Copyright 2005 Ron King. This article may be reprinted if the resource box is left intact.
Modern bathroom vanities and medicine cabinets come in a huge variety of styles and finishes, from the simulated antique look to sleek modern designs. Your choice of vanity unit and storage cabinet can have a big influence over the look and feel of your bathroom, so it’s worth putting some thought into your decision to make sure you get it right. Think about the theme of your decor, as well as the layout of your bathroom. The positioning of your bathroom cabinets and vanity set plays an important role in the overall appearance of the whole room.
A well designed bathroom sink vanity can be adapted to store all sorts of items to help you keep your counter tops neat and tidy. You could have partitions in the drawers for small things such as makeup, with shelving for larger toiletries, and perhaps a pull out trash can to save space. Door racks for holding hair dryers or electric shavers are another useful feature of many contemporary vanity units. Similarly, bathroom medicine cabinets can hold all kinds of accessories, from towels to toothpaste. They can rest on the floor or be wall mounted or situated in a corner, depending on the best use of the space available.
Bathroom sinks can be made from a number of materials, from traditional porcelain to rustic looking stone or fashionable glass. Vanity tops can be custom made from your choice of material, including polished marble and granite. As well as choosing whether to have a furniture style vanity with legs or a block cabinet design, you can select all kinds of finishes, from unfinished wood to glazed maple or distressed paint. Attention to details such as your bathroom cabinet hardware can make all the difference to the end result. Try to find hinges and handles that match to the style and finish of your bathroom fixtures, such as your faucets.
Vanity units and cabinets are relatively easy to install and can work wonders at transforming an outdated bathroom. Vanities and cabinets for bathrooms are available in loads of different designs and can be the icing on the cake when remodeling your bathroom.
About The Author
Caroline Smith is a successful freelance writer who has written many articles for http://www.showers-bathrooms.com -The experts when it comes to choosing bathroom vanities, shower curtains, shower enclosures and other bathroom accessories.
7 Factors Needed for a Compost Pile
by: James Ellison
Compost, made from decomposed grass clippings, leaves, twigs, and branches, becomes a dark, crumbly mixture of organic matter.
Learn how composting works. Even a newbie to composting can make good quality compost. It can be compared to cooking as art or part science. The following 7 factors will help you master the art of composting.
1. Materials
After a time anything that was once alive will naturally decompose. But, not all organic items should be composted for the home. To prepare compost, organic material, microorganisms, air, water, and a small amount of nitrogen are needed.
These items are safe to compost at home:
- grass clippings
- trimmings from hedges
- vegetable scraps
- leaves
- potting soil that has grown old
- twigs
- coffee filters with coffee grounds
- tea bags
- weeds that have not went to seed
- plant stalks
These items are Not safe to compost at home:
- weeds that have went to seed
- dead animals
- pet feces
- bread and grains
- meat
- grease
- cooking oil
- oily foods
- diseased plants
2. What To Do To Make It Work
There are small forms of plant and animal life which break down the organic material. This life is called microorganisms. From a minute amount of garden soil or manure comes plenty of microorganisms.
Nitrogen, air, and water will provide a favorable environment for the microorganisms to make the compost. Air circulation and water will keep the microorganisms healthy and working. The nitrogen feeds the tiny organisms. You may have to add a small amount of nitrogen to the pile.
Putting on too much nitrogen can kill microbes and too much water causes insufficient air in the pile. You just cannot add too much air.
3. Beneficial Microorganisms
Bacteria are the most effective compost makers in your compost pile. They are the first to break down plant tissue. Then comes the fungi and protozoans to help with the process. The arthropodes, like centipedes, beetles, millipedes and worms, bring in the finishing touches to complete the composting.
4. Smaller is Better
The materials will break down faster if the microorganisms have more surface area to eat. Chopping your garden materials with a chipper, shredder, or lawnmower will help them decompose faster.
5. Size of The Pile
The activity of millions of microorganisms generates heat in the compost pile but a minimum size 3-foot by 3-foot by 3-foot is needed for a hot, fast composting pile. Piles that are any larger may hamper the air supply needed in the pile for the microorganisms.
6. Moisture and Aeration
If you can imagine a wet squeezed out sponge with its many air pockets, then this would be the ideal enviroment for the microorganisms in the pile to function at their best. Pay attention while your pile is composting, to the amount of rain or a drought you may have. Water in a drought and maybe turn the pile in a lot of rainy days. The extremes of these two may upset the balance of the pile. The use of a pitchfork would come in handy at this time.
