Sports

The natural swing: the initial form

Copyright (c) 2007 Jack Moorehouse

This is the second in a series of articles on the Natural Swing. The first article provided golf tips on the fundamental principles of the swing. In this article, we look at initial swing form and provide a short golf lesson on setup.

Golf instruction sessions say that impeccable starting form offers the best chance of making a proper swing. It sets the tone for the swing, promotes feelings of simplicity, freedom, and balance, and ensures a positive outcome, if done right. If we don’t get it right, we’ll feel cowed and inhibited, and probably land a less than perfect punch, like a slice, hook, or worse. The setup of any golf swing is entirely within our control, one of the few things in the game that is.

The goal of the initial shape of the natural swing is the same as that of any other golf swing. The initial form should prepare you to make an aggressive move while staying balanced. Ideally, it should be a graceful, athletic movement with purpose and direction. In the natural swing, initial form focuses on things like target awareness, grip, stance, alignment, and the location of the ball in relation to the body.

Target Awareness: Target awareness is critical to the natural swing. Golf with the natural swing is not a game of reaction, in which we respond to a thrown ball. It is a location game, in which we react to a target. The idea is to plant the image of that goal firmly in mind. Having a clear image of the goal stimulates you. It gives you purpose, direction and intention. In addition, he stops thinking about the ball and puts it where it should be: in the goal. Target awareness fixes key factors such as distance, trajectory, curvature, and direction in your mind. The more vividly we see the target, the more intensely we will react to it. And the more successful we will be in hitting it.

Grip: The natural grip is not unlike the one we would use to do many tasks, one that positions us correctly towards our target, if we have kept our focus on the target. We form the natural grip so that the palms are opposing, as in the prayer, palm to palm. This grip allows us to perform a simple and natural movement, without compensatory movements or extra gestures, and without contorting the hands.

The natural grip is not much different from your normal grip, except for the left hand. In the natural grip, the club runs diagonally across the palms of the left hand (right hand for lefties). Place the last three fingers of the left hand around the butt of the club with the index finger pressing against the thumb. This position creates a sense of control and power in the left hand. The right hand fits over the left. The little finger fits over the index and forefinger of the left hand. The right hand grip is mainly in the fingers. Correct grip pressure occurs naturally when you assume correct form. The relationship between the hands should not change during the swing.

The Posture: The key to natural stance is to line up as if we were shooting straight. Since we’re planning to hit the ball directly, there’s no reason to align to the left (right for lefties) of the line of flight. However, the left foot is in a slightly different position than the target. It is set at least 25 degrees open to the target, if not more. The degree of opening varies according to the flexibility of the golfer. The key here is balance.

Also, you place your left foot slightly to the outside of your left shoulder, so that you can end up with your weight on your left foot. Balance is again the key. Most golfers turn to the outside of their left foot at the end of the swing, creating a slight imbalance at the end. But with the natural swing you’re moving forward, so you should end up flat on your left foot, with your weight distributed evenly across the foot.

Alignment: Ideally, we want to be square to the target. But everyone is different. And we are not ideally built. So everyone’s perfect lineup for hitting the ball straight is slightly different, an important factor in natural swing. Therefore, we must find our own correct alignment position, one that must be square for the swing. For the most part though, being square means being slightly to the left of the target. This is the only position of the natural square, even if it is not mathematically precise. Use the practice range to find your perfect square position, and ask a friend to provide feedback on your efforts.

Ball Position: The ball position in the natural swing flows logically from the way we get into starting position. We place the ball just forward of the middle stance for a standard five iron shot. The ball should be just behind the inside of the left heel. The width of the stance will vary depending on the length of the stick. The longer the stick, the wider the stance. Move the right foot only as we prepare, closer or further from the left foot depending on the club we have in our hands. Therefore, the position of the left foot in relation to the ball is always the same, which guarantees a constant position of the ball.

The difference between the starting shape of the normal swing and that of the natural swing is subtle, but significant. In essence, there are three key settings:

(1) placing the left foot open, to maintain balance and direction;

(2) alignment with the target, which will be slightly different for everyone while staying square to the target;

(3) the constant position of the ball in relation to the left foot.

