Author Archives: Christine

Do you dumpster dive?

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Have you ever heard the term dumpster diving?  It is a hobby many young people are getting into nowadays. Is it because of economic hardship ? Or are people just throwing out things that are still in good shape?   Either way it takes a determined person to climb into a roll off dumpster and search for valuable items.  It is something that I don’t think I could do. I mean I have friends that have found some great items for their homes. But, I don’t know if I would risk all the germs and nastyness that is involved in dumpster diving.

I always wonder what the dumpster services think about people picking out trash from their dumpsters.  Most people do not think anything of it because possession was lost the moment the owner disgarded the item. However, if the dumpster is owned by another does the trash become their property?    I doubt any one has ever thought about the ownership of trash before. But alas I digress.

I still can not imaging plunging into the depths of a dumpster hoping to find something cool and valuable.  It seems like it is a crapshoot, and you never know what to expect. I suppose that is what appeals to many dumpster divers. The excitement of the unknown.  However, I am of the mind that if someone has thrown it away it is probably no good.   But if you are extremely handy then you may be able to find things that you can repurpose.

 

The tricks to MLM

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If you are a sales person or own your own business, you know how important promoting your business is.  Even in MLM companies, promotion is key to their success. There are many ways to promote an MLM business in today’s market.  But there are some that are wrong.  Here is a list of some of the wrong ways to promote your MLM business.

1. Do not use a long and forgettable URL.

If people can not easily log on to your site or remember the sites url, no one will ever visit your site.  It is important that your URL describes what you do, but is not so long that it is hard for people to remember. You also want to make sure it is not to complicated for the average user to type into their browser.  Limit the amount of characters and symbols and make it simple.

2. Do not promote your MLM business in an online classified ad.

There are literally thousands of classified ad sites on the internet and absolutly none are major players in the field.  So you are very unlikely to see any traction from these ads. Plus many of these sites are free of charge, so they get inundated with tons of promotional ads like yours. Oversaturation will not help you sell.

3. Do not promote your online MLM business in offline media.

 This means traditional mediums like magazines, and newspapers.  People will not immediately put down their paper and run to the computer to check out your business after seeing it in an ad.  Plus, it does not lead itself to immediate leads and attention in a publication.

 

 

Bringing your business into the 21st century

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From coast to coast, from New York to Denver, SEO has quickly become  the primary method of increasing visibility and leads to your business.  If you are not familiar with SEO, or Search Engine Optimization, you need to become familiar with it.  In order for your business to be successful nowadays you need to make sure to promote your business online. Which is why optimizing your website for your particular industry is critical to promoting your business to the front page of any search engine, primarily Google.

Making sure that your website is optimized for SEO purposes will help increase your visiablity and that will affect your bottom line.  If you find yourself confused during that process, there are plenty of Denver marketing companies that are happy to provide free SEO analysis to help you determine the best course of action for your business’s website.

SEO is particularly important for e-commerce sites, as this type of business grows each and every day.  Many companies can even make millions of dollars every year through e-commerce sites. So, if you have not considered or performed any form of SEO Services for your business, you are costing your company hundreds, if not thousands of leads from the biggest lead generator ever designed, the internet.  Comparable to conventional advertising, the quality of the service is not as important as the quality of the advertising. You will want to make sure that the firm you are working with is providing proper on page and off page SEO techiniques to raise your site’s visablity.

 

A birthday party

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The other day I was flipping through my mail and came across a small envelop addressed to my little girl, Stella.  I called her to the table and handed her the envelope.   Excited, Stella gleefully tore through the envelope. She opened it a annouced her best friend was having a birthday party.  I took the the invitation and read the details.  The party was to be held the second of January and at a local kids indoor play center.

Soon enough the date of the party came and I took my daughter to the party.   As we stepped into the place there were kids everywhere. The sounds of joyful and excited kids fill the air. My daughter spots her friend and runs off with all the kids. I just stood and looked around the facility.  It was imense and quite impressive. It was like an indoor amusement park tailored to activities that all kids, big and small, love.

From the bouncy castles to indoor carousels to the kid size ferris wheels.  These indoor play centers are incredible.  It was fun to see the kids enjoying themselves and getting a chance to run around.  Especially in the bitter cold month of January.

Mainly it brought back memories of my childhood, and how I loved these types of  places too. They were the place to have your birthday party.  Or just to go hang out on a Saturday with all of your friends. I am glad these places still exist for future generations.

