Life Is Made Up of Kindness and Smiles

"Life is made up, not of great sacrifices or duties, but of little things, in which smiles and kindness, and small obligations, given habitually are what win and preserve the heart and secure comfort." Sir Humphry Davy

It doesn't take a lot of effort to be kind.

Imagine the following scenario: it is 6:30 am in early February in Northeast Ohio. It's pitch black, 18°F outside, and the wintery winds are gusting at about 20 miles per hour. You are in front of a large healthcare facility, along with a group of adults, and you are all impatiently waiting for a crossing guard to let you across the street so you can get to work. Finally, the traffic light changes and you all walk past the guard, either scowling or ignoring him entirely.

If this for you, what would you do when you passed the guard? Would you be one of the scowlers, or would you pause to consider that in less than two minutes you are going to be inside a nice warm building while he is still working outside in the bitter cold? Would you smile at him? Would you take just a second and acknowledge him for what he's doing? Think about it.

Several years ago, I was in that group of cold adults. I want to get into that building, believe me, and I was on my way. Instead of joining the crowd of scowling faces, I took a different tact. As I walked by, I put my hand on the crossing guard's shoulder, smiled and said, "Dude, I am so glad I am not you today." The expression on his face was priceless; he lit up. Just for a moment, somebody saw him in his discomfort and acknowledged him. Sometimes that's all it takes.

In the scheme of things, this incident was an extremely small part of my day. Yet when I recall the expression on that gentleman's face, it brings me delightful memories and still makes me feel happy years later.

Think about the number of people that you come into contact with on a daily basis. If you consciously took the time to see each and every one of those people, how many people would it be? 10? 25? 100? The thing is: it only takes one. Connecting with one person at a time gives you a golden opportunity to make a difference.

A smile, a caring word, an act of kindness - that's all it takes to make this world a little better place. Is there someone that you see all the time but you don't take the time to acknowledge? How about changing that? Today, make it a point to bring a smile to someone's face. Chances are excellent that this act will bring happiness to you as well. And who knows, the memory of one short encounter may still light you up years from now.

Have fun,

Lisa

The crossing guard, the cleaning person, the early morning barista at your favorite coffee shop - who is it that you can bring joy to today?

Lisa Ryan is the Chief Appreciation Strategist with Grategy. She is a keynote speaker, gratitude expert, and author of "The Upside of Down Times: Discovering the Power of Gratitude" and she is featured in the documentary, "The Keeper of the Keys" with Jack Canfield, Marci Shimoff, and John Gray.

Learn more about Lisa Ryan at http://www.grategy.com/

Energy Department Announces New Investment in U.S. Small Modular Reactor Design and Commercialization

Energy Department Announces New Investment in U.S. Small Modular Reactor Design and Commercialization | Department of Energy Skip to main content Energy.gov Find information about your town or city. Search form Search Energy.gov Public ServicesTax Credits, Rebates & SavingsHomesVehiclesBuilding DesignManufacturingNational Security & SafetyEnergy EconomyFunding OpportunitiesState & Local GovernmentScience & InnovationScience & TechnologyScience EducationInnovationEnergy SourcesEnergy UsageEnergy EfficiencyMissionNews & BlogMaps & DataAbout UsFor Staff & ContractorsOfficesAll OfficesProgram OfficesStaff OfficesLabs & Technology CentersField SitesPower Marketing AdministrationOther Agencies You are hereHome » Energy Department Announces New Investment in U.S. Small Modular Reactor Design and Commercialization Energy Department Announces New Investment in U.S. Small Modular Reactor Design and Commercialization November 20, 2012 - 2:48pm Addthis News Media Contact(202) 586-4940

WASHINGTON – As part of the Obama Administration’s all-of-the-above strategy to deploy every available source of American energy, the Energy Department today announced an award to support a new project to design, license and help commercialize small modular reactors (SMR) in the United States.  This award follows a funding opportunity announcement in March 2012.  The project supported by the award will be led by Babcock & Wilcox (B&W) in partnership with the Tennessee Valley Authority and Bechtel.  In addition, the Department announced plans to issue a follow-on solicitation open to other companies and manufacturers, focused on furthering small modular reactor efficiency, operations and design.  

“The Obama Administration continues to believe that low-carbon nuclear energy has an important role to play in America’s energy future,” said Secretary Chu.  “Restarting the nation’s nuclear industry and advancing small modular reactor technologies will help create new jobs and export opportunities for American workers and businesses, and ensure we continue to take an all-of-the-above approach to American energy production.”

This project represents a significant investment in first-of-a-kind engineering, design certification and licensing for small modular reactors in the United States. Through a five-year cost-share agreement, the Energy Department will invest up to half of the total project cost, with the project’s industry partners matching this investment by at least one-to-one.  The specific total will be negotiated between the Energy Department and Babcock & Wilcox (B&W). 

The Energy Department investment will help B&W obtain Nuclear Regulatory Commission licensing and achieve commercial operations by 2022 – helping to provide U.S. utilities with low carbon energy options as well as create important export opportunities for the United States and advance our nation’s competitive edge in this emerging global industry. The project will be based in Tennessee and will support additional suppliers and operations in Indiana, Maryland, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Virginia.

Small modular reactors - which are approximately one-third the size of current nuclear power plants - have compact, scalable designs that are expected to offer a host of safety, construction and economic benefits. Small modular reactors can also be made in factories and transported to sites where they would be ready to “plug and play” upon arrival, reducing both capital costs and construction times. The smaller size also makes these reactors ideal for small electric grids and for locations that cannot support large reactors, offering utilities the flexibility to scale production as demand changes.

As this nascent industry continues to grow, the Energy Department is committed to supporting research and development that will advance efficient, safe and cost-effective small modular reactor technologies. The Department plans to issue a new funding opportunity announcement to address this goal and support continued design development and certification of innovative SMR technologies.

Find more information on the important steps the Department is taking to jumpstart America’s nuclear industry at www.energy.gov/nuclear.

 

 

Addthis Related Articles Energy Department Announces Small Modular Reactor Technology Partnerships at Savannah River Site Energy Department Takes First Step to Spur U.S. Manufacturing of Small Modular Nuclear Reactors Obama Administration Announces $450 Million to Design and Commercialize U.S. Small Modular Nuclear Reactors What We Do For You Energy EconomyEnergy Economy InnovationInnovation Nuclear Security & SafetyNuclear Security & Safety Energy.gov Careers & InternshipsContact UsEmail Updates Popular Topics SavingsHeating & CoolingIndustrial Heating & CoolingSolarHome WeatherizationAppliances & ElectronicsAbout this siteWeb PoliciesPrivacyNo Fear ActInformation QualityOpen GovEnergy DepartmentBudget & PerformanceDirectives, Delegations & RequirementsFOIAInspector GeneralPrivacy ProgramSmall BusinessFederal GovernmentThe White HouseUSA.gov

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Use Power Of Mind Disciplines To Speed Up Your Success Development

A great deal of research has been done on the way our mind works in relation to what we achieve in life. There is a strong connection between success development and the way we think. Researchers have found successful people think in a particular way and manage their life better and more effectively than unsuccessful people. This has led them to develop power of mind disciplines to teach others to think in a similar way. These tools are readily available to all of us.

