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As a leather repair and restoration expert, I receive e-mails with photos from people all over the country and beyond. Sometimes they are seeking solutions for pretty dumb actions that have caused serious damage to their leather furniture. With 23 years experience inspecting leather furniture either on-site or in my leather restoration studio, I have also witnessed first-hand abuses and hear comments proving that idiocy is an occasional human phenomenon. Here is a list of my top ten dumbest in no specific order as any one can grab the top spot. Names are removed to protect their reputation.

1. I used my leather ottoman as an ironing board. The leather is totally shrunken and distorted. Can you help me?

2. I saw an article on the internet that said to use bleach to clean leather. It didn’t work so great. The leather is clean I guess, but it’s disintegrating on me. What can I do?

3. I steam cleaned my leather sofa with the upholstery attachment to my steam cleaner. The leather turned dark and seemed to have shrunk. Please help!!

4. I was practicing my golf swing and punched a hole in the back of my beautiful leather sofa. It was a 6 iron. Is this something you can fix?

5. I had a party and moved my love seat into my back yard. I had it too close to the barbecue. The whole back of my love seat got fried. What can I do?

6. My 3-year-old son got ink on my new leather cushion. After I disciplined him severely I tried to remove the ink with rubbing alcohol like it said to do on some web-site. The ink is still there but the leather color is gone. (The client brought the cushion in my shop. In this case, there was a hide scar on the leather and as is often the case, the scar tissue absorbed higher concentration of color making it darker than the surrounding leather, appearing to the client as an ink stripe. We restored the color to the alcohol afflicted area. The innocent child is still in therapy.)

7. Upon arrival to the client’s home to inspect for claimed defects in the leather of a huge new sectional, I noted a few dozen post-it notes scattered here and there on the leather. The client applied them to show all the “defects.” Upon examination of the first problem area, I pointed out that it was not a defect, rather a natural characteristic in the leather. She seemed confused. So I explained that the cow may have rubbed against barbed wire, causing the wound, and that it is fully healed hide scar and not a defect. She said; “What do you mean a cow?” I waved my arm toward the sectional and replied, “Ma’am you have a whole herd of cows here.” At which point she dropped to the floor, sobbing, “What have I done? What have I done?” Turns out she’s vegan and had no idea leather came from a cow. Opppps.

8. Asked to do a repair for transit damage in a client’s home, I arrived on site with my senior technician. The client is a prominent physician and was present upon arrival. He and his designer went off to another part of his house to discuss decor. With the assignment completed, I called him in and as he examined the repaired area, with a look of amazement exclaimed, “It’s gone. How did you do that?” Lightheartedly I said, “We use lasers.” He called out to his designer to see the repair. When she arrived, he said to her, “Look, the damage is gone. They use lasers to fix it.” I had to explain to the sheepish doctor that I was joking.

9. After carefully restoring a beautiful chair and ottoman in our Hayward shop, the client arrived in a pick-up truck to bring the pieces back to his home. He inspected the furniture and was delighted with the results. To prepare it for transit, we covered it in plastic and shrink-wrap as is our standard practice. The client and I loaded it into the back of his pick up I asked if he had rope to secure it. He assured me that he did. At which point my office phone rang. I turned back into my office to take the call. The client promptly left. On his way across the San Mateo Bridge, at 70 or so miles an hour, the unsecured furniture pretended to be a kite and silently lifted out of the bed of the truck, tumbling through the air like a wounded duck. Gravity took over. It flipped and turned and smashed and crashed. Road kill. 45 minutes later he was back in our shop with a severely damage piece including a broken frame. Cost to repair the damage exceeded the value of the piece. It remains in my shop as a relic and testament to the frailty of the human brain.

10. A client owns an auto detailing shop. His customer has a BMW with leather interior. The auto-detailer assigned the interior cleaning task to one of his grease monkey techs. Thinking it would be a fast and easy way to clean leather he grabbed his trusty engine degreaser and vigorously applied it to all leather components. Of course it pulled the color coat off, exposing the raw leather. (As an aside, here is a list of other chemicals that our clients were told by supposed experts would be proper for the cleaning of their leather — mayonnaise, acetone, milk, honey, baby oil, detergents of all types, saddle soap. )

Bonus award: Client called to say that he’s cleaned his sofa with 409. Upon full completion of the project he realized that 409 is far too aggressive and has severely distorted the color coating. He was shocked and was preparing to sue 409’s manufacturer. His reasoning for the suit was that there was no warning on the label not to use it on leather. When I pointed out to him that there was also no warning about using it on your face, he didn’t get the connection. Asked why he didn’t stop after he completed a section and noticed the damage, he explained that he thought when it fully dried it would return to normal. Duh!