Also, you need to assess your early form every time you get close to the ball. The key to correctly setting up any swing, as I advocate in my golf lessons and golf tips, is to do it using the same routine over and over again. Do that, and you’ll be well on your way to lowering your golf handicap.

Business

Importance of Social Media Marketing for Your Small Businesses

Social media marketing has gained popularity among small businesses and they are taking this type of marketing as one of their important marketing strategies for their business. It is a useful platform from which you can reach thousands of customers in a short time with less effort. In this post, you will see the importance of social media marketing for your small businesses.

Economic: Social media marketing is a profitable marketing strategy for your small businesses. This is because it is free to open your trading account on these sites, but where you need to spend a little money for its maintenance is on content, graphic creation and further development. It has the ability to reach thousands or millions of target audience in a short time and with less effort.

Take a look at the number of users:

  • Facebook has 1.15 billion users.
  • Active Twitter users are around 200 million.
  • LinkedIn users are around 238 million.

A platform to educate and empower the online community: Social media marketing is a powerful tool for educating and empowering your online community. What you need to do here is: share educational and informative posts as they reveal your brand personality to your community followers.

Direct interaction with customers: Social media marketing is a two-way communication tool, by which small businesses can engage their customers by taking surveys or surveys or responding to inquiries. In this way, companies can know the target audiences: what they like/dislike about their products/services, what are their needs and desires, etc. Accordingly, you can make the necessary adjustments to provide quality customer service. This will build confidence in the trust of customers. They will feel that your business is credible.

Generate leads/sales: Social media marketing plays a critical role in generating leads/sales for your small businesses. According to the report – 2012 State of Inbound Marketing – it has 100% more leads than outbound marketing. However, don’t get overwhelmed by this feature, because you won’t get instant results. Here you need to make constant efforts to implement and maintain the marketing campaign. Over a period of time, you will get the best results.

Social media marketing helps in branding: This is a good platform to build the brand. It is up to you to decide how to position your organization in the mind of the organization. What you need to do here is to constantly push yourself to create and publish valuable content on these sites. This will build reputation for your brand.

Commercial exhibition: Social media marketing is a boon for professional employers who are willing to connect with other professionals in the same industry. This helps build a comprehensive network and you can also get referrals.

The use of social networking sites has multiplied in recent years. Therefore, it is an effective platform to promote your business.

Home Kitchen

Cabinet hardware and other cabinet accessories

Architectural hardware has its importance in all the simple things that surround our house. Even the cabinets have architectural hardware additions. Cabinet hardware and other cabinet accessories are examples of architectural hardware that are attached to cabinets to make them work properly.

Cabinets are a way to spruce up and organize your own kitchen, bedroom, or even garage. Cabinets come in many different styles and sizes that can be customized to suit your preference and style. It allows you to enjoy the space and the idea of ​​ordering things in their uses to have a tidy room. Imagine your house without cabinets. Where will you put things that are not in use and other unwanted things that are important but not needed? Where will you put things so they are easy to access whenever you want? Surely, a cabinet serves as a useful tool or a storage area where you can keep your things in the right places.

When choosing the cabinet to use, always remember to complement it with the room where you want to place it. For example, if you plan to buy a cabinet for your kitchen, you need to match the cabinet to your kitchen. Kitchen cabinets have different styles to choose from and make sure you choose which one is more durable and could last. There are kitchen cabinets that are made of steel and some are made of wood. You can get kitchen cabinets painted for something a little different, or you can get wood cabinets stained in various colors. There are cabinets that can be customized but are a bit expensive and there are also unfinished cabinets that you need to customize on your own or have on hand so you can build your own cabinet with your own taste of configuration and sizes.

But when shopping for cabinets, have you ever wondered what the complete cabinet accessories are? Why could that cabinet double as a cabinet? What makes it complete? Architectural hardware products such as cabinet hardware, consisting of cabinet handles, cabinet knobs, cabinet counter latches, and cabinet hinges, are accessories that make it complete and elegant. These different cabinet accessories have their own purpose and function.

