I Could Spoil You

Thongs are the latest new design for women’s panties. Thongs are
panties designed to offer a totally smooth fit with no
detectable panty lines. The no-show thong has become popular
with women of all ages.

Basically, the thong is a panty with full frontal coverage with
a narrow piece of material for back coverage. The average thong
ranges from an extremely low rise at 3-1/2″ (great for hip
hugging fashions) to the high waist thong at a 6″ rise. Most
range from the sizes of extra small to extra large. Some thongs
have nothing more than a g-string for no back coverage. The
g-string sometimes consists of lace, pearls, or sequins.

Thongs can be found in many different styles, including:
extremely low rise, low rise, bikini, hi cut, and waist high.
The thong’s waistband can be either a string or a wide side
panel. Some thongs have flower or butterfly appliques at the
back waistband. Other thongs even have cute or sexy words
embroidered on the front.

Thongs come in different fabrics, including: 100% cotton, cotton
and spandex blends, cotton and lycra blends, nylon and spandex
microfiber, silk knits, mesh and lace.

So, why choose to wear a thong? Many women love the comfortable
fit of a thong and the smooth no show look it provides.

Coupons can be a great way to promote, increase, and improve
your business. They can be used to entice new customers,
move hard-to-sell merchandise, “time-shift” your customers
by getting them to come in during traditionally slow times,
or as a stand-alone product when sold as gift certificates.

And, what could be simpler? Print a piece of paper and it’s
done. Right?

Maybe.

Coupons can get much more complicated than you might think.
What restrictions do you want to impose? Good on certain
days? Certain hours? Is there a minimum purchase required?
What about ‘rain-checks’ if the promoted merchandise is
temporarily unavailable?

What about the structure of the offer?
Buy-one-get-one-free? Percentage discount, flat
dollar-amount discount, or special one-time only price?
Should the coupon expire?

Lots of questions, but how should you go about making all of
these decisions?

Start at the beginning: before you do anything else, decide
exactly what you want to accomplish with your offer. Do you
want to increase sales, get new customers, introduce a new
product or service, use the coupon as a product in and of
itself (as in “gift certificate”), or ??? It is imperative
that you make this determination first because all of the
other coupon-related decisions depend on it.

When you finally do come up with the parameters of your
offer, be sure that it is reasonable and easy to take
advantage of. I remember seeing a restaurant coupon for $2
off the bill, but there were so many restrictions that I
almost laughed out loud. You practically had to be an
attorney to decipher the offer; it was good during certain
hours on certain days of the week, for parties of 4 or more
(adults only, kids don’t count), meals must meet certain
minimums, and so on. It was ludicrous. They apparently
wanted to stimulate business, but I can’t imagine that
ANYone EVER took advantage of the offer. (It may be
significant to note that the restaurant in question failed.)

If you are selling gift certificates, they cannot expire.
Someone has given you money for a product or service that
you have not yet delivered; to allow that to expire is
unethical in my opinion, unless you return the money to the
purchaser after the expiration date.

Accounting for them, however, can be a problem. A friend of
mine received landscaping gift certificates for several
years. She accumulated them until she had a big project to
do, and the nursery that issued them was mortified that they
were going to have to honor them all at once. If you think
about it, though, they got a better deal because they had
use of the money for all of that time, and the buying power
of the money they received has diminished over time; a $100
certificate, for example, issued 5 years ago won’t buy as
much today as it would have then. Gift certificates should
be carried on your books as a liability. That way, you
don’t realize the revenue or take the profit until the
certificates are redeemed.

Some people have the feeling that gift certificates are too
much trouble because of the liability and accounting, but my
feeling is that you should do what’s best for your customer,
not what’s best for you.

Coupons and gift certificates are good tools. Use them, but
be smart about it.

About the Author

“Make More Money and Have More Fun” with your small
business! Dave will show you how with his FREE newsletter,
or his FREE ‘Min-E-Seminar’: “Secrets of an Actual $5
Million Home Business.”
Comments and/or questions are
always welcome at 1-800-366-2347 or Dave@DaveBalch.com.
(c) Copyright 2002, Dave Balch.

