Goodbye My BULLIED Baby

Victim of the school bully

Many parents feel the pain for their bullied baby and feel helpless to make matters better either because the child is to afraid to name the perpetrators or denies blatantly that they are are a victim of abuse regardless of the bruises, torn clothing, and the fresh black eye every week.

Children wrapped up in their winter woollies for school because mum is protecting them from Jack Frost.

In summer mum's protect with sun block and then protection takes place again with a healthy lunchbox full of Jamie Oliver's goodies. But are we the parents protecting them the right way. The smile on your child's face is about to be wiped off by the school bully as he/she waves goodbye to mummy and daddy at the door.

The only company that your child has on his/her way to school is fear, fear of what is around the corner will it be a fist or a kick. My heart aches to think the mental pain this child who forever looking over their shoulder must be feeling.

We all know fear where our stomach fills with butterflies followed by spewing up the guts. For god sake how are these kids coping with the mental physical pain Will it ever end; even tortured by nightmares in their sleep and in some unfortunate cases the abused victim makes sure they never wake again.

Tackle a bully with a bully I say instead of committing them to a correction centre where life is made far too easy. Bullies aren't so hard when confronted by a victim's big brother/sister or member of the family. If you are a victim of abuse please talk to mum dad or teacher.

Do not be afraid of the bully now you have spoken out, your tormentor will still cause pain, only this time you have the last laugh because you gave them a reason and into the bargain they get to look over their shoulder now the authorities are onto them.

I can assure the bully that memories of their playground days will come back to haunt them. You will grow up hating yourself. No doubt you have nice side so put it to use to gain friends not enemies. The next blow you cast could be fatal.

Parents check daily for signs of abuse, you may notice a change in personality marks like bruising or cuts. Look for ripped clothing or money going missing, your child may be funding the bully's pocket. This is a fragile situation so handle with care, we do not want the child to feel they are being bullied by their own flesh and blood.

Offsprings leave and marry and unfortunately abuse may continue. Parents are not immortal so when the time comes to leave our kids to defend for them selves is out of our control.

Put a protection plan into force today with online education. Today' society is about survival. By giving your child a decent education they get to make decisions for them selves not have them made by others. Online education is the only way forward and if your child feels that enough is enough and wants to make a stand then the art of self defence can be found online too.

Want revenge on the playground bully without using violence. Then success is the sweetest revenge and if that means more education on how to excel then sweet is sweeter than sweet. Check out http://www.allaboutonlineeducation.com

Facing up to a bully is hard but the right education behind you on how to tackle an imbecile is a great start. By learning the art of self defence you can tackle any bully.. Want results http://www.allaboutonlineeducation.com

Old House Remodeling: Removing Old Tile and Glue

When you live in old house like I do, remodeling is always a challenge and a surprise. I am currently involved in a major kitchen remodel. Our kitchen like many kitchens, has seen better days. It was installed in the house was built back in 1945 and I'm sure it's has served its previous owners well. However, modern kitchens are large and open. This kitchen, like most kitchens of its era, a small enclosed off. We decided to open the kitchen out by removing part of the wall, removing old tile from the walls, and updating the entire kitchen with new cabinets and appliances.

Our first surprise came when we moved the refrigerator from its current location. The refrigerator sat up on a platform about 1 inch off the kitchen floor. We never gave it much thought and assumed that it had always been like that. When I move the refrigerator and lifted up the old flooring, I discovered why. Plumbing from the sink did not go through the floor to join a drain pipe in the basement. It did, however, run across the floor and under the refrigerator. This required some major engineering to move the drain line for the new sink and dishwasher.

Surprise number two was the ceramic tile on the walls. The ceramic tile wound up not being ceramic tile at all! It was tin tile that was glued to a masonite backing board. The backing board was itself glued to the plaster walls and nailed every eight to 10 inches. So while the tiles came down very easily using just a screwdriver, getting they masonite backing board off the plaster was a nightmare. Not only were the plaster walls full of holes from the nails, big globs of glue was smeared all over the walls. At first I tried sanding. All that did was create a cloud of dust. After two hours of creating dust clouds I had only managed in clearing off a 2' x 2' square area. I talked to a number of contractors who only shook their heads and offered me luck in removing the glue from the walls. Someone suggested I use glue remover but I didn't want the fumes in the house. Someone else suggested a strong scraper but I wasn't strong enough to remove this glue. Finally, someone suggested a heat gun. I was skeptical. How would a little heat gun remove 60 years of hard and glue? Much to my surprise, it worked! Now it didn't work easily. It was still a lot of hard work, but by working slowly, and steadily, I was able to remove all remnants of glue in about four days.

I hope this tip and technique helps you if you ever encounter a similar situation. I know what I first started removing the glue from the wall, I would get discouraged thinking it would never end. However, by working slowly and steadily, I managed to get a little bit done each and every hour. I took frequent breaks, and went outside for a breather every couple of hours. It didn't help that I was doing this in the middle of summer when the temperature was in the 90s. However with perseverance, this task can be finished easily. And if you do it yourself, you'll save all the money that you would pay contractor to do the exact same thing.

Dean Novosat is an avid do-it-yourselfer and remodeler. He writes for http://build-decks-patios.com, http://for-gadget-guys.com, and http://www.the-kitchen-designer.com

Orec XLR Robotic Vacuum and Air Purifier

Today we see awesome vacuum cleaners and little robotic vacuum cleaners. We see in catalogs special air purifiers like the Ionic Breeze and on Television the Orec XL home air purifier. We also see robots, which can entertain us in the form of household size robotic replica pets. All these are some great innovations indeed and all are very worthy of mention. Yet, one has to wonder why we cannot have an all-in-one? And why not, we consumers seem to have an appetite for consumer personal tech products. The average American Household was recently surveyed and found to have 25 personal tech electronic devices each. Is it possible to put these features all together and make a more efficient household robotic assistant? I believe it is possible. How so you ask?

I propose that the Orec Vacuum Cleaner Company, which was nearly destroyed in the Hurricane Katrina, develop the ?Orec XLR Robotic Vacuum and Air Purifier? which will vacuum like the iRobot Romba, but also clean the air while doing so. This way you get a real powerful clean up, while cleaning all the dust in the air and ?Animal Dander? which we are told exists too? As consumers we know that when we want something, some entrepreneur will produce it if he or she can make money doing it. So what are they waiting for? I do not have time to vacuum, I must go workout and get rid of this unsightly holiday belly bulge, because diet failure is not my fault. Think on this in 2006.

Lance Winslow

Corporate Mommies

Depending on what generation you are from, you might remember a time when fathers went to work, while mothers stayed home with their children. Those who are members of the ?baby boomer? generation may be able to relate. It seems as though some of the members of the baby boomer generation set a trend that stated ?moms can do it all?. It was during the baby boomer generation that several mothers moved toward joining the corporate world. Child daycare services became very popular among several American households. Other fast growing trends were TV dinners, microwaves, and fast food. Hence, the baby boomers produced what is known as Generation X.

The Generation Xers decided to take the statement ?moms can do it all? to a higher level. Not only were mothers removed from the home and into the workforce, but fathers were removed from the home permanently or were never apart of the home in the first place. During Generation X and currently, the divorce rate sky rocketed to an all time high?even within the church. Now, we move on to the present generation?Generation Rx.

Generation Rx is currently populated with young children, teenagers, and young adults who abuse drugs. Because so many children are abusing drugs, society has marked this entire generation with the term Rx. As sad as this may sound, ?the truth hurts? has proven itself several times over. It is strongly suggested that Generation Rx was directly affected by the revolution of mothers going into the corporate workforce and fathers not present in the home. As a result, these children are either spending countless hours away from their homes or at home alone. With mom at work and dad living outside the home, who is rearing today?s generation?

Currently there is a wide variety of mothers who have joined forces to commit themselves to their number one purpose?raising children. Some new-age mothers have become what are known as work-at-home moms. They are still in some form a part of the corporate world, except they are working from within the home.

Corporate moms earn a living while staying home to raise their children. Let's not forget our work-at-home dads. They are setting a new trend as well. If you feel torn between spending more time with your children and working full-time, you may want to consider working from home. Whether you own your own home-based business or work for someone else, you will reap many benefits. You set your own hours and vacation days, all while enjoying the gift of spending time with your family. What a way of getting the best of both worlds.

Maria Romain, president of Academic Success Management, Inc. is a writer for Corporate Snobs, a web-based company that offers the most unique corporate gifts. Find more articles on wonderful business gift ideas by visiting today.

How to Use Harry Potter to Teach Your Children About Bravery

If a child's fun comes naturally why do they quickly learn to be afraid as they grow older? We adults are responsible. We, of course, are merely teaching our children the rules as we were taught; passing along our fears to our children comes as naturally for us as being too serious (and being too serious, in turn, comes from our fear).

Watch children. Left to their own devices a child's fun comes naturally, they are not inclined to be afraid. We instill it in them. I'm not referring to being afraid to cross a street, touch a hot iron, or play with matches. Those are good, healthy fears that our children need. The fear I refer to is the illusionary variety; fears like scarcity, failure, and unworthiness only exist in our mind and, therefore, are only real if we decide they are.

Seriousness Holds Us All Back...and Eventually Kills Us

Fear is the root cause of the single greatest debilitating force in our society - seriousness. Seriousness is all about taking yourself too seriously and it is a deadly habit deeply ingrained, unfortunately, in a majority of our society. The major symptom of seriousness is stress and, to be convinced, one only need see that over 80% of all doctor's appointments are now stress related. In fact every major disease plaguing western civilization (depression, heart disease, high blood pressure, chronic pain, obesity, arthritis, cancer, etc.) is directly related to stress.

Fortunately, my decades of research and medical practice have identified the single most effect treatment for seriousness - The Fun Factor. My own experience with The Fun Factor has revealed the deceivingly simple but powerful nature of this lifesaving tool. I have helped patients use The Fun Factor for decades, with results people rave about. I now share The Fun Factor with people all over the world. Its rapid success formula is just what the doctor ordered.

My son, Greg, has become an expert with my unique prescription, The Fun Factor, using it to banish the killer seriousness that fear produces. Free from seriousness, he is employing fun to escape the illusionary fears that have haunted him since young adulthood. Just as it did for me, The Fun Factor has opened doors of opportunity that he never dreamed possible. Primarily the opportunity to live a life of love, hope, and abundance instead of a life of fear and seriousness.