Cabinet handles are accessories that are attached to a cabinet so that it can be pulled or opened. They serve a similar purpose to cabinet knobs, however the handles are easy to install and convenient to use. You can choose between the two the one that you think best suits your needs and other preferences. Cabinet counter latches are devices that hold a counter upright and latch automatically. And cabinet hinges are devices used to connect two solid objects that allow a limited angle of rotation between the two objects. Hinges can be made of flexible material or movable components. They are usually paired with screws.

Homeowners need to have a cabinet in their home for convenience and to keep things in order. Organizing and saving space are the main benefits of having a piece of furniture in your home. By having it, you don’t need to go from one clutter pile to another when you are looking for something. This saves you a lot of time and effort. Cabinets and all their accessories can be a bit expensive, but it is up to the buyer to budget and buy from a store that is reliable and offers items at affordable prices.

Digital Marketing

Tips to maximize the effectiveness of Instagram ads

Social media has become one of the best places for businesses to find new customers and reach their audience, building their brand and increasing recognition around the world. However, it can be difficult to establish your brand on the Internet when there are millions of other companies competing to do exactly the same thing.

With over a billion people browsing apps like Instagram throughout the day, you stand to miss out on a huge amount of potential revenue if you don’t take advantage of social media platforms properly. Instagram launched in 2010 and has been a powerhouse ever since, rolling out new features and becoming more and more user-friendly, attracting more users.

By using Instagram advertising, Melbourne businesses are able to tap into a market they’ve always wanted to reach without spending thousands of dollars to get results. Let’s explore some of the strategies you can use to maximize the effectiveness of social media campaigns, whether it’s Instagram ads or Facebook ads for Melbourne organisations.

Use the zoom function

As mentioned above, Instagram continues to roll out new features that give users new ways to experience the app and all of its content. One feature that organizations can use creatively is the zoom feature, which allows users to zoom in on videos and images. This addition was driven by a large number of user requests, so you know your customers will enjoy using it.

Brands can get creative when approaching social media campaigns, which many did when the feature was rolled out. You can make your brand shine by taking advantage of how these new features work. There are likely to be even more changes in the future, so keep an eye out for them and jump in when you get the chance.

Promote quality content

The approach Melbourne businesses take to Instagram advertising can greatly affect their bottom line. For example, many brands write their ads and focus on including calls to action that they believe will stimulate engagement and increase interest and traffic. This can leave your audience wanting more and make your content look stale and uninteresting.

Instead, you can reach audience members through carefully crafted, creative content for Instagram and Facebook ads. Melbourne businesses often have the information needed to create high-quality, engaging content. Look at previous posts that generated organic comments and use them to improve the effectiveness of current and future campaigns.

improve targeting

There are millions of users on Instagram and Facebook, which can make reaching your targeted audience challenging at times. You will need to know how to use SEO tactics to ensure that you are working with the audience you want. Fortunately, these social media platforms provide tools that can be used to track your audience and customize posts to reach the audience you want to reach.

Social media isn’t as simple as creating an account and seeing the followers, likes, and comments on each post. Instead, it takes time and careful crafting to ensure that you reach your goals and that campaigns are not run in vain.

Relationship

Would Jesus have been crucified under Antony and Cleopatra?

The Battle of Actium – Wasn’t John the Baptist beheaded?

An ancient Memorial Day for Cleopatra and Antony –

Historians talk about how the Battle of Tours kept Islam out of Europe. Charles Martel, Charlemagne’s grandfather, rounded up “unstoppable” Muslims in southern France in October 732. Historians speak of the significance of the Battle of Britain and how English stubbornness and Nazi fatigue prevented Hitler from invaded Britain in 1942. And historians talk about how Robert E. Lee’s series of unfortunate decisions at the Battle of Gettysburg sealed victory for the North in the Civil War.

