Win the Bed Bugs Battle

Mice and rats may induce a squeal, a shriek or a shudder. Spiders might cause you to jump and the threat of termites eating away at your house will have you calling for help. But there are few pests that can cause a sheer panic more than the way the cute but odorous skunk commands with its mere presence.

Having skunks in your yard will send most people running and for good reason. A skunks spray can reach up to 15 feet. This powerful defense mechanism is a highly evolved weapon. It can even ward off a bear. The stench is notoriously hard to remove and can last for several days. The smell can cause nausea, vomiting, irritation of the skin and even temporary blindness. Even the relatively unskilled human nose can detect a skunk's spray for up to a mile downwind.

For all the power in the spray, skunks are usually reluctant to use it. They carry about 5 to 6 sprays worth at any given time. Once this supply is exhausted, it will take about 10 days for the skunk to produce another load. This leaves the animal defenseless and vulnerable. They will bite as well as spray if necessary. Their bite is as worrisome as their stink. Skunks, like other pests, can carry rabies.

If a skunk decides to move in under your deck or in your foundation, it can be hard to evict. They will reuse a den from year to year. Females tend to den in groups that may grow as large as a dozen animals. Here are a few tips on making sure you aren't forced to share your home with them.

Cut off the food sources.

Skunks are omnivores. They eat just about anything they can reach. This includes bugs and grubs, garbage, pet food and nearly anything else at or near ground level. If they don't have an easy food source nearby, they will be less likely to stick around.

- Keep a tight lid on your trash cans to prevent foraging.

- Don't leave pet food out overnight.

- Clean up under birdfeeders.

- Use environmentally sound pest control measures to cut down on lawn insects like grubs.

Bar their entry.

Barrier methods are effective on skunks and many other mammalian pests. Block off any access to the foundation and under porches and decks. The skunk is a great digger so be sure that the barrier is sunk fairly deep in the ground. He can slip through a hole as small as 4 inches in diameter so it should fit tightly. On the plus side, he is a lousy climber so it won't need to be very high.

Call in a pro.

If you do find that a skunk has adopted your home, don't hesitate to call a skunk exterminator. He may be able to trap and relocate your smelly inhabitant without setting off his most powerful weapon.

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Confidence is King of the Road

Confidence is more than just sexy. It can save you a ton of money on your next car or truck.

Lots of people hate buying cars. When you get right down to it, the root causes of this fear and loathing aren't hard to pin down.

1) Fear of the unknown. 2) Buying a car is a confrontational situation. 3) It's a huge commitment of time and money.

Well, okay, that's great, but how does that help you? Patience, grasshopper.

While there's no magical silver bullet to cure all of the above ills, a little confidence can go a long way. If you act uncertain and unsure, chances are you will get taken for a ride. This applies to every step of the process, not just when you're checking out cars on the showroom floor.

So what do you do? I mean, great, be confident. But what does that mean?

Be decisive. Know exactly what kind of car you want and exactly what you want to pay. Do your homework first and research everything you can find. The Internet is the most powerful research tool ever devised by man. Use it.

Show, don't tell. Print copies of everything you find. Don't just tell a dealer that you got a better price quote online. Show them. Don't just say that you thought your credit was good enough to qualify for a better rate. Show them.

Know thyself. Not everyone handles every situation well. If you know you're going to have a hard time negotiating and haggling over the price (which you will) then find someone who can. Even if you don't have a friend or loved one skilled in the art of car buying, you can usually find car buying services listed in the Yellow Pages major cities than can help you out for a small fee.

A little confidence goes a long, long way.

Confidence is King of the Road   Confidence is King of the Road   

Do You Have Any Black Pepper For My Radiator?

Awhile back I had a woman traveling through to stop at the shop.

Her radiator, the one in her car, had a leak.

It was a small leak but she had lost a lot of water, in the car radiator.

Now, as I'm not a radiator repair shop, and the nearest one was 20 miles, in the opposite direction, I did what I do to my old 8N Ford tractor radiator.

I put a small can of black pepper in it. Yeah, I did! No sugar, salt, or any other ingredients, just black pepper.

