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Probably the most common symptom of them all with anxiety & panic is shortness of breath; some also describe it as a smothering sensation, or feeling like they are suffocating, like there is no air around them.

This is often the first symptom that will trigger off a panic attack. As soon as the sufferer feels they cannot breathe then the heart begins to race 50 to the dozen, then you begin to feel dizzy like your going to pass out and that’s when the fear of death hits you dead in your tracks.

Or of course, you could feel short of breath, then dizzy (or light-headed), then racing heart beat then scared to your wits end that your going to die or pass-out.

If you’ve ever felt this sensation before, then you should be aware that this is classic symptoms of a panic attack.

It can hit anytime, anywhere. Heck, I used to get this one a lot while driving in my car. And anyone who can relate to that knows that is dam frightening! Because now you’re afraid you’re going to have a car accident with it!

The most important thing in this scenario is to deal with the first symptom. The shortness of breath. I will begin by explaining to you why you feel the shortness of breath.

The blunt of it is obviously poor breathing technique, which apparently majority of the world does not breathe properly. But for the anxiety sufferer it’s usually much more predominant. The anxiety sufferer takes very short quick breaths, therefore not allowing sufficient amount of air flow to your lungs and body.

Here is a quick test you can perform right now on yourself to see if you are breathing correctly. Place your hand between your chest and stomach area, as you breathe in is your chest and stomach area rising? As you breathe out does your hand fall with your stomach and chest?

When I first did this test, I was quite surprised to find that there was little movement at all.

What you need to do is encourage deeper slower breaths. Breathe in slowly and deeply through your nose, and then breathe out through your mouth slowly. You will find when you first start practicing this technique that it will probably make you feel a bit light headed. That’s ok. It’s because your body isn’t used to receiving so much oxygen. It is used to living on the “bread and dripping” bum end scale of oxygen.

Try doing this exercise a few times a day, eventually it will become habit and you will adopt new and healthier breathing habits.

It is important for the anxiety sufferer to know that he/she will not stop breathing from these sensations. You try holding your breath; your body will shortly after force you to breathe again.

Note: Never self diagnose. Make sure you visit your local GP first. All material provided is for informational or educational purposes only. No content is intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Consult your doctor regarding the applicability of any opinions or recommendations with respect to your symptoms or medical condition.

© Joanne King – http://www.anxiety-panic-free.com

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Source by Joanne King

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Blessedness is the business of those believing in Christ. Our pastime is faith, our proclivity is hope, our passion is love.

But how does that translate in common fatherhood? For me, it pivots around being present, which seems easier than it is in a world full of distractions. I’d love a blessing for every time I’ve failed to be present, but of course life (and God) doesn’t work that way. I’d love it if all those temptations into distraction proved of value, but of course they don’t.

The fact is we’re only rewarded with the sweet Presence of God as we slow down for sweet moments where we’re present in life, especially as we congregate with those we love.

On a common-enough Friday morning, my wife having left for work, which means it’s my day to manage household affairs and care for our son, I found myself in the backyard, absorbed by the imagination of our nearly four-year-old.

He stands atop a sawed-off tree stump and spies through a paper roll telescope at the land over yonder. You can see miles through this thing! He tucks his telescope into his shirt and he’s off. He climbs the ladder on the slide and spies over the fence into the neighbour’s yard, before I divert his attention to worthier pursuits.

Soon enough, he’s moved on to a game on the swing, where he runs up, having taken an on-your-mark-SET-GO approach, and flies through the air, his belly on the seat, nearly upending the swing more than once. (Dad decides to anchor it better!) He is, in fact, performing. Of course! What else?

The next activity takes place in the cubby house. 30-seconds of light relief, before the next idea springs from his mind. His Lightning McQueen (a Tonka truck) has to be refuelled and have its tyres pumped up. Then, he’s off, tearing through the backyard, taking tight turns, kicking up the dirt, just like the racing car reveller. Until Lightning McQueen is bogged in the dirt. We decide he’s to be winched out. I’m about to do it, when I hear, “I’ll do it, Dad.” The joy of seeing him take control of his play, watching him be responsible in discharging his cares.

***

Blessedness is achieved as quick as it takes to slow down. Darrell Bock says blessing rests on “one who is the object of grace and happy because of it.” Simply knowing we’re objects of grace, having received such undying favour, makes us bristle with joy.

