Home Kitchen

Counter Protection: Which Type Is Best For Your Construction Or Remodeling Project?

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During a kitchen construction or remodeling project, expensive countertops are often damaged by dropped tools, spilled food, and liquid splashes. Workers or subcontractors can scratch and dent them through carelessness. Not only does this force builders to spend more time replacing or repairing damage, it also annoys customers and decreases potential referrals. To ensure countertops remain as beautiful as the day they were installed, it is important to use temporary protection. There are several types of countertop protection available through surface protection providers.

When deciding what type of protection to use, the first step is to determine if the project needs heavy-duty or light-duty protection. This will depend on the type and scope of the construction project, the number of workers in the area, and the actual material type of the countertop. The materials can be granite, synthetic stones, tile, cement and wood. Each of these materials can experience various types of surface protection damage, with surface scratching being the most common problem.

High-strength adhesive bubble protection, commonly known as Tackguard, prevents impact damage and scratches. It is pre-drilled every 12″ for quick and easy installation. The professional look of the Adhesive Bubble Guard impresses customers and provides an air cushion between the countertop and the bubble surface. This layer works well to prevent dings and dents. expensive.

Adhesive film is the most common type of protection. This lightweight protection is the least expensive protection option and works well to prevent scratches. It is safe to use for up to 45 days of use and is available in 24″ and 30″ widths to fit regular countertops with a 6″ backsplash. The 3 mil puncture resistant film is durable and can be used not only on countertops, but also on vinyl flooring, tile, stone, linoleum and other sealed surfaces One downside of cling film is that it is not impact resistant like Tackguard As with all adhesives it is critical to use the product in accordance with the manufacturer’s recommendations so that there is no transfer of adhesive.

Some vendors also sell laminated corrugated cardboard as countertop protection. Cardboard is the most labor-intensive protection, as it must be installed with duct tape to hold it down. Also, cardboard is not leak proof, so care must be taken to keep all liquids out of the shield. The cardboard provides impact protection and can be printed with the information of a construction company or contractor for advertising purposes.

Once the necessary protection is purchased, builders simply need to install and maintain it throughout the construction process. Builders and contractors should also discourage use by workers and subcontractors. These steps will effectively prevent countertop damage, which will impress clients and increase lucrative job referrals.

Digital Marketing

11 things you must do to build an impressive local presence

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Local is all the rage these days as more and more businesses realize the importance of close audiences for more opportunities. Here are some steps you can take to ensure your website takes advantage of the best options for local prospects.

1. Optimize your website content

To attract a local audience, you need to appear trustworthy and professional. Start by making sure your website content is fully optimized. Include concise and relevant information such as your locations, contact numbers and email, as well as an interactive map showing where you can be found. Showcase customer stories, FAQs, and a blog for a more personal approach.

2. Go mobile

According to Google and Nielsen, 75% of mobile searches for local stores and services lead to a store visit, a purchase, further research, or a call. Local SMEs cannot miss this undeniable opportunity. Make sure to incorporate mobile responsiveness into your game.

3. Get found in listings and directories

Your local presence is not complete if you cannot be found in local online directories. Own all your listings by providing up-to-date information. Sign up for Google Places for Business as well as Google+ Local pages. This will help you provide accurate information to customers as well as communicate with them and get more exposure.

4. Use social media to your advantage

Social media is a powerful tool for online business, building and breaking businesses. Make sure you have active social media profiles on the various platforms where your customers can communicate with you. This doesn’t stop at creating a Facebook page.

Analyze your target audience and find out which platform they would most likely use the most, like Pinterest or Instagram for fashion or food, and maintain a strong presence there. Knowing how people use different platforms is invaluable, like Twitter for quick questions and mentions, or Facebook for sharing content and stories.

5. Use localized search engine marketing

Increase people’s awareness of your business with pay-per-click ads on search engines. Choose the keywords that are most relevant to your business within the area. This will allow your company to target the audience in the specific area and give you a competitive advantage over other companies.

6. Find your voice

Many businesses attract a large following by having a different approach: a human touch or a voice behind the business. Find the personality to build your business, whether it’s incorporating a family business approach or quirky language. This will help local audiences remember your business when searching for your services.

7. Get involved in the community

Local visibility can be greatly enhanced by participating in local events. One way to do this is to organize a campaign for a good cause that benefits a particular local audience. Not only does it build good PR, but you can also give back to the community that supports your business.

8. All about the brand

Branding is a must, whether you’re a small business or a more established one. This includes not just a logo or tagline, but the overall image it projects within the community. Give your brand a local flair by including local trends, expressions or approaches.

9. Encourage local reviews

With so many people accessing the web, prospects can find what others are saying about you with just a few clicks. This is why it is important to have genuine customer reviews. The more great reviews your business receives, the more likely people are to choose what you have to offer.