History is littered with key battle moments that changed or guaranteed historic outcomes –

There are transcendental moments like these that populate the chronicle of history. The Defeat of the Spanish Armada by the smaller and more mobile English Armada and some lucky winds and storms, in 1588, is probably the most marked ending and beginning of empire in all history. For hundreds of years, thinkers and writers have pondered what the world would have been like if the Spanish Armada had landed in England and defeated the young and emerging country. There are some battles that IF THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN THE OTHER SIDE, they would have changed everything. A good example is the departure of the Muslims from Spain in 1492. In that same year Spain began its quest for empire and exploration of the New World. If that hadn’t happened, imagine if all the Spanish-speaking people in the world were Islamic instead of Roman Catholic.

Since this is Memorial Day, the many battles that saved the world from the domination of the Axis Powers during World War II cannot be omitted. The historic battles of D-Day and then the Battle of the Bulge. And, in the Pacific, the Battle of Midway, in which the United States Navy dealt a complete and stunning blow to the Japanese Navy, and then the island-hopping campaigns of Guadalcanal, Tarawa, and others, and the bath of blood on Okinawa, which was an effort to clear land so the bombers could have a place to refuel on their way to Japan. Many have asked –

“What would the world be like now if Germany and Japan had won?”

And you may have never heard of it, but some people have thought about what the world would be like if Antony and Cleopatra had won the Battle of Actium in 31 BC. C., and if John the Baptist had been beheaded, if Jesus had been crucified — if the Temple would have been destroyed and Jerusalem completely destroyed — and how that would have affected the world.

The Battle of Actium

The Battle of Actium was fought by Cleopatra and Mark Antony and their Roman and Egyptian armies against the Roman armies of Octavian, who would become Emperor Augustus. Yes, everyone remembers Elizabeth Taylor playing Cleopatra and Richard Burton as Mark Antony. They were head over heels in love as the story goes, but they had real plans. This battle was barely covered in the film, and is now written off as the one where the two lovers LOST to Roman superiors. But remember that these were Romans against Romans and the forces were relatively even. It was not a sure outcome for Octavian.

Naval Battle of Actium (31 BC) – The decisive battle in the last of the civil wars of the Roman Republic. Octavian defeated Marc Antony and founded the monarchy.

After the violent death of Julius Caesar in 44 a. C., the civil war broke out between, on the one hand, the assassins, republicans like Brutus and Casio, and, on the other hand, the Caesareans, headed by Marco Antonio and Octavio. Mark Antony, one of the greatest generals of his day and loved like a god by his men, defeated the last republicans in 42 AD at Philippi and began to reorganize the eastern half of the Roman empire. Meanwhile, Octavian accepted the west. Without going into the details of the relationship leading up to the time of the battle, Antony’s plan was to rule the East. Cleopatra, as a member of the Ptolemaic royalty, (Ptolemy was the Alexandrian general who established Hellenic control of Egypt. The Seleucids and the Ptolemies (both Greek rulers) fought each other over the Holy Land area.)

The Romans had moved into the Holy Land in 64 BC. C., so the Battle of Actium was going to decide some issues. It was the idea of ​​Antony and Cleopatra that the “Eastern Roman Empire” would be heavily influenced by Ptolemaic (Greek) and Egyptian culture and philosophy. They wanted to create a new and different Eastern Roman Empire, co-ruled by Cleopatra.

Two liberal cultures in contrast to the Romans –

The Egyptians were famous for thousands of years for allowing a large attitude to their slaves (subordinate populations) and foreign tribes. The Greeks who “shared culture” were also like that. Since ancient times they absorbed Eastern and Western ideas while meeting in their rocky world at the Gate of Europe and Asia. When Alexander died, his four generals divided the kingdoms and ruled them and Hellenized their worlds. Now none of these kingdoms were benign, but none were like the ruthless and ruthless Romans. Antony and Cleopatra’s plans would have been to be a DELIBERATE CONTRAST to the Romans in the West. IF THEY HAD WON, it was their plan to allow local economies free rein, leave local religions alone, unless they caused real trouble. When you think of Moses and Pharaoh, realize that the Children of Israel were in Egypt for 400 years. That is quite a long time to live in peace in a foreign country.

