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, February 4, 2013

Picking Travel Destinations By Car

By Jerry Flaugherty


[]When it comes to vacation, one must look at all the options available, as well as respecting the budget allotted to the time off. Secret travel destinations by car can be enjoyed year-round, regardless of the budget. Many of these locations are well known, it seems to have been neglected by the general population, missing out on the beauty the country has to offer.

Whether you choose to visit large cities or small towns, there is something in it for everyone in the family. In fact, even if you choose to vacation in a large city, there are many incredible spots along the way that you can stop off at. This will undoubtedly make the trip much more memorable.

For those who may not have the right type of vehicle to be able to make the long trip or to be able to accommodate the entire family comfortably, there is also the option of renting. Lots of discount rentals exist that will not eat away at huge portion of your vacation budget.

This is a great way to get to know your own backyard, regardless of the season. Take advantage of long weekends and even long summer breaks in this manner. For example, planning a trip to Florida can be a fun time for the entire family, ensuring satisfaction to each member, both young and old.

With regards to accommodations, there are different options available. For one, an individual could book the accommodations before leaving home. They could also be booked upon arrival, so long as it is not a busy season for the particular area. It is a fun and easy way to take a break from the routine, knowing that you can pick up and leave when you choose.

Picking your travel destinations by a car is easy, requiring the individual to only open up a map and point the finger to the spot of interest. From there, a thorough plan and research can make your trip one of the most memorable ever.




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In Depth Preview Of Bowie's record The Next Day!

By Claus Wright


After many years of silence, and rumors about living legend David Bowie's presumed retirement from music, the rock icon has returned to the music scene with the beautiful single 'Where Are We Now?' from the coming album 'The Next Day.'

I first discovered Bowie's pre-released single cruising on autopilot on Vimeo. Although, 'Where Are We Now?' is very low key, it caught my attention and made me wonder how the rest of the songs on'The Next Day' will compare to the first single? So, let's take an in-depth preview of the upcoming album; what we already know about 'The Next Day' album, and some of the rumors surrounding it.

According to rumors, 'The Next Day' consists of contemplative tracks, like the single. However, the rest of the songs should be faster. The producer of 'The Next Day' and 12 of Bowie's previous records, Tony Visconti, confirms the rumors in an interview to the Guardian. The new record is going to have 5 blistering tracks, followed by some mid-tempo songs that have mysterious sound to them.

Listening to the single 'Where Are We Now?,' you might think that Bowie's music has evolved into a more mellow tune, and that his voice is going to sound old on the new album. Following Tony, that's not the case. However, Bowie wanted to show a more vulnerable side with the first song. So, while 'Where Are We Now?' sounds very low-key, elsewhere on the album Bowie is going to sing in full voice like on the epic 'Heroes' album. According to Tony, Bowie sang so loud on the new album that he sometimes literally had to step away from Bowie in the studio.

According to Tony Visconti, the album was produced over two years in NYC's Magic Shop Studios. The record was made by some of Bowie's old friends. People he had worked with before in studios and on previous tours. This made it possible to keep the recordings secret, something that isn't easy in a society, where almost every one carries a smartphone.

When Bowie called Tony, and told him that he wanted to make a new record after 10 years of musical silence, Tony had seen it coming. Although, Bowie previously had told him otherwise, Tony thought that Bowie, eventually, would want to sing again. Back in the studio, Bowie recorded 29 beautiful songs. However, they didn't all fit the new album, which ended up having 14 tracks and with 17 on the deluxe edition. According to Tony, we can expect Bowie working on a second recording sometime later this year. With the new single's great reviews, Bowie fans could be in for an awesome second surprise.

Neil McCormick, music critic at The Telegraph, thinks that 'Where Are We Now?' with its beautiful strange, perfectly orchestrated, sound might be one of the most surprising and perfect comebacks in rock history. Following McCormick, the poetic song has a mysterious sound to it, and it makes you want to hear more from the upcoming album.

NME Track Reviews, calls the song addictive and a perfectly structured ear worm, which is probably going to feature on greatest hits records some years to come. Listening to 'Where Are We Now?,' you immediately press 'repeat.'

While, Ultimate Classic Rock thinks that Bowie's voice is heartening, and the that the song is a ear worm.

