2011 US Masters Golf Tournament

The 2011 US Masters is just around the corner. The world’s greatest players such as Tiger Woods, Martin Kaymer, Phil Mickelson, Luke Donald, Lee Westwood and many more are all brought together at Augusta this week in search of that ever elusive Green Jacket.  Who will walk away victorious?

Tiger Woods is always the player to beat despite his questionable life style.  I would place my money somewhere else as he has been slipping down the world rankings but who know? Tiger has one this prestigious tournament four times, is one of three men to win this tournament back to back (Nicklaus, Faldo) and is favored to do it again.  Tiger has always been the king of upsets and has more qualifications than any other golfer in the tournament and what better time to come out of his slump?

Phil Mickelson is the lefty who won it all last year and has one the coveted Green Jacket for the third time in his career and would love nothing more than to take home his fourth and become the first golfer since 2001 and 2002 to pick up two consecutive wins at Augusta Nationals. He is a part of an elite group of eight people who have gotten the job done three times in their career. One more win and he would most certainly become a golf legend.

Martin Kaymen is currently the best golfer in the world. Literally. Kaymar is ranked number one after having the best twelve months of his golf career including his taking of the USPGA Championship last season and is the only one with a Grand Slam title having won last years PGA Championship.

Luke Donald has also had some great success recently with his win in the WGC World Match Play and is more than capable of wearing the Green Jacket home.

Lee Westwood has also been right there in the midst of it all and is expected to have another great week in Augusta.

In conclusion, there is no telling how this one is going to turn out. Tiger has the odds in his favor but Mickelson, Westwood, and Kaymer are close behind. This years Masters is guaranteed to be an emotional rollercoaster with all the greats battling it out to the final hole.

Mildred Pierce Review

Mildred Pierce is a dramatic mini-series airing on HBO, based on a book that was written way back in 1945 by the same title and the storyline takes place in the even more archaic realm of the 30s. It includes such stars such as Morgan Turner as the young Veda Pierce, Kate Winslet as Mildred Pierce , Evan Wood as Veda Pierce, Quinn McColgan as Ray Pierce, directed by Todd Haynes, screenplay by James M. Cain, Todd Haynes and Jon Raymond.

Mildred Pierce is a young mother who threw her husband out and is now forced to hunt for work to support herself and her two young daughters, Veda (11) and Ray (7), in Glendale, California the year, 1931. Mildred turns to an employment agency only to throw away all of the opportunities presented to her because she feels as if they are beneath her. During her quest for a suitable job, her neighbor Lucy Gessler, bombards her with dating advice as Mildred begins an affair with her husband’s ex-business partner, Wally Burgan. Mildred reluctantly agrees to meet with a wealthy socialite after being contacted by the agency regarding an opening as a housekeeper. Mildred acerbically cuts the interview short and runs of to a diner, Christofor’s Café, where she meets a waitress named Ida who will undoubtedly play a role in shaping her future.

If you have yet to notice, I find the setting of a movie to be nearly as important as the plot itself. The setting in this mini-series is better than most full-length productions in that you feel as if you are right in the midst of all of the hustle and bustle of the every great 1930s and makes me think of such productions as Snow White and the Seven Dwarves, The Wizard of Oz and just the over all Golden Age of Hollywood.

Overall it’s not a bad show. In fact, no corners were cut in the making of this piece of entertainment. However, that’s all it will ever be, a piece of entertainment. Unlike the unique vision of Spartacus, another HBO mini-series, Mildred Pierce will disappear into the archives to never be seen again. If anything it will be used to keep the children quite during a History class in which the teacher forgot his/her lesson plans.

3 out of 5 only because of the setting

Love Letter to L*****

L****,
Know that wherever you are and wherever you go that you'll always be in my thoughts. Know that I am with you always.
Each day I look at your picture and I meditate on strengthening our connection. Each minute that I am standing alone, standing in line or strolling by myself in the park, I will recite your name to the rhythm of the beating of my heart. Your name will be my mantra and we will be tantric, even though you are far away.
Every night, when I close my eyes, I lie down and picture your face. I imagine your arms around me and our bodies entwined in a tight love embrace. Then I pray to the heavens above, that every day, you receive blessings and grace.
Although I may feel lost and alone inside, I will greet every stranger I meet with the same smile I would give to you. I will treat them with the same kindness, compassion and understanding that you taught me to receive from you. This is one way I can maintain the memory of the magic that is you.
Know that I am with you yesterday and tomorrow and every day for the rest of your life. Whether near or far, I am with you - always.
Love,
M***

Why Buy an Engagement Ring from Levi Family Jewlers

Levi Family Jewelers is by far the best place to go when you have found that special someone you are ready to spend the rest of your life with. 

Levi Family Jewelers is a 3^rd generation jeweler that has been in the industry since 1926. The entire staff is very knowledgeable and willing to help rather than most jewelers that just want to get your money and get you out the door. Being a family owned business, you get the feel of a small town shop; the highly personal experience with your best interests in mind. They really know what they are doing and will help you every step along the way when you are ready to purchase an engagement ring for the one you love so dearly.

