Lessons In Business Success From Muhammad Ali

Whether you like boxing or not there is no question that Muhammad Ali still remains a respected figure when it comes to becoming a champion and achieving great success. So what can you learn from him and apply in your own business in order to realize your own great success?

Let's look at two quotes from Muhammad Ali:

'He who is not courageous enough to take risks will accomplish nothing in life.'

I hated every minute of training, but I said, "Do not quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion."

This does not mean that you have to suffer to succeed and build a great business, but these quotes should make you consider what achieving success is worth to you?

Is it worth putting in a few extra hours a few week to start your own venture that can then give you the freedom you have dreamed about for so long? You may have been afraid to just up and quit your job and start your own company so far for fear of financial security and income. Though today you can realistically kick off a new enterprise in a few hours a week, and wait until your revenues start rolling into tell your boss what you think of them. Many entrepreneurs today, armed with the right business models are making incredible incomes in just a few hours a week, while having plenty of time to enjoy life to the max.

Is achieving true financial freedom by having a business that works for you instead of your working for it worth a small investment. It really does not cost a lot to start your own business today. In fact it has never been easier to launch your own start up. With a little coaching, a website and a reasonable marketing budget you could finally be able to be free from your corporate chains and be confident in being able to enjoy a comfortable retirement.

Sure you may face a little criticism and doubt from coworkers and those close to you. Although is not it worth it to be able to craft a business and lifestyle that these critics have only dreamed of, yet have been too afraid to attempt themselves. Make them eat their words.

Starting your own company may take a little hard work in the beginning, but is not that more than a fair trade for being able to have money working for you for the rest of your life instead of you having to work for your money and depend on your boss' good moods to bring home the bacon?

Where Is The Junk In My Web Design?

How much junk is in your web design?

Junk is always the stuff you can throw away and it is not missed. In fact, when you clear out the junk the good stuff can then be seen, and this is particularly so with business web sites.

I find that the trendiest piece of junk is the popular image slider. It takes up the richest home page real estate and does not offer any practical business value. In my research about quality content the image slider does not show up at all. It has an aesthetic use but no practical business use, but it sure takes take up prime space.

What does the image slider do?

It rotates (slides picture in) up to 6 images, as a rule. That's all it does. Maybe you think I'm being too harsh because there can be beautiful pictures presented, but do the test and then you'll know.

The test is to cover up the slider with a book or black paper to hide it. Now look at the rest of the page and see if you can tell what the page is about. Whatever remains without scrolling down should provide a heading or text to indicate what else to expect on the page. Even product promotion and pushy sales copy is better than no info.

Okay, now remove the paper from the image slider and cover up the rest of the screen as best you can. What does the slider tell you? Do you have any clues from those rotating images that tell you anything of interest about the site?

More junk

The King Kong of all headers takes up to to of of the whole screen. Although a header is a necessary part of your web page it does not warrant much more space than a letterhead on stationary.

Those huge headers with big images says only one thing - "Let's see how big and important my site can look because I do not have much to say otherwise."

And if this King Kong header is repeated on every page it simply compounds the problem. We all know that a web design can make a peanut stand look like a department store - no one is fooled.

Other people's junk

There are tons of third party ads with images or widgets to add filler in a column, but they just distract from what our site can offer to our market. The deal is that if these ads generate a sale for that third party you get a tiny return. Sounds good but our web site is not attracting a lot of our market to our own site with all this junk, so there's no revenue.

The value to the third party is they get a link back to their site boosting their link popularity. We get zilch.

Self promoting junk

Oh, now I've done it. I'm killing the sacred cow of marketing. Every one tells you to advertise on your web pages. You are invited to shout out your ads and promote like crazy, and then you absolutely must ask for the sale and push those folks into filling up their shopping cart.

Well, maybe it's time to see things in a different light because we are working with a web site, not newspaper or TV.

Newspapers are daily or weekly, television is prime time every day. Our web site may only be seen once and for only a brief bit of time. To have visitors come back we need more than ads and pushy sales. We can get ads and pushy sales in our face all day long, but how often do we come across a web site that helps us by talking about our problems.

The real reason self promoting ads on our own site are negative marketing is because members of our market have already arrived. The external ads or links bought them to our site and advertising has done its job. It is not needed anymore now that we have our market's attention. If anything, more advertising will send them away.

We need to talk to our market about their problems and how we can solve those problems. Why are we not doing this? Maybe most web marketers do not know what they are talking about.

Even good content can be turned into junk

Our eyes are wide open now. We see that we need to move a prospective buyer into talking the next step in the buying cycle. We talk about their pain and our solutions and they like this. It helps them, but they only have 5 minutes so we ask to have our site bookmarked. Better yet we offer a free white paper to download if they give us a name and e-mail address. Cool, we can pull them back in later.

All these good marketing ideas are given to our web designer who promptly turns it into small text and then fades the contrast. Our best marketing material just got turned into junk because it is now hard to read, so it gets skipped over.

People do not like reading at the best of times, but making it difficult just gives them the excuse to file it under junk.

A web designer should be working everything else on the page to enhance our text content that joins the customer in the first place. Instead the designer wants a perfect picture that can be held at arm's length so the eyeball can appreciate the balance and beauty even while sacrificing the ability for people to read the content.

As you read this article do you feel it? Does it move you so that you want to change your web design? Have you got a head and heart full of new ideas?

If so then this is the kind of web content you want to write and get your market moving. And you can do this when you first get rid of the junk.

Cool DIY Wheel Alignment Tips!

Getting car wheels aligned looks like a real pain from both time and money standpoint. This is why, most of the car owners think of wheel alignment as a rocket science and keep on paying hefty amounts of money to professional shops and work stations. However things are not as complicated as they seem.

If not a perfect alternative against going for traditional wheel alignment checks at repair stores; at least knowing how to DIY, can add a lot of value to your routine drives and help you keep a check on the quality of the work delivered by the technicians. From the concept and logical perspective, alignment is a pretty simple and straight-forward process, which can certainly be turned into an expertise with timely practice.

The part that tests your patience, the most, is that of setting up your alignment structure to get precisely consistent accuracy. Finding a perfectly flat surface to work from is also very critical. However these things get a lot easy if you plan to set it all up in your own garage or shop.

Aspects such as measuring and adjusting bump-steer, scaling and corner-weighinging in order to enhance the performance of your car may cost a bit more than a regular wheel alignment setup. So, if you do not mind shelling out a little more, you could as well go for a proper hi-tech setup and get more control over your car's health and performance.

Alignment of wheels not only helps improve the vehicle's performance over the streets, but also helps reduce accidental risks and improvements the lifespan of tires.

Here's a quick guide for how to do wheel alignment on a car and become an alignment-pro in no time.

Terms:

Before undertaking an actual alignment in hands, it makes a lot of sense to have basic information of some key terms associated with the wheel alignment process.

Toe:

Just as a pigeon-toe acts as a fulcrum and helps the pigeon get more flexibility and shock absorption features; car's wheels also rest on toes that have two main sub-components, Camber and Caster.

Camber:

The vertical toe-in. If it points slightly inwards from the top to bottom, it is called 'negative' camber and if it points slightly outwards, it is considered 'positive' camber. Positive or negative camber adjustments help in fine-tuning wheel movements as per driver's expectations.

Caster:

The angle on which the wheel pivots, when handled with the camber. 'Positive' caster facilitates wheels in being centered in orientation during the drives.

Adjusting camber and caster with basic tools in your garage might not be an easy thing to do. Here, taking assistance from the repair shops is a better choice here.

However, most frequently needed alignments are to do with the toe, which can easily be managed with the basic tool-kits having jacks, open-end wrenches, measuring tape and pocket knife.

Toe Alignment Figures

Getting the right numbers in hand, in order to address the toe alignment is very important. This numeric data is easily available at some library of motor manuals or popular repair guides. Since these measurements are car-specific, there is no universally applicable combination towards getting the best result. Reaching out to an official factory workshops is also another option, if you do not mind getting extra-technical and spending a little more. Toe alignment settings are often expressed in inches, millimeters or angular minutes. Based on these figures, you can get a clear picture of what to aim at during the alignment process.