Having heard the song - again and again, I have to agree, and I've been guilty at pressing repeat numerous times. What strikes me, is how the song grows on you. Slowly, it creeps under your skin and becomes very addictive.

'Where Are We Now's?' opens with the verse: "Had to get the train, From Potsdamer Platz." Bowie lived in Berlin between 1976-1979, a period where he recorded the 'Berlin Trilogy:' 'Low'(1977), 'Heroes' (1977) and 'Lodger' (1979). However, the new song focuses on Berlin as it was during the fall of The Berlin Wall and Berlin today. Thus, a verse goes like: "Twenty thousand people, Cross Bosebrucke, Fingers are crossed, Just in case, Walking the dead."

Bosebrucke is a bridge in Berlin, and one of the old border crossings during the Cold War. When The Berlin Wall fell, officially, the 9th. November 1989, the Government of East Germany gave its citizens permission to travel to West Germany. Thus, citizens gathered that day and began crossing the bridge: "Fingers are crossed, Just in case, Walking the dead."

That being said, the song is probably also about Bowie's more personal experiences with Berlin. The music video to 'Where Are We Now?,' therefore, shows the auto repair shop below the apartment, where Bowie lived in the 1970's.

If you are a hardcore Bowie fan, you would know that the front cover on 'The Next Day' album is from 'Heroes.' In a recent interview on the website Ultimate Classic Rock, front cover designer Jonathan Barnbrook told, that with the 'new old' cover Bowie refers to the album title 'The Next Day.' The use of old material in new material is in the music industry often associated with a greatest of record. Not so with this cover. With 'The Next Day' cover, Bowie wanted to express the spirit of great rock music, "which is 'of the moment,' forgetting or obliterating the past," says Barnbrook. However, we never succeed escaping our past. Especially, artists like David Bowie are always, in some way or the other, judged by their history, Barnbrook reasons. At the same time, human conditions paradoxical pushes us forward as human beings, forcing us to leave our past, because we can't chose not to. Barnbrook argues, that Bowie wanted to illustrate this by obscuring the cover from 'Heroes' and overwriting the original text.

'The Next Day' will be on the streets the 8th 2013 in Australia, the 11th in the rest of the world, except USA, where the album is available the 12th.




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Great Home Improvement Ideas To Improve Electrical Safety

By Lee Wen


Even if you are on a small budget, it is important that your home improvement plan be focused upon the safety of your home. It is possible to do home improvement projects without spending the cash. Whatever project you choose, it should be cost effective, take little time to do, and also provide you with a great return. Remodeling certain areas of your house, including your kitchen, can cost a pretty penny. If you don't want to spend money, you are like most people that are traumatized at the state of the economy worldwide.

If you suspect there is an electrical fire or problem, simply feel the wall near the suspect area for warmth. You may or may not smell anything at first, but there is a good chance you will. An overly warm electrical cord is always a sure sign that too much current is flowing. In this article, we will discuss easy to do home improvement projects that are focused on electrical safety for you or your family.

Kitchen cabinets come in all different types and price ranges, but the cost of new cabinets can get quite high. Having your existing cabinets resurfaced with veneer wood, could be one way to save money. Using wood veneer is something that might work, so it is worth investigating to see how cost-effective it is. Since a lot of these veneers are made from exotic wood, it might not be an inexpensive alternative. In addition, a fair wage will have to be paid to a craftsman to get the work accomplished. But just imagine that your kitchen will assume an entirely new look and feel.

Insulating your home can save you a great deal of money. You might have to get an infrared scan of your house to find out how much insulation you will need. The cost of the equipment to do the scan is very high so the owners charge quite a bit to do the process. You can do this in the summer or winter when either the air conditioner is running or of course the heater is on. Even though this camera works fine in the bright sunlight, nighttime pictures are the most accurate. The IR pictures will capture the thermal image of your house, and the air escaping from your home will be visible.

Your outlets should always be checked from time to time to make sure they are functioning properly. To check the outlet, you can actually insert a little plug in device that will make sure it is functional.

The other electrical projects should be accomplished by a licensed electrician that knows exactly what they are doing. But they will not cost you a lot of money, and you will be enhancing the safety of your home.