 

 

Nuclear energy: good or bad

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All forms of energy come with their own source of contorversy, like coal causes pollution  and uranium has its own sense of dangers. While it is ultimately a cleaner energy source uranium mining makes people uncomfortable and antsy which is understandable.  Especially in the wake of the terrible earthquake and tsunami  in Japan. However, uranium is a vital source for nuclear power, which is one of the cleanest forms of energy out there.

Why? Well when most people hear the term uranium, they only think of nuclear weapons and the birth of the atomic age.

There is a lot of good that can come from nuclear power. Nuclear power allows whole cites, even countries to keep their homes and businesses  warm and bright.  It can also help determine and treat certain medical conditions. Unfortunately most people only see the negative effects of nuclear power.

Unfortunately nuclear power has received a pretty bad rep recently since the earthquake and tsunami took out a few reactors in Japan not too long ago.   Now all people are talking about is the dangers of nuclear power. It is completely understandable, after all there is a chance for catacalysmic side effects, but it gave energy independence to a society of people for many decades.

What many people do not realize is that nuclear power is a perfectly safe and viable source of renewable clean energy.   In fact, many of our U.S. Naval ships are run on nuclear energy.  It is a fact that nuclear energy is cleaner than oil, gas or coal. Which has given rise to uranium stocks prices.  Which is good news for business.

 

 

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The search for the best caterer for your wedding

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Recently my good friend became engaged. She was all a twitter and excited about planning a wedding. One of the things she is most excited about, other than the dress, is the chance to get different caterers.   An avid foodie, my friend is super excited about meeting with different catering companies and testing out the different menus.

From the moment she became engages she has been looking up different caterers and setting appointments with them. She went to appointment after appointment and would relegate the tales of deliciousness.  Some of the things she would describe would make your mouth water.

I remember one time she came back from a cake tasting and she was obsessesed with the cake she tasted. It was a creme brule and carmel cake. She could not stop bragging about it.  Just listening to her describe the cake was enough to make me crave  it and I do not even like creme brule.

Soon after the cake tasting my friend started in on the whole event. She met with many wedding catering companies.  She met with companies that offered an all vegitarian meal, a italian cuisine expert and even a raw food caterer.   She eventually decided on a caterer that had a wide variety of menu choices to meet all of her needs. I am looking forward to her wedding day if for nothing else for the food.  It will be a good time and there will be great food no doubt, which is the best part of a wedding in my opinion.

 

 

The world’s favorite past time

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Soccer is the world’s most prized pasttime. The world loves their soccer and the hoopla never seems to faulter.  From Brazil to England, soccer has brought people from all walks of life together in celebration.  People from all over the globe go nuts over the game of soccer.

It is one of those sports that speaks to people of all ages.  It is a pasttime that crosses the barriers of age, culture and even race. Everyone loves soccer and wants to play it at some point in their lives. As such there are a ton of soccer camps to send your kids to.

Some are day camps, some are sleep away camps but it all is dedicated to teaching the youths about the world sport of soccer.  It is the world’s most beloved sport. It  is arguable more popular than football, baseball or hockey combined.

At these camps they teach your kids the rules and regulations of soccer.  They teach kids to play the game and sportmenship.  Youth soccer is a major activity for many young people in the world today.  It is even big in America, which is interesting since soccer is not nearly as popular in the states as it is in the rest of the world.

People love their soccer, or football as people often call it . It is only referred to as soccer in America .  It is one of the world’s most commonly practiced sport.  It is a sport that the whole world loves and goes batsh*t crazy over every game.

 

 

 

 

Planning with professionals

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As the new year begins people are trying to find new and exciting ways to celebrate.  Whether it is for a wedding or an anniversary there are many reasons for event planning.  Denver party planners know that in order to make sure their event goes off without a hitch they need to hire an experiences event planner.

From the venue to the flowers, an event planner will know exactly what needs to take place to make sure that the event has a cohesive feel and look to your event.   Planning Denver events can be quite cumbersome so leave it to the professionals.

Because they are professionals they will make sure that everything is taken care of and the event will run smoothly during the entire night.  These professionals are the best money can buy. Their expertise will help make any event, no matter the size, go off without going way over budget.  Which is a must have, since any event can go off the deep end and so can your budget.

Because these event planning Denver experts have relationships with many different vendors and can get you great deals on linens, table rentals, flowers and even catering.  Finding all of these pieces on your own can be time consuming and very expensive.  So let an expert help you out, and I guarantee that you will have a night that all will remember forever. And you will not have to pay out the wazoo for it either. Save your sanity and save your wallet.

