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Susie was driving home with her children after a medical appointment. Driving in the opposite direction was a contractor who was talking on his cell phone to a supplier. While looking at the phone, the contractor lost control of his vehicle, crossed the center line and hit Susie’s vehicle head on.

Susie and one of her children were killed, and her other children were injured, one of them seriously. The contractor suffered minor injuries.

A recent study by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that driver distraction is a factor in 80 percent of all motor vehicle crashes.

The list of distractions in an automobile is long and continues to grow. The bottom line here is that we just have to pay closer attention to our number one responsibility behind the wheel: driving safely. Here are some tips to help achieve that objective.

Focus On The Task At Hand

* Start with the basics and drive defensively. Make it your goal to have a “perfect” trip.

* Don’t turn your head to talk or look at scenery or another person.

* Don’t fool with the radio or other nonessential equipment when the road is busy. When driving in unfamiliar areas, turn off the radio for maximum concentration.

* Personal grooming and reading are obvious no-no’s.

* Experts say we eat one in ten restaurant meals in our automobile, often while weaving through traffic. Don’t eat or drink while you drive.

* If you don’t know exactly where you’re going, get directions before you leave.

* If you need to look at a map or reach into your purse or briefcase, pull over. The same applies to dealing with troublesome children.

* Do not engage in stressful or emotional conversations that may be distracting.

* Illness is a distraction. When you’re sick, your reflexes are slower than normal and your senses may be fogged. Consider staying home until you are alert.

* Read the labels on medications and talk to the pharmacist. Many medications such as antihistamines can make you dizzy or drowsy.

The Rolling Phone Booth

Using a cell phone while driving is a leading cause of driver inattention.

* Learn and follow all local and state laws. When you travel, review local requirements.

* Learn how to operate your phone without looking at it.

* Never take notes or look up phone numbers while driving. Use a small tape recorder to take notes.

* Keep conversations brief so you can concentrate on your driving.

* A cell phone should only be used when it is absolutely necessary. The Cellular Telecommunications & Internet Association offers these safety tips for cell phone users:

* Take the time to become familiar with the features of your phone such as speed dial and redial.

* Position your phone so you can reach it while maintaining a proper view of the road and all mirrors.

* Dial while the vehicle is stopped. If you absolutely must dial in light traffic, dial a few numbers, check traffic, and continue dialing when it’s safe. Or, have a passenger dial for you.

* If you place a call while moving, stay in the lane reserved for slower traffic.

* Use Speed Dialing for frequently dialed numbers.

* Always assess the traffic situation before receiving calls. Allow voice mail to answer the phone when it’s unsafe to speak, e.g., heavy traffic or bad weather.

* Let the person you are speaking to know you are driving. If necessary, suspend conversations during hazardous driving conditions or situations.

* The National Safety Council recommends not using a cell phone at stoplights. You may notice cars moving in the next lane, but your light could still be red.

* Hearing impaired drivers should pull over to use the phone. Too much of your attention will be diverted to deciphering the sounds.

What is a power of attorney? Most people have heard this phrase used before. But do you know what a power of attorney is and what they are used for? Do you have one? Do you need to have one? There are many questions and we hope to have some of your answers.

A power of attorney (POA) is your legal representative. This is somebody that you authorize to act on your behalf if you are unable to. If you are out of the country, incapacitated or in some way otherwise unable to speak for yourself, the POA can do it for you. The POA has the legal right to sign your name.

This means they will also have the legal right to sign you up to contracts, loans and more. The POA should also be someone that you trust and is usually a spouse. There are different types of POA’s but they all work to delegate power to someone else. The person you choose as your POA can make legal, financial and property decisions on your behalf.

You can choose to have your POA written up giving the person full authority or giving them limited authority. You need to consider your needs in having a POA and who the person will be to help you decide what type of POA will be best for you.

There are three basic types of power of attorney; “Nondurable,” “Durable,” and “Springing” Power of Attorney. The nondurable will begin immediately and will be in affect until you revoke it or you die or become incapacitated. The springing POA will be in place to begin in the event that you are mentally ill or physically unable to speak or act on your behalf.

You may want to speak to a lawyer to help you determine the type of POA that is right for you and your situation.

As you begin looking for CD DVD replication or duplication services, you will likely be asked many questions concerning your project and the type of media you need. You may wonder to yourself, Aren’t all burnable discs the same? - but as you will come to find out - there IS a difference between the media used to manufacture CD DVD duplication orders and the media used to manufacture CD DVD replication orders.