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Easy Ways To Brew A Great Pot Of Coffee

By Bob Saggit


Nothing beats the flavor of coffee first thing each morning. Are you able to smell the fresh coffee brewing from inside your kitchen? Go on and enjoy a second cup. Keep reading in order to learn about the choices you have in terms of brewing your own coffee.

If you want your coffee to taste great, make sure you do not let it sit on the burner for too long; less than fifteen minutes is ideal. If you leave the coffee on the burner longer than that, you risk burning the coffee, which makes it taste bitter. If you desire your coffee to retain its warm temperature, store it in a thermos that is airtight and which can retain heat.

The varieties of coffee beans to choose from can be mind-boggling. Some coffee drinkers prefer a dark roast coffee, and some people prefer a mild and smooth flavor. Other people find that they prefer coffee flavored with tastes such as berries or savory nuts. However, the most popular type of coffee is one that is flavored with cream or milk, rather than flavored with syrups or spices.

To create your own great cup of coffee, experiment with buying your own coffee beans and grinding them. Coffee beans that are freshly ground are the best. Tons of varieties are available at stores near you. It'll take you a very long time just to sample each one.

You don't have to store your coffee in the freezer. The truth is that coffee is able to absorb the odors and flavors of nearby foodstuffs. The ideal storage place for your coffee at room temperature in a sealed container. If you must put your coffee in the fridge or freezer, use a freezer bag with a good seal.

If you like to buy whole coffee beans, then be sure your storage container is air-tight. Make sure that the container is a dark color and not clear. Store the container in a cool, dry place. A root cellar is ideal for this. You can put your coffee in the refrigerator for around two weeks.

The varieties of coffee beans to choose from can be mind-boggling. Some people like more mild flavors; others like a full dark roast. Other people find that they prefer coffee flavored with tastes such as berries or savory nuts. Understand, however, that flavoring with creamer may produce better results than using flavored coffee.

When ice cubes melt, the iced coffee turns watery. This can be solved by substituting ice with frozen coffee cubes made from previous brews. Coffee-flavored ice cubes will actually make the flavor more intense.

After buying coffee beans and opening the bag, don't leave them in that bag as your storage solution. Instead, store them in an airtight container. They will stay fresh for awhile this way.

Using the information that's been presented, you will drink your coffee tomorrow without missing out. Start your day off tomorrow by making the best coffee you can. Apply the advice from this article when brewing your coffee in the morning.




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Do You Want To Make The Perfect Cup Of Coffee?

By Joseph Yew


When it comes to coffee, every drinker is different. Some prefer to pick up a mug at the local coffee bar, whereas others save money by brewing at home. Save your money by brewing a perfect cup of java at home. You can learn how by reading the tips in this article.

Proper coffee storage is crucial to protecting the quality of your beans. Fresh beans have a tendency to absorb other flavors as well as to lose their own flavor when exposed to light or heat. That is why it is a good idea to store coffee beans in an opaque, air-tight container.

Don't let coffee sit on the burner for more than 10 minutes. The coffee burns after that, which makes a bitter brew. Use a thermos to keep coffee warm instead.

If your goal is to make great iced coffee, one way to do so is to put your entire French press machine into the refrigerator while you sleep. This will chill down the machine for hours prior to using it in the morning. If you use cold water to start, you will create fabulous flavor.

Don't drink too much coffee in the afternoon. While coffee is delicious and a great part of any day, the caffeine in coffee can cause you to stay up well past the time you planned. Try not to consume any coffee after 3 in the afternoon if you want to sleep well at night.

Before you buy a coffee maker, make sure that is uses grinding burrs that are either conical or flat. This reduces the level of heat that you experience when brewing. This keeps your coffee tasting good. Sometimes, blades will lead to inconsistencies when making coffee. They get too hot and can ruin the beans by burning them.

You should never keep your coffee in the freezer for longer than three months. If your coffee has been in the freezer for longer than three months, it will not be as good.

To make your coffee have a mix of tastes, buy creamers or syrups to pour in after the brewing is done. Thus, your machine can remain free of different flavors. This also allows your guests to choose their own favorite flavors. Add any additional flavors prior to the milk. This gives them a chance to dissolve entirely.