Imagine Antony and Cleopatra WIN the Battle of Actium instead of LOSING it. This “eastern plan” would have been reinforced by Cleopatra’s love/marriage and alliance with Antony. Instead of Cleopatra and Antony dying from an asp bite and getting angry, as they actually did, they would have ruled in splendid glory, imagining a great new set of economies (at that time Egypt was the breadbasket of the Roman Empire and would be han had great economic leverage). They envisioned a world ruled from Alexandria: the entire Eastern Roman world would be very different from ancient Western Rome.

A BIG WHAT IF –

This idea has been written about and contemplated by others, and is worth considering. If this Eastern Empire had been established by Antony and Cleopatra in 42 B.C. C., there would have been an immediate relaxation of the iron Roman control over the Holy Land. The Romans had only been in that area for twenty years. With the departure of those “western” Roman troops from the region, greater freedom and autonomy would have been granted to Judea. If the Jews were granted more freedom and control, talk of a Messiah and inevitable revolt might have been reduced to more theoretical theological models. Yes, they would be devout and committed to their doctrines, but they may not have been as virulently angry with their rulers. The tough government creates a tough revolutionary opposition. The merciful rule has a softening effect.

Without a constant battle with harsh Roman rulers, the “need” for a Messiah might have come down to a religious concept rather than a true revolutionary Jewish Holy Man throwing off foreign rule. It was the fear of this and the anticipation of this that created the potential for conflict in the Holy Land at that time. Without this dynamic, Jesus could have been a prophet or a teacher, but he probably would not have been crucified. He probably would have been allowed to preach his thoughts and talk about the “Kingdom of Heaven”. He could have fought with the Jewish establishment, but the political dynamic of an emerging rebel would not have been there, and Jesus and John the Baptist could have been preachers who would not have been assassinated.

The need for a corrupt Herodian (Edomite) government might not have been that great, and if they were in power, they would not have been able to “triangulate” with the ruthless Roman government and Jewish priests. Therefore, John the Baptist, who probably would still have been loud and “in your face” telling people in power to repent, probably would not have had his head cut off by the Herodian family. He would have been too “exaggerated” politically.

If there were no John the Baptist dead, no Jesus crucified, no Jerusalem destroyed. (the loot from the destruction of the temple and Jerusalem was used to finance the Colosseum), the Eastern Roman rulers in Alexandria would not have seen any reason to destroy this ancient and beautiful city, because the Jews would not have revolted.

Did they not behead John the Baptist? No Crucified Christ? No temple destroyed? No desolate Jerusalem? –

If the Battle of Actium had been won by Antony and Cleopatra, there probably would not have been a Christianity, or if there was, it would not be based on a dead crucified and risen prophet. Without Christianity, the entire world would have developed and evolved religions that could be very different. Western Rome could have fallen much earlier, and a whole syncretistic, liberal, oriental philosophy could have developed in the eastern Mediterranean, based on Greek, Egyptian, Persian, and Asian ideas.

One can go crazy imagining possible imaginative scenarios, but it cannot be said that the world would have evolved in the same way. This theory may be annoying to some, but it’s intriguing to think about as we look down the road to what our current world will become. This Memorial Day, it might be helpful to realize that the killing and dying of soldiers not only guaranteed America’s liberties, but that those efforts literally have an ongoing impact on the world and world history. When we say “thank you for your service,” we can begin to feel and know the deeper effects of that service.

Health Fitness

What Causes Bingo Wings?

Bingo wings (the unfortunate appearance of flab under your upper arms) can be very difficult to get rid of. What most people don’t realize is that targeted exercises or even surgery aren’t the only options. Understanding what causes bingo wings is the first step to banishing them for good, as we can then address these causes.

