Radiant Floor Heating With Pexheat.com

Whether you're a professional or do-it-yourself plumber, Pexheat.com can meet all of your needs. With their lowest price promise, they are seeing their inventory fly out the door.

Watts Radiant , a leader in the radiant heat industry and known for it's high quality, has a line of tubing at a greatly reduced cost. Pexheat.com's significantly reduced prices on other products including tubing, manifolds & fittings, water heaters, electric heating mats, pumps and controls, and many more plumbing products are a definite bonus in these difficult economic times.

Pexheat.com offers free radiant floor heating estimates (there is cost for their design and consulting service). To get started with your one-stop shopping radiant floor heating/plumbing project, complete their online "Estimate Request" form which will also give you a materials estimate. You'll also find answers and information on Pexheat.com's website including the history and advantages of radiant heating and you can download manuals provided by the manufacturers of the products they sell.

With Pexheat.com's lowest price promise and free ground shipping within the contiguous United States (by UPS or DHL) on orders over $200.00 (excluding subfloor panel products) you'll definitely want to get started on your project.

"Green Eggs" and Ham

The only green eggs that I knew about until recently, were in the story of "Green Eggs and Ham" by Dr. Seuss. Then I discovered a Big Green Egg. It's the most awesome smoker barbecue grill and it's large enough to cook a couple of meals at a time (even a 20 pound turkey). I normally don't get too excited about something that requires work, but this is the greatest thing I've come across in ages.

Apparently a lot of other people think so too. An annual "EGGtoberfest" is held. Last year's event was in Atlanta, Georgia. This year the event is going to be at the Big Green Egg Corporate Headquarters in Tucker, Georgia October 16th & 17th. Believe it or not, tickets for the "Saturday Event's and Cooks' Registration" are sold out; there's a limit of 1500 attendees for that event and a 500 person limit for Friday.(I saw an add for "tickets wanted" on Craig's List). It's such a overwhelming success each year that they don't allow walk-in registration. There's a meet and greet with catered food where EGGheads get to chat. During the day, food is available as dishes are cooked on site by cooks who have registered for the honor.

Here's a fast and easy Smoked Garlic Chicken Recipe for your Big Green Egg Grill (from Better Homes and Gardens). Soak wood chunks 1 hour before needed. Drain water. In the smoker, arrange preheated coals and drained wood according to manufacturer's directions.

10-12 wood chunks
(1) 6-7 pond chicken
1 lemon2 teaspoons dried parsley
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced

Rinse inside and outside of chicken. Pat dry. Shred enough lemon peal to make 2 teaspoons. For the rub combine lemon peel, parsley, salt, pepper and garlic. Cut the lemon in half and squeeze juice from 1/2 over the surface of the chicken. Use fingers to apply the chicken rub. Place the 2 lemon halves into the chicken. Tie legs to tail and twist wing tips under back.

Insert a meat thermometer into the center of the inside of the thigh muscle (don't let it touch the bone). Place chicken, breast side up, on a grill rack over a pan of water. Cover and smoke approximately 3 1/4 hours to 4 hours or until thermometer registers 180 degrees. Remove, let stand for 15 minutes. Then ENJOY!

my fascination with the outlaw JESSE JAMES

For years, I've had a fascination with the outlaw Jesse Woodson James (1847-1882). Was he the Robinhood some people claimed he was or was he a cold-blooded murderer and thief? (He didn't rob from the rich and give to the poor as it was rumored at the time. He lined his own pockets.)

I've visited his home in Kearney (Clay County) MO three times, his grave in the Mount Olive Cemetery (also in Kearney) twice, and the Clay County Saving Association in Liberty, MO which he robbed. It was the site of the first daylight armed bank robbery in peacetime. I also saw his home in St. Joseph, MO where Jesse was assassinated by Robert Ford who shot him in the back while he was either dusting or adjusting a picture frame. Ford wanted to collect the $5,000 reward offered by then Missouri Governor Thomas T. Crittenden.

Jesse and his brother Frank James were Confederate guerrillas during the Civil War. After the war, they became members of various gangs that robbed stagecoaches, banks and trains. Jesse was the most famous of the James-Younger gang who tried to rob a bank in Northville, Minnesota in Sept. 1876.

