as they are repeatedly issued each year. Boarding up doors and windows, removing objects that can fly around, and shutting off utilities like electricity and gas. Then there is the constant vigil of keeping up with the latest coordinates and the path of the storm, making arrangements for places to stay away from the storm area and the all important hurricane evacuation routes. These preparations are not to be taken lightly, but they are not all there is to think about.

I am not addressing the kinds of preparations that are needed to stay and ride out the storm because that is more like gambling than preparing. Evacuation is the only real option as the recent hurricanes have shown us.

After the blaming and fault finding following Katrina, local authorities, FEMA and the National Guard have made significant changes. For instance the National Guard now has officers and experienced coordinators stationed in the Gulf region to be closer to the areas most affected by hurricanes, at least during the entire span of time now known as the "Hurricane Season". New kinds of communication equipment are being employed that doesn't require external power and telephones that do not rely on over crowded relay towers are ready for use. Stores of food, water and medical supplies are now housed close to the most vulnerable areas of the coast for quick distribution as needed. All of this is good yet has nothing to do with personal long range planning on the part of those living in the storm prone areas of the coast.

The long range preparations are based on an outcome of the worst case scenario. Start with your insurance company. Premiums for hurricane and flood insurance are skyrocketing now throughout the three quarters of the American coastline where hurricanes are most likely to strike. That is an area from Maine to Texas. First be warned that reputation precedes reparation when it pertains to insurance companies. Choose a major company that has a history of standing behind their claims. Do your homework. Some of the insurance companies that serviced the New Orleans area have totally reneged on all their policies and others have gone under bankruptcy. I won't give you a list of the worst which may only be counter productive. But it behooves you to make a list of the very best ones.

After you have chosen a good insurer the next step is to read the fine print. The great controversy in New Orleans now is whether the damages were caused by the flood or the hurricane which broke the levees which caused the flood. Sound like double talk? It is. But it is how insurance companies are squirming out of billions of dollars in payments to their trusting customers. Thousands of Louisianans' were told they did not need flood insurance. Whether intentional or not, this piece of semantic wrangling is one way insurance companies have slipped pass their responsibilities in the greater New Orleans area. The truth is that unless homes were in a designated flood plain they were not "required" to carry flood insurance. Required and needed are words that are miles apart in meaning. Put simply, all homes on the coast "need "flood insurance whether it is "required" or not. Read the fine print or have your lawyer do it for you, this is indeed part of long range planning when it comes to storms.

Another long range bit of planning that was overlooked is having access to funds. If you are going to be far from home for an extended period consider this. In our growing cashless society we have come to depend on the use of the ATM. If your funds are in a smaller bank or a local bank you may not have access to your funds if communications are gone. Checks written from flood stricken areas are not often welcome for the same reason. Yes, you may have to actually carry some cash. Last but not least you must set aside every important document you have for quick access and carrying. If you lose everything you may not be able to prove who you are, where you work, bank or live without papers. You may find yourself unable to prove that you even own a house and banks or courthouses that are affected by the storm will not be able to help you either. You can go from a better homes and gardens kind of life to homelessness in the twinkling of an eye.

Another long range preparation has to do with the removal of valuables. We see pictures of people rummaging through their belongings after a storm trying to recover photos, papers, jewelry and other things, but that picture is not what you think. Houses hit by winds of over 125 miles an hour are taken away wholesale, large and small objects alike. In houses that are flooded, all but plastic and metal will remain. Anything porous wood, paper, fabric, etc. will be found in an indiscernible heap of smelly, musty and moldy refuse. Don't count on retrieving much from that. So save your jewelry and your papers and anything else deemed valuable and transportable before the storm hits.

Not much I know of can prepare someone for the emotional despair and shock from seeing all you're familiar with flattened or completely gone. Much worse is returning to find neighbors or friends gone or dead. Don't return to your area prematurely. Prepare yourself mentally. You may think you can handle it but all too often you will see the strongest people standing around the debris crying or looking bewildered. In fact ,some folks don't react for weeks or even months.

Depression and melancholy has sapped the gumption from many strong men and women who thought they could just bounce back. Part of long range planning then involves a mental and spiritual preparation for the return to your area. Talk with your most supportive family and friends before you just trot back to the scene. Seek counseling if your not sure yet and if you are a person of faith offer many prayers before your trek home again

Rev Bresciani has written many articles over the past thirty years in such periodicals as Guideposts and Catholic Digest. He is the author of two books available on Amazon.com, Alibris, Barnes and Noble and many other places. Rev Bresciani wrote "Hook Line and Sinker or what has Your Church Been Teaching You," publisher, PublishAmerica of Baltimore MD. He also wrote a book published by Xulon Press entitled "An American Prophet and His Message, Questions and Answers on the Second Coming of Christ." His book is now being heralded as the clearest book on the subject of the second coming of Christ since Hal Lindsey's "Late Great Planet Earth" Rev Bresciani's website is, http://americanprophet.org.