Health analysis

Before starting the alignment process, you must make sure that the front wheel components are in good condition. After jacking the front wheels over the jack stand, check the following:

- Wheel bearings are properly placed
- Ball joints are healthy enough
- Steering gear box is in place

If there is no feeling of looseness in the wheels, both vertically and horizontally, they are good to go for the actual alignment process.

Alignment Process

Once all the other prerequisites are sorted out, take the following 5 steps:

Step 1

Spin each tyre and mark a line along the center of the tread with a pocketknife. If the circumference is all covered with tread block, make a support for the marking device in order to avoid the undesired loading effect.

Step 2

Set the car on ground and push a few times on each fender to move the suspension and allow the car to rest on its springs.

Step 3

Free the steering wheel and move the car forward by 10 feet or so, letting the steering wheel go on its own.

Step 4

With the help from a friend, measure the length between the lines in the front of the tires, at points in line with the spindles. Then measure the distance between the lines on the backs of tires for the same height. The difference in the two measurements is called toe-in or toe-out. Smaller number in front indicates toe-in and larger indications toe-out.

Step 5

Release the lock nuts on the tie-rod ends, next to both spindles and adjust it equally on each side to keep the steering wheel centered.

Finally, after you lock it all down, you may repeat this process to get double sure of the adjustments made in the car wheel alignments.

Money is a Mathematical and Sociological Anomaly

There are two kinds of people in this world, wolves and sheep. The Wolves are those that control the fluidity of money, the people that create money and opportunities. Equally, this power also follows a basic law in nature; "Every action has an equal and opposite reaction". Not to continue to sound too pompous ... this basically means those who giveth ... can also taketh away. World leaders, Large corporations and governments all have this power ... but is it their to behold? We are taught from a very early age in a system that is fundamentally bias. We are taught the skills to read, write and spel (yes, that typo is deliberate) ... and equally how to interact in basic social circumstances. But are we taught ... or are we trained? It is my belief as a UK citizen, that we are trained to act and react in a specific way that basically, after 12 years of compulsory education, makes us very good sheep indeed. I am not trying to start a debate on the educational system, because that would pointless ... those who teach were once taught ... and quite frankly, since money was invented as means of control long before you and I ... this debate would be never endless.

So what am I saying?

Money has shaped the world in every aspect of our lives. Money IS our lives, it is vital we have money to live ... but it is not given to us freely. We are victims to that which we desire most, we are stuck in a money driven culture that makes us crave it, long for it and extremely ... there is no easy way to get our hands on it. We have to earn money, which is fundamentally by behaving and working in the controlled ways we are pre-programmed to accept as "life".

Money has one very curious quality. To the best of my knowledge, it is the only entity outside of nature ... that may use itself ... another of its kind, to make more (inflation / interest). I have raised this point many times before and quite frankly, disclosed in the amount of disruption it causes amongst friends. Cruel I know. The ultimate point of frustration is that no matter how hard they try to be clever, it always ends up being a natural event ...

Money was invented. Let me say that again. Money was invented. It was invented around 1500BC by the Phoenicians to regain control of the bartering of goods. It was invented as a means of control, a linear trading platform, a means equaling all transactions of any particular item controlled by one and one only. So in a day and age where "freedom" is on the tongue of every world leader, why are we still governed by a means of control invented 1000's of years ago? Well, because there is no alternative for a start. Because it is all that we know and our entire civilization is based on the ever changing foundation of money. It is ever changing because by concept it is flawed. It is flawed because of the many reasons we have been taught over the years; economic turmoil, crashing prices, lost equity and revenue ... etc ... blah ... etc. These are merely descriptive words used to analyze what is happening around us (might I add, descriptive words invented and taught for the means of such its purpose). As far as I am concerned it is all a waste of breath ... as the people preaching it are the largest sheep of all!

The main flaw in money, is not what it now stands for, what it equates to abroad, it's value, it's ever evasive nature ...

The problem with Money is us. The squidgy organic bit that needs it or will will die. Why are we as a species subject to an apparent 'law of nature' that was created by man? Money is domination. Simple.

I wrote an article recently which talked about similar concepts only it is based in more real life situations due to the recent economic turmoil. What both articles point out, is that money can not belong to any one individual entity or unit ... because in doing so it simply does not work. The concept of money, does not work. But how so and what now? Well, unfortunately ... except you believe you can convince others that this is a viable explanation then there is nothing you can do. The only way in this world you may be really free from money is to not need it, therefore relinquishing the factor of control and necessity it has. You may do this by one of two scenarios. 1) You find a thriving ecological habitat in which you may live without any influence from the outside world (not my personal preference I must admit), or; 2) You become a wolf. Someone so rich no amount of negative events would ever be of significant effect.

In physics the theory of relativity is unshakeable and a proven mathematical certainty. I would like, like to make a minor addition to their law; "Every action, MUST have an equal and opposite reaction". Put simply, if there is no consequence, no reaction, then there is nothing ... you have created something from nothing ... and left nothing in its wake.

Now let's apply this theory to money. For an individual to become 100 units richer, another must become 100 units poorer. There can only be so many units in the world and as such, if we were all to have an equal amount it would be worthless. My point? The basic mathematical, logarithmic, algorithmic, and scientific plain unarguable relativity of the concept of money states;

"For those at the top of the pyramid to be rich by power; the rest of the people MUST be poor by default."

Want to make yourself richer? Or do you want to make the world fairer ...

Planning A Birthday Party For Your Child

Many people worry about the same thing when their children's birthday is coming closer, they worry that no one will show up to the birthday party. When choosing the different colors for the birthday make sure you choose the colors that match the birthday boy or girl. Customized invitations can cost a pretty penny. When sending out the invitation these show your guest what to expect with the party. Your invitations should include the basics, location the theme of the party, contact information and directions. Have fun and be creative with your invitation.

Many people will theme their parties around the entertainment they have planned. There are so many ideas out there today, especially the internet; just search for party themes and hundreds of ideas are presented to you, there are toy parties, movie, bowling and dress up party ideas. Birthday party themes come in all shapes and sizes, from sports to theater to Barbie and super heroes for children's parties the possibilities are endless and a good theme can really help pull your entire party together.

How many kids will there be. Plan your party games in 15-20 minute intervals. If you find the kids are happy playing a particular game let them carry on.

Properly planning the party is the key. Add small personal touches that link in with the theme. Planning can make your kid's party perfect. Do not forget the decorations for the party, there are balloons, streamers and wall decorations to get, and these decorations will not break the bank. Birthday party cakes are another thing you should check on. Character birthday cakes can be incorporated into the party theme very nicely.

There are some great games that you play at the party, dancing to music and "freezing" when the music is stopped to see who looks the silliest (this is a great game and everyone should win a party favor). Hire a fantastic DJ or live band to provide entertainment for your special evening. Watch the dance floor come alive when fun songs are played. Most DJ's will come with different musical games to keep the kids entertained.

Do not forget the birthday party activities. Coloring books, bubbles, and other activities can work for youngger children. While activities are for the kids, adults will have to assist. Depending on the age, the guest list, and the appropriate activities will vary.

Its better to have the birthday party table at the center of the room so that the guests can surround it and everyone can see it. Have a birthday party table or counter space available for the presents. Many people opt for pizza as the main dish, if you order a pizza make sure you keep it in the oven to keep it warm. When all families bring their one child to the birthday it is not a big deal entertaining the one, but when they bring more than one this is when it gets tricky and your plan for the birthday needs to be solid.

When your child's party is over it is now time to clean up but your tired and worn out from the day, so take time and rest before you start the clean up process.

Painting Solutions - How to Correct Interior Paint Problems

Interior painting of residential homes is a remarkable way to dramatically change the look and feel of your rooms. Doing the paint job yourself is rather labor intensive but when done properly will look like it was done by a professional. If you are not a professional painter, you might make a few mistakes doing the job that will result in problem areas. This is very disheartening when you have invested your time and effort into your project and then end up with problems. To save some disappointments it is best to handle any potential problems before you even begin painting.