10. Join local business organizations

Getting involved in local business organizations is a good way to build links within the broader business environment. This will help you build your network and be more visible in the community.

11. Closely monitor results for continuous improvement

Ultimately, striving to keep improving is important to any company, large or small. Monitor the results of your efforts and analyze where you can still improve. Listen to customer feedback and be sure to cut down on negative talk on the web.

When it comes to local presence, it’s a good idea to build a business that your audiences can relate to, something that can have some influence on their daily lives. These steps will help you on your way.

Relationship

The differences between conceiving a boy and a girl

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I am often asked questions about how each genre’s design is different or unique. Some examples are: “what are some of the differences or variables that make you more likely to conceive a girl or a boy?”; or “which is more difficult to conceive, a boy or a girl?”; or “I have two girls and I really want a boy this time. Is this impossible?” I will address these concerns and answer these questions in the following article.

The sperm chromosomes for each gender are different: Basically, there are two types of chromosomes that can fertilize your egg, and your partner’s sperm contains about equal parts of each: X and Y. X produces girls and is the slower of the two. But it is also the longest lived, the most resistant to obstacles, and possibly the strongest. Y sperm produce children and are the fastest but also the most vulnerable to difficulties that come their way. To be successful in getting the gender you want, you need to minimize the strength of what you don’t want. So, for example, if you want a girl, you have to minimize the slowness of the X’s. And if you want a boy, you have to overcome the strength of the Y’s.

People who conceive girls usually do so early in the fertile window. People who conceive children wait until later: As I said before, Xs can live longer than Ys. Therefore, people who have baby girls usually start having sex before ovulation. In this period of time, a good number of male sperm have died before ovulation occurs. It’s best to start trying 3-4 days before the egg can be fertilized if you want a daughter. On the other hand, if you want to conceive a boy or have a child, trying anytime before the actual day of ovulation is at best a waste of time and at worst you will get a baby. feminine. Since Y’s can only live for a few days at most, you don’t want them to have to wait (and weaken or deteriorate).

This is often the reason people will tell you that it is more difficult to conceive a girl. Because you need to know when you’re going to ovulate before it actually happens. It is not enough to know that it has happened. By then, it is already too late. Most ovulation predictors are only extremely accurate when they show that the egg has been released. But, it’s best to know several days in advance, especially if your goal is a daughter. Saliva ovulation predictors are very good for these purposes.

Women who conceive girls are generally acidic, while women who conceive boys are generally alkaline: Hopefully, I’ve shown you how important a factor time is in all of this. Now, I want to show you that PH is also very important. As I said, early intercourse is a friend to female sperm, but an enemy to male sperm. Similarly, acidity is favorable for conceiving daughters and unfavorable for conceiving boys. That’s because the weaker Y’s, who are already vulnerable, just can’t handle the acidity. So if you want to conceive a girl, then you need to get rid of them from your vaginal tract. One way to do this is to make it very acidic.

On the other hand, if you want a boy, you need to make it as easy as possible for these vulnerable little friends. So you want to lower your PH instead of raising it. It doesn’t matter if you want to lower or increase it, you do it through diet or by douching. You can eat alkaline foods to lower your PH and eat acidic foods to raise it. The solutions you use for showering will vary depending on where you are when you begin this process. You can find out by using small strips that test your PH using saliva or urine. You can sometimes find them at nutrition centers. If not, you can get them online.

Sex positions can also help: This variable is probably the least important of the three, but it is also the easiest to achieve. If you are trying to conceive a boy, use deeper penetration because this only helps get the Y’s there faster and lightens your load. For a girl’s conception, superficial penetration is best.

Health Fitness

Easy Paraplegic Exercises You Can Do Regularly

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Paraplegia is a condition that is related to spinal cord injuries and causes paralysis of the lower body. Although a person with the condition may have some or all mobility of the upper body, muscles may atrophy and there may be decreased cardiovascular health due to inactivity. An inactive lifestyle makes a person more prone to coronary artery disease, obesity, and diabetes. The benefits of doing exercises for paraplegics They include improved mood and strength, a greater range of motion, and the build-up of muscle mass.

Breathing exercises

The degree of paralysis varies among individuals, but many have difficulty breathing. Breathing exercises for paraplegics increase lung capacity and strengthen cardiovascular endurance. It has been recommended by Spinal Cord Injury Network Information Center at the University of Alabama at Birmingham that breathing exercises for paraplegics should start with a deep breath, holding it for five seconds before exhaling. You should then take a deep breath as fast as you can and exhale all the air in your lungs immediately. The pattern is as follows: inhale deeply, hold, inhale, hold. Repeat one more time before exhaling. Finally, take a deep breath and exhale as you count out loud.

bicep curls

Doing paraplegic exercises for the upper body, such as bicep curls, strengthens the arm, promotes better weight gain, and reduces muscle weakening or breakdown. Paraplegics can have muscle weakness and it is vital that you start the program slowly, increasing initial strength by using light weights and then moving on to a more intense regimen. Using free weights provides resistance and helps build stronger muscles. Paraplegic bicep curls strengthen the upper and front arms. To do the exercise, hang your arms outside the wheelchair with a light weight in both hands. Your palms should be facing forward. Slightly bend your arms, lifting the weights toward your shoulders. Stop before they touch your body. Return to straight arm position and repeat until desired reps are achieved.