If the hole in a radiator is not too large, black pepper will stop it up, temporarily, and it's better than egg-white. You can store a can of black pepper in your dash compartment better than you can an egg, and it will last longer.

Black pepper will not dissolve, deteriorate, or digest. That's why I don't eat it...plus, it burns my mouth. :-)

I say it is a temporary stop leak tool, but I've used in before and the customer drove his vehicle for over a year before he sold it.

Go to the grocery store, get one of those 2" cans, brand doesn't matter, and put it in the compartment on the dash, or the console.

Just don't use it all up at the drive-in eating places...keep it until you create a leak in your radiator.

Confidence is King of the Road   Confidence is King of the Road   

Landlords Insurance - An Essential Requirement

You should never ignore the importance of landlords insurance. In today's age, if a person is an owner of a property, then it is important to have proper insurance coverage for the same space. To protect the owner from any damages caused to the property, landlords insurance is important. In case, any unpleasant incident happens in the future, there will be sufficient financial support available from the insurance provider on which the property owner can rely. The damages which are incurred will be duly compensated for, in the presence of the insurance coverage. The compensation would be based on the type of insurance policy which has been purchased. However, if one has installed appropriate safety devices like burglar alarms and fire alarm in the property, then it shall help to draw fewer premiums. So, it ultimately affects the amount of insurance premium one pays in installments for a specific coverage.

If the damage occurs due to burglary or vandalism, then the insurance provider will compensate the policy holder even if the person has alarms to prevent that from happening. If the damage is caused by the tenant to the building's structure, then one will be compensated to get it repaired. The landlord's insurance always provides extended coverage in comparison to the homeowner's coverage. The landowner has the right to sue tenants for the damage done by them in order to get a specific amount as compensation. In this scenario, the insurance policy covers the cost of legal expenses incurred during the process. The policy reimburses the policy holder for all expense incurred to maintain the property.

Landlords often like to upgrade the installed security systems. This requires money. Few policies of 'landlords insurance' also pay for this task to the policy holder. The premiums also vary according to the payment plans consisting of yearly, quarterly or monthly payments. In order to get the most useful insurance coverage for rented accommodation one should check online. You can also ask for quotes from the top most insurance providers and can select the most suitable option. Also consider their value-added services and benefits offered which shall help to secure the property in the best way.

After checking all things, go for the binding decision and purchase the respective insurance policy. The insurance providers shall be the best solution in case of any problems as they will immediately issue money for the loss and you can reinstate the property in its original condition. Do proper research and select the policy after consulting all top providers.

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The Benefits of Using Electric Lawn Mowers

There are four main types of electric lawn mowers available on the market, each with their own unique selling points to meet the needs of most gardeners. Due to a need for a main electric power source, some lawn mowers are restricted in their range by the length of the extension cord, but are ideal for small-to-medium lawns.

Using electric mowers are more environmentally friendly because they are more energy efficient and do not emit pollution to the environment. When operating an electric lawn mower there is less noise pollution coming from the garden mower in comparison with the gas powered garden mowers.

The hover mower produces a cushion of air underneath the mower, which allows it to be moved across the lawn. They are lightweight compared to other types of electric or gas lawn mowers and are ideal for use on sloping lawns. Their low body design and lack of collection box for grass cuttings also means that they are great for maneuvering under plants and bushes and into awkward spaces.

Four-wheeled electric type mowers use an electric motor to power a rotating blade. The four-wheel design gives them better maneuverability than a rear roller mower and makes them more lightweight, for ease of use. Although the presence of a clipping collection box does make them difficult to use under overhanging shrubs, it also removes the hassle of having to rake up cuttings after mowing.

Rear roller electric lawn mowers have a roller instead of wheels at the rear of the machine. The addition of a roller enables the gardener to create a striped effect in their lawn, as the roller flattens the cut grass in front of it. Both four-wheeled and rear-roller electric mowers are ideal for use on rough and uneven ground.

The fourth type of electric lawn mower available on the market is the electric cylinder mower. Here, rather than using a rotary cutting movement that flails the grass and damaging the blades of grass, the cylindrical cutting motion of the blades acts like a pair of shears as they meet the cutting edge of the machine. This creates a clean cut, leaving the lawn less prone to dehydration and browning. Cylindrical lawn mowers are used by many professional gardeners and groundskeepers and are ideal for use on flat lawns where a short cut is required. A rear roller can also be attached to cylindrical mowers to achieve the striped lawn effect.