5 Steps To Get To Know About Your Ancestors

Writen by Adwina D. Jackson

It is always fun to discover who are our grandparents, great grandparents, etc, especially if they were popular and smart people in their times.

If you want to satisfy your curiosity about your ancestors, these are the steps you can follow. Reveal all the secrets you want to know about your family by:

1. Getting Started in Genealogy

Do you know that there's a study of family history? Yes, it's called genealogy. It will unlock the door to what your family has lived through and provide you with a look to the world that they were exposed to. You'll find that this is a very rewarding experience to be in.

2. Working on the Living Members of Your Family

Your family is a great source for genealogy research. The first thing that you will want to do is to work on names of ancestors by interviewing your families. What you'll do next is to try to construct a family tree based on the names that have been given to you. In these interviews, you can also ask anything you want to know about your ancestors. For example, your relatives perhaps can tell you about the cities in which your family members grew up in or whether someone was in war. These are informational pieces that you can use to begin your journey into the past.

3. Finding Sources for Genealogy Research

Be creative in finding information. Using the web is absolutely a helpful effort. For example, if you learn that your mother's grandfather was in the military, you may be able to find information based on this on the web. You could use old military records or even find info about something that he did heroically. These small pieces will open up the puzzle of your genealogy.

4. Taking Genealogy Research Further

As mentioned before, using the internet's wide resources is very advantageous. There are also other ways to take the research: using the online databases provided by church organizations, using message boards, joining forums, and writing or looking for genealogy blogs. You probably couldn't find the information you have been looking for by doing these, but at least they provide you with good advice on how to find your ancestors. If you become stuck and really want to track your family's history, consider calling on a professional genealogical individual to help you in the pursuit. Often, they provide more information because they have the necessary resources already established to help you.

5. Preserving Your Genealogy Research

When you have taken time to do all the searches and collected so much information about your ancestors, it is now time to preserve all the data safely. Probably the best way for you to do this is to secure the information in a genealogy software program. This program will not only offer you a place to store all valuable information that you have learned so far but also help you get more solutions to your needs. Your genealogy means everything to you and you must provide the best preservation for it.

About the Author: Adwina Jackson is a working mother of a gorgeous young boy. Join her free e-mail guides about Genealogy Guides at http://insparenting.com/reports/genealogy.php. Visit her daily blog now where you can get helpful parenting stories and tips on: http://www.insparenting.com

Which Air Purifier Is Right For You

Writen by Chris Lennon

Should you choose a whole house air purifier or a portable one room air purifier? Many people have come to the realization that just because their house and the air in it looks clean, doesn't necessarily mean it is. Small particles including pollen and dust can float in on the air and onto you furniture, or worse into your lungs.

If you have air conditioning in your house then you are already half way there to having a whole house purifier system – simply install a filter onto the end of your system. These filters generally consist of HEPA filters (High Efficiency Particulate Air filter) which remove over 99% of all air born particles.

If you don't have air conditioning in your house then it's perhaps best to consider a portable unit. Many of these, such as the popular Sharper Image Ionic Air Purifier can clean good size of space, usually enough for one or two rooms. Place the air purifier in the rooms you spend the most time, typically the lounge and the bedroom.

One important thing to consider is the amount of ozone an air purifier produces as too much ozone can irritate the lungs – an air purifier that produces less than 50 parts per billion ozone is plenty safe enough. Of course you don't get this issue with the HEPA system as it's a filter rather than a purifier.

Chris Lenon runs Air Purifiers Zone where he gives you the latest low down and reviews on air cleaning machines. His personal choice of air purifier is the Sharper Image Ionic Air Purifier, which looks good and is highly effective at cleaning the air you breathe.

Over Coming The Fear Of Moving

Writen by Scott Best

The fear of relocating is a real and devastating problem for some people. The anxiety of moving to a new state, town or even a new house can be overwhelming to some.

As hard as it might be to believe, there are tens of thousands of people who suffer from the fear of moving, or Tropophobia as it is called. It is a very real, diagnosable disorder that if left unchecked can have devastating consequences for those that suffer.

Tropophobia, is known by a number of names including the most common ones such as Fear of Moving, and Fear of Making Changes. To those that have never experienced any type of moving anxiety it might be hard to understand exactly how debilitating this disorder can be. For those that have at least been slightly anxious about moving to a new location, it would be a bit easier to understand how a disorder such as Tropophobia can be so debilitating, how it can have such a large impact on quality of life for those that suffer.

Some people live in the same state, the same town, even the same house their entire life and never think about or have need to even consider moving to a new location. Their lives are well rounded and well adjusted to their particular surroundings and they lead happy full lives. But there are those that will live with a fear, a fear of change, a fear that keeps them trapped in the same house, the same town, the same state, for years or even a lifetime.