The moral here is to think before you act and if in doubt at all, contact a qualified leather restoration professional for advice.

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Source by Kevin Gillan

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Over the past decade or so, manufactured homes (still commonly referred to as mobile homes) have become a great option for new homebuyers. Unlike the old shoddy mobile homes in trailer parks that people think of, manufactured homes now come as two-story homes or even town homes and include features like cathedral ceilings and fireplaces.

The basic configuration for manufactured homes, however, is still single wide or double wide. Single wide or single-section mobile homes are made of one main unit. The average single side manufactured home usually has about 1,100 square feet of living space while double wides average about 1,700 square feet. Needless to say, there are also larger manufactured homes, but single- and double-wides are still the most common sizes.

Manufactured homes do have their problems. According to Consumer Reports, single-section homes have more problems with floors, roofs, windows, and doors while multi-section home problems tend to be related to the joining of the sections.

In part the problems relate to the fact that the home is built in a factory and then transported to another location via flatbed truck. The motion involved can have a negative effect on the joints and connectors. However, manufacturers of quality homes do their best to correct any problems that may occur during transport.

Nowadays it may even be impossible to tell the difference between a mobile home and an on-site home unless you have seen it being built. The most common difference is that manufactured homes tend to have a lower roof slope because the home has to be moved under highway bridges.

On the other hand, the materials now used tend to be comparable to the quality of site-built homes and, other than roof slope, generally resemble “regular” homes. Indeed, if a manufactured home were not located in a “trailer park”, most people would be hard-pressed to tell the difference.

Nowadays more double-wides are sold than single-wides. In great part this is because the typical home buyer want more space, not less, and double-wides offer that at a price that is still far less expensive than a traditional home of the same size. Not only that, but zoning in many areas actually means that double-wide manufactured homes are the smallest size allowed.

As a homeowner, you should also know that double-wide manufactured homes tend to hold…or even increase…their value as compared to single-wide homes.

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Source by Milt Wapner

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Poetry has emotion, imagery, significance, beauty, dignity, rhythm, sometimes rhyme, a different arrangement which can include inversion, and concreteness in its images.

One way to attain the qualities so essential to making words poetic is through the use of poetry devices. We won’t begin to cover all the known poetic devices or terms. Rather we’ll discuss and use some of the more commonly known and used ones.

Below are the more commonly used poetic devices and terms. Hopefully, with the examples given, everyone can better understand some of the ways to make poetry, well, more poetic. The examples used are my own poetry and are copyrighted in my name.

Poetry devices (a major sampling):

alliteration: the repetition of a beginning sound.

Rain reigns roughly through the day.

Raging anger from the sky

Partners prattle of tormented tears

From clouds wondering why

Lightning tears their souls apart.

In the first two lines, the r sound is repeated. In the third line p starts two adjoining words.

allusion: a casual reference to someone or something in history or literature that creates a mental picture.

A Common Woman

No Helen of Troy she,

Taking the world by war,

But a woman in plain paper wrapped

With a heart of love untapped,

She waits, yearning for her destiny

Whether it be a he on a charger white

Or one riding behind a garbage truck.

Perhaps instead a room of students

Lurks in the shadows of her life

Needing her interest to be shown.

Yet other concerns may call

No, no Helen of Troy she,

But a woman set the world to tame

Wherever she may be.

Helen of Troy brings to mind a woman so beautiful that two countries went to war over her.

analogy: the comparison of two things by explaining one to show how it is similar to the other.

Day’s Journey

The day dawns as a journey.

First one leaves the station on a train,

Rushing past other places

Without a pause or stop,

Watching faces blur through the window,

No time to say goodbye.

On and on the train does speed

Until the line’s end one sees,

Another sunset down

Without any lasting memories.

The whole poem creates analogy, the comparison of a day and a train journey.

caesura: the pausing or stopping within a line of poetry caused by needed punctuation.

Living, breathing apathy

Saps energy, will, interest,

Leaving no desire to win.

All that’s left are ashes,

Cinders of what might have been.

The punctuation within the lines (in this case, all commas) are the caesura, not the punctuation at the ends of the lines.

enjambement: the continuation of thought from one line of poetry to the next without punctuation needed at the end of the previous line(s).

Looking through the eyes

Of wonder, of delight,

Children view their world

With trust, with hope

That only life will change.