Mildew is a big problem in a lot of areas and needs to be handled before applying any paint. If there is already mildew present or to prevent this from happening it is just a matter of using a bleach and water solution to wash the surface. The solution should be a 3 to 1 ratio of three parts water to one part bleach. After applying the solution to the surface to be painted, let it rest for a good fifteen minutes and then rinse it thoroughly. Use a paint that is mildew-proof and use fans to keep the air circulating. The new lower VOC paint products are especially good for the environment and for preventing mildew. Check the labels before you purchase your paint.

Sometimes old paint will begin to blister or form little bubbles and these will need to be scrapped and sanded to smooth the edges before applying new paint. If the blistering has gone all the way to the dry wall or bare wood it means there is a problem with moisture and this needs to be addressed before repainting. To avoid this problem in the future just use a higher grade of paint and primer. Paint that is too thin or if applied too sparingly or if no primer was used on wood, the paint will tend to flake and crack.

Lapping of the painted surface is when a denser and darker color emerges any place two strokes overlap each other. A surface that is really porous must be primed before painting. Problems will arise if the primer coat is not given a chance to dry completely before the topcoat of paint is applied. Try working in one section at a time so that you are not painting over washed paint. Keeping a wet edge while you are painting will eliminate the problem of lapping.

Dull and shiny spots that form on the surface of the painted area can be prevented by using a quality primer before applying the topcoat of paint. These spots happen because there are places on the surface that are more porous than other places or denser affecting the appearance of the painted surface. The primer coat of paint will make the surface to be painted uniform and eliminate this problem.

Finally, one of the most common problems that can happen with the painted surface is the appearance of marks from the paint roller. The paint roller you use for your project should be of a higher quality to avoid this problem and the roller should be dampened slightly before you dip it into the roller pan for the first time. Try painting in the shape of a W and only working on square sections that are about 3 'by 3' at a time. Paint your W and then fill in the area using light strokes that are parallel. This should eliminate the problem with roller strokes appearing on your finished surface.

Health And Wellness Products - How To Make Your Own

Health and wellness products will mean very different things to different people.

Wellness can be defined as 'the pursuit of a healthy, balanced lifestyle.













For the benefit of this article, wellness products are being looked at in the context













of 'over the counter drugs, health supplements and health remedies.

While for some people, wellness products might be viewed as an aid to recovery













from illness, for others it might be a means of further enhancing some













aspect of their current health. The variety of and uses for such products













are as numerous as are the the definitions of wellness products or wellness













programs, depending of course upon who is promoting them at any given time.

Whatever your reasons for pursuing alternative care health or health and wellness













products, a common goal is to achieve optimised health and well-being.

There are powerful media images hailing the benefits and safety of many over the













counter drugs, supplements and health and wellness products, every where you turn













these days. They have equally strong claims of being the one and only miracle cure













or solution for one ailment or another. How accurate are these claims though, and













what are the real costs to you in monetary and health risk terms?

Immediately after reading this article, go take a look and do a quick add-up of the













total cost of all the health and wellness products you currently have in stock. I'm













sure the figure will surprise you just as much as learning about the very real and













harmful side effects which can be caused by some of these drugs or supplements













that are supposed to be contributing to your overall state of wellness.

You may also be surprised to know that many of the 'over the counter drugs you













buy on a regular basis, simply treat the symptoms and not the real health issue.













Needless to say, this approach of focusing on the symptom, side-steps













the crucial requirement of getting to the root cause of your condition or whatever













it is that ails you.

You're most likely to pursue a wellness product either because you are becoming













wary of the adverse effects of chemically produced drugs or because you're keen to













recover from ill-health and improve a specific health condition. In some instances it













might be that you just want to optimise your current state of good health.

While some health and wellness products can be an effective measure toward













improving your health, you should note that long-term use of certain over the counter













drugs and some supplements can cause you more harm than good, with the long-













term implications far outweighing any short-term benefits. You may well find that













you are paying far too high a price on the basis of a mere quick fix promise.

For thousands of years, people in lands far and wide have used natural homemade













remedies to manage their health conditions and wellness needs, without manufactured













health and wellness products, that can be detrimental to health. They have purely relied













upon attaining or maintaining health by plants or by other natural means.













It could be argued that with the emergence of chemical and pharmacological methods,













many forms of this natural means to health and wellness have declined. In fact, even













by today's standards, there are many so-called under-developed countries where













inhabitants' rely on nothing more than homemade health and wellness products,













gained via natural methods of plants or plant-based extracts.

While conventional medicine relies on scientifically backed research to substantiate













effectiveness and safety. In contrast, similar cannot be said about some alternative













medicines or health and wellness products. There is no such requirement but their













promotion as regard effectiveness are deemed sufficient in themselves as support













for therapeutic or wellness claims.

Herbal remedies in general are harmless, however, certain claims being made by













some health and wellness products promoters, (under the banner of being













'natural')) can insinuate their health and fitness products being the













exclusive answer to your health condition or wellness questions, thus putting you













at great risk. Secondly, how open are they being about what's really inside? You













should always consult your physician over any health concerns, as well as discussing













with him/her your intention or choice of alternative means for treatment with any













health and wellness product or remedy.

Multi-billion-dollar industries have long weald their power by way of













lobbying to gain exemption from FDA regulation. This has been exactly the













case, according to the Skeptical Inquirer, who, on commenting on













the 'dietary supplement industry back in 1994, states - "Since then, these













products have flooded the market, subject only to the scruples of their













manufacturers".

The above point is an important one to note in that, while health and wellness













products manufacturers may list ingredients and quantities being used in













specific health and wellness products, there has been no real pressure on them to













do so, or to do so accurately. Furthermore, neither has there been any













watchdog body to ensure they are penalised for this failing.

So, what are the alternatives open to you? Increasingly, more and more people













are turning to do-it-yourself health and wellness homemade herbal remedies.













The distinct difference being that in making your own health and wellness products,













you are in the driving seat. Not only do you have a full awareness of exactly













what the ingredients are and the true quantities, but with the appropriate level of













guidance from a reputable practitioner, you're more conversant with any health













implications, if any.

With the right know-how, you too can draw on the old-fashioned yet effective













sources to greatly improve your health. For instance, using naturally prepared













herbs, vitamins, minerals and nutritional supplements, essential oils and flower













essences to create real healing solutions that deal with particular health













conditions rather than just the symptoms.

It is in the interest of a health and wellness product manufacturers to promote their













products as being the only option open to you. They don't want you to know about













the abundant natural resources and health-giving potent attributes of herbs and home













remedies which have been used effectively for thousands of years. You see, these













remedies cannot be patented because you can make them yourself and at a













fraction of the cost.

Whether your goal is to overcome illness, drugs intolerance, allergies or just to













optimise your already good health, with a little know-how, you can start making













your own health and wellness products and remedies, using nothing more than the













readily available natural resources in your home and garden. Not only will you













save your hard earned cash, you also alleviate the risk of serious or harmful













additives and side effects.

Are you interested in learning more about how you can treat numerous common ailments without the harsh side effects, using nothing but natural herbs, vitamins













and nutrients you prepare yourself at home? For instance, did you know that













placing yogurt on your face help to bring water from the deeper layers













of your skin to the surface, moisturizing your skin for the rest of the day and hiding













wrinkles?

Here are just a few more of the many quick and effective remedies you can learn













to make:

1. Natural laxatives

2. Beauty recipes

3. Skin care and cleansing preparations such as acne treatment

3. Herbal shampoos as well as how to treat hair loss

5. Dermatitis

6. Menstrual Pain and PMS Symptoms

Smart Parts SP-1 Tactical Parts - Top 5 Upgrades For the Money

The Smart Parts SP-1 has gained significant popularity since its debut about two years ago. It was created as a continued effort from Smart Parts to develop tournament level performance in entry-level priced paintball guns. The original Ion started it all. It taught the rest of the industry that a tournament level gun no longer had to cost 500+ dollars. The Ion was holding its own on fields filled with guns costing 4-5 times as much. The SP-1 replaced the Smart Parts SP-8 as Smart Parts' flagography marker marker. It soon found a permanent place in the 'entry-level priced' woodsball arena.

