Regain Tourism Industry In Northern Mariana Islands By Protecting The Environment Through Dumpster Rental

The Northern Mariana Islands, officially known as the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands is a commonwealth in political union with the United States, occupying a strategic region of the western Pacific Ocean. It consists of 15 Islands. The economy of the Industry majorly depends on the tourism industry.

The advent of technology has made the world the global village. An issue that is happening in a location is no more restricted to that particular area. It has its impacts spread across the world. Similarly, trash disposal was the problem limited to industrialized areas where people were unable to concentrate on proper trash disposal problems either due to their busy schedules or due to careless. The effects of pollution are now spreading to un-industrialized areas as well. The pollution generated in Northern mariana Islands is depleting the quality of natural environment there by affecting tourism industry of the state.

Industries are the major source of pollution generation and all the activities add their contribution. Why is the Northern Mariana Island suffering from the ill effects of pollution in spite of lacking industries in the state? The only reason is the careless deeds of residents of the state. They are giving a neglect eye towards the environmental protection in spite of its serious effects. Their careless deeds are now having huge impact on the environment of that particular locality and their surroundings as well.

Depletion in the quality of the environment is affecting the tourism industry of the state in addition to hotel industry as well. when you decline in the visitors of the state, even the hotel industry that totally relays on the tourism industry experiences a great decline. Other ill effects of pollution in the environment include spreading of infectious diseases, environmental imbalance and so on.

Environmental imbalance in the Islands again suffers from many serious affects. The land will be frequently hit by the natural disaster like floods since it is an island surrounded by water on all sides. It will be very difficult for the Island to regain back to normal state due to its bad economic position. Once the island is hit by the natural disaster like floods, it will wipe away many ancient works of the mankind, property and will result in human loss as well. Tons of waste being dumped into water will contaminate the water in the surrounding areas making it difficult for the marine inhabitants to survive.

The only way to protect the Island from all these environmental issues is effective trash disposal, the residents of the Islands should be educated about the importance of protecting the environment to preserve their health and up hold the economy of the Islands. The only way to get this twofold effect is go for dumpster rental Northern Mariana Islands when you carry different projects like construction, yard clean up, house renovation and commercial projects where trash generation is inevitable. On hiring a dumpster from trash bin rental company Northern Mariana Islands, all your trash will haul away in no time and recycled in the environmental friendly manner.

When the trash disposed is recycled in environmental friendly manner by renting a garbage tin from professional dumpster rental company, the emission of toxic substance into the environment is very less, environmental balance in the state will be regained and this will in turn reduce the effects of natural disasters in the Island there by increasing the number of visitors to the Island, hence dumpster rental plays a key role in regaining the tourism industry of Northern Mariana Islands back to normal.

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How To Build Great Links For Your Web Site

Building effective links is one of the most time consuming and challenging aspects of web site design. Ultimately, link building can spell the difference between a high search engine ranking web page and one that disappears in a sea of similar web sites, so it is best to take the time to do it right.

There are certainly newer search engine algorithms being developed for the web but effective linking continues to be the most decisive factor in search engine optimization and will likely be for several years more.

Links as the name implies, are the most basic connectors to all the pages on the Internet and is the easiest way for a given application to gauge the relevance and integrity of a web page.

People love lists; find a way to integrate a list into your site. This can be anything from a list of tips or things to avoid or a list suggested reading, for example. Lists give the impression of being a definitive source of information and many people will want to link to them.

Often people will link to a site if they feel that it is an authority on a given subject; they will then feel confident about recommending that site to other people. That is what link building is all about after all, a sort of digital referral or stamp of approval.

Every web site should strive to have reliable and well-researched content. Try to keep your content informative but simple; if no one can understand what your web site says they probably won’t want to link to it! Check your text for spelling or grammatical errors; a web site riddled with poor spelling and bad sentence construction doesn’t seem very professional or authoritative.

Online news sites are a good way to establish links. Some of the things you can do are: submit an article for online publication or syndicate an article with a news site. Reputable sites usually enjoy a high search engine rank for their articles and receive plenty of traffic. You may also send press releases or trade articles with other sitesÂ…or even write an article about another site and ask then to link back to your site; most will be happy to repay the favor.

Establish contacts with the Better Business Bureau or the Chamber of Commerce in your area or the relevant city and state government offices. You may even look around closer to home by submitting your link to the local library or exchanging links with local businesses in your area; even non-competing businesses in the same field.

Consider starting an affiliate program; it may not lead directly to high SEO value but it can still prove useful in providing additional links.

Submit your site to directories that allow free submissions such as DMOZ or even paid directories. You can even take this a step further by creating your own directory of similar web sites. You can obviously link to your own site here and even include other important pages in addition to the home page. Quality listings are important here so if it is a useful directory to the most number of people, it will easily attract links.

You may want to post a link to your site in classifieds sites such as Craigslist or if you belong to user groups like Yahoo and Google groups it is often acceptable to post links to your site if you are asking or answering a question. Just make sure it is in the context of the discussion, as most people do not take kindly to being spammed.

Reviews are another great way to get people to link to your site. If you have a reputable looking site and carry informative, well-written reviews, there’s a good chance that your articles will receive high search engine rankings. Try to keep your reviews on-topic, informative and thorough, and be specific whenever possible.

Blogging has become an integral part of the Internet and is one of the most effective means of linking; you can either drop a few words of comment on someone’s blog or link to them from your own blog. Most blogs will be happy to link back to you. Try to update your blog regularly and post interesting content so people will want to link to you.

If your budget permits, explore the possibility of hiring a professional web-linking publicist (yes they do exist!) or consultant for your web site. If you choose carefully this will free you up to take care of other areas of your web site and leave the details of link building to the experts.

Those are a few things to do to create good links, what about things you should avoid? These methods will actually hurt your visibility on the web as it may cause search engines to ban your site or ignore it altogether!

Do not spam forums! Nobody likes a spammer and can usually tell if someone joins a discussion forum for the sole purpose of self-promotion. A sure way to annoy people is to post a non-relevant reply to a question and then include a linkÂ…or worse not even answer the question at all!

Choose carefully when submitting your site to directory services; a poor one won’t help increase your traffic at all and may carry out-of-date or off topic links.

When asking someone to link to your site, make sure that there is a good reason why he should; maybe your site is similar to his own in subject matter or your site showcases him, his products or his web site in a favorable light.

Take the time to compose a polite, well written personal request for linking. It doesn’t have to be long but the important thing is to make it seem like a genuine request as opposed to an impersonal, automated email. Do not pester a Webmaster with several, persistent emails; it is annoying and will not likely help your cause any. If you don’t get a reply, move on.

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That Bedroom Set Is Cool Mom!

What is one of the toughest things for parents? Choosing bedroom sets that will make their kids happy. And if it’s for the teenagers, don’t ask! Well, with several large furniture players coming up with their unique kids special furniture collection, things have got a bit easier for parents.

Before you begin shopping for bedroom sets, keep in mind that your kids do not want the furniture just for sleeping. They want to make a style statement in front of their friends. Nothing makes a teenager happier than a compliment from his or her friend that says, “Your bedroom looks cool!” You got it, guys; put yourself in your kid’s shoes and you will find the perfect modern bedroom sets for them!

Bedroom Sets That Complements Your Kid’s Lifestyle

If your kid has a lot of friends hanging around in his or her room, then kids bedroom sets consisting of bunk beds will be just great. If your child is a restless soul, he or she can very well climb up and down the bunk beds ladder and have fun being “trained” like in the army. If your kid has heaps of items, why not try the affordable bedroom sets that contain beds with trundles? He or she will get sufficient space in the room, as her items can be stuffed inside the drawers and shelves.