Aerial Infrared Roof Moisture Surveys

INTRODUCTION

IR P/PM (infrared predictive/preventive maintenance) is not
limited to annual infrared surveys of electrical switchgear. For
instance, infrared thermography can be a very effective tool for
roof asset management. IR roof moisture surveys are performed on
roofs to quantify the extent of roof moisture (water) that is
inside the roof system. Infrared thermography is not leak
management. No matter how the water got into the substrate, the
purpose of this type of survey is simply to find and document
where the water is located. Extending the life of a roof will
save the owner the expense and aggravation of re-roofing or
re-covering. Re-roofing means that the roof is taken down to the
decking and replaced completely. Re-covering means that the
waterproofing layer(s) are removed, the wet insulation is
removed and replaced and a new waterproofing layer is put down.
The cost of an infrared roof moisture survey is three to five
CENTS per square foot. It cost between three and five DOLLARS
per square foot to repair/replace roofs, so knowing the exact
location of the subsurface water is extremely useful
information, since only those areas that are damaged need to be
repaired. This information is used to plan budgets and when
needed, as a bid document for contracting repairs and/or
replacement of the roof.

Keywords: Infrared, Thermography, Roof, Roof Asset Management,
Infrared Roof Moisture Survey.

ROOF MAINTENANCE IN GENERAL

The ravages of sun, wind, rain, snow, chemicals, leakage, rapid
changes in temperature and time - will eventually cause every
roof to fail. Some roofs last 40-50 years…when they are well
maintained. Owners may believe that a roof warranty will somehow
protect them from having to do maintenance. Not so, as roof
warranties are written by roofing manufacturers for the purpose
of protecting themselves from liability. For example, often a
warranty is written so that if improperly installed or defective
roofing materials are used on a roof and water leaks into the
electrical switchgear room causing an explosion, the roofing
manufacturer will replace the materials, the roofer will
reinstall the materials, but the building owner has to pay for
the replacement of the switchgear and any downtime that resulted
from the failure. Also, the roofer’s and roofing manufacturer’s
liability, in the case of roof failures are also reduced by
vaguely written roof warranties, which do not define words like
“regular” or “routine” maintenance. Not accepting the roof
warranty is not the answer, since the roof will not be installed
unless the owner agrees to the warranty. To eliminate these
problems, the building owner should have an agreement with a
qualified roofer or roof consultant to inspect and maintain the
roof (in accordance with the terms of the warranty) at least
once a year.

Waterproofing problems manifest themselves in two ways: Leakage
and entrained moisture contamination. Leakage is pretty simple,
although the leak inside the building rarely directly relates to
the exact spot on the roof, since the water flows down the slope
of the roof to a spot that is not sealed and into the building
at that point. Most leaks occur where the waterproofing is
sealed or where there is a penetration of the roof. Since most
types of roof systems absorb some amount of water, it is harder
to find the exact spot of water contamination in the insulation
because it may not leak into the building until it has absorbed
all the water it can hold. There are three types of surveys that
are used to find water in a roof. Nuclear gauges-which count
neutrons, capacitance meters-which measure resistance, and
infrared-which measures heat. Both nuclear gauges and
capacitance meters are used to take spot readings on a 10′ X 10′
or 20′ X 20′ grid on the roof. These measurements are used to
extrapolate where the water is from the readings obtained from
the gauge. They are good for types of roofs that do not gain or
lose much solar energy and therefore, do not lend themselves to
infrared.

BASICS OF INFRARED ROOF MOISTURE SURVEYS

During the day, the sun radiates energy onto the roof and into
the roof substrate, and then at night, the roof radiates the
heat back into outer space (See Figure 1). This is called
radiational cooling. Areas of the roof that are of a higher mass
(wet) retain this heat longer than that of the lower mass (dry)
areas. Infrared imagers can detect this heat and “see” the
warmer, higher mass areas, during the “window” of uneven heat
dissipation.

Figure 1) Areas of the roof that are wet retain heat longer than
dry areas.

Some roofs and insulation types or combinations do not absorb
any water. These roofs leak straight into the building. Even
roofs, which have insulation types that do absorb water, some do
not exhibit a good infrared signal, primarily for two reasons.
1) The surface is too reflective, and/or 2) the roof’s ballast
is so thick (or dense), that daylight radiation is not absorbed
into the substrate (insulation), therefore it cannot be emitted
back into the atmosphere at night. Even with a strong infrared
signal, factors on the roof can affect the analysis and
interpretation of the data. Some of these factors: water between
multiple layers, old patches, heavy flood coats, reflective
coatings, heat-producing equipment under the roof -or heat
blowing down onto the roof, stains, ponding water on the roof,
heavy build-up of ballast at parapet walls and along edges, etc.
These roofs should be inspected by other methods as described
above.