After Jesse was killed in 1882, he was buried on the family farm. Later, his body was removed to Mt. Olive Cemetery. Rumors surfaced that he was alive and living in the west under an assumed name. There was always a question over the years whether it was actually Jesse's body buried in Mt. Olive Cemetery in Kearney, MO. In 1995, Jesse's body was exhumed. It was found that the DNA of the body was consistent with the DNA of the relatives of Jesse James. The remains were re-interred once again, under the name "JESSE JAMES. "

Let Nature Do The Work

It's nice to know that I was before the times with the "green" movement. For years, I've recycled yard waste but did it the old fashion way by letting a pile of grass clippings, leaves and vegetable garden by-products etc. do their own thing in a large pile in the far corner of my backyard. It attracted bugs, insects and who knows what else and had a horrible smell while the pile was breaking down.

A couple of years ago, I started looking for a cleaner, more efficient way of composting (using decayed organic material to improve soil for growing crops). I discovered the Earthmaker Aerobic Composter which makes composting easier, less messy and more convenient. It's eco-friendly and is the latest thing in composting. There are fewer flies and greenhouse gases and the swiveling top door keeps animals out.

With the Earthmaker Composter, the breakdown of materials occurs twice as fast. It has 3 stages that can produce approximately 10 gallons of compost each month. By having 3 stages, the fresh waste, digesting waste and the maturing waste are kept separate. I found that using a small rake helps to move the composted material to the front so it can be scooped out with a shovel. But what I liked best about the Earthmaker Composter is that's it's easy to assemble (I like simple directions that are user friendly).

Composting and doing as much as you can for "green" are important things to do before more damage is done to the environment. Also, green is associated with luck (the 4 leaf clover and the Irish belief in "wearing of the green"), good health and nutrition associated with eating green vegetables and green, the color of US currency. Look into a low cost Earthmaker Composter and "GO GREEN"!!!

Eat Healthy With The Mediterranean Diet

I LOVE MEDITERRANEAN FOOD !! I've been to Greece twice and Morocco and Turkey one time each and have eaten some of the best food in the world in those places.

The British Medical Journal tracked 23,000 Greek adults. It was learned that eating a lot of fruits, vegetables, nuts and legumes (like beans and peas) had the greatest impact on longevity. Consuming small/moderate amounts of alcohol and meats also contributed to a longer lifespan. A high intake of cereal and seafood had little or no positive effect.

A study in the Archives of Neurology showed that the Mediterranean diet reduced people's risk of dementia and/or helped reduce it's progression.

An National ID? Is one neded?

Congress is considering a new plan called Pass ID that would require all American driver's licences to meet a set of national standards. Some say the card is necessary for national security. The idea arose after the 9/11 Commission called for a standard ID. Privacy advocates oppose the idea saying they'd give the government too much access to a citizen's private and personal information. States would be requires to keep copied of identifying documents like the ones used for travel.

The first plan, called Real ID was approved by Congress in 2005, but met resistance due to the $11 billion price tag. Some of the technical requirements have been eliminated and the new plan is winning support.

IS A NATIONAL ID A GOOD IDEA?

Do-It-Yourself Carport?

My husband and I should never have done any type of project together. We were married for 33 years and the "P" (project) word caused a few arguments. Neither one of use knew too much about various tools. The only thing we basically agreed on was the difference between a flat head screwdriver and a Phillip's screwdriver. It's like we were speaking a foreign language to each other when it came to reading installation and assembly directions.

Our first house didn't have a garage. We bravely decided to look into carports as an option to a garage. Well: the hunt began. We never knew there were so many styles, sizes, fabrics and so many options to choose from.

What style did we want? A single wide or a double wide carport? How tall did we want it? What style did we want: round, square, tube, roof with a peak etc. Our questions were endless and were looking for reliable answers. Of course, salesmen touted the values of the most expensive ones. While we kept looking to find the size and style we both agreed on, the question "Should we put it together ourselves?" reared it's ugly head. For awhile we actually tossed that question back and forth.

