With the new rollout of massive federal tax credits, state subsidiary programs and net metering, going solar makes sense. So, how do you pick an installer for your system?
As with any major part of your home, installation of a solar platform should be done by a professional. Many of the tax credit and rebate programs require professional installation and failure to do so can lead to the loss of the benefits. In short, there are practical and economic reasons to get it done right.
While a solar platform is necessarily a form of electrical generation, you shouldn’t assume every electrician knows how to install one. In truth, most do not. Instead, you can visit a site like solarcompanies.com to find businesses in your state, search on the web or simply pull out the phone book. In states such as California, installers are plentiful while other locations may require a bit of hunting.
Once you’ve located potential installers, make sure to ask some questions. Do not pick the lowest price or first one you find. Use your common sense and ask the same questions you would to any contractor installing something on your home.
The first question to ask is whether the installer has, in fact, installed systems before, how often and for how many years? You do not want a neophyte handling your installation. Installation experience is vital because certain elements of solar systems are very unique, particularly if you are tying into a grid system for a utility company. If you are tying in, make sure the installer has experience doing such installations, not just putting up solar panels.
The second question to ask is whether the installing company is licensed. Most solar installers will be required to have an electrician’s license. Contacting the state electrical board to ask about the installer is a wise move. For some state rebates, you may also have to use an installer that has a solar contractor specialty license. Again, the state electrical board should be able to help you out with this.
This may all sound a bit confusing, so let’s turn to the easiest method for finding installers. When in doubt, contact the manufacturer of your system. Many manufacturers have a list of approved installers. If not, they typically can make recommendations regarding various entities that handle the job for you.
About The Author
Rick Chapo is with http://www.solarcompanies.com - a directory of solar energy and solar power companies. Visit http://www.solarcompanies.com/articles to read more solar electricity articles.
Choosing a baby name is an important job, so make your children feel important by letting them help you name the new baby. After all, you’re not the only one who’s having a baby - your whole family is ! Use the process of naming the baby as an opportunity to get your other children involved in and excited about their new brother or sister, and make the process fun. Try a little humor, with wild list-making sessions that may eventually lead you to the perfect baby name that will fill that vacant space on your family tree.
Here are some of the points, both serious and silly, that you can encourage your children to consider when sifting through the thousands of possible baby names that are floating around out there. I’ve added a few sample names, from appropriate to absurd, to make your children laugh and enjoy the name choosing process, and to get your whole family thinking.
First of all, don’t choose a first name that is SO odd and unusual that, as your child grows up, his or her friends will endlessly make fun of it. Perhaps “Sassafras” or “Tintinabulation” are not the best name choices. On the other hand, you may not want a name that is SO common that every third child in the playground has it, too. Of course, what is “too common” changes every few years. When I was a child in the early 1960s, every other kid answered if someone called out “Bobby” or “Joey.”
You might also want to avoid a baby name that is so up-to-the-minute and trendy that it may sound ridiculous by the time your child hits kindergarten. I’d think twice before naming a baby “Megabyte” or “Bloggy.” Then again, if the name is VERY old fashioned, that can also lead to taunting by other children. How would you like to be in the third grade and be named “Horatio Cornelius” ? Other old fashioned names, though, such as Rachel and Sarah, never seem to go out of style.
Sometimes a name sounds really cute on a tiny baby, but inappropriate on a mature adult. Should anyone have to go through life as “Dimples” or “Pinky” or “Bitsy” ? Still, there are other names that may suit a serious bank executive, but sound too somber for a toddler - take “Harold Thaddeus” or “Mildred Hortense,” for instance. Shoot for some sort of middle ground between cutesy-pie babyish and dour fuddy-duddy.
You may also want to avoid names, or combinations of first and middle name, that have a very strong negative association with a particular person or event in history, like “John Wilkes” or “Lee Harvey.”
Consider the spelling of any baby name that you and your children like. Will it be so difficult to spell or to pronounce that your child will be condemned to a lifetime of seeing and hearing people mangle his or her name and having to endlessly correct them ? As a case in point, I might have been named “Ides” (pronounced “Ee-dess”) but, luckily for me, my parents dropped the idea for fear that I might wind up being called “Ides” (as in “Beware the Ides of March”).
After all of the “don’ts” I’ve mentioned, how about some “dos” for your kids to ponder. Maybe you’d like to name the baby in honor of a special relative, past or present, or a close friend of the family. Think about all the people in your life who’ve been dear to you. You may even choose to show respect for a famous person you really admire.
Another possibility is to celebrate your ethnic roots by choosing a current or traditional name that comes from your family’s cultural heritage, or some branch of it, if your lineage blends several different ethnic backgrounds.