They have over two thousand engagement rings to choose from! Their selection of engagement rings is by far one of the biggest in the state of California which insures that they carry all of the latest designs, including plain and fancy solitaires, wedding sets, cathedral, contemporary, traditional, eternity, micro-pave, halo, antique, engraved and much more. This can be quite overwhelming at first but they help guide you through the entire process helping you to choose the perfect engagement ring for both your budget and for your loved one.

Levi Family Jewelers has one of the largest selections of certified diamonds. With over 2,600 diamonds in stock, every color and shape you can imagine is available.  The shapes they sell include round, princess, radiant, cushion, ascher, pear, emerald, marquise, heart, and ovals. The colors they sell range from a D colorless, all the way to fancy yellows, pinks or blues. When you purchase a laboratory certified diamond, they also supply you with a laboratory certificate for safekeeping. The laboratory certificate indicates the detailed quality of your diamond from an unbiased viewpoint.

Levi Family Jewelers pays the sales tax for you. This is how you know they are truly in the business for their customers rather than for themselves. The fact that they pay the extra hundreds of dollars in sales tax makes the entire purchasing process so much easier as you know how much you are spending from the very beginning. This, along with the two years no interest allows you to choose the engagement ring you want without having to compromise just because the sales tax pushes you over budget.

The five hundred dollar guarantee is one of my favorite aspects of Levi Jewelers. If you purchase is appraised for at least double or more of your purchase price, they will not only give you a full refund but also give you five hundred dollars cash just for your time!

For your entire lifetime, Levi Family Jewelers offer tons of free services such as ring sizing, ring cleaning, prong inspections, insurance appraisals, engraving, rhodium flashing (white gold), AND minor repairs.  Not only do they offer all of these free services but they also allow you to trade your diamond in for a larger one applying the total amount you paid for yours toward a new one. No depreciation here!

Levi Family Jewelers goes above and beyond to help their customers with this life changing purchase. They understand the significance of your purchase and are always there to help you even long after you have made your final payment. I would not even consider purchasing an engagement ring from any other jeweler on the planet!

Health Benefits of Frozen Yogurt

Health Benefits of Frozen Yogurt

Frozen yogurt is not a new thing but people are just now realizing the tremendous

health benefits of this desert of this now considered “health food.” The live active cultures you are constantly hearing about are actually living organisms called Streptococcus, Thermophiles, and Lactobacillus which help your body turn that hard to digest pasteurized milk into yogurt fermentation. Bliss Berry Frozen yogurt just so happens to contain on average thirty percent more active cultures that most brands.

Just one 8 oz. serving of frozen yogurt from BlissBeryy provides about 600 MG of calcium. That’s about one half of the daily-recommended amount! In today’s society, the majority of adults consume less than two-thirds the recommended 1200 MG of calcium.  What better way to get that extra calcium in your diet?

BlissBerry frozen yogurt has even been found to protect against cancer! That’s right caner. Studies completed by Tufts University show that the bacteria produced by frozen yogurt can actually prevent cancer of the colon and breast. In 1986 a study resulted in findings that showed that women who consumed high levels of dairy fat, such as cheese and ice cream, had a higher risk of breast cancer opposed to those who ate yogurt as their main dairy source who were found to have the least risk.

Frozen yogurt ingredients: Nonfat milk, sucrose, high fructose corn syrup, natural and artificial flavors, malt dextrin, whey, cocoa processed alkali (if chocolate flavored, nonfat dry milk, citric acid, mono and diglycerides, locus bean gum, guar gum, carrageenan, turmeric extract, beet juice (for color), caramel color, yogurt cultures, sorbitol for those flavors that do not contain sugar, peanut butter (in Peanut Butter flavor), cookies and vanilla bean seeds (in Cookies and Cream)

Adjusting pH in a Swimming Pool

Grab your test kit and get to work! Today we are going to talk about adjusting the pH of your swimming pool. It is vital to make sure the total alkalinity is correct before we even start on this venture as the two are closely related, siblings if you will. 

We adjust the pH for several reasons. The first being that out of whack pH can cause burning eyes and irritated skin. The second is that the effectiveness of the chlorine to battle all the unwanted contaminants is very dependent on the pH level. The second your pH hits that 8.0 mark, the chlorine is only twenty percent effective and decreases as the pH rises. Chlorine can become overactive if the pH is below 7.0.

Your pH will generally either run high all the time or low all the time depending on the water you are adding to the pool.  Eventually you will get into a weekly routine and probably won’t even have to test the water.

High pH

If your pH is high, you need to add an acid to the water because it is too basic. This can be done in a variety of ways including muriatic acid (liquid hydrochloric acid) or dry acid (sodium bisulphate). Both are extremely dangerous and extra precautions should be taken when handling these. I have burnt holes in my pants on accident with this stuff before.

Before adding any acid, make sure there are no living organisms in the pool because you are about to create an area of high concentration. Make sure the pump is running and grab a plastic bucket to dissolve the dry acid in if you choose this method.