If you could use a special treat, consider grabbing your next cup from a specialty coffee shop. A wide array of great options exist, and it is fun to add a bit of chocolate, caramel or whipped cream to your drink.

The local grocery store may not be the best choice for purchasing your own coffee. Supermarket coffee is not always of the highest quality and may sit on the shelf a while before selling. By shopping at a store specifically devoted to coffee, you usually get fresher beans.

With the above tips in mind, you ought to be eager to go try some new things out. You're probably ready to start trying some different coffees now. Do you have anyone to share the experience with? If so, you should share your expertise.




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Coffee Pointers For Making A Big Tasty Brew

By Casey Wood


For millions of people worldwide, drinking coffee is the first thing they do in the morning. Consider how you buy your coffee and where it comes from. What kind of coffee are you into? For more ideas and inspiration that will have you reaching for your coffee mug, read on!

Is your coffee habit making your wallet a little too light? Save money by purchasing your own reusable mug and a home coffee press. You can brew your own gourmet coffees for a fraction of the price you'd spend elsewhere. Making your own coffee is also much faster than stopping by the coffee shop.

Pesticide free coffee should be the only type of coffee you buy. The elements your coffee beans were exposed to while growing will play a big part in the final flavor of your brew. Find an organic coffee and you will notice it tastes much better.

If you like iced coffee put the French press in the fridge the night before. This chills the machine. When used in conjunction with chilled water, you will benefit from a delightful taste.

Do you want your coffee to taste sweet but you do not want to put sugar in it? One alternative is to add warm milk to your drink. Warm milk will give you the sweetness that you desire without the high level of sugar. Utilizing warm milk in your coffee is much healthier than using sugar and cream.

In order to create delicious coffee, purchase your own beans and grind them yourself. Fresh beans are much better than any other beans you can get. Your local store will offer many different varieties. If you wanted to taste all of them, you could spend a year figuring out your favorite.

Ask family and friends for suggestions. There are a lot of blends out there that you haven't tried, but your family and friends may have. Simply ask them what their favorite coffee is. If you are lucky, you may get an invitation to try their favorite at their home, and you will have a free cup too.

If you can't afford a new coffee machine, get the most out of your old model by brewing a pot of plain water before each batch. Once the water is hot, add your grounds and pour the water back through the machine. This way, you can make sure that the water is hot and the coffee is flavorful.

Run a pot or two of water through your new machine before actually using it. This simply means that you should run water through the machine as though you were indeed brewing coffee. It will take out any of the chemicals they used in making the pot or any dirt or impurities that were in it.

If you're busy with kids, a local drive-through coffee shop is heaven sent. Bring your baby with you in his or her car seat, purchase your coffee, and drive a little while so that you can enjoy your coffee.

Brewing coffee can be quite easy, especially if you have all of the right tools. Be sure to utilize the information learned in this article when you brew your next pot of coffee.




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Do You Know The Seven Sins of Automotive Detailing?

By Chad Williams


In regards to auto detailing, there are actually some steps you can take to keep your car looking great for years to come. More than merely learning a few methods on keeping your car looking awesome, it will be important for you to know a handful of the damaging techniques to stay away from. This post will talk about the 7 cardinal sins associated with auto detailing.

Even though it is absolutely crucial for you to know and comprehend the seven harmful car detailing sins, grace and redemption ought to be understood as well. But more than merely informing you about the harmful sins of car detailing, we're going to examine good car care techniques with you.

Not waxing a car is just about the worst and most common of all of the car detail sins. It is crucial to keep your vehicle waxed if you want your paint to stay in excellent condition. Don't be worried though. Waxing your car is simple.

Don't let yourself feel stressed when it comes to waxing your vehicle. You could buy some auto detail wax in the nearby store and put it on yourself. Your second option is to get a car detailing shop wax your car for you.

One deadly sin is leaving behind any wax within the cracks and crevice of your vehicle. Protecting a car's paint is the main reason behind waxing a vehicle. If auto detailing wax is still left in the vehicle's cracks, you wipe out your entire objective of making the car look fantastic.

Applying wax to your vehicle without leaving any car detailing wax inside the details is simple. Whenever you wax your vehicle, begin by putting on a thin coating in the center of the car's panel you are detailing. Next simply use the thin layer of car detailing wax on the same panel and work all the way to the cracks.