How about naming the baby for a book or movie character that you and your children love ? Perhaps a little “Harry” or “Dorothy” is waiting to be born. (Possibly a tiny “Pinocchio” or “Thumbelina,” although those may be a bit extreme.)
The meanings of baby names are a popular element to consider. You could begin with a special meaning, like “beloved” or “gentle” or “courageous,” and then see what names stem from those words. Different languages and cultures can lead you to various name choices, all with the same specific meanings. If you want to avoid negative meanings, however, I suppose that “Picklepussia” would be out of the running.
You may want to use a particular letter of the alphabet as your starting point. If you’re expecting a baby girl you might, for example, list every girl’s name that you can think of that begins with the letter V - Valerie, Victoria, Veronica, Violet, and so forth. For a more novel approach, how about drawing from all the first names that contain six letters - Joseph, Daniel, Joshua… or seven - Matthew, Malcolm, William…
If you find a first name that you all like, consider its variant forms, too. For example, Christine might also lead you to Kirsten, Christina, Kristen, or Crystal. A potential baby Mary might wind up being named Miriam, Marion, Maryanne, Marie, Maria, Marilyn, or Marlene.
For any name that you all like, try it on for size and live with it for a while. If you name the baby Melissa, will she end up being called “Missy” or “Mel” ? Think of all the nicknames that any given name might spawn and be sure that you can live with the nicknames, as well as the full version of the name. Avoid inadvertently negative nickname-producing names. Don’t name the baby “Smellonius” if you don’t want him to be called “Smelly” by his schoolmates.
Once you’ve arrived at a short list of first names that you, your spouse and your children can all agree upon, look at each name within the context of the full name that it will be a part of. Find a first and middle name that suit and go nicely with each other, and with the sound of your last name. “Ernesto Casimir Jones” might not create the most pleasing effect and “Calliope Bathsheba Schmidt” may not quite roll off the tongue.
Test lots of combinations of your family’s favorite name choices until you hit upon the perfect one. Then be sure to examine the resulting set of initials. You don’t want to give your baby a beautiful and well thought out full name, only to later discover that the monogrammed handkerchiefs will read “P.I.G” or “Y.U.K.” or “D.U.M.” So avoid the likes of “Philip Ian Green” (alias “Pig”) or “Yelburton Uriah Keep” (commonly called “Yuck”) or “Doris Ursulla Martin” (a.k.a. “Dumb”).
If your favorite name passes that test, next imagine it as it will be used by different people on different occasions. Using John Q. Public as an example, let’s look at all of its forms: John Quincy Public, John Q. Public, John Public, J. Q. Public, Johnny P., J.Q.P., J.Q., and even “J.P. loves S.A.” carved on a tree. Explore every possibility for any inadvertent gaffs.
Picture your chosen name as it will appear in various real life situations: how will it look on a school register ? on a diploma ? on a resumé ? in the oval office ? What impression will it create ? Will it sound dignified ? snobbish ? flakey ? classy ? friendly ? pretentious ? dumb ? What would you like to shoot for - interesting and harmonious, but neither too weird nor too dull ?
Once you’ve found a combination of names that can pass muster and meet every criteria set forth, and that you’re all just crazy about, there’s one more factor to consider. How does this new name go with those of your other children ? Imagine shouting down the street to call your kids in for dinner, or listing your children’s names on a government form, or signing a holiday card. Do you really want that birthday card to your favorite aunt to read “Happy Birthday, Aunt Emma ! Love Terry, Jason and Tondaleo” ?
If you can jump over this final hurdle you’ve done it ! You’ve found the perfect baby name for that little someone who’s soon to be a part of your family, and your children will be more enthused about the baby’s arrival if they’ve helped you choose that name. It will truly be THEIR baby, too.
Make the process as lively and amusing as you can to get them into the spirit of it. For each point that I’ve mentioned, encourage your kids to draw up long lists of possibilities, including silly lists. Let them have fun and get all of their wildest name suggestions out of their systems, too. Create your own “name the baby” games, such as “What would we name the baby if we were Martians ?” “What if we’d lived 300 years ago ?” “What if the name had to end with the letter ‘a’ ?” Use your imagination, and your kids will be sure to use theirs, too. That perfect name is out there somewhere, you just need to find it.
Have fun !
Visit Barbara Freedman-DeVito’s website at http://www.childrensclothingbabyclothes.com for baby clothes, children’s clothing and gift items decorated with her colorful and amusing artwork for kids. Barbara is a professional storyteller, teacher and artist.
Glucosamine is readily produced in the human body and is necessary for the production of joint cartilage. As we age, producing enough glucosamine becomes more difficult and cartilage begins to detiorate causing stiffness and painful joints. When osteoarthritis is present, the supply of glucosamine is insufficient.