Enjambement is found at the end of lines 1, 3, and 4 because punctuation was not needed in those places.

hyperbole: extreme exaggeration for effect.

Giants standing tall as mountains

Towering over midgets

Bring eyes above the common ground

To heights no longer small.

Arms of tree trunks wrap

In comfort gentle, softness

Unthought of due to size,

Yet welcomed in their strength.

Giants aren’t really tall as mountains, nor are arms tree trunks, but the use of the exaggeration helps create the image wanted.

metaphor: the comparison of two unlike things by saying one is the other.

Sunshine, hope aglow,

Streams from heaven’s store

Bringing smiles of warming grace

Which lighten heavy loads.

Clouds are ships in full sail

Racing across the sky-blue sea.

Wind fills the cotton canvas

Pushing them further away from me.

In the first stanza, sunshine is compared to hope while in the second, clouds are compared to ships.

metonymy: the substitution of a word for one with which it is closely associated.

Scandals peep from every window,

Hide behind each hedge,

Waiting to pounce on the unwary,

As the White House cringes in dismay.

White House is used in place of the President or the government, and readers understand what is meant without exactly who is being directly addressed.

onomatopoeia: the sound a thing makes

Roaring with the pain

Caused by flashing lightning strikes,

Thunders yells, “Booooom! Craaaashhhh! Yeow!”

Then mumbles, rumbling on its way.

Grrrr, the lion’s cry echoes

Through the jungle’s den

Causing creatures small

To scurry to their holes.

Roaring, rumbling, cry are not examples of onomatopoeia, but are verb forms. Boooom, craaaashhh, yeow, and grrrrr are examples of onomatapoeia.

oxymoron: the use of contradictory terms (together) for effect.

Freezing heat of hate

Surrounds the heart

Stalling, killing kindness,

Bringing destruction to the start.

Freezing and heat are contradictory, opposites, yet the two together create a mental image.

personification: the giving of human traits to non-human things incapable of having those traits.

Anger frowns and snarls,

Sending bolts of fire from darkest night

That bring no brilliance,

Rather only added blackness of sight.

Frowning and snarling are human traits that anger cannot experience; however using them as traits for anger creates the imagery needed.

simile: the comparison of two unlike things by saying one is like or as the other.

Sunshine, like hope aglow,

Streams from heaven’s sky

Bringing smiles of warming grace

On breeze whispers like a sigh.

Clouds are like ships in full sail

Racing across the sky-blue sea.

Wind fills the cotton canvas

Pushing them further away from me.

These two stanzas of poetry and those for metaphor are nearly identical. Both metaphor and simile are comparisons of unlike things, but metaphor states one thing is the other while simile says one is like the other, or as the other.

symbol: something which represents something else besides itself.

The dove, with olive branch in beak,

Glides over all the land

Searching for a place to light.

Storms of war linger on every hand,

Everywhere the hawk does fight.

The dove is a symbol of peace, and the hawk is a symbol of war. Using them in poetry gives an image without having to explain in detail.

Other terms:

elegy: a poem of lament (extreme sorrow, such as caused by death)

free verse: a poem without either a rhyme or a rhythm scheme, although rhyme may be used, just without a pattern.

blank verse: un-rhymed lines of iambic pentameter (ten syllables with all even numbered syllables accented)

imagery: the use of words to create a mental picture

mood: the emotional effect of a poem or a story

Understanding and using these devices and terms can help improve and strengthen poetry. Imagery is essential for vivid poetry, and devices help develop imagery.

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Source by Vivian Gilbert Zabel

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Have you ever thought about having a car salesman career? This could very well be the perfect time to become a professional auto salesman or auto saleswoman. The car manufacturers are making changes to the way they do business and they are holding the car dealers that represent their brand accountable for customer satisfaction. The auto makers, dealerships and the professional auto salesmen are making a conscious effort to change the less than desirable image of the car and truck salesman. An image that came from the past that is difficult to shake, but it continues to improve as the car salesman is becoming much more professional.

While the car business continues to improve so do the prospects for the person that is looking for a great career as a car salesman. Many people think you need to have the gift of gab or that you need to have an outgoing personality, but that really isn’t true. I know firsthand that a successful car salesman can be shy, introverted, outgoing or almost any personality type. A car sales career is not about your personality it is about adapting. There is no question that being a car sales person is not for everyone, but then there aren’t any universal careers.

