Home Kitchen

Comparison of remodeling offers

So you’ve decided to remodel your kitchen and have done your research. Several kitchen remodelers have visited her home and made offers, and she is now trying to decide the best way forward. She would like the project to stay close to her budget and not have a lot of unexpected costs at the end. Here are some things to look for and some questions to ask before choosing a remodeler and proceeding with the project:

  1. Proposals must be in writing and provide all required details. The offer must not be verbal or handwritten on a piece of paper.
  2. The revision of the proposal should be an “apples to apples” comparison. Are all the contractors bidding for the same work to be done, and the same style and quality of material? Of course, a bid on ready-made oak cabinets will be less than a bid on well-made cherry cabinets.
  3. Are there significant details that describe the work to be completed so that you clearly understand what will be done? The proposal must say more than; “Install New Floor”. What? On top of the old floor? What type of floor? Does the offer say that all the work will be done to code? You deserve details and a qualified remodeler should be able to provide them.
  4. What is a qualified remodeler? How long have they been in business? Are they insured? Are they licensed? What does the Better Business Bureau say about them or one of the customer based quality review websites? Have they been involved in litigation?
  5. What happens to the garbage? Will the contractor have a container on site, use a shipping service, or leave it in your yard for you to deal with? The proposal must specify how the garbage will be disposed of.
  6. The proposal should not only detail the obvious material of the project, such as cabinets, countertops and flooring, construction, plumbing and electrical supplies, but also who is providing them. You or the remodeler.
  7. Smaller items should also be included in the proposal, such as cabinet door knobs and/or pulls, under-cabinet lights, backsplash tiles, and assorted trim.
  8. Are you going to act as a general contractor and manage all the subcontractors or are you going to hire a general contractor? What labor is included? Is it the disconnection and reconnection of your appliances and plumbing? When do you need to introduce yourself? Throughout the project, for the delivery of materials, template and installation of the countertop? Has the contractor asked how to contact you in case of problems?
  9. Who is doing the work? Does the remodeler have employees or is everything outsourced? Are subcontractors licensed and insured? Has the remodeler asked for subcontractors, such as electricians or plumbers, to come in for a survey to provide an accurate estimate? Is Workers’ Compensation Insurance a Concern? You don’t want to be sued if someone is injured and there is no insurance.
  10. If you’re acting as a general contractor, who will fix the drywall if the electricians or plumbers need to open it? Do not assume they will repair the drywall.
  11. Is the price of the project all included? Are taxes, shipping and handling charges, and permits included in the price? Many municipalities require permits to be submitted prior to the start of a project. Has a payment schedule been established? What is the payment schedule based on: work completed, material delivered, or some arbitrary scheme?
  12. Is there a process defined in the proposal for changes to the scope and cost of the project? Do you have a tentative project schedule that says when work will start? will the materials be delivered and lists the important milestones of the project?
  13. Does the written contract match the final proposal in terms of scope of work, materials, and price?

If any of these items are missing or unclear, go back to your remodelers and have them fix it. Make sure you understand the project and what each remodeler is proposing. Items numbered 1-13 are intended to help create a professional business relationship with your remodeler. Problems always arise on every project, but being prepared ahead of time makes it easier to find solutions. Good luck!

Auto

There is no substitute for cubic inches – drill and stroke your little block with penis exercise

Before “hybrids” and “electric cars” were all the rage, and when testosterone was still flowing strongly through the veins of American men, there was a saying… “There is no substitute for cubic inches.” Which means the bigger the engine, the worse it is. Not just in terms of sheer power, but more importantly in terms of spine-breaking brute force.

Bigger was better, back in the days of old Detroit… Before the bailouts, before the bankruptcies, before the unions and “government” became co-owners, and before the “green” brigade started dictate to the American people what they should or shouldn’t be driving.