The addition of glucosamine chondroitin in supplement form can aid in stimulating cartilage repair. Glucosamine chondroitin is derived from processed shell of shrimp and crab. Glucosamine chondroitin can help your body repair its damaged or weakened cartilage by assisting your body’s own natural repair abilities.
Chondroitin sulfate is a glucosaminoglycan. It is the most abundant glucosaminoglycan in articular cartilage. Chondroitin sulfate occurs naturally in the body. As a component of various tissues in the body, including tendons, bone, intervertebral disk, cornea and heart valve, glucosamine chondroitin has many important functions. When manufactured for supplementation, Chondroitin sulfate is commonly obtained from cartilage extracts, mainly bovine.
Glucosamine chondroitin aids with manufacturing cartilage, which is the protein part of a fibrous substance that holds your joints together. Collagen is a component of the shock-absorbing cushion substance that covers the ends of body joints. Glucosamine chondroitin aids with water binding in the cartilage matrix.
Clinical reports show that glucosamine chondroitin is able to boost the production of cartilage and glucosamine chondroitin also protects them from further damage.Glucosamine chondroitin also helps with cartilage repair. Chondroitin sulfate acts by attracting fluid into proteoglycan molecule and thereby flushing nutrients into the body. This fluid has powerful shock-absorbing qualities.
Chondroitin sulfate performs a structural role in binding with the collagen fibrils present in articular cartilage. Glucosamine chondroitin inhibits the formation of fibrin thrombi.
Glucosamine chondroitin blocks cartilage destroying enzymes and glucosamine chondroitin also protects existing healthy cartilage. Enzymes that prevent the transport of important nutrients are also blocked by glucosamine chondroitin. Chondroitin sulfate and glucosamine chondroitin can work in combination to control damaging enzymes.
Patients taking glucosamine chondroitin supplements should notice improvements within 2-4 weeks. Studies show that glucosamine chondroitin possesses remarkable anti-inflammatory properties without side effects. This proven ability of Glucosamine chondroitin to repair and improve joint function in addition to providing relief from pain gives glucosamine chondroitin a significant advantage compared to conventional treatments.
Glucosamine chondroitin also provides relief for pain associated with athletic injuries to the joints. Osteoarthritis affects tens of millions of people and was until recently considered to be an irreversible process of joint destruction. Modern research suggests that damaged cartilage can be replaced by healthy new cartilage.
Treatment programs should focus on stopping cartilage breakdown as well as stimulating repair, which is a primary function of glucosamine chondroitin. Glucosamine chondroitin and chondroitin sulfate successfully aid with this treatment. Glucosamine chondroitin presents a powerful tool for prevention and repair. Modern medicine usually treats osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis with symptomatic relief in the form of painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs, unlike glucosamine chondroitin.
These can have undesirable side effects when used for long periods. Studies now reveal that glucosamine chondroitin and chondroitin sulfate play a healing role in the treatment of arthritis. As well as giving relief glucosamine chondroitin and chondroitin sulfate help to repair and rebuild damaged joints. Glucosamine chondroitin is necessary for the construction of connective tissue and collagen production is stimulated by chondroitin sulfate.
Copyright 2005 Health-Focus
More information on Glucosamine Chondroitin.
“I’ll show you who’s boss!” is what the sight of lion jewelry says — no, roars! In a crowded room, the people most likely to shine out and be the lives of the party may well be wearing lion jewelry. These people are take-charge, charismatic and naturally the stars of the show — much like the lion in their accessories.
This is because people who choose lion jewelry are often strong-willed and proud types. They are also quite often leaders, so don’t be surprised if your high-powered corporate boss happens to be sporting a solid-gold lion’s head ring or pendant! People who wear lion jewelry don’t just do it for show — well, all right, maybe mainly for show. But they also send a message out to the world, and that message is “I’m in control!”
The lion motif in jewelry is frequently associated with the Western zodiac sign Leo. As with rabbit jewelry, it might be reasonable to assume that people sporting the lion motif were born under this zodiac sign. The Leo is dominant, spontaneous, creative and extroverted. They are most comfortable in a position of command. Leos are fun and effective communicators. They are gifted with the unique ability to shine out and take charge in any occasion.
Even in private, Leos like to be fussed over and given full attention. All eyes on the king! The worst thing you can do to a Leo loved one is to wound his or her pride, to belittle his or her achievements.
Leos are idealistic and single-minded — when they are dedicated to a cause, you will know it! They are good at drawing people into their circles, a whirlwind schedule of alternating charity parties and outreach events are nothing to them. They are adventurous, but they are by no means sloppy. Leos are known to suddenly plan getaways like backpacking across Europe — and they will accomplish it, even on a surprisingly small budget!