Being overweight

If you are overweight or have recently gained weight, this is a likely cause of your bingo wings. In this case, you’ll often notice that when your arms are extended out to the sides, there’s a gentle curve underneath where gravity pulls the excess fat down.

lack of muscle

Women often don’t like the idea of ​​things like weight training, as we don’t want to be bulky and manly. However, if we don’t work our muscles at all, they can shrink and provide inadequate support for the skin and fat that rests on them, causing it to hang off the muscle.

A good test to see if this is part of your problem is to stand in front of a mirror with your arms at your sides. Make a fist with each hand and rotate your arms in toward your body so that the tops of your hands are facing your legs, and watch your upper arms as you do this.

This test is to tighten your triceps muscle, so if you’ve noticed little to no change in your upper arms, it’s most likely this muscle (located directly under the wings of the bingo and therefore is very important) is not developed enough to support the fabric on top.

excessive weight loss

Drastic fluctuations in weight can really take a toll on our skin. If we suddenly gain a lot of weight, we can get stretch marks where the skin hasn’t been able to adapt to our new shape fast enough. It follows, then, that if we lose a lot of weight in a short space of time (for example, after gastric bypass surgery), our skin will often appear loose and sagging where it has failed to shrink as fast as our waists.

If this is the cause of your bingo wings, you’ll notice that when you extend your arms out to the sides, the skin under your upper arms has a wrinkled, deflated balloon quality and doesn’t form a smooth curve.

Lack of skin elasticity

Our skin is delicate, so to keep it in good condition we must take care of it from within. and the outside. Factors like poor diet, dehydration, smoking, and sun exposure can cause skin to lose elasticity over time, meaning it’s more likely to wrinkle and sag.

A good indicator of poor skin elasticity is if you pinch your upper arm and see how long it takes for it to shrink back to its original position. If it doesn’t settle instantly, this could be part of your problem. Wrinkles are also a sign of low elasticity.

poor diet

Finally, poor diet is a big culprit as it is involved with most other causes of bingo wings. Eating too many calories and not burning enough of them leads to being overweight, not eating enough protein and vitamins can prevent our body from building muscle, and a lack of minerals, fats and oils can cause the skin to lose elasticity.

Lifestyle Fashion

Paraben-free products – What are parabens? How to avoid the dangers caused by them?

How do you know if your personal care products are paraben free? Here are some helpful tips on how to prevent parabens from being absorbed into your body. First, let’s find out what paraben is so we can better understand why we should avoid it.

So what is paraben?

It is a synthetic chemical compound widely used as a preservative in most cosmetic products. It is an ester of para-hydroxybenzoic acid. You can always find them in shampoos, moisturizers, shaving gels, personal lubricants, skin care creams, skin tanning solutions, and even toothpaste.

Some of these microorganisms exist in nature. Blueberries contain a small amount of parabens, although nothing indicates that they are harmful when the berries are eaten. In fact, blueberries are considered to be rich in many antioxidants known to help us fight free radicals that damage our cells.

The type of paraben used in cosmetic products and some medications is produced synthetically. Many studies have already indicated that parabens can cause breast cancer, disturbed hormonal balance, and many allergic reactions.

UK study

Chief among these studies is the one conducted by researchers at the University of Reading, UK. Published in 2004, the research showed that parabens were found in substantial amounts in subjects’ breast tumors. It was assumed that the parabens in underarm deodorants might have somehow migrated into breast cells and possibly cause tumor cells to develop.

The most common forms of paraben that are generally found in many personal care products are methylparaben, ethylparaben, propylparaben, and butylparaben. Try checking out some of your personal care products now and see if any of these forms of parabens are listed as an ingredient.

To tell the truth, the studies carried out so far on paraben and its relationship with some identified diseases do not contain conclusive evidence. In fact, the medical and scientific community is divided on whether paraben actually promotes the development of tumor cells in the breast, for example. However, this is not to say that you should not be on the lookout for paraben.

These reports are somewhat alarming considering that paraben is widely used in most personal care products. In fact, it should be treated as nothing less than a potential risk. At the moment, there is a pact between the manufacturers on the prohibition of the use of parabens in their products. Well, that remains to be seen if the compromise continues to be honored.