 

 

 

Travel abroad and open your life to new possibilities

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The other day I was flipping through the cable channels and when stopped on one channel I waited for the commercials to be over. As I waited impatiently for my program to start up again a commericial about student travel came one.   In the commercial were three teenage girls walking down and airport terminal. The voice over described what the girls did over their break from school.

The girl excitedly told the captive audience how her and her friends spent the whole break helping those in need.  They built houses, taught school children and much more.  The girl seem to have been changed for the better. She talked about the experience and indicated that her life would never be the same, and she seemed glad about it.

It was interesting for me to see this commercial. I always knew there were programs like that out there for high school kids, but I had never seen it advertised before.  I found it interesting that there are now advertisments for programs that were once only discovered through school, community outreach and sometimes through your church.  But, now it looks as though they are trying to pique the interest of all and need to spread the word.

Are student travel programs really suffering, or do they just want more people?  I hope it is the later, because it  would be ashame if these types of programs were suffering due to the economic climate at home and abroad.   I hope people continue to do programs like this one, as it is an invaluable experience for all who become involved.

 

The rebuilding of Japan’s nuclear program

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Before the tragic earthquake and tsunami hit nearly 30 percent of Japan’s energy supply was provided by nuclear power.  In the wake of the natural disaster at Fukushima only two of Japan’s 50 nuclear reactors are operational.  Because of the dramatic decline in energy supply Japan has had to switch to alternatives like natural gas, oil and coal.   Unfortunately these resources are limited for this island nation.   As such they have had to import much of their resources, which has resulted in an increase in the cost of living for all in Japan. This is causing the country of Japan much financial distress when they are just trying to rebuild after a natural disaster.

To alleviate the problem, the recently elected  LDP believes Japan must restart the remaining idled reactors quickly and has proposed a three-year review to determine which are safe enough to come back online. This is an idea that comes with much debated and apprehension in the wake of the natural disaster not too long ago.  But nevertheless is does seem promising the the uranium mining industry.

However, uranium stocksholders should remain cautious, as it may take longer than many anticipate or hope.  Especially since each plant must be inspected and cleared before they are able to resume operations.  As my mother always says ” it is a long way from the cup to the lips”.

In order to facilitate a faster restart process, the LDP will have to push through many changes to the current regulations. Namely to mitigate the need for the prior approval from the prime minsiter, the energy minister, two cabinet members and Japan’s new nuclear regulation agency.

 

 

Home Interior Design Tips

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Home interior design can be a complicated task to take on, even for the most seasoned professional.  Which is why it is the best course of action to follow these tips for Denver interior design.

1) Just change the color of one wall.  You do not need to change the color of all your walls.  Just choose one wall to be an accent wall.  It is a great way to add  texture and depth to a room.

2) Try adding wall art, and other decor on the wall.  It will add some texture and character to the room.

3) Try changing the layout of the furniture.   Do not just get new furniture. It is amazing how you can breathe new life into a room by just moving the furniture around.

4.)  Add some pillows or blankets.

5.) Add fresh flowers, or plants to make the room more homey.

6.) Add trinkets of little knick knacks to fill the corners of the room.

It is all about perception , even the smallest change can make a big impact on the overall appeal of the room.  Interior design is all about perception, the moment you change even a small aspect of the entire existing setup you will feel a new energy in your home and will also help you generate new ideas to get more out of your existing interior design elements without spending more money.

Bottom line, do not stress out over it. Decorating your home should be a fun  task.  Just take one room at a time, and before your know it the whole house will be done!

 

 

 

How to purchase a used cars

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Whether you are buying a brand new car or used one there are somethings that everyone knows about the process.  You know that you need to do your research, find out what kind of car will meet your needs.   You will also want to take the time to test drive the car and talk about financing.   But, if you are going with a used cars there are some more elements that you will need to take into consideration.

The first tip of buying used cars in Denver is to get a paint meter.  This will help you detect paintwork versus orginal factory work.  This will help you determine how much damage the car has had on an aesthetic level.

Determine if the vehicle is under any existing warranty, or if they offer an additional warranty.

Check the oil cap, open it up and inspect it.  If there is thick sludge that means the oil was not properly changed or done enough.

If there is a carmel color on the cap it means that the anti-feeze is leaking.

Always request a cold start.  This means that the car has not been on for at leat 12 hours, but it is better if it is 24 hours.   This provides an opportunity to catch issues early on. As some problems do not reveal themselves until a cold start.  If you see a lot of blue smoke on the cold start that means the car is burining oil and white smoke means their is anti-freeze.  Either is not the ideal situation.

Make sure the vehicle is aligned properly and that everything works properly. As a bent or crooked frame can be a sign on a serious accident.