There are also queen bedroom sets available in a variety of intriguing designs to make your little princess feel on top of the world! Then there are bedroom sets made of different materials such as wood, iron, brass, and even metal bedroom sets. You will be amazed to see the colossal variety in each aspect of the furniture, be it the color coordination, finishing touch, the design, curves, styles, and so on. Even the most hard-to-please teenager will be delighted!

Economical Investment

It is wise not to indulge in extravagant furniture shopping for kids’ bedroom sets, when you can get such a huge range of beds at affordable rates. Discount bedroom sets are topping the charts when it comes to kids’ furniture. This is because your kid may outgrow the piece of furniture and would want to have something different as she grows up. This holds particularly true for teenagers who are more influenced by the changing trends. Delicate designs are also a bad choice for kids bedroom sets. Children are not very particular in handling delicate furniture. The least you want is to have a broken swirl or whorl in the design or a scratched surface in the expensive furniture set.

The hip-hop young generation wants everything stylish, so, you can’t think of putting some boring plain-looking furniture to suffice the needs of your child. Because it is not just the needs, but also the style that matters. And youth bedroom sets are tailor-made to convert your kid’s room into his or her favorite hangout place.

Surprise your kids with some chic bedroom sets. They are going to admire you first!

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Ten Tips on Tenant Improvement Allowances

Tenant improvement allowances, funds provided by the landlord to improve office space, are becoming increasingly prevalent during landlord-tenant negotiations, and all companies should consider their role in creating an ideal office space. However, companies seeking to lease at least 5,000 square feet of Class A & B office space with a lease term of at least five years can exercise much greater leverage on the landlord and will typically find it easier to achieve many of the suggestions below. If in doubt, you should consult with a real estate broker to determine the feasibility of any specific item.





1. In today’s economic environment, many landlords are providing and funding 100 percent of the building standard installations required by tenants.





2. Tenants should try to negotiate above-standard items, such as millwork, extra HVAC, large glass walls, plush carpeting or special lighting, to get them included in the tenant improvement allowance provided by the landlord.





3. When landlords refuse to fund all or a portion of above-standard items, tenants can try to amortize their cost into the rent over the term of the lease instead of paying out of pocket.





4. Funding above-standard work can also be achieved via negotiating tactics, for example, offering to decrease the quantity of free rent and increase the tenant improvement allowance instead.





5. We recommend tenants hire an architect to represent their interests and suggest a layout and design of the space to ensure tenant improvement allowances are put to the best possible use.





6. Tenants can avoid the need for a large tenant improvement allowance by touring many suites and finding one with a suitable existing configuration. However, we advise tenants to avoid compromising the amount of their tenant improvement allowance just to decrease the rental rate.





7. Landlords are providing generous tenant improvement allowances for "new" tenants, and tenants can use this as leverage even if they are "only renewing," especially if they have occupied the space for the past five-to-ten years.





8. If landlords offer a specific dollar amount for a tenant improvement allowance, we advise tenants to negotiate an open-bid format, based on an expert review by their own architect, project manager or construction firm.





9. Many companies are using tenant improvement allowances to create more light in the workplace by adding glass in offices and conference rooms. From narrow, vertical side-windows to full walls of glass, natural light illuminates interior areas and provides sight-lines for workers to improve communications and productivity.





10. We always recommend tenants hire an architect to brainstorm about the best uses for tenant improvement allowances. Many companies are decreasing hard-walled offices in favor of flexible workstations and huddle rooms, small two-to-four person conference areas, to accommodate departments’ changing needs.

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Directions On How To Make Shag Rugs

Different individuals will use shaggy rugs in their house as a way to lighten the space and to make it appear more vivid or to raise the theme that was produced. You can make your own shaggy rug.

Creating a cotton shag rug is not a simple process - but neither is it too tough. It is made up of weave and heavy cloth that makes it durable. The heavy cotton or rug yarn is what will be used to make the shaggy appearance. The material you select should be knit or woven into narrow pieces of ¼” wide and 3” long.

You can find the rug yarn and the burlap back from most fabric store. Make a point to shop round for great deals and the perfect colors to use in your home. Small rugs only call for one yard of material. For bigger ones you must measure the space you need it to cover and sew together one large strip of yards together.

Wash the backing and iron it out so that it is smooth. When it is flat you can measure and cut it to the adequate size. Make sure that the hem is at least one inch longer in the width and the hem. Fold the hem under ½’ twice and sew it round each of the edges. Start at one edge and hold the burlap down.

With your other hand, you want to be holding the hook at the top and put it down into the burlap. Each square of the cotton shag rug weave will be one stitch. Tightly hold onto the yarn strips below the burlap and take hold of one slip in the middle of the hook. Now draw the loop through. Take hold of the ends of the slip and pull it through the loop. Pull it tight till a knot is made.

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How To Properly Hang Wall Tapestries

If you just bought a wall hanging, you may know how confusing and frustrating it can be to hang a wall tapestry properly. Unlike posters or framed print, tapestry wallhangings can be very tricky to get just right. Luckily, there are some good general rules that you can follow to make your wall décor look as good as it should.

First, consider what hardware you would like to use to mount your tapestry. The most popular method is using a wall tapestry rod. Wall tapestry rods are preferred over curtain rods because the tapestry rods are stronger and will not warp. When shopping for a rod, look for one that has easy to assemble brackets. Make sure that your brackets will project your tapestry away from the wall at least 1 to 2 inches. This will keep the air circulating behind your wall hanging, so moisture cannot get trapped and damage the fabric. Look for a tapestry rod with an antique finish—it will add a touch of class and elegance to your wall décor.

Second, take a look at your room. Where should you hang the tapestry? How much space should you leave around the wall hanging? Here are some general guidelines that may help.

If you have a fairly long and narrow vertical wall hanging similar to our Portiere tapestries: http://www.european-wall-tapestries.com/store/catalog/Portiere_page_1_c_25.html you should hang it on a wall that is tall and narrow, but make sure there is enough space around it to prevent your wall from looking cramped. This will prevent the tapestry from looking small and insignificant.

If you have a large tapestry wall hanging, it is best to hang it on a wall all its own. You do not want to crowd the magnificence or distract a viewer’s attention with smaller pieces. Huge tapestries can transform your home into a castle, so treat them with care and respect.

Perhaps you purchased two smaller tapestries, but only have one rod—don’t worry, you can make this work. You can place two small narrow vertical tapestries next to each other on a single tapestry rod, just remember to leave at least 3 to 6 inches in between them for the illusion of separation. Please note that this will only work with tall narrow tapestries like our Art Nouveau Four Seasons Set. Anything larger than this will look cramped and amateurish, so try your best to measure everything out correctly.

You may need a special rod if your tapestry is very large and heavy or if your wall hanging is unlined and light. For large tapestries over 80 to 100 inches, you should consider a tapestry rod that is at least one half inch thick. This will prevent the rod from warping in the middle. If you purchased a chenille tapestry wall hanging, you may want to consider either a thin rod or a wooden rod. If the rod is too large in relation to your tapestry, it will look overbearing and unprofessional.

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Waterproof Sheets for Bed-Wetting

This article discusses the various types of waterproof sheets available for bed-wetting. One thing that needs to be kept in mind as far as managing bed-wetting is concerned is this-even if a person wears diapers to bed they should also cover the bed with a waterproof sheet just in case the diapers leak.