Blessedness is close being a parent absorbed in our children’s lives.

Each moment in our children’s lives is an eternal glimpse into irretrievable memory. In years to come we will know we had these experiences, but our memory will betray us.

There is no time but the present.

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Source by Steve Wickham

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According to Dictionary.com a ‘filter’ is:

– Any substance, as cloth, paper, porous porcelain, or a layer of charcoal or sand, through which liquid or gas is passed to remove suspended impurities or to recover solids.

– Any device, as a tank or tube, containing such a substance for filtering.

– Any of various analogous devices, as for removing dust from air or impurities from tobacco smoke, or for eliminating certain kinds of light rays.

As you can see from the definitions, a filter can be found in many different products, machines, and other items. The purpose of a filter is to separate one thing from another, usually substances that should not be mixed; oil and water, smoke and air, oil and air, and minerals and water are a few examples of this.

Filters are used in common everyday items, in big industrial applications, in vehicles, and in science and engineering applications.

In the Home

There are many common household items and products make use of filters. One of the most filters in the home is the air filter in the air conditioning or heating system. The air filter filters out the dust, allergens, smoke, and other airborne particulates that are blown through the air ducts. A properly cleaned and regularly replaced air filter will help keep a family healthy, and can usually cut down on allergies and common colds. Another household item that uses a filter is the vacuum cleaner. The things that get sucked up into the vacuum cleaner aren’t always solid pieces of dirt or detritus. Most of the time the vacuum will also suck up dust, ash (from homes with fireplaces) and other super tiny particulates that shouldn’t be blown back into the air. The filter on the vacuum cleaner traps these things.

In the Garage

In the garage you will find that your car uses a filter. The air filter in the car keeps dust, dirt, exhaust, and even oil from getting into the car’s system. You wouldn’t want to turn on your air conditioner and get a big whiff of road dust. Also, the air compressor you use to clean off your work space and inflate the car’s tires uses an air compressor filter, as a well as an air oil separator.

Medical Uses

Filters are used in the breathing apparatuses for patients, and even in the air filtration system. The air filtration system in the hospital also uses an air compressor to keep the air clean, thin, and dry. These air compressors use a different type of air compressor filter, and must have a well maintained air oil separator-you can’t have oil vapor escaping into the hospital.

Filters have many practical uses in the home, at work, and in the garage. Filters should be replaced often and cleaned regularly in order to keep them working-filtering out the things you don’t want to breathe, drink, or clean out of your house or car.

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Source by Cliff Burke

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There are actually a lot of differences in maintaining used farm machinery compared to other machines. If you search through the market, there are many brands offering this product. Unfortunately there is no universal rule on how to maintain them. Each has its own way to make it last for a long time. After purchasing a second hand machine you would need to take care of it like the equipment is brand new. It is ideal to read the manual given by the seller. Perhaps the manufacturer or the previous owner would provide instructions how to take care of it.

Ask the owner who owns the grizzly plough several questions like the equipment’s maintenance schedule. This would give you an idea on the maintenance schedule like when to change oil or filter. Make sure that you know specifications. Examine every part of the tractor so that you will know their location.

Since you are a new owner, you need to familiarize yourself with about the tractor. Take a weekend to study the machine that you purchase. Make sure that you ride the product and test it across the farm. If there are problems, call the manufacturer or better yet ask the previous owner of the grizzly plough that you got.

It is ideal if you have tools when handling used machineries. Maintaining your tractor would require tools larger than the normal car. If you can then buy or else know where to borrow the things that you need. You should protect them with all sorts of elements. If you got a smaller tractor which doesn’t have a compartment, you would need to store it in a shed. Remember if you leave it outside weather elements could damage it.

You would need to check the fluids of the engine regularly. The usage of the tractor is measure in the number of hours it is in the field. The machinery could have leaking parts due to the fact that it is old. So you better make sure that everything is periodically checked.

Have a checklist on the things that you would check on the used farm machinery that you want to get. Of course before buying the used machinery, you have probably examined everything about it. This is a must since you are purchasing a second hand farm machinery item. Although this is the case, it is unavoidable that you encounter problems in the future. This is true especially if you using the machine regularly.

Even if you are not a technical expert, it is ideal to maintain the tractor at all times. Hire a professional to check the machine regularly. This can help you avoid problems in the future. Create a checklist on the things to maintain. This would include belts and hoses.