Studies have revealed, especially in larger metropolitan areas such as New York and Los Angelis that people live their entire life in the same house, never venturing outside a mentally determined safe zone. Be that a borough area such as Brooklyn New York, or a neighborhood within that area. Stories continues to surface about people who know little about the world around them because they suffer from severe Tropophobia.

Trying to explain the thoughts and feelings of those that suffer is very difficult to put into words to give readers the ability to understand. It might be easier to understand if one were to state it like this. Imagine standing on a rocky cliff, with your feet already half way over the edge. Imagine looking down from that cliff and not being able to see the bottom, but only darkness as the distance falls away beneath your gaze. Imagine kicking a stone over the edge and waiting for the report of its hitting bottom, but never hearing it.

Now imagine if you will, that the world tells you that a better, more abundant life is right in front of you only a few steps away and all you must do is take a few more steps past the edge, from that edge you have been standing on, which from your point of view is the only stable ground you have left before falling into a bottomless pit.

Of course it's not quite that simplistic. To characterize in all the facets that make up the disorder would of course show it to be much more multi-dimensional. But the above illustration serves as an example for reference of thought.

Fear of Moving has the ability to devastate not only the life of the one who suffers from it, but also those lives around that person as well. Suffering from Tropophobia can cause loss of job opportunities or advancements or even loss of a career. If a spouse needs to relocate because of job, it can cause severe marital problems far beyond the normal pressures of such an event. Fear of moving, or fear of change can have not only devastating psychological effects, but damaging physical effects as a result of the anxiety as well.

Tropophobia is not always easy to spot as a disorder. Many people who have fear of moving don't realize it. They may have developed a sophisticated method of coping with the disorder that is capable of rationalizing any and all decisions they make in resistance to making change, reasons that may on the surface sound and look totally convincing. But when the rationalization runs out, and a problem is finally recognized, there is hope.

The hope is in that like every other phobia, Tropophobia can be treated, it can be over come.

Many times taking the first small step in treating it, will lead to giant steps forward in a very short time. In other cases, slow methodical steps toward treatment and recovery are needed. There are agencies and support groups that can help. If you suffer or know of someone who suffers from fear of moving, don't let it be in control. Take control and get the help needed to overcome and live a better life. The first step is realizing the fear, and the second is to take action against that fear.

Scott Best is a freelance writer associated with http://www.MovingHelpWeb.com This article courtesy of http://movinghelpweb.com. More articles about Moving Help are at http://movinghelpweb.com/newsletters/

Apartment Selection Tips

Writen by Michael Russell

When you decide to move, apartment selection can be a difficult task. Just how does one go about it properly? There are critical points that renters must bear in mind when they start looking. Let's take a look at some of the key factors that will make your apartment selection a far easier task to endure.

First, in the process of choosing your apartment, you will want to predetermine your monthly budget. If you determine your budget before you begin hunting for an apartment, you will be less apt to waste time viewing apartments that you cannot possibly afford. Therefore, with a budget set, you can begin scouting for apartments within your selected price range.

Next, while on the look out for various apartments, if you have children, you will want to review the various school districts. You can research almost any school district and see what a it has to offer your child by visiting the school district's website. Using your preferred search engine, simply search for the district you are considering and submit your search. Review the school's curriculum, the extra curricular activities and the like, to get an idea of how the school operates and what the school will expect from your child. There is no sense in renting an apartment you are not happy with unless you are also satisfied with the school district that your child will attend.

Third, when apartment scouting if you are an adult student or you have a child that will soon make plans to attend college, you may also want to consider checking out the nearby universities. You a may want to find out which are the closest to the apartments you are thinking about renting and you may also want to review the costs of tuition.

If you are looking to move into an apartment and you rely on public transportation to get from place to place, you might want to look into the type of that is readily available near any apartment you are considering. Are there buses that go by or near the apartment? Is there taxi service available? This is particularly important if you rely solely on public modes of transportation to get around.

When looking to rent a new apartment, you will also want to have an in depth discussion with the property owner. Advertisements that announce available apartments may not reveal the whole story when it comes to leasing an apartment because sadly, advertisement space is restricted. Will you be required to pay additional fees for trash removal? What about wate r- is there a fee you will have to pay that is separate from the rent for water usage? Are the utilities included? Can you get cable television access? What about high-speed Internet? All of these questions can be addressed by the property owner and are questions you should not hesitate to ask. Ultimately, your happiness with a location will depend upon what the site has to offer you in the way of services and amenities.

------------------------------------------------------- Michael Russell Your Independent guide to Apartment Selection -------------------------------------------------------

Why Asking For Help Makes Military Wives Stronger

Writen by Sarah Smiley

There are two things I hate doing: the lawn and the trash. When counting down the days until homecoming, some women choose to track paydays, school days, or Mondays. Me? I always counted trash days. "Just 12 more times of taking out the trash," I'd yell across the street to my neighbor as I rolled the can to the curb.