Wise couple that we were, we decided to leave the assembly and installation of the carport to the experts. We valued our marriage (and our sanity) too much to attempt this on our own. We really enjoyed the carport once it was up. It offered protection from the direct sun (I've since learned that this type of shade can lower the temperature 12-14 degrees) so that even it hot weather, the vehicles were cooler to get into than they would have been without the coverage. It helped against the snow too which helped make the winter months easier to tolerate. And the best decision of all was not to do it ourselves.

Elegant Wedding Invitations At A Low Price

Your wedding day is very special. There are many details that need to be worked out and dealt with before the ceremony takes place. You want quality in everything you do but you also want to be economical.

Low cost wedding invitations, done on high quality art paper from Japan and Italy, are available by ordering them through Rs2Guru. Orders need to be placed at least 4 months ahead of the wedding date to allow enough time for processing, production and shipping. You'll want to mail your invitations to your guests 8-10 weeks prior to your wedding.

If you want something extremely elegant, you can order hand drawn wedding invitations. If you're a more casual person, you can shop the "style collection" which includes destination, romance, classic and modern invitations. If you're an outdoor couple, you might be interested in the " scene collection" which includes ocean/beach, church and lawn invitations. You can also select from 14 movie themed wedding invitations. Invitations are also available by color.

If you're confused or unsure about what type or style of invitation you want, you can request 1-7 invitation samples for $3.00. You'll receive an invitation card, response card, reception card and blank envelope for each sample. This is a one time only request that will definitely help with your decision for wedding invitations.

Shipping is: free 48 hour UPS Express.

AchieveCard: an Easy Way To Carry Cash

This past January, while traveling in Italy, I was the victim of a pickpocket. My wallet was stolen while I was on a crowded bus. I vowed that I would never carry cash anymore as that's what the thieves want. They don't want credit cards as those require an ID in order to be useful. A prepaid MasterCard from AchieveCard would have made the theft useless to the thief. The card can be used anywhere that prepaid debit MasterCard is accepted and with the AchieveCard, I wouldn't have had to carry cash nor would I have been held responsible for charges on the card if it had been lost or stolen.

You can enroll quickly and easily for an AchieveCard. Complete the online application and you'll receive the card in approximately 7-10 business days. There is a one-time application/fulfillment fee. To use the card you'll need to load/put money on the card either through direct deposit ( which is great for either part or all of your paycheck) or do a cash load.

Use the prepaid debit card to economically pay your bills online. With the price increases in postal rates and money orders, this is an efficient, economical and convenient way to conduct business. Many people don't have checking accounts so this is the ideal and secure way to store your money. Each month, your first 3 electronic bill pay items are free.

With AchieveCard's prepaid debit card, you'll never overspend as you can't spend more than you have on the card. This is definitely a helpful budgeting tool. Find out more about prepaid debit cards and prepaid credit cards to help you through these difficult economic times.

Breast Cancer Survivors Can Lift Weights

For many years, breast cancer survivors have been getting bad advice according to an article by Marilynn Marchione of the Associated Press. For decades, doctors warned that lifting heavy objects like groceries or weights would cause arm swelling.

New research gathered in a federally funded study, shows that weight training helps prevent this problem. Dr. Eric Winer, breast cancer chief at the Dana-Farber Cancer Center in Boston, states that women who do lifting have had fewer arm problems because they had better muscle tone and increased bone strength.

More than 2.4 million Americans are breast cancer survivors and this study could make a big difference in their quality of life. Lifting weights, which boosts muscle mass and bone strength, was thought to be a bad idea for women prone to lymphedema (a build-up of fluids that causes painful swelling of the arms or hands).

In the study, half of the women were told not to change their exercise habits. The other half were given 90 minute weight-lifting classes twice a week for 13 weeks. Wearing custom-fitted compression garments on the affected arm, they gradually worked up to more challenging weights and repetitions. They continued the exercises on their own for an additional 39 weeks. Their arms were measured monthly. The weight-lifters reported fewer symptoms and greater strength that the non-weight lifters.

Christmas Is Just Around The Corner

It's hard to believe that Christmas is not far away. Children are starting to return to school, summer flowers are fading and the weeds continue to show me who's boss. Halloween decorations are beginning to pop up in stores and there are fabulous end-of-summer sales.