Fortunately, there are a handful of companies that produce only natural skin care products etc. These products contain ingredients that are taken from nature and are known to cause no side effects. The proliferation of a dizzying number of skincare products should make you more careful when choosing.

Products that contain parabens are also likely to contain other harmful chemicals, such as mineral oil, alcohol, and fragrances. The fragrance itself could be any of 4,000 synthetic scents suspected of being carcinogenic.

Knowing how widely used paraben is amidst the myriad products that continue to flood the market today, it must always be a challenge to sift through them every time. If you are truly health conscious, you need to choose only paraben-free products.

Real Estate

Why You Should Get Regular Home Inspections

Have you considered doing a home inspection? A home inspection isn’t just for home buyers and sellers, it can also be an invaluable resource for those who already own their own homes. Most people don’t realize that they need to do a home inspection every five to ten years as part of an overall maintenance plan. But a home inspector can help you more than you think.

For most of us, the two things we will spend the most money on in our lives are our cars and our houses. You would never drive the same car for 10 years or more without taking it to a mechanic for adjustment, right? Of course you wouldn’t. Car maintenance should be done to ensure that your vehicle continues to perform as long as possible and in the best possible way. He also cleans, washes, and vacuums it from time to time to maintain resale value if not for his own clean feel. Why then should your house be any different?

A regular maintenance plan for your home should include a home inspection every few years. A home inspector can advise you on repairs that need to be done before they become a major expense and discuss any safety issues you may not be aware of.

Home inspectors review all aspects of your home and provide you with an impartial report of their findings. The report will show you anything that may be wrong with your home now, what may be getting ready to need repairs, and advise you on how to make the repairs. For example, a home inspector might notice a small stain on a wall and trace it back to a water leak. The leak may have been small enough that it only cost a couple of bucks to fix now, but it could have caused a lot of damage before he found it on his own.

Home inspections can also alert you to any safety issues you may not be aware of. Frayed gas lines and frayed electrical wiring often go unnoticed until a fire breaks out or people become sick and die. A home inspector checks electrical cables as well as gas and plumbing cables as part of a routine check and alerts you when they find a problem.

Hiring the services of a professional home inspector should be part of regular home maintenance. A thorough and unbiased home inspection can pinpoint repair and safety issues before they become serious problems and help you preserve your home’s value and your peace of mind.

Shopping Product Reviews

How to distinguish real pearls from fake pearls

I am often asked how to tell real pearls from fake pearls, usually followed by some reference to “tooth testing.” The most important question is really this: how do I make sure that I am paying a fair price for the pearls that I am buying?

With many of today’s freshwater pearls available at reasonable prices, most people can purchase real pearls of one type or another. I would argue that consumers lose a lot more money overpaying for low quality real pearls than buying fake pearls misrepresented as real.

With that being said, there are a few things you need to know to judge the real and the fake. First is the nomenclature. Artificial pearls go by many names: fake, faux, manufactured, semi-cultured, imitation, simulated, and dozens of brand names such as La Tausca, Majorica, and Laguna. Most of them are made of plastic or glass. Some are real shell beads lacquered with layers of pearlescent substances made from oils and ground fish scales. There is nothing wrong with liking these wardrobe pieces. Some are only worth a dollar or two. High-quality knockoffs can cost anywhere from $100 to $300, but don’t hesitate to spend more than $50 on fakes.

The best way to spot fake pearls is to fully engage your senses. Here are some things to keep in mind:

  • Keep it. Real pearls have a weight that makes them feel heavy for their size.

  • feel them. Real pearls are cool to the touch and get a little warm when held for a minute or two.

  • Look at these. Real pearls have natural blemishes and markings and slight differences in size and color. Fake pearls have a uniform quality. If the pearls are perfectly round and a perfect match, but not expensive, you can be perfectly sure that they are perfectly fake.