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Five Simple Trampoline Safety Tips

Protecting kids while still letting them have a great time is the goal of every parent. You can't find a better form of backyard fun than a trampoline. No other activity can match the health and fitness benefits that jumping provides. Just remember that there are some fundamental precautions that should be taken before you turn your kids loose to jump.

Be sure to do your homework before purchasing a trampoline system. The best trampolines will have shock absorption technology that doesn't inhibit the bounce performance. This safety feature will make a big difference in jumping enjoyment and lessen the likelihood of injury from an awkward landing which is one of the most common injuries reported by trampoline users. A good "shock absorber" decelerates the falling jumper, causing less stress on the knees, back, etc., as the spring design does its job. Bottom line, you get a smoother, more forgiving landing, and a better, higher return bounce. Look for the trademarked AirShock™ system at your trampoline supplier.

A trampoline safety enclosure (also called a trampoline safety net) is a net designed to prevent jumpers from falling off. A safety enclosure can also add to the jumping fun by providing a barrier to keep safe play objects, such as soft foam or crushable balls, inside the enclosure and out of the neighbor's yard. The simplest safety enclosures consist of three basic elements: poles, net and mounting hardware. A good safety enclosure is a must for trampolines with platforms higher than ground level, and are always recommended for platforms at any level because jumpers can get as high as 9 feet when jumping. A good rule is to shop for enclosures with a Triple-Fail-Safe™ backup system.

Beware of cheap, ineffective trampoline enclosures, there are many. To be certain that the enclosure you purchase is engineered for safety and durability, look for these features: • The net should be secured along the entire length of the enclosed poles, on the outside. • The bottom of the net should be installed toward the inside of the spring/frame pad to avoid contact with that area. • The entrance should be an overlapping of the net, in effect providing double security at that point of the enclosure. Zippered, Velcro or button doorways are risky because children often forget to fasten them which increases the risk of fall-off accidents.

Falling is a major cause of trampoline relate emergency room visits according to the U. S. Consumer Product Safety Commission who estimates that most trampoline injuries occur to children under 15 years of age. Kids just wanna have fun! And that brings us to our next safety tip.

The highest percentage of trampoline injuries happen when there are two or more jumpers on a trampoline. So, more than one jumper is definitely a no-no. The CPSC also reports that most of the trampolines associated with injuries are located at private homes. This means that trampoline use should certainly be supervised.

Please keep these 5 Simple Trampoline Safety Tips in mind when it's time to jump: • Always supervise children while they are on the trampoline. • No stunts, somersaults or flips. • Allow only one person on the trampoline at a time, and no kids under 6 years of age. 75% of injuries result when more than one person is on the trampoline at the same time. The person weighing less is five times more likely to be injured than the heavier person. • Make sure the trampoline and enclosure has had proper maintenance and all parts are in good condition. • Make sure the trampoline is on a level ground and is at least three feet away from other structures, trees, etc.

Many people were seriously hurt in the old-school trampoline days with injuries ranging from mild bruising or scratches to paralysis and even death. With today's improvements in trampoline technology, jumping is safer than it ever has been. Be sure to go to a reputable supplier when making your purchase, and choose the models with the best safety ratings. And always follow the safety tips. You'll be happy you did. Now let's get jumpin!

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Medicare Supplement Insurance - How is it Priced?

Medicare supplement insurance is usually priced according to several different factors. These factors include age, and community. There are two different types of age categories for pricing. The first is age attained rate. The second is issue age rate. These supplement plans are treated just like other insurance policies in most ways. Sometimes they are subject to inflation. Other times they are regulated by law. It's important to know how your supplement insurance is priced, so that you'll be properly prepared for how much you have to pay for it.

The attained age rate premium may seem like the lowest premium of all. Out of all the Medicare supplement insurance pricings, it starts out at the lowest pricing. However, it doesn't stay low. The premiums will go up as you get older. They will continue to go up. It is similar to an adjustable rate mortgage. There is no fixed price, or guarantee of a fixed price. This will hurt you in the long run. It's a common fact that you will have less income as you get older. With continuously increasing premiums, you may find that you can't afford to pay for your supplemental insurance at all. This can result in loss of policy, which you may need at a crucial time in your life.