The most common type of waterproof sheets are rubber and vinyl(also known as plastic). Vinyl sheets are available in two styles-fitted and zippered. Vinyl sheets can be purchased from stores such as Walmart,Sears,J.C.Penny,Target,Bed,Bath,and Beyond,and most department and linen stores. Some fabric stores such as Jo-Anne Fabrics and Crafts also carry vinyl which they can custom cut for you.Finally there is a company based out of North Saint Paul Minnesota called Comco Inc.(not to be confused with Comco Manufacturing) which can also custom cut vinyl to your specification. You might want to call them and ask them how much this will cost. I would use a fitted sheet that way if the diapers do leak it's much more convenient to take off the bed(especially in the middle of the night) In addition it's less trouble to clean. Although you can wipe a zippered cover off,it's much more of a hassle to take it off the bed in order to let it air out after wiping it clean

Rubber sheets usually have a backing of flannel on one side and rubber on the other. One company that manufactures these sheets is Duromed. Some pharmacies might have rubber sheets in stock,if not many can special order them. Additionally, many hospital supply stores stock incontinence supplies including diapers and waterproof sheets.

Besides the covers previously mentioned many people use other items as waterproof sheets-people have a lot of ingenuity in terms of improvising in various situations and managing incontinence is no exception. I've heard of people using vinyl shower curtains and vinyl table cloths as bed-wetting covers. One woman on an incontinence forum said she used a plastic tarp as a protective sheet. The next few sections discuss an idea I have for making homemade bed-wetting sheets. Some people might consider this idea somewhat unorthodox but I thought I should at least mention it. I actually found out about this several years ago from a friend of mine. Her daughter had a bed-wetting problem and she used a regular plastic sheet to cover her daughter's bed. I don't know if other people also use this type of plastic for this purpose, but I thought it might be worthwhile to talk about.

At this point I'd like to discuss this option. Hardware stores such as Home Depot,Ace,Lowes,and others sell clear plastic sheeting in various sizes and thicknesses. In addition contractor supply stores,paint supply stores,Amazon,as well as other places sell plastic sheeting in different thicknesses and sizes.The most commonly used thicknesses for various tasks are 4 mil and 6 mil. The friend I mentioned used a regular plastic sheet that was 4 mils thick on her bed. Having a roll of plastic sheeting on hand is a good idea because in addition to using it for a bedwetting sheet the plastic can be used for many household jobs-as a drop cloth for painting,as a cover to rake leaves on for yard cleanup,to cover outside materials such as firewood,mulch lumber,patio furniture,and other objects,as a weed barrier for gardening,for weatherproofing,to use as a vapor barrier under insulation,to cover plants during the winter,for concrete and masonry work, as a slip and slide,for remodeling projects, as well as many other uses. An advantage of having the roll of plastic is that you can cut multiple sheets so you can have several bedwetting sheets on hand. Some waterproof bedwetting sheets can be pretty expensive and some of the vinyl sheets typically used for this problem can rip or tear after a while. When the youngster outgrows the bedwetting you can save the plastic sheets for various jobs around the house. The only drawback to using this type of plastic for a bedwetting cover is that it makes a crinkling sound whenever the user moves around in bed which some youngsters might find objectionable. This can be minimized however by placing several layers of cloth over the plastic. I talk about this further in the next few sections. As far as which thickness to use over the youngster's bed since the 4 mil is thinner it makes less noise and therefore this might be a better choice for many people. Since many bedwetters are deep sleepers(a large number of bedwetters can sleep through a nuclear blast!) the rustling sound of the plastic might not bother them or they might be able to adjust to it over time. If you do decide to go this route I would try it on a temporary basis. If the youngster finds the noise disagreeable then you should cover the bed with another type of waterproof sheet.

Another thing to consider if you are considering using this type of material to cover the youngster's bed is the following. If the bed-wetter shares the room with another sibling this can make him or her feel self-conscious as well as disturb the other person. If the child sleeps in their own room this obviously won't be an issue but the crinkling of the plastic might make it hard for them to sleep. This problem can be minimized somewhat by placing several layers of cloth covers over the plastic. Places like Jo Anne Fabrics sell flannel sheeting(and other material) on rolls and you can ask them to cut several sheets so you can place them over the plastic. If you have extra blankets in the house you can use them to place over the plastic as well as using an extra mattress pad. The purpose of placing multiple cloth sheets over the plastic is to muffle the sound of the plastic making it more pleasant for the child to sleep on. You might have to tinker a bit in terms of how much and what combination of cloth material to layer over the plastic. Terry cloth might be a good choice since it is thick and the thicker the material the more it will cut down on the rustling sound. Towels,extra blankets,mattress covers,and flannel sheets are just some of the items that could be used for this purpose. Places like Jo Anne Fabrics and Bed,Bath,and Beyond might have additional suggestions for material to use for this situation.

Certain people might not be able to get past the crinkling noise of the plastic so this choice obviously isn't for everybody but at the risk of sounding cliched it's good to think outside the box. As far as I know my friend's daughter didn't seem to have a problem with this type of cover but everyone is different. If parents have had lots of trouble with vinyl mattress covers ripping and tearing they might want to look into this option .Some people might consider using this type of material for a waterproof sheet as overkill, but it's good to be open minded about trying different ideas. Who knows it may become a trend to use this type of cover to manage bed-wetting! In addition to protecting the bed from bed-wetting you can use the plastic to protect the bed from dust mites and other allergens.

There is one more thing that should be kept in mind if you are going to try this kind of waterproof sheet.. If the child is planning to stay away from home-either at a friend or relative's house or if the youngster might go away to camp for the summer,it would be better to use a different type of sheet to cover the bed in order for the youngster to maintain discretion.

Another place to consider going to for purchasing plastic sheets to put over the bed is a fabric store. Stores such as Jo Anne Fabrics sell vinyl by the yard in various thicknesses. Some people purchase this type of vinyl to make their own slip covers to put over furniture,for table cloths, and for various projects. Jo Anne Fabrics sells 8 gauge thick frosted clear vinyl which is 54 inches wide for $3.49 per yard. From what I understand most vinyl mattress covers you purchase at stores such as Walmart,Target,and Bed-Bath and Beyond,and similar places are made of 3 or 6 gauge vinyl. As mentioned earlier in this article some of these vinyl covers can tear after a while. Bed,Bath,and Beyond have fitted vinyl mattress covers ranging in price from $5.99-$11.99 while Walmart has fitted vinyl mattress covers from $4.97-$7.97. Depending on what size bed you have and how much vinyl you want to use over the bed it might be slightly more expensive than the vinyl covers at the stores just mentioned, but overall I think it would be more cost effective to purchase the 8 gauge frosted clear vinyl sheeting because it will most likely last longer than traditional vinyl mattress covers. I looked at the vinyl and it seemed like an ideal material to use for this purpose. I've also heard that 10 or 12 gauge vinyl might be suitable for protecting the bed. You can look at the various thicknesses they sell to determine for yourself which type of plastic would work best. If you have a Jo Anne Fabrics(or other fabric store) I would look into this option. You'll have to give them your mattress size in order to determine how much vinyl you'll need to cover the bed. Also there are mail order fabric places that sell vinyl sheeting by the yard and some of them sell samples for a nominal price. For instance the Online Fabric Store(www.onlinefabricstore.net) sells swatches of clear vinyl fabric in sizes of 4'' x 4'' for $1.00. Other places that sell vinyl fabric include Hancock Fabrics(which have stores throughout the country-in order to find out if they have a store near you you can click on the store locator on the website or look in the phone book),J&O Fabrics

Like protective garments,protective bedding and sheets are available in both disposable and reusable styles. HDIS(Home Delivery Incontinence Supplies) has different brands and sizes of disposable underpads. Another place that sells disposable underpads is Continence Connection. Other companies that sell both reusable and disposable bed pads are XP Medical and ABAIP which stands for A Better Absorbent Incontinence Product. Some companies that make bed pads are Tranquility and Attends. If you're considering going the disposable route you might want to ask the customer service rep from whatever company you're buying them from if they have samples. Most incontinence supply stores and hospital supply stores sell both reusable and disposable bed sheets so you shouldn't have any problem finding what you need.