Check the Carfax of the the vehicle and make sure there was no water or other serious damages.

 

 

Five types of structural elements for steel buildings

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No matter where you go in the world, you can not escape the giant steel structures that make up most city landscapes. General steel buildings are considered strong, long-lasting, and cost-efficient structures.  They come pre-fabricated and are incredibly easy to assemble.

Whether it is in the suburbs or in the city, steel buildings are among the largest structures ever erected.  Examples of these types of structures are a varied as can be like: shopping malls, aircraft hangars, barns,  factories, and warehouses.

They are also flexible.  Which means they can be easily formed to match exactly what yo want.  Nowadays,these structures are also quick and easy to erect. So you can construct a building of any shapes, size or even color. People are also amazed to discover the steel buildings are most effective at keeping your heating and cooling costs.

In addition,  across the board all steel buildings have five major types of structural elements.

Tension members that carry shear forces to pin connections supports

Compression members , which are the column or posts of the structure.

Bending members are the beams, purlins or girders.

Combined force members are those beam-columns, which are commonly subjected to axial compression and bending.

To bring the whole building together, the steel structure needs connections to join the five major types of structural elements.

These are what make the steel structures the strongest and most durable structure man has ever made.   With out these elements the structures would not be able to withstandinclimate weather, aging, and pests.

 

 

 

Keep movin’ on up

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For much of the 1990s and the early 2000s, the American economy was strong.  Companies from all over the country saw an increase in profits.  One of the biggest industries to see such a boom, was the construction industry.  The world was good, and the money seemed to be flowing until 2008. Since 2008, when the economy first began to see signs of a weary future, many construction projects were cancelled, agricultural budgets cut and state assigned projects were marked as on-hold. As such companies like General Steel, who were supplying steel materials to these projects, were entering a period of adjustment.  They now needed to figure out how to make their business model competitive in this new economic market.  They could not afford to wait out the economy.  There was no guarantee on how long this recession would last, and the company needed to figure out a way to survive it. Many similar companies were not able to adapt to the financial times, and went out of business.  In order to survive, General Steel began to roll out a series of discounts to increase their sales. Their discounts also helped by increasing their productivity.  Now their construction anhd agricultural projects were taking half the time, which meant they could move on to the next project quicker. Therefore, they were able to make more money in the long run.  As more clients equals more money. It was the one part of their plan that worked out the best.   It allowed the company to continue to grow, and not face the same uncertanity that similar companies were going through.    

Choosing the right SEO company

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There are many companies out their that claim they offer the very best SEO services.  Some are affordable and others are very expensive.  Either way there are key differences between a good SEO provider and a bad one.  Below is a breakdown of the difference.

A good SEO provider will be educated and understand how that whole process works and will be able to give you a thorough account of what to expect and what they are doing to place your company on the first page of Google.

They will want to build a solid foundation, and prepare a proper plan to get your business in a good position to be ranked high on the different search engines.  They will provide an extensive period of keyword research.  Often, and reputable  Local SEO company will refuse to work with a client that is unresponsive and not willing to make changes to give their company the best shot.

A bad SEO provided will always take the money first and provide service second. They will not conduct the proper research for keywords and they will not understand the marketplace in the same way.

They will require the client to do most of the legwork and research. They will not take the time to build proper back links and other practices that will be considered Black Hat.  Which can be detrimental to your business, and result in your site to be flagged or even removed from the Search engine all together.

So becareful who you choose to work with.  If you are not you run the risk of Google and other search engines, flagging your site or removing it all together. Which is no bueno for everyone involved.

 

FAQ of Spinal Stenosis

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When you are suffering from back pain, it can be a long road to recovery.  Here is what you need to know if you or someone you love is suffering from what may be a serious condition.

What exactly is Spinal Stenosis?

It is when there is a narrowing of the back that causes pressure on the spinal cord or spinal nerves.

Who can get it?

More common in men and women over 50, it can occur in younger people who are born with the narrowing of the spinal canal or suffer a spinal injury.

What are the causes?

It can be caused by congenital conditions, or other degenerative processes that happen due to aging.

What are the Symptoms?

Some of the symptom include but are not limited to:  numbness, weakness, tingling, cramping, pain in back, buttocks, thighs and calves.  Some people even experience pain in their neck, shoulders or arms.

How is it diagnosed?

It is done through taking medical history and doing a physical examination.  Then there is diagnostic testing that  includes, x-rays, MRI, and CT scans.

What is the treatment?

There are many options to treat this condition.  They are:

Prescription pain killlers, and other NSAIDs.