Issue age rate is based upon the age that you start paying for your Medicare supplement insurance. The younger you are, the less you'll have to pay for your insurance. If you start paying for it at age 55, your premium will be lower than someone else who started paying for their policy at age 60 or 70. This is a good choice for those who are worried about obtaining a fixed premium. While this premium may still be affected by inflation, you won't have to pay more for your premium because you're getting older. This is the main difference between issue-age pricing and attained age pricing.

The final pricing method is by community. This is also referred to as no age related policy. This type of policy is offered to those who are part of a large group of people that all share something in common. As long as you are all part of the same community, your age is not a determining factor in pricing. All policy holders will pay one flat fee that will not go up, except in cases of inflation. This is a good policy for those who need a fixed premium. It relieves financial pressure.

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7 Highly Beneficial Things You Should Do Before You Retire

Worldwide, many people already have an idea how long they are likely to live. This idea usually emanates from life-expectancy computations as they relate to their own corner of the world. Knowing this, it is amazing how only very few people take the pains to prepare for that inevitable future that awaits us all. The following are some of the very basic things you can do to help alleviate some of the major problems the elderly face in our society today.

01. Own a home. Among the basic human needs, shelter in among the most important, yet many people either fail or neglect to plan for their own shelter at retirement. That lapse is at times responsible for shortening the life-span of such people. Destitution is one of the biggest problems of the aged worldwide. In your "earning years," you should do everything you can to own a home in the choice place you will prefer to retire to. Retiring and moving in with your children is not cool these days. If you have children, asking them to assist you to own a home of your own is better than asking to move in with them when you retire.

02. Fund your health insurance. Health needs are also very important in the welfare of the elderly. It is a natural course of aging to have very many health challenges as you get older. If you took out health insurance that was well-funded, it is likely to help you out when you eventually retire. Poor health is part and parcel of aging. A viable health insurance plan comes in very handy as you get older. Many elderly people easily succumb to preventable and treatable diseases which a good health insurance plan can take care of.

03. Fund your pension plan. This is an obvious requirement for many workers particularly in the civilized world. If you fund your pension plan when you are younger and more active, it is likely to fund you when you are older, retired and less active. That is why it is so important to have a viable pension plan which you must fund as expected during your active working life.

04. See all your children through school. It is as a result of poor planning and at times outright irresponsibility that people still pay school fees for children while in retirement. You must plan well and ensure that you see all your children through school before you retire. The cost of education is usually very high. Allowing it to compete with your maintenance cost at old age can jeopardize both. Such a scenario can be avoided through proper planning.

05. Join a recreation or service club. Joining a recreation or service club will provide you the opportunity to be involved in some form of useful activity even in retirement. Continued activity well into your old age is beneficial to your health. That is because you will not only be active, you will also have unlimited opportunity for human companion and social interaction.

06. Identify and become more active in your religious organization. Becoming a member of a religious organization of your choice and being active in it has all the benefits of joining a recreation or service club. It also has an added advantage of providing you the opportunity to make peace with your inner being as well as your Creator in the latter years of your life.

07. Arrange to fall in love again. Do not laugh at this suggestion. Take it seriously. Some studies have provided evidence in support of the fact that even at old age, people who have companions they love and care about live longer and healthier lives. Loneliness breeds feelings of worthlessness and rejection which can shorten your life.

As a parting shot, let me emphasize that the bulk of the problems many elderly people face in their "yearning years," are largely self-inflicted. This is because many fail to take steps that can alleviate some of the problems peculiar to the elderly when they had ample opportunity to do so. I do hope you will not let that happen to you now that you know.

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Sailboat Living - Our Favorite Frugal Retirement Living Lifestyle

Sailboat living... of all the frugal retirement living lifestyles that we have experienced since 1994... by far and away the most fun was the time that we spent on our sailboat Shadowtime in the Caribbean.

We had no idea that a sailboat is essentially an RV that floats... boats, both sail and power, are fully self-contained means of mobile transportation.