My 2 daughters are grown now with children of their own and my husband passed away several years ago but we had lots of holiday traditions when the girls were growing up. Decorating the inside and outside (always trying to beat the snow and really cold weather) of the house and buying the perfect Christmas tree. The girls especially liked putting up the nativity scene. It was always carefully wrapped and stored at the end of the previous holiday season and part of the fun before unwrapping each figurine was trying to figure out who or what each one was through the paper.

About 2-3 weeks before Christma, we would decorate the inside of the house. From a young age, my daughters did the nativity scene display. Each of the girls had their favorite people and animals that they liked to put into the scene so we ended up having 2 nativity sets. That way each girl could design theirs the way they wanted.

A week before Christmas , my husband and daughters would hunt for the perfect tree. They would go to tree farms and spend several hours looking for the ideal tree. Bad weather was never a deterrent for this hardy group.

The tradition of the nativity is now being carried out by my grandchildren who have the original sets my girls so lovingly set up year after year.

WEDDING INVITATIONS For Your Special Day

You've made the important decision to marry your special person. Now all the details have to be worked out. To help you lighten one of your tasks quickly, conveniently and economically, your wedding invitations can be ordered on-line from Valentine's Promise where you'll receive high quality design and printing. They carry an extremely large selection of wedding invitations that range from traditional to contemporary and come in an array of styles and colors. You can also order hand drawn invitations where you'll receive an email proof to approve.

The new Autumn 2009 collection of wedding invitations is now available and offers even more colorful styles for you to choose from. When you purchase any style of wedding invitations, you'll receive free response cards and printed outer and return envelopes. Personalizing your color and wording is also free.

PayPal and all major credit cards are accepted. Items are shipped free using UPS and FEDEX International Express. Be sure to allow enough time before your special date for ordering, processing and shipping.

What I Wouldn't Give For Dry Firewood

Last weekend, I did what I've done several times before ... I spent the weekend camping. I volunteer at an annual grief-support weekend sleep-over camp for children who have lost a loved one. It might be a parent, sibling, grandparent or another special person.

Now, those that know me always laugh when I tell them that my camping weekend has come around again because they know I like my creature comforts: toilets that flush, lights that turn on at the flick of a switch and a warm dry place to eat and sleep.

Well, it rained ALL weekend. Actually, it didn't only rain; it poured! Nothing was dry. The anticipated bonfire which could have been moved indoors to a huge fireplace, didn't take place as the wood was not stored in firewood racks. It was all out in the open and not covered. You could tell that some of the wood had been left out in the elements for a long period of time as it was starting to decay (can't imagine the number of bugs that might have been living in there). If the wood had been stored in a firewood rack and covered, the problem could have been avoided and an indoor bonfire could have been enjoyed by all.

Firewood racks make storage and cover-up very easy. You can get large ones or small ones and leave them uncovered until there is inclement weather. That way, you have really dry wood any time you want it. Leaving firewood out in the elements proved disastrous for this year's camp bonfire. Hopefully, next year will find that simple precautions have been taken.

MIRROR IMAGE

Sight Reading Piano Music Made Easy

Have you always wanted to play the piano but didn't know how get started? Have you been frustrated in the past with your inability to sight read music? Here's an easy way to learn sight reading. There is a piano course available on line that will help you find your inner musician.

Become a pro at sight reading by ordering "Mastering the Art of Piano Sight Reading". You'll learn how to read both the treble and base clef and how to count the rhythm of the piece of music while sight reading. You'll also learn how to count music with eighth and sixteenth notes and the best way to read a group of notes.

The sight reading course includes a 177 page manual, a computer CD ROM and a DVD. You'll be guided step by step on the right sight reading methods and get hundreds of exercises for the computer and in front of piano keys. This course is suitable for late beginners and early intermediate players.

Outdora FIRE PITS make memories

A beautiful sunset or a star- filled sky, your special person and hopefully a mosquito free night. What could be better than sharing this time together in front of your Outdora outdoor fire pit . Their large selection of wood burning fire pits offer different sizes, shapes and finishes.