Aside from this, check the brakes. Make sure that there are no leaks on it. Check the brake and make sure they are working. Look into the gauges like temperature, oil and others. This would serve as an indicator if there is something wrong with the machine. Fuel filters should be checked as well. Make sure that it will not have water on them.

It is best to grease the tractor. Never overload your machine and remember you should always keep everything clean. Inspect the tractor as often as you can. This would let you know if there is a problem with the machine.

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Source by Terro White

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There can be little doubt that in the last few years there has been a tech boom, now people can watch movies and surf the internet on a portable tablet, and do things on the move thanks to super-fast mobile internet speeds. The result has seen the mobile phone turn into a mini computer and entertainment centerall rolled into one, and these new smartphones have become the current tech trend. However, as smartphones assert their dominance on the mobile phone marketplace, what are the advantages and disadvantages of this type of device?

Disadvantages

Size: The whole idea of the mobile phone is for it to be as the name suggests, mobile, and at the turn of the century the top phone manufacturers seemed to be adhering to this. The newest and best models were ever smaller in a bid to reach a more compact state for customers who wanted their phone to fit into their pocket and be as light as possible. However with the technology boom of the early century, a need was created for more techs to be placed within a phone, and the result is the colossal size of the smartphone, which is not very compact at all.

Not a phone: New phones on the market now cram so much technology into one device that the fact that it is a phone becomes an unimportant thing, especially with the advent of social messaging. Many people who are not fans of the smartphone will ask why a phone cannot just be a phone, and maybe there is some merit in the notion that those older devices did have something of a plain functionality about them that made them cool.

Advantages

Technology: As much as technology and putting too much on a phone dilutes the experience for a customer looking for a simpler experience, it is also a major advantage for those looking for something more. Simply put, a smartphone is now a device that covers all bases, music and video players, a HD camera, a satellite navigation system, and a high quality gaming device. When considered as a multi-functional media tool, smartphones are great value for money.

Business and social connectivity: If you are a businessman or woman who wants and needs everything organized, then a smartphone is the perfect device, and in many instances has replaced a PDA. Multiple accounts and high speed internet offer seamless service for those on the move in a high pressure world.

Likewise if just keeping in touch with friends on the move is your thing, then the social media aspects of smartphones are apparent. Access Facebook and Twitter accounts with one touch and keep on top of all of your social interactions.

Whether you see the merits of smartphones or not, the fact is they are here to stay, and for fans of these devices they will be waiting to see what developers do next.

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Source by Aronno Bhowmick

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Negotiating can be done in a professional manner that can increase customer satisfaction while helping to protect both parties’ interests.

Let’s first look at some of the problems that give negotiating a bad name and then look at the solutions. A lack of training in negotiating in the automotive industry has put sales people at a disadvantage. Usually, a sales person is taught how to negotiate in a learn-as-you-go method. Although all learning must be accomplished by doing, some preparation has to be done to make the learning experience more effective. All sales people and managers should go through a course on basic and advanced negotiating. Assuming that sales managers can automatically teach your sales people to negotiate professionally is asking for trouble. How did the managers learn to negotiate?

Sales people should be taught the expected procedures. I like to call these routing procedures. Routing procedures will define everyone’s responsibilities, from the moment a customer is greeted until they are delivered, including the necessary paperwork and who initiates what. Included in the routing procedures are items known as, black and white items. Black and white items are the things that should never vary at your dealership. These items are to be defined by your top management and can include such things as not quoting discounted prices on the lot or never low-balling on price.

Another source of problems in negotiating is the misuse of traditional negotiating techniques. The “higher authority technique” is a technique of always deferring to a higher authority for a decision. The technique is a solid negotiation tactic that has been run into the ground by automotive people. Having your sales people run to the manager more than once or twice in negotiations is a crime. Not giving the sales person any latitude or decision-making capability in negotiations leads to the yo-yo effect that creates mistrust in the sales person and customer.