Our 35 foot sailboat was where we ate, slept, and generally enjoyed ourselves for eight wonderful years.

Our eyes were opened to the possibility of sailboat living when we were in St. Thomas on a cruise ship... we took a shore excursion along with two other couples from the cruise ship for a four hour adventure, on a 36 foot sailboat that was home to two very happy and ordinary people... I was absolutely blown away by the idea of living on a boat from the moment we stepped on board.

When the cruise ship left the harbor that night I went up top and toasted the several dozen sailboats in the Charlotte Amalie harbor... and decided that we would toast the cruise ships when they left St. Thomas from our own sailboat within five years.

We moved up the timetable and did it in four years... to get us ready we took charter sailboat vacations in the British Virgin Islands... initially with a Capt. and cook... later on we took a charter boat out by ourselves.

The last time we chartered by ourselves, called bareboat chartering, we did it for three straight weeks to see if this lifestyle was really for us... that gave us time enough to go to the grocery store several times, the bank, the post office, and perform the more mundane items of everyday life such as getting the garbage from the boat to a public dumpster.

This last chartering experience led to a purchase of our boat in the Kemah, Texas area... from where we sailed the boat to the British Virgin Islands that same year... nine months after that last charter.

For the next eight years we had the time of our lives, we were safe, spent very little money... less than $1000 a month, stayed healthy, and generally enjoyed ourselves to the fullest.

Looking back on those eight years, it was obvious to me that if we, having no prior boating experience of any kind, can learn to live safely and confidently on a boat... then I should write about all the steps that we took to get us to a lifestyle that we will never forget.

You can do this too.

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Beach House Design Colors

A beach house design isn't just one particular look. Coastal abodes can differ in shape, size, and, most importantly, color. Your home by the ocean doesn't have to look like everyone else's. Depending on your personality, culture, or location, you can have a unique beach property.

You have quite a good range of color choices for coastal houses, actually. You just need to check what you want, open your mind to the possibilities, and apply some creativity. It can stretch from the traditional to the ultra-modern hues.

Perhaps, the most common colors for houses on the shore are the natural, earthy tones that mimic the scene right outside your doorstep. The calming shades of sand are usually applied on the exterior and the interior walls. Accents, woodwork, and boards are with a darker shade. Wood that's treated well is often the top choice for flooring. Ideal decorations in the house would be white curtains of very light fabric, accessories made of wood, coconut shells, and seashells, among others.

You can take this natural beach palette to have a bit more color if you move towards the Mediterranean style. Instead of wood flooring, Moroccan tiles would also look lovely. Accessories like lamps and vases with orange, blue, or brick red would complement the surroundings as colorful accents.

But if you want your beach house design to be truly bold and vibrant, think about the row of beach sheds in Australia with the primary colors and rainbow hues. You can do your own version of this and paint your house in bright shades. You can have your front door in a color that's in contrast to your exterior wall. This effect would be great for beach houses that have simple lines. Complicated structures might look too confusing when painted with too many striking colors.

Blue and white always look good on houses by the sea. They can remind you of nautical themes or the coastal homes in Greece. Use navy if you want a nautical theme; choose sky blue if you want a Grecian home along the shore. You can simply paint your whole body of your house white and have the roof, window frames, and doors all in blue. Nautical designs should opt for red or light blue for accents, while Grecian style should go for accessories made of wood or clay.

These ideas are a great starting point when thinking of your own beach house design. Remember that you shouldn't be tied down to the same look as your neighbors' house styles and colors. Let your personality and imagination show in your own home.

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How to Select the Best Painting Contractor

Regardless of why you need to have a painting job done, choosing the best possible painting contractor is imperative. With the sheer number of contractors offering their services online and offline, it could be hard to separate the reliable from the unreliable. We have some suggestions that could come in handy and might provide you the help you need in finding a painting contractor you can entrust with just about any kind of painting job required.