Greg, in turn, wants to pass the gift of The Fun Factor to his three children - my grandchildren. Recently, my grandchildren's love of the Harry Potter book series gave Greg a great idea that his sons have embraced. I hope this report will help you introduce this concept from Harry Potter just as Greg has done. Imagine the successful life that awaits a child who has grown up with the keys to escape having seriousness and fear instilled in them!

How Can Harry Potter Teach Us About The Fun Factor?

In the third Harry Potter book we are introduced to scary creatures called Dementors. Dementors are as frightening as their name implies. Invisible apparitions capable of more than merely haunting you; Dementors will suck out your soul, leaving you worse than dead. Don't Harry Potter's Dementors sound just like our illusionary fears? Our fears haunt us just like Dementors, appearing without invitation and leaving us despondent and immobilized.

Also in the third Potter book, Harry Potter learns a powerful spell called the Patronus, which is capable of chasing away Dementors. When Harry chants the incantation and thinks a positive, happy thought, a beautiful, helpful spirit appears from his magic wand to banish whatever Dementors are bothering him. Harry's ability to conjure powerful Patronus' increases the more he practices this spell.

Doesn't Harry Potter's spell remind you of how I teach you to use the powerful natural medicine of humor? In The Fun Factor, I reveal not only your power and ability to think positive thoughts, but also your responsibility to do so. As you learn to use your humor nature to develop positive attitudes, you are, literally, conjuring a Patronus to dispel your seriousness and fear. Harry Potter's Patronus is a real thing!

It's Easy to Use Harry Potter's Magic

As adults we can revel in two pieces of great news:

• We cannot hold two conflicting thoughts simultaneously.
• Since our fears and seriousness are illusions, we can easily replace those thoughts if we choose to.

As a child's fun exemplifies, wouldn't you love to live a life where fear and seriousness didn't dictate your choices and decisions? Learning to use more productive and effective attributes like your sense of humor, self-awareness, and imagination is as simple as using The Fun Factor. As simple as deciding to change what you're thinking about on a moment-to-moment basis. Are you willing to conjure Harry Potter's Patronus today rather than suffer from a haunting, immobilizing, and imaginary fear?

You know from past experience that a Patronus is a real thing, in the sense that a positive attitude dispels a negative outlook. What a gift you can give to supercharge your child's fun by teaching him/her this skill at an early age! And Harry Potter is a great, and easy, way to do it.

The Introduction of the Harry Potter Lesson

According to Greg, his introduction of the Harry Potter concept to my grandsons went like this:

Greg: Hey guys, do you remember the Patronus spell from Harry Potter?

Jordan and William: Yes.

Greg: What does it do?

J & W: The Patronus comes out and chases away the Dementors.

Greg: What is Harry's Patronus?

J & W: The spirit of Harry's dad.

Greg: That's right. Harry's Patronus is a beautiful memory he has of something very important to him.

Greg: Did you know that the Patronus spell is real?

J & W: What?!

Greg: Yes. When you are being bothered by fears or worries of any kind, if you think about something you love, or are excited about, or that makes you happy, your worries or fears will disappear.

Greg: What are some things that you love or that make you happy to think about?

J & W: You and Mommy...Christmas...Halloween...Nanny and Pop Pop, Grandgapop and Baba (Grandparents)...our kitties...Ms. Hardin and Ms. Miller (teachers)...our cousins...our friends...our toys...going to the movies...going on vacation...etc.

Greg: Those are all wonderful thoughts. Anytime you are scared or worried, if you think about things like that - you are actually performing a magic spell! You are conjuring a Patronus! Because your worries and fears are just like Dementors and thinking about Mommy and Daddy will make the Dementors go away.

J & W: You mean, like if we have to go to the bathroom at night and we think there is a monster in the hallway? All we have to do is think about something we really love and we won't be scared anymore?

Greg: Exactly! Or if you're worried about what someone thinks about you or if you're scared that something bad is going to happen to you. Almost all of your worries and fears are of imaginary things. And if you think about something you love, that imaginary thing scaring you will go away.

Greg: And remember how Harry's Patronus got more powerful each time he cast the spell?

J & W: Yes.

Greg: Your Patronus will get more powerful too, each time you do it!

I have had numerous follow-up conversations with my grandsons about this topic and they have really taken the lessons of Harry Potter's Patronus to heart. I hope you can use this powerful lesson with your children and start them on the road to fun, success, health, and vitality.

Not all of us were lucky enough to encounter The Fun Factor at an early age; our fun was, to our detriment, quickly replaced by the seriousness of adulthood! Give the gift of The Fun Factor to your young family members and help them hold onto their sense of fun, avoiding the missteps that spring from our adult fear and seriouness.

Discover the secrets of a (formerly) stressed-out physician. A psychiatrist, and a stand-up comedian, Cliff Kuhn, M.D., dispenses his unique prescription for using humor to turbo-charge your health, success, and vitality via his website, http://www.natural-humor-medicine.com. Here you will find tons of fun, free ways for you to maximize your sense of humor and enjoy a life others will admire.

10 Signs That Your Teen Is Using Drugs

Did you know that over 75% of teens aged 16-17 report that obtaining marijuana is ?easy or fairly easy?? Or that 25% of youths between 12 and 17 say the same of crack?

When children start using drugs they usually exhibit many different signs that parents need to watch out for. Unfortunately, many parents often write-off these signs as normal adolescent behavior and as a result they don't realize that their child is into drugs until it is too late. How can you as a parent know for sure whether or not your child is in danger of falling into drugs? Know that every child is in danger of this. Parents who fail to recognize this will stay in this state of denial till their son or daughter is arrested or overdoses -- and by then it is too late. So what should you as parents be looking for as signs that your child is experimenting with drugs or alcohol?

* Dramatic changes in attitude or personality.
* New friends who may exert peer pressure on your child.
* Problems at school, such as falling grades or increased tardiness.
* Increased withdrawal, depression, or secretiveness.
* Changes in sleep patterns.
* Increased or decreased appetite.
* Dilated, red, or glossy eyes.
* Escalating verbal or physical abuse. * Dramatic mood swings.
* Need for additional money.

Drug use can lead to a host of significant health, social, learning and behavioral problems at a crucial time in a young person?s development. Getting high also impairs judgment, leading to risky decision making on issues like sex, criminal activity or riding with someone who is driving high.

If you believe that your child may be using alcohol or drugs, don?t overreact. Some of the warning signs listed above may be normal for your teen and some signs may have other causes. One cannot ignore the reality of teenage drug and alcohol abuse, however, so the presence of three or more of these warning signs should prompt a discussion with your teen and an evaluation of whether professional help is needed. For more advice, or to locate the right treatment facility for you, contact your pediatrician or call the Center for Substance Abuse Referral Help line at 1-800-662-HELP.

Nicole Brownfield
I hope you found this article both informative and enjoyable. Please feel free to contact me with questions or comments at: jnb8788@aol.com

Teaching Your Kids Conflict Resolution

If you're like me, you want to teach your kids how to resolve their little conflicts by themselves. Tattling is inappropriate attention-seeking behavior, and the tattler is rarely 100% free of responsibility.

Unless someone is bleeding, coughing up a lung or otherwise in danger, the rule in my house is: no tattling. Besides, a parent could spend their entire day mitigating sibling skirmishes! While saving yourself time, you could be teaching them an invaluable life skill.

Here is a great formula for conflict resolution:

1) Tell the person what you didn't like

2) Tell the person how it make you feel

3) Tell the person what you want in the future

4) Person responds with what they can do.

Here is how this played out earlier in my home.

7 Year Old comes up to me with that distinctive informer sing-song voice.

Mommmeeee, 4 Year Old said SHUT UP to meeeee....!

I feel tension because he knows the rule about tattling but I supress the urge to punish him.

7 year old, I just wrote down this neat thing you can do to resolve conflicts with other people. I put it here on the fridge where everyone can see it. Do you know what conflict means?

No.

Conflict is when two people are arguing. So here goes...

And I explain the method. Then, I walk him into the playroom where 4 year old is hiding. (He has learned that shut up has much power over 7 year old but since Mommy doesn't allow shut up he fears a little time-out reminder.)

I walk 7 year old through it while 4 year old emerges from his hiding place.

4 year old, I don't like it when you say shut up to me. It makes my feelings hurt. Next time I want you to not say shut up.

I ask 4 year old what he can do next time.

Um.....I can say sumfin nice.

Said children are playing in the living room again.

Mission Accomplished!

Carrie Lauth is the host of http://www.NaturalMomsTalkRadio.com She publishes an informative newsletter for Moms doing things the natural way. Get your copy plus free all natural skin care recipes at: http://www.Natural-Moms.com

Lawn Tractors Were Never a Chore

I still remember the day my father got his first of many lawn tractors. We had a many acre lawn back then and he was incredibly relieved to be rid of the push mower. For me, it made the prospect of doing chores exciting. Getting on the lawn tractor was a privilege in those days and I begged for the opportunity to cut the grass for my father.

Back then lawn tractors were never much for speed or ease of use. Turning it on was always a difficult job. My father usually had to do it and then it was a struggle to get me on without initiating the emergency shutoff. Once I got going though I?d easily be on it for hours; not just because the lawn required it but because I enjoyed steering so much that I would end up missing big sections of grass.

One of the next lawn tractors he got was much easier for me to start but by then I was big enough to start the other anyway. Unfortunately for my father I was also driving by then so the novelty of being able to steer a motor vehicle around the back yard was no more. Not that I stopped doing it; it?s just that it became a chore and, as such, was preceded by typical parental threats.

These days lawn tractors come fully loaded with all kinds of perks and are far more pleasurable to use then the old clunker my dad first had. The lawn tractors people are using today, or the ones they should be getting themselves at any rate, are getting closer to luxury vehicles then gardening tools. Lawn tractors now come with comfortable seating, quieter engines, more efficient blades and even cup holders. That?s what I was missing on my dad?s old riding lawn mower, a place to put my soda!

Van Whitsett has published a number of articles, both online and offline. To learn more about lawn tractors, please visit: Lawn tractor

The Basics of Cool Baby Shower Themes

This article will discuss several affordable and cool baby shower themes. You can give a baby shower anytime during the pregnancy or even after the baby is born, though it is customarily given during the last couple of months of the pregnancy.