Shoulder shrugs and lateral raises

These exercises for paraplegics strengthen the shoulders and increase their mobility and range of motion. With a light weight held in each hand, place your arms straight at your sides. Bend your arms until the dumbbells are parallel to the floor. Return to the starting position and then repeat until you complete the desired number of repetitions.

These are just some of the exercises for paraplegics that you can do. There are more exercises that are tailored to a particular disability. You can look them up online or ask your physical therapist about them.

Legal Law

A dozen ways to improve your speaking

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For years I have enjoyed listening to speakers of all kinds, trying to identify what makes them successful. Many preachers have developed their skills to the level of the fine arts, such as Charles Swindoll or Joyce Meyers. With rare exceptions, such as President Barack Obama or, depending on the event, Sarah Palin, civic and political leaders often lag far behind religious leaders in polish and presentation. Whoever they are, leaders would do well to always work to improve their communication skills.

Here are some handy nuts and bolts:

Speak. The first law of communication is to communicate, so if you want people to get the message, share the message. And you must speak in as simple a vocabulary as possible, and in a way that others can understand. Don’t do what some teachers try to do, impress the audience with multi-syllable words. doesn’t work. When the crowd goes home, the only thing they remember is your arrogance. Jesus said: “I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6), there is nothing simpler than that.

Don’t apologize for talking. It’s one thing to hear an infrequent speaker offer a flustered apology on the church platform; it’s quite another to hear this from a leader. If talking makes you nervous, get over it or find another job. Your apology for being uncomfortable makes everyone else feel uncomfortable. The more comfortable you feel “in your own skin”, the more comfortable your audience will be with your presentation.

Convey confidence. Take ownership of the opportunity to speak and treat listeners with respect. Say “Thank you,” but don’t say it enthusiastically. Do whatever it takes to build your confidence: prepare properly, practice, use notes, etc. Stand physically relaxed and avoid signaling nerves with awkward gestures or awkward movements.

Connect with the audience. Smile. Look directly at people individually and collectively. Scan the entire audience in a natural, measured way so everyone feels like you’re talking to them. On the road or at the event, keep an eye out for a development unique to the occasion, then mention it at the start of your talk. Former presidential candidate Gary Bauer is a master at this. Each time, in the dingy old high school auditorium or the Waldorf Astoria, he finds something to say that is distinctive and complementary to his listeners and his place. Get to know your audience and engage directly with them, their city or your event today. Make them feel special, which is why comedians walk offstage saying, “You’ve been a great audience.”

Come up with some appropriate one-liners that will work anywhere. The old witty phrases, with which you feel comfortable, are always there for you like a good friend. They reduce your anxiety, help you convey confidence and connect with the audience, and help engage the audience and help them relax. One of my favorites goes something like this: “I always wanted to speak at XYZ. (brief pause) I guess now I can die happy.” He never stops laughing.

Never read your speech. It may be appropriate to read a short formal announcement or a reference to someone else’s statement. But reading your content is the fastest way to lose your audience’s attention, put them to sleep, or literally lose them while voting with their feet going out the back door. I once sat in the gallery of the Michigan Legislature to listen to Governor John Engler deliver his State of the State address. While I appreciated him and most of his ideas, I struggled to stay focused as he plodded through line after line. You can guess what the opposition party was doing. To the governor’s credit, he improved over time, according to some of those close to him, with professional help and practice. Good for him. Good for his constitution.

Be brief. FDR “Be sincere; be brief; sit down” is a good rule of thumb for any speaker. In November 1863, Edward Everett delivered the keynote address at the groundbreaking ceremony for a new military cemetery at Gettysburg, followed by President Abraham Lincoln’s “Gettysburg Address.” Everett later wrote to Lincoln: “I should be glad if I could take pride in having come as near to the thrust of the occasion, in two hours, as you did in two minutes.”

Tell stories. Jesus usually spoke to crowds of followers in parables, which are short stories from everyday life that contain an application of deeper spiritual truths. While over thirty parables are recorded in the Gospels, the book of Mark says that Jesus used many other parables in his public speaking ministry. In fact, he “did not tell them anything without using a parable” (Mk 4, 33-34). People are interested in people and that’s what the best stories of a leader should be about.

