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

Sunday, August 16, 2009

Ideal Wedding Rings For Men

By George C.Baycan

Wedding rings may be matching as a set or they can be separate but with a pattern or design that compliments each other. For many of the women's styles of rings there is really no comparable men's design, however a beautiful, stylish and very masculine wedding ring can make a perfect match.

While many men's wedding bands are very minimalistic when it comes to design, there is no reason that they have to be plain. Unique profiles and shapes of the band as well as patterns or scrolling work or even accent metals all adds a touch of beauty.

One very popular and highly fashionable idea includes all the styles of tungsten rings for men. They are strong, scratch and tarnish resistant and they are strong enough to stand up to even the most grueling type of work wear. A very bright silver looking metal, tungsten wedding rings, when polished have a highly reflective surface.

Wedding rings made out of tungsten can also be black instead of silver. The ring itself is put through an ionization process that permanently alters the molecular structure of the ring, producing the deep black color. These black rings are very striking in appearance.

Inlayed wedding rings using tungsten, more properly known as tungsten carbide, combine both tungsten and yellow gold for a very unique looking wedding band. These tungsten rings for men can have a sterling silver inlay, which is actually a slightly different color than the tungsten, resulting in a very subtle yet noticeable design.

For more elaborate and ornate patterns that are still very masculine you may wish to consider the Greek keys pattern, which is very traditional. Celtic designs that show eternity and endlessness are wonderful additions to wedding rings.

Even without a pattern you can still add a unique look to men's or women's wedding rings through the type of finish on the metal of the band. Most rings, including those made of tungsten, will come in the traditional polished look but also in a satin or brushed finished for a more subtle finish.

By mixing the types of finish on different parts of the ring a very subtle yet definable pattern can be created. These patterns may wear, over time, on softer metals like gold but they will stay vibrant and beautiful with a very hard metal like tungsten.

Wedding rings that match are always going to be popular for couples, however with some bridal sets a man's ring is not going to be offered. In these situations consider complementary styles of wedding rings that look masculine but still match the bride's rings.

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Radiant Heat Is Preferred By Most People

By Art Bonner

Radiant heat is of interest to many homeowners because it is a better kind of heat than the forced air that is in so many houses. Unfortunately, if you have a house that is already built, it will be expensive to install a radiant heat system. Many people get around this by installing radiant heat in just a couple of rooms, usually the master bathroom and sometimes the kitchen.

Builders dont like to install radiant heat in new homes because it is more expensive than other kinds of heat. Both electric and hydronic radiant heat involve putting the heating mechanisms under the floors and this is more costly than the forced air systems that are in so many homes today.

If you choose to have radiant heat installed in just one room or a couple of rooms, your best choice is probably electric radiant heat. This is because electric pads can be brought in and installed under the floors with a fair amount of ease and at a reasonable cost. The other common type of radiant heat is the hydronic variety that involves putting pipes of heated running water under the floors. This is a much bigger undertaking that the electric pads and can be much more expensive.

In your travels you might find a home or two with radiant ceiling heat. This is not really recommended because heat rises and if it is already coming out of the ceiling it will not heat the rooms with the same efficiency as heat coming from the floors. If you hire a professional to put radiant heat into your home, make sure you ask a lot of questions if he recommends ceiling heat. There are instances where it is necessary but in most cases, radiant floor heat is the preferred type.

Most people prefer radiant heat over the more common forced air because it is silent, doesnt blow all over the rooms, and is better for your skin. Anyone who lives in a cold dry climate knows how dry their skin gets and the forced air heat just makes things worse. Radiant heat is sort of like the silent heat that comes from the sun and it is so much nicer to have in your home than dry heat blowing everywhere.

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How To Spot Knock Off Designer Clothing And Fashion Bag

By Sunny Lee

One trend that has sprung around the world from the marketing of expensive luxury designer clothing and fine fashion Gucci handbags is the commercial success of fake or knock off products. While at first glance these affordable, less expensive alternatives may seem like a bargain, in fact for the most part they are not. For one major thing, they are without exception, constructed to lower manufacturing standards and made from inferior materials.