You may not have considered a car salesman career as a possibility, but maybe you should. The life of a successful vehicle salesman can be loaded with benefits, fun and a very nice annual income. Many people talk about how bad the job of a automobile salesman is, but they are usually people that failed miserably at selling cars. People come and go in the auto business because they think all they have to do to sell cars is take people for test drives. Sorry, but that is not the case. There is more to selling cars for a living than driving around with car buyers.

A car salesman career can be a good choice for those people that aren’t cut out for college. In fact the hiring requirements for most automobile salesmen have nothing to do with going to college. A career as a car salesman is one career that does not require a college education and has the potential to earn six figures a year. Most car dealers would prefer car sales candidates that don’t have car sales experience so they don’t have to change their bad habits. The dealership will provide the car sales training needed to start you on your way to making a very nice auto salesman income.

The perks that go along with a car sales career can include a new vehicle demo, first crack at all fresh trade-ins, an unstructured workday and a chance to have some fun with your fellow car sales people. The most attractive benefit of a car sales career is the practically unlimited opportunity to make money. So if great money, fun and benefits are something that interests you consider a career as a car salesman.

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Source by Karl Beckham

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Most people think the Kama Sutra is just an ancient Indian sex which is partly true and we have covered these areas in other articles.

Here however we will look at what the book is famed for the best Kama Sutra sex positions.

Written thousands of years ago, the advice is still strangely appropriate in many ways to today’s society and the sex positions below have never gone out of date..

There are many sexual positions described in the chapter covering the sexual union between couples, but there are three positions which were emphasized and noted as being better than all the others.

These are known as the three secret positions.

Secret Position 1 – The Conch Shell and Crab

The woman is lying down on her back. The man raises her legs with her knees at 90 degrees to her upper body, and with her knees parted; the man will hook her feet over his thighs.

The man is on his knees, with his legs spread far apart (for stability) and he enters the woman in this way, his truck in perpendicular to the floor.

The man’s hands will rest on the woman’s breasts, fondling them, while he rocks her (no thrusting), causing an intense stimulation of her clitoris.

The position will drive the woman wild with pleasure, and fill her with love. The man finds this position intensely satisfying and soon arrives to an explosive orgasm and ejaculation.

Secret Position 2 – Man Vanquished

The man will sit using his arms to hold his body up, with his legs spread apart. He is totally passive, and the entire active roll is for the woman.

She mounts him sitting thus, putting her legs over his, and supporting herself by resting her hands on his shoulders.

The woman has three basic movements, the Samdamsha or the ‘Tongs’, the Bhramara or the Bee, and Prenkholita or the Swing.

o The tongs has the woman grasping the man’s penis in her vagina and not letting go. This requires a great deal of internal control from the woman.

o The bee has the woman swiveling her hips and encircling the man’s penis in a round movement.

o The swing has the woman swaying on the man’s body, as if she were on a see-saw.

Usually the woman will employ all three movements until her great moment comes for an orgasm of seismic capacity.

Secret Position 3 – Inverted Love

The man lies on his back, and the woman, mounts him, but with her head pointed towards his feet.

She is in a crawling position, on all fours, but penetrated by the man.

She rocks back and forth, and the man assists by powerful counter-thrusting as she eases back down on him.

This position stimulates a woman’s clitoris and g-spot with the woman guiding the movement to achieve maximum stimulation.

A simultaneous orgasm for the couple is assured, and one in which both finds love for the other.

The man also has a very stimulating view of the action and his own excitement is raised to new level of pleasure.

Here we have focused on the sex positions but there is much more to the Kama Sutra and any man should read this book

It is a guide for a man’s life, from his adolescence till old age, of which sex is only one element, so read more about the Kama Sutra and you can enhance your whole life not just your sex life.

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Source by Sacha Tarkovsky

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To make a go kart that corners on rails like a Porche, looks like a Ferrari and turns all your neighbor’s heads we need to back up the truck and go to the beginnings.

In short hand, there are five steps to making a simple frame. First of all the following steps are:

1. Engine And Passenger Layout
2. Drive Train System
3. Steering System
4. Brake System
5. Throttle System

Let’s get into it now….

1. Engine And Passenger Layout

First of all the assumption, whether this go-kart is made out of wood or is made out of steel is that you have some sort of layout in mind. Typically the engine is behind, and the person sits in front of the engine. A good safe layout is to have a seat protect the passenger from the engine.

So a structure of some sort is needed to hold the seat in place. You can use a seat off of a chair, but a more protective seat is a ½ piece of plywood angled back and supported. Covering the piece of wood is optional, but it is more comfortable with basically a piece of heavy cloth covering a cushion. The cloth is stapled typically into the board (on the backside).