Neuro-linguistic Programming (NLP)

NLP explores the relationship of how we think, communicate and behave. It helps people unblock the structures of human communications and excellence. People can study and learn how these are related and they can change the way they think and act. They can then adopt new, more successful models of human excellence.

It has been used effectively in all areas of personal development such as business management, sales and sports coaching. It is an effective tool to help you remove barriers and roadblocks that might stand in your way of you own success development. There are a number of books, CDs and online courses you can use. You can employ the services of a NLP coach for faster more effective results.

Self-Hypnosis

When we think of hypnosis we can get images of a stage hypnotist or a Svengali type taking control of our minds and having us do things we would not normally do. Just as an aside: hypnotists cannot put us under their influence unless we want that to happen and they cannot make us do things that would go against our normal behaviour.

A Scottish doctor, James Braid in 1841, brought self-hypnosis to light. He employed the same hypnotherapy techniques he used on patients to relieve his own severe rheumatism. Since then, it has been used extensively to relieve many physical and mental ailments. Its techniques can be applied to any area of life we want to change and they can be learned by anyone. It is one of the most effective self-help systems we have.

Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT)

This is a combination of Western and Eastern medicine. We use the repetitive phrasing of hypnotherapy with the physical connection to the meridians of the body found in Chinese acupuncture. You stimulate energy points in the body by tapping with your fingers while repeating a phrase. Professionals who use it say is quicker than traditional treatment, which can take several sessions with a psychiatrist to get the same results. Many professional believe it is a breakthrough in modern mental treatment.

The great part is, it is something we can all easily learn, it does not cost anything and it is effective. While it was originally used to deal with emotional issues, it is now used to relieve physical pain, overweight and habits such as smoking. It is very effective in helping us to change the way we think and to remove mental barriers to our personal development.

These three disciplines have been proven to be effective in success development. They recognize the fundamental principle that proper use of mind power dictates the results we get in life. They can be an effective form of self-help, but NLP is more difficult and works better with a professional. However, it is easy to learn the basics of self-hypnosis and EFT and they work very well together.

You can use these modern power of mind techniques to start changing yourself to the person you want to be. There is no doubt they will accelerate your success development and give you every chance of achieving the goals you have set.

You can find EFT and hypnotherapy techniques on the FREE software at http://powerofmind.personaldevelopment.mobi/ William Burnell has built and sold his own business, and he has run successful sales teams. He knows what it takes to stay motivated and to stay focused on your objectives to get what you want.

Is There a Contradiction Between Euroscepticism and Unionism?

Is there something contradictory about being in favour of the UK leaving the EU, but being against Scotland leaving the UK? Eurosceptics cite that they don't want to be ruled from Brussels, but likewise the SNP does not want to be ruled from London. Are unionist eurosceptics not being hypocritical in denying to the Scots what they want for themselves?

Not at all. Firstly Scotland is going to have a referendum on independence. The first thing that eurosceptics want is a referendum on the EU membership. If we lose we will accept the result just as we will accept the result of the referendum on independence.

Why are eurosceptics against the EU? Personally I'm against the EU not because I'm against unions in general. The United States, for instance, strikes me as an ideal multi state union. Why does it work? Because there is a common identity, a common language and there are common political parties which stand in every state. Each state has a lot of devolved power and each state devolves that power still further so that a great number of decisions are taken by politicians who are close to the people who elect them and who can easily be voted out if they go against the wishes of the electorate. Overseeing all of this is a strong national government, with responsibility over matters, which affect the country as a whole. Of course there are faults with American democracy, but on the whole it is an enviable model.

If the European Union were like that, there might be a case for being a member. But the EU can never be a free, democratic multi state country like the United States, because it lacks the conditions for being a successful nation, a common identity and a common language. It is for this reason primarily that the Eurozone is failing as an optimum currency union. Whereas someone from New York can easily seek work in California, someone from Greece cannot easily seek work in Germany. Whereas richer parts of the United States are happy to transfer money to poorer parts, richer parts of the EU resent the idea of subsidising people who they consider to be foreigners.

Britain already is an optimum currency union, because we have the conditions for being an optimum nation. We have a common language, culture and identity. We do not see people from other parts of the UK as foreigners. We have in Britain what the United States has, a fully democratic country, we have what the EU lacks and can never have.

It is for this reason that I am opposed to breaking up the union of the UK, while being in favour of breaking up the EU. There is no contradiction here.

Scottish independence makes no more sense than Texan independence. Of course each of these formerly independent States could function successfully on their own, but they each benefit from being in a political fiscal and currency union with other people who speak the same language as them, have similar values and cultures and just as a Texan benefits from not being a foreigner in Washington, so a Scot benefits from not being a foreigner in London.

http://effiedeans.wordpress.com/

The Scottish independence referendum will be in 2014. I'm campaigning for Scotland to remain in the United Kingdom, by means of a regular blog exploring all of the issues involved. Please come and join the debate by clicking on the above link.

Many Socialists Believe Since Most Small Businesses Stay Small They Don't Help the Economy

Over the years, I've discussed with many left-leaning political thinking folks about how unfair our rules and regulations are upon our small business community. I am often completely and utterly dismayed by some of the dialogue they use to refute my comments, although in hindsight I am beginning to understand why they think the way they do. Many of these socialist thinking folks believe that since most small businesses and remain small they don't help the economy much. Further, they contend that the small businesses don't provide "good jobs" or well-paying jobs, and therefore it isn't really that critical. Well, I disagree so let's talk about this for second shall we?

You see, before I retired I was in the franchising business. Every single franchisee we got started was a small business. Over that period of time we established small franchised outlets in 23 states serving 450 cities. Would the socialists have preferred that I had never founded a franchising company and done that? It seems to me that their answer is yes. They would like everyone to work for the government, or for a large corporation, preferably union, and one that pays big benefits, Cadillac healthcare, and guaranteed pensions.

Sounds great right? Only from their point-of-view and perspective, let look in hindsight what has actually happened? Many of those Cadillac healthcare benefits have been cut, and are hardly what they used to be, further it has driven up healthcare costs for everyone, well that plus the massive government flows into the sector. Many of those guaranteed pensions are completely underfunded, and all those promises that were made by all those corporations and even government agencies may never come to fruition. As

While I was growing my business it was hard for me to attract the top talent because the larger corporations kept promising better benefits and pensions. In the end, all those promises they made were BS, but they got the talent promising what was supposed to be a good job, but they reneged.

Further, not everyone can work for a large corporation, and I would submit to you that I don't want to live in a society and civilization where every what works for the government. Did you know that government plus large corporations employ less than 25% of working Americans? 75% are employed by small businesses, or they are their own small business.