One of the most affordable and cool baby shower themes is a garden tea party. This cool baby shower theme can be decorated according to the baby?s gender; in pink, blues or yellows and greens. To pull of this simple and elegant theme, all you need is some fresh flower centerpieces, pretty or fancy teapots, plates and cups (these can be borrowed from a relative or friend). Cover the tables with fancy tablecloths and use formal dinnerware. Start the shower with offering the guests an assortment of different teas and scones. You can also serve fresh fruit, different salads, croissants and cold cuts, quiches and other light fare.

Another cool baby shower theme is the book party baby shower, where guests are asked to give their favorite childhood books instead of gifts and cards to the baby-to-be. A sweet idea is to have each guest write about why their favorite book has special meaning in the front cover. You can also decorate according to different story themes or the mother-to-be?s favorite story. This cool baby shower them can also be co-ed.

A cool baby shower theme for a second or third time mother-to-be, who already has the essentials, is a diaper party. Have the guests bring packages of diapers or wipes in lieu of gifts and make sure that they buy several different sizes, you really don?t want to have 10 packages of newborn size diapers that the baby will outgrown before wearing them all.

For more information concerning baby showers, please visit: The Baby Shower Zone a website that specializes in baby showers and The Basics of Cool Baby Shower Themes

Villa Sibillini A Moving Tale

There have been many books written about moving abroad, and they are all very good but in their own way they are boring, I found my house, renovated it, and now I live here, boring or what? Moving to France, Spain or Italy is a big decision and we chose the latter in the winter of 2002, at the grand old age of fifty, I think I found my second childhood, my children were all grown up and it was now time to think for myself, and of course for my darling wife, so me (David) and my wife Pam took the leap into the unknown and moved to Italy, dragging our daughter Georgina with us. We found, bought, restored and old farmhouse and opened Villa Sibillini Country House in February 2003. So that?s us - but believe me we have never had so much fun. The following short stories are mostly about me and the trouble I get myself into, laugh at me or cry with me it?s up to you.

Rubbish

As you can imagine running a hotel with a restaurant and bar, serving breakfast, lunch and an evening meal can and does leave you with a mountain of rubbish, so most mornings in peak season I am moving about 5 bags of rubbish. In Italy we have green bins at the side of the road, so after breakfast I load up my Land Rover with my five or six sacks and head off to my nearest bin.

However on this particular morning my closest bin was full so I headed to the next one, which is perched on the side of a hill. I park my car next to the bin throw open the lid and start to un-load my rubbish. Sack four, five and finally sack six. Now it is as sack six hits the bin that I realise something is moving, is it my car? No, that?s ok, is it me? No, it?s the bin! The green bin is taking off??.. Instinct tells you to grab hold and stop it, which I did, but then I started to move down the hill, so I let go and for the following seconds I was transfixed as the bin followed every contour of the lane and then turned right at a junction. Time to leave, I left still with the vision of the bin taking it?s self for a drive.

The next day I had a call from some friends asking how we were and they explained how some yobs had emptied the contents of a green bin in their front garden, I was of course shocked that such a thing could happen. Needless to say I have never been back to that particular bin.

High Octane RC Cars The Ultimate Toy for Both Kids and Adults

The need for speed is in all of us. No matter if it's buried deep down inside you, its there, just waiting to be satisfied. Youll know it when you pick up a remote control, pull a trigger and see an RC car shoot by you faster than what you ever thought was possible. Super fast RC cars and trucks will elicit a weird, awe-struck smile from 8 year olds and 50 year olds alike.

Some of the fastest RC cars and trucks come prepared as ready-to-run/race or RTR. The RTR RC vehicles are available at many hobby stores, but to find the greatest deals, you don't need to look further than the computer your sitting in front of. Retailers online of RTR RC trucks, cars and boats most often provide a broader selection of trucks, cars and boats than even the largest hobby stores. Also, since they dont have a physical store to maintain, they can offer products to you a lot cheaper than a typical hobby store.

There are a few different types of RC vehicles available and its expensive to learn which type would best suit its driver. A basic model RC car is the battery powered type. Many advancements have taken place in battery power output, especially with NiMh and L-I batteries (Nickel Metal Hydride and Lithium Ion, respectively) becoming more popular and widely available. The result has been faster battery powered RC trucks, cars and boats and theyre a good bet for younger children who might not foresee the dangers of running a 70Mph gas powered RC car into a brick wall or something else much more expensive like Dad's new car for example.

Gas powered RC cars, trucks and boats have been around for awhile and ready-to-run models can reach top speeds of 50+Mph. Thats fast, plain and simple. With a little know-how and the proper parts, anyone is capable of upgrading their rc vehicle to reach even faster top speeds. The gas powered RC vehicles start at around $100.

The nitrous powered RC vehicles are a combination of gas powered RC cars and trucks that use a special nitro methane fuel mixture to create top speeds that are nothing less than scary. There are nitro powered RC vehicles that come ready-to-run and itll cost you around $300 for the pleasure. These cars have been modified by professional hobbyists to reach speeds of over 100Mph in good conditions. Beleive it or not, these little engines can produce similiar horsepower as that of a low-end lawnmower, this can only result in one thing: Speed.

After getting your car, the only need to get started is a debris free parking lot, fuel and batteries for the remote control. You might as well haul along some friends as well, because they'll be astonished when you tell them the blazing speeds your toy can hit. This high-octane hobby is one thatll sweep the nation before you know it because no matter who you are - blazing fast is always fun.

This article about nitro cars as well as rtr nitro rc cars sent in by Chad McDonald at: http://www.nitro-powered-rc-cars.info

Fixing A Severely Damaged Stained Glass Panel

This article outlines how to fix a really severely damaged panel, so shattered that the only other choice is to rebuild the entire panel. It is an unconventional repair method, but it's a good alternative to tossing your window in the trash.

Ed Sibbet is one of the very few book designers who creates designs which can be built as drawn and has great perspective.

The Gemini Girl was the first design that I ever built. I built a second copy of it after the first was damaged in a house fire. I spent 2 or 3 months building a custom oak frame in college. So it was very painful when the panel was knocked from it's hook and shattered into many pieces. Rebuilding it was out of the question, nearly every piece was damaged. It would have been easier to build a new one rather than using traditional repair techniques.

Even the oak frame was broken, but fortunately it had only broken at the original glue joints.

So, first I had to fix the frame by gluing and clamping it.

Then I had to tap in a broken piece under her eye and adjust several broken pieces to be as flat as possible. I used a small hammer and a piece of wood to coax pieces back in place. If there had been a piece missing I would have taped a piece of paper on the back of the panel and then soaked it off with water a few days later.

I then cleaned it carefully and put new black patina on the window.

Preparation is key. I once did the same repair to a panel and accidentally glued the piece to the work bench. I now recommend covering the bench with wax paper and don't leave any gaps in the glass where the resin can run through.

Then I mixed up the epoxy based resin, I used EnviroTex Lite, a pour on high gloss finish sold at craft stores. It was important to mix it vigorously for two minutes.

Then it was poured in place. I tipped the panel to run the mixture over the whole surface. Last, I blew on it to cause the small bubbles that formed to pop by reacting to carbon dioxide in my breath. A day or two later, I came back and coated the other side of the window.

As you can see on the left and on the picture below, the cracks are still visible. But the panel is strong and clean and still looks great. So this might not be the perfect way to fix a panel, but it is great for old pieces and valuable pieces and is especially good for pieces which are viewed from a distance, like skylights and architectural glass.

Photos to go with the article are at http://www.betterstainedglass.com/
Newsletter/Archives/2006Mar-severedamage/severedamage.htm

David Gomm started building stained glass windows professionally back in 1983 and has become an expert at many aspects of stained glass building, design and repair. He writes a monthly newsletter at his better stained glass website.

Plant Hardiness What You Need to Know to Keep from Killing Your Plants and Trees

The USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map is an essential tool for all landscapers and gardeners, whether professionals or weekend do-it-yourselfers. This simple and free tool will help ensure you select only the correct plants, shrubs, or trees for your region. If you do not follow this guide you risk the health of your plant, and ultimately your time and money.

The Map was designed to show the average annual minimum temperature range throughout the United States, Canada, and Mexico. There are 11 different zones that describe the minimum temperature that can be expected. The zones were divided based on a 10 degree Fahrenheit difference in the average annual minimum temperature.

It is important to understand the zones in order to select a plant that will survive the winter in your region. This is called the plant's winter hardiness. The winter hardiness of the plant is one of the most crucial factors for the survival and environmental adaptation of the plant. A plant's hardiness indicates the lowest temperature the plant can sustain and still survive.

Most plants purchased at commercial stores will have their hardiness level indicated on their tag. Determine the Hardiness Zone of the area in which the plant will be located, and make sure the plant's hardiness falls within the correct zone.

Zone 1 contains areas that see an average minimum temperature below (-) 50 degree Fahrenheit. Example locations include Fairbanks, Alaska and Northwest Territories in Canada.

Zone 2 contains areas that see an average minimum temperature of (-) 50 to (-) 40 degrees. Example locations include Prudhoe Bay, Alaska and Pinecreek , Minnesota.

Zone 3 ranges between (-) 40 and (-) 30 degrees. Examples are International Falls, Minnesota and Sidney, Montana.

Zone 4 ranges between (-) 30 and (-) 20 degrees. Examples are Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota and Northwood, Iowa.

Zone 5 ranges between (-) 20 and (-) 10 degrees. Examples are Des Moines, Iowa and Mansfield, Pennsylvania.

Zone 6 ranges between (-) 10 and 0 degrees. Examples are St. Louis, Missouri, and Lebanon, Pennsylvania.

Zone 7 ranges between 0 and 10 degrees. Examples are South Boston, Virginia and Little Rock Arkansas.

Zone 8 ranges between 10 and 20 degrees. Examples are Dallas, Texas and Gainesville, Florida.

Zone 9 ranges between 20 and 30 degrees. Examples are Houston, Texas and Fort Pierce, Florida.

Zone 10 ranges between 30 and 40 degrees. Examples are Victorville, California and Miami, Florida.

Zone 11 is for annual minimum temperatures above 40 degrees. Examples include Honolulu, Hawaii and Mazatlan, Mexico.