The structure supporting the seat can be wood, or steel.

The frame work can be wood or steel as well. If using wood, use two by fours placed vertically, so that the strength of the wood is optimized.

If you are using steel for the frame, use a tubing that is at least .070 wall or thicker. The length of the frame is really dictated by how big the person is. Have a person sit comfortably in the leaned back position with a steering wheel in their hands. That is the person compartment. Measure this length.

Add the engine drive section and the person compartment lengths together and that is the length of the gokart. Cut your frame tubes (or tack tubes together) to this length. You will need at least two parallel lengths of tubing.

Space the tubes apart the width of the seat you made (20 inches is a good width).

Cut at least four (4) tubes to the 20 inch length. Lay all the pieces on the floor. Place the 20 inchers at the following locations: Engine Plate area, seat back section, seat forward section, front main bumper tube, and rear main bumper tube. (The bumper tubes can be wider than the frame by 12 inches (6 inches per side).)

Tack the tubes in place using a welder. If you do not have a welder, then you can fasten them together using plates and bolts. (Trust me, buy a $100 welder and save yourself wood chips and drill bits, busted knuckles and exasperation!)

What you have put together now is what I term a “flat-go kart.” You will soon find out that flat gokart frames are weak and require extra stiffening. You may want to put some struts into the system to bolster the frame design. Typically what I use is the seat back as reference. This works very well as an integral frame support, side seat holder, and engine protector.

2. Drive Train System

The next sequence is to place your engine and drive train system in place. At the same time put your seat in position to make sure the seat and engine are not hitting each other. Be sure to make the seat removable so that you can actually work on the engine system when needed.

When placing your engine typically a plate is needed to hold the engine onto the frame. Some designers use tubes with holes drilled in them for engine placement. I prefer the plate option, because it gives me greater options as far as engine choices in the future.

For example on the Phi-Alpha-10 and the Phi-Alpha-9 (go karts I designed) the engine plate served well in allowing me to use different engines, whether Briggs and Stratton, Tecumseh or even Honda. All engine types could be easily mounted just by drilling the holes in the motor mount plate.

Most go karts use a slot system to keep the chain tight. In other words, the engine is mounted not using holes but slots. That works, but honestly, drilling slots is intensive works and requires some patience and thought. So I prefer tensioning the chain, it works better on multiple fronts. (I can go on and on about engines, drive trains and such…but we have got to keep moving here…)

A word about drive systems: A live axle system is really the way to go. All you have to do is mount two bearing brackets and away you go. On a one wheel drive system, you need to have special rims that contain bearings, special drive sprockets that connect to the tires, and the axle if it gets bent, you have to cut it out of the frame and start over….so use a live axle…

But, that is not all true. You can get away with using old lawnmower wheels if they have bushings in them. They work great for acting as bearings. Grease snot out of the axel-hub interface and away you go. Be sure to retain the wheel with a cross bolt that is at least grade 5.

3. Steering System

So after having mounted the rear axle (with brake disc (or brake drum) and sprocket), and having placed the engine and chain system in place, proceed to mounting the front steering system.

Before we did some measurements of the person sitting in the comfortable position, make sure you remember the measurement (relative to the go kart frame) of the steering wheel. That is the target point for the steering wheel.

The actual position of the front wheels is a bit more involved though. You will need a scale. Place the scale first of all under the rear wheels. I typically use a board placed across the rear frame rails underneath the wheel area. Have someone sit in the go kart. (Be sure to a have the front wheels, steering wheel and steering structure on the go kart when you weigh it)

Now proceed to the front of the go kart and place the board in the general area that you want the steering system. Again weigh the go kart.

Take the two weights and add them together. That is the total weight. The front weight ideally should be with-in 5 to ten pounds of the rear weight. This is called 50/50 weight distribution. The more weight you have on the rear, the more the go kart will under-steer. Meaning, when you turn the wheel the go kart will tend to keep going straight. The more weight you have on the front wheels, the more the go kart will over steer. Most drivers are used to under-steer, it is easier to recover from.

But I digress…

Once you have placed the front wheels in place then fix the front steering system in place there. I typically use plates, so that I can move the steering system back or forward. So I weld mating plates on the frame and the steering system, then bolt them together.

For wood go karts, you can actually design a very stable wood go kart using the carriage style steering as long as the steering is supported an not aloud to twist.

A word on steering systems: You can purchase from the store steering assemblies that you tack onto tubes. These work real well, with one exception, they typically come in .750 inch diameter shafts, where most high speed bearings use .625 diameter shafts. The shafts may need replacement. Look for .625 shafts… Additionally, there are ways to make the steering more tractable and more user friendly, these involve geometric relationships such as camber, caster, Ackerman and so forth.