Do these socialist and left-leaning thinking individuals really believe that we don't want that 75% of the people employed? Because if they do, there is no way that their little benefit packages, and gifts from the government can continue.

Sometimes I wish that socialists were smarter so they could understand basic economics. But that is one wish I doubt will ever be fulfilled, because trust me when I tell you; the Obama Administration is no genie out of the bottle, and whatever three wishes they promised you, it'll be a cold day in hell before you get your personal million dollar stimulus check in the mail. Please consider all this and think on it.

Lance Winslow has launched a new provocative series of eBooks on Economic Concepts. Lance Winslow is a retired Founder of a Nationwide Franchise Chain, and now runs the Online Think Tank; http://www.worldthinktank.net/

The ObamaCare Nightmare - How Bad Is It Really?

Well, as an entrepreneur and having started my first company at age 12, you might have guessed that I am not a proponent of ObamaCare. In fact I see it is a nightmare, and yet many people don't agree, they believe that somehow this will bring equality to healthcare, and help the estimated 38 million people who don't have healthcare insurance. Still, if 38 million people all of a sudden have healthcare insurance, and if those people don't have to pay for it, the demand for healthcare services will increase drastically almost right away.

Where is all that money going to come from you ask. Well, what's going to happen is everyone who has healthcare insurance will have to pay more, and supply and demand will dictate increases in prices, and the government will go nearly bankrupt trying to provide payments for all of this healthcare, or they will ration it, and then no one gets decent services.

Still, as a businessman I would say that's the least of our problems, in fact, I'd say it's a lot worse. Not long ago an acquaintance told me that I didn't know what I was talking about, that ObamaCare wouldn't hurt business, but it would make workers happier, therefore they would work harder and have more productivity.

Again, from everything I've read I just don't see how the Affordable Health Care Act is going to do any good for anyone. The beginning estimates are already stating that it will cost an employer an average of $4500 per year or more per employee. There's a lot of businesses where that amount of money would wipe out their profit completely.

They are already running on razor thin margins during the recession, and it looks as if with all the government spending and the trillions of dollars being spent by the Obama Administration, that things are only going to get worse, and with increased taxes consumers will have less money to spend, therefore getting out of the recession probably won't be possible.

MSNBC had an interesting article on their Money Section on November 20, 2012 titled; "Why restaurants freak out over ObamaCare - Papa John's, Denny's and others are as worried about employee pay as health insurance," by Jason Notte which noted;

"The report found that in 2010, 50% of restaurant employees worked part-time "i.e. under 35 hours per week." Under the Affordable Care Act, once an employee puts in 30 or more hours a week, he or she is "full-time equivalent,"

And;

"Under the new law, health insurance premiums charged by employers to employees can't exceed 9.5% of an employee's household income. The largest franchise group in the world, the International Franchise Association, issued a report stating that as many as 38% of employers may be at risk of violating that particular provision."

It seems to me that most people are taking into consideration all of these issues, and these are only a few of the challenges we face as employers with the ObamaCare nightmare. Right now many entrepreneurs and business owners are starting to get quite stressed out, meanwhile their lawyers and accountants still haven't read up on all this, and they don't even know how to advise anyone, because in reality there are very few people who have even read those 1600 pages of law. Indeed I hope you will please consider all this and think on it.

Lance Winslow is a retired Founder of a Nationwide Franchise Chain, and now runs the Online Think Tank.

CO2 Robotic Laser Manufacturing Recapturing Strategy

More and more, CO2 lasers are being used in modern high-tech manufacturing. This is a good use of CO2 and as we try to get rid of CO2 in our atmosphere collecting it from the smokestacks perhaps of electrical energy generation, it becomes a cheap and valuable gas for running these lasers. Now then, CO2 lasers put out a decent amount of heat. We should collect that heat, heat should never be wasted. He should not be waste it from robotic factory welding machines or from lasers. Okay so let's talk for second shall we?

It might be entirely possible to collect a good deal of this energy which is deflected during that laser cutting process, or which finds its way through to the other side. What if we tried this strategy to recapture some of that energy; what if we had a "houseplant pot shaped device" on the other side of the material being cut, and what if we had several of these types of shaped objects surrounding the CO2 laser beam? Those recapturing apparatuses surrounding the laser beam would be set in a concave pattern.

As the energy was deflected, or made it through the material all of that heat and energy would make its way into openings in all of these devices. Inside of those devices we could put small spinning wheels, and then use that energy once again, rather than wasting it. We could use that energy to power up the laser itself, the robotic arm, and perhaps the assembly line mechanism. By recapturing and reusing we would indeed be one with the theory and methodology behind Six Sigma manufacturing strategies.

If each of those little devices had a curved lip on the inside, it would continually redirect the vortex flows within until all of the energy was dissipated. Until all of the heat had been discharged, and the more we use the CO2 laser, the more energy and heat we would accumulate, therefore the faster those wheels would spin on the inside around the inside of that curved opening. Therefore, allowing us to capture the highest percentage of energy used in the CO2 laser cutting and manufacturing process.

If we did the same thing for robotic welding machines at our modern automobile factories we would surely have enough heat energy spinning those small wheels to power up all the lights in the factory.

Wouldn't it be great to know that even if the power went off, the grid went down, or there was any sort of power failure that the factory could keep running because it kept reusing at least most of its energy? Remember in the manufacturing process it's all about efficiency, and that's why I came up with a strategy. Indeed I hope you will please consider all this and think on it.

Lance Winslow has launched a new provocative series of eBooks on Future Concepts. Lance Winslow is a retired Founder of a Nationwide Franchise Chain, and now runs the Online Think Tank; http://www.worldthinktank.net/

Collaboration, Mobility and BYOD - The Holy Trinity of Enterprise Communication

Today's business has changed a lot. People no longer have to stay within offices to perform their work. Technology has transformed the way a person works and interacts with others. Mobility, real-time collaboration, speech recognition tools, video conferencing or social media are just some facts that a company needs to leverage in order to communicate internally as well with its customers and prospects.

Expensive and inefficient platforms of the past-mobility are no longer trendy and users or businesses have started paying attention to speech recognition and cloud communication.

Mobility via Speech Technology

Gradually, customers have stopped using old voicemail systems, spell-the-name directories and directory-trees and stay in touch with their dear ones or businesses by using various mobile devices and connecting from remote locations. Benefits like real time collaboration and fast communication have transformed speech technology in a have to have.

Great speech technology devices keep mobile employees and customers connected, companies become numberless enterprises, transform the way calls are made, for example voice messages can be translated into text and delivered to the recipient in their preferred method - via email alerts or SMS messaging. Spoken words can be translated to text and typed words converted to speech, creating a seamless communications experience for all parties.

Enterprise Integration & Real Time Collaboration

Businesses can have access to video conferencing and voice services by contracting cloud-based business communications providers. Integrated contact center solutions, presence-aware help desks and other applications that can be accessed by a variety of business partners and clients make keypads obsolete.