7. Temperature and Time
Keep your pile between 110F and 160F and the beneficial bacteria will love it. Not too cool nor too hot. The temperature will rise over several days if you keep a good ratio of carbon and nitrogen, maintain lots of surface area within a large volume of material, and maintain adequate moisture and aeration.
-Importance of Compost-
- Compost has nutrients, but it is not a complete fertilizer.
- Compost provides nutrients in the soil until plants need to use them.
- It loosens and aerates clay soils
- Retains water in sandy soils.
-Using the Compost-
- A soil amendment, mix 2 to 5 inches of compost into gardens each year before planting.
- A potting mixture, add one part compost to two parts potting soil.
- Make your own potting mixture by using equal parts of compost and sand or perlite.
- A mulch, prodcast 2 to 4 inches of compost around annual flowers and vegetables, and up to 5 inches around your trees and shrubs.
- A top dressing, mix finely sifted compost with sand and sprinkle evenly over lawns.
The final thing I would suggest once you have mastered the art of composting is to look very seriously at making your very own aerated compost tea. This elixir will give you results that are hard to believe.
About The Author
James Ellison makes it easy for you to understand making a compost pile correctly. If you need to know more about organic gardening visit: http://www.basic-info-4-organic-fertilizers.com
Katrina Hurricane Issue - How Prepared Are You?
by: Samir Jhaveri
Recently, I have been watching the news about Hurricane Katrina and I am sure you have probably been watching, too. My heart goes out to these people and I pray they get the assistance they need as fast as humanly possible. Although we do not have control over natural calamities like tornados, floods, earthquakes, hurricanes, landslides, etc, don’t you think that we can at least prepare ourselves in some way so that when such a thing occurs, we can take some necessary measures? Is there some way whereby we can reduce the damage to some extent, or maybe ensure that we have prepared ourselves?
Actually, there are lots of things that we can do to ensure that we are safe to some extent, till some real help arrives. I have prepared an ebook from various public domain resources which will take you by the hand and teach you exactly how to go about it. I am not selling this ebook, it is free to download - my due diligence to the society at large. To download the ebook, please visit this link: http://dealz.in/protect-free.htm
I have also observed that many people are selling such information. Please do not buy any such ebook! My free ebook contains much more no-fluff information than those paid ones. Some people are also selling stuff and claiming that if we buy from them, they will donate. What rubbish! I am certainly not going to buy anyone’s stuff and HOPE that my money goes to these people. Think about it - it first has to go to this person and then they have to take out their supposed costs and then, MAYBE, they’ll forward the money to a charitable organization. No way! If you want to buy a product, then buy a product. If you want to donate, then donate directly to the source. You don’t have to buy a product in order to donate your money to worthy charity or organization. Just do it! The affected people are devastated, they lost their jobs, their homes, some lost their loved one’s lives, or maybe even their own life due to this major catastrophe. How dare these people try to profit from this disaster!
If you wish to contribute, please visit these links and donate directly:
FEMA - http://www.fema.gov
Red Cross - http://www.redcross.org
If you value your life and your loved ones, you owe it to yourself to get this ebook and also distribute it to your friends and associates. You also need to read it thoroughly and follow all the steps indicated in the ebook. Originally, this ebook was prepared to protect yourself from crime. But as an afterthought, I decided to add this information that I have collected for disaster preparedness.
Details of what this ebook contains:
Crime Section:
- Protect your home.
- Protect your home from intruders.
- Protect your home while away.
- Burglar proof your doors.
- Burglar proof your windows.
- Buying an alarm system.
- Reduce crime in your area.
- Protect yourself in the city.
- Protect your valuables from theft.
- Protect yourself when traveling.
- Protect yourself from purse snatchers.
- Protect yourself from robbery.
- Protect yourself from pickpockets.
- Protect yourself against sexual assaults.
- Protect your cars, bikes (vehicles).
- Shoplifting - how it hurts everyone!
- Protect yourself online!
- Bonus Section.
- Help for crime victims.
- Help when in an accident.
- Help avoiding tickets.
- Help avoid being arrested.
- Frauds and Con games.
- Getting the most out of the police.
- Additional Internet Links and Resources.