4. Brake System

Now that you have the steering system in position, you can button up the hole project by covering the bottom of the go kart. Sheet metal (like furnace guys use) is the best option. Buy some tech screws (the ones with drills on their ends) and zip through the sheet metal into the tubing. Once you have that in place, you don’t have to worry about your feet hitting the ground!

Now it is time to place the brake system. You notice we placed the brakes in place on the live axle, now the actual braking mechanism needs to be mounted to the frame work. You can either weld it, or bolt it to the frame. I prefer bolting, it is more forgiving and easier to repair.

A word on brake float: The brake system should float. What that means is that the disc either needs to be mounted freely on the shaft, or the brake caliper needs to float. If the neither is floating, you will get a binding, and prematurely worn out brakes, and fast! So keep that in mind. Something has to float, the disc or the brake caliper (1 of the 5!)

For your brakes it is important to have the brake off while driving. A good spring is needed to keep the pedal back when the brake is not being used.

On a wood go kart be sure to use the same thought into the brake system. A lot of force is going into the brake boards so be sure to account for this in the brake mechanism which usually involves force multiplier linkages.

5. Throttle System

This seems like the most inane or over looked system on the go kart. It shouldn’t be though. A good connection between the throttle and the pedal is needed and a good range of motion is needed too. Most pedals give you different holes to work with, allowing your several options in throttle actuation.

Again, like the brake, a good spring is needed. Do not use a spring on the carburetor, but use the spring in the pedal, or pedal system.

A word about throttles: most engines come with governors. It is a good idea to use the governor system, because it helps keep the engine at even speeds and from over revving.

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Source by Robert Gamble

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Do you suffer from allergies? Do you have red puffy eyes when you wake up in the morning… that feel like they are full of sand and so itchy that you want to claw out your eyeballs? No manner of scratching or rubbing will help… only make it worse. It drives you crazy! Then the runny nose starts… followed by a hacking cough and a sinus migraine headache that would stop a truck. My headaches would get so bad that I just wanted to die. I would go into my bedroom, shut out the lights, cover my face with the heating pad and pray it would ease some and eventually go away. No amount of sinus medication or allergy pills seemed to help. If anything, it intensified things.

Have you experienced some or all of these uncomfortable symptoms that made life just miserable? Trying to carry on a normal routine, looking after young children, doing my housework, going to my place of employment and trying to be civil to people in the workplace was almost impossible. I worked for a lawyer and trying to take dictation and type on the typewriter (before computers) was horrible. Every pound of the keys sent vibrations throughout my head that were horrific and I just wanted the workday to end so I could go home. But at home things were no better. Most of time it was only the passing of the hours that brought some relief. I just had to bear with it. Not a pleasant experience! Not something you want to see anyone else have to deal with. That is why I am writing this article, hoping it will help someone who is experiencing what I went through find some relief.

In starting my search for answers I found out something I did not know before and it changed the way I addressed my allergy concerns. The following is information that helped me get on track to finding solutions to my problems:

A. Deficiencies of the Immune System:

“When the immune system is deficient or does not function properly, it leaves the body susceptible to a wide array of illnesses. However, allergies and hypersensitivity to certain substances are considered immune system disorders.”

B. Allergies are Immune System Disorders:

“Allergies are disorders of the immune system. Most allergic reactions are a result of an immune system that responds to a “false alarm.” When a harmless substance such as dust, mold, or pollen is encountered by a person who is allergic to that substance, the immune system may react dramatically, by producing antibodies that “attack” the allergen (substances that produce allergic reactions). The result of an allergen entering a susceptible person’s body may include wheezing, itching, runny nose, and watery or itchy eyes, and other symptoms… ” Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons.

If you have allergies and enter a room where someone has doused themselves with perfume… how long does it take for your nose to let you know it does not like the scent? What about going to a friend’s house and their pet cat decides it prefers your lap to any other comfortable place in the room? Much more serious, what if you are allergic to bee stings or Peanuts… that could be life threatening. If you have an immune system disorder all the foregoing are concerns you must be aware of. Allergies can also trigger asthma attacks which can be very serious, even life threatening.

Due to major surgery that depleted my immune system, I developed not only allergies… but an asthmatic condition that was so severe that I was taken to the hospital on several occasions for emergency treatment. I was constantly fighting off allergy attacks and lived in fear of another asthma attack that would send me back to the hospital. After going to an Allergist and Asthma specialist, only to find out that my condition was chronic and would not improve but only get worse over time… I decided to look to alternative treatments and supplements that might help alleviate my condition.