And when the cruise (my husband's first in 2001) was extended, not a neighbor was spared my ranting and raving over having to take out the trash "yet another two weeks!" Each time I rolled the green, heavy bin down the driveway, I considered it one of the most intolerable jobs of a Navy wife.

That same deployment my front yard was invaded with fire ants, crab grass, and some type of crepe myrtle fungus, which was never identified. I let these problems go "unnoticed," believing they might magically disappear and I wouldn't have to actually care for the grass myself.

And the yard problems did go away. My sympathetic neighbor next door became my complimentary yardman. (Although, I've always wondered if it was true charity which prompted him to mow my grass each week, or rather a fear that the chinch bugs would crawl over to his side.) Either way, I had free lawn service.

Occasionally, a neighbor would take pity on me and replace my trashcan back to the side of the house after the garbage men were done with it.

And once, when I had maggots in the bottom of the bin, a few men from the neighborhood were nice enough to dispose of them and Clorox the trashcan, and not tell me about the whole incident until a year later (they knew better).

"It takes a village to do Sarah's trash," one neighbor joked.

And sometimes it also took a village to change Sarah's flat tire, to kill big bugs in her living room, and to fetch her son's toy airplane that landed on the roof.

Towards the end of that deployment, I began to feel guilty. I wondered if I wasn't being strong enough and if I shouldn't take my title of "Navy dependent" so literally as to mean I was, well, dependent.

"Don't be silly," my neighbors would say. "We're glad to help." More than hanging a flag from their door, they said helping a Navy family made them feel like they were doing their part.

Surprisingly (to me), despite doing my lawn every week and occasionally my trash and home repairs, these neighbors often told me I was far from "dependent."

Instead of focusing on the things I was not doing myself, my neighbors were in awe at the things I had done alone. And most of these things (caring for sick babies in the middle of the night, dealing with emergencies), I had done without my realizing it or giving myself credit.

I learned that being strong and independent doesn't necessarily mean doing it all.

Most things in life do require a "village," and there are few people who can do everything themselves. It's OK to ask for and accept help. Most people are eager to give it.

We all have our limits (apparently mine are maggots and chinch bugs), and it's best if we know them. That's the true makings of a strong military wife.

About The Author You may reprint the above column on your website so long as the following is included the URL address is actively hyperlinked back. THIS MUST BE INCLUDED: Copyright 2004 Sarah Smiley http://www.SarahSmiley.com - Sarah Smiley's syndicated column Shore Duty appears weekly in newspapers across the country. Sarah@sarahsmiley.com

Funerals

Writen by Eddie Tobey

A funeral is a procession or ceremony held in connection with the burial or cremation of a dead person. A funeral is an assortment of customs according to one's religious affiliations and culture.

In the US and Canada, most funeral rituals are divided into three parts: visitation, funeral and burial. At the visitation ceremony, the embalmed body of the deceased is placed in a casket for friends and family to view the body. Usually, visitation takes place one or two evenings before the funeral, and most attendees sign a book kept by the deceased's survivors to record the feelings of the friends and family members. Sometimes, a family might also display photographs taken of the deceased during his lifetime, or some prized possession at the visitation. The ceremony usually ends with a prayer service, and in a Catholic funeral the ceremony might include a rosary.

The visitation ceremony follows a memorial service or funeral service, and generally take place at either a funeral home or church. The funeral service is often officiated by a clergyman and includes prayers, reading from the Bible, the singing of hymns and words of comfort by the clergy. Sometimes a relative or close friend also gives a eulogy detailing happy memories and achievements. Finally, the coffin is closed after the attendees view the deceased's body for the last time. The funeral service is concluded with a burial service, conducted at the side of the grave, tomb or crematorium, where the body is being buried or cremated at the conclusion. Sometimes, pallbearers or close relatives and friends of the deceased carry the casket from the chapel to the hearse and from the hearse to the site of the burial service. In some traditions, a meal or other gathering at the deceased's church or another off-site location follows the burial service.

Funerals are somber occasions, and etiquette demands that one should attend a funeral of a friend or acquaintance to pay his last homage to the deceased.

Funerals provides detailed information on Funerals, Presidential Funerals, Military Funerals, Readings for Funerals and more. Funerals is affiliated with Golden Caskets.

How To Execute A Wedding Plan Successfully Within A Short Period Of Time

Writen by Balajee Bashyaam

Wedding is one of the precious moments in everyone's life. Who on the earth will not want it to be a memorable day? No one I swear. So careful planning and execution of the same is very essential in wedding, is it not? Wedding is not a small function. There will be a big gathering of friends and relatives. Hence we need sufficient time to plan and conduct the wedding. Do you think that we cannot plan and execute the wedding in very short notice and still make it a memorable function? Not at all. Wedding can be planned and conducted well even if you have only a short time.