There is a premier line of fire pit table bases in masonry, wrought iron or stainless steel. The granite or slate tops make clean up easy. Most of the tables can be outfitted with either gas or tumbled glass fire.

You can also take your fire with you when you travel. Another Outdora option to the fire pit is their fire rings. They are collapsible and are easy to assemble and disassemble. One of the models breaks into 5 pieces for easy transport and storage.

Several of the outdoor fire pits come equipped with wheels for easy and convenient mobility. Grilling options on some Outdora fire pits (and outdoor fireplaces) are also available with either a grill grate or rotisserie. For those of you who like to grill chicken, here's an easy marinade recipe:

1 teaspoon fresh ginger sliced fine
2 cloves of garlic sliced or crushed
1/4 cup each of lemon juice, olive oil and soy sauce
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 chopped green onion
Combine all ingredients and marinate chicken for at least 4 hours before grilling.

As always, fire safety is #1. With any fire or open flame, take precautions. Wood burning fires smell wonderful, the crackling sounds as the logs burn are delightful and the atmosphere around the fire is invigorating. But there are some things to keep in mind. Always use a spark screen to keep the sparks from escaping (be sure to have 10'-20' around the fire cleared of any fire hazards). Have a fire extinguisher or garden hose handy. Be sure to use either a fire poker or log grabber when adding or moving logs and never use lighter fluid to start the fire.

When you shop with Outdora, you know you will always receive excellent customer service, free ground shipping in the contiguous US and the highest quality products with the lowest price guarantee.

Wills vs Trusts

Usually one of the first questions asked after someone dies is if they had a will or not. That was the case in the recent death of Michael Jackson. The family produced a 5 page, 7 year old document transferring Jackson's estate into a family trust.

A will generally spells out a one-time distribution of assets, while a trust can stipulate that assets be distributed over a periods of time. With young children, a trust can give them their inheritance in installments such as birthdays, graduations etc.

In many states, including California, trusts are used in place of wills partly as a way to avoid court proceedings and keep financial matters private. Wills must be filed in probate court where they become public documents. Trusts are usually more complicated to set up than wills and may be more expensive to have them drawn up. With a trust, assets are transferred to the designated trustee upon your death. An executor carries out the contents of a will. A trustee does the same thing with the trust but usually for a longer period of time.

There are many questions related to death. One of the main ones is "What happens to the debts I leave behind?" Another one is "What are the benefits of setting up a trust?"

*** This post is for informational purposes only. An attorney should be consulted before any decisions are made concerning a person's final wishes. ***

Outdora LYNX GRILLS equal top quality

If you are a weekend backyard barbecuer or a gourmet chef, you will find all of your grilling needs met with top of the line outdoor Lynx Grills. Known as the "Rolls Royce of Grilling", Lynx Grills are made from superior quality stainless steel and offer unique and innovative features for a fully functioning outdoor kitchen. There is a complete line of gas grills and stainless barbecue grills as well as accessories.

Built-in Lynx Grills offer a variety of sizes and options. They start at 27" and increase to 54". The larger sizes include a Rotisserie and some have both a Rotisserie and ProSear. Freestanding Lynx Grills also start at 27" and go up to 54" and the larger sizes come with a Rotisserie and ProSear.

Many add-ons and accessories are available for your Lynx Grill. There are fuel conversion kits, cart mounting adaptor kits and mounting brackets and side burner conversion kits. Warming drawers and utility drawers (2 full standard or 2 extra large) and a 42" Convenience Center with Warming Drawer can be purchased. Access doors (hinged right or left) and 27", 30", 36" and 42" double access doors can be added on. Other outdoor components and appliances including a 24" refrigerator, 15" ice machine and 18" outdoor trash center can be combined with the grills. Sliding tank trays, insulated grill jackets and stainless steel griddle plates are other options as well as vented hoods and vinyl grill covers. Cocktail carts and a cocktail station top shelf with halogen light will really heighten the festive mood.

Outdora has free ground shipping within the contiguous United States. When you order on line, you'll receive a discount and if you call their showroom directly, you will get Outdora's lowest price. So "Happy Cooking" with Lynx Grills.