Have you noticed that nowadays, any old “pony” car is called a Muscle Car? Apparently any old Mustang is a muscle car, just like any old Challenger, ‘Cuda or any other with decals and scoops from the late ’60s and early ’70s. It’s something of a “Woodstock” or “Hendrix” conundrum. “, where every person you know, from that time, was in Woodstock and bought and listened to Jimi Hendrix records. But the fact is, most people never made it to Woodstock, and by some magical time travel event, The Osmonds and The Jackson Five became “Hendrix.”

For a car to be a “Muscle” car, it had to have loads of torque and horsepower. A 1966 Mustang straight-six coupe is as far from a muscle car as you can get. To be a true muscle car, you need cubic inches. Their 426 Hemis, 428 and 429 Cobra Jets, 455, 440, Boss 429 and their 427. A Chevy 327 stuffed into a Chevelle is not a muscle car.

The baddest production engine of all time would be the Ford 427 SOHC Hemi. Oh yeah! Built by Ford to battle Chrysler’s 426 Hemi on NASCAR tracks, the old “Cammer,” as it’s known, was so brutally bad the 426 Hemi couldn’t even come close. For that reason, and because Chrysler cried so much, old Bill France and the NASCAR guys wouldn’t let him race on NASCAR tracks, back in the days when you could still “Run on Sunday and sell on Monday.” Because, as I’m sure you know, those days of NASCAR are behind us… The “Car of Tomorrow” is a cookie-cutter “car” where the only differences between a Chevy and a Toyota, on the tracks of NASCAR, are the decals that adorn the cars…

Anyway, the “Cammer” holds the record for the “King of Horsepower of the Land of Gob”. In stock, it has 800 horsepower, all from a naturally aspirated engine, designed and built nearly fifty years ago. But if you’re still not satisfied with its performance, put a fan on it and give it a little nitro and you’ve got 1400 horsepower at your disposal… Jeepers, that’s a lot of a fifty-year-old vintage Detroit piece. Iron.

Why was the Cammer such an amazing engine? Because it was huge at 427 cubic inches. Once again, there is no substitute for cubic inches… And it was made even deadlier by adding individual overhead camshafts to each bank of cylinders. You had horsepower and torque that were endless and almost impossible to transfer it all to the track.

Penis enlargement is a lot like those Muscle Cars with Big Blocks under the hood. Cars with huge engines, with ferocious amounts of torque and horsepower, that couldn’t handle anything worthwhile, but could surely go like hell in a straight line. What better parallel to a penis can you find? Heck, all you need is a lot of cubic inches (size volume) and straight line performance is all you really need.

Turning your small-block penis from one of those inline six cylinders into a fire-breathing seven-liter big block is easier than most men think. You need to increase your stroke (penis length) and enlarge your orifice (penis girth). This will give you all the extra cubes you need to get that Big Block Penis.

With penile exercise, the increase in stroke (length) is done simply with the hands to stretch the ligaments that anchor the penis to the body. These exercises, when done correctly, will increase your movement for more ripping penile twist.

Piercing your small block penis is done with the same method. The hands, again, are used to squeeze additional cubes into his penis by reinforcing his block. By squeezing more blood into the caverns of the penis, we increase the inner diameter of the penis (girth) and this gives us more power in the penis.

What could be more easy?

George von Neumann

Digital Marketing

Find out why Google keyword ranking is important for your website and how you can improve it

Ask any successful online marketer and they will tell you that the importance of ranking for Google keywords cannot be overstated. Google is the undisputed leader of search engines and a large number of people use it to find any information they need on the web. In other words, the vast majority of your visitors are likely to come from Google than from any other search engine. So if you need organic traffic, ranking on Google is something you need to take very, very seriously.

When people search for something on the web, they are likely to click on the first few results that appear on the search engine results page. Experts say that 70% of people are likely to click on the first three to five results that appear on the search results page. Therefore, to make the best use of Google, you need to ensure that your website ranks high, preferably within the first five or ten results. This is something to keep in mind when it comes to Google keyword ranking.