Now it’s time to get that pH in the recommended 7.0-7.8 ranges. Always, always, always add acid to water, never water to acid as this can cause an extreme chemical reaction that could cause serious. Slowly pour the acid around the deep end of the swimming pool. If you have to add more than a couple gallons split it up into a couple of treatments that way you don’t risk damaging the pool and you won’t lower the total alkalinity.

Low pH

This is an easy one as you are just adding an alkali. The most common and easiest way to do this is with soda ash  (sodium carbonate). This comes in a powder for and is much safer than the acid mentioned above.

Disperse the recommended amount around the pool and allow circulating for at least four hours before diving in.

In Conclusion

Adjusting the pH is essential in maintaining the overall chemical balance of the pool and should be done on a weekly basis. 

Frozen Yogurt or Ice Cream?

Frozen Yogurt or Ice Cream?

After you have gone to the buffet and eaten your fill, you find yourself craving something sweet. First thing that comes to mind is ice cream… Well, there is a much healthier choice out there that tastes just as good if not better. Frozen yogurt

Taste

So you’ve left the buffet and have chosen to eat ice cream because you don’t want to compromise on the taste but wait! You don’t have to! There is the rare person who claims there is a taste difference between frozen yogurt and ice cream however, it takes a very acute palate to differentiate the two. Generally, the same technique is used to make both. In fact, they are often made on the same assembly line. 

Health

They are both high in protein, calcium and riboflavin... Sounds like a tie… But wait! In frozen yogurt, fat and solids from milk are used to create the creamy, smooth texture making up approximately fifteen percent of the total ingredients. Ice cream, on the other hand, is made up of about twenty-five fat from milk.  Frozen yogurt also has live cultures to help with the digestion (great for the lactose intolerant) and even helps with joint health. Ice cream has… Well, ice cream doesn’t have any cultures at all making it much harder to digest. Even the blind are able to see that frozen yogurt is a much healthier choice.

Despite the die hard ice cream fans, most will agree that frozen yogurt is the clear choice when it comes to choosing a desert or just satisfying that sweet tooth not only because of the incredible taste or smooth silky texture but also because of the many added health benefits.

From Paris with Love Movie Review

While working at the American embassy in Paris, low-level intelligence agent James Reece (Jonathan Rhys Meyers) goes from switching license plates to being pulled into espionage when he's thrown into a terrorist plot when forced to partner up with the high-ranking but uncouth American operative Charlie Wax (John Travolta), who is determined to bring the entire operation down. I was very unsure of weather or not I should even consider giving this movie the time of day seeing as how the only bald action star I normally consider watching is good ole' Bruce Willis. Well Bruce, you better watch your back because John Travolta and Jonathan Rhys Meyers are unexpectedly phenomenal in this action packed thriller, From Paris with Love. This phenomenal Action/Adventure/Thriller is directed by Pierre Morel with a script by Luc Besson (The Professional, The Fifth Element) and also includes such stars as Kasia Smutniak, Richard Durden, Yin Bing, Amber Rose, Revah, Eric Gorgon, Francois Bredon, Chems Dahmani, and Mostefa Stiti.

The movie begins with James Reese entering the American Embasy in Paris drinving a blacked out supped up escalade. Shortly after he meets with ambassoder Bennington (Richard Durden) he is seen changing license plates. Reese has dreams of becoming part of the Cloak-and-Dagger division, which are finally rewarded when he is teamed up with the off the wall Charlie Wax. Wax first appears clad in leather with a shaved head, full face of hair and an earing, the perfect macho man stereotype, obscenely arguing with a French custom agent who will not allow him to enter France with a bag full of energy drinks which we later find out conceal his faithful pistol he never travels without. Wax slaughters countless bad guys as Reese follows behind carrying a vase filled with blow. I won’t spoil the ending but I will say that it took me for a ride to say the least.

The movie takes you for a ride from the Asian district of Paris, to the Tower de Eifel, to the slums. The setting is immaculate and spellbinding and slightly ironic in that dozens of people are slaughtered in the midst of all the beauty.

The soundtrack flows seamlessly with the sounds of gunfire and the agitated cinematography. In these scenes, you lean back and allow the action to take you to another dimension as the adrenaline begins to flow through your veins and permeates the bones.

Despite the preposterous, shallow plot, “From Paris with Love” is an effective stimulant with the thousands of gunshots and high-speed car chases on the Parisian boulevards that leaves you feeling as if you are ready to become a part of the Cloak-and-Dagger division yourself.

Fast Five Movie Review

Fast Five is by far the best movie of the year. It has all of the elements of a phenomenal movie; love, fast cars, revenge, death, destruction, thought provoking plot, etc. This epic movie contains TONS of big screen super stars such as Vin Diesel (Dominic Toretto), Paul Walker (Brian O’Conner), Jordana Brewster (Mia Toretto), Tyrese Gibson (Roman Pearce), Ludacris (Tej Parker), Matt Shulze (Vince), Sung Kang (Han Lue), Gal Gadot (Gisele Harabo), Tego Calderon (Tego Leo), Don Omar (Rico Santos) and of course Dwayne Johnson “The Rock” (Luke Hobs) along with many others and was written by none other than Chris Morgan and directed by none other than Justin Lin. The movie is rated PG-13 for “intense sequences of violence and action, sexual content and language” (sounds great already huh?).