BYOD and Dispersed Workforce

Home offices, multiple locations, remote workers, all require unified communication solutions in order to maintain a clear and efficient business relationship. With a dispersed workforce comes the additional issue of supporting a Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) environment. Your customers and employees use a diversity of mobile devices to access your data or to contact you.

Efficient cloud based solutions help increase BYOD flexibility in all call handling and messaging for both person-to-person and business contacts, reduce paper-based processes by using mobile-friendly applications, and through permanently innovation creates a truly seamless and smarter workplace.

UC doesn't stop

UC solutions have evolved to improve your company's customer service, improve employee productivity, and make it easier for your customers and partners to do business with you. Many companies and SMB's are already enjoying the benefits of Unified Communication solutions integrated with business applications and processes. What about yours?

Department of Energy Cites Savannah River Nuclear Solutions, LLC for Worker Safety and Health Violations

Department of Energy Cites Savannah River Nuclear Solutions, LLC for Worker Safety and Health Violations | Department of Energy Skip to main content Energy.gov Find information about your town or city. Search form Search Energy.gov Public ServicesTax Credits, Rebates & SavingsHomesVehiclesBuilding DesignManufacturingNational Security & SafetyEnergy EconomyFunding OpportunitiesState & Local GovernmentScience & InnovationScience & TechnologyScience EducationInnovationEnergy SourcesEnergy UsageEnergy EfficiencyMissionNews & BlogMaps & DataAbout UsFor Staff & ContractorsOfficesAll OfficesProgram OfficesStaff OfficesLabs & Technology CentersField SitesPower Marketing AdministrationOther Agencies You are hereHome » Department of Energy Cites Savannah River Nuclear Solutions, LLC for Worker Safety and Health Violations Department of Energy Cites Savannah River Nuclear Solutions, LLC for Worker Safety and Health Violations November 9, 2012 - 5:50pm Addthis News Media Contact(202) 586-4940

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Energy has issued a Preliminary Notice of Violation (PNOV) to Savannah River Nuclear Solutions, LLC (SRNS) for violations of the Department’s worker safety and health regulations.  The violations are associated with a July 1, 2011, incident that occurred while a worker was using a Tele-Tower® scaffold to perform facility modifications in the Purification Area Vault of Building 105-K in the K-Area Complex at the Savannah River Site (SRS). The SRNS worker fell from the scaffold and was hospitalized with injuries to his head and torso. 

The PNOV cites four violations of Energy Department worker safety and health regulations in the areas of: (1) identification, assessment, prevention, and abatement of hazards; (2) scaffold safety; (3) training and information; and (4) occupational medicine.  SRNS is cited for failure to comply with 10 Code of Federal Regulations (C.F.R.) Part 851, Worker Safety and Health Program.  The Department has grouped and categorized the deficiencies as two Severity Level I violations and two Severity Level II violations.   

In response to the event, SRNS temporarily suspended all work on mobile scaffolds at SRS while the appropriate investigations and assessments were completed.  SRNS has implemented comprehensive corrective actions that address most aspects of the violations in the PNOV, including revising company procedures to ensure proper assembly and use of scaffolds and improving worker training.  In light of the promptness and extent of SRNS’ response to the event and consistent with the factors established in Appendix B to 10 C.F.R. Part 851, General Statement of Enforcement Policy, the Energy Department elected to grant partial mitigation of the base civil penalty of $225,000.  As a result, the Department is proposing an adjusted civil penalty of $159,375.

The Bob Stump National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2003 authorizes the Department of Energy to take regulatory actions under 10 C.F.R. Part 851, against contractors for violations of its worker safety and health requirements.  The Energy Department’s Enforcement Program encourages contractors to identify and correct worker safety and health deficiencies at an early stage, before they contribute to or result in more serious events. 

Additional details on this and other enforcement actions are available at www.hss.doe.gov/enforce.

Addthis Related Articles Department of Energy Cites Savannah River Nuclear Solutions for Worker Safety and Health Violations Department of Energy Cites Parsons Infrastructure & Technology Group, Inc. for Worker Safety and Health Violations Department of Energy Cites LATA Environmental Services of Kentucky, LLC for Worker Safety and Health and Nuclear Safety Violations What We Do For You Energy EconomyEnergy Economy InnovationInnovation Nuclear Security & SafetyNuclear Security & Safety Energy.gov Careers & InternshipsContact UsEmail Updates Popular Topics SavingsHeating & CoolingIndustrial Heating & CoolingSolarHome WeatherizationAppliances & ElectronicsAbout this siteWeb PoliciesPrivacyNo Fear ActInformation QualityOpen GovEnergy DepartmentBudget & PerformanceDirectives, Delegations & RequirementsFOIAInspector GeneralPrivacy ProgramSmall BusinessFederal GovernmentThe White HouseUSA.gov

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Start a New Thanksgiving Tradition

Thanksgiving is a unique American tradition that was officially set as a national day of celebration the 3rd Thursday of the month of November by Abraham Lincoln in 1863. It is a day in which we celebrate the pilgrim's safe arrival to the new World.

While the celebration continues with some of the original theme of giving thanks, face it, for most of us, Thanksgiving is the start of the flurry of the holiday season, filled with extra duties, and endless errands and a never ending list of things that must be done. We are often stressed and exhausted as a result.

What if this Thanksgiving and the entire holiday season had a different outcome for you?

What if your Thanksgiving is the start of a season of renewal, restoration and a return to a time of magic and miracles instead?

This is very possible with a few soul and energy strategies. Here is the first step along with some ideas that I have used to help you start a new tradition for yourself.

Let's start with a personal promise that you will not allow yourself to be exhausted, over extended or depleted. That would be a road less traveled for most of us. Here is a tip that will change everything for you? Start the season with a soul strategy with a plan for appreciating, taking care and serving your needs before you take care of other people needs, expectations and requests.

Take some time to be self (full) sometimes seen as selfish. Not in the way that you forget about the needs of others but in but in the way in which you truly appreciateyourself. Take time out to serve your own needs.

Consider these words from Oprah, who does so much for others. She asks herself this question to guide her actions. "What can I do right now to serve MYSELF, THEN others?"

We forget that we have to drink from the well first in order to be able to serve others. Your soul's request is to fill up your own cup from the divine well of universal energy first.

What does this look like? Well it may be scheduling an extra massage a few days before the meal or going to lunch with a friend to share a few strategies and laughs.

Perhaps it is taking things off your list, hiring a house cleaner to come in for a few hours or asking your daughter- in- law to bring a few extra dishes.

It can also be giving away the need to be perfect and allow your meal to be less formal or the house to be not as clean as you normally would have. What if you spent time finding just the right poem to read at the dinner table or rented a fun movie for yourself after guests left that would be a treat for you to watch? These were a few things I have done that have worked well for me. So, brainstorm a few minutes and come up with a list and plan of your own. Then follow through on it.

