So This Is Christmas

Merry Christmas is such an infectious feeling I like to feel that way all year around.

So if you are visiting just before Christmas, just after Christmas or even here on Christmas day I am sure you will find something of interest for you and in the spirit of Christmas.

It may be said that Christmas is no longer a celebration but this must be spoken by people that have never had trouble closing their eyes on Christmas Eve in an expectation of what maybe left for them on the carpet under the tree.

I continue to look forward to the surprise on my Grandchild's faces to this day at Christmas events.

Merry Christmas - Merry Christmas - Merry Christmas

Monday, January 5, 2009

Understanding Basic Car Service Requirements

By Hugh Roberts

Acceptable car servicing is vital if someone hopes to have the benefit of a superior car performance over the span of many years. As the cost of owning a vehicle continues to increase, paying attention to appropriate car service maintenance will permit longer car ownership. As time goes on, this protracted ownership time will help lessen the costs of vehicle loan expenses and interest charges. It's vital to know how to find a superior car servicing shop, as well as how to steer clear of getting scammed by crooked repair shops.

When trying to find a quality car service repair place, be sure to understand a few time-tested points on the area. First of all, don't procrastinate to hit upon a truthful car servicing place until one is actually needed. The most terrible thing is to have an accident and then be stuck going to the closet repair dealer. Friends and family are a wonderful means to be introduced to a potential repair location. If they've received superior repairs, chances are the repair shop provides the identical service to all their patrons. Before coming to a final choice, though, be resolved to ask for a few extra references and then ask those folks about their comments.

Correct car servicing takes knowledge of a few basic maintenance tips. Expensive car service repairs can be avoided by sticking to a maintenance schedule. Be vigilant and inspect the oil level at least once a week. Let the vehicle run for about thirty seconds, turn off, and then hang around for about two minutes or so. Then draw out the oil stick, wipe it clean, reinsert it, and then draw it out one more time. This will register a correct determination of the oil level.

There are various car service time intervals to be aware of. A few crucial timeframes are as follows: at every 3 months or 3000 miles, the oil should be changed. Change the spark plugs every 30,000 to 50,000 miles. Tires should be rotated every 6,000 miles or so. It used to be normal for a timing belt could be changed every 60,000 miles, but now some have differing intervals and owner's books should also be looked at. At every 15,000 to 20,000 miles, align the tires. At every 35,000 to 40,000 miles, the fuel filter should be changed. Following car servicing periods such as those described above will help make certain that a car lasts for many years.

Purchasers of Volvo cars must always take notice of the already discussed car service timeframes as well as consulting their manuals for timely Volvo service on their auto. All Volvos should be looked at at the right service intervals that are explained in Volvo Service Records booklets or at one of the various Volvo dealerships. By paying attention to all car servicing necessities on the body and under the hood, Volvo purchasers can keep their autos in wonderful condition and get pleasure from their driving time for a lot of years.

Another aspect to car servicing to be conscious of are car service repair rip-offs. A grouping of individuals who are time and again victims of this sort of deception are the mature. One such swindle takes place when a seemingly caring individual flags an aged person down. This scam artist explains to the car owner that it looks like the car requires repairs. The rip-off artist then gets the car up on the jack and undoes the tire so it will look loose. The older individual is swindled into providing the con artist cash to repair the issue.

When transporting an automobile in for car servicing, be aware that some repair shops will add falsely needed repairs to the work form in order to boost profits. Bringing the vehicle to an additional car service repair place can aid in figuring out whether the added repairs are actually needed or not.

Having a car necessitates much more than simply adding fuel when the car gets low. By understanding the basics of car servicing, a car can be made to go on much longer than the average person realizes. Most repair shops, such as the ones discovered at many Volvo service places, are made up of honest individuals. However, it's always an intelligent idea to invest the time to realize the car service process.

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Practical Pointers for Perfect Permanent Piercings

By Susie Maxwell

You want to wear your body jewelry. You've invested the money, undergone the piercing, and now you're ready to show it off. Follow the practical tips below to enjoy your chosen pieces of body jewelry permanently - or for as long as you care to.