WALK-ON INFRARED ROOF SURVEYING

To perform a walk-on or on-roof survey properly, a crew of three
to four people is needed: an experienced infrared thermographer
and helper, an experienced roof consultant or roofer and the
building owners’ representative for access and security. The
crew walks around the roof(s) and when an area of suspect
moisture is found, the roof consultant verifies it is wet and
then the helper marks the edges of the area directly on the roof
with marking paint as instructed by the thermographer. The crew
needs authorization and access to all areas and levels of the
roof(s) from either ladders or roof hatches and plenty of time
to collect data. The infrared images are stored on videotape or
digital media and printed (See Figure 2).

Figure 2) On-roof IR image.

The next day, the thermographer goes back on the roof(s) to take
matching visual photographs of the marked areas that contain
subsurface moisture. The problem with on-roof infrared is that
when one is standing on the roof, eye-level is at best six feet
over the surface. Even with the best hand-held infrared camera
available, there is virtually no way to get large areas (800 sq.
ft. blobs or 100′ long striations) of moisture contamination on
the screen in one infrared shot. Taking multiple shots is
labor-intensive and makes the report confusing. When performing
on-roof surveys, many times “you can’t see the forest for the
trees.” Marking the roof is fairly easy, but it is very
difficult/time-consuming to produce accurate drawings of the wet
areas from painted lines on a roof. Often the drawing supplied
by the owner is outdated, incorrect or even non-existent.

AERIAL INFRARED ROOF SURVEYING

There is never a time when on-roof imagery is better than aerial
imagery. While the best IR imagery of a roof is taken from the
air, the same laws of physics apply to both aerial IR and
on-roof IR…like a dry roof, low winds and no rain on the night
of the survey. Also, the “window” when the roof is radiating
heat differently from wet and dry areas is longer with aerial
infrared because slight nuances of temperatures over large areas
are distinguishable. The high angle of view allows the aerial
thermographer to produce more usable imagery and therefore
accurate CAD drawings. The cameras that are used for on-roof
surveys are not of sufficient spatial resolution to obtain good
imagery from flight altitudes of 1,200 - 1,500 feet above the
roof, so high-resolution, large format IR cameras (See Figure 3)
are required.

Figure 3) Large format infrared imager, fixed-mounted in a light
aircraft.

Once the aircraft is over a building, very little time (five
minutes per 200,000 square feet, about 25 minutes for two
million square feet) is required to fly over making multiple
passes. The imagery is recorded on digital videotape. Visual
photographs are taken earlier in the day or the next day. After
returning to the office, the photos are printed and the
thermographs are saved on the computer. The raw video imagery,
thermographs and photographs are used to make an edited
videotape copy of the passes over the building. Both visual and
infrared images are used to do the analysis by overlaying the
CAD drawing of the roof ‘over’ the digitized photographs and
thermographs. The drawings always need to be corrected, because
rooftop equipment has been removed, moved or added since the
last update of the drawings. Then, areas of suspected moisture
contamination are drawn on the CAD file. The result is a report
where visual, infrared and CAD components (printed and video)
are well matched and lined-up. The report is given to a roof
consultant who verifies the wet insulation during the day, while
making other condition notes on the roof.

Fixed-wing aerial infrared imaging provides many advantages over
on-roof infrared imaging:

Access to multiple levels of the roof is not a problem.
High-angle, straight down infrared images lessen reflection
problems. High-resolution images capture large areas at once,
making report writing easier and less expensive to produce.
Plan-view imaging allows for infrared images, visual images and
AutoCAD drawings to be reconciled closely. As a result, the
report is clear, concise and easy to understand (See Figure 4a,
4b, 4c). Plan view imaging allows accurate marking of areas of
suspect roof moisture contamination. The printed CAD drawings
can be used on the roof to paint areas of moisture contamination
directly on the roof (after verification), if desired.

Figure 4a) Photograph of a roof.

Figure 4b) Thermograph of a roof.