Brian O’ Conner (Paul Walker) and Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel) partner up and call up all of the greats from all of the previous Fast and Furious movies to pull off the ultimate heist.  Hobs (Dwayne Johnson) reunites all of the returning favorites Jordana Brewster, Chris “Ludacris” Bridges, Tyrese Gibson, Sung Kang, Gal Gadot, Matt Shulze, Tego Calderon, and Don Omar for by far the biggest robbery in Fast and Furious history.

Since Brian and Mia Toretto (Jordana Brewster) made there daring break out of Dom, they’ve hopped through many countries eluding the authorities and end up in Rio de Janeiro and must order one last job in order to buy their freedom. The unlikely allies of the past movies know that this is their one opportunity to get out of the crime business for good however, this means facing the corrupt “business man” who wants them dead and will release all of his resources to make sure the job is done. He is the least of their concerns….

Hardcore federal aged Luke Hobbs (Johnson) ALWAYS gets his man and, it just so happens that Dom and Brian's names end up on his desk.  Hobbs gathers a team of the best agents available and launches an all-out assault with his “shoot first ask questions later” philosophy.  However, as he turns Brazil inside out, he begins to realize that the line separating the good from the bad may not be as clear as he once believed.

Now that all that bologna is out of the way, here comes the reviewing.

The scenery is incredible. The movie takes you on a tour of the beautiful yet poor Rio de Janeiro. The wide array of shooting perspectives such as helicopters, fast cars, and slow walk-throughs allow the viewer to see Rio for all of its natural beauty and unnatural beauty the same with shots revealing the enormous beach line, terraced housing, and green mountains.

Fast Five is filled to the brim with large action pieces such as a train heist, gunfights through Rio, and best of all, the most epic one-on-one fist fight in movie history between none other than The Rock and Vin Diesel, and of course, a brutal car chase including an armada of supped up 2011 Dodge Chargers.

All in all this is by far the best movie I have ever seen but only because I have seen all of the other Fast and Furious movies and this one really ties them all together with a huge bang. If you are planning on going into this one blind, I guarantee you will remain on the edge of your seat however, you may not be able to appreciate the intricate plot the writers have been creating since day one.

Eat, Pray, Love Movie Review

“Eat Pray Love” is a loooooong drama perfect for those nights you are feeling sorry for yourself and just want to wallow in the sorrow.  This epic drama has such stars such as Julia Roberts as Liz Gilbert, Richard Jenkins as Richard, Billy Crudup as Stephen, James Franco as David and Javier Bardem as Felipe and was directed by Mr. Ryan Murphy. The movie is based on a book by the same name and is rated PG-13 for brief strong language, some sexual references and “male rear nudity.” 

The main idea is that this tall blond “happy” woman by the name of Liz Gilbert is working her life away as a writer in New York and one day has an epiphany. She ditches out on her marriage and a love a fair to spend a year abrod living in Italy, India and Bali in search of finding herself and in turn God.

After the hour-long prologue, Liz finally begins her journey in the slums of Italy. The room she’s staying in is held up by scaffolding, has several layers of wallpaper all flaking off, and requires stove-heated water to bathe with. She goes out and eats every kind of stereotypical Italian food imaginable and along the way she meets a wide variety of people and finishes off her stay with a big American style Thanksgiving. She takes away from Italy of course a very important lesson that I will let you all discover for yourself.

Her next stop on this time strenuous journey is India where she meets a tall, bearded, glasses wielding old man by the name of Richard (Richard Jenkins). We first meet Richard when he sits next to Liz to eat and says something along the lines of  “We have mosquitos so big in Texas they can stand flat footed and screw a chicken.” With his Texan humor and lack of an internal censor, Richard helps Liz to make another life changing realization.

Last stop is Bali. In Bali she revisits her spiritual advisor Ketut (Hadi Subiyanto) who is a master of truism. Ketut helps her to discover herself in a way that she has refused to realize for so long allowing her to love once again.

The scenery throughout the movie is very eclectic in that it allows the viewer to compare and contrast the hustle and bustle of New York where everyone has a place to be, Italy where they have perfected the art of doing nothing, India where you see a culture truly devout to worship, and Bali where people learn to live both for themselves and for the greater being. Through the scenery change we can also see different personalities of Liz leading up to her discovering herself.

All in all this was a good movie despite the fact that it seems as if it will never end. It depicts an emotional journey that we all long to take but are afraid to in fear of breaking our routine we have become so accustomed to.  I recommend waiting for a rainy day, getting a qt of your favorite ice cream, and making yourself a nice cozy spot for this one.

4 out of 5

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Difficult Decisions

Difficult Decisions

Several times in my life I, like many others, have needed to make a difficult decision. A difficult decision in that both options carry a perpendicular amount of both risk and benefits. Generally one option has little risk at all with very predictable benefits where as the other contains the exact opposite, lots of risks with incredible benefits possible. A difficult decision has the ability to change one’s life forever. How is one supposed to make such a binding verdict?