The Smart Parts SP-1 offers 3 firing modes from the factory: semi, 3 burst and full auto. This was not the case originally. The first series of SP-1 guns were only electronic assisted semi-auto. It has an ultra-low operating pressure of about 180 psi. This offers minimal kick and less ball breaks. Also, low pressure means less turbulence as the ball exits the barrel resulting in better accuracy and more consistent firing. Smart Parts even released videos on their website of the SP1 firing underwater! The board (like most on the market today) is covered with silicon to resist water. It was their way of showing the paintball world that the moisture associated with paint or rain will not affect the operation of this rugged, all-weather paintball marker.

The SP-1 functions very well straight out of the box. There are many upgrades available that will allow you to take performance to new levels. This article will discuss the most popular ones sold on the market today and what to consider when purchasing.

Barrel - The SP-1 uses an Ion (Impulse) barrel thread. This means that 'most' barrels designed for the Ion will thread into the SP1 break. We say most because the SP-1 uses a longer shroud than most woodsball guns requiring that the barrel be inserted about 6 "into the shroud before meeting the threads of the break.

Most SP-1 owners purchase at least a 12 "barrel. How does the stock barrel compare to most of the aftermarket barrels on the market? The old adage applies here - 'you get what you pay for'. of $ 35 - $ 50. Some of the best valued barrels include the JJ Ceramic, CP 1 Piece, Lapco Big Shot and the Smart Parts Tactical Barrels. 1 Shroud.

SP-1 Board - Although the factory board is fine for everyday use and even tournament level events, people still like options and love to tweak. They are plenty of aftermarket boards that offer more firing modes and rate of fire settings than you'll ever use. There are literally millions of setup profiles that you can create to tweak the firing characteristics to your exact preferences. One of the most popular upgrade boards sold for the SP-1 is made by Virtue Paintball. They have plenty of years experience in the industry, creating boards used by some of the best players in the world.

Paintball Loader - The factory SP-1 is capable of at least 15 bps (balls per second). Really any paintball gun that can fire over 10 bps would benefit from the use of an electronic loader. Do you need a $ 150, 30 bps loader? No, you do not. Stick with one that is capable of at least 20 bps. There are loaders on the market that run in the vicinity of $ 45-60 that will suit your needs just fine. The new Invert Halo Too, Invert Leaderader II, VL Evolution III and the Spyder Fasta loaders are all solid performers that offer a great performance match for the SP-1. Most offer optional board upgrades that increase loading speed. Having this option may be important if you swab the factory board out later or become insanely quick on the trigger.

SP-1 Bolt - The factory bolt in the SP-1 is far superior to the bolts found inside other paintball guns within the same price range. But you can achieve even higher levels of performance by swapping the bolt out with one of many quality aftermarket bolts on the market. One of the best SP-1 bolts out there today is the TechT Paintball L7 Bolt . This bolt works in the Ion XE, SP1 and Vibe. It only weighs about 7 grams. It is designed for maximum airflow and minimal drag and friction on the internal o-ring around the bolt. This equates to faster cycling, even less kick than stock and better accuracy than shot to shot. It should not be the first upgrade you make, but after all other areas are covered, the L7 bolt is a worthy internal upgrade to any SP-1.

SP-1 Stock - Seeing that the SP-1 is a tactical paintball gun, it only makes to add a rear butt stock. Smart Parts makes a stock adapter plate for the SP-1. This allows the SP-1 to accept 'some' 98 style rear stocks. The key word here is 'some'. First the adapter requires some space to attach to the end of the stock. Rear Stocks like the carbine style collapsible stock have the extra space due to the length adjustment of the center tube. Other stocks the have a rear plate that immediately follows the end 98 adapter will not work with the SP-1 Stock Adapter. These include most of the AK style stocks, folding stocks and various other designs out there. The only stock we've been able to use with the adapter plate is the 4 or 6 position collapsible carbine (M16) style stock. Not all brands will work with the adapter either. If you look at the end adapter piece on a Tippmann 98 stock, you will see special ridges milled into the end. There is a defect groove that must be there for the Smart Parts adapter plate to properly seat completely. Not many stocks have it. The Liberty (Tapco) T6 98 Stock does have it.

A paintball stock has many functions. Adding a stock aids in shooting stability. By resting the end on the stock on top of your shoulder, it also frees up one your hands for relating. Having a butt stock on your SP-1 also provides a rear attachment point for a tactical sling.

Most of the other SP-1 upgrades that people commonly add are a matter of personal preference: assisting in a certain look or specific function depending on the type of play. Weaver-based accessories like a bipod, sight, laser or grip are all options to consider for an even more tactical setup. Any accessory that has a weaver or picatinny base (measuring 7/8 "in width) is most likely to work. Accessories that are specific for 'dovetail' or 3/8" rails will not work on the Smart Parts SP-1.

The SP-1 Tactical offers a solid foundation from which you can build the ultimate scenario paintball gun. If budget is a factor, first get the upgrades that will give you to most performance gains for your buck. Then add the accessories that'll give you the desired look and added function later.

Be safe and enjoy the woods!

Window Repair or Window Replacement?

Even windows and glass doors of the highest quality will eventually need to undergo repair or replacement. Wear and tear is a natural process that occurs over long periods of time, even with recommended window maintenance and regular cleaning.

Other influencing factors include weather exposure and old window frames, not to mention breakage and chips from accidents around the property. Deciding when it's time for window repair, and whether or not you require full window replacement can be assessed by considering these following points.

Reasons for Window Replacement

Window replacement is called for when the problem at hand either can not be fixed, or when a repair job only temporarily fixes a problem that is likely to recur again, and continuously cost you money.

1. Out-Dated Windows:

The structure, design and materials used to make and maintain windows continuously changes. Standards and quality improve and old fittings become outdated and damaged.

Certain minor damages such as window chips and broken seals are repairable, but if these problems are continuously occurring, it may be worth investing in new windows. You'll find that there are a lot more options on the market, including pioneering energy efficient windows that use high quality window glazing, gas fills, and a more extensive range of frame materials.

You may also find that the older your windows get, the harder it is to find repair parts. An easier option, even for petty window damages, can sometimes be to replace them.

2. Rotten Wood:

Wooden window frames can easily suffer from moisture and weather damage, though if tended to correctly and promptly, they are easy to restore back to life. If not, the thing to look out for is if the wood has rotten to the core. This calls for an entire replacement, whether it be the window sash, the rail, the muntin bar, the window jamb, or the entire frame.

3. Damages and Breakage:

If broken or smashed panes occurs, certain action must be taken in order to avoid dangerous consequences. The safest solution is to seek a full repair service from professional window repairers. A possible exception may be if the particular material used is either extremely expensive or you are unable to find a replacement, in which case a professional repair job may suffice.

Reasons for Window Repair

Not many window damages require full replacement, in fact you will usually be able to find an appropriate repair solution, particularly if you contact a window repair professional where you get professional results for a very competitive price. Here are some common examples ...

1. Aesthetics:

You may find that your windows appear continuously stained, cloudy and dusty, even after cleaning them. This dust and condensation build up is particularly common in humid Queensland, and comes from damaged seals. Simply installing a new sash does the job.

2. Chips Cracks and Holes:

A silicone sealant is a handy purchase from your hardware store. For those little cracks and crevices that form around your windows, a sealant is the best thing to use. They will fill the gaps, and stop any air leakage and weather penetration.

3. Old Gaskets:

Gaskets that seal window sashes do not have the same overall life span as the rest of the window, whether it is made of vinyl, fiberglass, or aluminum. Whilst these types of windows can remain strong for up to 2 decades, the gaskets will not. A window supplier should be able to provide you with the correct fitting.

4. Broken Seals:

You may notice condensation and fog within your window panes. Whilst this is common, it is not necessary, and usually means that a broken seal is present. This is easily repaired by installing a new sash.

5. Dried and Cracked Putty:

Putty glazing does not need to be repaired often, but it does start to dry out and crack. There's no need to worry however, it is easily repaired by applying a new glaze.

You will find that more often than not you will be able to repair your windows; however it is important to be aware of when window replacements are necessary. Taking notice of the symptoms and signs mentioned above and measuring the extent of the damage will help you to determine what is best for your windows - repairs or replacements.