I hope this article has given a good overview of the different options out there to help manage your bed-wetting. As I've pointed out in previous articles don't get discouraged if it takes a while to find the solution that works best for you. Just like everything else in life there's a lot of trial and error involved. As always I welcome any comments and feedback you might have.

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Know to Grow Your Income

With over a million Realtors® in the United States, it is getting harder and harder to stand out from the crowd. What can you do so that customers and fellow Realtors® know you, choose you and recommend you? You can make a good living simply by taking floor time and doing open houses. However to make a quantum leap in your income you need to have satisfied customers and other Realtors® referring you. Focusing on the following three points will help you become more successful.

Know Yourself

To powerfully communicate the benefits of choosing you over other Realtors®, you really need to know yourself and learn how to communicate what makes you unique in a few succinct phrases.

Begin by taking one of the many personality tests that are readily available, such as: DISC, Keirsey Temperment Sorter, or Myers-Briggs, among others. You can find these easily by doing a search on the internet. These tests can give you great insight into your strengths and weaknesses. They help you understand your core values and personality type. Understanding who you are may help you distinguish yourself from the competition and can be the foundation for communicating your unique value and your personal brand.

Your personal brand or image is a combination of your passions, strengths, skills and traits. Spend some time getting to know your self:

• Write a list of your personal passions. What do you love doing? (Is it interior design, teaching, art, music, golfing, football, reading, travel? Don’t worry about whether or not it is work related.)

• What are your skills and talents? (Are you perceptive, spontaneous, theatrical, detail-oriented, organized, do you speak other languages? Again, don’t limit these to your work).

• Write a list of your personal traits. (Perhaps you are punctual, or a “people person”. Are you optimistic, open minded, curious, determined, spiritual, or team oriented?)

Look at your list from your customer’s point of view. Which of these qualities that you have identified would be valuable to your customer? Take those items and use them to help you create a few concise sentences explaining your unique value to your customers.

Use this knowledge to also help you find a niche market something you really love. Is it new construction, foreclosures, first time buyers, seniors, ethnicities, locales? Once you find your niche, become an expert in that area. That doesn’t mean that you can’t sell outside of your niche. However, the more expertise you gain, the more likely you are to become well known in your field. It is not uncommon for other customers even other realtors, to say “Oh, you need Joe. He knows everything about new construction.” These personal recommendations can be the most inexpensive and effective marketing tools.

Know Your Customer

To be able to truly meet and exceed a customer’s needs and wants you have to know that customer. In your effort to gain this knowledge you need to gather information. The more you know the more you can meet your customer’s needs, both stated and unstated.

Start broadly and then get more specific. A good source for information is the National Association of Realtors® Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers. It has chapters on the characteristics of home buyers and sellers.

Then, start to narrow your research. Learn about the community in which you sell. Become involved in community events. Pitch in, support and help your community grow, while learning about its unique qualities. These activities not only help you learn about the community, they bolster your image as a valuable member. People like to do business with helpful people they know and with whom they can identify.

After you understand the broad information about your customers and their communities, you need to listen to what they say. Sounds easy, doesn’t it? Customers often complain about feeling the agent didn’t listen carefully to their requests or needs. Listening is an art. It goes beyond the obvious. Customers aren’t always great at communicating clearly; they sometimes don’t even know what they really want or need. You need to listen with all your senses in order to unearth and translate their true needs and wants. It isn’t sufficient to just hear the words your customers say. You need to watch body language, be sensitive to tone of voice and try to interpret their sometimes vague descriptions. By asking carefully constructed questions you can actually help the customer better understand his or her needs.

Know Your Team

Customers are becoming more and more demanding. You need a team that meets these ever increasing demands. Customers expect you to recommend the RIGHT person for their needs. These people must not only match your personal brand/image (they are in effect representing you), they also must have unique qualities that meet the needs of your customer. I know of one Realtor who has three mortgage brokers he trusts and recommends. He has a “three piece suit guy,” he has a HOG (Harley owners group) and a dynamic woman. He mixes and matches the team member to the specific customer. This is done so that each customer can feel totally comfortable. You should also have a trusted team of insurance providers, painters, plumbers, and stagers to call on. Basically, the more one-stop you can be for your customers the happier they will be. Spend time with each of these people. Ask questions. Get recommendations. Do research and background checks.

Make it a personal priority to spend time each day learning more about these three keys to success. Be patient and understand that this kind of knowledge can’t be built in a day. But the time spent on truly understanding these three keys will pay off. This is the most powerful way to become a Realtor® that others want to do business with and refer to their friends and family. Remember you need to Know to Grow Your Income!

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Selecting an Independent/Broker Dealer that�s Right for You

Picking the independent broker/dealer that’s right for you isn’t easy. Here's what you need to know to help you make an appropriate decision.

For financial consultants, picking the right independent broker/dealer for affiliation is one of the most important decisions they can make to benefit their business. While the right broker/dealer can provide effective support for your business and lead to greater success, the wrong firm can actually hamper your efforts. Ensuring that your future broker/dealer becomes your partner and is the appropriate one for you requires both an internal analysis of your business and thorough marketplace research. The most suitable broker/dealer is one who not only provides the levels of service and compensation you require, but does so within a firm culture that meshes well with your personality and the mission of your financial business.

To determine which broker/dealer is best for your business, it is recommended that you evaluate broker/dealers based on pre-determined criteria. In order to make a sound decision you will need to take a hard look at specifics. You will want to look over the marketing materials, speak to financial consultants of the firm that you are considering, and even visit the broker/dealer’s headquarters. If it is feasible, you might consider talking to their clearing firm or even some financial consultants to get a complete perspective. As you evaluate each broker/dealer, you will want to consider the following:

Corporate Culture. First, and perhaps foremost, have a discussion with several individuals associated with the broker/dealer to determine if they will be a good fit for you and your business. This includes looking at the vision and reputation of the broker/dealer’s management, the experience and background of the support staff and the goals and targets of other consultants in the firm. Consider the size of the firm and their modus operandi to determine whether you will become just another number or a bona fide business partner. Finally, take a look at the company as a whole. Is their main objective to support your business, or work for their own success?

Compliance. Arguably, the most essential service a broker/dealer offers is compliance. In an environment where compliance requirements change frequently, financial consultants require expert assistance to help them stay the right course. To ensure that your broker/dealer will offer the support you need, ask about the experience, training and responsiveness of the compliance team.

Clearing firm. Look for a broker/dealer backed by a substantial clearing firm with an excellent reputation for providing solid service. Research the firm to ensure that it is a name that is trusted in the industry and has the resources to provide first-class support service.

Flexibility. Most consultants choose an independent broker/dealer to attain a greater level of autonomy for their business. You might contact representatives of the broker/dealer you are considering to see if they allow for the flexibility that gives consultants a meaningful level of independence. Take a close look at the broker/dealer to determine if they provide the responsive service, personalized attention and flexibility that allows consultants to build their own business brand.

Product Selection. While it is not essential that your future broker/dealer offer an exhaustive list of investment vehicles, it is important that the products you currently offer to your clients (or plan to offer in the future) are available to you. Additionally, examine the firm's product line to ensure it won’t compromise your autonomy. If there are incentives to sell proprietary products, you may want to look elsewhere.

Technology Offerings. Ask about the technical applications the broker/dealer offers. You should consider not only what is offered, but also how quickly the firm adapts to new technologies to meet marketplace needs. Also, find out what product support is provided and whether there are product specialists to turn to when needed.

Payout Schedule. It is important to review a payout schedule for all the investment products offered, but it may not tell the whole picture. When considering the broker/dealer offering the highest payout levels, ask yourself what you may be sacrificing by partnering with them, and whether it is worth it in light of your business situation. Also, look at their “standard costs”, such as your ticket charges, and any other “hidden costs” to assess the true compensation potential.