* Consider the effect your body piercings taking into account on how others will look at you and whether or not that concerns you. It's your choice to wear body jewelry. But if it's visible and you think your employer may not approve, make sure your decoration can be easily removed when appropriate.

* Have your body piercings done by professionals. Ascertain that your physical and mental wellness are not endangered. Infectious disease such as HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis can easily be spread through the use of unclean syringes and surgical instruments. It is important to ensure that your immunizations for both Tetanus and Hepatitis are current, and also, remember its ok to ask questions.

* Remember that there is no difference between a new body piercing and a puncture wound , keep your piercing clean. Pierced hole infections are very common in fresh piercings, and mean that you won't be able to wear and enjoy your new body jewelry for long. If you have facial piercings it is recommended that you do not wear makeup during the first several days to a week.

* Certain metals should never be used in fresh body piercings. The greater the amount of nickel body jewelry contains, the greater the allergen risk. Using nickel, which is not biocompatible, in pierced body jewelry may cause difficult healing and sensitivity issues. It's important to avoid these following metals when purchasing your first piece of body jewelry.

- Bronze and Brass; varied alloys were employed in use and more often than not caused skin irritations which were painful, and also potentially serious infections.

- Chromium and Cadmium are each toxic in nature and even absorbable by your skin.

- Copper too may produce an adverse skin reaction.

- When it comes to choosing body jewelry, gold plated isn't always the best, because not only are you spending more for the gold, the plating will come off in time, leaving you with just the original metal used.

- Pewter; many pewter alloys contain lead and could expose you to lead poisoning.

- Tin contains small amounts of lead.

- A common cause of an allergic reaction when it comes to jewelry is the use of Nickel. This metal in an inexpensive filler in most fashion jewelry, and when considering body piercing, you should opt for a choice that is Nickel free. In quite a few countries in Europe, it is not legal to sell pierced jewelery which has more than 0.nickel 5%

- Sterling Silver is only 0.This body jewelry is 925% real silver, so be cautioned that some contents may be other possible skin irritant metals. Whether human skin, bodily fluids, or even air, silver oxidizes when it comes into contact with these things. Silver is also a soft metal that can easily be nicked or scratched, and bacteria could grow in these nicks. It is safe to wear silver pierced jewelry in healed piercings, however.

- Gold; surprisingly, gold is not recommended for initial pierced body jewelry. Even though it is correct that higher, more desirable grades of gold, 24 and 18 karat, the hardness of the metal depends on gold's karat and nickel count. Because higher concentrations of gold are softer, it is subject to denting and bacteria are able to flourish within these malformations. Please note that many 14-karat gold based alloys do contain traces of silver, copper, brass, and zinc and sometimes nickel. For your first piercing, it isn't a good idea to use gold body jewelry.

* In order to maximize the wearing lifespan of your new pierced body jewelry, you need to spend a little extra for jewelry constructed out of costlier metals. These metals are suggested for use:

- Surgical-quality Stainless Steel; this relates to surgically implant grades 316L or 316LVM and it is probably the most widely used metal for pierced body jewelry. Nevertheless, many people do have allergic reactions to SSS, and some Europeans countries have actually prohibited its use for new piercings.

- More powerful than SSS, Niobium is also the pricier metal. For your first body piercing jewelry it is excellent especially for people who have allergies. You can expect to see it in gray or other anodized finishes.

- Titanium is considered a high-grade type of metal containing under05% of nickel content in it. It is strong and cannot be scratched or dented. Titanium is the most expensive metal used for body jewelry. Because it is anodized, it is available in a broad range of hues. If you are hypersensitive to SSS and Niobium and if your pocketbook permits it, then you should choose titanium for your first piece of body jewelry.

Keeping the above pointers in mind when you buy your first body jewelry will help you select the perfect piece.

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How to Pop Healthy Popcorn With a Hot Air Popper

By Tom Fischer

Air popped popcorn is one of the healthiest snacks to choose for the overall snack craving. Not only is it tasty and can be seasoned to meet any craving, but it contains practically no saturated fat, cholesterol or sodium at all, and it is also a great (and tasty) source of dietary fiber and manganese.