While you may have a feel good at first, it won't be long when buttons start falling off and stitching comes out. While you will get the label of a branded product or designer on your product and in most cases that is usually where the similarity stops and reality begins. Designer clothing and high end fashion accessories are built to high standards and pass several stages of inspection before they are packed up for shipping.

In fact most knock off designer products rarely go through any inspection process, so in the end the only one that will be misled into thinking it looks and feels like an authentic designer product will be you. One problem that plagues the Web is people selling fake designer products as the real thing.

You can avoid being taken by these spurious merchants if you follow a few simple guidelines. Guideline number one is that if the deal seems too good to believe or to be true then it almost certain that this is a fake. Always consult with other online shoppers and try to stick with legitimate genuine designer clothes & Louis vuitton handbags online stores. Beware of obscure overseas sources of designer clothing and fashion accessories.

If you see a website that is offering cheap accessories or designer clothing that has to be shipped from Indonesia or China, then common sense should tell you that what they are selling is big time counterfeit. Also, it is now a legal requirement for websites to list full contact information and so if the online store doesn't, that would be an obvious red flag for fake and that what you are buying is fake.

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Cheap Auto Glass

By Michael S.

The first thing that you should do when looking to fix up your windshield is to find out whether you need a replacement or repair. Obviously, a repair is going to cost a lot less than a replacement. Although a repair will be in the neighborhood of $50, a replacement will be in the $200 range.

The chances of you needing a replacement dramatically increase if your windshield has cracks, which make for an uneven surface. You're also more likely to need a replacement if you have cracks that are in the middle area of the windshield or at the perimeter edges of the windshield.

Some people, when they see some sort of crack or damage on their windshield, think the worst and assume that their windshield will be broken within a matter of minutes. Although we are conditioned (perhaps by the advertisements from auto glass services) to always start looking to repair the auto glass, slightly damaged auto glass can last for years without a repair (especially if the crack or bruise if really minor).

If you want to play it safe, however, you can call an auto glass service to inspect and perhaps repair the damage. Seeing that a repair, and even a replacement, is not that expensive, its probably worth calling your local auto glass repair service.

You shouldn't worry too much if you realize that you need a replacement of the windshield. After all, glass is not nearly in the same price range as expensive auto parts. You can easily get a big discount on the cost of replacing your windshield if you go to a junkyard and find one there. Because glass has no color, you're very likely to find a windshield that matches your car.

After you purchase the used windshield from the junkyard, it is best that you seek the services of an auto glass business as you may cut yourself if you try to install the windshield by yourself. It will cost about $40 to get the pre-owned windshield installed.

Wouldn't your auto insurance policy pay for the cost to repair or replace a damaged windshield?

If the windshield was damaged as part of an accident in which the other person is found to be at fault, then their liability insurance would pay for the repairs. If, however, the cracks or damage came out of nowhere (a result of where and tear), you're going to have to have comprehensive coverage if you expect your insurance to pay anything.

Despite this, its always a good idea to talk to your car insurance company as insurers vary in their stance on auto glass repairs.

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Do You Want a Healthier Pet?

By Skibber Labskovs

When you own a pet you take on the responsibility for their lives. So many factors play into your pet being healthy. You have probably had a sick pet at some time your life, and you know how that can tug at your heart. I have had a sick dog so I know it feels, I could only thinks about getting her well. Does your pet need to be healthier?

The main thing you need to watch with your pet is the food you feed them; make sure it has the right nutritional value to it. Be certain the food is designed for them. This type of food will include all the nutrients your pet's body will require to be healthy. It doesn't matter if you own a hamster, cat, or dog, they all require the right food for their systems.

If you are going to feed them any people food, make sure it follows the guidelines of what they should have to eat. Take dogs for instance they should never have anything that has caffeine in it. Caffeine is very bad for a dog's heart and could lead to them having a heart attack. They also should not be fed sugar.

Animals can pack on extra pounds too if fed too many calories. This why the standing recommendation is to leave off scraps from the table. Fish that eat too much can die. Just like humans your pets are prone to bad health because of overeating. Most pets need enough water taken in daily to keep hydrated. Now when the pet of choice is fish, then they need certain water conditions to live healthy. So check the water often for any problems.