Normally, your first instinct may be to do a quick Internet search or grab the phone book and start picking names at random. The former option is more effective, as your average painting contractor on the Internet wouldn't be bound by the space constraints dealt with by those posting their numbers on the yellow pages. They would have more room to describe their services, list their prices and post photos of their work. Phone book ads don't give you much insight into a painting contractor's capabilities - usually they just post their number and that's it. But the best option would still be to search online and/or offline AND ask recommendations from people you know and trust. You just might hear a few common suggestions offered, and if you do, you should definitely add those names to your shortlist of candidates.

Once you've listed down a few companies, you can start studying their websites. Again, you'll want to check those photos of completed painting jobs and compare prices and services. It's also a good idea to check their guestbook for feedback. Be wary of "fine print" and always be the lookout for hidden catches. If something looks and sounds too good to be true, it most likely is too good to be true. If the website looks as if the designer "mailed it in", then you might want to scratch the company in question from your list. Unprofessional web design is often a sign of a lazy company.

Aside from the website content, you should certainly consider how long a painting contractor has been operating. But to be more specific, inquire about how long the contractor has been CERTIFIED. Any Tom, Dick and Harry can claim to have thirty years painting experience, but if they have only been certified one year out of that thirty, it won't do you much good.

Lastly, you should consider the price you will be paying the painting contractor. While you shouldn't get too excited over ridiculously low prices (remember that in most cases, you get what you pay for), you shouldn't have to overpay for any kind of painting done in or around your home or building.

Hiring the right painting contractor can ensure your home or building remains in the best of shape and continues leaving a good impression to the public.

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Exterior Color Ideas: Before Painting - 13 Tips to Help Homeowners and Builders Make Color Choices

It's time to paint. And, speaking of your new house colors...What exterior colors are you planning to use?

Is it for a complete repainting of your home or other building, or maybe adding a few accents to bring some "snap" to your existing color scheme? Even a house with a conservative, subtle color palette can benefit from a small adjustment.

To provide a little help, here are a few tips (well, 13 tips all together) for individual homeowners and building professionals.

When you start to think about colors for painting your existing home, a renovation, or new construction...

Homeowners

From a small Cape Cod style house to a Victorian mansion, your best color choices are the ones you carefully consider.

Assess the current condition of your siding, eaves, other trim and architectural details. Porches are a great place to introduce new color: Floors, Ceilings, and Trim. Alcoves, niches, window seats: all are candidates for minor revisions with color and sheen. Even homes with less architectural detail will be more elegant and distinctive with the right color additions. Are you planning some landscaping? Coordinate your house color with property updates.

Builders: Single family or a development

Building a single Spec-house, or an entire neighborhood? There's a lot to consider when it comes to color.

Multiple, adjacent homes do not have to be made in the same color schemes The colors you use have a lot to say to--and about--the buyers you attract. The best color plan will include all your building materials to create the most interesting and appealing properties. Color is what your customers will notice first. Make it count!

Now can be the time that you expand your own color-horizons.

You can break out of the typical format of "3 colors" for your home. Try a 5-color palette, even on a more simple structure. It will look more interesting. Keep your house colors harmonious with your surroundings, appropriate to the architecture of your own home, and fitting in the neighborhood. All are important. The key is to use the right colors in the right places, where tasteful and imaginative colors will enhance a simply-structured house as well as one with multiple architectural elements and embellishments.

Sometimes it's helpful to see what your home, or other building, will look like before you paint! One way is with a services like Designer Color Palettes, which uses colors you may have already selected but want to see how they will look. Other options exist as well.

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How To Build An Apple App

As a result of the increasingly influential devices and more affordable data plans, the mobile app space is experiencing more rapid growth every year. Apple has been the forerunner of that growth with the iPhone. This was achieved by collaborating with telecommunication companies to supply near-unlimited web access and redistributing application with the App Store, which built a new industry for smartphone apps.

Since Apple permitted outsiders to sell iPhone applications in 2008, beginner and expert developers have utilized the platform to generate financial wealth. Developers such as Ethan Nicholas, the maker of iShoot and Steve Demeter, the inventor of the iPhone game Trism, transformed their skills of designing apps into profitable businesses. Knowledge of developing apps is not acquired quickly and creating the mobile apps require knowledge in a variety of coding languages. However, with time commitment and an investment in Apple software that is created specifically for building iPhone apps, you too can cash in on your recently acquired skill by putting your first iPhone App on the market.