To see USDA Hardiness Plant Maps, and for additional Planting Tips visit http://www.laffodils.com.

About Adjustable Beds

If you've ever wondered why a bed is flat and your body isn't, you've probably considered the idea of being one of the many owners of an adjustable bed. There are many advantages that come with an adjustable bed that you just can't get with any other type of bed on the market today. With the help of a remote control, you can literally change the shape of the bed to your most desired position, as well as eliminate the pressure points while you sleep, read, watch a good movie surf, the web via your laptop or just enjoy a fantastic relaxation session.

Although an adjustable bed can be heavier than a regular bed, and maybe a little more expensive, the comfort level you can attain will definately be worth it. To some, it just doesn't make sense that we, as people, regularly sleep on a flat surface. Our legs are curved and the human spine is also curved, so by sleeping on a flat bed, we don't always get the proper rest we deserve, and increase the chances of waking up with aches and pains due to pressure points. You can drastically reduce these problems with a good quality memory foam mattress, and even more so with an adjustable bed armed with a latex foam mattress or viscoelastic foam mattress.

There are many companies out there offering you multiple options when it comes to a top quality adjustable bed for you home. Some examples may include names that may be familiar to you such as, Craftmatic, Simmons, Adjust-A-Bed and RoyalPedic. An electric bed is a great way to improve the way you feel everyday, due to an excellent night's sleep night after night for many years to come, so when you shop around for one, you want to make sure the product is durable and comes with a good warranty. You may also want to look at models with tempurature control, and a built in massager, for that extra added comfort and convenience. Think of how great it would be to have a bed that conforms to the shape of your body no matter what you are doing in bed, and provide you with a level of sleep quality and relaxation you never imagined was possible

Dean Cecere is author and regular contributor to various web sites dealing with a variety of everyday life issues. Please visit us at http://www.beds-foam-mattresses.comIf you would like additional information pertaining to beds, mattresses and sleep system.

See us and be on your way to a fantastic night's sleep.

My Mom's Kidney Transplant

It was Thanksgiving 2004 when my Mom told me that her kidneys were failing. She has had type 1 diabetes since she was 12. I watched my grandfather suffer and succumb to the disease my whole life, and at 44, I didn't expect it to affect my Mom so soon.

Since I heard the news, I tried to be tested to be a donor, but at 24, they told me I was too young. My uncle and father were both tested, and their blood types both matched. They tested my uncle first, and he was a match! The surgery was set for Tuesday, December 14th, 2004.

On the day of the surgery, we woke around 3 am, so we could leave at 3:45 am. We had to be at the hospital at 5:30 am, so that they could do blood work. If my Mom's potassium was too high, she would have to have dialysis before the surgery. Thankfully, it wasn't. My Mom had a fistula inserted into her left arm a few months before the surgery, just in case she had to go through dialysis, but she never had to use it. We're very happy for that.

At 5:30, we arrived at Hershey Medical Center and signed in. After a few minutes, they called out a few names, including my Mom's. The whole group went up to the 2nd floor Same-Day Admissions waiting room. My Dad held my Mom's hand on the walk up to the room.

Around 6 am, my Uncle, Wayne, arrived at the waiting room. He had slept in a nearby hotel the night before. His wife, daughter, son, and future daughter-in-law accompanied him. My Mom was very nervous, but having her family and Wayne nearby really helped her, I think. Wayne was in great spirits, and kept joking of running off. They also named his kidney that day, Lefty. He also joked about getting the kidney primed for my Mom, by having cake the night before.

They called Wayne's name around 7 am. (His surgery was scheduled for 7:30 am) He was taken to another waiting room, where he could have only two visitors at a time. We took turns going in to keep him company. Then at 7:30 am, they took him to another area to await his surgery.

Around 9:00, they called my Mom in to the other waiting room, and once again we took turns visiting her to keep her company. She got extremely nervous after talking to one of the anesthesiologists, who told her about all of the possible complications that could occur. He also told her not to worry if she woke up in Recovery with a tube down her throat, which also made her very nervous. They gave her something to calm her nerves. She was fine and a little sleepy after that.

Around 11:00, my sister came out of the waiting room to tell us that the doctors had come down to tell her that Wayne was doing great in his surgery. They also told her they would be ready to take her into surgery in about an hour. A few minutes later, they told her that they were ready to take her to surgery. (We were surprised, but pleased, at the change) They also told her that Wayne was finished, and he was doing fine. He was in Recovery where he would remain for the next few hours. We all said good-bye to my Mom. (Actually, we kept saying See you soon!) She was taken somewhere else, and we also moved to another waiting room.

We entered the 5th floor waiting room - the waiting room for those waiting for people in surgery. There was a volunteer stationed at a desk with a phone. When a patient was finished in surgery, and gone through Recovery, they would call the waiting room, to let the patient's family know what room they were in. Wayne was finished with his surgery around 11 am, and was in surgery for nearly three hours. We went to see him, while we were still waiting for my Mom, and he was doing well. He was still a little funny, from the medication, and he was joking a lot. We were glad to hear him joking around!

Soon after, while we were back in the waiting room, a doctor came in and told us that my Mom was doing fine, and that her surgery was finished. She would be in Recovery at least two hours, and we could see her after she was moved into a room. We finally went to lunch at 3 pm.

We came back and visited with Wayne a little more, and it was getting close to 5 pm, so we went back to the waiting room to see my Dad. He hadn't had anything to eat all day, and he wouldn't go (even to the hospital cafeteria) to get something to eat. After about 15 minutes or so of waiting, Wayne's daughter and daughter-in-law came up to the waiting room (Wayne was on the 4th floor) to let us know that my Mom was in a room, down the hall from Wayne. We quickly went downstairs to see her.

When we walked in, she was asleep. I think my Mom is really sensitive to anesthesia and medications, because I know it usually takes a long time for them to wear off with her. After a few minutes, she opened her eyes and smiled at us. My Dad asked her how she felt and she said, I hurt. It was so sad to see her in pain, but we were so happy that she was healthy. She kept drifting in and out, but whenever she was awake, someone would ask her how she was feeling. She kept saying groggy.

We went between her and Wayne's room telling each of them that the other was doing great. Wayne eventually was standing up, and as soon as he could, he walked down the hall to my Mom's room. When he walked in, my Mom's eyes lit up. She was so happy to see Wayne walking around. She was so worried about him. (The day before the surgery, she kept asking him Are you sure you want to do this?)

She looked at him and spoke more than she had to any of us. She said, I keep getting the urge to say 'Chick-en!!' We all laughed, and thought it was just the medication talking, but Wayne explained. At Thanksgiving dinner every year, my Uncle Wayne says, This is good chicken, and we all have to yell at him It's not chicken, it's turkey! It's kind of a running joke in our family. Well, before the surgery, we also kept joking that we were worried once my Mom got my Uncle's kidney, she would start acting like him. She was saying that she was feeling like him, by getting the urge to say chicken. It was really interesting that none of us got the joke right away, except for Wayne. They definitely have a bond between them, and it is only stronger from this experience.

Wayne was out walking around that night, and even more the next day when we went to visit them. My Mom had gotten out of bed that morning to stand on a scale to be weighed. She had gained 11 pounds from the surgery! They said that the kidney was very big, so I guess some of the weight was from that. They also had her on several IV's.

Wayne was doing great, and the doctors told him he could leave that day (the day after his surgery). He told them he wanted to stay another night, however. I think he did it so that he could stay with my Mom another day, to keep her company. She was only sitting up that day, and not walking. She was afraid to damage the incision, I think, and she was still feeling a bit groggy from the medication.

The next day, which was Thursday, Wayne went home, after he had my Mom up and walking down the halls. I heard that he had sent the nurses in at 6 am to see if she was awake yet.

My Mom was doing much better on Thursday, and she seemed much stronger and more awake. They had her down to one IV, and they took her catheter out, which she was very happy about! During this time, she had all kinds of counselors and nutritionists and specialists coming to talk to her about her care after she goes home. The surgical team (or perhaps another team of doctors, I'm not really sure) also stopped by several times to talk to her.

Before Wayne had left the hospital, a few doctors stopped by to present him with a few items ? a Recycle Life t-shirt, a bag of goodies, and a kidney-shaped pillow. It was for him to hold on his incision if he had to cough, to lessen the pain. It also came with a marker, and we all signed his kidney. He also received a Thank You card from the surgical team, thanking him for donating the kidney to his sister. He truly gave the gift of life!

For a few weeks after the surgery, my Mom had a lot of resting to do with a number of restrictions to help her heal. Our whole family pitched in to help her through this, and I learned that there was much more things besides being a donator to do to support my Mom. After surgery, the hard part was over, but there was still the possibility of rejection and/or infection. It?s nearly two years later, and my Mom and Uncle are doing perfect. They both recovered just as they should with no complications, and our entire family couldn?t be happier.

Tonia Jordan is an author on www.Writing.com which is a site for Writers.

She is also a stringer for the Standard Speaker, a Pennsylvania newspaper, and is editor of Word of Mouth Magazine.

Fun Kid Birthday Cakes Using Lots of Wow!

Birthday cakes are fun.

And wow is the most important ingredient. Here's why.

When you're at a birthday party, everyone looks forward to the cake for two reasons.

Cakes are fun to look at.

Cakes taste yummy.

Most folks buy a cake, have something really boring like Happy Birthday (insert child's name) written smack dab in the middle of the frosting, add candles, light and serve. Yawn.

But if you want to wow your birthday child and their guests, you can easily put together a fun birthday cake that's unique, special and very creative. Sounds interesting already.

Do you like baking your own cakes?

If so, the only limit is your imagination and not being afraid to try something new.

Does your child like Barbie, space ships, being a princess, trains, cars, castles, Star Wars or Elmo (who doesn't)?

Well guess what? You can find cake recipes and directions for putting together all of these and many more fun cakes by following the link below this article.

More fun kid birthday cakes

Pizza cake

Blue Jeans birthday cake

Bowling cake

Fish bowl cake

Camping birthday cake

Snake cake (Sssssss)

Babies booties cake

Pail of sand cake

Lady bug birthday cake

No time to bake? No problem.

If you're like a lot of folks these days you just don't have the time to bake a cake from scratch.

Well we have good news for you!