CD DVD Replication is the standard used to make mass quantities of CD’s or DVD’s. A glass master of your information is made which in turn producers stampers which are used for injection molding the information onto foil. Layers of polycarbonate plastic then protect the mastered information. It is then lacquered, usually screened, and ultimately packaged. Because most of this process is automated, the cost per unit becomes factored in and very affordable on orders generally greater than 1000 pieces. Until recently, almost all DVD CD duplication companies replicated their discs and would only offer service of larger volume CD DVD replication runs to their customers.

CD DVD Duplication

DVD Duplication is the standard in which smaller quantities of CDs or DVDs are usually manufactured. CD-R and DVD-R media is loaded into burners. Your information is digitally extracted from your master source (usually a master CD-R or DVD-R) and transferred to the blank discs. Your information is typically verified and the copy then accepted or rejected. With the advent, popularity, and reduced cost of writeable media, it is now possible to offer the same level of CD DVD duplication services to customers that need smaller quantity orders as well as customers which need larger quantities.

What’s the difference?

There is no data difference between a processed CD DVD duplication and a glass mastered CD DVD replication disc. In fact, both processes extract the information from your master source in EXACTLY THE SAME WAY. Other than the way your disc is manufactured, the biggest noticeable difference between a replicated CD / DVD disc and a duplicated CD / DVD disc may be the way the surface is marked. This is usually due to the cost restraints associated with the method chosen to process the order.

True or False:

CD or DVD duplication is not as reliable as CD or DVD Replication?

It may surprise you to find out that in most cases the answer to this question is FALSE.

Writeable media was invented for the storage of data. Audio CD-Rs and subsequently video DVD-R’s were an offspring of the data disk. As with any new technology, there are bugs and glitches to iron out when trying to mass-produce writable media. In an effort to get product into the market place, many disc manufactures produced sub-par product, which had trouble loading audio and video, and thus would keep your disc from spinning up in your player.

Todays writeable media are manufactured under much stricter guidelines. It is true that there are still many inferior brands of discs saturating the market place, but by choosing a reputable CD DVD duplication company which uses only professional equipment and high quality media, you should be assured of receiving a quality product.

In Conclusion:

CD DVD Duplication and CD DVD Replication both have their cost and quality advantages. Ultimately, it is the consumer/customer that will choose the best method to manufacture the replication project. The CD DVD replication company you partner with will help you put a project together that both meets your quality demands and budget restrictions. Learning all you can about your CD DVD Replication project will help you make an informed decision about your project and the way you will manufacture it.

It is an accepted fact that the Christmas tree tradition is one that was brought to the shores of America by German immigrants who continued a practice that was popular in their former homeland. Today, a Christmas tree, even a miniature one, is present in just about every home at Christmas. It is therefore interesting to note some little-know facts about the Christmas Tree and other traditions related to Christmas.

The first interesting fact is the source of real Christmas Trees for some Americans. These can be bought at a Christmas Tree Farm or at many local stores and other places of business in just about every town and city across the country around Christmas time. But according to the National Christmas Tree Association, Americans buy about 330,000 Christmas trees that are real through e-commerce or from a catalogue and have them shipped by mail-order.

The scent of real Christmas trees is the reason they are so popular. But as they stand silently in their decorative wonder, they also are providing another benefit. The Christmas Tree Association says the amount of oxygen produced on a daily basis by one acre of Christmas tree is enough to provide enough oxygen for 18 people. And during the first week, a Christmas Tree at home will use up to one quart of water each day to help retain its longevity for the many days of Christmas.

Since Christmas celebrations gained popularity in America, the Christmas Tree has always been a big tradition. During the 1950s however, artificial Christmas trees were not always green. It was very popular during those times to have artificial trees with other colors such as silver, pink and aqua. The appeal in having these colored Christmas trees may have been due to the fact that they looked shiny and bright and appeared like tinsel instead of green foliage.

An important ceremony related to the Christmas tree that gains national attention during the Christmas season is the lighting of the National Christmas Tree at the White House. This tradition can be credited to President Calvin Coolidge who lit the first decorated Christmas tree outside at the White House in 1923.

The lighting of the National Christmas Tree has also been used to convey some symbolic meaning not related to Christmas. It was not lighted until Dec. 22 in 1963 because of a national mourning period of 30 days for the assassination of President Kennedy. And while Teddy Roosevelt was President he gave an order that banned the Christmas tree from the White House, not for the assassination of President McKinley in 1901, which caused him to become president, but for reasons related to the environment.