Face it, for most of us, any focus on ourselves is frowned upon. But, taking care of ourselves extends beyond being selfish, it is soul-filled. Our culture doesn't teach that instead we are trained early on that we have value only when we serve others. But the truth is we can only give what we give to ourselves first. If we have value, appreciation, gratitude and thankfulness for our own lives we have plenty to share with others, without the well going dry.

Katherine Allen has emerged a leader in the soul-led spiritual mentoring in helping women over 40 to make transformational shifts with lasting results to design their lives from soul purpose and passion. She is uniquely qualified in both the intuitive arts and the sciences. She holds a BA in Art, Health and Sociology, a Professional Interior Design degree, certification in Feng Shui, shaman training with Lynn Andrews since 1990, certified yoga instructor and certified in the Courageous Coaching Method by Kendall Summerhawk, of IAWBC.org. She has an engaging, simple to understand approach in sharing how universal and big ideas can make an impact in our daily lives. Her no-nonsense, humorous and compassionate perspectives are a joy. Please visit Katherine's website at http://www.yoursoulbiz.com/ and read her blog at http://www.YourSoulBiz.com/blog

Chicago Joins President Obama’s Better Buildings Challenge to Reduce Energy Use and Save Money

Chicago Joins President Obama’s Better Buildings Challenge to Reduce Energy Use and Save Money | Department of Energy Skip to main content Energy.gov Find information about your town or city. Search form Search Energy.gov Public ServicesTax Credits, Rebates & SavingsHomesVehiclesBuilding DesignManufacturingNational Security & SafetyEnergy EconomyFunding OpportunitiesState & Local GovernmentScience & InnovationScience & TechnologyScience EducationInnovationEnergy SourcesEnergy UsageEnergy EfficiencyMissionNews & BlogMaps & DataAbout UsFor Staff & ContractorsOfficesAll OfficesProgram OfficesStaff OfficesLabs & Technology CentersField SitesPower Marketing AdministrationOther Agencies You are hereHome Chicago Joins President Obama’s Better Buildings Challenge to Reduce Energy Use and Save Money June 5, 2012 - 2:26pm Addthis NEWS MEDIA CONTACT(202) 586-4940

CHICAGO  – U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu joined Mayor Rahm Emanuel at an event in Chicago today to announce that the city is joining the Obama Administration’s Better Buildings Challenge, part of the initiative launched last year by President Obama to catalyze investment in commercial and industrial building energy upgrades and support new jobs across the country.  As a partner in this national initiative, Chicago is committing to reduce energy use by 20 percent across nearly 24 million square feet of public and private building space within the next five years. The Better Buildings Challenge supports the Obama Administration's  blueprint for an economy built to last, reducing energy costs in buildings – which last year consumed more than 40 percent of all the energy used by the U.S. economy – while boosting American competitiveness in the global clean energy race.

“Investments in energy efficiency are making the American economy more competitive by creating jobs, growing industries, reducing energy bills for families and businesses, and protecting our air and water,” said Secretary Chu. “By joining the Better Buildings Challenge, Chicago is not only leading by example, but is also better positioning the city in the global economy by saving millions in energy costs.”

At the event in Chicago, Secretary Chu and Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel made the announcement and highlighted the building owners in downtown Chicago that are stepping up to meet the Better Buildings Challenge.  Chicago plans to upgrade 10 million square feet of City-owned buildings and nearly 14 million square feet of privately owned buildings that have partnered with the City.  The City of Chicago and its partners will share their most successful energy-saving strategies and solutions so that others can follow.

The energy to operate the buildings in which we work, shop, and study costs the U.S. approximately $200 billion annually. By taking steps to be energy-efficient, buildings and manufacturing plants nationwide can reduce their energy use by more than 20 percent. The goal of the Obama Administration’s Better Buildings Challenge is to encourage building upgrades that will make America’s buildings 20 percent more energy efficient over the next decade, reducing energy costs for American businesses and local governments by more than $40 billion. 

The Better Buildings Challenge is a national leadership initiative launched by President Obama in December 2011 that calls on chief executive officers, university presidents, and state and local leaders to reduce their portfolio-wide energy use by 20 percent by 2020 and to share the results of their energy reduction strategies. To date, the more than 60 organizations partnering with the Energy Department for the Better Buildings Challenge have committed to improve the energy efficiency of more than 1.6 billion square feet of building space, in addition to reducing energy waste across more than 300 manufacturing facilities and committing nearly $2 billion in energy efficiency financing.  For more information please visit the BetterBuildings Challenge website.  

Addthis Related Articles Chicago Joins Better Buildings Initiative Secretary Chu and Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel to Make Energy Efficiency Announcement City of Houston Joins Better Buildings Challenge, Partners with Energy Department to Reduce Energy Waste and Boost Efficiency What We Do For You Energy EconomyEnergy Economy InnovationInnovation Nuclear Security & SafetyNuclear Security & Safety Energy.gov Careers & InternshipsContact UsEmail Updates Popular Topics SavingsHeating & CoolingIndustrial Heating & CoolingSolarHome WeatherizationAppliances & ElectronicsAbout this siteWeb PoliciesPrivacyNo Fear ActInformation QualityOpen GovEnergy DepartmentBudget & PerformanceDirectives, Delegations & RequirementsFOIAInspector GeneralPrivacy ProgramSmall BusinessFederal GovernmentThe White HouseUSA.gov

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Room for One More, Australian Immigration

The Australian way of life was irrevocably changed by the large scale immigration of the post-war years. Although straining many of Australia's resources in such areas as food, housing and education, roads and transport, hospitals and social services, the benefits were innumerable.

Rapid economic and industrial development was possible because of the increased manpower available; political growth occurred to meet a wide range of needs, and Australia's export/import trade changed largely due to the interests and requirements of our migrant population. Socially, the Australian way of life became more colourful and vigorous - creating a larger Australian tolerance of ethnic differences - a direct result of the stimulus provided by many and varied cultures.

Australia's economic position changed rapidly during the early post-war immigration. Whether the migrants were displaced refugees; British families and ex-servicemen assisted with fare subsidies, or single men brought here to contribute their specific skills, all contributed to this post-war economic boom. Many early arrivals were building workers who quickly reduced the backlog of desperately needed residential and commercial building - and in turn created an ever-increasing demand for extra housing for their own families.

The next wave came to work in the rapidly growing area of heavy industry, like the steel works at Port Kembla; and Government projects, such as the Snowy Mountains Scheme - the immense hydroelectricity and irrigation complex. Others came to join the workforce in mines, timber mills and the ever-expanding manufacturing businesses springing to life to service these many and varied industries.

A notable change in these post-war years was the rapidly growing number of women in the workforce. Some European women worked because of necessity, others because of a burning ambition to 'make good' in this new country. At the same time, the number of Australian women in the work-force also increased rapidly, following women's involvement during the war years due to lack of manpower. After the war, many more women saw the benefits to be gained by the extra income, and chose the dual roles of motherhood and 'working woman'.