List core values ​​and/or set goals clearly. Put your values ​​and goals into every important presentation. Why? Because an important way to motivate people is to make sure they know where they’re going. Values ​​and goals are an integral part of a vision statement. Share them, or better yet, embody them as a leader. Lead by example.

Be positive. “Negative campaigning” has long become a commonplace in American life. But a leader is better off taking the right path. Ronald Reagan gave us a version of this, his 11th Commandment: “Thou shalt not speak ill of any fellow Republican.” Describe who you and your organization are, not who others or your competitor organizations are not. Being quoted in the media with a sound attack on others has more to do with ego or revenge than with advancing your organization’s vision. No one follows a flamethrower for very long. The heat is too intense.

Use props to reinforce, not replace your speech. PowerPoints, short videos, images, audio, and other technologies can be hugely effective tools for engaging your audience. But you’re still the speaker, and for my money, you need to talk. No medium has yet been developed that is as convincing as a passionate person who truly believes what they say. Use accessories wisely, but don’t forget the natural power to “unplug.”

Use your same (best) vision speech repeatedly. Leadership expert Barry Z. Posner’s formula for good visual communication: “Repetition, repetition, repetition!” Richard Nixon put the point more colorfully: “The moment you’re writing a line that you’ve written so often you want to throw up, that’s the moment the American people will hear it.” Communicate the vision persuasively and persistently on every possible occasion. And don’t worry if you share the vision too often. Management consultants Thomas Werner and Robert Lynch recommend that leaders communicate their vision 7 times in 7 different ways. I’d say a lot more often than that.

These articles are suggestions born from experience, not rules. Some will apply all the time. Some will apply sometimes. It’s your idea to call.

You are the leader. Lead with his words.

Lifestyle Fashion

detox your thighs

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During Christmas vacation in Colorado, my family and I decided to go to the local hot springs. It was just what we needed to warm our bones from the cold of being outside all day cross country skiing. There were people of all shapes and sizes. What I noticed in almost all women and adolescents was the appearance of cellulite on the thighs. I started paying attention to who had more cellulite and who had less. No woman was immune to its effect. There were even female athletes with washboard stomachs who had cellulite on their thighs. I found it very disturbing that so few women did not have cellulite. What is it in our culture that promotes this unsightly bulge and what do we do to prevent it? Is it exercising the key or is it something more than that?

What really is cellulite and how do we get rid of it? After doing some research on how to get rid of these deposits naturally, I discovered that women in Europe have been going to health centers and using creams to get rid of cellulite or “unsightly fat deposits” for at least twenty years. American doctors consider this type of fat to be a problem, but they don’t treat it as a “connective tissue disease” like the medical community in Europe does.

Cellulite is a gel-like substance made up of fat, toxic waste material, and water that gets trapped between fibrous tissue just below the skin’s surface. Cellulite is mainly a female problem due to the higher percentage of fatty tissue in women and the greater elasticity of the skin. The layer of fat under the skin appears between this fibrous tissue causing a “bulge of fat” in the subcutaneous layer. In a healthy woman without cellulite, the fat would remain in the dermal layer. This problem occurs when the blood vessels deteriorate and deprive the skin of important nutrients. Second, fats clump together and bind to proteins. Water fills the cells due to toxicity in adipose tissue. The water dilutes the toxic waste and creates a gel-like substance that creates the orange peel appearance on the skin. It can be said that cellulite is an inflammatory process due to:

1. Decreased circulation in the area

2. Loss of capillary networks

3. Excess fluid retention

4. Fat deposition usually mediated by hormones

5. Vascular changes within the dermis.

6. Toxic waste material that is stored in less vascular areas of the body in adipose tissue.

7 steps to detox your thighs

Some doctors say that cellulite is caused by damaged and dehydrated skin. I think this is one of the causes of cellulite, but it is not the whole truth. The first step in reducing cellulite is to repair damaged skin cells and connective tissue. We can do this by following these seven essential steps.

1. The first step to change is to use antioxidants to eliminate free radical damage and promote microcirculation. Vitamin C and vitamin A are the most important antioxidants for the skin. Collagen cannot be produced without vitamin C. Vitamin A is one of the most important nutrients for keeping skin healthy and firm.

2. The second key is to increase circulation throughout the body. Gingko biloba increases microcirculation and thus removes stored toxins from the body. Dry brushing is an important addition to our detox regimen. Dry brushing for five minutes a day is equivalent to half an hour of exercise. Use a dry vegetable bristle brush in a circular motion from your toes to your heart. This acts like a manual lymphatic pump to flush out toxins and maintain healthy circulation. Use circulation-boosting essential oils like rosemary and birch to start breaking down fat deposits. Put 20 drops each in 4oz. of a carrier oil such as sesame or almond oil and rub it on your buttocks, thighs, and hips daily.