Also of note is that when the National Christmas Tree was lighted on Dec. 13 in 1984, temperatures were in the 70s during an unusually warm December. Christmas has been celebrated in the United States since the 1600s although it wasn’t always very popular. It took more than two centuries into the mid-late 1860s for Christmas to become a popular holiday season all across America.

So maybe the rest of the country owes the holiday of Christmas Day to the state of Alabama, which in 1836 became the first state to declare Dec. 25 a legal

holiday. It is interesting to note that on Christmas Day of 1789 Congress was in session. And to show how far ahead of the game Alabama was, it wasn’t until June 26, 1870 that the federal government declared Christmas as a federal holiday.

Although Christmas is based on the Christian religion, not all Christian groups celebrate the season. Among the Christian groups who do not celebrate Christmas and related traditions such as sending greeting cards are Jehovah Witnesses.

Jehovah Witnesses and other non-participating Christian groups say Christmas isn’t specifically mentioned in the Bible as a time or reason to celebrate and since they strictly adhere to the word of the Bible, they refuse to celebrate Christmas.

Every once in a while it may become necessary to replace your garage door springs, as they will become weak over time and fail to provide adequate help in raising the garage door. A garage door usually is not light and the springs can save your back if you have a manual lift door or the electric opener.

There are two main types of garage door springs, the torsion spring and the extension spring. A torsion springs are the one that are wound onto a steel bar and are located justr above the door, one on each side. These are the ones that you will want to call a professional to replace. Numerous injuries and a few deaths have been caused by untrained people attempting to replace this type garage door springs.

However, two companies, Clopay and Wayne-Dalton have designed a torsion garage door springs that can be adjusted with an electric drill and are safer for the do-it-yourselfer to install, but to avoid any risk of injury it may still be advisable to have an experienced professional do the work. At an average price range of $75 to $150, depending on the locale, it’s a small price to pay for not having a broken bone.

Extension door springs are the ones that hang from the top of the door and are anchored near the back of the upper tracks. These are safer for the do-it-yourself person, but there is still danger and before attempting this project, proper safety precautions are needed.

Inspect Springs For Weakness Before They Snap

Usually when door springs break, they do so when the door is in the down position. That’s because that is when they hold the most tension. It’s also a good thing because if they break when the door is in the raised position, the door could come slamming down with all its weight. That’s why it’s recommended to never stand under a garage door when it’s opening or closing.

Visually inspect the garage door springs for signs of wear or kinks, especially in extension springs. Additionally, if one spring breaks it’s a good idea to replace them both. The second one will most likely be close to breaking as well and it can save the cost of a service call in the near future. Whether you decide to risk doing the job yourself or hire a professional, once the springs are in place, spray on a light coat of oil to protect them from rust. That is the biggest contributor to broken door springs.

100 percent free online dating sites have both pros and cons. Everyone has heard of these dating sites by now, and how they can benefit those who seek a friend, a companion, a short term sexual encounter or a long term romance and marriage. Some 100 percent free online dating sites don’t do enough, however, to screen out the predators, and often welcome or turn their back on their knowledge that there are married people and other desirables posing as singles looking for dates. Some 100 percent free online dating sites are specifically designed with cheating spouses in mind.

Online dating, whether 100 percent free sites or not, can offer the shy, the busy, the newly unattached, and those who can’t easily travel to public gathering places the opportunity to meet potential partners in a less threatening and more focused environment. Those are the pros. The cons are that online dating, especially the 100 percent free sites, give predators and undesirables the opportunity to disguise their identities and their less than honest intentions behind the anonymous wall of the Internet.

100 percent free online dating sites are much more prevalent than they were five or ten years ago, and as happens with any service or product, once the competition sets in the price goes down and the offer enhances. Many online dating sites, even the 100 percent free ones, now provide not only profiles and photos of others looking for that special someone or someones, but also guide you through defining your personality, your perfect mate, and then bring the two of you together in a regimented format of anonymity, email with identification, phone conversation and then finally face to face meeting, if and when the time seems right.

Geography is no longer an obstacle to romance with online dating sites. Many online daters search for their mates this way because they travel so often and are so seldom in one place. They search for others who are in like situations or able to tolerate such frequently long distance partnerships.

There is one caution about which you need to be aware when looking for 100 percent free online dating sites. While many may say they’re free, they’re not. The way they lure you in is to say it is free to register and post your profile. While that is true, once you see a profile, like it, and want to correspond with that person, or they want to correspond with you, you both must pay for that communication.

Paying is not necessarily bad - depending on the cost, of course. In some ways the fact that an online dating site is 100 percent free can actually be a con rather than a pro. While free can increase the volume, it also increases the likelihood of dishonest predators and married people hiding their marital status. It also increases the likelihood that business people will join only for the opportunity to sell you their book on dating, or their sexy lingerie and so forth.