An Answer At Last!

It was not until I clued into the fact that Allergies are caused by Immune disorders did the “light bulb” come on. Neither my doctor nor the specialists I went to provided me with this information. If they had done so, it would have helped me tremendously in my search for a solution. Either they did not know or felt the information would be beyond my comprehension, I am not sure… but without that information, I would still be suffering today from this problem.

A friend of mine gave me a sample of coffee with an herb in it that had an immediate effect on my immune system’s allergy symptoms. At first, I could not understand why one cup of this coffee, with this particular herb, could all of a sudden take away my sinus headache. This herb is called the Red Reishi Mushroom. I started doing some research and this is what I found.

There have been many studies on the effects of Reishi on the immune system, including its Anti-Allergic/Anti-Inflammatory Actions.

During the 1970s and 1980s, Reishi’s anti-allergy action became the subject of ongoing research in both China and Japan. Studies showed that Reishi inhibited all four types of allergic reactions, with positive effects on asthma and contact dermatitis. Depression can also be caused by food allergies. Research shows Reishi’s dramatic help in clearing food allergies. Reishi revitalizes the blood and helps normalize IgG, an immunoglobulin responsible for triggering many food allergies.

Just What is Ganoderma Lucidum Anyway?

The Red Reishi also known as Ganoderma Lucidum, is primarily grown in the Orient. Those who study the Reishi for it’s medicinal purposes are amazed at it versatility in working with the human body. It’s adaptogenic properties make it the most powerful herb on the planet… giving it the status of the “King of Herbs” in China. Natural foods like the Reishi exist in nature for a reason, they provide us with the help we need to keep our bodies finetuned, providing antioxidants and nutrients that our diet does not provide. The Orientals practice preventative medicine and the Reishi is on top of their list in the prevention of disease. Do you think we maybe could take a lesson from them?

How Does Ganoderma Work?

I needed to know more about how this amazing herb could be so effective. I did more research and found the answer… I found out that the Reishi supports and builds up the Immune system. It has so many properties that I decided to continue my growth of knowledge about this amazing herb. I have been able to reach many, many people, who after trying this herb, have found it has the ability to provide solutions to their many health concerns. I am in awe of this miraculous mushroom called the Red Reishi and my continual research has increased my appreciation of what nature can provide us and I will continue to pass on this valuable information to everyone who wants to benefit from my findings.

“Life is a precious gift from God. Although fragile, it demands our continual nurturing and should never be taken for granted.” Java Joan Maxymuik.

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Information provided on our email or company web site and on all publications, packaging, and labels is for general purposes only and designed to help you make informed decisions about your health. It is not intended to substitute advice from your physician or health- care professional.

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Source by Joan Maxymuik

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As in most things, the more you know and the more you can do, the more you make.

A welder without a welding machine on his trailer or truck is called “single hand.” A welder with a welding rig is a rig welder. A combination welder or “combo welder” is a pipe welder who is certified 6G in stick and TIG.

Pipe welders with their own rigs are making up to $12,000 a month in North Dakota.

If a rig pipe welder is selling himself and his machine, what is he getting per hour? Somewhere from $70 an hour to $100 an hour. If that same pipe welder has to use an employer’s welder, he’ll be making from $30 to $50 an hour.

Another pay factor which is part of the total equation is per diem – money for staying on or near the job, far from home. Still another factor that makes up the big numbers is the amount of hours worked. A welder can be on a job working twelve hours a day, seven days a week, for as much as sixty days straight.

What you need to be valuable to an employer starts with your welding skill.

Rig or no rig, you’ll never get hired or stay hired unless you can pass a code welding test for the company that puts you to work. There’s a “Catch 22” here. (FYI, if you don’t know what a Catch 22 is, rent or stream the movie). They will NOT invite you to test to weld pipe for them unless you have first certified as a 6G pipe welder somewhere else. What this means:

You’re going to have to get your first 6G welding certification on your own, somewhere.

If you’re a good welder now, and you think you can pass a 6G test, you can normally find a Certified Welding Inspector – a CWI (under the American Welding Society – AWS) at one of the junior colleges who’ll certify you for $300 to $600. Now, you can look for pipe job, but it isn’t over yet.