Fears that the immigration of many unskilled workers would lower the overall standard of Australian life, and create a 'lower working class' society, proved unwarranted. Instead, many Australians moved up into better paid 'white collar' jobs, due to the economic expansion. One of the negatives was the number of highly qualified workers who either had no papers from their own countries to prove their worth, following all the upheaval of war in Europe - or were let down by their poor grasp of English, making them sound ill-educated.

Politically, the effects of immigration were also felt. The formation of the Democratic Labor Party was a direct result of fears held by various nationalities from Europe of the potential for Communist take-over of the Australian Labor Party, as they had seen happen in their former countries. Many Trade Unions would also change and adapt to meet varied demands by overseas-born members, who often constituted up to 60% of an individual union.

Socially, Australia's traditional insular attitude has been reversed and truly enriched by its migrant population. One of the many positive effects has impacted our eating preferences. A broad range of European and Asian food items are now commonplace in most homes - Italian pizza, pasta and Parmesan cheese; German black breads, sausages, and sauerkraut; Polish salamis and dill pickles; Lebanese pita bread; Greek philo pastry; Chinese stir-fry vegetables, noodles and Soy sauce; Turkish shish-kebabs; Dutch, French and Scandinavian cheeses; Danish pastry; Swiss confectionery - the list is endless.

The variety of wines, and wine production itself, saw huge expansion, as well as a more discerning desire by Australians to appreciate and enjoy complimentary wines with meals, as well as for simply socializing. At the same time, restaurants providing cuisine from all around the globe, sidewalk cafes, and exotic nightclubs emerged in all cities and suburbs.

Entertainment is another area that has expanded and flourished due to our multi-cultural society. There are now many wonderful ethnic celebrations, enjoyed by all Australians. Here in South Australia, some particular favourites are - the German Schutzenfest, Greek Glendi, Cornish Kernewek Lowender, Barossa Valley, McLaren Vale and Coonawarra wine festivals, as well as Chinese New Year parades and celebrations. The Adelaide Festival of Arts provides a venue for a large range of folk music, dancing and song from all parts of our world. Ethnic radio stations, television channels, and newspapers and magazines inform, educate and enlighten us about differing attitudes and life-styles.

The most interesting effects are still evolving - in particular the effect of mixed marriages. Apart from the changes in attitudes of the couples themselves, their families and friends will also learn and grow from the exchange and intermingling of ideas, traditions and beliefs of the different cultures. And, in the children, the potential exists for whole-hearted tolerance and acceptance of all other races, because of the children's own mixed cultural heritage. This has certainly been my first-hand experience, as an Australian married to a Danish immigrant who arrived in Australia with his family in 1956. All of the attitudes in our immediate family have been altered and widened considerably by the combining of our cultures, and these effects have rippled outwards through our extended family, friends and acquaintances.

It is to be hoped that all Australians, (both old and new) follow their lead, and accept, appreciate and enjoy each others' individual contribution to our 'lucky' country.

© 2012 Christine Larsen All Rights Reserved Worldwide

The individual stories of Australia's immigrants are as varied as their nationalities. Perhaps you would like to the read about the background to just one immigrant family - mine by marriage -

Heroes?...They Didn't Think So

Obama Administration Announces Clean Coal Research Awards for Universities Across the Country

Obama Administration Announces Clean Coal Research Awards for Universities Across the Country | Department of Energy Skip to main content Energy.gov Find information about your town or city. Search form Search Energy.gov Public ServicesTax Credits, Rebates & SavingsHomesVehiclesBuilding DesignManufacturingNational Security & SafetyEnergy EconomyFunding OpportunitiesState & Local GovernmentScience & InnovationScience & TechnologyScience EducationInnovationEnergy SourcesEnergy UsageEnergy EfficiencyMissionNews & BlogMaps & DataAbout UsFor Staff & ContractorsOfficesAll OfficesProgram OfficesStaff OfficesLabs & Technology CentersField SitesPower Marketing AdministrationOther Agencies You are hereHome Obama Administration Announces Clean Coal Research Awards for Universities Across the Country June 6, 2012 - 12:18pm Addthis News Media Contact(202) 586-4940

WASHINGTON, D.C.— As part of President Obama’s all-of-the-above approach to American energy, the Energy Department announced that nine universities have won awards for research projects that will continue to support innovation and development of clean coal technologies. The awards, which will leverage student-led teams across the country as they continue research and development of new technologies and materials that will advance clean coal energy production, are part of the Administration’s focus on ensuring we can rely on a broad range of energy sources as we move towards a clean energy economy.

“Advancing the development of clean coal technologies is an important part of President Obama’s strategy to develop every source of American energy and ensure the United States leads the world in the global clean energy race and continues to take advantage of domestic resources here at home,” said U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu.  “These university research projects will help build on extensive progressive made by this Administration to promote innovative technologies that help make coal-fired energy cleaner and more cost-competitive, while training the next generation of scientists and engineers in cutting-edge clean coal technologies.”

The projects announced today at the nine universities will each receive approximately $300,000 to spur the next generation of trained scientists and engineers from universities across the nation to focus on the development of high-temperature, high-pressure corrosion-resistant alloys, protective coatings, and structural materials for advanced coal-fired power plants and gas turbines. Research projects will also develop new processes and computational design methods to develop these materials, improve efficiency and reduce the costs of cleaner power generation systems. The Energy Department’s $2.7 million investment will be leveraged with additional funds from the universities to support $3.1 million in total projects.

Today’s awards are part of a more than $5 billion investment strategy by the Obama Administration in clean coal technologies and R&D. This strategy, which has attracted over $10 billion in additional private capital investment, is designed to accelerate commercial deployment of clean coal technologies – particularly carbon capture and storage (CCS) – and to position the United States as a leader in the global clean energy race.

Thanks in part to this strategy, the United States is currently leading the world in CCS technologies. In fact, last week, Bloomberg New Energy Finance, in its semi-annual “Race to First” ranking of the world’s most advanced large-scale carbon capture and storage demonstration projects, announced that the United States was in first place. Topping the list was a project led by Pennsylvania-based Air Products & Chemicals, Inc. – an effort spurred by investments made by the Energy Department in 2010. 

This announcement shows growing momentum for CCS in the U.S. For example, earlier this year, CPS Energy of San Antonio – the largest municipally owned utility in the United States – signed the first agreement in the country to purchase low-carbon power from a commercial-scale coal-based power plant with carbon capture.  The Midland-Odessa- based project – the Texas Clean Energy Project – will be the cleanest coal power plant in the world when it becomes operational in 2015.

In addition, the Energy Department is leveraging investments in clean coal technologies to study and demonstrate ways to continue improving the economics of clean coal projects through enhanced oil recovery (EOR) projects.  With EOR, companies can use captured carbon to help develop marginal oil wells and further increase domestic oil production.