Sometimes one need to plan the wedding in a very short notice due to some unavoidable circumstances like bride or groom leaving for abroad owing to business requirement that cannot be postponed, love at first sight and lack of patience for bride or groom or both, impending pregnancies, military obligations etc. given below are few suggestions.

Wedding location

Wedding location is the first thing that you need to select. You need to forget about the prime spots and famous locations. You cannot think of churches for your wedding, because you are short of time. Never spend your time and energy on the above mentioned places. Mostly they would have been booked already.

There is no need to lose heart. There will be plenty of unconventional spots [restaurants, film locations, photo studios etc.] will be available. These places will be cheaper also. If the selected spot is restaurant, planning the food and drinks will be easy. We can save some time here.

There is nothing wrong in hiring a wedding planner. If the finance of yours doesn't allow, you can ask the wedding planner to locate the place only. The other arrangements can be done by you. Due to lack of sufficient time, you have to be flexible as far as the date, time and location of the wedding. You will have more options, if you are flexible.

Wedding dress and bridesmaid's dress

Traditionally one needs six months [at least] to order brides and bridesmaid's dress. As you don't have that luxury, you need to forget that option. Better not to spend time on enquiring the possibility of ordering the dresses for bride and bridesmaid. As an alternative get in to a bridal emporium that houses wide variety of readymade dresses for bride and bridesmaid.

If the wedding dresses don't fit in to your taste, you can even consider informal wedding dresses for your bride and bridesmaid. If you could not find a suitable dress for your bridesmaid, you can ask her to wear the best dress that she has already. No need to look for the dress of your taste in a single bridal emporium, you can visit as many as possible in the time allotted for the selection of dresses.

Invitations

There is no need for highly decorated and time consuming invitations. Make the message very crisp. Try to look for a printer who is nearby and have a short turn over time. Select the card that is available as you don't have the time to order for a card that you like.

Even if you need to pay little extra for the printer to work overtime, you can very well do that because you need time to mail it to your kith and kin's. Try sending the soft copy of the invitations to your friends through e-mail.

The food and cake

Try locating a place where the food and the cake can be ordered together. It is always better to look for a bigger catering company, so that they will not be totally booked. Try looking for Mexican type of food as the Italian and French type of restaurants are not easy to book.If the caterer is over booked you can order the cake in the local bakery. They can make a wonderful cake within a week's time. To save time you can order small display cake .for the guests you can give sheet cake cut in to small pieces.

By following the above mentioned tips one can save a lot of time and still plan and execute memorable wedding in a short period of time. The aim of the above mentioned tips were to save the precious time while planning a wedding and not to dampen the sprit and the sheen of the function.

Visit perfect wedding planning for more information on how to plan your wedding successfully. Also signup now at our wedding savings tips & ideas website and get your free copy of the famous ebook titled "Wedding Savings Revealed" which is a simple, step by step guide to throwing the most unforgettable wedding and how to letterally save thousands of dollars in the making!

Having The 40th Birthday Event

Writen by Gail Leino

In the past the 40th birthday marked the beginning of middle age for most people, but now a days with our ever increasing lifespan and healthy attitudes forty has become the new twenty. Some even look forward to their 40th birthdays as a chance to show that they still carry a passion for life. Try coming up with some wild and unique ideas for your fortieth birthday party. Go rock-climbing, head out to a club with the old friends for the first time in years, take a piloting lesson or even go bungee jumping.

The ruby is the traditional stone for the fortieth year because old myth stated that the ruby red color came from an inner fire that the stones held. At forty you certainly still have that inner fire yourself. A party with a red theme can be great for celebrating the 40th birthday. Buy some ruby red 40th birthday dangles, scatter some red glitter around the party area, and even a multicolored metallic star centerpiece can accent the sparkle at the party, especially when its base is wrapped in red metallic foil.

A 40th birthday party can also be bold. You are the star of the event, after all. Look for napkins, plates, and table covers with a dark background and the number forty boldly printed on the front in a lighter color such as blue or purple. You can accent these with plain black plastic silverware. Even party invitations can be found with this bold look.

Guests bringing presents to the party can focus on the ruby theme. If you want you can purchase a necklace or other piece of jewelry with a small ruby set in it. Or buy a ruby colored paperweight. Even the gift wrap can be that dark ruby red in color.

Mrs. Party... Gail Leino is the internet's leading authority on selecting the best possible party supplies (http://partysupplieshut.com), using proper etiquette, and living a healthy life while also teaching organizational skills and fun facts. The Party Supplies Hut has lots of party ideas with hundreds of free coloring sheets, printable games, and free birthday party activities. Over 100 adorable Party Themes (PartyThemeShop.com) to fit your birthday celebration, holiday event, or "just because" parties is at the Party Theme Shop. Party themes include cartoon characters, sports, movie, TV shows, luau, western, holidays, and unique crazy fun theme ideas.

How To Get The Max From Your Caterer

Writen by Ellen Zucker

Caterers have a tough job. They must produce tasty and tastefully presented dishes to large groups.