Back Office Support. Research the various types of support the broker/dealer offers and examine how it will be delivered. Consider your access to the various departments of the broker/dealer and the ease with which you could get help if a problem should arise.

While it is recommended that you make a systematic assessment of your choices, don't forget to listen to what your instincts tell you. In reality, there is no "best" independent broker/dealer—but there are more appropriate choices based on your individual circumstances. As you make your decision, carefully consider the individualized needs of your business and what the broker/dealer offers to help you to meet them.

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Richard Bose

Why Shop drawings are needed?

Shop drawings are critical for any building construction or fabrication unit nowadays due to the cost involved in redesign or rework. Shop drawings are required for many structures and wide range of materials such as woodwork, structural steelwork and rei... Read >

Understanding of Construction Drawings and Details

Construction Drawings are extremely essential for proper design development and commissioning of building and civil structures. Construction Drawings must be drawn to scale by the drafters and shall present all the necessary details for compliance with lo... Read >

Why hire Rebar detailer for Rebar Design and Reinforcement Detailing?

Accurate Rebar design and detailing for reinforcement of steel or concrete structure plays important role in raising the standards of safety for any building construction projects. The Rebar detailer prepares bar bending schedules, shop drawings and rebar... Read >

Quality of Structural Drafting process and Structural Drafting standards

The structural drafting and drawing domain has undergone dramatic changes over the past decade with the advent of Computer Aided Design (CAD) technologies. With the need of faster construction outputs and ever changing building codes and liabilities it is... Read >

Rebar Detailing process and Bar Bending schedule specifications

Rebar detailing is the process of producing sorted, weighed and accumulated bar lists and labels as per the reinforcement specifications. It involves graphical representation of bar placing and analysis of varying bars with bending schedules and dimension... Read >

Importance of Shop Drawing in Manufacturing & Fabrication Process

A shop drawing is a set of drawings produced by the contractor manufacturer or fabricator. Shop drawings are most commonly required for pre-fabricated components. Examples of these include: elevators, structural steel, trusses, pre-cast, windows, applianc... Read >

Things you should know for Shop Drawing Review and Stamping process

Shop drawings are crucial bridge between the contract documents and the construction documents. Quality, accuracy and effectiveness of shop drawings plays crucial role in the overall success of the construction project. It's a common practice to review an... Read >

Benefits of Using CAD Software for Building Construction – A Review

Historically, every large engineering and construction company relied on a drafting table used by a professional drafter. It was necessary for producing needed blueprints, elevation drawings and high quality visual renderings for prospect customers. Draft... Read >

How a Structural engineer can help you in your construction project?

The basic function of a structural engineer is to provide effective design and assess structural members that supports or carries a load. A structural engineer deals with two preliminary areas - buildings and non-building structures. The structural engine... Read >

Standard Structural drafting practices, symbols and conventions

Structural drafting practices are very similar to that used in engineering drawing. Because of the complexity of structural drawings are generally produced by experienced engineer or expert structural drafter. Sheet Layout: The drawing paper need to ... Read >

Why use CAD or AutoCAD for Civil engineering design and drafting

Civil Engineers design and develop modern home and commercial buildings. They design building models and implement those using resources and technologies. Presently, designs are created digitally using computer-aided design (CAD) softwares. CAD drafting h... Read >

Basic Roof Trusses Design specifications for Better Construction

Approximately 75% of homes built today utilize pre-fabricated roof trusses in place of conventional roof rafters to support the roof! Roof trusses are pre-manufactured wood structures which are fabricated in a workshop and carefully designed to support th... Read >

Concrete Beam Design - Bridge Engineering – Working CAD Drawings

A commercial bridge contains three main structural members - Substructure (foundation), Superstructure and Deck. The foundation is used to transmit the full weight of the bridge to the earth. It is made up of two components - abutments and columns. An abu... Read >

Roof Truss Design - General Considerations for Home & Structures

Are you planning to build your own home or purchase a new one? Then you need to learn a little about roof truss design and how it can help you create a perfect structure for your home. The ABC of roof truss design begins with a definite sketch. The arc... Read >

Understanding of Various Steel Rebar Sizes and Rebar Grades

Today Steel is the most admired building material across the globe and is used in a variety of residential, commercial and industrial structures; from tall skyscrapers to huge sports stadium to homes and shopping malls. Steel beams and especially steel re... Read >

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How Much Does it Really Cost to Write and Publish a Book?

When an aspiring author is thinking about writing and publishing their book, the question of cost inevitably comes up. All books are different, though, so asking how much it costs to publish a book is like asking how much a house or a car costs. The price depends on the book itself.

Longer books are more expensive, and so are full-color books and hard-cover books. Self-publishing the traditional way, meaning a print run of a couple thousand copies, requires more money up front than print-on-demand. But the cost per copy decreases when you print an inventory, meaning you can make more of your money back faster. Obviously hiring a ghostwriter to write your book significantly increases the cost of the writing--it's free if you do it all on your own. And working with a one-stop shop for your publishing services, as opposed to finding suppliers on your own, will affect your production costs. All these factors, and more, play a role in your publishing expenses.

With that said, I've done some research to put together the following list of expenses you should budget for when writing and publishing your book.

Writing: As I mentioned before, writing your book is free if you do it all on your own. Working with a coach or taking a class to write your book will cost more. And hiring a ghostwriter will be the most expensive way to write your book. However, working with a coach or hiring a ghostwriter will help reduce your editing costs-something to keep in mind. And don't be afraid to invest money in the writing process--well-written books sell better.

Editing/proofreading: Again, if you do it yourself, or find a friend or two to read your book for you, you can get the book edited for next to nothing. However, this approach isn't recommended. The content of your book is the foundation of your publishing venture, so you can't afford to skimp on expenses associated with creating a good, marketable manuscript. Every writer needs an editor, and at least a proofreader. A professional will help you create a professional product.

Design (both cover and interior): Although I know many self-publishers do their own interior design in Microsoft Word, you probably don't want to design your own book cover unless you're a graphics designer. Covers can range in price, depending on the level of customization and amount of illustration required. And many self-publishing companies offer stock templates you can choose from to save money. The same goes for interior page design. Some companies offer stock templates, or you could do it yourself. But if you have lots of graphics or illustrations, or you want a custom job, the cost will be higher.

Miscellaneous production costs: In addition to the design expenses, producing your book also includes securing an ISBN number, copyright fees, and shipping from the printer to you (or your warehouse). You may also need to pay someone for order fulfillment.

Printing: As I mentioned before, it costs less to get your book set up with a print-on-demand publishing company, and then you don't have to worry about warehousing the books and fulfilling the orders. But the cost per copy is significantly higher than if you printed one or two thousand copies. I recommend looking at both options very carefully, and if you know you can sell a thousand copies through your existing marketing channels, then bite the bullet and have them printed. You'll make your money back faster.

Your Book Investment

Regardless of the cost, keep in mind that your book is an investment in yourself and in your business that will pay off. Don't be afraid to spend a little money to do it the right way and create a quality, professional product.

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Have You Considered These Space-Saving Bed Designs To Maximize Your Interior Decorating Space?

Vertical and functional space planning are two of the most overlooked areas in most households interior design layout. In this article we'll discuss how to double the functional space in the bedrooms of your house.

Think Vertical

Effective space planning and interior design requires that you plan in three dimensions - so start thinking about the space above your head and higher up on the walls. There are great functional bedding and storage solutions you can use to easily double your floor space in a bedroom and its functional storage space.

Futons for the guest rooms

Why waste the functionality and floor space of a designated guest room when it can normally operate as your den or library? When guests are expected, simply fold down the futon and make it into your guest bedroom.