Ranking within the top five results on the Google search results page can greatly benefit your website. However, it is not an easy task as there is immense competition among webmasters to get the coveted number one position in Google. Therefore, you need to implement many search engine optimization strategies to rank high on Google. Before you start with the SEO steps, you need to know how high your site ranks for various keywords. The best way to find it is by using a keyword ranking tool.

There are a number of SEO tools that can help you find out how high your site ranks for important keywords related to your business. All you need to do is enter your domain name and the relevant keyword into a keyword ranking tool. The tool will immediately display your site’s ranking for that particular keyword. You can make a list of important keywords related to your business and check your site ranking for all of them using these tools. If the results are satisfactory, you need to work on your site to ensure that it stays on top continuously. If the results are poor, you need to work on your site to get to the top position.

To rank high in SERP, you need to implement a number of onsite and offsite optimization techniques. Writing a keyword-rich META description, adding appropriate SEO META tags, using title tags, using important keywords for anchor text and internal anchor text, and adding a sitemap are some of the SEO tricks on the site that can help you get a better ranking in Google. Getting high-quality one-way links and submitting articles to popular article directories are some of the external SEO tricks that can help you improve your site’s Google keyword rank.

Relationship

Discover the benefits of journaling

Introduction

The word diary comes from the French “jour” which means day. Writing a diary every day is like having a visit with your best friend, you.
This ancient practice dates back to the 10th century in Japan. Successful people throughout history have kept journals.

Keeping a journal has a positive impact on your well-being. James Pennebaker, a researcher, claims that writing strengthens the immune system and reduces the symptoms of asthma and arthritis. He also claims that writing about stressful things helps you cope with them and thus reduces stress in your life.
Journaling is an opportunity to explore ideas in an unstructured environment.

Christina Baldwin:
“Writing a diary is a journey within.”

Who should write a diary?

1. Anyone who aspires to write
2. Anyone who wants to capture feelings and points of view.
3. Anyone who wants to heal the mind and body.
4. Anyone who is trying to solve problems
5. Anyone who wants to find themselves

Why newspaper?

Scientific evidence supports that journaling accesses the left brain, the analytical brain. While busy, the right brain is free to create.
Writing clears mental blocks and allows you to understand yourself.

Keep a diary every day:

1. Clarify your thoughts. The clarity I find when writing is incredible. There is power in the connection of the brain, the pen and the notebook.
You can’t get the same benefit from journaling with your computer as you can from actual writing.
2. Helps you examine feelings. I have moments of clarity about situations that have been confusing.
3. Reduce stress. Start typing. You will experience release and calm. Writing quiets the mental chatter.
4. Find solutions to problems. I have had AHA moments while writing. Somehow, the creative right brain finds answers.
5. It allows you to resolve disagreements. Most of the time, when I disagree with someone, I am the one who needs to change; writing helps me adjust my attitude.
6. Help you to know yourself. The more I visit my best friend, through journaling, the more I get to know and like myself.

Unknown:
“I go to this diary like any other poor devil goes to drink.”

When to write a diary?

1. Morning or afternoon any committed time. I prefer the morning when my dreams are still fresh. I combine journal time with meditation and spiritual reading.
2. The afternoon is a good time. You can reflect on your day and how you behaved.
3. Writing twice a day in the morning and at night is the best of all worlds. Try it for a week. You will like the results.
4. Many people write down thoughts and feelings throughout the day. That’s fine too.

The important thing is to write in your journal every day. Make it a habit.

What to write in a diary?
Write more than daily accounts, I got up, went to work, came home is not daily. Add thoughts, questions and revelations.

Write about your:

1. Inspiration
2 questions
3. Disclosures
4. Commitments
5. What did you do to help another person?
6. What did you learn?
7. What is your biggest mistake?
8. Confusing problems
9. Gratitude

it’s your story It’s your feelings, ideas, thoughts and dreams. The things that make up your life. That’s what you write about.
Reflect on what happens in your life, track events, look for patterns. Discover – become aware.

