Archive for June, 2008

The Perfect Porch Swing

Sunday, June 22nd, 2008

By Debbie Rodgers There is a magical quality to porch swings. In his summertime classic Dandelion Wine, Ray Bradbury describes the “ritual of the front-porch swing.” “In the garage they found, dusted, and carried forth the howdah, as it were, for the quiet summer-night festivals, the swing chair which Grandpa chained to the porch-ceiling eyeletsthey sat, smiling at each other, nodding, as they swung silently back and forth, back and forth.” Perhaps it is the soothing rhythm or the reassuring creak of the porch swing that attracts us. Perhaps it is the companionable silence or quiet conversation. Or maybe swings simply remind us of more genteel times. Materials and Construction Although porch swings can be purchased in a wide range of materials, the most common are wicker and wood. You can also make your own porch swing from one of the myriad of woodworking patterns available at garden centers, hardware stores, or on the Internet. You can even improvise with a rope chair or a wicker chair with the legs cut off and a support base added. Whether you are buying or making, here are things to look for: Seat depths vary from 18 to 36 inches (50-100 cm). There is no one “correct” depth — it’s a matter of personal comfort. Chair slats should have some curve or slant to them to make a more comfortable seat, and there should be enough space between slats to allow air to circulate. Swings can hold one to three people depending on the length of the seat. Of course, the bigger the swing, the heavier the load and the sturdier the supports need to be. Swings with additional length-wise supports under the chair slats will be sturdier and will swing more evenly. All joints should be bolted or screwed together, not nailed. Pine, maple or oak swings will not weather as well as cedar or teak, but can be painted with an exterior paint to extend their life. They also suit a sheltered porch area. Wooden bench backs come in a variety of styles. Back slats can run horizontally, vertically with a topper or even vertically at differing heights to form a “round” back. Some styles will suit certain homes better than others. Seat cushions, covered in durable outdoor fabrics, can adapt a swing to just about any architectural or decorating style, and also make the swing more comfortable for whiling away those summer evening. Installation Allow a 4 foot (1.2 m) arc for the swing to move freely. Use galvanized or stainless steel chain or marine-grade braided nylon or polyester rope, and eye-bolts or S-hooks with 4-6 inch (10 cm-15) shafts. Using S-hooks allows easier removal of the swing for winter storage but is not as secure as using eye-bolts. ALWAYS hang the swing from a roof joist, not the roofing material itself. If the joists on your porch roof are not exposed, cut away a section of roofing to find them. Otherwise, don’t hang the swing from the ceiling — use a frame instead. Drill a pilot hole slightly smaller than the shaft of the eye-ring or S-ring. This will ensure a snug fit to the shaft of the ring. Tighten the ring securely, using pliers or a screw-driver for the last turn. Measure the required chain. As an example, seven foot (2.1 m) chains hung from a beam 8 feet (2.4 m) above the floor will lift a swing about 18 inches (45 cm) off the ground. If you have a measurement, your hardware dealer can cut the exact length of chain you need and you won’t have to cut it with a hacksaw. Use four chains to hang your swing — two chains from each hook, one to the front of the swing and one to the back. It’s easier to hang swings with holes in the arms, but swings with chains attached to the seat or to the bottom supports give a more comfortable ride without as much twisting and wearing of the chains or the ropes. Check your swing each spring and replace any rusted chain or bolts. Also maintain the finish of the wood because weathered wood eventually will loosen fasteners and produce splinters. No porch? Don’t despair if you don’t have a covered porch. Some swings come suspended in their own frames or can be installed on decks on a wooden A-frame. Put one in your garden, hanging from an arbor. Train vines up the sides and soon you’ll have a leafy hide-away nook. Hang a board with rope from a sturdy, level tree branch If you need something that takes up less space, consider a glider — a bench that gently moves forward and back on a mechanized base. There are even kits available that will turn a wooden garden bench into a glider. So don’t just sit there this summer — swing away and make some memories! About The Author Debbie Rodgers, the haven maven, owns and operates Paradise Porch, and is dedicated to helping people create outdoor living spaces that nurture and enrich them. Her latest how-to guide Attracting Butterflies to Your Home and Garden is now available on her web site. Visit her at www.paradiseporch.com and get a free report on Eight easy ways to create privacy in your outdoor space. Mail to debbie@paradiseporch.com Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Debbie_Rodgers http://EzineArticles.com/?The-Perfect-Porch-Swing&id=20047 payday advance jacksonville hialeah no credit check car loan georgia cash til payday quick cash advance