Figure 4c) Scaled CAD drawing of a roof.

The aerial infrared thermographer can wait for a good night for
imaging, surveying many roofs under good conditions. The
trending of roof moisture becomes possible. An aircrew of two
can easily survey many millions of square feet in a single
night. Processing the data is done in the office, not on the
roof. Report components can be purchased as needed. Aerial IR
allows the building owner to buy only the report he needs at
that time.

The biggest advantage of aerial infrared is on roofs that are
the most difficult to image from any distance or angle. Roofs
that, for instance, have a lot of ballast, are covered with
reflective coatings or for whatever reason are impossible to
image while standing on the roof. With high-resolution, plan
view aerial imagery, slight nuances of temperature can be seen
from far enough away to actually see the pattern of heat and
make a determination of where the problems are.

CONCLUSIONS

Every day millions of square feet of perfectly good roofing
materials are disposed of in our landfills. Why? Because roofs
are often replaced because know one knows where exactly the roof
is damaged until it is too late. If you want your roof to last,
it must be regularly maintained by professionals. Infrared roof
moisture surveying is the best method of non-destructive testing
on roofs, and aerial infrared is the best platform for
performing infrared roof moisture surveys. Improvements in IR
cameras and flight methodology, aerial infrared thermography and
aerial infrared reports are getting better and more useable
everyday.

Garlic (Allium sativum) has been used for centuries for both cooking and medicinal purposes. Known as the ’stinking rose’ and Russian penicillin, its medicinal purposes have been documented for centuries and have always been a popular remedy for colds, coughs, and sore throats. Garlic was used in World War I and World War II to cure many diseases and because it is a potent antiseptic. Garlic is universally known for its health benefits. It is an excellent source of phytochemicals and contains vitamins A, B1 (thiamine), B2 (riboflavin), C, iron, phosphorous, sulphur compounds, and calcium. Medical studies have shown that it lowers blood pressure, reduces cholesterol and hypertension, prevents some cancerous tumours, protects against bacterial and fungal infections, and is good for the blood and heart. It is useful as an expectorant in respiratory ailments, eliminates toxic metals, and supports the immune system. Garlic may prove to be useful for diabetics, as it seems to regulate blood sugar levels.

As a culinary spice, the Indians, Egyptians, and Europeans have appreciated garlic for thousands of years, and most notably the Italians and Chinese who have made extensive use of this much-loved plant. There are records of garlic use dating back 3,000 years and botanists believe that garlic probably originated in central Asia thousands of years ago. In North America, early colonists discovered that the First Nations people were using a native species of garlic to treat a variety of medical problems including snakebite and intestinal worms.

Garlic is a moderately hardy herbaceous (herbaceous means a plant that lacks woody tissue and dies to the ground at the end of the growing season) perennial. It grows from 2-3 feet (0.6-1m) tall and has flat, long, pointed green leaves extending from the base. The young leaves grow 2 feet (0.6 m) tall and have a delicate chive-like flavour. Garlic has erect, hollow, green stalks that support pink or whitish flowering clusters or bulbils that appear in mid-summer. The leaves are organised into segments called cloves and may have anywhere from 4-15 cloves in a bulb. Garlic does best in rich, well-drained, highly organic soils, prefers full sun, although it will grow in partial shade. Avoid over-watering or the bulbs will rot. Garlic has white energy for chromotherapy purposes.

Garlic is available throughout the year but it is easy to grow your own. To plant, separate cloves from the head and plant cloves with the pointed end up. Garlic can be planted in early spring or late fall. It is best to plant cloves or bulbils available from nurseries or garden catalogues as store bought garlic is often sprayed with a sprout and root inhibitor that confuses its natural growth cycle. Fall plantings produce the best yields, as garlic needs a long growing period and a cool period below 10 C (50 F) for two months. If over-wintering in zones 3 or 4, plant cloves at least 3 inches (8 cm) deep and mulch with leaves or straw; otherwise plant bulbs 2 inches (5 cm) deep and 6 inches (15 cm) apart. (In the winter, I plant store-bought garlic in pots and snip the leaves to impart a fresh garlic flavour to salads and soups.) Garlic is generally pest and disease free.