Remember – it’s your diary. You have the opportunity to choose what is important to you. That’s Diary.

How to make a diary?

Get a pencil and a pad or three-ring binder, or something fancy.
Please no computers.

You cannot achieve mind, hand and soul connection with a computer.

Start your writing by writing down three things you are grateful for, or write down three goals, three wishes, or three best qualities. Just start.
Commit to a time to write a journal.

Do you care who reads it? Decide if you want to insure it or not.

Twenty Benefits of Keeping a Journal

1. Reduce stress
2. Helps you stay focused and organized
3. It helps you organize your way of thinking
4. Serves as a reminder 5. Improves your sense of well-being
6. Helps clear the mind
7. Improves sense of gratitude
8. Promotes healing
9. Improve life
10. Generate creative ideas
11. Helps you understand yourself
12. Makes sense – increases perspective
13. Bring joy and humor
14. Increase sensitivity
15. Improve relationships with yourself and with others
16. Clear the mental block
17. Allows a better understanding of oneself
18. Leads you towards peace of mind
19. Promotes self-discipline
20. Improves spiritual growth

Summary

There is no better way to become familiar with yourself than to keep a journal.

It is the time you spend with yourself where you can collect your thoughts, resolve confusion, find focus, open your spirituality.

No one is judging your writing. There is great benefit and convenience in keeping a journal. It is a powerful time of reflection. A time to get to know yourself. It is also a cheap therapy.

Lao Tse Tao Te Ching:
“He who knows others learns
He who knows himself is wise”

Copyright © Wee Dilts 2009

Health Fitness

Grapefruit Diet – Pros and Cons

The grapefruit diet, also known as the Hollywood diet or the Mayo diet, has a long history in the United States. It exists since 1930 and is known as a method of rapid weight loss until now with many variations and the only essential thing that cannot be changed is half a serving of grapefruit before each meal. Grapefruit is claimed to have fat-burning properties, and with the diet that encourages meat consumption, this combination of high-cholesterol foods with grapefruit appears to burn fat faster.

The basis of the diet itself has been identified as a low-carbohydrate, low-protein diet with an average of 800 to 1,000 calories per day. On a diet of less than 1000 calories per day, most people will lose weight even without consuming grapefruit, but it is not yet known how a half serving of grapefruit before each meal stimulates the weight loss process. He points out that so far no scientific study has been able to demonstrate the power of grapefruit to burn fat.

Here are a sample of eating plans based on the grapefruit diet:

Breakfast

  1. Half a serving of grapefruit or 4 oz of unsweetened grapefruit juice
  2. Two eggs, any style of cooking.
  3. Two slices of bacon, cooked medium.
  4. You can also add black coffee.

Lunch

  1. Half a serving of grapefruit or 4 oz of unsweetened grapefruit juice.
  2. Salad, any type of dressing, any size.
  3. Meat, any kind, unlimited quantity.

Dinner

  1. Half a serving of grapefruit or 4 oz of unsweetened grapefruit juice.
  2. Meat, any kind, unlimited quantity.
  3. Any red or green vegetable cooked with seasonings or a salad. A cup of coffee or tea.

snack before bed

8 ounces of skim milk with sweetener, the alternative is a glass of tomato juice.

Snacks between meals are not allowed.

advantage

  1. It consists of 12 days of diet with 2 days off, so you have 2 days to eat whatever you want.
  2. The program offers fairly rapid weight loss: 18 pounds in the first 18 days.
  3. For those who don’t like the idea of ​​going to the gym, this program does not have any instructions regarding exercise or training.
  4. Affordable and simple.