Sometimes very large groups.

The dishes have to be ready at the same time. And if the program runs early or late, the caterer has to be able to modify his preparation so the food can be served when the guests are ready.

Off premises caterers have an additional hurdle. They must do all of this on-site, where there may limited or no kitchen facilities available.

So they must bring it all of their tools-sometimes including the oven-and make certain the food stays at appropriate temperatures until ready.

Despite their challenges, they want to please you.

Fortunately chefs are well trained to handle many contingencies. And as creative people they can stretch to meet your needs and desires.

The key to getting the max from your caterer is communication. They will want to know your requirements early on. So be sure to voice your expectations and concerns.

And expect your caterer to offer alternatives if your expectations are difficult to carry off.

Here is one example. Perhaps you want your guests to have a choice of desserts-an option becoming more common. A good caterer may point out that you will pay much less if the guest makes their choice at the time they return their RSVP rather than choosing at the event.

If you can, it is well worth your time, or the time of your event planner, to meet with the chef. The chef will have a better understanding of your wants and needs and be able to meet your requirements more effectively.

Another key is respect. Chefs take justifiable pride in their creativity with food. Give the chef leeway within your general requirements and watch him (or her) fly.

Ellen Zucker provides caricature and psychic entertainment to hundreds of parties in the Philadelphia area turning them into events guests remember. Subscribe to It's My Party! and receive 5 Tips to Make your Party Memorable! absolutely free! http://www.facesandfortunes.com/freestuff.html mailto:Ellen@facesandfortunes.com or (215) 722 2453

Air Duct Cleaning Could Be The Healthiest Home Improvement You Will Ever Make

Writen by Pat Johnson

Your air duct system functions as the respiratory system of your home. When it becomes contaminated and congested, it should be cleaned so it can "breathe" normally and efficiently.

If you answer YES to any of the following questions, it may be time to have your air ducts cleaned.

-Does anyone in the house have allergies, asthma, or other respiratory problems?

-Does anyone in your family suffer from headaches, nasal congestion, or itchy eyes?

-Is there a smoker in the house?

-Do you have dogs, cats or other pets?

-Do you notice "musty" or "stale" odors when the furnace runs?

-Do you notice dust on your furniture shortly after cleaning?

-Does your furnace utilize a standard throw away filter?

Important Facts About Indoor Air Quality And Your Family's Health!

The quality of the air we breathe indoors has become an increasingly important environmental concern. Following are FACTS that have been determined by recognized authorities in the fields of health and air quality:

-Most people spend 60-90% of their time indoors. (American Lung Association)

-50% of all illnesses are either caused by, or aggravated by, polluted indoor air. (American College of Allergists)

-The levels of some hazardous pollutants in indoor air has been found to be up to 70 times greater than in outdoor air.

-Studies have shown that two out of three indoor air quality problems involve the Heating Ventilation System.

-One out of six people who suffer from allergies do so because of the direct relationship to fungi and bacteria in air duct systems. (Total Health and Better Health Magazines)

-10-12 Million Americans suffer from Asthma (American College of Allergists)

-Children and the elderly are especially affected by polluted indoor air. (Department of Consumer Affairs)

Dust, dirt, pollen, animal dander and other airborne contaminants are pulled into your air duct system every time the furnace runs. These contaminants build up inside the duct work over time and can help make your duct system an ideal breeding ground for mold spores, bacteria, fungus, mildew and other microbes. Each time the furnace is turned on, contaminants are spewed out and circulated throughout your home and affect the health and comfort of your family.

The removal of contaminants from the entire air duct system is recognized by industry experts as the most effective way to eliminate air duct pollutants.

Pat Johnson - President of Enviro-Pure Air Care, an Ottawa Duct Cleaning company located in Ontario, Canada Pat has many years experience in the Duct Cleaning Industry and has written numerous articles about Duct Cleaning practices. Copyright © 2005 megazowie

The Little Kid That Hunts Kids Amp Guns

Writen by Rick Johnson

Kids and Guns ------ I'm probably going to get a lot of negative feedback about this but so be it. Just prior to sitting down for Thanksgiving dinner I was reading the local newspaper and came across an article titled, "How young is too young to hunt?" The newspaper had a picture of a young boy, 6 years old holding a .223 caliber rifle with a scope. He was all dressed up in camouflage gear. The article talked about this young boy killing his first deer when he was five years old with one shot from his .223 caliber rifle. The boy himself was excited as he talked to the reporter.

"I shot it right behind the front shoulder. Dropped it right in its tracks," the boy said. This boy of six stands 4 feet tall and weighs 50 pounds. He's a good student that earned an award for responsibility in kindergarten that year. KINDERGARTEN!

But he'd rather be hunting. "I like it," he said. "Shooting a gun and shooting at the animals and killing them."