Make sure the vet sees your pet once a year when it pertains to the type of pet you have. Dogs and cats require vaccines yearly to ward off specific diseases. The rabies vaccine is probably the most important of all of them. If you live somewhere that your pet could come in contact with other animals especially wild ones, the rabies vaccine is crucial.

Pets in general need exercise just as much as people do. Fish get what exercise they need easily because they have to swim to survive. Cats and dogs need to be played with, ran, or walked to be positive that they are exercised enough. Exercise will insure that your pet has good muscle tone and it will also keep their weight at the right spot. And as with people their hearts will be healthier too. Walk your dog or cat when you go get your exercise walking. This is a fun way of both you and your pet staying healthy. If you have a hamster for the family pet then it needs to have a wheel to play on. These are the ways for exercising your pet correctly.

Your pet also needs your attention and love to have good emotional health. We should all talk to them and pet them to show how much we love them. Grooming is even part of showing this love. Cats and dogs shed hair or the fur they have can get all matted without correct combing and brushing.

So use the tips listed here to make your pet the healthiest it can be. We all want out pets to be their healthiest. So make your pet healthier now!

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Your Options in Home Security Monitoring

By Sean Davids

In today's society with crime on the increase owing to financial constraints, it has grown considerably more important to make certain that you have security for your loved ones and your property. Deciding on the most effective home security monitoring system for your requirements isn't that hard as you should be able to go to your local DIY retailer and get a home security kit that you will be able to set up yourself.

You likewise have the option of hiring a company, however you might not feel entirely certain concerning this since you'll be required to provide some private details to complete strangers. It has been noticed that with home security monitoring businesses that watch the area you live in, that when you have advised them that you're going to be away and you have requested extra observation, that this is the time when you might experience a break in. Occasionally it seems that someone with inside knowledge has broken into your home when you're away, with only the home security monitoring company being alert to it.

The best plan for when you do plan to be away is to not notify your home monitoring security business. Instead, make arrangements with a dependable neighbor to keep an eye on your residence on a regular basis, and to tend your pets too. This appears to be the most satisfactory method of keeping your residence and possessions protected.

It's essential to keep in mind that if you have a home monitoring security unit put in that you'll be asked a number of questions, for instance if you have a nanny or cleaning service that frequently visits your residence and on which days. If you ever choose to let either of these go for any reason, remember that because there should be a person inside the home, the odds of burglary are reduced. Therefore if your home monitoring security business is potentially going to burglarize your house, advising them that your residence is more easy to get into is one means of making certain it will occur.

Consciousness of your surroundings, even in your home, can help prevent you from ending up in a nightmare state of affairs. Many people think that when they possess the most technologically advanced or most costly security system that their home is secure. However that's not necessarily the case. Indeed, if burglars really want to burglarize your house, they will. All you can do is deter them from thinking about your home as an easy target by getting some type of home security monitoring equipment.

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How To Use Dairy Products Correctly: Part Two - Cheese

By Owen Jones

About The Basic Preparation Of Foodstuffs: Dairy Products.

CHEESE.

Cheese is made from milk which has been naturally or artificially soured. The former method is brought about by standing the milk in a warm place and allowing natural, friendly bacteria to turn the milk's natural sugars into lactic acid. The latter method is effected by adding an enzyme, usually in to form of rennet.

Salt and colouring and frequently put in too. The whey is then allowed to drain away and the curds are pressed into moulds where they are kept until ripened or cured. Some cheeses, usually hard ones, are subjected to pressure; soft cheeses are not. Curds are ripened or cured by various means. The way it's done, the quality of the milk, the breed of cow, sheep or other animal and its pasture, and the type of bacteria all govern the end result.

Some local environmental conditions are unique and those areas are capable of producing cheeses that are not successfully copied anywhere else: for instance Roquefort and Camembert, although factories do attempt it. Some even have a measure of success: remember that most of the world's Cheddar cheese now derives from the United States and Canada.