What it the method of making Air Popped Popcorn?

To make air popped popcorn, you will be needing a hot air popper. Its a small, 12 inch tall machine that comes in a number of shapes nowadays. All hot air poppers have a kettle, where you add the kernels.

Once the hot air popper is turned on, it circullarly revolves hot air in the kettle, which sends the kernels on a wild ride around the side of the kettle. The circulating hot air heats every single kernel, which eventually pops as it would if you were using an oil popper. As more and more corn start to pop, they are literally shot through the spout of the air popper into a serving bowl you need to prepare beforehand.

And the best part is that once the kernels have popped, you can decide on the flavoring you want to add, meaning that your unique, seasoned to taste popcorn will satisfy any craving. The most popular, quick-prepare seasonings are:

- nutritional yeast (makes it taste like cheese!)

- onion powder

- onion powder

- chili powder

- sugar and cinnamon (2 teaspoons cinnamon per 1/3 cup sugar)

Air popper machines usually pop almost every kernel in under 3 minutes, making the popping process very efficient. Air poppers are very inexpensive as well, a Presto hot air popper costs around $20. You can get great looking vintage style air poppers nowadays as well for as low as $40.

You will see that natural popcorn kernels are much cheaper than microwave popcorn bags as well, so not only is it lighter on your wallet, its much healthier as well. Natural popcorn kernels can be found at any grocery store, usually right next to the microwave popcorn bags, so have a look for yourself! This is one of the very few instances, where a food thats good for you will be cheaper than the "artificial" version.

Nutrition facts on air popped popcorn (1 serving = 1 cup or 8 g)

- 31 calories

- 0g saturated fat

- ZERO cholesterol

- 1 mg sodium

Air popcorn maker safety advice:

- Hot unpopped kernels can shoot out through the spout while they are still being circulated with hot air, so standing directly in front of the air popper while the corn is still popping is not advisable.

- Hot air emitted by the popcorn popper can cause skin burn.

- It is advisable not to use bowls made of metal as serving bowls, since metal heats up rapidly under the emitted hot air. If you do use a metal bowl, let it cool off for a minute after you turn the popper's power off.

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Flooring Types Made-Easy

By Alix Montoya

If you do a search on all available flooring types in market, your search would literally return thousands of hits. That's because the options on floor types are increasing in numbers everyday. So if you're feeling a bit overwhelmed by all the choices, here are a few popular ones to give you a few ideas.

Carpeting comes in many different kinds like wool, nylon, pile and Berber. I recommend asking a professional interior designer if you're thinking about which carpet to choose. For places that get a lot of traffic, like the living room, you can go with durable wool. Berber would be a great choice for family rooms. Price ranges between $15 and $30 per yard.

Ceramic tiles give a more sophisticated and designer look. It comes in different sizes which vary according to your taste. The colors to choose from are also endless. It is less durable than most so consider using it for places which you want to look great without getting too much abuse like the living room. Prices are between $8 to $15 per square foot.

Polished concrete is also growing in popularity. It's very durable and it's not very expensive. You can put it in places which get a lot of abuse and you'll find it's very easy to maintain. More and more people are discovering this great new look for an old material and loving it.

These are just a few ideas. There are a lot more where that came from and all you have to do is choose. As always, it's best to consult professionals when you're choosing as you definitely do not want to make a permanent or expensive mistake.

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Here's Why You Need a Food Processor in Your Kitchen

By Moses Harun

Whether you have many mouths to feed or you just like to save time, you can benefit from the Cuisinart food processor 14 cup appliance. the Cuisinart 14 Cup is a substantial machine that can hold a large amount of vegetables, ice, or anything else you would like to process. There are myriad applications for this super sized food processor. The main use for them is that you can feed your family nourishing meals at much less cost.

When you buy fresh vegetables and add them to your meals, you are offering your family nourishing food. When you buy prepackaged vegetables from your grocery store, they usually are filled with sodium and preservatives. They are not as nutritious as fresh vegetables. But no one I know has time to prepare fresh vegetables daily.