3. Eliminate foods that produce a lot of mucus and most dairy products, especially if they are not organic. The lymphatic system has a direct impact on the appearance and condition of your skin. When the lymph becomes clogged with mucus-forming foods, toxins cannot be eliminated and many of these waste products end up deposited and trapped in the skin. Cellulite forms when stagnant lymph full of toxins gets stuck in the accumulations of fat just under the skin. Non-organic dairy products contain high amounts of synthetic hormones that disrupt our sensitive hormonal system.

4. Regulate your hormones with oils rich in specific nutrients. High amounts of estrogen in the body determine where fat will be deposited, especially in the hips, buttocks, and thighs. Remember, estrogen makes the body stronger, just like in pregnancy. It also promotes the retention of excess water in the tissues. If the lymphatic system is sluggish, toxins get stuck in the storage containers in the thighs. Essential fatty acids also hydrate the skin by strengthening the cell walls. The oils keep the skin well hydrated. This is important due to the fact that essential fatty acids regulate the body’s hormones. When hormones are balanced, cells hydrate properly. It is also easier to maintain the proper weight. An easy way to do this is to rotate the organic flax oil and evening primrose oil with the waxing and waning moon. This will regulate estrogen and progesterone in the body naturally. After menopause other oils should be used. If your hormones are truly out of balance, I recommend weekly acupuncture treatments and specific formulas to help with this. A hormonally balanced woman is usually a healthy woman.

5. Opens the pathways of elimination by stimulating detoxification of the liver, kidneys and large intestine. When a vacuum cleaner is full of toxic waste, it won’t work. We need to clean up our system so it works more efficiently. When we are constipated, our elimination system is “backed up.” The other organs then have to do “double duty.” Sometimes when this happens, too many toxins flood the system at once and the liver has to store this waste material for a later day. It does this by storing waste matter in a lobe of fat. The liver then sends it away from major organs and into areas of the body where there is little circulation. These toxins will remain in this place, safe from important bodily functions. A French herbalist named Maurice Messegue did extensive research on cellulite control with women from all over Europe. Only when these women gave up foods containing pesticides and chemicals (mostly processed foods) were they able to decrease the amount of cellulite on their bodies. By stimulating liver function with milk thistle, dandelion, or specific individual detox formulas that target the liver, kidneys, and lymphatic system, we can help them function more efficiently. At my clinic in Austin, Texas, I use individual formulations and patient-specific nutrients to break down waste material stuck in cells. The general ways to do this are to squeeze half a lemon into water three times a day to break down mucus and stimulate the liver. Next, I suggest taking organic, raw apple cider vinegar (1 tablespoon in 8 ounces of water) before meals to stimulate the digestive processes and alkalize the body.

6. Boost your metabolism. Drinking three cups of green tea a day is one of the best ways to do it. Not only does it boost your metabolism, it has lots of antioxidants, but it has the ability to emulsify fat! The second ingredient to improve our metabolism is to use cayenne in our lemon juice every day. Cayenne stimulates our digestion and improves our circulation. Don’t use cayenne if you have heat symptoms, such as hot flashes or constant thirst.

7. Take saunas and hot baths regularly. The most important secret of cellulite detoxification is to heat and break down fat deposits. Warming up the body stimulates the elimination of toxicity and increases metabolism and circulation. After taking a hot bath, you need to squeeze and twist your thighs and buttocks with your thumb and first two fingers. Do this gently, but firmly. By doing this, you are breaking down the fat and dispersing it into your bloodstream. Then use firm movements towards the heart to move the blood and lymph. You can use the vegetable bristle dry brush for this part. If you don’t have access to a sauna, hot tubs are wonderful. Add essential oils like juniper, grapefruit, and rosemary to stimulate the liver and flush out toxins. Other additions can include Epsom salt and baking soda. Use two cups of Epsom salt and one cup of baking soda in the bath. Epsom salt draws toxins out of the body while baking soda alkalizes the system. Soak for twenty minutes until you sweat. When you get out of the bath, massage your tummy, buttocks, and thighs, then rest. Do this at least three times a week.

To conclude, detox thighs is not a simple quick fix pill. Most women will agree that staying healthy should be part of a lifestyle change. A diet rich in grains, vegetables and fruit with small amounts of meat, fish and vegetables will keep us full of energy, strong and slim. Daily walking and yoga keep our body flexible and strong in addition to the above steps. By incorporating all of these factors into your daily life, you will have incredible success in reducing those unwanted bulges. Our body just needs the right nutrients, the right diet, and proper detoxification.

Pets

Great pet care tips

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The following tips are applicable to almost any pet. I have compiled this information from my own experiences as an animal communicator, with my own pets (including dogs, fish, birds, turtles, and rabbits), as well as from veterinarians and animal rescue organizations. No part of this information is intended to be used as a substitute for professional veterinary care.