Buy a Mac computer or obtain access to a Mac computer, if you do not already own one. Utilize Apple's software developer kit (SDK) to execute Apple's in-house programming languages, such as Cocoa and Objective-C, which are necessary to create iPhone apps. Doing this requires a system which runs the MacOS X Leopard version.

Subscribe to the program for iPhone Developer on the Apple website, followed by downloading the iOS SDK. Apple's iOS SDK incorporates simulators and tools that are needed to create iPhone apps. Once you register with a developer account and SDK is downloaded, access will be gained to technical resources, like iOS Reference Library, which incorporates trial codes that you can maneuver to build your personal apps. There are also tutorials which give direct details on how to carry out functions, like noticing motion within the iPhone app and playing a sound.

Study pertinent programming languages such as OpenGL, Cocoa and Objective-C, which are instrumental in teaching the art of building iPhone apps. While Cocoa and Objective-C are programming languages created by Apple itself, studying OpenGL may entails acquiring technical resources outside of the Apple iOS Reference Library. To learn the programming language, you can gain access to an OpenGL reference manual and programming guide and also suggested OpenGL tutorial books from the website of the organization.

Do a course specifically designed to teach iPhone app development. Some universities like Stanford have courses that instruct budding iPhone app programmers how to develop and code iPhone applications. Seek out courses that address Cocoaand Objective-C, along with development of graphics for iPhone apps. Many of these courses require some programming knowledge and have durations of a few weeks or months.

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Thanksgiving and Gratitude in Hard Times

Many Americans struggling with health, financial, or emotional problems find it challenging to feel grateful around Thanksgiving. Some people always have a habit of looking at the negative. One reason for this is that our brains our predisposed to solve problems, and we take what makes us comfortable for granted.

Religion

All world religions stress the importance of gratitude. In Judaism, prayers of gratefulness are an essential component of worship, which orthodox Jews recite one hundred times a day. Gratitude was referred to by Martin Luther as a "basic Christian attitude." The Quran states that the grateful will given more. Moslem believers are encouraged to give thanks five times a day. Sufi, Hindu, and Buddhist traditions also emphasize giving thanks. Moreover, religion exhorts that you should be grateful notwithstanding your current problems and circumstances - not to deny them, but in addition and in spite of them. To feel gratitude only when you feel good is considered narrow-minded. In the Bible, Paul teaches, "In everything give thanks." The Hebrew Midrash instructs, "In pleasure or pain, give thanks!" Islamic tradition says that those who give thanks in every circumstance will be the first to enter paradise.

Why Be Grateful?

The mystic, Meister Eckhart believed that thanking God was the most important prayer. Prophets and monks know that gratitude brings you closer to God. Even if you're not religious, gratitude enables you to see your life in a larger context beyond your immediate troubles. It expands your experience of life and counteracts an ego-centered contraction and preoccupation with losses, fears, and wants. Being grateful only when good things happen reinforces your ego's demand that good things happen, setting up greater disappointment when things don't turn out as you desire. This, according to Buddha, is the cause of suffering.

The sages also knew that gratitude actually shifts your perspective from feeling depressed, envious, angry, or self-pity to a happier mood. It can open your heart to joy and generosity because you begin to feel that you're blessed. Moreover, how you view your circumstances determines your ability to manage and overcome them. Often it's worry or anxiety about the future that colors how you see a situation. Negative emotions limit your imagination and ability to cope and solve problems. Hence, your state of mind ultimately is more important than your outer experience.

"Nothing is either good or bad. It's thinking that makes it so." ~ Ben Franklin

Cultivating an attitude of acceptance enables you to feel grateful even when you're in pain. It's helpful to view all experience is an opportunity to grow and learn. Wrote Helen Keller, "Everything has its wonders, even darkness and silence, and I learn whatever state I may be in, therein to be content." Rather than seeing yourself as a victim of circumstance, acceptance of reality and developing gratitude for what you do have verses focusing on what you don't empowers you to take appropriate action.

With the advent of the positive psychology movement, gratitude was only recently subjected to empirical research. What religion has known for millennia, science has confirmed. Numerous studies suggest that grateful people are more likely to have higher levels of happiness and sense of well-being and lower levels of stress and depression. This naturally translates into better physical health.