The very first step is to take all of those opinions and suggestions that every single passerby seems to be shoving down your throat and toss them out the window. How are you supposed to be able to hear your own heart with everyone else’s yelling in your ear? In the end you must not follow the neighbors’ or your mother’s or father’s or sister’s or friends’ but rather your heart alone.

The second step is to identify what all exactly your heart truly desires weather it be happiness, money, travel, sports, etc. However, we never desire only one thing but rather multiple. The key to the second step is to find the place where these desires have the ability to come together and coexist. You will certainly have to make sacrifices in order to find such a place and even more to get there.

The third step is rather childish, literally. In the third step all you have to do is recall the time you spent in grade school working on those dot-to-dot pictures. Look at everything going on around you that has an affect on your life and you will soon see a pattern and although you will not have all of the dots, you will be able to see a general picture and an idea where you are headed. Be sure to take into account even the smallest of details as the more dots you have, the easier it is to make out the big picture. The events in your life often give you clues as to where your life is headed.

The fourth step is by far the most feared step, as it requires you to jump without seeing in front of you. You must seize any opportunity or anything that even resembles an opportunity for you to reach the place we discussed in the second step.  Opportunities are oh so very rare. They are rare, much more rarer than you think as said by Nassim Nicholas Thaleb. Find your opportunity and go seize it before it’s too late.

The fifth and by far the most important step in the whole decision making process is this: Stay true to your own heart. In the end it all comes back to your hear. Our mind often rationalizes things that should not be rationalized but in fact lead us from our core values and away from what our heart truly desires. Don’t trick your own heart.

Your time is limited. The regret is in the not doing. The situation will never be perfect. Don’t be afraid to take risks and be different.

ZLilly

“You’ve got a lot of choices. If getting out of bed in the morning is a chore and you’re not smiling on a regular basis, try another choice.” Stephen D. Woodhull

Dear BlissBerry

Dear BlissBerry,

Ever since I first met you, my life has become enriched. Your fresh and healthy ingredients, family friendly environment, and mouth-watering menu have made me the person I am today. There is no way for me to express how much I love you, and what you have come to mean to me. You are my everything. I always think of you when we are apart, and when we are together I feel perfect.

Whenever I see the sunset over the ocean and I see birds flying, or the beauty of nature at its finest, I am reminded of the newly picked ingredients you use to make every order I place. I now understand what love is, and I have never felt it as deeply as I do now. I look to the stars in the sky and all I see is the beauty of your vibrant decor. When the suns rays beat against my bare skin, I long for your sweet cool touch. When it is cold outside, I am reminded of how empty I would be without you.

When we kiss, I believe it is what poets have talked about when they write about heaven, and all I think about is you. Your bright red strawberries, deep blue blueberries, dark brown chocolate, and graciously green kiwi reflect the amazing universe, and your taste brings an indescribable euphoria. I love you BlissBerry, like I have never loved before.

I count the seconds until we see each other, and when we are together I do not want anything else. You are the reason I breathe, and everything I do is for you. I know that there are those times when we must be apart, and when that happens, I want you to know that you are the only one I can think of. I feel like I finally know who I am and what I am supposed to do with my life, and I want you with me every step.

Love,

Lilly

April Fool's Day History

April 1^st will no doubt be celebrated with an uncountable mass of practical jokes but what are we celebrating? Why did we choose this seemingly random day and decide to play pranks on each other? Where did it all begin?

Unlike most holidays that have a solid history April Fool’s Day (All Fool’s Day) has a past that is all but clear. There wasn’t a first All Fool’s Day recorded in history but rather a theory of when it all begins.

The year: 1582. The place: France. This is the closest we have come to identifying the beginning of this great holiday. Prior to 1582, the New Year was celebrated for eight consecutive days beginning on March 25^th with the biggest part of the celebration taking place on April 1st.  This guy named Charles the IX decided to reform the calendar and made New Year’s Day occur on January 1.

This idea seemed all fine and dandy but with communications being only as fast as one could walk across the country, there was more than likely a lot of confusion as it would have taken several years for the news to reach the outlying villages. On top of the poor communications, there were of course those rebels who refused to accept the new calendar and just kept on celebrating the New Year on April 1. These rebels were labeled “fools” by the general population and were ridiculed and often sent on wild goose chases (fools errands) and were the receiving in of many other practical jokes.

This harassment and ridicule evolved into a tradition of prank playing on April 1^st. The tradition eventually spread throughout Europe and then later introduced to the American colonies of the French and English both. April Fool’s Day was born.

This day of international fun and pranks has evolved into different nationalities specializing in specific pranks and in essence, have created their own brand of humor at the expense of friends and family.

In Scotland, they celebrate this wonderful holiday for two consecutive days of well thought out pranks. The second day is a day devoted purely to pranking the hind end of a person. There they call it Taily Day. I bet they get a lot of use out a “kick me” sign. Our Mexican neighbors celebrate this day on December 28^th in remembrance of King Herod slaughtering innocent children.