Cons

  1. It is not healthy to eat too many acidic citrus fruits throughout the day for long periods of time. It will increase the level of acidity in your stomach and increase the probability of having stomach pain, gastritis or even ulcer diseases. If you suffer from any of these or other digestive tract foods, you should stop consuming any acidic foods such as grapefruit, lemons, or oranges.
  2. The program eliminates things that are needed in a balanced diet, such as carbohydrates.
  3. Limited varieties of food restrict you to improve your eating habits and can cause boredom, monotony and taste fatigue.
  4. You will regain weight as soon as you come off the diet.
  5. Unlike other citrus fruits, grapefruits are known for their interactions with some medications such as felodipine, a drug used to control high blood pressure. Recent studies show that felodipine in combination with grapefruit juice can cause toxic effects.
  6. If starting this diet monitor how you feel every day, there are reports of some experienced people running at the start of the program, and this can lead to dehydration if not treated quickly.
  7. There are opinions that grapefruit inhibits the production of insulin from the pancreas. If you suffer from diabetes, you can even go into a coma because your insulin level drops suddenly.
  8. This is a list of medications that can cause unpredictable and dangerous effects if combined with grapefruit juice:
  • Statins (cholesterol drugs): lovastatin (Mevacor), atorvastatin Lipitor, simvastatin Zocor, simvastatin/ezetimibe Vytorin
  • Antihistamines: Ebastine, Seldane
  • Calcium channel blockers (blood pressure medications): nimodipine (Nimotop), felodipine (Nitrendipine, Plendil), pranidipine, nisoldipine (Sular), nicardipine (Cardene), verapamil (Verelan)
  • Psychiatric medications: buspirone (Buspar), triazolam (Halcion), carbamazepine (Tegretol), diazepam (Valium), midazolam (Versed), sertraline (Zoloft)
  • Intestinal drugs: cisapride, withdrawn from the US market (Propulsid)
  • Immune Suppressants: Cyclosporine (Neoral), (tacrolimus) Prograf
  • Pain medication: methadone
  • Medication for impotence (erectile dysfunction): sildenafil (Viagra)
  • Anti-HIV drugs: saquinavir (Invirase) Antiarrhythmics: amiodarone (Cordarone)

Keep in mind that you don’t have to understand all of these medications, just check with your doctor first if you plan to start this diet.

conclusion

With so many falls and side effects, it is not recommended to do this long term. There are people who claim to do this for years with good results, but you should not try your luck just to lose a few kilos of weight. Remember that there are many weight loss programs that offer a healthy long-term solution and a quick result.

Legal Law

Learn to fly in the UK

Interested in learning to fly in the UK?

What do I need to know and what will I have to do? The basic license you will train for is called a Private Pilot License (PPL). There is another license called the National Private Pilot License (NPPL), but it has more restrictions—-More details on both later.

Well, some basic requirements first. You must be at least 17 years old to obtain a private pilot’s license, but you can start training earlier. You will not be allowed to fly solo (on your own) until you are 16 years old. You will need to obtain a medical certificate stating that you are fit to fly alone. It’s not a difficult medical test, but occasionally people will fail. I am not going to attempt to give medical advice here and it is best to contact a doctor. The biggest problems would be heart disease, strong medications, diabetes or epilepsy. Wearing glasses is not a problem, but you should carry them with you along with a spare pair. To get the medical exam, you must see a doctor who has been approved by the civil aviation authority. These are called aviation medical examiners (AME). Any school can provide you with a list of them.

It is worth noting that the medical requirements for an NPPL are less stringent than for a PPL. I would suggest getting the doctor as soon as possible because if there is a problem any training would have been a waste of your money.

When you’re ready to get started, you need to find a good flight school. Most airfields have a school and, in fact, you’ll probably be surprised at how many there are. You can find details on the internet or just go to your local airfield and ask. It’s worth taking a look at more than one school, as they vary enormously. Some are much better than others. Some quite formal, some relaxed. Some busy, some quiet. It’s really about finding the one that works for you. Obviously you have to check the prices of the training and these also vary a lot. Check what is included in the price: membership, landing fees, equipment, ground school. All schools are different. So shop around!

You have to do at least 45 hours of training to get your license, pass 7 written exams and a flight test.