One option for you is to mince and shred your vegetables for your next week's menus using the Cuisinart 14-cups food processor unit. The Cuisinart affords you plenty of space for seven or eight meal's worth of vegetables, which you can put in freezer containers and use throughout the week. This will save you time while fixing dinner each day and make it easy to add your fresh frozen vegetables in your meals. Unlike commercially frozen vegetables, these will not contain preservatives.

Yet another task that you can do with the Cuisinart food processor 14 cup unit is cooking entire menus. You could use it for blending together sauces or gravy and even grind meat right into the gravy. If you enjoy homemade spaghetti sauce and want to blend everything together, you may make it by adding fresh tomatoes and meat into this appliance. After that, you put it in a pot and cook it, then freeze some for your next Italian night.

Shredded and grated cheese is more expensive than chunk cheese. You can save quite a bit of money by having fresh shredded and grated cheeses in a snap using the Cuisinart food processor 14 cup unit. Doing this by hand requires a long time, but when you shred cheese with the food processor, it takes a minute.

Are you a salad lover? You can make a big salad by shredding lettuce carrots and other vegetables right into the Cuisinart 14-cup food processor. A salad prepared this way will stay fresh in the refrigerator for a week. You can incorporate this into your meals for the week and make sure that your family receives their daily recommended allowance of vegetables.

Whether you cook in large batches or just want to save time so that you can have more fresh food to eat, you can accomplish this by working with the Cuisinart food processor 14 cup unit. When you are finished saving time and money and enjoying great food, you can load most of the parts into the dishwasher for effortless washing.

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The Magic of Crafting in Alabama

By Qandishah Brown

If you're from Alabama then you know that this region which is located in the South is brimming with warm and welcoming people. In the earlier times they may have had some economic difficulty but today they are doing good; most especially with the metal and steel crafting business of the state.

Crafting is obviously in the blood of people who stay here. However their crafting is not limited to metals. If you are form Alabama then you know that there are numerous you can create with your hands. If you are a talented crafter you will have a niche in the crating world no matter what you do.

If you're from here and enjoy crafting as well there's no reason you wouldn't belong. There are so many things that you can explore in the world of crafting and creating. If you find that you are talented in this area why not share it with others? You will surely be able to benefit from it and make a good amount of money.

If you're wondering how to go about it the first step is to check your local area for shows and fairs that are up coming. You can go to the city hall, mayor's office or whatever office is in charge of events.

If you happen to visit any other fairs recently then you may want to go ahead and ask other participants about the next event they will join. More often than not those who join craft fairs and shows already know when and where the next event will be. You can also get other tips from them such as how to go about registration.

If you really want to get ahead of things then you can go ahead and get a calendar where you will have full list of events that are to come. There are websites where you can be a part of and receive all the information that you need. This will give you the edge you need since you can prepare for things in advance.

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Enjoy Designer Style Within Proper Financial Bounds

By Eduard Rakting

Many say that ones health is only as good as what they eat, but true fashion followers would say that you are only as good as the clothing you wear and the accessories that go with it. Fortunately, putting together a classy look does not need to wipe out your bank account. Many styles and brands today mimic designer purses and accessories to highlight any outfit, regardless of budget.

Here are some of more popular designers who are considered to be fashion geniuses in the area of replica designer accessories, including purses and jewelry. Some may still be fairly expensive, although far from the cost of the original designer pieces whereas other looks are even more affordable.

Cocoa Chanel is one woman who has, virtually, liberated women when it comes to fashion by providing innovative, stylish and sophisticated designers. Over the years, Chanel has designed clothing that has inspired not only those women who wear her clothing but also other designers to create knock-offs of her purses and jewelry.

Before even looking at a price tag, most are already aware that jewelry and purses from the Chanel collection come with steep prices beyond the budget of most shoppers. Although the elegance and style of the product is timeless, as the collection markets itself, this lifetime of luxury is best left to the wealthy and famous who can regularly afford such products. You can view the latest Chanel collection at www.chanel.com where you can find some of the designer jewelry and purses desired by nearly every woman.