Steroid injections

Physical therapy. Aquatic or water therapy is also an excellent option for persons with spinal stenosis.

When should you go for surgery?

This is a decision that you should make after a professional consultation with a spinal expert.  It depends on the severity of your condition and whether not other less invasive procedures have not work.

 

Sandy strikes

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I am sure you have heard about the super storm that has hit the eastcoast known as Hurricane Sandy.  Looking at the damage that this storm surge has caused up and down the eastern seaboard is amazing.  While most people assumed that they would be fine and it would just be a lot of rain and wind, no body had a clue as to how bad it would get.  So when the storm hit the stores as the tide was in it cause major swells that breeched the barriers that the cities put up in anticipation.

Seaside towns were devestated and the flooding was not something  of a typical problem for plumbers.  Denver citizens are with them in spirit and will be sending aide to those in need.

Once the storm subsides and people are able to get back into their homes to fix them people in the repair industries will be busy for the forseeable future. Especially ones in plumbing.  Denver experts know that they have a lot of work ahead of them and wish the east coast the best of luck.

The important thing is that people need to join together and help their neighbors out.  Some are without power and some have been spared the wrath of Sandy. If you are one of the lucky, share your luck and help those in need.

Don’t let this storm ruin the holiday season, or frighten away your halloween spirit.  Show mother nature you are just as strong as she is.

 

 

Getting the ring of your dreams

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Do you find yourself flipping throught the tabloids and stopping to look at every celebrities ring?  Do you secretly, or not so secretly covet the ring of your favorite celebrity?  If so, did you know you can get a ring just like theirs for a fraction of the cost?  It is true, and no I do not mean getting one with fake rocks in it.

Buying loose diamonds is the way to go.  By buying these wholesale diamonds, you can avoid paying the inflated prices that designers charge. This way you are only paying for the value of the stone. Then you  can take the stone to an affordable jeweler and have it set in the setting of your dreams.  There are many jewelers who provide this tailored service and they do so at a much more affordable price.

So, don’t spend you hard earned cash at a big designer store like Tiffany & Co, or Cartier, you will be paying for the name not the quality.  It is much better to find a place that sells loose stones, buy them and have them set seperatly. This is the only way to get the custom ring you want for a price you can afford.

Just be sure that what ever stone you purchase has been properly inspected and certified by a GIA or EGL professional.  You can tell this by looking for the serial number engraved in tiny detail on the stone.  This is only visible with a microscope, or spyglass.

 

Teen counseling

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In recent years we have all seen as the news covers stories of teens gone wild. Some stories highlight teens that party too much, while others discuss what causes a teen to kill.  The underlying theme of these stories is why has no one given these teens the help they need? Which is why more parents are turning to teen counseling to help their teens adjust and deal with the complicated life they lead.  It is important to note that counseling is no more limited to children who are excessively naughty or come from families that live in not so good financial conditions. In modern times, children from families that are highly moneyed need counseling more than ever because their parents are unable to understand or reach out to their children. As many parents learn much later in life, parenting is not as easy as ABC! Parenting adolescents involves making many changes in lifestyles and work schedules in order to ensure your child is well cared for and understood.

Counseling is also good for helping open the lines of communication between parent and child.  It also serves as a safe space where the child can feel comfortable enough to open up to someone. Many times teens do not open up to their parents because they fear being judged or disappointing them.  Where as a therapist is there to listen and not pass judgement.  They are there to help understand what the teen is going through and how to keep them moving forward.

 

To hire an attorney or to not?

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We live in difficult economic times, and sometimes that means that you will have to file for bankruptcy for a business or personal reasons.  If that is the case it is vital that you hire a Denver Bankruptcy Attorney.   Why, you ask?  Here are some reasons that explain why you need the assistance of a Bankruptcy Attorney.

Reason 1.  They can help lower the overall amount of debt you owe and sometimes can ven wipe out some of the debt completely.

Reason 2. They can help stop the harassing phone calls and letters from creditors. They can even help negotiate with the IRS.

Reason 3. They will help consolidate all of your debt and minimize the over all debt when possible.

Reason 4.  They know that court system and all the laws, so they can make the most of their knowledge and get you the best results.

For these reasons it is vital that you take this process seriously, and that you retain the services of a qualified attorney. Taking this process on without the help of legal advice can be catastrophic, so do your best to work the cost of an attorney into your budget. This is the only way to be sure you will get the results you want.  Do not file for bankruptcy if it is not your best option.  If you have other options make sure you exhaust them before going to court.  It is important as bankruptcy can follow you for ten years, and make it difficult to buy a car or home in the near future.