Like anything else, if it’s free it will attract more unsavory folks than similar products for which there is a charge.

If you don’t want to drink it, but know that it can benefit you, why not try a different presentation for you to use? No matter what your intentions for better health, having a green tea leaf extract can ensure that you are receiving exactly what you need in order to benefit. If you don’t want to drink green tea, you can easily use this extract to receive the same benefits.

The major reason why one would consider green tea leaf extract is to receive supplements and vitamins that can not be found in other substances. The major element found in the green tea is EGCG. This is an antioxidant that is known to be more potent than any other vitamin, especially vitamin E. EGCG is the main component that will work to detoxify your digestive system, increase your metabolism, and take out the extra “stuff” you’re your body doesn’t need. Green tea also has a large amount of vitamin C in it, enabling you to get some extra boost when you are beginning your day. This combination of elements is the main reason why those who want to drink this marvellous drink will take it as a leaf extract.

One of the major benefits that are used with the green tea leaf extract can be found with those loosing weight and even body builders. More and more people who are working out in the gym are also taking this natural substance in order to increase their productivity during their time lifting weights or running. Green tea leaf extract is simply taken as a supplement in order to work with the body and get it back in shape. Of course, the extract of this plant is known to help with ailments and other problems that may be occurring.

No matter what you’re reasoning, you can find the leaf extract in most health food stores. You can take these like you would any other supplement. You should keep in mind that when you take this as a supplement, it will be important to look at other ingredients in the extract. Some will be focused strictly on things such as weight loss, and may add extra ingredients in the mix. If you don’t want this to your diet, you should find a different type of extract that is purely green tea.

For those who know the benefits of green tea, but don’t have the time to drink tea throughout their day, getting an extract may be a good option. This will allow you to get the components that you need for green tea, while using the extract like a supplement that simply adds to your day. For those that need this variation, it can help to give your body exactly what it needs to benefit from.

Wind energy is form of renewable energy. This ‘new’ source of energy is getting more popular and not without reason. In various parts in the world big wind turbine parks are placed by corporate businesses yielding big quantities of energy that can be sold as environmental friendly or ‘green’ energy. Wind energy is big business. Big companies profit from renewable energy but also invest substantially in this new energy source.

As mentioned before wind energy is very environmental friendly. In the search for alternatives for fossil fuels this energy source turned out to be very lucrative. This energy source makes us less dependent on traditional fossil fuels. It is important to lessen the dependence on traditional fuels. There are many reasons why here we will inform you with the most important once. The traditional fuels are predominantly in the hands of countries in troublesome areas. Therefore you are not sure if the amount of crude oil you request will be delivered due to instability in the region. Also the price for these old fuels is increasing and the current reserves are diminishing. But most of all these old energy sources pollute our planet. But as always the beautiful story of wind energy has not only positive sides. Let’s look at some of negative points as well.

In the Netherlands a windmill park is located in the north of the country. Although the local people here were in favour of the windmills they changed their minds when the mills were actually placed. The residents were complaining about a constant noise during the night that could be compared to a 747 taking of. These complaints were not taking serious by the corporate business owners. Therefore the residents decided to research their complaints by the local university. The outcome of the research was that the residents were right and their complaints should be taken seriously. It turned out that the windmills produced more noise in the evening and night than during daytime due to a higher turbulence at night caused by very specific changes in the upper air layers. During the day there is less turbulence and the sounds that are produced by the windmills are diminished by the noise of local traffic and wind blowing through the trees. All specifics can be read in this paper: The Sound of High Winds: The Effect of Atmospheric Stability on Wind Turbine Sound and Microphone Noise by Frits van den Berg.

In Germany wind mills where placed in the North Sea. Although the location for this purpose is very good, the park doesn’t seem to produce the calculated amount of energy. The windmills often don’t work properly due to malfunction. Whilst the location is good and wind is blowing almost constantly the windmills often just don’t work. The mills were not moving at all and therefore not producing electricity. This project turned out to be very disappointing, but the project is still running and it is believed that it will function according to plan in the future.

In the United States in Vermont the local residents were opposed by the planning of a new wind turbine park. The locals felt that the wind towers would ruin their beautiful landscape. It is a landscape that many generations have fought to preserve and the current residents our proud of. It is hard to convince people to share their landscape with large wind towers that disturb these beautiful views. The plans for building the windmills in Vermont are of the table.