This is by far my favorite holiday because not because of the practical jokes but rather the elaborate practical jokes that last all day long and the pure fun of it all. For example, a British short film was once shown in on April Fool’s day that was a detailed documentary about how spaghetti farmers and how their precious crops from spaghetti trees.

I will end in saying that April Fool’s Day is a day of nothing but well needed stress relief in our ever-busy life of stress. No worrying about gifts, reservations, or sappy movie watching. Just a fun little holiday where one is constantly battling other’s in a game of wit and humor.

Adjusting the Total Alkalinity in a Swimming Pool

Adjusting the Total Alkalinity in your Swimming Pool

It is vital to get the total alkalinity right. The total alkalinity (TA) is how much alkaline substances are in your swimming pool. The alkalinity controls the pH, which in turn controls the effectiveness of the chlorine. The total alkalinity (TA) is how much alkaline substances are in your swimming pool. We want this to be 80-120 parts per million (ppm). Having the alkalinity within this range keeps the pH from fluctuating.

If the total alkalinity is too low it will try to rob alkaline substances from your concrete walls or any metal parts, can stain the walls and floor of the pool, turn the water green, cause burning eyes and cause the pH to move around as we discussed earlier.

If the total alkalinity is too high, the water will become cloudy, chlorine will not work, and test kits will show that you constantly need to add acid to lower your fluctuating pH.

To raise the level of the total alkalinity, use sodium bicarbonate. Lucky for you, you probably already have some lying around as this is just regular old baking soda. No need to go buy expensive pool chemicals that are the exact same thing. Look at the ingredients to make sure. Baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) is the only chemical known by mankind to raise the total alkalinity without messing up the pH. Go to your local grocery store and pick up the recommended amount then pour it around the pool at a rate of about two to three pounds per day. If your alkalinity is really really low, this may take a little while but adding any more than that at a time is just a waste of money.

To lower the total alkalinity, we use either a dry or liquid acid. The same kind you would use to lower the pH but we add it to the pool in a little different manner. Turn the pump off and allow the water to settle and then add the dissolved dry acid or liquid (muriatic acid) to the deep end of the pool. It is recommended to wait three days between treatments requiring over one gallon but I have not noticed that results are any different if you just separate the treatments by one day.

In conclusion, you must get your total alkalinity correct before anything is going to go your way in the battle of keeping a crystal clear swimming pool. Think of it as the king of swimming pool chemistry.

Adjusting the Calcium Hardness in a Swimming Pool

Adjusting the Calcium Hardness in your Swimming Pool

Calcium is the greatest influence on the total hardness context of your swimming pool (how hard the water is). Other minerals such as magnesium, iron, manganese and a few others don’t impact the total hardness enough for us to bother with so we stick with adjusting the calcium hardness. The recommended and best range is between 250 and 350 ppm (parts per million) for your calcium hardness.

If the calcium hardness is too low, it can cause problems similar to low total alkalinity in that it becomes corrosive and try to rob minerals from your pool walls and equipment, particularly the metal. This reaction can cause staining as well.

If the calcium hardness is too high, it will cause a scale build of on all of the pool surfaces, cloudy water, irritated eyes, and can reduce the efficiency of your filter. This is also what causes that white ring around the top of your swimming pool.

Luckily, low calcium hardness can be easily corrected by adding calcium chloride that can be purchased at any swimming pool store. Divide the recommended amount up into three treatments allowing the water to circulate for at least four hours in between.

Reducing high calcium hardness is very difficult. The easiest way to do this, although it doesn’t always work, is to replace some of the water with fresh water. If that does not work consult a pool professional, as they will have to add a chemical to keep the calcium in solution that prevents it from depositing.

In conclusion, the calcium hardness does not influence the balance of any other chemicals in your swimming pool and takes quite a while to cause any damage so it should be one of the last things you worry about adjusting unless you are having consistent issues with cloudy water.

Why Offer Dental Insurance to Employees

Employees are very particular about the benefits they are offered especially in today’s time of economic hardships. Dental insurance is considered to be one of the most important benefits in an employee’s overall benefits package. Dental insurance is also an easy way to prevent financial loss for the employer.

Treatments of dental problems are very low risk compared to nearly all other health conditions and dental plans are the most cost effective of all the health benefits plans. This is why offering dental insurance, as an employer is a good decision to make. Health concerns involving the teeth are generally prevent through the use of prophylaxis, which involves minimal costs.

Once a dental problem has been identified, treatment can immediately be administered rather than having an employee wait until the small problem has become a big problem. Early treatment is considerably less expensive and time consuming than treatment in the later stages of dental decay allowing employees to be off work for a very short period of time.

How to Use a Wireless Headset

A wireless headset is a great accessory for cell phones as it allows much more freedom while you talk. You can walk to and fro all wherever you need to go and do whatever you need to do by simply plugging in a wireless adapter (some built in.) The majority of wireless headsets use Bluetooth to transmit the signal, which is now common on most cell phones.