However, the good news is that you can still achieve the look you want even if you cannot afford to spend at a level of the Chanel collection. The Target store is a great place to find collections of various knock-off designer items such as Asda, Tesco and Isaac Mizrahi among others. The items may not be originals, but it is fully proper to showcase these beautiful pieces as many well-known designers have contributed their fashion creativity to these collections.

So, if a look of sophistication yet contemporary style is what you see, then you may want to stop by your local Target store to check out the latest collection. Or, you can check out the items at www.target.com to view the entire collection of knock-off designer goods from the comfort of your own home. It is definitely worth a few minutes of your time. You may just find some classy outfits resembling designer looks but at an affordable price!

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Ten Ways To Slash Car Insurance Costs

By Ron C George

These are the best ten ways to save on your auto insurance, starting from ten and working its way downward to number one. Just follow these simple steps to start saving money;

Be Knowledgeable Make sure you know what automobile insurance coverage is available this will help you weed out the unnecessary coverage and keep away from paying for protection you may not need or already have elsewhere like through your employer benefits, road side assistance, Or even what is identified as GAP Cover.

Have an insure-friendly car. When it comes to your vehicle, insurance businesses will research the title of the car, a salvage title auto is subject to higher insurance rates. The grounds being is that a auto that has already been in an smash is already made weak is more vulnerable to risk. In saying this on the other hand a clean car title can conserve you a lot of cash each year.

Take advantage of sedan/house hold packages Many insurance corporations will put forward better rates for purchasing your household policy along with your vehicle policy. This can cut down your premiums by a selected percentage in the range of 5-20%. Raise this with your insurance agent about combining your home and auto insurance to see if they are available.

Getting A Discount From Renewals Renewing your policy term may come with a variety of advantages. When you renew, restrictions that are no longer on your track record will be detached from your policy. Generally carriers will suggest some kind of cut rate for staying with them for one more tenure, customarily six to twelve months. This discount can vary in percentage depending on the insurance broker; then again it may be in the amount of 5%.

Elevated Deductibles When you purchase your coverage, consider the deductible you have chosen. If you are paying a sizable sum of cash for a low deductible, endeavor to raising your comprehensive and crash deductible to comprehend what effect it will assert on your insurance premium. The higher the deductible the lower your premium costs; in spite of this, be cautious not to raise your deductible too high. You need to Keep in mind however, the deductible is what you will need to pay out in order to repair your automobile's damages.

Steer Clear Of Duplicate Coverage If you have a health insurance policy through your employer or for yourself, pass this on to your agent so that you won't pay for coverage that your health policy already covers. Think hard about getting medical payments coverage with your personal auto policy given that it might not be required. Also talk about with your agent the option of not including Uninsured Motorist Bodily Injury or Personal Injury Protection.

Keep a Clean Track Record Having a clean driving record is dreadfully valuable. Regular violations can increase your cost by a considerable amount of dollars a year. Your driving history will be checked anytime you obtain a policy and is a big factor for determining rates. Violations will in the end be removed from your history, but it may take anywhere from 3 - 10 years depending on the kind of violation and state guidelines. The least amount of tickets and collisions you may possibly have, the cheaper and more affordable your auto insurance premiums will be.

Don't Let Your Auto Insurance Policy Lapse Most insurance agencies will present you with a discount rate for being continually insured without any lapse with them. This is acknowledged as a consistency discount which confirms that you aren't an individual who will be canceled every other month for failure to pay your premium. Discounts mostly apply after one year but may be greater if continually insured for 3 or even 5+ years.

Take Advantage of Discounts Discounts can save you money and almost every person is eligible for them. There are many discounts available such as good student, low mileage, college degree, vehicle safety, senior safety and more. Many discounts might not be accessible unless you initiate the request yourself. Ask your agent or broker if you will be eligible for any auto discounts.

Comparing Market Online Insurance To Save On Car Insurance Completing an online premium comparison is one of the most effective ways of uncovering competitive rates. The advantage of receiving auto insurance quotes online is that you not only get rates from one, but from loads of major insurance companies all over the United States, at the one time and from one specific source. No obligation or individual information is asked for. Costings and online insurance quotes are split second and in the majority states, policies may be bought online.

With a bit of luck you have found some money saving ideas when it comes to your auto insurance wants.

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