Heated Motorcycle Clothing - Not Just for Riders

Heated motorcycle clothing is not just for riders. Whether it's riding, winter hunting, snowmobiling, snowboarding, boating or outdoor spectator sports, heated motorcycle clothing can add comfort and pleasure to your activities and extend both the time and enjoyment of cold-weather recreation. Motorcyclists have known the benefits of heated gear for many years. Advances in technology, materials and design have allowed the production of heated motorcycle clothing that's not just for motorcycals anymore, but is sufficient for use in many situations where the elements have the upper hand - even if it's just your cold den.

Advances in technology have allowed for an ever-increasing number of ways to keep the cold at bay. Heated clothing now comes in many shapes - gloves and glove liners, socks and boot liners, pants and pants liners, jackets and jacket liners, scarves, heated grips and heated vests.

The heated vest has been one of the most popular articles of heated motorcycle clothing. The heated vest heats your core, which keeps the rest of the body warmer. With the introduction of lightweight, flexible fabrics and the advances in electrical circuitry, you can count on safe, windproof, waterproof, lightweight, stretchable garments without the downside of hot spots. One of the advantages of wearing a heated vest under a motorcycle jacket (or ski parka), is the elimination of layers of clothing and the additional flexibility of movement this allows. A warmer body and more flexibility add up to a safer riding (or skiing or snowmobiling or hunting) experience.

Heated clothing can be powered by a rechargeable battery pack, usually 7.4 volt, or the bike's motor, 12 volt. The various manufacturers offer lines of compatible battery packs, cables, connections and adapters. And many of these are interchangeable with the different different brands of heated clothing available. All heated motorcycle clothing will work with a temperature control module. One of the best known temperature control devices is the Heat-Troller, which works with most brands of clothing. In addition, there are many cable configurations which allow for the use of one piece of heated clothing - or several connected pieces - for total body comfort. Some dealers will offer a complete package for one price.

As heated clothing technology has advanced, more manufacturers have come online with heated gear. This has served to enhance and expand the range of heated gear available, while keeping the price affordable. For the most part, heated motorcycle clothing is priced between $ 60 for a pair of heated socks to $ 300 for a heated jacket with built-in heat controller. Considering the benefits provided by heated clothing - warmth, comfort, extended riding season, safety - heated motorcycle clothing is definitely a bargain. If you still need to be sold on heated clothing, for about $ 150- $ 200 you can purchase a top quality, very versatile heated motorcycle vest. See how this improves your life - and move on from there.

Auto Repair Fraud

Car repair problems entail the largest group of consumer complaints in the country. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that consumers lose billions of dollars every year due to unnecessary or substandard auto repairs. While most car repair shops are legitimate, there are some dishonest car mechanics running shops in many parts of the country. It is very simple for crooked car mechanics to compel car owners that unnecessary repairs are required because the average Joe knows nothing about cars. People do not realize that they are being scammed. This makes proving car repair fraud cumbersome. Even those customers who suspect that they have been gypped by a crooked car mechanic do not know what to do in order to make their case.

In this article, we will describe the various car repair scams. Familiarize yourself with our advice the next time you take your car into a repair shop. We will also provide some advice on how to reduce your chances of becoming a victim to a crooked car mechanic or repair shop.

Highway robbery

This is one of the oldest car repair scams in the book. These "highway robbers" own or work for service stations. They prey upon drivers who stop to pump gasoline, get air or water, or use the bathroom. There are various tactics they use to part the unsuspecting driver from his money. They have been found spraying oil or dripping it under a car then claiming that there is a leak from the driver's car. They have also been found slashing tires and cutting water hoses and fan belts so that the driver will be forced to purchase new ones. These robbers target the danger that the driver faces if they attempt to drive off without making the necessary repairs and many times charge hefty prices.

Repair Estimate Fraud

Customers who do not get repair estimates in writing experience the consequences when they come to pick up their cars. When the customer drops off the car, he gets a reasonable quote, but at the end of the day, the customer discovers that the repair shop has jacked up the final bill from the original verbal quote. This may seem legal, since many car mechanics find more problems under the hood once the work begins. Car mechanics and repair shops have been known to leave blank the estimate amounts when they have customers sign repair invoices. After the customer leaves, they fill in an inflated amount or an elaborate description of the problems.

Maintenance Hook Fraud

Repair shops will advertise tune-ups or preventive maintenance service at very affordable rates. Crooked repair shops will then use these maintenance specials to "hook" or "snag" and deceive their customers. A simple oil change and lubrication order can turn into very costly repairs. Some mechanics will purposefully damage the vehicle during an inspection to inflate the bill and "uncover" other car problems.

Willful misrepresentation of repairs

Today's vehicles are sophisticated, high-tech cars. The average Joe is not cognizant on how to fix or maintain their car. For this reason, it is very simple for crooked auto mechanics to gyp the customer.

This makes it difficult for the car's owner to decide on whether or not to have the car repaired. Be cautious of a mechanic who seems very adamant at explaining the problem with your car. Always seek a second opinion and definitely get an estimate of repair costs before signing off on any repairs.

Part replacement problems

Many crooked mechanics have been known to charge customers for parts that were not even bought or installed. Furthermore, the mechanic will charge you for the labor cost to install a part that does not even exist. This is definitely scamming the customer. The old parts swap is another common parts scam. Used car parts are often times installed in your vehicle, yet the mechanics charge you as if they are new parts. Always ask for your old or damaged part back after it has been replaced. This will help maintain integrity in your car mechanic.

Fake car parts

To cut down on costs, some crooked car mechanics use fake or counterfeit car parts in place of quality replacement parts. The price difference can be significant but you will not see the savings. The repair shops will charge you the full amount of a genuine part and will "forget" to inform you of this. This business practice can endanger you out on the road. Fake car parts, in general, wear out sooner than genuine parts. Determining the fake from the real car parts is difficult because the product counterfeiters often replicate trademarks or change them slightly that it takes an expert to tell the difference. If you believe that counterfeit car parts have been used in lieu of quality parts, file a report with your state attorney general's office or local Better Business Bureau.

Bait and Switch Repair Scams

Many car repair scams start off with an ultra-low price on a specific repair job; i.e. the bait. The repair shop reels in a customer with an advertised price on shocks and then finds ways to jack up the repair invoice with several other repairs; i.e. the switch. Imagine that you bring your car in to take advantage of the special. Once there, they will tell you that you need this, this, and this. This is a classical bait and switch scam. The only difference is that you will receive the advertised special, but you will also end up paying a shotload of money on repairs you did not expect.

Tips to follow when getting your car fixed

1. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   Ask for a written estimate before you sign off on repairs.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   Most states require that a repair shop give an estimate in writing. If the repairs are expected to be greater than the estimate, they must call you for your approval.



























2. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   Ask for a written guarantee
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   Get all guarantees in writing. Make sure that the shop honors its guarantees.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   














3. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   Do a background check on the repair shop
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   Contact the Better Business Bureau if there are any complaints made against the shop by other customers.



























4. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   Do not get gypped into paying for unnecessary repairs
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   Do not tell a repair shop what repairs to perform unless you are certain that you need the repairs.



























5. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   Get a second or third opinion
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   You may have to pay for the estimates, but you could save yourself a bundle of money by searching for the best deal.



























6. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   Look for a repair shop that employs certified car mechanics before the time for repairs comes
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   You can take your time in shopping for an honest repair shop, and you will not be hasty.



























7. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   Ask them to provide you with your used car part
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   Be sure to ask that they provide you with your used car part so that you can rest assured that they are being honest about installing a new or reconditioned part.



























8. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   Be sure that the repair shop honors any existing warranty on your vehicle
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   If so, the parts and labor may be covered by the factory's or extended warranty.



























9. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   Look for cleanliness and professionalism in the repair shop
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   Good repair shops are usually kempt and organized. Their staff's demeanor is very professional. Legitimate repair shops will not pressure you into making unnecessary repairs and will take the time to answer any questions you might have.

There are many forms of consumer fraud going on nowadays. It is up to you to educate yourself on what is or is not legitimate. Hopefully, our advice will minimize your chances of becoming a victim of the crime of car repair fraud.