Of those 45 hours, at least ten must fly alone. Remember that these are minimal and depending on capacity, further training may be required. The written exams are multiple choice and coverage;

-air law

-Meteorology (weather)

-Navigation

-Flight planning

-Aircraft, Technician

-Human performance

-Radio

The final flight test is with an examiner who will normally come from your own school, so chances are you already know them. This is a two-hour flight that includes navigational driving skills and emergency drills.

So that’s it, fill out an application form and mail it to the Civil Aviation Authority!

NATIONAL PRIVATE PILOT LICENSE (NPPL)

The NPPL, like I said before, is a bit easier to get but more limited in what you can do with it.

The doctor is less strict and you only need to do 32 hours of training.

However, it only allows you to fly in good weather and during the day. You can only fly UK registered aircraft and only in UK airspace. (So ​​no trips to France!) You also can’t add a night rating to it.

The flight test is the same as the PPL.

Pets

Retail formats

One of the key determinants of a retailer’s success is the format they use to present to their target customers. A retailer can choose a format based on the type of store design they want to feature, the location they would like to establish, the various products and services they want to offer, and the approach taken to pricing. The most important aspect is that the format should be ideal for your target demographic.

In the past, the Indian retail sector has been dominated by small independent players such as traditional and small grocers. It is in recent times that the multi-point and organized retail concept has gained acceptance and has since gained momentum. According to the study carried out by the Indian Council for Research in International Economic Relations (ICRIER), on the subject of ‘Impact of Organized Retail on the Unorganized Sector’, it is estimated that the retail business will grow by 13% annually from US$ 322 billion in 2006-07 to US$590 billion in 2011-12.

A FICCI report on “Indian retail: on the fast track” shows that a number of organized retailers are currently experimenting with different retail formats. It is difficult to predict which format will have an advantage over all others in view of the fact that the Indian market has not yet matured.

The different types of retail formats that retailers could adopt are mom-and-pop or kirana stores, specialty stores, department stores, discount stores, convenience stores, hypermarkets, supermarkets, malls, category killers, e-retailers, and vending machines.

Mom-And-Pop or Kirana stores: is a retail outlet that is owned and operated by individuals. The range of products is very selective and few in number. These stores that you see in the local community are often family owned and operated. The square footage of the store depends on the owner of the store.

Specialized stores: A typical specialty store pays attention to a particular category and provides a high level of service to customers. A pet store that specializes in selling dog food would be considered a specialty store. However, brand stores also fall into this format. For example, if a customer visits a Reebok or Gap store, he or she only finds Reebok and Gap products in the respective stores.

Department store: they usually bear a resemblance to a specialty store collection. A retailer of such a store has a variety of categories and has a wide assortment at an average price. They offer considerable customer service. For example: Food World in Bangalore.

Discount Stores: offers a wide variety of products at affordable and discounted prices. Typically, retailers carry less fashion-oriented brands. However, the service is inadequate.

Convenience stores: it is found essentially in residential areas. They provide a limited amount of merchandise at above-average prices with a quick checkout. This store is ideal for emergency and immediate purchases.

Hypermarkets: offers variety and large volumes of exclusive merchandise at low margins. The operating cost is comparatively less than other retail formats. A classic example is the Metro™ in Bangalore.

Supermarkets: It is a self-service store consisting primarily of groceries and limited non-food items. They may adopt a Hi-Lo or EDLP strategy for pricing. Supermarkets can be anywhere from 20,000 to 40,000 square feet. Example: SPAR™ supermarket.

Malls: has a range of retail stores in a single outlet. They provide products, food and entertainment under one roof. Example: Sigma Mall and Garuda Mall in Bangalore.

Tier Killers or Tier Specialist: By offering a wide assortment in a single category at lower prices, a retailer can “kill” that category for other retailers. For some categories, such as electronics, products are displayed in the center of the store and sales staff will be available to answer customer inquiries and provide suggestions when needed. Other retail format stores are forced to cut prices if a category specialty retail store is present nearby. For example: Pai Electronics™ store in Bangalore.