Just pick up a cake at your favorite bakery, add some creative decorations and easily transform that boring cake into a unique and fun work of art that your birthday child will love. Wow!

Edible cake art

Bright, colorful and very easy to use, you can find edible cake art for almost any birthday theme. And did I mention that you can eat these works of art?

Edible cake toppers

Turn your kid birthday cakes into 3D masterpieces with edible shapes made from sugar.

Non-edible cake toppers

Wonderful decorations from princess tiaras to an actual working mini-railroad. And non-edible cake toppers can also be used as party favors after your cake is long gone.

Cake pic and rings

Give you more non-edible cake toppers that will make your fun kid birthday cakes spring to life.

So now you're going to be putting together your fun kid birthday cakes using lots of Wow!

Not so fast

Before you bring out your child's special cake, make sure someone is taking pictures or shooting video because you'll want to remember this moment for years to come.

Can you think of anything (besides birthday gifts) that's better than birthday cake?

Yes, fun kid birthday cakes with lots of Wow!

Have fun.

Mike Dougherty has lots of experience putting together successful birthday parties for his children and grandchildren. To see some of the cakes, edible cake art and cake toppers mentioned visit http://www.fun-kid-birthday-cakes.com

Housebreaking Your Dog

Housebreaking your dog is an important step in ensuring a successful lifelong relationship between you and your dog. Dogs are creatures of habit; and once they develop a habit, breaking it can be a long, frustrating process. Your dog needs guidance and encouragement from you to develop a toilet habit you can live with. Animal behaviorists have learned a lot about dogs over the last couple of decades-including tidbits that will make housebreaking your dog a less frustrating task.

It might be difficult to believe (considering some of the things your dog will roll in or put in her mouth), but dogs have specific sanitary requirements. They will go to great lengths to avoid soiling near where they eat and/or sleep. That means any accidents an un-housebroken dog has will be far from its food dish and bed. To a dog, far in this case means about 6-10 feet. This leaves lots of fair game space in your home, unless you guide her to identify a suitable spot.

Whether your dog is a puppy or an adult dog, new to your home, the process is the same. Every few hours, as well as 30 minutes after she has eaten, take your dog outside to a designated bathroom spot. Stay in the vicinity, and praise her lavishly when she finishes relieving herself. If she fails to go, take her back inside, and keep her confined and under careful watch for about 15 minutes, then take her back outside. During the interval, if you see her circling and sniffing intensely, take her outside immediately. Sniffing and circling are signs she is about to empty her bladder or bowels. By recognizing the signs and taking her outside, you are helping her connect the urge to go to the bathroom with going outside.

The amount of time it takes for housebreaking dogs depends partly on her personality (is she eager to please or a rebel) but mostly on your diligence in taking her outside at the right time. If your puppy is less than four months old, you should plan on getting up during the night to take her outside. Puppies over four months of age can usually hold it through the night, but if your dog cries to be let out, it is best to get up and let her tend to her urge. It is vital that you give your dog every chance to succeed during this time. Positive reinforcement of the proper behavior is the fastest way to housebreaking your dog.

Accidents happen, and when they do, your response will affect how quickly your dog learns to go outside. If you catch your dog in mid-squat, clap your hands or call her name loudly. Your goal is to distract her. Once you have her attention, quietly and calmly take her outside. Be sure to praise her when she finishes relieving herself. If you find a wet spot or droppings on the floor when your dog is not around, simply clean it up. If your dog approaches to investigate what you are doing, ignore her. Do not talk to her or pet her at this moment. Above all else, avoid yelling at her or physically punishing her. She will not connect your rage to the mess she made, but your violence will make her afraid of you-and that's not what you want from your canine companion.

Article By Andrew Strachan. Find lots more information about housebreaking your dog and different types of dogs at http://www.types-of-dogs.com Lots of help and advice too.

How To Choose A Comfortable Office Chair For Your Desk

If you don't spend your days sitting at a desk then you really will not understand the importance of an office chair that is really comfortable. For those of us that live in front of our computers for more than forty hours every week we really understand how uncomfortable life can become when you do not have some good cushioning under our butt while we work.

We used to think of executive office chairs as only being for top level managers that made tons of money every minute of the day. But not anymore. Today even people working from home offices want to have top quality chairs for their office.

Most office chairs are made of leather because of its pliability and its ability to adjust to different temperatures. A leather chair will slowly warm up the longer you sit in it, making the chair more and more comfortable as time goes by. Another major component to executive office chairs is the wood that is used to create the base for the chair.

A good office chair will be designed to offer the best possible feel during the long duration that it is being used. Most chairs will have numerous adjustments that can change the angle and height of the chair so it can be adjusted to fit any person that sits in it.

A major down side to these office chairs is their cost. A really nice executive office chair can cost you hundreds? even thousands of dollars? depending on what materials it is made of. Real leather chairs are going to naturally cost more than chairs that are made from plastic. Other contributing factors to a chairs price include: the number of adjustment attachments that are included, how many wheels or legs are on the chair, and the material that is used to make the chair.

No matter what type of office chair you are considering getting, make sure you fully understand all the pluses and minuses that are associated with the chair you want. Some chairs may not seem to have any downsides, but then you get them home and realize that the chair is not nearly the chair you thought it was.

Take your time and do a little research before you just go out and buy a chair. Time spend researching the chair will likely transfer into money saved on your executive chair purchase. The Internet is a great place to look for solutions to your research dilemma, through the Internet you can find out the basic information you need to know in order to make the best possible decision for your office.

Gregg Hall is an author living in Navarre Beach, Florida. Find more about this as well as a office gifts at http://www.expresscorporategifts.com

Dog Adoption: What I Learned from My 2 Rescue Dogs

There?s a hole in your life that only a dog can fill. You want a special dog, perhaps just a full-grown adult. Maybe your code of ethics calls for saving a dog?s life ? not buying an expensive purebred.

I?m not a veterinarian or a dog trainer, but I?ve enjoyed two successful adoptions. Here are some tips I?ve picked up along the way.

(1) Clarify your requirements ahead of time.

Once you?re standing in front of a cage, it?s easy to say, ?Well, he?s a lot bigger than I expected, and I really wanted a female, but oh he?s SO cute!? No amount of love or training will help if your dog needs more exercise than you can provide.

(2) Know the difference between shelter and rescue groups.

Most cities have humane societies where you can view dogs and make a choice. Rescue groups typically hold animals in foster care ? which is good, because you can ask the foster mom all sorts of questions. For example, they can say, ?This dog lived with two cats so you know you can trust her.?

(3) Be prepared to pay.

Shelter animals are not free, but you do get value for money. Expect to pay a fee that may include spay/neuter costs, licensing, and/or veterinarian visits.

(4) Consider an older dog.

By the time a dog has turned three or four, she?s as big as she?s going to get. No surprises! You?ll also have clues regarding his temperament.

(5) Plan to confine the dog during a period of transition.

Your new dog doesn?t get it. She was in a loving home (or left alone in a yard all day or even abused). Then she spent a few weeks in a cage, feeling lonely and isolated. Maybe she?s been passed around to multiple homes.

Bottom line, she?s stressed. She may chew, dig, bark, or even lose her house training at first.

Crating the dog prevents destructive behavior. My dogs both looked visibly relieved as they retreated to their crates every day. ?Time to relax,? they seemed to say.

(6) Invest in training.

Most dogs are turned over to the shelter because of behavior problems. If you?re new to the world of dog behavior, take a class or hire a professional. Most behavior can be corrected, even among older dogs. But if you?re not sure, ask a professional. Some behaviors can?t be ?fixed.?

(7) Incorporate large doses of exercise and walks into your day.

Walking together builds your bond and a tired dog is a good dog. Begin the exercise program immediately so you can gain a sense of how much exercise the dog needs ? an important factor in the dog?s adjustment ? and start training for the basics on the way home from the shelter.

Dog Fanatic Cathy Goodwin wrote Arf! Dog Health Comes Home: Tips and resources to care for your sick, injured and senior dogs. Download your copy at http://www.dog-health.org

How Needlework Was Used to ReWrite History ? the Secret of the Bayeux Tapestry

You do not have to be a needlepoint enthusiast like me to appreciate the magnificent Bayeux Tapestry, which chronicles the events leading up to the conquest of England by Duke William of Normandy in the year 1066.

Technically speaking it is not a tapestry at all ? but an embroidery, stitched with wool on a linen background by a team of needle workers. But the interesting question is: was it made just to celebrate a great victory?

To answer this question you have to consider the political situation at the time. Duke William claimed that the King, Edward the Confessor, had promised him the throne of England. However this event had not been properly witnessed or recorded. He also claimed that Harold, the future King of England, had previously sworn allegiance to him. But Harold had been imprisoned in France at that time, and his actions could have been misunderstood.

On Edward?s death, William of Normandy had expected to ascend the English throne. But instead Harold disputed his claims, insisting that the Kingdom had been bequeathed to him by the dying monarch, and was duly crowned King. William replied to this by invading England, defeating the English army and killing King Harold at the Battle of Hastings.

Now the new King William had to ensure that history told the story his way. What better way to achieve this than with a huge 230 feet long tapestry ? a priceless work of art, which would be preserved for centuries, and confirm his right, and that of his successors, to the throne of England.

Thus the whole scene of Edward promising his crown to William, and Harold swearing allegiance, was stitched into the tapestry, and recorded for all time. Picture an era when very few people could read, and imagine the visual impact of this story told in vivid images, complete with the mangled bodies of the dead in battle. Even today you can walk along beside the Tapestry, and the whole epic story unfolds before your eyes, just as William the Conqueror intended, a thousand years ago.

The Da Vinci Code was an example of a good, but unconvincing attempt to re-write history. But the Bayeaux Tapestry succeeded!

Tom McMorrow is a partner at Cross Stitch Centre, the specialist needlecraft retailer - visit their website http://www.cross-stitch-centre.co.uk and learn more about tapestry needlepoint, cross stitch and embroidery.

Consumer's Guide To Bathroom Taps

This article explains the key questions that you should consider when purchasing new taps for your bathroom. The information is aimed at consumers in the United Kingdom.

Question 1: Whats the tap made of ?

Taps can be made from a range of materials of varying quality and cost.

A general rule of thumb is that the heavier the tap the better the quality of materials used!