EXTRABUX: shop and earn $$$$

Shopping online with Extrabux.com allows you to save money while you're also earning money. With Extrabux you can get online shopping deals with coupons, discounts and offers (767 of them). You also get the convenience of comparison shopping while in the comfort of your own home.

It's easy to join. Just sign up a free account and indicate how you want to receive your cash back rebates (PayPal or through the mail). Browse through the list of stores (567 of them). Almost any service or product you're looking for can be found in one of the partner stores. Then click on the link to the store you're interested in. This takes you to the coupon/discount page. Now: "let the shopping begin".

After you've made your purchases, and the merchant has notified ExtraBux, you'll receive your rebate which will be shown in your "Account". This usually happens 2-3 days after the item has shipped.

EMERGENCY VEHICLE crashes

SHOULD EMERGENCY VEHICLES respond to calls at high rates of speed?
Do people always hear the sirens and see the flashing lights?
Do motorists pull out of the way in enough time?
Do motorists even try to get out of the way?
Is there anything that can be done to help fix the problems of motorist-emergency vehicle crashes?
What happens when there's an ambulance crash and they're transporting someone
Emergency vehicles traveling at high speeds is a serious problem with many questions and few answers.

DIRECT SATELLITE TV is a phone call away

Just in time for the new fall television season: Direct Satellite TV with many packages to select from. Choose from family packages starting as low as $29.99/month. There are also 31 premium movie channels available including HBO, Showtime and Starz and if you add "Super Fan", you can watch live games on your cell phone.

For your convenience, you can get a fast 15 second Direct TV quote by filling out the on-line form or by calling 1-866-931-9390 to speak with a representative. Another added convenience for the consumer is that service continues when you move.

Direct TV in New York is a top New York Satellite TV provider using advanced equipment and providing expert installation and customer service. You'll not only get installation (up to 4 rooms, free DVR and DIRECTTV satellite dish) with national channels, HBO and Showtime Unlimited but some local channels might also be available. Direct TV in Texas and Direct TV in other states have similar program packages that may also include local channels.

GIFT BASKET FAIR for every occasion

People like giving and receiving gift baskets and now there's a unique web site that's the first gift basket search engine. Gift Basket Fair will meet all of your gift giving needs in one place. It has an extensive data base of gift baskets from major online gift basket stores so that you don't have to spend time looking up individual sites and you can do comparison price shopping.

The site is very user friendly with a large selection to choose from. The gift baskets are divided into categories including: product type, type of basket (book, edible etc.) and occasions. There are also "recipient" specific categories for men, women and children.

Gift Basket Fair also features a "basket of the week" filled with delicious and mouth watering items. There are monthly clubs available for every taste (wine, cheese, coffee and more) where the recipient will receive your gift every month for 12 months.

The Reflection

The Reflection by Gloria Hemingway Johnson

When I look in the mirror, the woman I see
Is not the girl that lives within me.
The person I know is younger than that.
She's trim and attractive and not all that fat.
The person I see is mature and alive
Ambitious, flamboyant and has lots of drive.
She'd love to go dancing, be able to sing
wants this not to be winter but rather her spring
The lines on the face in the mirror I see
are just on the glass and not part of me.
The silver that shines in that lady's hair
on the person I know they just aren't there.
I'd give my eye teeth for the world to see
the pretty woman that lives inside me

Call2Abroad For Low Cost International Calls

If you're working or traveling in Europe, living there as a student or expat, or conducting business overseas and are looking for a way to talk on the telephone that is more convenient, will let your talk longer and is cheaper than other plans, then Call2Abroad is the telephone system that will meet all your needs. Whether you use a cell phone or a land line, you'll definitely want to find out more about their plans and the high quality they deliver.

Countries where calls can be made from are Belgium, Ireland, France, Spain, Germany and Italy, and the United States to anywhere in the world for as low as E0.04/min.

Once you've selected a plan, payment is easy. You can use PayPal (a highly secured way for a financial transaction) or any credit or debit card.

There is also an affiliate program 2Abroad that allows you to earn money by promoting their cheap international telephone calling plan/system on your website or blog. After you've joined, you'll be provided with banners and links. As with other sites, when someone clicks on a link of yours, they'll be directed to the 2Abroad website and you'll receive a commission for sales made.