Loft beds for older children

Loft beds are excellent functional solutions for older children that also want to use their bedroom as a social hangout or study room. A loft bed allows you to place a sofa or study desk underneath the bed. This also creates a great atmosphere under the bed that is private and quiet.

Bunk beds for the youngsters

When there is more than one child in a bedroom bunk beds are a logical solution for using more of the vertical space available in a room, and also creates more space on the floor for playtime.

Murphy beds for studios and 1 bedroom apartments

Murphy beds are a great bed design to incorporate when space is on limited supply. Installing a Murphy bed will instantly open up the room floor space. In small apartments, installing a Murphy bed can have the effect of feeling like you've just added another entire room! Murphy beds are also a great option for adding to dens or studies to create a guest room.

High platform beds for more storage

Platform beds are becoming very common now as bed designers switch from using bulky box springs to sleeker and more durable platform supports for bed designs. The old space of a box spring easily creates another vertical foot of potential storage space under your bed. For a regular king size bed, this will create an additional 42 square feet of storage space under the bed.

Air beds for emergency guest rooms

If your spare rooms in the house are dedicated to other functions that you really don't want to give up, then consider getting an airbed to use when having house guests stay over. Air beds are portable, inflate quickly, and have good support and functionality. You can also get air beds that quick inflate themselves from a small duffel bag.

Trundle beds

Trundle beds are great to have in kids rooms to pull out for sleepovers and can operate as a second temporary bed if the need arises. When not in use it simply slides back under the bed. If you have a trundle bed then you can free up more space in your storage room by getting rid of any fold out cots or beds.

Day beds

Day beds are a functional bedding alternative that also creates a sitting area during the day. Great for apartments, girls rooms, or dens and guest rooms.

Captain's beds

To maximize storage space in your child's room consider a captain bed. With so many drawers under the higher bed frame you can do away with separate dresser drawers to free up more floor space.

If you start to think vertical in you interior space planning you can be on your way to doubling your useable interior floor space in your home. For more bed resources and design tips you can visit http://www.loft-beds-bunk-beds.com/loft-beds.htm

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Joe Farinaccio

Researching Plans for a Homemade Trimaran Sailboat?

If you're researching plans for a homemade trimaran, then there is good news. Many good plans are available. And a good number were created by very reputable multihull designers/builders. But before buying any of them, you need to know the answers to s... Read >

Why Small Trimarans are Safe

In the opinion of many sailors, small trimarans are safer than other types of small sailboats. Their unique design allows them to be safe in both how they sail, as well as the trimaran design itself. First, it's a fact that small trimarans (and all tri... Read >

What are the Benefits of Sailing a Small Trimaran?

Small trimarans offer their sailors fun, versatile day boats. They're noted for being generally faster, and more responsive, than monohulls. But their unique design, which includes both crossbeams and outriggers, provides a good number of other benefits a... Read >

Why a Small Trimaran Sailboat is Preferable

Why own a small trimaran instead of another kind of small sailboat out there? This is an easy question to answer. Small trimarans are simply more fun to sail than other kinds of sailboats. Yes, I know this is a pretty bold statement. But let's look at ... Read >

Small Trimaran: Wood vs GRP Construction

Should you build a small trimaran with wood or fiberglass? Building a trimaran with fiberglass, a.k.a. Glass-reinforced plastic, seems like the way to go for larger boats. But I still like smaller trimarans built with wood. First, lets talk about what ... Read >

Take a Vacation with Your Trailerable Small Trimaran

One of the biggest advantages of small trimarans is their "trailerability." They can usually be put on a trailer and easily hauled to new sailing venues without much effort or exorbitant costs. This simply isn't an option for most mono-hulled sailboats be... Read >

A Small Trimaran From a Big Yacht Designer

Picture a small trimaran that isn't only relatively fast, but also enables up to 4 sailors to sit comfortably during their day cruise. If you've read up on small trimarans you know that "comfortable seating" is sometimes a challenging thing to find in the... Read >

4 Thoughts about Building a Small Trimaran with Wood

I like small trimarans of all kinds. This means trimarans that are available through commercial purchase or through self-built plans (assuming, of course, good plans are used). This also includes trimarans made using GRP (glass-reinforced plastic) or wood... Read >

A Small Trimaran from A Big Name

Farrier Marine is well known among trimaran fans. They seem to set a standard for trimarans of all sizes, including as it turns out, smaller ones. The design for the "F-22 Sport Tri" came out not too long ago, and it seems to be quite a boat for its size.... Read >

Big Tip for a Homemade Trimaran Sailboat

When I interviewed the founder and publisher of Duckworks Magazine he shared some great tips for anyone who might consider building their own trimaran sailboat. This article is excerpted from our conversation. One of the tips he gave fell into the categor... Read >

2 Fast Trimaran Sailing Canoes For the Do-It-Yourselfer

If you research fast sailing canoes on the web, the name Gary Dierking is going to come up. It's inevitable. Why? Because Gary is not only an authority on these types of watercraft, he wrote a popular book that can be found on Amazon and a host of o... Read >

Fast, Small Trimaran Designs

Here is a modern trimaran sailing canoe that I fell in love with as soon as I saw it -- the Adventure Trimaran ... www.AdventureTrimaran.com ... is a fast little trimaran that is not only fun to read about, but includes things you love to see in a small s... Read >

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Confused About Choosing the Right Down Comforter?

When you decide to purchase a down comforter you are selecting the warmest, most luxurious and comfortable way to sleep. Possibly you want to be warmer in bed, feel luxurious or just sleep better. There are a lot of down comforters out there, many without any real information for the consumer to make an educated purchase. Considering you spend 1/3 of your life in bed you should consider buying a high quality down comforter from a down bedding specialist, otherwise you will be replacing your down comforter every 3 or 4 years, and you will not be able to use it year-round. Choose a high quality goose down comforter from a down specialist and you will enjoy it year-round for many years, plus if they offer cleaning and renovation services, you will have it for life.

Here is what you really need to know:

1) All down is not created equal. Goose down is better than duck down. Down from mature geese that live in cold climates produce larger down clusters that trap more body heat keeping you warmer as well as lofting up to produce a comforter that is puffy without weight. Fill-power is the measurement of a down cluster's ability to loft up after compression. 650 fill-power and up is considered luxury quality. The higher the fill-power the greater the thermal properties and the puffier the comforter. There is also cluster count to consider. This is the percentage of whole down clusters as opposed to pieces of broken down known as "fly". Canadian White Goose Down, considered to be the finest in the world, Siberian, Hungarian and Polish white goose down are the best except for the very rare Eiderdown, the ultimate in softness and warmth without weight.

2) Down will eventually "leak" out of anything other than a cotton cambric downproof fabric. What makes the long staple Egyptian cotton fabric downproof is not just a high threadcount but callendering. This is a natural process of compressing the fabric between giant steel rollers to fill in spaces invisible to the eye. The best cambric cotton downproof fabric comes from Germany or Switzerland. Many of the cambrics are made with a sateen finish. They are very soft,durable and breathable. Threadcounts over 300 are best and will remain downproof for 10-15 years. For Eiderdown the best ticking is Swiss Batiste the lightest of all downproof cambric cottons with the highest threadcount, sateen finish and a silky soft touch, woven specifically for Eiderdown the softest down in the world.

3) Comforters come in open stitch (Karo-Step and Ring Stitch) where the filling can move, closed stitch (baffle box, sew-thru box stitches) fixing the filling into one small box, and the Baffle Channel Tri-Wall construction, a channel stitch with a triangular baffle wall to prevent unwanted shifting. The channel tri-wall, the ultimate couple friendly comforter style, is very beneficial as it allows the filling to be adjusted on one side for truly individual comfort. This is especially useful in summer, or when one person is a warmer sleeper than the other. Baffles prevent cold spots and allow premium downs to loft up to their full potential. Less filling is required in a sew-thru stitch, making these comforters better for summer or very warm bedrooms.