The article went on to talk about an eight year old girl that made headlines last month by shooting the first black bear of the season. This was in Maryland and there is no minimum age limit for hunting. You have to be sixteen or eighteen in most states to drive a car but you can shoot a .223 caliber rifle with a scope at 5 years old. Now, I have to say that although I am not a hunter, I am not opposed to hunting. I am also not opposed to guns. I own one myself. After all, it's legal to carry a concealed weapon in Florida (It's a matter of state pride that we return fire in a drive by!) But, I do shudder when I think about a five or six year old in the woods with a .223 caliber weapon, even if they are with their Father who may be an expert hunter. A .223 caliber rifle can kill someone or something a mile away. Beyond that, how do we determine that the maturity level and the responsibility level of a six year old are such that what is learned about weapons in the woods stays in the woods when that child begins to mature?

Yes, the federal government spent a lot of money on a study that said, "Guns do not turn children into criminals." This study concluded the best way to reduce firearm related violence is to buy them a gun and teach them how to use it responsibly. Give me a Break!

Let's not forget, guns are unregulated consumer products. In Texas guns are said to kill six children and teenagers every week of every school year. I personally believe that guns and kids are a volatile combination. Between 1996 and 2000, 1,541 children died in Texas from gun violence and for every child that died, four others went to the emergency room for gun related injury. Six out of ten child suicides are completed using guns. And this is just in Texas.

To close my RANT and OUTRAGE about a five year old with a .223 caliber rifle, I want to site a project called the "Lion & Lamb Links". This was a study that asked the question, "What do you think your pre-schooler would do if he or she found a real gun---- after repeatedly warned NOT to touch a gun." The results of this project are shocking.

First a police officer was brought into a class of 60 children. His message was clear and precise. "Don't touch guns --- they are deadly and dangerous. If you see a gun, leave the area. Tell an adult." The children were asked to repeat his words and they could answer his questions. They were later left alone with disarmed guns and the majority of the children picked them up and shot everything in sight. This was reported by Hardy in a NY Times editorial.

The second study with a different group of children lasted five days. The children were instructed on how to make good choices, how to resist peer pressure and how to distinguish toys from dangerous objects, guns. The results were the same. When left alone the children began playing with the guns just as group one did. Most of the six year olds could tell the difference between the toy guns and the real guns but they played with them anyway.

Ask yourself, would your kid play with a gun, even if you trained him in the woods to hunt? Does your six year old have the maturity to handle the knowledge about something as deadly as a gun?

I apologize in advance to my gun distributor friends. But I've got to say, I would be awful nervous hunting in the woods knowing there were 5, 6, 7 & 8 year olds in those woods with loaded rifles. In fact, you won't catch me near the woods during hunting season.

http://www.ceostrategist.com Dr. Rick Johnson (rick@ceostrategist.com) is the founder of CEO Strategist LLC. an experienced based firm specializing in leadership and the creation of competitive advantage. CEO Strategist LLC. works in an advisory capacity with distributor executives in board representation, executive coaching, team coaching and education and training to make the changes necessary to create or maintain competitive advantage. You can contact them by calling 352-750-0868, or visit http://www.ceostrategist.com for more information. CEO Strategist – experts in Strategic Leadership in Wholesale Distribution.

Child Care Where Do Your Dollars Go

Writen by Michael Russell

In this article we're going to discuss where the money you spend on child care actually goes.

Believe it or not, for your average American family of 3 or more, child care expenses are 4th, right behind housing, food and taxes. Because child care is so expensive, the parents paying for this care think that the providers and centers themselves are rolling in dough. The sad truth is, this is just not the case. So hopefully this article will give you a pretty good idea of where your child care dollars go.

The first and probably most important part of good child care is having enough qualified people to run a child care center. The younger the children at the care center are the more people that are needed to take care of them because very young children need individual attention, unlike centers with older children that can work in groups or are even independent. It is because of this need that personnel costs at a care center can be as much as 50% or more of their total budget and operating expenses. The other 50% is taken up by space, or the rent or mortgage on the building, insurance, teaching supplies, snacks, and utilities.

Over the years these fixed costs have risen dramatically with the price of food, oil and insurance skyrocketing because of fraud, arson and other criminal activities. In spite of this, the fees that the centers charge have remained pretty much the same when adjusted for inflation. To translate that into numbers, that means that child care teachers salaries have dropped 25% since the 1970s.

The sad fact is, the salaries paid to child care workers are way below what they should be making and because of that, it is hard to find highly qualified people. In 1995 it is estimated that child care teachers earned about $15,000 per year on the average, which is not much over the poverty level. Assistant teachers were only making an average of $11,000 per year in the same time period. Even in comparison to the teachering profession in elementary schools, these salaries are considered low.

It is because of these low salaries that staff turnover at care centers is so high. This should be a concern for parents because high turnover prevents their children from getting the personalized care that they are entitled to. With high turnover the relationship between caregiver and child is usually very impersonal and cold. This is not a good environment for your child. As a result of this a child's language and social skills develop slower than with children who get proper care.