  1. If you leave the house for any reason, tell your pet(s) where you’re going, when you’ll be back, and what work you’d like them to do (nap, house-sit, etc.) while you’re gone. I always tell my dogs I’m going to run an errand and when I’ll be back (ie 2 hours, around their dinner, etc.). I also tell them to take a nap while I’m gone and be a good boy. This tends to ease his anxiety about me being gone. If it’s a longer trip, I always tell them how many days I’ll be gone.
  2. Animals like their routines. If your routine is going to change for a day or more, tell them why and how the change will affect your routine. For example, if you’re going to have to work late for a couple of weeks, let your pet know. This will help avoid any unwanted behavior they may exhibit as their way of protesting the upset of the change in their routine.
  3. If your animal is having seizures, ask your vet to do a food allergy test. One of our dogs started having seizures shortly after we brought him home from the shelter. Our vet did a thorough allergy test and found that he had many allergies (cigarette smoke, Bermuda grass, chicken, rice, etc.). The food that he ate consisted mainly of chicken and rice. So we changed his food to one on the ‘approved food and treats’ list provided by the testing company. Since he changed his food, he has not had another seizure. So while food allergies may not always be the cause of seizures, it’s worth investigating with your vet.
  4. Before you bring a plant or flower into your home, find out if the plant or flower is poisonous to animals. Reactions to the toxic substance in some plants and flowers can range from mild nausea to death. I had a family member’s cat die because he ate part of an Easter lily leaf. Other common houseplants that are poisonous include, but are not limited to, philodendrons and poinsettias. For a more complete list, check the Internet, ask your veterinarian, or ask someone at the store that sells the plant or flower.
  5. If you suspect your pet has ingested a poisonous substance, seek veterinary help immediately. If the incident occurs after hours, contact the nearest after-hours animal emergency center. Try to bring a sample of what the animal has eaten or bitten if it is safe for you to do so. For example, one of my dogs put a spider in his mouth and promptly spit it out. I assumed that the spider had bit him in the mouth. So, I put the spider in a plastic container and took my dog ​​to the emergency vet after hours for treatment. Fortunately, since he had the spider with me, the vet was able to tell me that it was a type of spider that was not poisonous.
  6. Keep the contact information on your pet’s identification tags and/or microchip up to date. If your pet is lost and someone from animal control or your neighborhood finds the animal, this will help expedite the return of your pet.
  7. Post a pet-related notice for rescue personnel in the windows of each exterior door of your home. In each notice, include the number and type of animals residing in your home, as well as the name and phone number of your veterinarian. This will alert rescue personnel that there are animals in the home and who has medical records on file for each pet in the event of a fire or other major catastrophe involving your home. Some animal rescue organizations (ie Humane Society of the United States, ASPCA, etc.) have these types of decals for your window and can provide them free or for a nominal fee upon request.
  8. Plan for your pet’s future in case something happens to you. Many states allow you to set up trusts for your pet so that they can be cared for the way you want them to be if you die before them. For more information, visit the Humane Society of the United States website or consult with your family attorney.
  9. If you have to give up your family pet for any reason (ie divorce, loss of residence, etc.), fully explain to the pet why you have to do so. It is very important that an animal is told why it will not be part of the family that raised it. I’ve seen in clients’ pets and animals in rescue shelters the impact that not knowing this kind of information has on animals. Some become aggressive and think that nobody loves them. Others become very withdrawn and harbor a lot of guilt that it was their fault that they are no longer with their family.
  10. Teach children the proper way to approach an unfamiliar animal. This includes asking the animal’s human companion for permission to pet the animal. Some animals are not used to children and may react adversely if approached too quickly.
Sports

Super Bowl XLV: Psychology favors the Pittsburgh Steelers

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This year’s Super Bowl looks like a great matchup. These are two teams with great histories, great talent, great coaches and great traditions. I anticipate a close game that can be decided by a critical error.

Right now, the Packers are slight favorites to win this year’s contest. However, there are a number of factors that seem to favor Steel City’s black and yellow team.

The fact that the quarterback, coaches and several players have all been to the Super Bowl before helps the Steelers handle the big game experience and big game pressure effectively. Many of his players “have been there and done that” attitude.

These ideas dovetail with research results presented in one of my books, Who Will Win the Big Game and Why: 50 Characters of Championship Players, Teams, and Coaches.

I co-authored this book with Carlton Chin, an MIT-trained quant. Carlton looked at the mathematical factors that determine big game winners and I looked at the psychological determinants of those who win big games.

Our research indicates that training and previous experience in major competitions play a very important role in a team’s success in these types of competitions.

Also, Pittsburgh has a more consistent and reliable running game than the Packers.

And Pittsburgh has the advantage in turnover rate. Since many big games are won and lost by mistakes, this is an important stat.