Losing More Than Weight With The Cabbage Soup Diet

Thursday, June 19th, 2008

By Roy Miller If all you eat is cabbage soup, you’ll lose weight. You might also lose your mind, or your will to live. Do you know why the cabbage soup diet works (or the grapefruit diet, or any other diet that actually helps you drop pounds)? It works for one simple reason that gets lost in all the gloss and glitz of the weight loss industry. The only way to lose weight effectively is to reduce your net caloric intake. That’s simple physics folks. If you don’t burn the calories you take in, your body is going to store the excess as fat. I guarantee it will be places you don’t want. The cabbage soup diet reduces your net caloric intake. Here’s a secret, though. So does any effective diet. You can go with points, or portions, or any other nifty gimmick there is. Effective diets reduce your net caloric intake. But what about the low-carb craze? Isn’t that different? Nope. When you reduce your carbohydrate intake, and replace it with protein–prepare for a shocker–you eat less. That’s the magic. By the time you stuff yourself with meat, you don’t have room for other things. That effectively reduces your total caloric intake. There. You never have to pay through the nose for another diet claiming to be different. The ones that work all do the same thing. The best ones don’t eliminate entire categories of food. They simply focus on helping you reduce the number of calories you eat. So don’t feel like you have to live on cabbage soup for the rest of your life. That’s not really living anyway. Copyright by Roy Miller You probably know Roy Miller as an online marketing expert. But he also struggled with his weight for 20 years…until he figured out how to lose weight, and keep it off forever. Roy is the creator of the Get Thin For Life System. If you liked this article, visit Roy’s website to discover the best way to lose weight, and keep it off. Just for visiting, you can pick up a free copy of his report about why fad diets like the cabbage soup diet usually fail. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Roy_Miller http://EzineArticles.com/?Losing-More-Than-Weight-With-The-Cabbage-Soup-Diet&id=155299 scams on cash advance company countrywide home loans short sale payday loan with multi payment plan check for cash advance

Long Distance Phone Service Providers

Sunday, June 15th, 2008

By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Kristy_Annely]Kristy Annely Various advances in technology have changed the way we make long distance calls. From the traditional landline phones to cellular phones, to computers and Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) devices, technology has affected the way everyone communicates. This has led to long distance phone services that are not only different in terms of the quality of reception but also the cost involved with making long distance calls. Today, one even has the option of virtually free long distance phone calls, but with a comparatively lower quality than the traditional long distance services using regular landline phones. However, the savings is worth the decreased quality for many people. Long distance phone services can be broadly categorized into four groups. These include landline to landline and cellular phone service, cellular to cellular and landline service, calls made from a personal computer or VOIP device to landline or cellular phone service and PC to PC voice communication services. The leading traditional long distance service providers (where the calls originate from land lines) in the U.S. are Sprint, AT&T and MCI Worldcom. Traditional long distance phone calls are still the most expensive option, despite fierce competition amongst these providers. Calls made using a computer or a VOIP device to landline or cellular phone service use Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) to enable long distance voice communication. They use the Internet to transmit the voice and provide a cheaper alternative compared to landline and cell phone based long distance services. However, the reception quality is not as good and sometimes there is a time lag in the voice transmission. The leading providers of this category of long distance services include DeltaThree, Dialpad, MediaRing, Net Caller, and Skype. PC to PC voice communication also uses VOIP and is usually free. This service is available through the instant messenger applications provided by MSN, Yahoo, AOL and Google. This is not the highest quality and does not use a phone handset the way VOIP phone service does. To communicate using voice chat over instant messaging programs, both users will need a headset and microphone. [http://www.i-LongDistancePhoneServices.com]Long Distance Phone Services provides detailed information on Long Distance Phone Services, Local And Long Distance Phone Services, Cheap Long Distance Phone Services, Long Distance Phone Service Providers and more. Long Distance Phone Services is affiliated with [http://www.e-LongDistanceCarriers.com]International Long Distance Carriers. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kristy_Annely http://EzineArticles.com/?Long-Distance-Phone-Service-Providers&id=278530 payday loans with phone telephone number to call no fax payday advance can you receive federal loan money for college in your fith year current auto loan rates for bad credit

Taking A Closer Look At Fishing Rods

Sunday, June 1st, 2008

By Areeb A Khatib Contemporary fishing rods do not resemble the primitive cane poles and which can easily retrieve the fish caught in its bait with the aid of the reels in its rod. Some of the fishing rods sport sophisticated movable shafts that can move except handle and can make it easier to catch a struggling fish caught on snare bait. The basic design of a fishing rod has remained unchanged. It is thick at the handle (bottom) and tapered and thinner at the tip to make it flexible and provide it handling stability. Fishing rods are normally 6 and 16 feet (2 and 5m) and have variable capacity to tolerate fishing activity strains. Length of the pole determines the withstanding power of a rod and also decides upon the angling rod’s performance. One of the smallest and less sophisticated fishing gadgets are the Cane poles, which has a basic fly line attached to it and are either made of bamboo or other flexible materials. A cane pole lacks a reel used for applying or for retrieving a baited fish. Spinning rods are normally used for fishes like trout, walleye and bass fish but are also good for catching any heavyweight or lightweight fish. Measuring 5 and 7 (1.5 and 2.5m) they are the most popular rods presently. Being very flexible and stress resistant they are used in bass fish competition. To prevent line tangles during unfolding of fold lines they accommodate bigger and tougher fly lines. For heavy catches around 180 to 200 feet under the ocean’s surface the jigging rods are the best. Being made of fine, solid material they are heavy and can catch fish even in alternating currents. Often erratic undersea current disturb the fly line and consequently the lure. So to avoid confusion the fly lines of jigging rods are made long and heavy. Such rods are best suited for halibuts and cods that normally dwell at the bottom of the sea. Areeb Khatib is involved with an online fishing project that informs and educates the fishing enthusiast through well-written articles. Discover how to get better at Fishing - Bass, Saltwater, Trout, Fly Fishing, & More: http://www.myfishingexpert.com Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Areeb_A_Khatib http://EzineArticles.com/?Taking-A-Closer-Look-At-Fishing-Rods&id=439140 how to make paycheck money lenders role independent payday advance providers loans til payday