1.)  Buy a wireless headset. You want to make sure the wireless headset fits you comfortably and has all of the features you will require. Also check to make sure the device is going to be compatible with your cellphone.

2.)  Get to know your wireless headset. Explore all of the buttons and features on your wireless headset before you go to put it to use as to avoid frustration and possible embarrassment.

3.)  Test the range. You want to know your limits when it comes to how far you can walk away from your cell phone before going out of range so you don’t accidently cause dropped calls.

4.) When encountering problems, ensure you are within range and that there are no obstructions. Check to make sure the battery on both the headset and the cell phone are charged. If problems still persist, refer to your owner’s manual. 

Plumbing FAQ

How do I eliminate foul odor coming from my garbage disposal?

The build up of food causes the foul smell coming from within the garbage disposer. Place Ice cubes and lemon or orange peels in the disposer and run it for about thirty seconds. While the disposer is still running, squirt a little dish detergent into the disposer. Run cold water and run the disposer for an additional thirty seconds to rinse away all the debris.

How do I eliminate the bad smell coming from my bathroom we hardly ever use?

The plumbing system of a house contains traps attached to fixtures to prevent foul odors from entering. The traps are sealed with water. If the water evaporates, the bad smell can enter the house. To solve this problem, simple pour a buck of water in each trap, sink, shower and floor drain to ensure a good seal.

How often should I have my septic system inspected?

Septic systems should be inspected AND pumped every three to four years. Even if you are not currently experiencing any problems, a full septic tank can allow unwanted solids to flow into the drain field. If the drain field becomes clogged, you can count on a costly bill from the plumber.

How do I get rid of white residue on my faucets and showerheads without replacing them?

That “white residue” is mineral deposits. To get rid of mineral deposits, take a plastic bag filled with vinegar. Place the bag over the faucet or showerhead and use a twist tie or rubber band to hold the bag in place overnight. The deposits should then easily come off with some gentle scrubbing with a toothbrush.

My water bills appear to be high but none of the faucets leak. Why is my water bill so high?

First off, check and see if the toilets are leaking by ensuring the water is not overflowing into the overflow pipe (pipe in the middle of the tank). If this is the case, simply adjust the fill valve so the water fills to about one inch below the top of the overflow pipe. Some toilets have a mark stamped on the side of the tank for the ideal water level.

Put some food coloring into the tank to and wait about fifteen minutes and see if the water in the bowl has changed colors. If this is the case, water is leaking into the toilet bowl and the ball and/or flapper needs to be replaced.

How to Use a 35mm Camera

The 35mm camera is better than its adversary, the digital camera, when it comes to taking a series of photos at a rapid pace. The 35mm camera is also the preferred camera for fine art photography. The 35mm camera gives the operator control over everything from lens openings, focus, shutter speed to medium making it ideal for learning the basics of photography.

1.)  Check the battery. To check the battery on a 35mm camera you must activate the exposure meter. To accomplish this first power on the camera and then (depending on the model) you will either have to advance the film wind lover or press the shutter button half way down. You will either see a lights come on or a needle that reacts when the camera is pointed towards the light or the lens opening is changed.

2.)  Buy film. The type of film you need to buy will depend on what kind of results you are trying to achieve. Film comes in both black and white and color with speeds from 100 to 800 ASA. The faster film is better for faster shutter speeds when shooting motion shots however, faster film produces a grainier image.

3.)  Load the film. The film goes into the back of the camera by first opening the camera by pulling the film winding lever all the way up and then placing the film cartridge into the left side of the camera body. The film should unwind towards the right. Push the winding lever back down as to lock the case of the film into place.

4.)  Wind the film. Pull the strip to the winding spool and then insert the end of the film into the slot on the spool and wind clockwise two turns with the film advance lever. Check to make sure the film is actually advancing before closing the back of the camera.

5.)  Prep film. Using 1/500 speed, advance the film one frame and cover the lens with your hand before pressing the shutter button. This will ensure an unexposed piece of film is ready for the first exposure

6.)  Get used to the camera. Explore all of the functions of the camera making sue to find the shutter speed dial which may require you to pull up to unlock. Also look for the self-timer shutter lever, which puts a delay on the release of the shutter. 

How to Insure a Museum

Insurance policies for a museum are available in a wide array of dollar amount. The risks covered by insurance can broadly be divided into policies that cover people and policies that cover things. People may make a claim against the museum and its staff for injuries.

The first step in insuring a museum is to understand some of the basics. A policy designed for a home/business is not an adequate plan. A museum collection and fine arts policy will be the most beneficial. Fine arts policies generally cover a museums needs and are often less expensive and offer more coverage than other policies.

Scheduled and Loss Limit are the two types of policies used to cover a museum’s artifacts and fine arts.

For most museums, schedule policies are not the best choice. A scheduled policy only covers items that are listed on an inventory or schedule with a dollar amount, which the policy covers.  Sounds good however, maintaining a schedule is a very time and labor-intensive unless the collection is small and no growth is planned.