Electronic retailers: The customer can buy and order over the Internet and the merchandise is delivered to the customer’s door. Here retailers use technical drop shipping. They accept payment for the product but the customer receives the product directly from the manufacturer or a wholesaler. This format is ideal for customers who do not want to travel to retail stores and are interested in shopping from home. However, it is important for the customer to beware of defective products and unsecured credit card transactions. Example: Amazon and eBay.

Vending machines: This is automated equipment where customers can deposit money into the machine and purchase products. This type of system is currently not widely used in India. For example: Selling soft drinks at Bangalore airport.

Retailers can opt for one format as each offers a different retail mix to their customers based on their customers’ demographics, lifestyle and buying behavior. Good formatting will help display products well and attract target customers to generate sales.

Real Estate

Japanese Bamboo Fountain: Discover the Cultural Secrets of Japanese Bamboo Fountains

Japanese culture attaches a special meaning to water sources. There are two main types of Japanese fonts: Tsukubai font, Shishi-Odoshi font. Both sources have a rich cultural history.

Tsukubai is a Japanese term that translates to “squat or crouch” in English. The Tsukubai fountain is a Japanese fountain usually found outside Buddhist temples and Japanese tea gardens. Visitors must “squat or crouch”, that is, crouch down and perform the cleansing ritual before entering the temple. This cleansing ritual is conceptually similar to the ablution ritual performed in Christian churches. This Tsukubai cleansing ritual involves washing your hands and rinsing your mouth. This cleansing ritual is performed before entering Buddhist temples for tea ceremonies.

A Tsukubai fountain is usually made from a stone bowl, known as a chozubachi. The highlight of Tsukubai is a bamboo pipe, also known as a kakei. A small bamboo spoon is placed on top of the basin, ready to be used to perform the cleansing ritual. Tsukubai fountains are usually found outside of Japanese tea gardens or in Japanese-themed houses.

A stone lantern, also known as an ishidoro, is placed near the tsukubai to provide light during afternoon tea ceremonies. The arrangement of the stones around the Tsukubai is of vital importance when designing it. Green floras and bamboo plants are a great addition to the area surrounding Tsukubai.

Simple in design, a tsukubai is a beautiful addition to your garden or tea house to increase its zen appeal and add cultural history to intrigue your guests and visitors.

Shishi Odoshi is another Japanese font well known for its quirky style and ancient beauty. Shishi Odoshi literally translates to Deer-Scarer. Japanese farmers used the shishi-odoshi fountain to ward off deer and pests that were destroying their agriculture.

As Japanese culture progressed, Shishi-Odoshi was used more as a meditation item. His ability to create a calm serenity in his surroundings is really attractive to Zen monks. Shishi-Odoshi is famous for the swinging motion of the bamboo and its “clacking” sound. The bamboo sways back and forth as water fills and empties from the spout. When the bamboo spout gently hits the surface of the sink, it makes a “clicking” sound that is soft and refreshing. People who practice meditation are especially fond of this gentle snapping to focus and concentrate.

A shishi odoshi has become a classic water feature in gardens in recent years due to its cultural history and unparalleled beauty.

Shopping Product Reviews

Website Design: Hardware and Software Tools You May Need

Before you get started on your new website or editing your current site, you should consider what hardware and software tools you may need to support your efforts.

When it comes to the hardware required, it can be very simple or reasonably complex depending on your particular needs. Of course, if you’re planning to create a new website (or even view your new website later), you need a computer. Pretty simple, right? Not necessarily. We prefer to work with Apple Macintosh (OSX Leopard on MacBook Pro) as we do a lot of graphics intensive work and have previously invested in Adobe Creative Suite software (Photoshop, InDesign, Flash, Dreamweaver, etc.). It’s just as easy to create your new website using your Windows PC, but we suggest you avoid using Windows Vista (any version) and migrate to Windows 7 or stick with Windows XP. These operating systems are much more stable and reliable.