Although is it a good and economical of energy, wind energy is taking some real blows. The advantages are clear and the disadvantages are becoming clear as well. When placed in a surrounding where the landscape is cherished by the people who live there, one could argue not to place them because it might ruining the beautiful landscape and spoil the beautiful views. Locals and tourist would find these turbines just plain ugly. Also it should be kept in mind that wind turbines with these sizes can produce a lot of noise during the evening and night. Beside these considerations it has shown that wind energy is not always a big success and there is more progress to be made. Technically there are some steps to be made, but a lot of people are working hard in this. Let’s hope that wind energy is here to stay and we will find proper ways to utilise this form a way that we all can benefit from it.

Although hosta plants are mainly known for their love of shade there are many varieties that are sun tolerant. It used to be that these were mainly the hosta varieties with gold leaves but more hybrids are being developed every year that allow the beautiful hosta plant to tolerate more sunshine. In this article we will discuss some Hosta varieties that are known to be sun tolerant.

Hosta August Moon is an old time favorite sun tolerant hosta that grows well in almost any climate. The leaves start out as broad flat swords and turn into large corrugated golden slats by the end of the summer. The tiny flowers are a pale lavender color.

Another popular gold hosta is Gold Regal. This plant performs well in direct sunlight and is topped with a showy bouquet of lavender flowers during July.

Krossa Regal is a upright creamy blue hosta which can grow almost anywhere. This hosta forms a vaselike mound of foliage topped with very tall flower scapes during the summer. Krossa Regal is very popular due to its dependability and elegant appearance.

Hosta Regal Splendor is basically a Krossa Regal with a creamy golden margin! This sun tolerant sport of Krossa Regal displays the same growth habits but adds a twist of color. Both of these varieties are fast growers and sure to please.

Sun Power starts out with chartreuse colors which slowly evolve into a bright golden hue. Leaves are more pointed than those of August Moon. Holds its color well through out the season.

Hosta Francee is a classic green hosta with white margins. It is a fast increaser which boasts clumps full of eyes within a few years. Excellent all purpose hosta great for filling large areas or creating dramatic borders in your landscape. It is a clean looking hosta which has a very nice growth habit.

Rascal is a harder to find gold hosta. A very subtle chartreuse margin is hard to see at first glance but offers a unique variegation pattern. It is a sport of Hosta Gold Regal.

These hostas are some of the best choices for your sunny planting locations. If you are new to hostas make sure you take a look at Krossa Regal and Regal Splendor. You can find these two varieties almost anywhere you shop for hostas. Low maintenance and healthy plant vigor make these 2 beginner favorites!

Even some of the sun tolerant hostas have minimum watering requirements if you are experiencing warmer than normal summer conditions. As a quick rule of thumb, just remember most gold hostas can tolerate more sun than other varieties.

Having a credit card is a great thing indeed, although most are hard to obtain for those who have a less than perfect credit history. The restrictions for getting most credit cards are so tough that those who have bad credit may find it nearly impossible to get a credit card, or they find themselves hit with extremely high APR rates, and find it hard to compete with the interest.

For those who have less than perfect credit or no bank account, there is hope. There are credit cards known as no bank account cards, that can help those with bad credit. These types of credit cards are quite easy to obtain, and they can actually help you to get your credit back and track and live the life you’ve always dreamed of.

Credit cards of this type are pre-loaded, meaning that the credit limit you have it what you load onto the card, by pre payment. If you want to control your spending and know how much you have, this credit card is what you need. They are also great for those who want to learn about managing money as well. Another great thing about these cards is the fact that they will give you power and convenience of a credit card - yet they will allow you to live within the means of your income as well.

Before you rush and get one of these credit cards, you should first look around and find the best deal possible. Most no bank account credit cards offer you same rewards and incentives of traditional credit cards, along with online access to your account. The best cards are accepted across the world, and offer you ATM access for instant cash. If a card doesn’t offer you these types of features, you should pass it by and look for one that does.

Other things to look for with no bank account credit cards include low APR rates, no annual fees, and excellent customer support. Customer support is very important with these types of credit cards, as you don’t want a card that doesn’t offer you great customer support. If you encounter a problem, you want a company that is going to be there when it matters the most.

If you take your time and research no bank account credit cards, you’ll find one that you can’t refuse. There are many to choose from, especially if you look online. You should always compare features and rates, and look for companies that offer you cards with excellent features and low rates. This way, you can get everything you love from traditional credit cards - without having to worry about your credit or needing to have a bank account.

You can find the best choice of credit cards and pre-paid cards at www.CreditCards.us (http://www.creditcards.us)