We'd be short changing you if we forgot to point out using interior surface shine. Your vehicle's interior surfaces may possibly get damaged and cracked through using surface shine.

If you want to keep your vehicle's interior looking good, all that you need to do is make sure you keep it cleaned up. A bucket of water along with a little bit of cleaning soap is all you need to keep your vehicle's surfaces looking fabulous.

Applying leather dressing on your high-quality leather seats is the fourth sin on this list of cardinal sins. Leather dressings will help make your car's leather feel gentle for a little while but will certainly harm and dry them in the long term.

Making sure to keep the leather dirt free is all that you need to make certain they stay looking amazing. A little bit of h2o along with a little bit of cleaning soap and you will be able to keep your car's leather surfaces looking incredible.

The fifth deadly sin will be to use silicone-based tire dressing. While silicone-based tire conditioner may look good to some people, it happens to be damaging to the rubber on the vehicle's tires. Silicone will eventually turn your car's tires dark brown and make them crack.

The absolute ideal answer to silicone tire dressing is to apply an excellent non-silicone tire dressing. There are numerous awesome tire dressings in the auto detailing market place these days so it really won't be difficult to find one.

The next cardinal sin is definitely to use acid-based cleaners. Strong acid-based chemicals, whether they be for your wheels or your complete car, are absolutely horrible. Strong acid doesn't only strip off any wax you have on the car it will actually harm and fade your car's paint and plastic.

Using a superior soft cleaning soap is the very best solution to exceedingly aggressive acid-based cleaners. With the substantial range of products in the auto detail sector, obtaining a superior soft detergent for your car won't be hard in any way.

:Let's proceed to the last and most severe sin of them all. Permitting any type of bird feces to sit on your vehicle for a lengthy time period If not cleaned off without delay, the acid in the bird feces will quickly dig down beyond the auto detailing wax and into the car's paint.

Washing the bird poop immediately is the perfect solution to tackle this challenge. Make sure to have a soft towel and car detailer quick spray in the car's trunk area. Quickly work with your towel and detailer's quick spray to clean the harsh bird poo off at first site of the a drop of poo.

We trust this auto detail article has been beneficial. It's wonderful to understand what not to do when you are cleaning an automobile. Comprehending the direction to go is a whole lot better though. Make sure to have a great time keeping your car looking it's very best.




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Have Your Cell Phone Charged 24/7

By Rochestor E. Lafonde


If you drive a car, sooner or later an emergency or emergency situation will occur on your travels or on the highway or freeway. Count on it. Of course you cannot anticipate each and every possible mishap. However being prepared is the basic rule of thumb for most experienced motorists and professional drivers.

For example when it comes to winter driving as you might find in the colder northern climes of Minnesota, and the colder more frigid regions of Northern Alberta Canadathat those who own tire chains often even neglect the care and attention of these road safety and handling devices. Often the "chains" are put away in the back and recesses of the garage - so that when their appropriate and necessary time comes that they are nowhere to be found or located.

It seems now that virtually every new engine, transmission or other major components now installed in foreign and now standard North American - USA, Canadian and Mexican made NAFTA vehicles are made to metric standards.

As far as tools go, here are some basic items. A strong pocket knife, a medium screwdriver, a good quality set of pliers or Vise grips, a few wrenches and a flashlight. Of course their standard safeties practice to test your flashlight on a regular and ongoing basis. Wrapping everything in an old towel will keep the kit from rattling around. As a bonus the cloth will give you a clean up kit as well.

Lastly and interestingly one of the most versatile and important items in the bottom of your auto and household tool kit can be duct tape - the grey fabric with the stick-to-anything adhesive. In an emergency duct-tape can patch or hold up any of a variety of things. More than one car, truck or SUV has limped many many miles or kilometers into a service station, garage or auto dealership with a ruptured water hose held temporarily together with simple Canadian tire duct tape. A few strips can hold your trunk lid closed, if it is over loaded or even if the trunk latch itself is broken. You can even make the letters for a simple yet effective "Help " sign that is readily visible at night - safety and emergency means - with this solid performer due to duct tapes highly visible light reflecting qualities.




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