Developing an Attitude of Gratitude

Gratefulness comes more easily to some than others. When you're discouraged or weighed down with negative thoughts, there are several things you can do to develop an "Attitude of Gratitude."

There's wisdom in the phrase, "Count your blessings." Listing the things for which you're grateful can generate feelings of appreciation and gratitude. It's often suggested to write them down on a daily basis. You can start with the fact that you have a brain, can write, and can read. Add small things, for example, seeing a child smile, receiving affection from a pet or greeting from a co-worker, or accomplishing a task, such as doing laundry or taking a walk. After several days, you'll begin to look for things to add to your list and find that your mood significantly improves - faster than taking an anti-depressant. Read your list to someone. Sharing you grateful feelings doubles the effect. Arrange to regularly share you grateful lists and give thanks together. Praying together heightens your sense of connectedness and well-being. Express thanks daily. Doing so out loud has more power. In the morning and evening, and before meals, recite prayers of gratitude, or just say "Thank you (God)." Thank others throughout the day for their help, particularly people you don't ordinarily thank, such as cashiers. This is a recognition that you depend upon many people in order to survive and acknowledges your interdependent existence. The same is implicit in saying grace for the labor that goes into food on your table. Compliment people. Giving compliments shows appreciation and lifts others' mood and yours. Put notes on your refrigerator, mirrors, and computer to remind you to be thankful. Think about people you appreciate. The act of visualizing them with positive feelings opens your heart to gratitude. Write people unexpected thank you notes. Writing your appreciation prompts loving feelings that engender gratitude. Do small acts of generosity, such as giving someone your place in line, helping someone pay for a purchase, or bringing food to a neighbor. Thank yourself at the end of the day for things you did well. List at least three things. They may be small and include the above acts of gratitude.

In time, you'll notice a change in your mood until your "cup runneth over" - or, at least appear half full rather than half empty.

©Darlene Lancer 2012

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Get Organized For the Holidays: 7 Steps To Cope and Organize Your Post-Holiday Clean Up

Happy Thanksgiving! Congratulations, you've made it through hours of cleaning, shopping and toiling over a hot stove all for this holiday. While baking and finishing up last minute preparations, do your thoughts start to drift towards the dreaded cleanup?

Here are seven simple steps you can take to quickly reclaim your kitchen after the big meal, allowing you time to unwind and spend time with your family.

Step 1: Enlist The Help of Family Members:

Ask your family to help unload the dishwasher, so that you can have it empty and ready to be filled after eating. Have them empty the trash to allow more room for a quicker cleanup. Avoid interruptions by asking them to greet guests at the door and do the hospitable duties.

Step 2: Protecting the Oven

Before cooking the turkey, line the bottom of your stove with foil or trays to catch spills. It's easier to clean a pan than an entire stove.

Step 3: Organize A "Dirty Dish Pre-Soak Section"

Prepare individual pre-soak plastic bins for plates, silverware, glasses and pots. Before settling down for dinner, fill these bins with hot, soapy water. As everyone finishes eating, scrape, rinse plates to soak in the proper bins. For lack of room, filling up half your sink with warm, soapy water will do just as well.

Step 4: Simmer Down the Grease!

Fill up dirty pots with soapy water and let them simmer on your stove and the tough food will magically disappear.

Step 5: Let the Plumber Relax Today, It's Thanksgiving!

Before cleaning your roasting pans, never pour grease from them down the sink. It will build up and force a call to the plumber. Instead, wipe up the grease with a newspaper or paper towels and toss in the trash.

Step 6: Dealing with Leftovers

Be sure to immediately cover and refrigerate all leftover foods you plan on keeping. Toss any refrigerated food that has been left out at room temperature for more than a few hours, including dips, salads and cheese. Don't worry about placing these leftovers into smaller containers, that's for tomorrow.

7. Don't Sweat the Small Stuff

Don't stress over petty items. Just worry about the cooking and cleaning of pans and dishes. Incidentals such as chairs and arrangements can be taken care of tomorrow.

Mission accomplished! Now go spend some well deserved time with your family and truly savor the meaning of the holiday.

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