Plastic

Plastic taps are very cheap and very low quality. They are very light and are offered in a variety of colours. Plastic taps cannot be recommended for bathroom use because of their poor performance and short expected operational life.

Standard Brass ABS/Mazac

Standard brass is regularly used to manufacture the bodies of mid-priced, medium quality taps.

Many tap components (such as handles) can be made from ABS (plastic) or an alternative material sometimes referred to as Mazac (Pot Metal). These are cheaper than using brass, and whilst the quality is regularly very good, brass offers a better finish and lasts longer.

Standard brass taps are suitable for bathroom use, with or without ABS or Mazac components.

DZR Brass

Whilst, standard brass has gained complete acceptance in many facets of the water distribution industry, in certain circumstances when exposed to particular combinations of pH and concentrations of chlorides, they can experience a serious form of corrosion known as dezincification.

The answer to this is a dezincification resistant alloy, normally referred to as DZR brass.

This is the Rolls Royce material for taps and the highest quality product will be made from DZR brass without any ABS or Mazac components

Question 2: Will the taps work with your system pressure ?

First the good news, if you have a combi-boiler or un-vented hot water system then you dont need to fret about pressure, both high pressure and low pressure taps will work well with your system.

However, if you have a traditional gravity fed system, with a cold water storage tank in the attic, and a hot water cylinder then you will want to be more cautious.

Firstly you want to work out how much water pressure you have:

Calculate the distance, in meters, from the bottom of the cold water storage tank, to the outlet of the tap and multiply by 0.1 to give you the pressure in bar:

e.g. 1.1 Meters x 0.1 = 0.11 bar

2.5 Meters x 0.1 = 0.25 bar

If you want a bath/shower mixer with a showering handset, then you must determine the distance from the foot of the cold water storage tank to the height at which the handset will be used, not the height of the tap, or the handset when it rests in the support.

You also need to be aware that elongated pipe work runs rapidly use up any pressure inside a system, so if your taps are a long way from the cold storage tank then you will want to lessen the calculated pressure to take account of this.

Once you have a good idea of your water pressure then you need to verify that whatever taps you are looking to buy will work at that pressure.

As a rule of thumb many designer taps come from Europe where the water systems have superior pressure than in the UK and these taps wont work if you have very low pressure.

Designer taps made specifically to work on low pressure systems are normally more expensive and the retailer will highlight the fact that the taps are suitable for low pressure systems. If it doesn't say specifically that the taps will work with low pressure then assume the worst and don't buy without asking the retailer to verify the pressure requirements.

Question 3: What is the operating mechanism of the tap ?

Ceramic disc and spindle refer to the two alternative ways that the inner mechanism of a tap can operate.

Ceramic disc technology is usually used on more costly taps, as they function better and last longer. When the lever is turned, two ceramic discs are parted opening the valve and allowing the water to pour.

The traditional spindle design is commonly used on inferior quality, cheaper tap designs. The tap has a spindle through the core, with the valve seat attached via a screw thread. A standard tap washer is fixed to the end of the valve seat. As the knob is turned the spindle rotates and the screw thread moves the valve seat up and down to adjust the flow of water

Ceramic Disc Taps
Benefits
Drip free never change another tap washer again !
Long Life should never need to be replaced under regular use
Simple to Operate only a quarter turn is required to go from full on to off
Variety of styles works with modern lever designs and round handles

Draw Backs
Inferior flow rates - Unsuitable for very low pressure systems

Spindle Taps
Advantages
Superior flow rates suitable for most systems, high or low pressure

Draw Backs
Hard to operate - handle has to be turned many times from off to full on
Higher maintenance - washers will need replacing often
Less choice of style - cannot be used with modern lever designs

There are two key things to consider.

1.Unless you have a very low pressure system or are looking for the lowest feasible price then it is best to go for ceramic disc taps.

2.When comparing tap prices always ensure that both taps use the same mechanism. They may look the same, but if one is ceramic disc and one uses a spindle then the cheapest tap may actually be the worst value!

Question 4: How will the taps connect to your system?

Mono Basin & Bidet mixers are attached to the water supply by connectors, sometimes referred to tap tails. These come in two types, flexible and rigid and the purchaser normally doesn't get any option within a range of taps.

Both types join directly to normal 15mm copper pipe work.The tap manufacturer usually decides what type of connectors each range of tap he makes will have.

Which kind is most suitable for you depends on where the taps are being installed and who is doing the installation.

Flexible Connectors

Best for DIY Installers: You dont require any plumbing skills, the bendable hose will simply trasnsform into whatever shape is necessary and the connection is made easily by tightening the compression nut with a wrench.

Best for small spaces with difficult access. The flexible hose allows connections in places that would be almost impossible to get into with rigid pipe work.

Rigid Connectors

Best for professional installers: The rigid connectors become part of the sturdy copper pipe run that connects the supply to the tap. The connections are made with capillary fittings, lead free solder and a blow torch. The end product looks neater, lasts longer and is much less prone to leaks.

Best for more open spaces with simple access. Even the most professional installer will want a large enough space to bend and fit the copper pipe run from the supply. If the space is too compact then flexible connectors may be the only viable option.

Question 5: Does the Tap meet the necessary Bylaws and/or Standards ?

British Standards

The first thing that confuses many people is that British Standards for taps are not quality guarantees. They just state certain things that a tap meeting with the standard should do. There is also no requirement that any product is tested by a third party to verify it actually meets the standard, so an assertion that a product meets BS5412 is only as reliable as the business making the claim !

The British Standards signify the minimum that a tap should meet to perform a particular application.

The key British Standards applied to taps are:

BS5412
The specification for low-resistance single taps and combination tap assemblies.

BS1010
The Specification for draw-off taps and stop-valves for water services

There is no British Standard at all for Ceramic Disc taps. So the very fact that somebody quotes that the tap complies with BS5412 or BS1010 lets you know that it is an inferior design spindle tap!

Water Bylaws

All products attached to the UK drinking water supply must be compliant to the UK Water Bylaws. There are independent testing and certification schemes in place to establish conformity, however these are not mandatory in the UK.

The expense of outside certification is high and many top brand tap manufacturers decide not to pay for certification. Any taps that have KIWA or WRAS approval have been tested for compliance and should be of a good quality, but all taps installed in the UK, must by law comply with the Water Bylaws.

James is the owner of PlumbingPages.com, The UK's leading plumbing and bathroom information site

Parade FloatNo Truck You Can Make It Better

You are stuck. You have to make a float for the upcoming parade and no one will let you use their flatbed truck. What can you do?

Not having a truck could work in your favor. If everyone else has a truck and you do something creative and ingenious and plucky, the spectators will be impressed. If it is funny too, so much the better.

Consider that you have some distance to travel on a street; how do you transport yourselves? Typically this is done by feet, wheels or skids as in a sleigh or sled. If you choose feet, you could make your float in modules which loosely interconnect. Then you could choreograph your moves down the street, twirling and swaying, etc. You could dribble along the way and if your float has a hoop on it toss basketballs through the hoop and have them roll down a swimming pool slide (made out of wire) into someone`s hands.

You`ve seen Chinese dragons running around. You could vary that with a theme that fits the parade. If you have a sports team mascot, you could have each member of the float dress up as the mascot and figure out some interesting interactions.

If you, the float participants, are skaters you could all dream up some activity on skates. You probably all know mothers who have strollers. You could each push a stroller and have a light framework connecting them all to support a float.

Find someone who will drive their Volkswagen or square box Scion or some other small cute car and use it to support your float.

Get several lawnmowers and have adults drive them down the street with your float on top. (That?s not really a good idea, but it might give you a jump start on coming up with your own clever notion.)

Get a bunch of two-wheeled hand carts and take turns wheeling each other down the road. Wheelbarrows would do, but that is harder and probably a bit risky.

Anyway, think about anything that has wheels and you can rig up a real float. Soap box derby car, a hundred HotWheels cars, a bunch of basketballs held together in some sort of bearing race.

Or, get a horse.

Jack Wilson is a writer and artist in Tempe, Arizona:

http://www.geocities.com/galimatio/jackwilson.html

Flowers for All Occasions

Artificial flowers are imitations of real flowers. They have been available for many years. Many people prefer these flowers for maintenance reasons. You don?t have to water them, and they can often look just as nice as real flowers.

A variety of materials have been used to manufacture artificial flowers, and this has changed over time. The most recent materials used for these types of flowers are carved or foam soap, nylon netting, ground clay, and mass produced plastic mouldings.

Let?s take a look at some of the different types of artificial flowers:

Cloth and paper flowers

These are made by cutting up various fabrics and materials and made in to shapes that can be used to form the leaves and petals etc. Die is used for the veins of the leaves. The petals and other parts of the flowers are then assembled. Finally, a stork is used to mount the flower on. A suitable coloured material is used to set the whole artificial flower off.

Clay flowers

The clay is dried to form a powder, water is then added and a specific colouring to set the flower off. A paste is then used as modelling paste to set the desired shape. Normally a skilled crafts man will model the shape in to form.

Plastic flowers

Mass production is used which moulds each artificial flower. This how you can get identical artificial flowers mass produced in high volumes. Businesses normally take this route to sell as many flowers as they can in high volumes.

Our website offers articles on different types of flowers, specifically artificial flowers. Be sure to check us out for all the information you will ever need relating to artificial flowers.

John Gibb is the owner of Artificial flower resources For more information on artificial flowers check out http://www.Artificial-flowers-resources.info

How to Show Your Dog How Much You Love Him

If you are anything like my Mum you probably have at least one dog photo in your wallet and at definitely have a framed photo of your dog somewhere in your house? I am guessing that your dog pretty darn close to being the very center of your universe? You love spoiling him, respond to his every whimper and cry, plus you probably spend thousands of dollars on gourmet dog treats? To say that dogs are a man's best friend is anything but a clich?. You might be the most miserable person in the world without a friend to your name... but your dog will treat you like royalty every time you walk through the door. So how do you repay that unconditional love and devotion? There are hundreds of different ways!

1. Spoil him rotten.

A lot of people spend a lot of money at chic pet boutiques, dressing their dogs in hundred-dollar sweaters and paying for meticulous pedicures. They buy diamond-studded collars and give their dogs rooms all to themselves. You probably don?t have the budget for things like that, right?