Add an extra sparkle to your Leo’s eyes with a surprise gift of lion jewelry. Or treat yourself to a few choice bracelets and rings, and feed the lion within!
Sam Serio is an Internet Marketer, musician and a writer on the subject of jewelry and gemstones. For more information on jewelry and gemstones, we cordially invite you to visit http://www.morninglightjewelry.com to pick up your FREE copy of "How To Buy Jewelry And Gemstones Without Being Ripped Off." This concise, informative special report reveals almost everything you ever wanted to know about jewelry and gemstones, but were afraid to ask. Get your FREE report at http://www.morninglightjewelry.com.
How Exactly Do Septic Tanks Work?
by: Scott Leahy
A sewerage drain field and a septic tank make up a small scale sewage treatment system. A septic tank is basically a rectangular shaped underground receptacle for wastewater. It is watertight, made of concrete, and consists of tanks that are divided into chambers. The first chamber has twice the volume as the second and the majority of the organic solid matter, referred to as sludge, gets settled here. The second chamber further purifies the wastewater.
The septic tank collects wastewater from toilets, showers, sinks, etc. Due to the absence of a current the sludge quickly settles down to the tank floor. Anaerobic bacterial digestive activity on the sludge leads to the generation of methane and carbon dioxide; the sludge is stabilized and does not rot anymore. Particles of stabilized sludge stay settled, some may float to the top as scum.
A septic tank should be constructed such that there is maximum contact time with the microorganisms so as to enable swifter digestion of the sludge. This is achieved by placing the inlet, overflow, and outlet diagonal to each other and by making the streams flow in vertically placed pipes.
The semi-purified water moves to the second chamber via the overflows that are constructed such that the upward motion of water prevents larger particles from flowing into the second chamber. The feeding, digestion, and settlement of organic matter continues in the second chamber. The retention time in the second chamber is half that of the first chamber because of its size and the fact that the amount of organic matter to treat is less. The outlet is constructed in the diagonal corner to the overflow.
The treated wastewater is directed to a drain field, also known as a seepage field, where any impurities that still exist get decomposed naturally, the water is taken up by the plant root system or it may even become a part of the groundwater. The large sized drainage field is required if the soil is not very porous. A septic system can be made to work entirely by using gravitational forces; at some places, however, a pump may be required to overcome topographical limitations.
The rate of sludge generation in septic tanks is around 0.05 cubic yards every year for an individual. Septic tanks need to be emptied every few years so that there is enough reaction space for the microorganisms to attack the wastewater and for the sludge to settle.
The septic tank may be emptied every 5-7 years depending upon the amount of wastewater it processes. The tank is emptied using an exhauster truck manned by trained personnel. The sludge that is sucked into the exhauster truck is released into public waste water treatment plants, sanitary landfills, or sludge drying beds.
Properly digested sludge can be used as a natural fertilizer; this is possible only if no fresh wastewater is added to the tank for at least one week.
The design of the septic tank should be such that the wastewater always flows in its designated path and no short circuits in the water flow occur. T-pipe-connectors with inflow and outflow openings under the water level should be used for inlet, overflow, and outlet pipes. This prevents the floating scum from clogging the pipes. A grease trap should be provided for the wastewater inflow pipe.
About The Author
Scott Leahy recommends you visit The Laundry Alternative to learn about septic tanks. See http://www.laundry-alternative.com/ for more information.
Once the newness has worn off a little, you will realize that your baby grows very fast. So fast, in fact, that he may need new clothes on the average of every two months during the first year. The sizing of baby clothes just does not apply to most children. For example, my four month old is now wearing 6-12 month clothes. There is no way he will still be in 6-12 month clothes when he is a year old.
So, we are buying lots of clothes. Unless you know for sure that you are having more kids of the same gender, it does not make sense to drop a lot of cash on designer baby clothes. Sure, they are cute, but can you really afford to spend $25 on a pair of baby pants at Baby Gap when he will need new ones in a month? If you are like me, no, you can’t.
How do we make sure our little ones are stylish for less? We shop the sales. We never buy baby clothes at full price from a store like Baby Gap or Osh Kosh. We also go to outlet stores. Our favorite outlet for baby clothes is Carter’s.
Discount stores also have some good deals on things like one-pieces and baby play clothes that are going to be trashed anyway. You might even check garage sales and local thrift stores for gently used basics. Wash them in hot the first time if the thought of used baby clothes grosses you out. Look on Ebay for deals on special occasion clothing.
Finally, remember that everybody will think your baby is cute whether she is wearing K-Mart or Ralph Lauren baby clothes. The most important thing is to keep your baby safe, healthy, and loved. A happy baby is a beautiful baby!
It is amazing how many things you can learn about babies… Get more free information by visiting More Articles About Babies
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