Harvest garlic when the leaves die back and begin to turn brown and collapse. Pull up the mature plants and dry in the sun for a week; then trim or braid the stalks and hang the garlic braids in the shade to dry further. To store, keep in a dry, dark place with good air circulation. Garlic will keep for up to 6 months if stored in temperatures no higher than 0 C (32 F). Leaves, bulbs, and bulbils may all be eaten.

In the garden, garlic helps protect plants from fungus and pests. Scientists at New Castle University have shown that a barrier of garlic oil is an effective slug and snail repellent. Planted near roses, it aids in fighting black spot. Garlic spray is used to discourage many insects and combats various blights found on vegetables and flowers. To make garlic spray, mince garlic and add water. Some people add a few drops of vegetable oil to the spray to make it cling to flowers and foliage. Garlic spray is a non-toxic alternative to using harmful chemicals in the garden.

In the kitchen, garlic can be used fresh, dried, or powdered. Fresh is best. To peel, place the garlic cloves on the work surface and whack with the flat edge of a knife. The garlic will crack out of the skin making it easier to peel. You can also put the garlic in boiling water for 30 seconds, drain, and then peel when cool. Crush with the flat edge of a knife and slice or chop as necessary. Garlic can be used to enhance the flavour of seafood, salad dressings, stews, casseroles, vegetables, soups, meat dishes, pasta, vegetables, and poultry. When roasting meat, make slits in the meat, sliver garlic, and stuff into the slits. Roast the meat as usual. Roasting or baking garlic mellows the taste. To eliminate garlic breath, chew the traditional breath fresheners: parsley, fenugreek, or fennel.

Gwen Nyhus Stewart, B.S.W., M.G., H.T., is an educator, freelance writer, garden consultant, and author of the book The Healing Garden: A Place Of Peace - Gardening For The Soil, Gardening For The Soul. She owns the website Gwen’s Healing Garden where you will find lots of free information about gardening for the soil and gardening for the soul. To find out more about the book and subscribe to her free Newsletter visit http://www.gwenshealinggarden.ca

Gwen Nyhus Stewart © 2004 - 2005. All rights reserved.

The finishing touches to your bathroom or kitchen renovation project is the selection of your tap and should be given the same consideration when purchasing other bathroom furniture. Since mixer taps now come in a wide variety of styles and finishes to incorporate the latest in technology, choosing the right taps either for the bath, shower, kitchen or basin mixer taps can add charisma to any room. Whether you are trying to achieve an ultra modern or a traditional look choosing a design that is relevant to your taste and will be significant to the rest of room creates both harmony and balance.

A Modern or Traditional Tap

What defines beauty and elegance in today’s selection of bathroom and kitchen mixer taps are the ultra modern sleek architectural designs. From curvaceous to modular geometric styles or the combination of both in brilliant chrome finishes can create a statement of authenticity and enhance the atmosphere and mood of your design. The array of choices out in the marketplace can be somewhat baffling, ranging from revolutionary and ornate Laser bathroom basin taps in tubular designs that are triggered by touch for a distinctive contemporary appeal. Traditional cross head taps have been have been brought up-to-date into the 21st century with a more angular construction and is the perfect accent to adorn any basin or bath, whatever your design needs are always go with a style that is pleasing to you and fits into the existing design of your room.

Looking for a tap that is both practical and functional also plays a role in the selection process, mixer taps are the ideal solution for the bathroom or kitchen available in single or dual lever controls providing a consistent water temperature and flow. Subtle and elegant traditional bath and shower mixers are a distinguished way in trying to emulate a bygone era, with ceramic accents these types of mixer taps are a favored choice for making a design statement.

Designer Taps

While the scope of kitchen remodeling is on a much grander scale, choosing the right style of tap should be of the same deliberation as in the bathroom. If the kitchen incorporates stainless steel appliances and other modern furnishings a traditional style tap would create an unbalanced look. Opting to go for a trendy minimalist mixer tap design would be more preferable for a complete modern ambiance. On the other hand if your kitchen has a country rustic appearance, traditional styles such as the Dual-Flow High Bridge sink mixer tap or Bib Tap style that can add a genuine touch of charm in a traditional setting.

With stainless steel kitchen sinks still leading the way in popularity and versatility, there is a broad range of complementary taps in metallic and colored finishes to co-ordinate with your design motif and to co-inside with your kitchen accessories. Deciding whether you want a dual-flow tap which provides independent hot and cold water flow or a single lever taps which combines hot and cold water temperatures with one adjustment at the initial design stage will help ease and narrow the selection process as well as avoiding costly mistakes.