President Obama’s sustained all-out, all-of-the-above commitment to American energy also includes the safe and responsible production of our oil and natural gas alongside the development of clean, renewable American energy resources. Today, American oil production is at the highest level in eight years, and last year the U.S. relied less on foreign oil than in any of the past 16 years. And over the past few years, renewable energy use has nearly doubled, with the U.S. reclaiming the position as the world’s leading investor in clean energy in 2011.

The projects selected for awards include:

Brown University (Providence, R.I.)Dartmouth College (Hanover, N.H.)Indiana University, in partnership with Purdue University and Praxair Surface Technologies (Indianapolis, Ind.)Ohio State University (Columbus, Ohio)Southern Illinois University (Carbondale, Ill.)Texas Engineering Experiment Station (College Station, Texas)University of North Texas (Denton, Texas), in partnership with University of Idaho (Moscow, Idaho)University of Tennessee (Knoxville, Tenn.)University of Toledo (Toledo, Ohio)

Complete project descriptions can be found HERE.

Addthis Related Articles U.S. and Italy Sign Agreement to Collaborate on Carbon Capture and Storage Technologies DOE Announces Restructured FutureGen Approach to Demonstrate CCS Technology at Multiple Clean Coal Plants Adding “Utilization” to Carbon Capture and Storage What We Do For You Energy EconomyEnergy Economy InnovationInnovation Nuclear Security & SafetyNuclear Security & Safety Energy.gov Careers & InternshipsContact UsEmail Updates Popular Topics SavingsHeating & CoolingIndustrial Heating & CoolingSolarHome WeatherizationAppliances & ElectronicsAbout this siteWeb PoliciesPrivacyNo Fear ActInformation QualityOpen GovEnergy DepartmentBudget & PerformanceDirectives, Delegations & RequirementsFOIAInspector GeneralPrivacy ProgramSmall BusinessFederal GovernmentThe White HouseUSA.gov

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Belize: The Magnificent Booby Birds

The Red-Footed Booby is a species within the Pelican family that lives in tropical coastal areas. This Booby Bird is also found on tropical islands in the Pacific, Indian and Atlantic Oceans, excluding Africa's Atlantic side.

In Belize the Booby is most often found out on the Cayes, most notably Half Moon Caye, part of which, in 1928, was gazetted as a Crown Reserve Bird Sanctuary under the Crown Land Ordinance. The Crown Sanctuary Reserve was specifically dedicated to protecting the Red-Footed Booby Bird. The Crown Reserve was the first and still is the oldest area designated for the protection of wildlife in Belize.

Half Moon Caye is currently home to a colony of about 4,000 plus birds including the Booby Bird. Boobies like to nest in very large colonies among the orange-flowered Ziricote thicket. At the western end of Half Moon Caye one has a spectacular view of the Boobies from an observation deck.

The Booby mother will lay only one light blue egg in her nest, which is made from sticks. Using their feet both Booby parents will take turns incubating their eggs for about 44 to 46 days then the babies will learn to fly about 3 months after hatching. Boobies must use their feet to incubate their eggs as they do not have a brood patch. Mating Booby pairs may remain together over several seasons though they do not stay together for life.

The Boobies love of the Ziricote trees is not a one-sided relationship. The Booby colony actually supports the forest's stability with their droppings which the forest uses as fertilizer. This very unique relationship between Booby and Ziricote has and will continue to endure for many future years if it is left alone as nature intended.

The Booby has a very unique variety of color morphs, unlike other seabirds. The Boobies on Half Moon Caye are made up almost entirely of white-colored birds with some black markings on the tips of their wings. Elsewhere Boobies are a light brown and looking into the flock you may see a white-tailed brown morph or a Red-Footed Booby that is entirely brown. Despite plumage differences, all of these adults will have the same characteristic: red feet.

Being a coastal bird it is no surprise that Red-Footed Boobies eat fish. Like many fishing birds Boobies will dive into the ocean at high rates of speed from the air to catch prey in the water. Their diet has a main makeup of small fish and squid which will sometimes swim in large numbers close to the water's surface.

The Red-Footed Boobies in Belize are the smallest of all the nine Booby bird species in the world. There are three Booby bird species in Belize: the Masked, Red-Footed and the Blue-Footed Booby. The Red-Footed Booby is about 28 inches in length and has a wingspan of just over 3 feet. The Boobies' 3 foot wingspan makes them very powerful and agile fliers, however, they are known for clumsy takeoffs and landings.

A trip out to Half Moon Caye to see these magnificent birds will be an experience you will remember for the rest of your life!

Anthony Benjamin, an avid writer, world traveler and a great lover of nature. He would like for you to check-out his latest book: http://www.amazon.com/Belize-Wildlife-Barrier-Fishing-ebook/dp/B007E2SFNQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1336140932&sr=8-1

9 Essential Steps For iPhone App Development

Developing an iPhone app is not a big deal. No matter how complex an app maybe, the basic app development steps remain the same throughout. Given below are nine essential steps, using which you can develop basic iPhone apps. Let us take a look at them.

Think of a great concept: You must have a strong concept for the app you are going to build. For this, you must know the preferences of your target audience, and work on a concept that is likely to make an impact on them, when it takes the shape of an app.
Get a Mac: At present, iPhone development tools are available for Mac users exclusively. This leaves you with no other choice, but to work on Mac machines (if you don't have one). You can opt for a Mac mini, if you don't want to spend a lot of money on hardware.
Register yourself with Apple: In order to work with Mac based tools, you must register yourself as an Apple developer. All you need to do is visit Apple's official site, provide your information and agree to their terms and conditions. Once you are registered as an official Apple developer, you can develop any iPhone app and submit it on the iTunes store.
Download SDK and Xcode: As an official Apple developer, you can download the iPhone SDK(System Development Kit). iPhone SDK provides you documentation, sample codes and other helpful stuff to assist you in app development. Also, you must download Xcode, which is a full-featured IDE.
Learn Objective - C: It will be easy for you to learn (and possibly master) the Objective - C programming language for Cocoa. You can find many useful resources online and offline, to learn it. For e.g. you can go for various books, tutorials or approach your programmer friend to learn the programming language.
Code your app: The next step is to code your iPhone app with full dedication. Give it more than your 100% and adhere to the guidelines for app development provided by Apple. Also, do make it bug-free.
Test your app: Testing your app is the most important step. You must ensure that there are absolutely no bugs in your app. Also, test what your app lacks, in terms of meeting the stringent guidelines by Apple.
To test your app, you can use the iPhone Simulator, which comes with the SDK. You simply need to load your app in it and test your app as many times as you want. Alternatively, you can use beta-testing tools such as TestFlight for the same purpose.
Submit on iTunes and wait for approval: When you are satisfied with your app after testing it many times over, you can submit it on the iTunes and wait for approval. The approval process can be quite time consuming and thus, you need to be patient.

Make use of the steps given above and develop innovative iPhone apps for the App Store. Once your app has been approved on the iTunes Store, you can promote it full-fledged and see the money coming in.