Another consideration for hardware should be some type of backup hard drive or USB flash drive(s). It is important that you back up all of your website data to a removable drive in case your computer crashes, crashes, or is stolen. When you create website files, most of your data will be stored on the website’s hosting servers, but in many cases you will have many other “build files” that usually never make it to the hosting servers. If you lose this data, you will be forced to start from scratch in many cases. Another piece of hardware that many forget about is an HD camcorder. If you plan on including videos on your site, you should invest in something half decent; You can usually buy a good video camera that also captures “still photos” for less than $500.00.

When it comes to the necessary software, this can be a bit more complicated, again depending on what your website design goals are. At a minimum, you’ll need some form of text editing software, FTP (file transfer software), graphics creation software, and then a variety of other tools as you go.

These are some of the most common topics to consider when planning your website product design.

COMPUTER

Do you currently have a computer that can process large files (ie video files) quickly and efficiently?

WEBSITE SERVER

Are you planning to host your own website portal? If so, do you know what kind of server hardware and software you’ll need?

BACKUP OF HARD DISK or USB MEMORY

Do you currently have any kind of backup hard drive plan or equipment?

VIDEO CAMERA

Are you going to create custom videos for your website, and if so, do you have an HD video camera out of the box?

MOBILE WEB DEVICES

Thinking of making your website mobile friendly? If so, do you have an iPhone and an iPad? Android phone? BlackBerry device? These will be needed for testing purposes!

WEBSITE CREATION SOFTWARE

Do you have any website building software (ie Adobe Dreamweaver or Microsoft Front Page) installed, licensed and ready to use?

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Sports

Kicky style and class with Mary Frances bags

There is a lot of style and class in Mary Frances bags. Don’t refer to these accessories simply as “purses,” because they’re so much more than just something to hold a wallet, makeup bag, and cell phone. On the one hand, Mary Frances, Designer of the Year 2004, has tried to infuse her love of life and fun into every bag she makes.

A glance at a bag by the designer demonstrates this fact, as there doesn’t seem to be a theme or object of art that she hasn’t tried to include in every bag in every one of her numerous collections. For those with a more bohemian outlook that comes in rich-looking leather, there’s the Mary Frances line of leather bags, filled with bags called “Bellissima” and “Ray of Light,” for example.

For the cheesy good mood and love of the holidays, the Mary Frances Christmas collection is untouchable when it comes to several of that line’s bags that could do double duty as vacation townhouses or trinkets in a miniature christmas village scene For example, there’s a Gingerbread House bag that looks exactly like it says it does.

Several of those bags in particular (the ones that look like statues or the like) are from Timmy Woods, a Mary Frances collaborator. His contributions include a bag called “Naughty or Nice,” which is perfectly in tune with the designer’s humorous take on bags that are both utilitarian on the inside and scream individuality on the outside. These bags are extremely memorable, to say the least.

One of Ms. Frances’s most extensive lineups seems to be the large bag collection, and what woman, whether a stay-at-home mom with several young children or an on-the-go businesswoman (who might as well have a few kids of her own), today doesn’t you need a large bag to carry almost everything while looking super stylish and unique, for starters.

It seems that this up-and-coming fashion designer does not lack a following among Hollywood celebrities, with big names like Shania Twain and others flocking to grab her colorful and playful bags. And Ms. Frances herself seems to be the epitome of the great American success story, starting making jewelry in her home in San Francisco in the 1980s and steadily increasing her clientele.

However, what might be most surprising of all is that many of the bags in their various collections are not extremely expensive. In fact, many, while certainly more expensive than most standard department store bags, are not expensive at all. This is despite the fact that each bag is put together by hand and looks extremely unique, one of a kind and one of a kind.

The Bay Area designer typically introduces five new Mary Frances bag collections per year, and there are always several lines of “retired” bags that can be had from the previous year for a short period of time. The bags are stylish, fun, very nice and there is sure to be one for any woman.