How to Ship Your Car Overseas

When shipping your car overseas from the UK, whether it is to Australia or to Spain, the major of car shipping companies will give you the option of how to ship your car, this will most likely come down to two main options for you to choose from, these are Roll on / Roll off (RoRo) or container shipping. While the two of these options offer relatively the same result of shipping your car from location A to location B they are in fact quite different and understanding which choice you should make plays a very large roll in terms of the price you will pay to deliver your car.

Roll on / Roll off shipping vessels are specifically designed for the transportation of cars and trucks and are usually the main choice of most customers as well as car manufacturers when transporting their vehicles all around the world.

Due to the sheer size of the modern RoRo vessels they are capable of holding up to a staggering 6,000 cars per sailing, and coinciding with how easy the vessels are to load due to them just having the cars drive up a ramp into the vessels and then having them park up and be secured for the rest of the journey, they are very much like a floating car park. The speed with which the vessel is able to be loaded and with the amount of vehicles that it can hold this usually makes RoRo shipping the cheaper option when deciding to ship your car overseas, the one major downfall to RoRo shipping is that you are not always allowed to ship personal items in your car when it is being shipped, this is due to the fact that the shipping company is not insured to ship your personal belongings just the vehicle itself, and with your vehicle having to be unlocked for the entire journey to Ensure that if anything does go wrong the shipping company is able to move your vehicle if it is required.

Container shipping may be able to provide you with a better solution if you have certain shipping requirements that just can not be met by RoRo shipping, this can be one of many different reasons like the type of vehicle you are shipping is not suited for RoRo shipping, or your intended destination does not allow RoRo services to be docked at the port.

Standard containers come in two sizes when shipping they are 20 'and 40' in length. While you are quite easily able to shipping one car or 4x4 into a 20 'container, you can have sufficient space within a 40' container to ship two average size vehicles so it may even prove to be more cost effective than that of RoRo in this circumstance. In addition to being able to ship multiple vehicles within large enough containers you are also allowed to ship personal items within the vehicles that you are shipping because saving yourself further charges again.

So when deciding how you want to ship your vehicle you need to look at what you are going to be shipping and whether or not you want to ship personal items with your vehicle as well, for your average Joe shipping their vehicle overseas they are going to ship their vehicle with RoRo giving them an easier time with shipping, but for somebody who is maybe shipping multiple cars or has personal items to ship along with their vehicle they are going to want to ship their vehicle within containers allowing them to save money since they are shipping in bulk.

If you would like to find out more about how you can go about shipping your vehicle overseas, then you can head over to http://www.firstbasefreight.co.uk , and you will be able to find out the majority of the information you require.

How to Choose the Best Wedding Catering Company

The ability of a wedding caterer to work with certain locations is an important thing to be aware of. Many caterers will work with areas in churches, major meeting halls and even some outdoor areas around the London or midlands areas. However some wedding catering companies will have limits with regards to how many people they can support for different catering needs. It will be best to see if a good amount of versatility is involved when it comes to getting a wedding caterer ready.

It helps to see how far a wedding caterer can be from the site of the wedding. There are a number of different caterers around the London and midlands areas along with other parts of the UK. There are also plenty of wedding facilities around the London and midlands areas too. Therefore it will help to see who is relatively close to a facility that a wedding will be taking place at.

This is an important consideration to be aware of in that many wedding caterers will charge extra for travel from one area to another. This is an important thing to see in that the costs that are involved for travel and gasoline can vary in accordance with each UK caterer. After all, traveling from London all the way to the midlands can be something expensive for a caterer to be able to handle.

Another thing to see is that in some areas a facility that can handle a wedding reception will work with its own catering company. It will help to take a look at what that facility has when it comes to getting foods prepared for a wedding. If the services that are being offered by that company are not good enough then it would be best to hold the wedding reception in some other area so that another caterer can be used.

All wedding catering companies can work with a variety of different types of foods. A good thing to do is to check out all of the options that can be made available with regards to foods that are available for serving to people at a wedding. Cuisine options can include tapas, salads and soups, main entrees, side dishes and desserts. Each caterer will work with all sorts of options for every palate so it helps to take these factors in mind.

The alcohol policies that different caterers can work with should also be considered. A caterer should be one that can offer a good drink list that includes not only non-alcoholic drinks but also plenty of alcoholic options. Some will offer wines that can come from large wine lists while others can offer different types of beer and even some specialty drinks.

Be sure to take a look at how the alcohol can be sold. Sometimes a company will offer a cash bar where people have to pay extra money for certain alcoholic drinks. In other cases a company will include the drinks with the rest of the catering materials.

An important thing to see deals with how well the caterer can adjust to the dietary needs guests can have. There are many cases where some people who are attending a wedding could have to avoid certain foods due to health reasons. In many cases people might avoid certain foods because of personal reasons. Whether a person is a vegetarian, is allergic to certain ingredients or is supposedly to avoid certain types of foods it will help to be sure that a wedding cater can be found that can adjust its cuisine and cooking habits in accordance with different people in mind.

The last thing to check out with regards to the foods at the wedding deals with, of course, the wedding cake. Many wedding catering companies can work with in-house bakeries that can help to get cakes prepared. A variety of cake designs can be made available by a catering company so it will help to take a look at what options are available. These include cakes that can come in multiple tiers. Do not forget to also watch to see that the cake that is being prepared is one that is large enough to where it can be enjoyed by everyone at the wedding.

Be sure to think about how early in advance a catering service should be planned. In order to get the most beautiful foods ready for any palate it will be important for a caterer to have plenty of time to prepare. In most cases a caterer will require a customer in the UK to book services in London or the midlands about a month or earlier in advance. Therefore it will help to take a look at how soon a client needs to get reservations ready.

Do not forget about the costs that are going to be involved. Some wedding catering companies will charge clients by the head or by the amount of food that is going to be handled. All companies offer different billing rates so it helps to take these options in mind when getting a catering company to work for one's needs.

It is great to take a look at all of these things when looking around for wedding catering companies around the UK. There are many London and midlands wedding catering companies to choose from and when looking around for different companies like these will help to take some things in mind to make sure that a caterer is one that can work with one's wedding event needs in mind. This is so a good wedding reception can be enjoyed by all and that there will be no problems involved with the entire event.

Activated Carbon/Charcoal Air Filters: How Long Do They Really Last?

That's a great question. A lot of air purifiers/air cleaners have activated carbon filters to help remove chemicals, odors, smoke, etc, and sometimes it's hard to tell if it's still working or not or exactly when you need to change them. The manufacturers usually give a suggested time frame for changing the filters, but then state that how long an activated carbon filter lasts really depends on the amount of pollutants in the area, which is a little confusing.

A good rule of thumb is to change out all filters, HEPA and activated carbon/charcoal filters once per year, especially if you're really sensitive to indoor air pollution. If you're extremely sensitive, don't take a chance-change your filters any time symptoms even begin to reappear.

For the rest of us that may not be able to tell if we're really sensitive or not, but still want a better idea of how long our activated carbon/charcoal filters last and really when to change them, there is a way to 'test' it-by how well it is still removing odors and smells.

Military grade carbon in gas masks, and in good carbon/charcoal air purifier filters work by absorbing or attracting airborne chemical residues in the air. And since odors and smells also come from airborne chemical molecules and residues, if an activated carbon/charcoal filter in your air purifier is still working well, it should be able to mostly or completely remove an odor or smell in a matter of minutes, right?

So, one way to 'test' your activated carbon/charcoal air filter is to put your air purifier either in the kitchen after you've finished cooking, making coffee, or spray a little air freshener or cologne into the air around you, then turn the air purifier on high for 15 minutes or so. If the smell goes away completely or is very noticeably reduced, the activated carbon/charcoal filter is probably still doing its job trapping the airborne chemical molecules responsible for the smell.

You can test the filter again later and if it takes longer to get rid of the odors, that tells you that the carbon is 'filling' up and the air is needing to circulate through the air purifier a few more times to become clean. True military grade carbon or charcoal filters (as in Austin Air purifiers) will do a better job and last longer, but once you begin to notice that odors aren't going away like they used to, that carbon filter is probably 'full' and needs to be changed to make sure you and your family are still breathing clean air.