Both teams have outstanding quarterbacks, but Big Ben has been there before and may have some added incentive to prove to the world that he’s still a champion, even though he had some off-the-field issues. He has something very personal to prove to the sports world. He seems to be the kind of tough and arrogant athlete that he will really enjoy showing the world that he is an excellent quarterback.

The AFC is arguably a tougher conference than the NFC. Pittsburgh was able to compile an excellent record against some very worthy opponents. And they were able to win without their starting quarterback, who was serving a four-game suspension at the start of the season. This shows how well balanced this team really is.

Both teams have great histories and both organizations have special connections to their communities. If you talk to someone from Green Bay or Pittsburgh, you realize that these teams are much more than football.

However, the Steelers have perhaps one of the best names in football. The name connotes mental toughness, physical toughness, durability, and a kind of solidity.

The Packers have a nice name. It connotes teamwork and a pack. However, in my opinion, it does not compare to The Steelers.

Also, “The Cheese Heads” are entertaining and comical, but they don’t match the steel helmets that Pittsburgh fans wear with great pride. Steel is a better fit for the grill than cheese.

The Steelers also have the advantage when it comes to their uniforms. make green and gold
for a good uniform. But black and yellow are powerful and menacing.

Both coaches are magnificent. However, Mike Tomlin is intense, focused, proven and has created what appears to be a well-disciplined family in Pittsburgh. Again, Green Bay is a great team, but Pittsburgh seems to have a little more intensity and ferocity in its approach to the game.

I frequently get calls from coaches who want me to help them improve their athletes’ performance. If I were advising Mike Tomlin, I’d encourage him to bring in some of the players from The Steelers’ rich tradition. Have Terry Bradshaw, Franco Harris, Rocky Bleier and others share their experiences, insights and motivational thoughts with your excellent group of athletes.

Take advantage of that excellent black and yellow tradition that was intertwined with The
Steel City.

Tours Travel

Sailing through the interior of Ireland for a magical holiday

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Inland Ireland cruises are a very popular family and/or friends holiday. There are numerous rivers, lakes and canals from which to explore the beauty of Ireland’s waterways and countryside. It is a much safer and cheaper option than offshore sailing for the novice sailor and presents great opportunities to meet people along the route. By far the most popular is the Shannon River Cruise, which can be taken in different segments or all in one as part of a grand tour of Ireland’s central spine. However, many opt for the northern half on a holiday break and do the other at a follow-up a year later on the southern half of Shannon.

The North Shannon is considered to be the liveliest section of the river. There are many attractive little towns and villages on your route, with Carrick on Shannon being the focal point. Even the small towns have good moorings and facilities. In the section you will come across beautiful Lough Key, one of the most picturesque areas of Shannon reached via a meandering river and (overpowered) lock. Rockingham Forest Park surrounds it and climbing the tower gives you spectacular views of the lake. Boyle is the nearest town with many pubs and restaurants for an evening of entertainment. Another option is to go to Lough Allen along a narrow channel and through the town of Drumshanbo. The most attractive feature of the northern route is the fact that you can access Lough Erne via Leitrim via the Shannon-Erne Waterway, a link that opened in 1996.

Traveling south from Carrick on Shannon you will pass through the Jamestown Canal, built to bypass Jamestown and Drumsna. Further south is the pretty little town of Dromod, which is well worth a stop, as is the next town, Rooskey, which has some nice amenities to offer. At the entrance to Lough Ree, Lanesborough in County Longford is the next main port of call. Lough Ree is the second largest loch on the River Shannon and this allows you a wide variety of docking places. You can head to Portrunny with a new and larger port, or head south to Glassan with its fabulous lakeside golf course which is a popular overnight stop. Plus, there’s the renowned and award-winning Wineport Restaurant for gourmet dining to round out the day in style. On the opposite side of the loch is Hodson Bay, home to a modern hotel and facilities and home to the Athlone golf course. You will then arrive in Ireland’s most central city, Athlone, the largest city on the River Shannon with shops, restaurants, hotels, pubs, cinemas, sports facilities and much more. This place is worth spending a day stopping at such are the attractions.

Heading further south, the small town of Banagher in County Offaly is ideally situated for cruising down the Shannon south from Athlone, and is an excellent starting point for cruising the River Shannon’s largest loch, Lough Derg. This lake presents a breathtaking view of mountains rolling down to the water and quaint towns like Garrykennedy, Mountshannon and Terryglass dotted along its shores. On the west side of the lake, you can take the small winding Scarriff River to the town of Scarriff. The trip down the tree-lined river with branches hanging over the water is an experience in itself, but it can be dangerous and unnerving for first-time boaters. Lough Derg is a large expanse of open water and currents and winds can be unpredictable and change quickly. You have to be careful in this section of the trip and in case of any doubt or fear, stay close to the coast.