When is the last time a sales person in your dealership was taught what to do when a customer asks for a lower down payment, lower payment, higher trade values or a reduction of the sales price. Most veteran sales people in dealerships all over the country could not verbally and written give you at least three or four steps to each one of the above objections without having to think or blink. How many objections in negotiation are there? Most objections fall into only a few categories. Have your sales people role played recently on those objections and the potential answer to them? Example: “Mr. Customer, we would be happy to lower your monthly budget $50 a month. Did you want to go 60 months instead of 48, or put $1,500 more cash investment, or look at the car with about $50 a month less in equipment, or look at a lease/Smart Buy program? Which would be best for you?” Whether you like my words or there are some others you prefer is not as important as having a way to handle the objections and practicing them over and over until the sales people know their negotiating skills.

“He or she who prepares the most, wins the most.” A large part of negotiating is knowing when and how to negotiate, as well as being prepared for all situations. The tragic death of John Kennedy Jr. might have been prevented with more preparation. Although negotiating may not be life or death for a sales person, it can feel like life or death to a sales person that wants to help his or her customer and doesn’t know how.

The following are few simple negotiating techniques:

1. Flinch – always flinch at any proposal or counter proposal.

2. Split the Split – When customers offer to split the difference, offer back to split their proposal again. Example: $3,000 apart $1,500 split offered $ 2,250 your counter

3. Bracket proposals – If your desired gross profit is $3,000 and the customer offers you $1,500, propose back as much above your desired profit as they proposed below, example: $4,500 gross would be the same $1,500 amount above your desired gross, as they had offered below. Most likely they will offer to split the difference and it also lends credence to your offer.

4. Give/get – Try always to get something in return for giving something. This will stop the customer from nibbling and eroding your gross. If you don’t use give/get, you will not only give away all your gross but will also create a shopper.

Everyone negotiates everyday. Whether it’s on vehicles, houses, relationships or pay plans etc., everyone negotiates on things we sometimes didn’t even realize we had negotiated on. Somehow people walk away from negotiating things other than automobiles feeling extremely positive about the process. Why? I invite you to ask how you would feel negotiating at your dealership and what you could do to make it better for the customer, sales person, manager and dealership.

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Source by Mark Tewart

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Further down there’s a sample “We’re putting our prices up” letter that you can adapt to use in your business. Notice the reasons given for increasing the prices. Of course I just made them up, but the point is to use valid reasons that could apply to your business. Insurance premiums, wage rises, transport costs, fuel costs, the rising Aussie dollar or currency exchange rates, additional security measures, skills shortages, land taxes, decreasing profit margins, having to move to new premises, and dozens of others are all valid reasons that you can use to increase your prices.

Can you see how they have made a limited offer to entice the business owners to buy now? And with cash up front? So, not only do they get most businesses paying the higher prices, they get an immediate cash flow boost from the 10 businesses who pay up front. And that they clearly spell out the extra products and services they are offering. So, while they have to put up their prices, they are offering extras to sweeten the deal. You will see that a specific dollar amount was mentioned right up front. That’s to grab the attention of the owners. If that was hidden down the bottom of the letter, chances are they wouldn’t have even read that far. Would you read a letter that said “Save yourself $4,975 if you buy now”? I reckon you would. So, keep in mind that you need to grab their attention right up front. Then tell them that you don’t want to put your prices up, but because of (insert the reasons for your business), you must. It’s really that simple. I mean, would you be offended if you received a letter like that?

Add Some Extras To Sweeten The Deal

After you’ve explained how you just have to raise your prices, throw in some extra products and services, and you’ll find that no one really even notices. If they’re happy with your product or service, they will keep using you. You can include extra value from within your own business, as we have looked at in this chapter. Or add some value from other businesses such as the free consultation from the “Insurance Consultant” in the letter. In this case they have done both. They will provide some extra services, and some freebies from another business.