4)The temperature of your bedroom will determine the best comforter for you. Look for a year-round goose down or Eiderdown comforter. Most high quality goose down or Eiderdown comforters are year-round for bedrooms 60 - 72 degrees.

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Plans For A Storage Shed: Where Do You Find Your Plans?

Have you been looking for plans for a storage shed? If this is the first time you tried to look for plans for a storage shed, you should take a look at what we have to offer you. Before you tackle a project like this you will need some guidance through the entire procedure. Before you purchase your plans for a storage shed there are a few questions that you need to answer first. Once you have a firm answer to these questions, looking at designs for sheds is fun!

The first question to answer is; why you would like to have a storage shed in your yard. Do you need somewhere to place all your garden tools or would you like to put your golf equipment there? Do you plan to hide there to relax from time to time when you're tired and need some private time or would you like to let your children play in it? There are many possible reasons why you would like to have a shed and there are a dozen different sites on the internet to look for plans for a storage shed. Most are easy to understand and as long as you plan your work before you start the building project you will most likely be very happy with your new shed in your yard.

The second thing you need to figure out is where you would like to place the shed that you are planning to build. There are some things you should remember when you're trying to decide where it should be placed. The first thing to keep in mind is that you need to build it in a place where it won't disturb your neighbours or some other member of your family. That's really important to consider before planning the construction phase. Another thing to remember if it is to be used as a garden shed; it should be placed where it's not hiding the garden from the sun. And if it is not meant to be a garden shed, it might be better to place it next to the house or the garage.

The third thing to figure out is how big you would like your shed to be. This depends on what you would like to use it for. It needs to be big if you want lots of children to play in it, but it doesn't have to be as big if you just want to put your golf equipment there. It will be much easier to choose the perfect plans for a storage shed when you firmly decide what purpose your new shed will serve.

Answer these questions one at a time and when you've done that it's time to plan to build a shed. You will soon discover that it can be quite fun to plan and build something like this. And what a wonderful project for your teenage boys or girls to help you with. Not only will they learn how to read the plans but they will also learn how to take direction, and how to use tools safely and in the fashion they were designed for.

Browse our site, look through Ted’s Woodworking Plans and I can almost guarantee you will find the plans for the storage shed that you have been dreaming about.

Just go to www.PlanToBuildAShed.com for your perfect plans today!

Happy Shed Building!

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Fireplace Mantel Remodeling Project

For 30 to 40 years, home fireplaces were typically built with simple brick facings and there may not have been a mantel installed, or, there might be a simple or outdated mantel or shelf that needs a makeover. Fireplaces like this let you start with a clean slate to design a look you like and one that fits with the decor of your home!

Ideally, your fireplace and mantel system should complement the design of your home since the fireplace is frequently one of the key focal points of a space. You might think of a mantel surround as a three-sided "picture frame" and you can think of the brick, stone or tile fireplace facing that surrounds the fireplace opening as a "mat" inside the "frame." Here are some ideas to help give your fireplace a face lift!

When considering replacing or upgrading your mantel we suggest you also look at renewing the fireplace facing, too. Wood mantels that surround wood-burning fireplaces must have a non-combustible facing (e.g., tile, brick, stone, marble or granite,) which completes the design from an aesthetic as well as a safety point of view. Most damaged, chipped, stained, outdated or uninspired fireplace facings can easily be removed or covered with something more appealing ... and when coordinated with a new mantel you can truly design your space!

How much facing is needed? Well, fire-codes vary across the country but most require six or more inches of non-combustible Facing between a wood-burning firebox and the leg of a wood mantel and usually call for ten to twelve inches of non-combustible facing between the top of the opening of a wood-burning fireplace and the bottom of a wood mantel header.

In addition to facing on the wall around a fireplace opening, wood-burning fireplaces require a non-combustible hearth that extends outward 18 to 20 inches in depth from the fireplace and 8 or more inches to either side of the fireplace opening. Always check local building codes regarding minimum clearances!

You don't have a wood-burning fireplace? Gas or Electric Fireplaces typically require less Facing than wood fireplaces and the fireplace owner's manual or its manufacturer can provide minimum clearance information. Clearance information is sometimes detailed on a tag or sticker attached to the fireplace itself. For optimum aesthetic appeal, however, we recommend that gas or electric fireplaces also have several inches of facing between the fireplace opening and the mantel and a stone hearth on the floor under the mantel! This will make it look more like a natural, wood-burning fireplace and will usually help with the overall aesthetics of the hearth.

What type of facing can you use? Well, granite facing is popular because of the variety of colors available and because granite is much more durable than most marbles or ceramic tiles. Additionally, granite is much more stain resistant that other stones and it can bring a luxurious, color-coordinated design to your home!

Absolute Black, Tan Brown, Sparkling Pebble and Golden Sand are popular earth tone colors that will be popular for years! What about square tiles verses full granite slabs??? Full granite slabs are preferred by most designers since this provides a customized fireplace facing system without the need for individual tile fitting and grouting seams. Standard facing sets include four pieces, a "Header," two "Legs" and a large "Hearth." Optional Risers are also available, too, for use in situations where the bottom of your fireplace opening is raised above the floor/hearth.

How do you install granite fireplace facing? For an entire fireplace facelift many homeowners will simply use construction adhesive (one specifically labeled for masonry applications) to apply new marble, granite or stone facing right on top of the existing brick. Others will remove some of or the entire existing facing surface before installing new facing stone. After the new fireplace facing is in place you can install a new wood mantel on the wall.

Be sure to look for a mantel designed to fit with an overlap of the outside edges of the facing. This will give a clean/professional installation for an updated and truly designed look, and you won't have to line up facing with the inside edges of the mantel!

When looking for a mantel, make your selection from various mantel designs and choose one that will coordinate with the period or style of your home. Wood mantels range in price from $400 to $2000 or more, in a variety of Traditional and Contemporary designs. Also, insure you order your mantel in your choice of woods to be stained or painted. While many mantels are painted white, if you like to see the natural beauty of wood grain, you might go with Maple, Cherry, Mahogany, Walnut, or Oak woods. You normally have a choice, too, of ordering your mantel either unfinished (for finishing on site during or after installation) or for a modest increase, you an get a mantel with a factory finish in any number of stain colors.

Mantels purchased through DesignTheSpace.com are each custom designed with a specific "return depth" to accommodate the thickness of your stone facing. The outside edges of the facing are overlapped/covered by the inside edges of the wood mantel and any remaining "gap" between the facing and the back of the leg is neatly and professionally concealed after installing the scribe molding that is included with the mantel.

Nearly twenty years of experience have helped the folks at DesignTheSpace develop a nearly infallible system of designing and building properly sized mantels for their clients. If you provide DesignTheSpace with all the requested fireplace dimensions they will guarantee that the mantel will fit your space!

DesignTheSpace has worked with consumers over the years and is familiar with just about every situation that might exist, so if you have a unique installaion, give them a call to discuss mantel options since they have built mantels for nearly every situation and would be happy to work with you on your project. It is highly likely that a variety of mantel design solutions are available for your "unique" fireplace. Call designthespace.com at (866)983-3267 with any questions.

DesignTheSpace Mantels are shipped in one carton and are easily installed! They arrive in one carton, in three main pieces (two legs and a shelf/header assembly.) They also include three lengths of "scribe molding" to finish the interior perimeter of the wood mantel with a very clean and professional look, to neatly conceal any gap that there might be between the back of the mantel leg and the front of the facing. Mantel installation is simple, requiring no special tools and requires only the skills of a handy person.