The southernmost point of the Shannon is the twin towns of Killaloe and Ballina. This is where the river navigation stops as the Shannon proceeds on its journey towards Limerick City and out to the ocean through the Shannon Estuary. Killaloe and Ballina are small but prosperous and elegant towns with a wide variety of pubs and some first-class dining experiences.

Depending on who you hire your cruise from, there will be different final docking points. Most operators will allow you to be dropped off at a different point than where you started if you wish, but a better idea is to return to your starting point and explore different attractions that you would have missed on the way out. One of these great attractions is the site of Clonmacnoise Monastery founded by Saint Ciaran in the mid-6th century on the eastern bank of the River Shannon. The site includes the ruins of a cathedral, seven churches, two round towers, three high crosses and the largest collection of Early Christian tombstones in Europe and is the most popular stopping point on the route south of the Shannon.

For those who are navigating rivers and lakes for the first time, the rental company will give them the proper instruction and safety instructions. Navigating the locks is the trickiest part of the journey, but since most of them are manned, this shouldn’t present a problem. The ones that aren’t have automatic feeding, which makes the process easier than anticipated.

For a vacation with a difference, inland cruises are hard to beat and chances are the desire to flow from the experience is to want to come back again.

Technology

Understand cloud computing or a pay-per-use utility model

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Let’s understand what cloud computing and “Pay-As-You-Go” (PAYG) models are. Let’s tackle PAYG first. In a nutshell, PAYG is a computing “utility” model that allows a user to pay based on machine hours incurred or the amount of resources consumed. This is a very interesting utility computing model. Users are charged based on their hours of use rather than the entire infrastructure or computing resources present on the premises.

So when it comes to low cost – and mind you, it always is – it’s a perpetual necessity for organizations looking to cut a lot of upfront charges and ongoing IT expenses. For businesses, what you have is billable hours in services used paid for by a fleet of real infrastructure and complete computing resources. Which one wins? Of course, using “utility” or on-demand wins hands down. A large capex may not be very beneficial when you know that using cloud services gives you a low/low cost entry point. So you don’t need a whole infrastructure to serve your purpose; you just need an on-demand cloud solution that gives you the biggest advantage of reducing the upfront capital expense you’ll incur from traditional on-premises or in-house infrastructure.

Under this model, a dedicated cloud server, including software, storage, and development platforms, can be provisioned for use and billing can be done according to server storage and power usage. This mechanism is called utility computing. PAYG is also known by other names such as Pay-Per-Usage, Pay-Per-Use, or Pay-As-You-Us.

Discover the riches in the clouds

The next facet of this automated delivery of IT and business services is the phenomenon called cloud computing. In the past, users only had one way to run their applications or programs by using the services of their physical computers and servers present within the premises of their organization. But now, things have changed dramatically for the better because they can do it without setting up any fancy infrastructure to run their applications/software. They can perform all their computing tasks, remotely, pay-as-you-go style. Cloud computing allows you to access your information through high-speed Internet connectivity, anywhere, anytime.

For the consumer and business communities, in terms of innovation, mobile access, immense computing power, and on-demand delivery, it is proving to be very affordable and still productive.

Some of the players in this space are:

• Amazon EC2, Flexiscale, GoGrid, Joyent, AppNexeus RightScale, ElasticServer

Enterprise-class business model, for everyone

A little more about cloud computing: Cloud computing is an all-inclusive term that describes a wide range of computing services. In fact, as with other critical improvements in technology, many vendors have simply started using the term “Cloud” for products that fall outside the basic definition. However, to really understand how the cloud can add value to an organization, it is important to find out what it really is and its availability through the ‘as a service’ paradigm. Its virtual and “open” enterprise architecture enables organizations and different stakeholders, such as business partners, customers, etc. connect and move to the cloud to do business.

The cloud is a broad collection of services that gives organizations great flexibility in choosing where, when, and how they use cloud solutions technology, often referred to as software as a service (SaaS), platform as a service. Service (PaaS) and Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), and public, private or hybrid.

Now, let’s take a closer look at the prices of cloud offerings. Cloud pricing is based on a fixed or subscription-based pricing model: basically a usage fee that allows customers/organizations/subscribers to purchase for a fixed payment over a specified period of time, typically monthly or annually. In PaaS and IaaS models, however, a combination of storage billing, server type, CPU usage, etc. it offers, for example, payment for use, monthly, quarterly and annual. Move to Cloud; turn it into a new business model for your organization and be more competitive.

Environmentally friendly: Go Green Factor

Being energy efficient is the most important thing. Whether you have a service hosted in-house or your requirement is outsourced to third-party cloud service providers, businesses can still be energy efficient either way. With cloud computing, rest assured you can save energy costs and contribute to a healthier planet by leaving a smaller carbon footprint.

Moving to the cloud isn’t exactly a selfish act. Creating sustainable solutions will ensure our planet gets some love too.