Written by Shelley Murphy on behalf of www.victoriaplumb.com an online retailer of bathroom furniture, steam showers, shower enclosures, whirlpool spa baths and bath related products serving the United Kingdom.

Shelley Murphy brings with her over 10 years of Search Engine Optimization and e-marketing strategies to web based businesses. Holding two BA’s in English and Journalism Communications her writing skills have been a great asset for both onsite writing and monthly newsletters publications.

Melanoma is the deadliest form of skin cancer and has been spreading like wild fire over the last decade. It is curable, but for melanoma treatment to be fully effective, early diagnosis is imperative. Melanoma treatment may take the form of surgery, chemotherapy in early stages, and biological or radiation therapies in extreme cases.

Melanoma takes on four forms. Both superficial spreading melanoma, the most common form accounting for 70% of all melanoma cases and lentigo maligna begin as flat or elevated irregularly shaped tan, brown or black patches.

Both these forms of skin cancer begin as localized tumors, but left untreated, they penetrate deeper and spread to other parts of the body. Acral lentiginous melanoma is a superficial melanoma common amongst Asians and African-Americans.

Nodular melanoma is the most severe form, beginning as invasive cancer and when malignant, shows a lump. It accounts for 10-15% of melanoma cases.

Prevention is always better than cure. Melanoma can be prevented by reducing the sun exposure, especially between 10am and 4pm with adequate clothing and sun blocks with a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 15. Children are vulnerable to sunrays and it has been proved that juvenile sunburns greatly increase the risk of adult melanoma.

Melanoma remedy is most effective in the early stages. This means that you should be aware and alert about every symptom of the disease.

You should be especially concerned about your existing moles changing shape or color and of course, new ones appearing unexpectedly. Typical melanoma moles are lop-sided with irregular borders. Advanced melanoma moles have swellings, oozing, itching or bleeding.

Melanoma remedy varies according to the progression of the disease. Actinic Keratoses or sun damage leading to skin cancer can be treated by laser resurfacing, TCA peels or the application of Efudex cream.

In the early stages, surgery to remove the tumor and the adjacent healthy tissues is effective enough to destroy the metastatic cancer cells. The amount of tissue removed depends upon the spread of the cancerous growth.

Surgical melanoma remedy may also involve a skin graft to replenish the lost tissues. If the melanoma spreads to the lymph nodes, surgery may also involve removal of these.

Advanced melanoma treatment includes chemotherapy. This either involves the use of cancer drugs in capsule form or intravenous injections to kill the cancer cells.

Biological and radiation therapies are the last bastions of melanoma treatment. In the former, laboratory-generated cancer-combating substances called biological response, modifiers (BRMs) like tumor vaccines, interleukin-2, or interferon-alfa are administered to the melanoma patient.

Radiation therapy involves the use of x-rays to destroy cancer cells that have spread throughout the body. This form of melanoma treatment can last several sessions. Its side effects include topical redness, dryness and rashes, which disappear over time. However, changes in skin color and texture may occur after a few years.

Melanoma treatment should be undergone only under strict medical guidance to ensure complete remedy and prevent a recurrence.

David Maillie is a chemist with over 12 years experience in biochemical research and clynical analysis. He is an alumni of Cornell University and specializes in biochemical synthesis for public, private, and governmental interests and manufactures various skin peels, cancer and acne treatments for doctors offices and medispas. He can be reached at M.D. Wholesale: http://www.bestskinpeel.com

An ancient way of survival turned hobby, fishing, is cherished by many for its relaxing, natural setup. But if you think fishing is all about throwing the line in the water and oozing down in your fold-up chair while getting a tan, think again. Sometimes fishing is hard work! Especially carp fishing. Read on and you’ll find out why…

You don’t have to be an extremely experienced fisherman to recognize this scenario: you prepare for a fruitful day of carp fishing, thinking you got the right bait, the right rod, the right line and so forth but several hours pass without any luck for you. When you look up just a few hundred meters away, some random guy using the same tools and same bait is pulling out big carps every now and then. How come he’s catching them regularly, while you end up empty handed at the end of the day? When you ask him about it, he just winks at you and through his smirk, he says “It’s all about luck, mate!”. But you know it can’t be simply a matter of luck, it’s too plain obvious. Chances should be equal for both of you…

And here’s where most fisherman go wrong, thinking carp fishing is only about chance. What they don’t understand is that fish aren’t always equally spread out in a lake and they prefer certain areas and certain depths more than other. Actually, experienced fisherman agree that the biggest challenges of carp fishing are choosing the right bait and choosing the right fishing spot. We’ll discuss the bait part a bit later, but first let’s see how you set your position up so that you maximize your chances of landing the cast near some fat carps.