  • Examine the drill holes carefully. The hole itself should be small and clean around the edges. Rough, broken areas around the edges may indicate a poor quality fake or genuine pearl. Looking into the hole, a uniform quality of the surrounding material indicates an artificial pearl.

  • Examine the knots and the clasp. The lame thread, neither silk nor knotted, is an infallible sign of imitation pearls. A cheap brass or gold vermeil brooch also indicates fakes.

  • Light test. Plastic is the most common material for faux pearls. Shine a bright pen light from behind. A plastic bead will have a uniform shine. A true cultured pearl will have a dark center.

  • Teeth test. The nacre of a real pearl is made up of calcium and aragonite crystals and binding proteins that overlap in a grid pattern. Gently rub a real pearl along the edge of your upper front tooth and it will feel slightly abrasive or gritty. A fake pearl will feel slippery and smooth.

  • Common sense. Fine pearls are expensive. A perfectly matched necklace of 10x12MM round Tahitian pearls is not a $900 item. Know what the pearls cost. The pearl market is quite efficient. Price anomalies are not common. If you find a deal that is too good to be true, chances are the pearls are fake, shoddy, or stolen.

  • eBay. There are reputable sellers on EBAY and auction sites, but there are also a lot of hawkers hiding there. Be especially careful when buying pearls directly online from China. This is a great way to turn your hard-earned dollars into a handful of worthless accounts.

The more you plan to invest in fine pearls, the more you need to do your due diligence.

Tours Travel

How to know for sure that a woman is interested in you

Women are really good at sending mixed signals. They say one thing and do another, sometimes just joking and other times surprisingly direct. It all leads to massive confusion for us men. Women are also frustrated by it. They don’t know why a man can’t read his signals. Let’s take a look at how you can be sure that she is interested in you.

Focus on what you want first

The way to eliminate flaky behavior and woman teasing is to go after what you want. At first, this means that you shouldn’t look too much at her signs. Some women flirt just to get attention.

When you approach these women with everything you’ve got, she won’t even know what hit her. She didn’t expect to feel this way about you. She was just playing for fun. You feel attracted to her, so you go after her. When you focus on your needs and desires, you won’t be as vulnerable to teasing from her. This also works on women who are shy. Shy women also send mixed signals.

she catches your eye

The first thing most women do is try to attract his attention to them. If she’s really into it, she can do some really wacky things. Like what? Leave something in front of you. Crouch in front of you. Walk close to you or stand close to you. Find excuses to get closer to you. Spin her hair, and many other things.

Do you have his warning?

Don’t always look for the little details. If a woman is standing there talking to you, then she is interested. If she’s asking you questions, she’s interested. If she laughs at your jokes, then she’s interested. These are signs that state the obvious. What is the obvious? You have their attention.

she makes time for you

Why do some women always seem to be too busy for you? Because they are not interested in you. No woman is too busy with someone she is attracted to or where the potential for love exists. A woman will always make time for you if she is interested. She’ll change her schedule for you, she’ll get someone to work her shift, she’ll do almost anything to be with you if she thinks you’re worth it.

she tests you

Some women test men constantly. This is not always a bad thing because it means that she is interested in you. What is a test? It’s often a question where she’s trying to challenge you or trap you in a lie. Here are some examples: How many girlfriends have you had? I don’t like the way you dress? Why do you work there?

she tries to relate to you

I once had a woman who said that we had the same credit card. She thought that was just amazing. I thought she was crazy. It was a way of trying to relate to me and create a good relationship. Sometimes she will point out some very minor similarities between the two of you. Keep an eye out for them because it means that she is very into you.

Submissive

Some women may indicate that they will be submissive to you. You can often tell by her body language or the way she looks at you. She will almost appear weak in the knees. For example, if you shake her hand, she may almost rest her hand directly on top of yours. It will be almost as if he wants to hold your hand. Another common thing that you will see is that she leans towards you a lot, trying to touch you and stand closer to you.

Conclusion

What you choose to do with these signs is ultimately up to you. Most men don’t do anything and that’s why they don’t date or have a girlfriend. So you can be a nothing man or a something man. It really depends on you.