If you are invited to take a weld test for a pipeline company or an oil rig outfit, and you pass, they still won’t let you weld pipe if you have never field welded pipe before. They will put you on as a helper to a pipe welder. With any luck, that pipe welder will slowly work you in to welding pipe. Once it is evident that you’re not going to be blowing joints, they’ll let you weld fulltime.

WARNING:

Pipe schools are full. Your best bet is to get a good school welding book, and follow that to set up to practice pipe joints at home. You’ll save a ton of time and money. You’ll get more practice in then you would at pipe school.

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Source by Scott R. Linden

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There are many causes of accidents on a construction site. Many are often attributed to some form of negligence and may involve unsafe work areas, misuse of tools and equipment, and failure to use protective equipment. The following discusses the nine most common examples of construction site accidents.

1. Unsafe Working Areas – Injuries due to slip and falls are among the most common on a construction site. Unsafe conditions include uncovered holes or trenches and exposed stakes and rebars (which implement hazards to those working or walking above them).
2. Falling Hazards – A common injury that occurs when a worker near an open-sided floor focusing on his work, steps backwards or to the side without looking. Another falling hazard occurs on stairwells with no guardrails. In this kind of accident, workers frequently land on their heads or shoulders.
3. Misuse of Stepladders – This is one of the leading causes of injury and long-term disability in Washington. An injury can occur when a worker falls from a tipped-over stepladder. Another accident that can occur with stepladders is when tools are left on the top platform. When someone moves the ladder, the tools fall on someone’s head. Using household ladders on a construction site can also lead to accidents, as these types of ladders cannot take the weight and stress of a construction worker with tools.
4. Roof Construction Falls – The number one cause of death in construction occurs where no fall protection is provided. Falls can occur when anchors (designed to provide fall arrest with an attached lifeline) are not properly attached or more than one lifeline is on a single anchor.
5. Scaffolding Problems Washington State regulations mandate that a “competent person” must supervise erecting scaffolds. This is someone capable of identifying hazards and who has the authority to take prompt corrective measures. Despite these regulations, scaffolding accidents still occur through unsafe access to scaffolds and tools and other materials falling off scaffolding and injuring workers.
6. Collapsed Excavation Walls and Trenches – In the state of Washington, collapsed excavation walls or trenches kill an average of two workers each year. The weight of soil (2000-3000 pounds per yard) prevents a trapped worker from breathing, leading to death within minutes.
7. Power Tool Accidents – These accidents are frequently caused by not using appropriate eye and ear protection. Nail gun injuries have increased each year making eye injuries quite common. It’s not surprising given that a nail comes out of the gun with the equivalent force of a .22 caliber bullet. Also, not having proper guards in place on the power tools can lead to cuts and amputations.
8. Lifting/Body Straining – The number one cause of injuries, disability claims and medical costs in construction are soft tissue injuries-strains, sprains and chronic injuries. These are a result of lifting with the back instead of using the legs and not using panel lifters when carrying sheets of drywall, plywood, or siding.
9. Vehicle Accidents – Forklift accidents are responsible for workers’ deaths each year in Washington. A common accident occurs when turning or maneuvering the forklift with the load raised. Another dangerous construction site vehicle is the dump truck. A frequent accident involves the dump truck backing up and hitting a pedestrian.

As you can see, a construction site can be quite dangerous. However, many of these accidents can be avoided through common sense and protective measures. Prevention begins with adequate awareness and a properly maintained working environment that is safe and secure.

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Source by Kirk Bernard

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Let’s face it; we have all seen some amazing looking four wheel drives on the road. Whether it’s just a large lift kit, huge tires or a driveline that is painted a different color, there are many things that you can do to make your four wheel drive look good. For starters though, make sure you investigate the legalities of changing anything on your car. Doing modifications which are not engineer approved will get you in serious trouble, and you void your insurance.

However, a small lift kit, some slightly larger tires, a rear bar and bull bar will all make a huge difference to the looks of your car. Fitting some spotlights in legal positions will also improve the night vision and looks of your car. Other modifications that make a four wheel drive look good are alloy rims (although they are not always the best in terms of strength and they cost a lot!), snorkel, winch and turbo kits.

Keeping your car clean is another way to make your vehicle look good. Cars that are left dirty or muddy are likely to endeavor terrible paint work later on. Most mud has just as much salt in it as beach sand, which will wreck your paint work in no time at all. I find that mud terrain tires make your vehicle look the best, although these are not always very practical on the road! Roof racks are not only practical but they look quite good, as well as a roof top tent, rear drawer set, UHF radio inside, center console, differential locks, shackles and the list goes on and on!

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Source by Aaron Schubert