Your Action Plan To Put Up Your Prices & Add Value

1. Come up with a valid U.S.P. for your business – something that will make your customers go “Wow, this woman really knows what she’s doing, what a great business”. Get all your staff involved; make it something that everyone is a part of. Remember a good U.S.P. formula is … “You know when (insert common problem or frustration for your industry or profession here), well what we do is (show how you solve this problem better, faster, easier or even cheaper than everyone else)”.
2. Stop competing on price – don’t be a discounter – if you have a price advantage over the competition, that’s fine. But don’t be a discounter. Compete on the basis of your U.S.P. and the massive extra value you offer to your customers.
3. Add value and put your prices up – put stacks of extra value into your product or service. Make your business stand out so much that price becomes irrelevant to your customers.
4. Contact related but non competing businesses in your local area – explain to them that it costs them money to get a new customer. They should know this anyway. You will send them new customers for free, they just have to give away some of their time, or a free meal, or 3 hours free gardening, and so on. If they know that it costs them $200 to get a new customer, it’s nothing to give away a small sample of their product or service to get that customer. Particularly when you explain how that person may become a customer for life.
5. Give away vouchers, discounts, freebies, extras and so on with every sale you make – once you’ve got the other businesses to agree, give away some of your vouchers, discount coupons, freebies etc with every purchase.
6. Add extra value from within your company – small things such as extra service, thank you letters and calls, follow up calls, cleaning up after yourself follow up visits, birthday cards or phone calls, turning up on time, making sure your customers understand what is about to happen next, alerting your customers to useful information that could help them, sending flowers and gifts or scratchie lottery tickets and so on can make a huge difference in your customers perception of you. And it’s all about perception. You see, you might be the most honest person who’s ever walked on this earth. But if you’re a used car salesman, people will have a certain perception of you. It’s not true, but it’s true in their minds. And what you want is your customer’s mind to be going “Wow, this guy is the best, most trustworthy car dealer I’ve ever seen”. By doing some or all of the little things above, your customers will perceive you as being special, unique, different, caring.
7. Offer an outrageous, better than risk free guarantee – when you take away any risk in doing business with you, your sales can’t help but increase. Even if you are way more expensive than your competitors, the fact that dealing with you is a ‘no risk” situation will mean more people will choose you. Most business owners seem too scared to offer an outrageous guarantee. They think that people will take advantage of them. The simple fact is they won’t. You’ll probably find that maybe I in 100 or I in 1,000 people will take an unfair advantage of your guarantee. And who really cares? Because, when you offer a better than risk free guarantee, you’ll soon be making so many more sales at a much higher price than you do now, that you certainly won’t care if 1% or so of people try to rip you off.
8. Use testimonials to prove that what you say is true – testimonials from past satisfied clients also help to reduce any risk a customer might feel in doing business with you.
9. Send a letter to all your customers telling them you’re putting up your prices – But before you do, there’s a I month window of opportunity to buy at the old prices. Use the example letter as a template. That way, you’ll get a cashflow boost from customers coming in to buy at the old price, and when everyone starts paying the new, higher prices in I month’s time. While you’re at it, include a customer survey with the letter, and ask your customers to tell you what they liked most about doing business with you, what they liked least, are they happy with your service or product, what could you do better and so on. You could offer a prize, a giveaway or incentive to get extra responses. When you get them, take very close notice of what your customers are telling you. Do a lot more of what they like, and eliminate anything they didn’t like. Then you can easily justify your increased prices.
10. Over time, make sure that all of your marketing efforts clearly spell out why your business is different – focus on the benefits your customers will get when they do business with you. Or, tell them about the disaster they will avoid by doing business with you. Emphasize your risk free guarantee, your customer service, your reliability, your proven track record, your twice as long as the others warranty, cheaper running costs and so on.

This is a Sample Letter that you could modify and use …….

Dear Customer,

Save $4,975 If You Buy Now

Here’s Your Last Chance To Buy At Our Old Prices – We Don’t Want To, But We Simply Have To Raise Our Prices

Firstly, please don’t worry, if you renew your security contract with us in the next 30 days not only will you save on our new prices, you’ll get an additional 10% discount saving you a whopping $4,975 on your current contract.

We really don’t want to, but we’re just going to have to put our prices up. The rising cost of insurance premiums, the recent industrial action resulting in wage rises for the security industry, rising fuel costs and land taxes means that we simply must raise our prices or we’ll go out of business.

We just want to take this opportunity to say “Thank You” for your business, we have enjoyed helping you to protect your business and property.

We want you to rest assured that you will still get the same great service from us, in fact we’re going to be introducing the following new services for your benefit – all at no extra cost.