It’s well known that carps are fish that tend to stay deep, near the floor of the lake but how can we know what “deep” means without knowing the exact topography of the lake you’re fishing in? One direct, but rather blunt way is to ride off in a boat, using an extendable pole to check the exact depth of the area and try to cover several positions so that you get an approximate clue to what the lake’s topography is.

Of course, this carp fishing method has 2 major disadvantages. One would be that riding off in a motor boat in what you’ll find to be excellent fishing spots might scare the carps away, which means that you’ll have to wait a while before you can fish in that particular area. The other disadvantage is that the lake (or at least some areas) will simply be way too deep for an extendable pole to handle. But if you know for a fact that the lake is shallow enough to allow for some “floor poking” then it’s a relatively efficient method, especially that you’ll only have to do it once, write down the numbers, try to approximate the topography and then use the “blue prints” over and over again each time you fish there.

An alternative method of testing the depth of a lake that is becoming more and more popular amongst experienced carp fisherman is the so-called “plumbing rod”. This requires a spare rod armed with a 3 oz lead sinker with a free running barrel swivel attached. At the end of the line, tie a large bobber so that the lead is allowed to run freely on the line until it hits the float. Cast the rod and wind the line until the float has hit the lead on the bottom. Congratulations, you just found out the depth of that particular spot, now all you need to do is measure it. Slowly let out the line approximately one foot at a time until the float comes up. The number of feet the float rises from the bottom is directly proportional to the number of feet of line you let off the reel, so keep count of the line and you’ll have a pretty accurate measurement of that spot at the end.

Like I stated above, choosing the right bait is equally important to choosing the right spot when it comes to carp fishing (well this is generally important to all sorts of fishing types, but even more so to carp fishing). Let’s start off the subject by saying that as a general term, particle bait is the best type of bait you could use in carp fishing. This includes a wide array of baits such as beans, corn, peas, vegetables, nuts and even peanuts. The problem is that although generally effective, you can’t say that is the best for carp fishing. It depends on so many factors such as water type, depth, natural food sources of the fish in that particular lake (and we can go on an on), that it would be rather inaccurate to state such a thing. Personal experience will make a huge difference here so it’s best if you try them all for a while, or why not a combination of two or more particle beans on the same cast.

What happened to the poor, old, standard worm-in-the-hook you may ask? Well the problem with worms or any other wiggly meat baits is not that the carp won’t be attracted to it (by God, a worm must be the royalty of meals in every fishes’ menu) but that other, faster, more aggressive fish will see and grab it first. So it’s best if we use the above-mentioned particle baits which are not very tempting for other fish, but equally delicious for carps.

A popular technique used in carp fishing is pre-baiting. This means that once you have zeroed-in on the spot you’re about to fish in, you take a short on-boat trip to where you’ll figure the casts will land and spray the water with bait of all kinds in order to attract the carps (and inevitably other fish too). After the panic caused by your boat settles in, you can start casting. Don’t worry about the fish choosing the pre-bait before the one in your hook, since by the time you cast, there will be plenty of carps there banging their forks and knives to the table, waiting for food and your bait-filled hook sliding down to the bottom will surely grab their attention.

Now that you know how to choose your carp fishing spot and what to place in the hook, start exercising your arm muscles since there’s going to be a lot of hard work and pulling to be done, getting those fat carps to the tip of your rod. Oh and if you see a poor fellow fisherman sitting a few feet away from you, frustrated by the fact that he’s empty handed while you’re reeling in carps like there’s no tomorrow, just give him a wink and a smirk and say “It’s all about luck, mate!”…secrets are meant to be kept ;).