For more details, Visit us at MyFirstiPhoneApp - A Custom iPhone Application Development Company.

Future Nano Tech Solution - Engine Compartment Oil and Grease Leak Stopping Compounds

Not long ago, I was talking to an airframe and power plant mechanic and he had to go out on his day off and take care of an oil leak that spooked one of the pilots during his preflight. It turned out that is it was a simple problem, and it was fixed right away, but if he hadn't gone out on his day off during the weekend, the aircraft would've been grounded. It turns out the oil leak was nothing too serious, but the pilot was unsure, and for his own safety, and the safety of the very expensive $6 million aircraft he chose to not fly it.

Okay so let's talk about this for second, because maybe some of these oil leaks should be fixing themselves. Back in the old days of the radial engines, there used to be a joke that if the airplane wasn't leaking oil, that was a really bad sign, and you shouldn't fly it. In other words, they weren't supposed to leak oil, but in the modern age, we want everything to work perfect all the time, and if oil is leaking, that is almost as if the human body is bleeding, and there is a problem somewhere, a problem which needs to be looked at. We can all understand that right?

Still, what if we had a future nano tech solution for this problem? Perhaps we could put nanoparticles at all the fittings, and along the hoses, it might be a coating of some type. When there was an oil leak all the nanoparticles would get together and swarm the leak to stop the bleeding so to speak? Right now, we have bioengineered blood which coagulates very quickly and seals up wounds for soldiers. This of course is applied by a human, perhaps a medic, self-medicating, or by one of the soldier's buddies on the battlefield. Perhaps in the future all of this could be done simultaneously from inside the uniform, but I digress.

It's not that the digression wasn't needed, or shouldn't have been stated however, because if we took that same theory of that obvious future innovation and applied it inside the cowling of an aircraft we could essentially do the same thing; self-healing oil leak fixing. Perhaps we should be thinking about this for pipelines, water lines, engines, and a host of other things. It makes sense, and future smart materials should be able to do this.

After all we have self-cleaning windows, and titanium dioxide which automatically cleans stainless steel kitchen equipment. It's not such a far-fetched idea. Therefore, I ask that you please consider all this and think on.

Lance Winslow has launched a new provocative series of eBooks on Future Concepts. Lance Winslow is a retired Founder of a Nationwide Franchise Chain, and now runs the Online Think Tank; http://www.worldthinktank.net/

The Key Benefits of Political Blogs

The most important aspect of choosing a news source to stay current on the news is: Are they reliable. Can you trust them? Do they tell you the truth and not just the news.

With the information age in full swing, we have many options for news, from social media, online videos, many thousands of news sites. But what are the best sources for news?

You'll need to cover a lot of ground quickly with the information and news that current media and talking heads provides. And it really is hard tell if the story you are reading is getting you not only the facts but to the core of the story as quickly as you can. With the information age upon us it is quit easily to get inundated with just that: information and really nothing that will get us where we need to go.

Political Blogs, when well chosen are a big help. There are many sides and many that may be based on your political position: Conservative? Liberal? Are you somewhere in between?

It is a good idea to get linked up via twitter, your phone or PDA with a major news source that is known for giving accurate information and top stories. A simple example: I know a friend that likes to hear about USA news from none other than the BBC, if you can believe that. NPR will get you connected to major 'behind the scenes' looks and views of common stories you may have heard about but not the whole story.

Then we have the blogs. What you'll get with these really are the true experts if you pick something sanctioned by Universities or connected to accurate news reporting sites, i.e. NPR who have access to experts in a field but just are not trying to sell ad space.

And going deeper into the trenches you'll find some niche blogs that really have a bone to pick or a serious issue at hand that they need to address. Even blogs that handle and cover up and coming movements as things are changing constantly today in the world of politics and current events.

It is with these blogs you can potentially get the briefs you need, the truth and an insight on any grass roots movements that may be in fact creating news rather that just reporting it.

And lastly with all of this, you can narrow things down to the stories (told truthfully) that really matter to you and not just to a newscaster or news media Company's income.

I sincerely hope this article helps you in finding the news you need and as efficiently as you can, as there is always two sides to every story and many stories at that. I have found picking the right twitter account to follow with a few other choice social media accounts got me started. Then searching online until things started lining up. Then it was a simple matter of book marking and subscribing to the appropriate sources. Thanks again for reading, good luck at staying informed.

You can find a lot of great information on political blogs and other similar political commentary sources. So do your research and bookmark your favorite blog news resource today.

How to Use SMTP Relay Service With Android Mobile Devices - Quick Guide in 4 Steps

If you want to send an email while travelling you may encounter a serious problem. While changing location you probably change a network which connects you to Internet. So if you try to use Outlook (or any other email client) to sent an email from some hot spot at the airport with your usual settings - you will most probably be blocked. SMTP relay service is a solution for that.

This simple guide will help you with exemplary setting up your android phone or tablet to work with SMTP service. You just need to have an account in one of available services. To learn more about the service and how to get it just follow the ling at the bottom of the article. There are a lot of SMTP relay services - just search Google for one of them.

So, if you have your account - let's get to the guide itself!

1. Adding a new email account in your phone.

Just go to your email app and add a new account. Probably you will have to put your email address registered on your chosen SMTP service and a password for your account. Then click on Manual setup.

2. Choose pop3 as an account type.

3. Incoming mail server settings.

You have to put some data about your email. Typically you can get them from your email service provider - for example your ISP. You will need your username, a password, a pop3 server address, a proper port number and security type. All of them should be checkable for you on your email service provider's site. But I've got a tip for you: ask Google this way: pop3 port settings site:[your email service provider domain]. For example type this query for AOL account into Google search: pop3 port settings site:aol.com. One of the few first pages should have your settings displayed!

4. Outgoing mail server settings.

This is the most important part. Usually you would also use the settings from you email service provider. But to be able to use all the goods of your new SMTP relay service account, we will use its SMTP server address as an outgoing mail server. Remember that you need to have an account first. There are also free options available, so you can test the usefulness of this. You need to check the address of SMTP server provided by your chosen SMTP relay service. Set this as an outgoing mail server. The port number should also be checked on your service providers site. There is a good chance however, that 2525 will do the job. In some cases it might be 25, 8025 or 587 also but probably 2525 will work just fine. Follow the link at the end of this guide for more details on this. As for the security type and Require sign-in part - check those also on your providers site. As a username and password you should probably type your account data.

And that's it. Now just add a name for your new account. Anywhere you are you will be able to send an email without being blocked. And you will not have to change this settings every time you change your location and a network you are connected to.

More info
This simple guide should be enough for you to set things up to work, but if you would like to get some more detailed guide with screenshots - here is the link for you: www.smtp2gohow2.com/how2/smtp2go-on-android-phone/.
Check it out to learn more.
To get some other great guides on using SMTP2GO, get your free SMTP2GO account or purchase one of the available plans, visit our home page: http://www.smtp2gohow2.com/