Disaster Preparedness Section:
- Four Steps to Safety
- Find Out What Could Happen to You
- Create a Disaster Plan
- Complete This Checklist
- Practice and Maintain Your Plan
- Your Disaster Preparedness Kit
- Children & Disasters
- Children and Their Response to Disaster
- Advice to Parents
- Special Needs Section People with Disabilities and Senior’s
- Introduction
- Understanding Disasters
- Know the difference between a “watch” and a “warning”
- Know what your environment is likely to look like after the disaster
- Know some other effects of a disaster
- Know how disaster-related stress may affect your disability
- Know how a disaster may affect your independence
- Know how to reduce the impact of a disaster on you
- Creating a Personal Support Network
- Completing a Personal Assessment
- Personal Care
- Personal Disaster Preparation
- Emergency Information List
- Medical Information List
- Date Completed
- Disaster Supplies
- Basic Disaster Supplies Kit
- Disaster Supplies for Your Car
- Service Animal and Pet Supplies
- Power-Dependent Equipment
- Additional Information on Equipment and Supplies
- Storing Supplies
- Date Completed
- Making Your Home or Office Safer
- Glossary
- Considerations for Pets and Pet Owners
- Have a Safe Place To Take Your Pets
- Assemble a Portable Pet Disaster Supplies Kit
- Know What To Do As a Disaster Approaches
Once again, the link to download the ebook is: http://dealz.in/protect-free.htm
Feel free to forward this article to all your friends and associates. They will thank you all their life for giving them such a wonderful resource.
To your safety,
Samir Jhaveri
http://dealz.in
About The Author
Samir Jhaveri is in the business of ebooks and softwares. He is in the process of launching a new website called Dealz.in where you can get the hottest dealz on the internet (for pennies on the dollar), for digital downloadable products. For further details, please visit http://dealz.in.
Free Satellite TV — Is It Really Free?
by: Brian Stevens
You’ve seen the online and offline ads — “Free satellite TV!” “Get a 4-room Satellite TV System Free!” and “Satellite TV Dish and Receivers Absolutely Free!”
But is satellite TV really free?
The answer to that question is yes … and no.
Yes, the equipment you get — the satellite TV dish and satellite TV receiver — is free. But no, the programming service will cost you money.
Let’s examine the facts.
Due to the demise of Pegasus and Voom, there are only two major satellite TV providers in the USA — Dish Network and DirecTV.
Dish Network Satellite TV Service
When you order a free satellite TV system from Dish Network, you will be asked to pay a $49.99 activation fee. This fee will be credited to your programming bill, so in essence, your satellite TV system is free. Installation of your satellite TV system is also free.
With Dish Network you have the option to upgrade to a DVR (digital video recording) receiver, or an HDTV (high definition TV) receiver at no charge.
Dish Network programming starts at $31.99 per month for 60 program channels, and goes up to $86.00 for 230 channels including Showtime, Starz!, HBO, Cinemax, and Sirius radio.
Dish Network offers more movies, shows, and HDTV than cable or DirecTV, and with one of their free DVR receivers you can record, pause, and fast forward live TV with a click of your remote. All Dish Network programs are broadcast in digital format for crystal-clear picture and sound.
DirecTV Satellite TV Service
Depending on your credit rating, when you order a free satellite TV system from DirecTV you may be required to pay a deposit or prepayment. Because the deposit is refunded to you and the prepayment goes toward your programming fees, the DirecTV satellite dish and receivers are free. Installation is also free.
If you want a DVR receiver you will be charged an additional $49.99. The charge for HDTV receivers is $299.99.
DirecTV programming packages start at $41.99 per month for 115 channels (including 31 music channels), and go up to $93.99 per month for 185 program channels, including Showtime, Starz!, HBO, Cinemax, and 31 music channels.
DirecTV offers more sports programs than you can get with cable or Dish Network, including the popular NFL Sunday Ticket, and is broadcast in all-digital format.
The Bottom Line
Both Dish Network and DirecTV’s basic satellite TV dishes and receivers are free … but the service will cost you anywhere from $32 to $94 a month.
So if you watch just a few television programs a week and have access to over-the-air TV, or if you have cable TV and are happy with your service, then satellite TV probably isn’t for you.
If, on the other hand, TV is one of your primary forms of entertainment and you want the biggest variety of shows, movies, sports, and new — or if your cable bill is beginning to equal your mortgage payment — then satellite TV may be just the ticket.
About The Author
Brian Stevens is a professional freelance writer and webmaster who has written extensively on free satellite TV systems. For more information on free satellite TV systems and service go to http://www.TheSatelliteTVGuide.com.
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