Are there any options for the wall above the mantel and are there ideas for coordinating the mantel design with a Flat Panel Television? Absolutely!

In many homes, a mantel design might include additional woodwork on the wall above the main mantel, usually called an Overmantel. An overmantel is actually just a second mantel installed above the main fireplace mantel, built to either identical dimensions or sometimes narrower and either shorter or taller than the main mantel below. Some people finish the inside of an Overmantel with a mirror while others simply let their wall show through the opening.

More and more customers are now using an Overmantel to frame a flat panel television. This is a great way to help you design the space to include this relatively new style appliance!

DesignTheSpace.com likes to get before and after photos of their clients' work, to show others what you've done to help you love the way you live!

Video Source: Youtube

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Why Hire Trash Removal Companies

The overstuffing of the useless items in your home can prove to be dangerous for the environment of your home. In order to make your home free from the waste, you can hire the services of the trash removal company. There are numerous problems that would arise if you are not making efforts to make the environment of your house and neighboring area clean and tidy. The overstuffing of the garbage cans with the useless items gives birth to dangerous infections, cockroaches and rats. If you are not trying to keep your area clean and tidy, you may be penalized and get citation from the city where you are living.

By hiring the company offering the services of garbage collection and trash removal from your home as well as your neighboring area, you can easily overcome with the headache of getting away with waste disposal. The basic service provided by these companies is garbage collection. These companies also help in moving the heavy loads.

You can also hire these companies for the removal of old electronic items, plant matter and furniture. One of the best services provided by trash removal companies is recycling of the garbage in a very environmental friendly manner. These companies recycle the items, and offer services, such as refurbishing of the furniture and the extraction of already used parts of the electronic items. This is done in order to place them while making the new equipments. There are some of the other materials like old papers, cans, batteries, wood, drywall and clothes which can be recycled and used.

The garbage collection company perfectly uses the garbage for the recycling purpose as they have access to all the resources. The hazardous wastes which may harm the health of the people are disposed off in a very safe manner by these companies.

The services provided by waste removal companies include collection of the:
• Clinical waste
• Demolition waste
• Construction waste
• Biodegradable waste
• Landscaping
• Special waste
• Slaughterhouse waste
• Composite waste
• Construction waste
• Farm waste
• Packaging waste
• Human waste

Other than that, these companies can also be hired to get away with pets waste, toxic waste, sewage waste, liquid waste, domestic waste, commercial waste and residual waste. Hiring these companies is also the best solution for the removal of liquid waste removal, including portable toilets, industrial hazardous waste, septic and grease.

If you are looking out for the trash removal company in you area or region, you can easily search for the one by accessing TrashinME. This web directory is a wide database of the companies specializing in services, such as trash removal, garbage collection, demolition waste collection, hazardous waste removal and snow removal. You can search for the company as per the country whether you are residing in Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, United Kingdom or United States. TrashinME is one of the best resources available that you can access to easily locate the company in your nearby area.

You can find additional info at the following links:

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The Rocky Road To Success ( Opening a hotel in Nicaragua )

Ever daydream of throwing off the nine-to-five rat race yolk, finding an exotic, sunny climate and opening a hotel, bar and restaurant where the palm trees sway and the snow never falls? Listen to the story of someone who did.

"The first six months were a nightmare. We had tiles falling off the roof on to cars in the street, we had to get permission to do everything-even to put trim around the doors. It took six months to get our cargo containers trough customs when it should have taken two," said Ellen and Marco Snoek, a Dutch couple from near Amsterdam.

What could have been done to prevent the nightmare?

"Nothing."

Would they do it all over again?

"Absolutely."

Both has successful careers -he the director of an aluminum awning company, she in sales for Heineken- but long hours in the office left little time for each other. The idea to start a business somewhere with lots of sun had been born on their honeymoon. "Why do what people expect you to do?" they said.

So they began spending their vacation searching for their dream spot. First in Sri Lanka, then Thailand, Singapore and Malaysia. "We love Asia but the cultures were too different," the said. They tried Mexico, Peru and Ecuador, but nothing seemed just right. On their next trip to Central America they had hopes for Costa Rica," but after five days we said no way. It was like a zoo-too many animals, including the people." And there was the incessant rain. Then a friend told them about Nicaragua. They visited Granada and fell in love with it. "It was like another life, back in time, and there was sunshine," they said.

They drove around with a realtor for three days until one big old house, built in 1869" grabbed our hearts. It was like an old abandoned castle. We had to kick the door open for all the bat and pigeon droppings on the floor." They made the down payment that day by credit card, signed the purchase paper in Spanish, of which they didn’t speak a word, went back to Holland and with no residency or place to live, shipped their possessions and the supplies needed to open their ¨dream¨ hotel.

A few days later the realtor called. The seller wanted to increase the asking price by 10 percent, even with the papers signed. "The dream is over I told Ellen." But after consulting with a financial manager, they decided to go ahead. To this day, they don’t know how someone can ask for more money after the papers are signed. "

To begin construction, they simply opened the doors. "People just showed up offering to work." Men pulled up with horse drawn wagon to haul off debris for 20 Cordoba’s a load. Masons, carpenters, electricians all knocked on the door offering their services. "We would hire them at a preliminary rate and then watch them. If they were competent we paid them more. If not, we would tell them to leave."

The construction workers were "loyal and hardworking, but prankish; they like making fun of us. I didn’t speak any Spanish, and now all I was learning were dirty words." Marco would spray orange marker paint on the walls and floors where he wanted things to go, then point and gesture.

A lot went wrong "because of them and because of me, but I would tell them to tear it down and do it again. Labor here is so cheap."

Inspectors from the city appeared daily. "We needed permission to do the smallest things. We were constantly getting 50-cordobas fines. One day the police came and tried to fine us, saying we were building to near a school, while pointing to a nearby bar.

So Marco went to fight city hall. "It was from one office to the next, back and fort. The architect couldn’t agree on anything. I had a meeting with the mayor with a translator and was yelling at the mayor in English. I found out later he understood."

Ellen, meanwhile, handle customs. "We were using the 306 law which made importing supplies for a new business tax-exempt, but we hadn’t established a corporation yet so it was all in our name and they wouldn’t let it through."

The twenty-foot sea container had traveled the 9,000 kilometers from Rotterdam, Holland, to Limon in Costa Rica, then on a tractor trailer to Managua-all in a month.

It would be five months longer to complete the final 45 kilometers to Granada. "I had my packing list and they made theirs. For example, we brought along boxes of pencils to donate to schools. I counted the number of boxes but they opened the boxes and counted the pencils." Marco Said. The customs officials decided on a tariff of one Cordoba per pencil, which is more than they cost in Holland. Used electronic appliances were taxed at 45% of purchased value while "insurance companies at home would have said they were worthless."

"They were polite and thorough, but had no respect for the property. Once, they laid paintings on the ground, then stood on them while they unloaded the rest." The process was repeated three times before the final bill of entry was made.

"I cried three times: twice at customs, once at city hall" said Ellen.

But opening day finally came.

Ellen and Marco’s idea was patterned after a European Grand Cafe concept.

More a coffeehouse with a small hotel, upscale decor and limited menu.

But the first night 250 people came to the bar. We were going to close at ten, but we have a 12 o' clock license...

What can you do?

The Grand Cafe became a thriving bar and restaurant business. They host theme parties, have a complete menu and opened eleven stylish hotel rooms.

Our dream business, El Club, is a success story.

And not every startup here is.

"We´re here 80 to 100 hours a week, but we make our own schedules and we see each other all the time."

Our advice? Make sure your marriage is solid, or it’s done.

Nicaragua is like quick sand!

Don’t fight, use your head and stay calm.

You can find additional info at the following links:

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