You can still spoil your dog with simple, everyday things that cost you the absolute minimum. Next time your pooch needs a bath; focus on giving him a massage while you?re working the shampoo into his coat. Take him out for a drive once each week. Or you can?

2. Making him a special dog treat from your kitchen! Often you can find dog treat recipes that can be a great treat for him and you! That is a double plus.

You know that dog food needs to be both delicious and nutritious to make sure he has as long and happy a life as possible. Why not try making some homemade dog treats and food that are absolutely packed with all of the vitamins and nutrients he needs? Bake him a delicious, healthy doggie cake for his next birthday, or share a few cookies with him, but remember your dog cannot have human food; chocolate from your chocolate chip cookie could make him sick.

3. Prepare for the worst.

If you know exactly what to do in a tough situation or an emergency, you infinitely increase the chances that your dog will be around for a long time to come. Do you know what to do when he?s choking? You should lay your dog on his side and place one hand on his back and the other on his stomach just behind his rib cage. Using the stomach hand, push in and toward the throat twice, but without too much force. If you can see a foreign object, sweep your fingers through his mouth to remove it. If he?s still choking, place your mouth over his nose and exhale until his chest rises. Repeat once, and then thrust two more times. Continue until he coughs out the obstruction. Now consider what would happen if he started to choke and you had no clue what to do, then ended up spending 10 minutes calling vets and driving him there. Making sure you?re prepared to care for his health and wellbeing is a great way to show him how much you love him.

Justin Bryce is the Proprietor of http://www.dogtreatrecipes.com.au Stop by for over 400 dog treat recipes and fantastic dog health and care tips plus ways to spoil your dog.

7+ Top Types of Real Christmas Trees

There are several types of real Christmas trees, all of which are a cheap choice over artificial. The most common types of Christmas trees are the six-foot Scotch pines, which fit nicely into the average home living room.

One type of Christmas tree is the deodora cedar, which has blue-green short needles with pendulous needle tips. Another cedar, the Eastern red, has shiny dark green leaves and gives off a great scent, though it's sticky to the touch and will only last 2-3 weeks. As this tree dries out quickly it is best used in a humid climate.

One of the most popular of Christmas trees in the southeast part of the U.S. is the Leland Cypress, with dark green or gray foliage. Its branches are feathery and its scent is pleasant but light. This tree is ideal in the home of allergen-troubled folks.

The Douglas fir is a popular type of Christmas tree, and easily flocked. It has a great fragrance and lives longer than a lot of other trees. Its leaves are either dark green or blue. Its sister fir, the Fraser, has needles that are flatter and dark green. It holds its needles well and gives off a pleasant aroma. For a more citrus aroma from your Christmas tree you should choose the grand fir, with dark green shiny needles. If you want a more durable tree that can hold your heavy ornaments the noble fir is a great choice. It lives longer and healthier as a Christmas tree and makes an attractive, strong and durable wreath as well.

Pine and spruce are too other commonly used types of Christmas trees. The pine has a great fragrance. The spruce however, dries quickly and its needles drop rapidly.

Nancy Fitzgerald makes it quick and easy to find the best Christmas trees Read expert information here.

How to Select Rawhide Lamp Shades for Western Lamps

Rawhide lamp shades are the quickest and least expensive way to develop the rustic style you are looking for. If your lamps and home furnishings are southwestern, western or country, rawhide lamp shades have no equal in natural beauty to make your room come alive. And, if your current lamps and furniture are more traditional, a rawhide lampshade will create a warm western or southwest atmosphere.

Rawhide replacement lamp shades and table lamp shades will set the tone of your rustic home decor and bring in the warm feel that creates such a comfortable and relaxing atmosphere.

If you have chandeliers, rawhide chandelier lamp shades can create a focal point in your room to naturally draw elements together as your eye finds rawhide table lamp shades and floor lamp shades around the room. Mini lamp shades or clip on lamp shades made of rawhide are also perfect for a candelabra style lamp or wall sconce and will help complete the theme of your interior design.

How to Choose Rawhide Lamp Shades

Rawhide lamp shades are made by hand with genuine rawhide and old world craftsmanship. Leather workers with years of skill creatively form and lace each shade with stretched rawhide. Rawhide lamp shades are crafted with durable metal frames. Premium goat skin rawhides of superior quality are the desired hides for shades because of their translucency and strength. Each hide is hand stretched, slowly sun dried, then hand stitched with matching or contrasting rawhide lace to add a sense of rustic beauty. When a lamp is turned on with a genuine rawhide lamp shade in place, its translucent nature comes to life. The shade will allow light to emanate to create a natural atmosphere. Leather lamp shades are works of art that will make a dramatic affect on your rustic space and home furnishings.

Southwest rawhide lamp shades are made by using bleached rawhide for a more consistent color tone. A light creamy color, they are perfect for southwestern d?cor and compliment other southwestern accessories like pottery, carved wooden bowls, Indian rugs and rustic furniture. Their light color opens up a room and provides excellent light and texture. They are perfect for table lamps, sconces and chandeliers, log homes, cabins or cottage settings.

Western rawhide lamp shades are beautiful lighting accessories for western lamps and d?cor. Made with dark rawhide that is naturally a unique dark charcoal or smoked brown color, western shades create a dark warm glow and still allow 90% of the light to pass through. Western rawhide varies more in tone from one hide to another with natural lighter and darker patches visible in the hide. Western lampshades are perfect for log homes and cabins as well as ranch or lodge styles, complimenting dark wood tables, leather furniture, tack, floor lamps and cowboy accessories.

Country rawhide lamp shades are most unique, hosting rich warm colors and patterns in the grain of the rawhide when illuminated. Using the same hides as southwestern or western, color is added to dye the rawhide to the desired colors. The most popular being dark brown, red and green. Called country lamp shades because of their color, they actually look great with southwest and western decor as well as any country or rustic setting. Dark and rustic by day, they are warm and rich by night.

Custom Rawhide lamp shades. Don?t worry if you have a unique lamp that requires a special shade, rawhide lamp shades can be custom made to meet your needs. Rawhide lampshades are perfect for a log home or cabin as well as country, ranch or rustic decor. There is no substitute for genuine rawhide ?raw hide lamp shades for southwestern lamps, antler lamps, wall sconces, chandeliers and home lighting and rustic western lamps.

Rawhide shades for rustic lighting compliment cottage, lodge style, rustic chic and rustic furniture like nothing else can. Please reprint this article with active links to http://www.missiondelrey.com

Experience the warm glow and unique charactor of Mission Del Rey's rawhide lamp shades, western lamps and rustic home accessories. This article may be freely reprinted with active html link included.

Gardening Gloves

Whether you are a professional gardener or just a hobbyist, gardening gloves are a necessary tool. Gardening can potentially be a dangerous activity for some people. Dangers from insect bites, infections, and chemical fertilizers in the soil can seriously hurt a gardener. The use of gardening gloves is not only a smart thing, it should be mandatory.

There are plenty of insects and spiders that live in the garden area. A bite from certain insects or spiders while gardening is not only an annoying inconvenience, it can become a very serious situation for some people. In fact, it even has the potential to become deadly. Wearing gardening gloves may save your life if you have allergies to insect or spider bites.

Getting infections from cuts is another danger while handling mulch or gardening tools. While digging in the ground or mulching your garden, there is a chance that you could cut yourself. With the dirty nature of gardening, germs causing infection could get into cuts. Regardless of what you are doing in your garden, keeping your hands clean is important.

Fertilizers gardeners use in their gardens can be a skin irritant. Most of the fertilizers have warning labels stating that they should avoid contact with skin. Skin irritation is sometimes the last thing gardeners think of while handling fertilizer. There is a possibility that they may become poisoned by the fertilizer. It is sometimes possible to get sick from poisonous chemicals absorbed through the skin. Wearing gloves prevents even the possibility that something like this could happen.

There is a misconception that the only advantage of wearing gloves while gardening is to keep your hands clean. People forget that it is also a safety measure everyone should follow. Gardening, like any other outdoor activity, carries risk. It may not be evident but those risks are serious, with a potential to become fatal. The wearing of protective gloves while gardening is a way to lower your chance of getting hurt.

Gloves provides detailed information on Gloves, Baseball Gloves, Boxing Gloves, Gardening Gloves and more. Gloves is affiliated with Eye Glasses.

The Advantages of Ionic Exchange Water Softeners

It can be difficult to decide which method for softening hard water is best because there are a number of choices available. Cost of a water softener system ? from $400 to $1,200 -- can be a factor, as well as how the water softener unit is set up, its size, and how much water it will soften before requiring maintenance.

Household water can be tested using a water test kit from a pool supplier or a water softener vendor. Water hardness is measured in grains per gallon (GPG), parts per million (PPM), or milligrams per liter (MG/L). Water that measures from 3.5 to 7 GPG is considered hard water.

Ionic exchange water softeners consist of a brine tank, a filtering unit, valves to direct the flow of the water and a meter or timer to indicate when the filter needs to be recharged. Recharge cycles can be set to occur at certain times, based on water demand for the household, or it can be done manually. There are also semi-automatic systems, which let the user know when the softener needs recharging.

Ionic exchange water softeners work by replacing ions of the minerals that cause hardness, calcium and magnesium, with sodium or potassium ions. This occurs when water is filtered through negatively charged plastic beads, which have been soaked in brine. The magnesium or calcium ions are attracted to the negatively charged beads, which are flushed with brine, driving off the calcium or magnesium ions and replacing them with sodium ions. Finally, the water containing the hard ions is discarded.

Using ionic exchange water softeners poses no health risks for most people. But those who are on sodium-restricted diets should either keep bottled or non-treated, filtered water on hand for cooking and consumption or use potassium chloride instead of sodium chloride to soften their water. It should be noted that potassium chloride is more expensive than sodium chloride.

Water Softeners Info provides detailed information about magnetic and ionic exchange water softeners, home water softener systems and kits, product reviews and comparisons, water softener salt, and more. Water Softeners Info is the sister site of Dishwashers Web.

Holiday Stress Relief 7 Reasons To Avoid Stress At Christmas

Some of my clients have difficulties enjoying holiday stress relief around the Christmas holidays.

As a hypnotherapist, NLP trainer and Energy worker I help my client to relax and maintain balance on a daily basics.

Here are 7 reasons for holiday stress relief that I have shared with my clients over the years.