Article Source: Carp Fishing

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A delicious, mouth-watering piece of sweetened chocolate is a treat that tempts everyone. Whether it’s a delicious chocolate truffle or a double dipped chocolate nut cluster that just bursts with flavor as soon as it placed inside your mouth; quality chocolate candy is a treat that you enjoy and deserve.Chocolate candy, soft candy, chewy candy, chocolate and fruit candy are all available today over the internet at great prices.

For a quick energy pick up, consider chocolate. After putting your body through a grueling workout such as walking, running or bike riding, it demands bodybuilding nutrition. An easy, quick and reasonably priced way of fulfilling this need is to simply savor a piece of chocolate.

How do you show someone you love them? Do you buy them expensive gifts? Spend quality time together? Make personal sacrifices just to see them smile? Dedicate a song to them? Write a love letter or note of encouragement? Become their cheerleader? Those are wonderful things to do but my question goes deeper then those types of activities, even beyond your romantic partner. How about a piece of chocolate? There’s nothing better.We hope you enjoy the selection of chocolate makers we’ve suggested. We only deal with quality makers of chocolate and candy who use the finest, freshest quality ingredients and that are offered at reasonable prices.

Mike Yeager

Publisher

http://www.a1-candy-4u.com/productpage/chocolate.html

mjy610@hotmail.com

I often talk to people casually about their lives and jobs. (That is always a way to start a conversation. We ask the question: “What do you do”? often in our culture.)

Though I want to counsel or coach people about their lives and careers as a career coach, I do not buttonhole people just to make them buy my services. As above, it’s usually what we talk about when we don’t have other quesitons or answers to give about ourselves when we are initiating a conversation.

What does this have to do with trust? I find that after the beginnings of a mutual conversation about jobs or careers, the other person will switch to how they like or dislike their lives and jobs. They, invariably tell me about themselves and how they really feel.

The person talking to me often goes further in describing their true feelings. What doesn’t happen, though, is any kind of solution based dialogue from the other person, if they are frustrated by their lives or jobs. The people who are satisfied with themselves and their jobs talk about other subjects.

The dis-satisfied person stops and does not trust me to probe further. I believe it is because trust for this kind of person is an issue. When a “semi-dis-trustful” person can go beyond the obstacle they have inside themselves, can a true conversation begin. It might take a few casual conversations to have this kind of person become genuine and trusting of others in the job game.

About The Author

c, 2004-05

Marilyn J. Tellez, M.A.

Certified Job & Career Transition Coach

Email: doitnow@nwinfo.net

Web: www.doitnowcareers.info

California is well known for first-class wine and wineries. While they do not have as much romance and mystery as their European counterparts do, they, however, have a vibrance and body to them that is hard to deny.

California, with over 200 days of sunshine and a very dependable growing season, is ideal for cultivating grapes and setting up wineries.

For any wine connoisseur, a trip to California - both to witness winemaking and to engage in wine tasting - is a once-in-a-year, if not once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

If your goal is to visit California for this purpose, and to see the yearly festivals, the harvesting and processing events, then a tour of the California wineries is sure to delight you. Here are a few tips to help you make the most out of a trip to these wineries.

1. Plan ahead. You will need a clear plan on which geographical areas that have been designated for viniculture - to visit since there are so many. Luckily most of them are bunched together by region right next to urban and natural settings. Choose a region that suits you and map out the areas that you would like to visit.

You could also visit websites or contact trade bureaus and winery organizations for a list of wineries to visit and for upcoming special events.

2. Make reservations. Some wineries offer tasting by appointment only, so you will want to call ahead of time to let them know. Also make travel and accommodations before hand because this period will generally be a busy one for them. Limit your visits to, at the most, three wineries per day since there is so much to do and so much to see. Some visitors make the mistake of trying to squeeze too much into one day, only to find out that travel to and from regions can be a terribly long affair. You will also want to allow for time to tour the wineries and participate in annual events. That’s going to be a lot of things going on at the same time, so make sure you accommodate that into your schedule.

3. Study your destinations carefully. In order to make the most out of a visit, try to know as much as you can about the winery you are visiting. Having a designated driver helps when touring the California area. You will also have to consider using spit buckets and share tasting as needed.

Bill McRea is the publisher of Knowninfo a premium website dedicated to providing Information, Marketing Strategies and Quality eBooks. Visit our site daily for updated information, and unique products.