In contrast, a loss limit policy provides coverage for any materials under the care, custody or control of institution. This covers materials owned by the institution both on and off the premises; borrowed objects; and, materials in the ustody of the institution for purposes other than loan, e.g. study, possible purchase, etc.

The next step in insuring your museum is to contact a fine arts insurance provider such as Arthur J. Gallagher, Arts Indemnity Program, or AXA. These providers are all reputable sources and proven to be very knowledgeable about insuring a museum.

Becoming a Fiction Writer

Countless souls dream of becoming a successful fiction writer however, few actually make it to the level of self-sufficiency. Thousands of submissions cross the desks of agents on a regular basis. Many of those submissions are rejected without even being read because the initial pitch failed to catch the agent’s attention.

The first step to becoming a successful fiction writer is to actually become a good writer. One must have a well-developed personal style that sets him/her apart as well as an extraordinary grasp of language and the way it works.

The second step to becoming a successful fiction writer is to practice with many different styles, voices, and genres so you can create a plethora of weapons in your writing arsenal. Work on creating dialogue, descriptions, characterization, imagery, scene building, and plotting and then focus on the areas you feel need to be improved most.

The third step to becoming a successful fiction writer is to focus on the literary devices and figurative language, as they are a must for works of fiction. A successful writer knows where and how to use these devices by studying the way they have been used in other great works that have become so very successful.

The fourth step is to go out and participate with other writers.  Join a workshop or guild or even classes as to get feedback from other people who share the same passion. Networking will also get you a lot farther on the business end as well.

The fifth and final step to becoming a successful fiction writer is to force yourself to do things in writing you wouldn’t normally do. Write about things that you don’t find interesting and engage with people you wouldn’t normally speak to. By doing so, you are broadening yourself and in turn the quality and scope of your writing.

How to Become a Screenwriter

Hundreds of thousands of people dream of becoming the next big Hollywood writer and see their script play out on the big screen. The road is most certainly a long and difficult one requiting talent, perseverance, and lots and lots of hard work but, the path is not exactly as an aspiring Hollywood writer would think.

The first step is to of course, know how to write a good screenplay. A good screenplay writer must understand not only how to tell a story but how to tell a story in cinematic terms. Learn how to develop the classic three-act structure, character arc, and how to reveal vital information visually.

The second step is to get an agent. A screenwriter knows how to write and an agent knows business. Screenplay agents help to sell the script as well as negotiate the terms. A good agent will be registered with the Writer’s Guild of America and it is vital to make sure the agent has this credential.

The third step is join the Writer’s Guild of America. The Writer’s Guild is the union that protects writers in Hollywood with benefits much like any other union. The WGA will help you in many aspects such as negotiating with studios, help with networking, fight for residuals, etc.

The forth and final step step is to keep climbing up that seemingly endless ladder. The idea of becoming discovered right off the bat is absurd. Start off with a job in the film production industry. Any job that can be acquired should be taken advantage of. Meet new people and work up the ladder while working on one’s own screenplays on the side.

                                                       

Becoming a Poetry Writer

The Internet is saturated with millions of poets with countless poems. Very few go on to become a successful, prominent poetry writer.  There are a few basic steps that can help one go from writing average poetry to becoming a successful poetry writer.

1.)  Read as much poetry as you can get your hands on. Reading others’ works will allow you to experience others style and will broaden your scope.

2.)  Learn about a specific subject. Having a vast knowledge about a specific subject helps one to write on a deeper intellectual level.

3.)  Expand your vocabulary. Having a broad vocabulary gives you a plethora of words to choose from for each situation.

4.)  Write a book of poetry. It will help you gain exposure and will help with eventually getting published.

5.)  Promote your poetry. Being active in online communities and social networks will also help you gain exposure and insight from others.

6.)  Market your work. Some sites allow you to post your work and will give you a share of the advertising income. You could also start your own blog.

7.)  Share your poetry. Share it with as many people as possible as to get your name out. Hand out flyers, attend open mic readings, and share them with friends and family.

About Power Washing Services

Like with any other service business it is important to know who you can rely on and trust to do a good job and maintain a system of good business ethics. The local yellow pages under the heading “pressure washing services” is a great place to start your search and then following up on a few of the businesses online looking specifically for reviews by others.

The most efficient method in determining a good pressure washing service from a bad pressure washing service is to check into their referrals and references. A pressure washer can be rented from a number of rental companies by anyone however, that doesn’t mean everyone who rents a pressure washer knows what their doing. Someone who does not know what they are doing can seriously damage deck, wooden fence, siding, concrete, etc.

Soft Pressure Washing

Soft pressure washing is a process by which a pressure of about four hundred PSI or less is used for cleaning. Soft washing uses chemicals and detergents rather than just pure water and pressure to aid in the cleaning. Any reputable pressure washing service is going to have a good understanding about what types of chemicals work best for different services. This ensures that wood or siding will not be damaged and extend the life of the material.

Deck Refinishing

Having your deck refinished does not have to require you to find both a pressure washing company as well as a deck company. Contact a deck company first as they may do the pressure washing service there self or know the best pressure washing company for decks.