I. Maintain balance

Reality check 1

Balance helps you breathe, smell the roses and be aware of the simple things in life.

You can get balance from noticing a falling leaf from a tree or rain drops on your window. This is one simple way of enjoying holiday stress relief.

2.Avoid overeating

Reality check 2

The Christmas holiday season presents many opportunities for you to overeat. Overeating makes you feel stuffed and uncomfortable. In order to experience holiday stress relief take smaller portions.

3.Take a time out

Reality check 3

The Christmas holiday season can be very hectic. If you get caught up in the fast pace of the season you may become exhausted. This state of mind prevents you from enjoying holiday stress relief. To avoid this, take time out.

4.Stay with you routine

Reality check 4.

The activities of the holiday season can take you out of you routine. If you have a routine of regular exercise or meditation stick to it. Any excuse you can find for not practicing your routine will result in you losing focus and becoming complacent rather than enjoying holiday stress relief.

5.Pace yourself

Reality Check 5

The holiday season is a time to relax, take a break and enjoy holiday stress relief. When you pace yourself, you maintain your balance and avoid getting into excesses (eating or drinking too much).

6.Entertain and be entertained.

Reality check 6

The holiday season is a time to entertain. However, when you are entertaining people; you must also allow your self to be entertained. Stop, pace yourself and enjoy holiday stress relief.

7. The perfect gift

Reality check 7

Whether it is the perfect gift or dinner for the holiday season, it is important to have fun with family and friends.

Fun does not mean stressing out about perfection. Fun means maintaining a balance by eating smaller portions, taking a time out, keeping your routine as you pace yourself and being entertained. This is what holiday stress relief is all about.

So what is the moral of the story?

You can get stressed out by the holidays because you want to have the perfect day or you can have fun and enjoy holiday stress relief.

Remember you provide holiday stress relief to your friends and family not by what you pretend to be but by being who you really are in your heart.

Cecil McIntosh provides a gifted teacher's shortcut Relaxation Resources, that will turbo charge your health, business and wealth. To receive your free 7 day Relaxation course. visit this site now: Relaxation tools and Tips

Just Give Them a Lot of Love and You'll be Fine

It was right about this time, 19 years ago. My wife and I were sitting in the very last Lamaze birthing class, soon to be brand new parents. I felt a wave of anxiety come over me. I had to ask the question. I raised my hand. The Nurse, her name was Dorinda, pointed at me and said, ?Yes, you have a question.? Did I have a question? I just knew EVERY Dad was wondering the same thing? ?You have given us some great information, almost too much. I am afraid I am going to forget all this stuff?then what?? I could feel the other Dad?s nodding. She smiled; she was very wise and patient. She had taught thousands of new Dads. ?That?s a great question,? pausing for effect, she continued, ?That little baby doesn?t know you don?t know. Just give him a lot of love, you will be fine.? It turned out to be the best parenting advice I ever received.

When I was a kid, maybe five years old, I have a distinct memory of my father holding my hand at Matthews Beach in Seattle. My head came up to his waist. He was a big man, 6?-4? and 240 pounds. In his day, he was an extraordinary athlete, All-State in three sports. He once scored 34 points in a Regional Final in Basketball. He started playing baseball at age 16, pitching, his Junior year in High School.

He told me the following story one night in Seattle. We were sitting in the brand new Safeco Field watching the Seattle Mariners pound the Cleveland Indians.

By the time he was a senior in high school; pro scouts were at every game. This was 1947 in Ravenna, Ohio. The Indians had the best pitching staff in baseball. One particular scout was enamored of my Dad. He signed a whopping $500 bonus to play for the Dayton Mud Hens, AA team.

His second summer, my Dad got the call. He showed up with the scout to find the General Manager of the team, the owner, a catcher, and an empty Cleveland Stadium. He said to me with a serious tone, ?Mark, I threw the best baseball of my young life. I was 19 years old and I was fast. I would guess it came in around 85 miles per hour. I was feeling good about myself. I was on. I gave it everything I had. I just knew they were impressed.?

After 20 minutes, the owner stood up and yelled out to me, ?Okay, Bob, we are done warming up. Go ahead and show us what you got!? Up to this point while he was telling me this story, he looked straight ahead. To end the story, he turned his head, looked straight at me and said, ?I knew right then I would never play in the Big Show.?

I was 42 years old when he told me that story. I heard a lot of stories growing up, but that was not one of them. This one was special. He was confiding in me. He trusted me. It was time to bare a little of his soul.

My father was diagnosed with Alzheimer?s recently. Everything is changing now. The more I learn about this insidious and horrible disease, the sadder I become. A part of this big man dies a little every day. The burden is carried by my mom. She is hauling a massive load. (for a special story on Alzheimer?s, go to www.mattesonavenue.com and click on ?What?s New!!!? tab to read the story ?When the Box is Empty?)

I cherish the moments I have with my dad now. I know for him, it?s the 9th inning and the manager may be making that call to the bullpen any time now. Grief is a form of energy and must be dissipated somehow in healthy ways or it turns inward in the form of depression or self-destruction. Writing is how I process that grief.

I have captured many memories of my father in my journal the past year. I cry tears of regret, pain, anguish, heartache, sadness, anger and sorrow. Occasionally, when I think of my dad in that empty stadium giving it all he had, I cry a tear of joy. I love my dad.

Now my son Colin is grown. He will go off to college in the fall. 19 years later, that little baby got all the love I had. He is 6?-8?, 210 pounds. He is on his way to The University of Alaska at Fairbanks in August to play basketball on a scholarship, a great athlete, a lot like his Grandpa. It?s bittersweet. My father and son are leaving about the same time for different reasons. I think I am just going to give them each a lot love before they go. I will be just fine.

Pinnacle Service Group
Raising the Bar in Organizations Nationwide
Mark Matteson
877.672.2001
Fax 425.745.8981
Email psgmarkm@msn.com

For your FREE e-zine, go to http://www.mattesonavenue.com

Playing the Sporting Game

Springtime means Little League, soccer, and other sports as children head to the out-of-doors to join teams that that help then have fun, get exercise, and learn to work together with teammates. But are the results of joining a team always positive? Can?t the experience be embarrassing, shaming, or unrewarding?

Yes, playing on a team has the potential to be positive or negative, fun or frustrating, worthwhile or harmful. Parents, concerned about the effects of athletic programs on their children, need to be cognizant of several guidelines that will help their child have the best possible summer athletic experience.

Baseball, softball, soccer, horseback riding, swimming, hockey, or volleyball?the sport doesn't matter. The guidelines for parents remain the same. To show support for your child while encouraging and teaching, consider the following:

1. Find out who will be coaching your child. Has the league run background checks on the coaches? Sadly, in these times the person you least expect could be a predator. Trust, but verify. Is the coach an encourager or a screamer? Does he or she focus primarily on winning or on participation and teamwork? Does he let everyone play at least half the game? Does she allow team members to play different positions or are children pigeonholed into one position for the entire season?

2. Make sure your child is competing at his or her level of ability. Is she overmounted, riding a horse too hot to handle? Is a travel team over his head, or appropriately challenging? Are all of your child's teammates bigger, stronger, and more skilled? It's no fun for children to compete when their chances of success are slim. Instead of pressuring them to ride the newest horse or join the travel team, encourage them to find enjoyment on a level where they can succeed.

3. Learn the rules of the game. Youth rules are not always the same as professional rules. More knowledge equates to less frustration and less yelling at officials, players, and coaches.

4. Remember that winning is only one of the goals of competition. Keep it in perspective. Winning is important. Everyone likes to win. Yet, playing to one's ability, making a strong effort, exhibiting good sportsmanship, improving skills, playing within the rules, and learning to lose with grace are just as valuable as winning. The lessons your child has the opportunity to learn when he or she doesn't win may be more valuable than winning that particular game.

5. Respect the other participants. This includes coaches, officials, and other team members. Cheer for members of the other team when they make a good play. Applaud the winning swimmer. Praise other athletes in front of their parents.

6. Hang onto your temper. Model restraint for your young athlete. Yes, get excited, but channel that excitement into encouragement and applause. Staying home is an option to consider if you lose control and occasionally berate officials or disrespect other spectators.

7. Refrain from yelling from the sidelines or stands. Players are too busy to process and integrate all the advice that people yell at them from the sidelines, even if it?s sound and might be helpful. Often they don't even hear you. Check it out. Go out on the field and have a parent yell at you. See how easy it is to follow their instructions. That experience will cure you of yelling advice from the sidelines.

8. Get involved. Volunteer. The coach is giving up a lot of time and energy to coach your child. Help out by organizing postgame treats and carpools and helping out with fundraising. Lend a hand at practice if you feel qualified and the coach approves.

9. Praise your child for his or her efforts. Stay away from evaluative praise like good job, excellent play, and tremendous pass. Instead, give important feedback using descriptive or appreciative praise. Descriptive praise describes what was accomplished. You threaded that pass right between the two defenders, Your decision to take the extra base ended up with an important run being scored, and Looked like you maintained your concentration after your horse changed leads on you are all examples of praise that describes. Appreciative praise tells the effect the child's behavior had on the team. Your pass set him up with the perfect opportunity to score and The way you were encouraging teammates got everyone excited are examples of appreciative praise. Descriptive and appreciative praise will leave room for your child to make the evaluation.

10. Resist the urge to critique your child. Improvement is more likely in an atmosphere of positive encouragement. Often with positive intentions, parents inform children of their errors and how they can improve. This feedback is generally unnecessary, as children are usually aware of their errors. They don't need parents making a verbal list of mistakes for them correct. They need you to be there and to allow them to play and have fun.

11. Compliment the officials. Most officials are volunteers or older children working for minimal compensation. They?re learning, too. Even if you think an official made a bad call during the game, you can comment on his hard work. Say something positive to the officials, and let your child overhear you.

12. Cheer for other children. Focusing solely on your child sends the message that you don't care about the team or the event. It tells others that you?re only there for your child. Compliment players as they are substituted in and out of the game. Applaud their accomplishments.

Chick Moorman and Thomas Haller are the authors of The 10 Commitments: Parenting with Purpose. They are two of the world's foremost authorities on raising responsible, caring, confident children. They publish a free monthly e-zine for parents. To sign up for it or obtain more information about how they can help you or your group meet your parenting needs, visit their website today: http://www.personalpowerpress.com