The constituents of cheese are roughly|typically|: 33% fat, 33% protein and 33% water with salt, colouring, sugar etc making up the other 1%. These percentages vary from region to region as some producers use full-cream milk, others skimmed-milk and yet others add extra cream. Others add some extra sugar, although most do not. All cheeses have a high calcium content and should be considered as 'concentrated milk' and stored the same way.

Many people say that cheese should not be kept in a fridge and while storing in water, as for milk, is not an option, a cool larder is ideal. Try the traditional method of hanging it up in cheesecloth in a cool, airy place. If the weather is hot, dampen the cloth with water to which a little vinegar has been added.

Cheese is often served in Europe with a salad or/and bread and is often dished up after or instead of the sweet. Hard cheese can be nigh-on impossible for children to digest and grating it first will make it more edible for them. Once grated the cheese can be sprinkled on vegetable or fish soups or sauces; added to egg, pasta, rice and oatmeal dishes; put on baked potatoes or pastry; toasted on bread or put in salads and sandwiches.

How To Cook Cheese: A little known fact is that many people find cooked cheese indigestible. The reason lies in its make-up. Here is why: cooked starch can be digested by the saliva in the mouth but other foods must pass to the stomach or intestines for this process. They are, however, broken up in the mouth. Digestion of protein begins in the stomach and is completed in the small intestine, while fat is not rendered soluble until it reaches the small intestine.

Cheese possesses a high fat and protein mixture, but in melting, the fat often covers the protein and prevents the digestive juices reaching it in the stomach. Therefore, its digestion is delayed until the fat has been absorbed in the intestines. Cheese can be rendered more digestible by:

a] Cooking it with some starchy foodstuff, since the starch will absorb the fat, thus preventing it covering the protein.

2] Using seasoning: Cayenne Pepper or mustard will irritate the intestinal lining, causing the release of extra digestive juices.

3] Cooking quickly at high temperature. This prevents the protein from becoming tough and stringy and therefore, harder to digest. Add cheese late to sauces.

4] Adding alkali. A large pinch of Bicarbonate of Soda per 75g will help neutralize the fatty acids and make the proteins more easily digestible.

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Make A Good Impression With Your Bachelor Pad

By Abigail Wattz

Things are getting critical: the women in your life are threatening to redecorate your bachelor pad. Now's the time to take charge before you find yourself ambushed with an explosion of "girly" decor.

To make a statement with your redecorating, repaint. Yes, a change in color can make a world of difference. In a snap, your old abode will become good as new.

When choosing paint, keep in mind that a lighter color will make your place look bigger, an important consideration if you live in a tiny apartment or cramped condo. By the same token, a darker color can make a room feel more closed in, although one wall in a darker shade can have a focusing effect. If going with a lighter color, you don't have to stick with the usual "eggshell white." Softer shades are definitely an option, especially tans such as mocha or cappuccino, light gray-blue and sage green. Stay away from pinkish-toned pastels (unless you WANT the guys to rib you endlessly).

You might want to consider hiring a professional painter to add texture and design to the walls. Paints now have such quality as denim, suede or linen appearance. You can also paint patterns for a more stylish look.

Lighting is an important factor for setting the right mood in your pad. Contemporary lighting pieces look awesome, especially for a minimalist bachelor pad. They add character to the space. You can also try adding a standing lamp and wall lamp to the conventional table or desk lamps.

Finally, what about the furniture? After all, isn't it time you got rid of that cable-spool table you've been using since college?

If the budget won't allow you to buy new furniture, try rearranging what you have. Chances are, you didn't think much about placement when you moved in your couch, dining table, dresser and bed. You can get your hefty buddies to help you move things around, or you can take the geek approach: measure the dimensions of your furniture, then input the data into any one of many home decorating computer programs available today. Then you can move little icons of your furniture around in a virtual room until you find an arrangement you really like.

However, if you have some dough to spare, purchase a few good pieces to go with your redecorated home. It can be a new coffee table, ottomans to accent the living room and area rugs as floor decors. Make use of wall hangings and some throw pillows.

With just a bit of effort and expense, you can rack up points with the ladies for being a man in charge of his home environment!

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If You Are Unable To Be There But Want To Show You Love Them Then Send -