It is very important, however, if you're using an air cleaner for severe health issues, chemical sensitivities, or in an industrial application where hazardous airborne chemicals are present, to replace the carbon filters or at least install fresh bulk carbon on schedule or a little before to ensure than the air cleaner isn't circulating more pollutants than normal because the carbon filter is saturated and just blowing polluted air through the unit.

There are also various electronic and saturation / color change type chemical and VOC detectors and for any industrial applications where dangerous vapors or gases are present, we highly recommend using those with your air cleaner to let you know when the filter has stopped removing the pollutants, or if the air cleaner isn't sufficiently removing them.

How to Be Classy and Elegant Without Money

You do not have to be well dressed or have a lot of money to look and be classy. Class is what comes from the inside. It is your actions, reactions, facial expressions, ability to take a compliment, decline an invitation and overall how you carry yourself in life. I've met many women that are brash, rough around the edges and often just downright rude and not 'lady-like'. On the other hand I've had the pleasure of meeting many women who are polite, kind, helpful, are respectful of others, have pleasant facial expressions and certainly do know how to accept a compliment. These rare breeds of women simply make the decision to be classy, ​​with or without without money. In my observations and own personal upbringing this is what I have learned ...

1. SMILE! Smiling creates a more pleasant environment for those around you and keeps your spirits up too, no matter what life is throwing at you each day.

2. Learn how to take a Compliment. Too many women shrug off another person's well meaning comments either on their accomplishments, work, beauty, wardrobe, home and the list goes on. They do this with the "it's no big deal" response and attitude. You work hard every day and commit yourself just like Hollywood celebrities do but they accept their Oscars and Emmy Awards for all of their dedication and accomplishment. Smile, politely say thank you and just feel good about yourself.

3. Nobody likes a Fishwife. If you have not heard the expression, I'll fill you in. The fishwife is the woman who yells for her husband at dinner, screams at her kids and rants until everyone and everything is in order. This is so unappealing. Replace anger, yelling and rage with softness and grace. Calmly ask your children, spouse or friends to do something for you in a polite tone. I'm not suggesting you fake who you are but simply move in a direction that exudes class and respect for those around you.

4. Answer the phone like you would if a hunk was calling. Be polite and simply say "Good afternoon, Jane Smith speaking". You have granted the person on the other end and let them know who is speaking. I never like to hear "Hello ?!" in an exasperated tone or one that reeks "you called at a bad time, what do you want?" If it is really a bad time, simply do not answer the phone. Let the machine get it and call back at a more suitable time. You may be liable to say something you would not otherwise and will likely regret later.

5. Profanity is a No-No. Classy women do not swear and sound like a drunken sailor, it just does not work. They use creative vocabulary or tone down their thought of something terrible. Example: Someone cuts you off in a parking lot and soon causes a huge accident. Do not stick your head out the window and say "What the *% $ # were you thinking ?!" and give them the finger, rather keep it to yourself. No matter how mad you are or how panicked you feel do not lose your temper and cuss. Not only is this not lady-like (nor is it man-like, just plain rude) and if you had your kids in the car they're likely to repeat it.

6. Do not get drunk. Celebrating with friends and family with a couple of glasses of wine is not a sin, if you can handle it. Getting drunk at a party then dancing on the table singing is just so trashy. You will not like what people say about you and what they recall later. It just is not worth it! Classy women know their limits, drink within them and when they reach their limit they drink sparkling water, soda water with lime etc. to mingle with the crowd but not cause an accident on the way home.

7. Your Wardrobe Matters. You do not need to have a lot of money, or any for that matter to be a classy woman. Simply always take pride in what you do own, put on your best face and go out into the world. If your clothes have threads hanging and a stain you could not get out and a tear in the seam of your pants it is obvious that you lack the pride that others take. Always wear clean clothes, freshly pressed with no threads, rips, stains or fading. Instead neatly put together an outfit that you know looks good and throw on a few basics: mascara, lipstick (or gloss), and a bit of blush.

8. Speak Eloquently. There is no need to speak in slang. Learn the English language properly and try your best to use it and your best vocabulary daily. You were given a brain and have had education, let your words exude that too. Form your words fully. Accent or no accent people want to understand what you are saying. Speak clearly and form your words fully.

9. Turning down a request. There are times in life where we are simply too tired, not interested or do not have the financial wherewithal to take part in an upcoming event or in someone's request. Most women just say okay, I'll do it or I'll be there because they do not want to be perceived as rude. There is nothing wrong with taking time for yourself, just ensure you express it the right way. Example: Your grandmother asks you to take some items she has stored for you as she knows she is moving to a retirement home soon and you just do not have the room and do not like them anyway. Simply say "Grandma, these are definitely some neat treasures. This does not leave room for discussion on how big your apartment is, or what taste you have. If she asks again, repeat the same words. "I would love to but I simply can not".

10. Walk Proudly. Whether you are entering or leaving a room, grabbing some quick groceries or pumping gas, hold you head up high. I'm not kidding. Hold you head up high, shoulders back, lengthen your spell and tuck your tummy in. Gracefully walk to your destination always with purpose. Classy women always appear as though they have just landed in from Paris and are only in town for 2 days to grace you with their presence. You have completed a lot to date. You need to show yourself strong, confident and proud. You'll be surprised how much better you'll feel about yourself and how many heads will turn.

11. Nail your Nails. There is nothing worse than seeing someone with dirty fingernails. It says a lot about their health and personal hygiene and how much they care about themselves. Yellowing, chipped and ragged nails at any length are not good. People see your face and hands no matter how much of the rest of you is covered up. Keep your nails at a short, neatly kept length. Seeing the whites of the nails is important, so keep those! Invest in a pair of nail clippers and keep them cut regularly. Keep a file on hand in your purse should a nail break. Avoid the yellowing nails get by leaving nail polish off your nails for periods of time, use baking soda and lemon juice and soak them if you have this problem. Once filed and given a basic buff, use 2 coats of neutral polish like a natural pale pink. My favorite is Mademoiselle by Essie. Use a topcoat to prevent chipping and off you go. French manicure is most classy if you can afford to have it done professionally. Thankfully after painting my nails for 20 years I've mastered the art of doing my own perfect French manicure. If you have dark chipping nail polish you are better to take it off completely and wear nothing or a coat of clear or neutral then go out like that. The same holds true for toe nails and pedicures. Your toes will hold polish for 3-4x as long so you can leave this longer and do some spot touch ups when necessary.

12. Be clean and Hygienic. There are too many women making time for TV, shopping, cleaning and everything under the sun but who do not properly care for themselves. Classy women are not dirty. They do not sleep with all their makeup on at night and they brush and floss regularly, and take care of their health. Firstly, showering daily is a must. Being clean is not for everyone else who smells you but it is so that you feel clean and fresh and ready to give your best. Secondly, you should wash you hair bare minimum every other day. If you are leaving it longer than that your hair will start to get greasy and clumpy looking (usually at the back of your head where YOU do not look). I see it all the time in the workplace, a woman dressed well and her makeup looks pretty but her hair is dirty, it ruins the whole thing. There are some times where you can not prevent it as you woke up late, no worries, just wear your hair up so it is less conspicuous.

Overheating Battery Issues Stall Chrysler Hybrid Project

As the demand for hybrid vehicles grows, Chrysler has been forced to momentarily shelve their hybrid testing. Tests found the batteries overheated in some of the pickup trucks. 109 truck models and 23 minivan models with plug-in hybrid technology are no longer currently testing.

It seemed the Dodge Ram 1500 pickup trucks were delayed to damage due to their prototype batteries. There are no reported fires or injuries to operators as a result of the damage. Chrysler is testing a lithium powered battery since the third quarter of 2011. The project was expected to run through 2014, but no plans have been made to extend the testing.

This testing is partially funded by the United States Department of Energy to the tune of $ 58 million. Chrysler makes up for the rest of the funding with $ 65.2 million. A majority of the money was meant to fund the pickup truck testing, which was expected to cost $ 97.4 million. The reminder of the fund was meant for the minivan testing that was expected to cost $ 25.8 million.