• Twice the patrols – we’ll now be inspecting your property every 20 minutes, instead of 40. Your premises will now be safer than ever before.
• Free late night security escorts for your staff – we know that from time to time some of your staff work back late at night, and as you know “you just can’t be too careful these days”. From now on, we’ll be there to escort them safely to their cars, and we’ll provide this service free of charge. Just give us a call 10 minutes before you want to leave, and we’ll be there.
• Free “Insurance Consultation” worth $500 – in the past three years we have been looking after more than 50 local businesses. Not ome has been burgled in that time. And because of our great record, companies that use us may be eligible for a significant insurance discount. So we have arranged for a “free consultation” with our friends from “Jakes Business Insurance” to see if you cam save some more money.
• Free “Property Safety Audit” worth $1,000 – we want to keep our 100% “no burglaries” record. So, we’re going to offer you a free “property safety audit”. We’ll spend a day going over every inch of your business premises and provide you with a comprehensive written report. This will cover such area as fire safety, alarms, staff safety, “weak points”, blind spots and so on.

So even though we are going to raise our prices, we’re offering an increased level of service, and you may be able to save $1,000’s on your insurance policy by using us. But hurry…

We must make clear that this offer is strictly limited to the first 10 businesses who renew their security contract with us and pay the first two months in advance.

Please feel free to call us on 1800 000 000 to discuss any of these changes. We aim to provide you with an even better level of service and protection than in the past. We have attached a comprehensive list of our new prices and services with this letter, as well as the contract forms.

Remember, on your current contract you will save $4,975 if you take us up on this offer. So pick up the phone and call us right now as we can only extend this offer to the first 10 businesses who take us up on it.

Yours Sincerely

Owner of Business

Buisness Name

P.S. This offer is strictly limited to the first 10 businesses who renew their security contract with us and pay the first two months in advance.

So you can see that by using this type of sample letter explaining and justifying your price increase you can retain your customer’s loyalty.

The above is merely an example of what you can create with a little imagination

Article written by

PETER TONKS MARKETING

www.plustenmarketing.com

Peter Tonks Marketing.

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Source by Peter Tonks

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When seeking an extended vehicle warranty for your car, truck, or SUV, you have several options. You can purchase the plan offered by the car dealership, or you can choose a third party provider. You might think that the plans offered are the same, but they’re not. Many times, a third party warranty provider can offer you a better deal than you would find at the dealership. Here are five advantages of buying your extended warranty from a warranty company versus an vehicle dealership.

You’ll save money — many vehicle dealerships offer extended warranty plans at retail prices, which can be quite a bit more than the plans you’ll find with a third party provider. By purchasing your extended vehicle warranty direct from a warranty provider, you’ll cut out the middleman and save money!

Expertise is also a factor. While car dealerships are knowledgeable in the area of selling vehicles, they’re not necessarily the most informed provider of extended warranties. By dealing directly with a warranty company, you’ll get the benefit of expert advice from people whose job it is to know about extended warranties.

Special features are also a benefit. Often, the extended warranties offered by car dealerships are more limited than the ones you’ll find from a direct warranty provider. Some warranty providers simply offer better coverage and features like roadside assistance, which you may not get from a car dealership.

Variety is another feature of dealing with a direct warranty provider. There will most likely be a larger assortment of plans to choose from than you would get with your vehicle dealership. Some warranty plans charge deductibles, some don’t. Some cover parts only, some cover parts and labor. Still others cover both mechanical breakdown as well as wear and tear. This is the kind of plan you want — with the rising costs of labor, you’d end up spending quite a bit if labor was not covered under your plan!

Convenience is another benefit of dealing directly with an automotive warranty company, especially if you happened to purchase your vehicle out of town. There are warranty companies that exist at physical locations, and warranty companies that are strictly online. By purchasing a plan online, you can save yourself a lot of time and hassle. After all, who doesn’t enjoy the convenience of shopping for a warranty plan from the comfort of their own home? Plus, with online providers, you won’t be dealing with pressure from salespeople.

There are many reasons why you might want to choose a direct extended warranty provider rather than purchasing one from your car dealership. However, when choosing an extended warranty provider, do your research and make sure the company you’re dealing with has a satisfactory history of customer service. The last thing anyone wants is to get ripped off by a shady warranty provider!

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Source by Jackie Jones

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When building outdoor bulletin boards for your school, church, community or homeowner’s association, these ten simple features will make your message center more usable, project a professional image, and most importantly, provide long-lasting, easy maintenance.

Larry Kontny, Secretary Treasurer of the Magnolia Terrace Homeowner Association in Mont Verde, Florida, made the mistake of purchasing poor quality bulletin boards last year.

“The back rotted out of the first bulletin board we purchased”, said Kontny, “and water got inside, and of course, the water and the humidity ruined all the letters.”