The solution to this problem is to work with government to get proper funding for these facilities and also to work with the facilities themselves. Get all the information you can about the facility in your area. Find out if the teachers have paid sick leave and benefits. If not, campaign for these things. Make your voice heard. Let those responsible for funding these facilities know that you're not satisfied with the level of care.

You may be surprised to find out that there are people in government who will listen, especially if they have children themselves.

------------------------------------------------------- Michael Russell Your Independent guide to Child Care -------------------------------------------------------

A Time Before Clock And Watches A Series Part 1

Writen by Thomas G. Young

How Time Was Measured Before the Clock

How many times have you wondered, "What time is it?" and turned to your wrist only to find you forgot to put on your watch. We have become so programmed to know what time it is and schedule our lives around it that it is second nature to bend your arm, turn your wrist and get the answer. It has not always been so easy, or even necessary as you will see by looking back to a time before clocks and watches.

Like Night and Day

The precision with which we measure time today is light years away from how it was done, not so long ago. Time was once measured completely by the universe around us – and still is in a sense when you understand the science and physics behind the measurement of time and what makes a clock work (more on this in part 2). What earlier civilizations knew and relied upon each day was that the sun came up and went down and that block of time became a day. To measure greater expanses, the moon and its reliable cycles were also observed. The moon was used to measure the time period which came to be known as a month – more technically a lunar month of 28 days – or the time it took for the moon to go from new to crescent to full and new again.

Ancient Civilization

Even more than just observing the moon, sun, and planets, there are artifacts that show us that time was measured a bit more precisely. Early calendars and "clocks" were found in what is now Iraq, once the dwelling place of the ancient Sumerians, and consisted of a calendar that was divided into 30 day segments according to the cycle of the moon. It was then divided into 12 sections which corresponded to 2 hours of today's time. Further, the calendar was sectioned off into 30 more parts equivalent to 4 modern-day minutes.

Stonehenge is located in England and was built more than 4,000 years ago. Not much is completely understood about this mysterious structure, but the way it is positioned has scientists believing that it somehow was used to record seasons and the phenomenon of lunar eclipses and the like.

Sundials

The Sumerian culture passed away without the information about their timekeeping being discovered until more modern times. The next phase of more precise time measurement was used by the Egyptians. They created the Obelisk around 3500 BC which looked like today's Washington Monument, well-known to visitors of the Nation's capital. This tall, tapered monument would cast shadows throughout the day, but was primitive still in how closely the time periods could be measured. It mostly reflected a change between morning and afternoon, and how the days would get shorter or longer with the seasons.

The sundial on the other hand was first used about 1500 BC and was a much smaller and more portable timekeeping device. It was divided into 10 equal parts with two additional segments representing twilight and dawn. The sundial itself then emerged from a horizontal plate to a bowl shape with pointer and inscribed lines to mark off the hours. It is believed that by 30 BC there were more than 13 different styles of sundials used in the evolving societies of Asia Minor, Italy, and Greece.

When one thinks about the precision of a finely crafted Swiss timepiece it is hard to imagine a time when time was so ambiguous. Could society function without time measurements to the very minute? Perhaps in another millennium society will wonder how we functioned living in just one time.

This is the first of a series of articles on the evolution of time measuring and how timepieces come to become what they are today.

Thomas Young is a watch collector. Visit http://www.internationalwatchclub.com for information on over 200 different brands of watches, including popular brands like Citizen Watch and Rolex Watch. It is purely an informational site.

Unique Gift Ideas

Writen by Richard Romando

There are a lot of unique gift ideas to choose from. Gifts for men, women and kids are often the easiest choices. There are unique gifts for everyone on your list, so depending on whom you are buying for; the following are some unique gift ideas.

If you're buying for a fitness fanatic, a gym or spa membership gift certificate will surely be well received. If you're on a budget, get your loved one a “free-trial membership,"" with a one-day personal trainer. A day at the spa with a body massage and facial included is always nice for your female friends.

Monthly club subscriptions are generous gifts and depending on your friend's interest you can enroll them in a 12-month program for books, flowers, coffees, fruits, etc.

Prepaid long-distance calling cards are great for kids in college or parents who are miles away. Prepaid Internet cards are appreciated by anyone who is about to purchase a computer. The card will allow them to explore the Internet and other features like email, chat, games, etc.

Gift baskets can be as unique as you want it to be. Most gift basket shops will custom make any basket you request, or you can purchase separate items and create your own basket.

If money is no object, resort accommodations for a weekend getaway for two as a unique gift idea will never be forgotten. Or, if the gift is meant to be extra special, travel and tour packages can be found at any travel agency or online.

Unique Gifts provides detailed information on Unique Gifts, Unique Gift Ideas, Unique Baby Gifts, Unique Wedding Gifts and more. Unique Gifts is affiliated with Unique Gifts Online.