The project testing was spread between 16 municipalities and utility companies. That spread the testing between 20 states. The batteries themselves were supplied from a Canadian company called Electrovaya, which specializes in lithium battery development and manufacturing. It even released its own electric car run on the battery that can go for 120 miles on one charge.

Despite the suspension of the truck and minivan hybrid project, Chrysler is moving ahead in development of the company's own battery. A representative has called their vision a "superior battery" to what they were implementing before. This time the company will create a different chemical makeup of the battery to prevent the overheating problem.

So far, the vehicles tested as part of the program have racked up 1.3 million miles equivalent. Minivans have recorded as high as 55 miles per gallon while the trucks have gained as much as 37.4 miles per gallon. Current hybrid minivans average about 28 miles to the gallon and trucks average about 23 miles per gallon.

Part of the testing was not just to increase the mileage of every gallon, but to create reverse power flow. This is where the battery then sends power to the electric grid. In the future, the powerful vehicle batteries could have the backup for home appliances during power outages. Chrysler hopes to have the first to release a vehicle with electric grid connectivity.

Flow Experience - A Key To Happiness

What is flow experience?

Flow experience is a concept defined by Csikszentmihalyi to describe those moments when you are completely and collectively absorbed in an activity. As such, everything else is forgotten. You have total concentration and nothing else matters. You are no longer aware of what is going on around you. The rest of the world is forgotten.

When you are in a flow experience, your focus is so complete that you forget about sleeping and eating. You are not even aware of yourself; you are immersed in the activity you are engaged in.

Sincemore, since you are so engrossed in the activity, your experience of time changes. You are so absorbed that the past and future are forgotten. Time absolutely flies by, although you are not aware of this at the time. It is only when you come out of the activity that you notice how much time has passed.

You can have a flow experience with any activity that is mindful and requires you to actively participate in it. As such, good conversation, reading a novel, playing sport, working on your hobby, letter writing, gardening, even cleaning the house are examples where you can experience flow. Passive activities such as watching television and sport are not conducive to a flow experience. You will probably know when you have had a flow experience as you will get that feel-good buzz afterwards of having engaged in something engrossing.

Whilst you are engaged in your activity, you will feel completely in control and are not worried about success or failure. The activity fees effortless but engaging. To the objective observer the activity may look risky and demanding (for example, surfing), but not to you, the participant.

We all possess the ability to engage in flow experiences and the more we have, the happier we are.

Why is it important?

• Flow enables you to focus and have total control and concentration during a particular experience.
• Understanding flow enables you to focus your attention at will, rather than waiting for something to come and grab your attention.
• Your skills are being used at their very best - you are giving your all.
• It can help you achieve your goals, since you are free from intrusive thoughts and events.
• It will enhance your well-being and happiness.
• Understanding flow can help you understand why you are procrastinating on a particular issue. Have a look at the conditions needed for a flow experience and reflect on them in terms of the task you are struggling to stay.

The three conditions to a flow experience

Csikszentmihalyi stipulates three conditions that must be met in order to have a flow experience:

1. Your chosen activity should have a clearly defined set of goals. This will help you focus your energy and give you direction.
2. You want a good balance between your perceived skills and perceived challenges. The important point here is 'perceived' rather than actual. It is a mind-state. If you believe your skills far surpass the challenge, you will become bored as it will be too easy for you. Whereas, if you perceive the challenge as being too hard for you, you will become frustrated.
3. Feedback is essential. It will enable you to modify your actions if necessary, to keep you in the flow. The feedback can be negative as well as positive. It can enable you to move on and progress (providing you have the skills to do so).
How to have more flow experiences Flow can occur with any activity, provided it is mindful. What is important is how the activity is carried out. Take a look at the following tips to help you towards engaging in regular flow experiences:

• Avoid multi-tasking. Trying to do two (or more) things at once is no way to achieve flow. It is not possible to give your all to two tasks at the same time. This will reduce your enjoyment and quite possibly the outcome may be compromised. Try to cut down on multi-tasking even for the most everyday chores.
• Try not to check your email every five minutes if you are working on a computer. Choose a time to read it and give it your full attention.
• Limit your distractions. Is there anything in your environment that is preventing you from achieving flow? Temperature, noise, layout, objects, other people, level of light can make a difference.
• Determine your goals and break them down into achievable chunks. Make sure these chunks are adequately challenging to keep your interest.
• Try new activities and develop new skills. The more your skills develop, the more pleasure you will receive. You may experience boredom or frustration early on. So take care to monitor your progress to check the activity is interesting enough and within your capability. Modify your goals if you need to.
• To keep experiencing flow with a particular activity you will need to increase the challenge - one that you believe you can meet. As your skills develop, the activity can become boring as it no longer requires as much attention. A new challenge will not only up your interest but enhance your expertise.
• How is your job? You spend a great chunk of your life in work, so you really want to obtain as many flow experiences as possible. If you are feeling bored, is there anything you can do to make it more challenging?
• Try to obtain regular feedback on what you are doing. It could be from yourself or another person.
• Avoid mindless activities which you do not actively get involved in - for example, watching television.

Read more

Csikszentmihalyi, M. (1991) Flow: the Psychology of Optimal Experience.

How To EASILY Make Your Penis Bigger In Just 6 Minutes (While You Take A Shower!)

You get up in the morning and you start your usual routine. Part of your usual routine includes taking a shower. Except now, you're just simply adding in one extra step to that part of your routine. While you are taking a shower, you're doing things that will make your penis bigger!

Sounds pretty freaking awesome, does not it?

I mean, what man would not want to add length, girth, and more to his penal inspection ... while in the shower ... WITHOUT using crappy tools ... and WITHOUT having to take dangerous pills?

Well, this is absolutely possible. The key is to do this with 100% all natural penis enlargement.

Natural penis enlargement involves using nothing but your two hands and performing unique exercises on your endowment to enhance all aspects of your penis ... naturally, consistently, and permanently.

Sounds good? Great!

I have for you below a beginner routine you can do the next time you take a shower. The routine is very easy and it should only take you six minutes to do.

Let's get started ...

Step One - Allow your penis to warm up. This is very simple. Since you are doing these routines while taking a nice hot shower, warm your penis up is already done ... with the hot shower! Just let the water hit your manhood for about 2 minutes.

Even though warm up is very quick and easy, do not, I repeat, DO NOT underestimate the importance of warming your penis up prior to doing natural male enhancement.

Most men assume that since this type of enhancement is so easy and gentle, that warm up is not really necessary. Well, the fact of the matter is that yes, this method is gentle, however, it is EXTREMELY effective! If you do not warm up or if you do the method too aggressively, side-effects are sure to happen.

Step Two - Do the initial lengthening exercise. To add length to your erection, with this step you'll do the basic stretching exercise. These types of exercises mimic what DANGEROUS hanging weights do ... but without the SCARY side-effects!

Alright, to do the basic lengthening exercise, simply make an OK sign with your right hand. With your three fingers facing ups, place the circle of your OK sign right below the head of your penis. Gently pull on your pen without removing your hand for 2 seconds. Now let go. Repeat all steps with your left hand. Do 20 repetitions with each hand.

Step Three - Do the initial thickening exercise. What you're doing here are the basic introduction Jelqing routines.

With doing this exercise, you're going to keep your OK sign from the lengthening workout above. Except this time you are going to put the circle at the BASE of your penis.

Starting from the base of your penis, gently but firmly move your hand towards the head of your penis, and then release your grip right before reaching the head. Repeat with the opposite hand and then do 20 repetitions with both hands in a rhythmic motion.

Step Four - Finish off with 20 PC muscle contractions. The PC muscle is a small muscle between your anus and testicles. Have you ever tried to make your penis move without using your hands? That strange feeling muscle making that happen is your PC muscle.

Now, to do contractions, all you need to do is contract this muscle in a "pulsating" rhythm 20 times for 20 seconds. Rest for 20 seconds, and then repeat the set 3 times.

That's it!

Just remember, with doing these exercises, you want to encourage growth ... not force it. It's important to stay CONSISTENT ... but just do not over do it.

The above is the basic exercise routine for beginners to get started with natural penis enlargement. By following those steps above, you can grow up to an extra inch within 4 months, plus see a noticeable thickness increase.