Water and humidity is a major concern for folks who live in this community of 130 home sites about 20 miles west of Orlando.

“Anyone who has lived in Florida knows of the heavy thunderstorms during the rainy season. This new one I just installed is much better constructed, and the frame is much stronger than the earlier one we purchased.”

1.Use an anodized aluminum frame that has a moisture barrier backing and silicone sealant.

“The first board we purchased had a particle board backing that sucked the water up like a sieve”, said Kotney. “The letter board warped and became spongy.”

2. Shatter-resistant door windows prevent injury and liability. Vandalism or kicked up stones from a passing truck can cause a cheap window to break.

Do not use glass, safety glass, or acrylic for the door window. Use a polycarbonate brand like Lexan or Makrolon SL.

3. Make sure that your door windows and posting surface have a UV inhibitor which cuts down on the destructive effects from sun rays. Some automotive part stores sell clear UV glass tinting film that can be applied to the window.

“The sun rays caused the enclosed cabinet to heat up like an oven. The board facing the southern exposure faded in months and some of the letters melted and got brittle”, said Kotney. “We’re going to have to replace that one too.”

4. Louvered vent caps should be installed on the cabinet’s sides to dissipate any heat build up or ambient humidity. The vent caps should be screened to prevent insects like spiders or wasps from entering the bulletin board’s cabinet and nesting.

A louvered vent also stops condensation from fogging up the door window by preventing a temperature differential.

5. Lockable doors secure access to the posting surface so postings are official.

“One morning I came out to find some kids had rearranged the letters to spell a profane message.” said Thomas Keane, past president of the Limestone Acres homeowners association in Wilmington, Delaware. “The neighborhood association was not amused.”

6. The door frame should have full length piano hinges to support the weight of the door when opened. Using just a couple of small hinges will wear out quickly and fatigue the aluminum case frame.

7. The door frame should have a rubber gasket seal to prevent vertical rain from seeping through the gap.

A tight door frame is important especially for residents on coastal areas that experience strong vertical winds.

8. The cabinet should be at least 3-1/4″ depth. This allows room to add extra letter panels, chalk boards, dry erase boards or bulletin boards.

These extra types of panels make your community message center very versatile and allows creativity for holidays or different occasions.

9. A name header can be included on the display cabinet or sign pediment. A name header provides identity and recognition for outdoor bulletin boards.

10. Make sure the cabinet comes with a one year manufacture’s guarantee. Any problems due to improper materials or assembly are going to happen during the first year’s exposure to the elements.

Kontny says he appreciates his new bulletin board that was supplied by a reputable manufacturer free of charge. “I like it, they didn’t have to do it”, says Kontny of his new bulletin board. “In fact, we will be replacing another one soon, which has been destroyed by the sun’s rays, and I’ll be getting another one just like this because it’s easy to maintain.”

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Source by Alice Mills

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“I have a vision that eventually this product [precast concrete fences] could be for do-it-yourselfers if it was manufactured in lightweight concrete,” states the CEO of a leading precast fence producer. This vision is now a reality with the introduction of lightweight concrete fence panels.

Cellular lightweight concrete (CLC) is produced by taking a mixture of cement, sand and water and combining it with a foam made through the action of compressed air and a chemical foaming agent. The foam leaves a multitude of tiny non-interconnected air pockets within the concrete mix. One can control the density of the final cast concrete shape by controlling the amount of foam introduced in the mix.

Fence panels made by this technique typically have half the density of regular precast panels available on the market. Some panel styles weigh as little as 39 lb.For maximum strength, the posts used in conjunction with the panels are made from regular high strength concrete. These concrete fence systems are designed to meet wind speed ratings of 110 mph or more.

The lightweight panels make it possible for two people to install a 6′ tall concrete fence without the need for heavy equipment. Installation in confined or sensitive landscaped spaces is easy to accomplish. The lighter panels mean more product can be hauled on trucks resulting in less freight cost, less energy cost and less pollution. The sound absorbing qualities of CLC (versus sound reflecting qualities for regular concrete) result in quieter enclosed spaces.

Other applications for lightweight concrete fences and fence panels include siding, planters and enclosures. CLC represents a great opportunity for the do-it-yourself crowd to easily build long lasting concrete structures.

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Source by Neil Rock