/ By edd / spiral-freezers/ / 0 Comments

Commercial Carpet Cleaning – What You Need to Know

[ad_1]

Commercial carpet cleaning differs from carpet cleaning in your home in many ways. Some companies will use a truck-mounted system while others will use an encapsulation machine. The common denominator is that commercial carpet cleaning requires a much more rigorous effort due to the higher volume of traffic in businesses and office buildings.

Consider a restaurant for instance, which not only deals with a high number of dirty shoes every day but also spills and grease. What’s the best way to deal with these issues? Multiple pre-treatments are available that can degrease and prepare the carpet for a thorough cleaning. After allowing the prescribed amount of time for the loosening agents to soak in, the cleaning can begin.

A truck-mounted carpet cleaning system employs high heat, high water pressure, and a strong vacuum to clean. Whereas an encapsulation machine works by using a special chemical that encapsulates the dirt, and then the machine uses a heavy rotary brush that scrubs in the chemical, getting deep into the carpet – and then a separate vacuum is used to extract all of the encapsulated dirt.

Which of the two systems is better? There is no clear choice. Each method is better suited for different jobs. Generally, the encapsulation machine works better for high traffic areas and greasy carpet. However, the truck mount would be better for a fresh spill or extracting an excessive amount of water from a pipe leak.

Commercial carpet cleaning is definitely not a do-it-yourself job, and night cleaning crews or janitors are generally not equipped well enough to handle such a task. Do your diligent research and find the right commercial carpet cleaning company who has the right equipment and the right amount of experience to handle what you need. There are plenty of great companies that have both truck mounts and encapsulation machines. Get multiple quotes, and consider a small business with an owner operator – as with most service industries, you’ll most likely receive a more personalized touch.

Some things you can do to maintain cleaner commercial carpet for longer is to make sure you have a janitor or a night cleaning crew who vacuums regularly with a good vacuum cleaner. Use a door mat at all entrances as well. A clean workplace promotes productivity, peace of mind and happiness in your workers and customers. Do your research and find a good commercial carpet cleaning company today.

[ad_2]

Source by John Galiszewski

/ By edd / spiral-freezers/ / 0 Comments

Learn Basic Car Maintenance

[ad_1]

It’s amazing how many people get taken for a ride (ha ha) just by taking their car in for a basic service. A lot of people over think the modern technology of their car and believe everything the repair shop tells them. Modern cars really require way less maintenance, even though the basic concept is the same.

With all this power and amenities, most people forget or never knew that it is the same basic internal combustion engine used over a hundred years ago. And, electric and hybrid cars require even less maintenance than conventional automobiles! Learning basic maintenance about your vehicle can save you thousands of dollars over time and minimize potential breakdowns.

The three thousand mile oil change is a thing of past. If you’re still changing your car’s oil every three thousand miles, you’re wasting your money. You need to know what type of oil your car requires and the capacity. You need to know where the oil filter is located. Cheap oil filters will damage your car over time because they can take up to nine seconds longer to achieve maximum flow at startup. If you use one of those quick lube shops, make sure you know what type of oil they will use to refill the crankcase. Make sure you check the level on the dipstick before you leave the shop. Earlier I mentioned that you need to know where the oil filter is located, here’s why, some shops will not change the filter, but will charge you for one, if you mark the old one before you take the car for servicing, you’ll be able to verify that it has been replaced. Most of these shops lose money on the $29.99 oil change. A good quart of oil will set you back about five dollars, so if your car requires five, that’s twenty- five dollars, add the oil filter and you’re over the thirty dollar mark.

Now pay close attention. This is where you need to be up to date on your car’s maintenance schedule. The $29.99 oil change is a lure, it’s to bait you in and then double or triple charge you for a filter or drive belt or some other regular maintenance item you didn’t keep up with. We’re not trying to make everyone weekend mechanics, we just want car owners to read the owner’s manual so they’ll have an idea of what maintenance has to be done at the recommended mileage intervals. With that said, you tell me if it makes sense to take your new car in for the fifteen thousand mile service and be charged $400 to $600? What did they do to a car with only fifteen thousand miles besides change the oil?

You need to learn what maintenance items to consent to and what to say no to and still be assured your car is in optimum operating condition. A great benefit in learning how to properly maintain your car is also learning how to diagnose potential repair issues.

[ad_2]

Source by Tony Paul

/ By edd / spiral-freezers/ / 0 Comments

Biometrics

[ad_1]

ABSTRACT

Biometric identification refers to identifying an individual based on his/her distinguishing physiological and/or behavioural characteristics. As these characteristics are distinctive to each and every person, biometric identification is more reliable and capable than the traditional token based and knowledge based technologies differentiating between an authorized and a fraudulent person. This paper discusses the mainstream biometric technologies and the advantages and disadvantages of biometric technologies, their security issues and finally their applications in day today life.

INTRODUCTION:

“Biometrics” are automated methods of recognizing an individual based on their physical or behavioral characteristics. Some common commercial examples are fingerprint, face, iris, hand geometry, voice and dynamic signature. These, as well as many others, are in various stages of development and/or deployment. The type of biometric that is “best ” will vary significantly from one application to another. These methods of identification are preferred over traditional methods involving passwords and PIN numbers for various reasons: (i) the person to be identified is required to be physically present at the point-of-identification; (ii) identification based on biometric techniques obviates the need to remember a password or carry a token. Biometric recognition can be used in identification mode, where the biometric system identifies a person from the entire enrolled population by searching a database for a match.

A BIOMETRIC SYSTEM:

All biometric systems consist of three basic elements:

  • Enrollment, or the process of collecting biometric samples from an individual, known as the enrollee, and the subsequent generation of his template.
  • Templates, or the data representing the enrollee’s biometric.
  • Matching, or the process of comparing a live biometric sample against one or many templates in the system’s database.

Enrollment

Enrollment is the crucial first stage for biometric authentication because enrollment generates a template that will be used for all subsequent matching. Typically, the device takes three samples of the same biometric and averages them to produce an enrollment template. Enrollment is complicated by the dependence of the performance of many biometric systems on the users’ familiarity with the biometric device because enrollment is usually the first time the user is exposed to the device. Environmental conditions also affect enrollment. Enrollment should take place under conditions similar to those expected during the routine matching process. For example, if voice verification is used in an environment where there is background noise, the system’s ability to match voices to enrolled templates depends on capturing these templates in the same environment. In addition to user and environmental issues, biometrics themselves change over time. Many biometric systems account for these changes by continuously averaging. Templates are averaged and updated each time the user attempts authentication.

Templates

As the data representing the enrollee’s biometric, the biometric device creates templates. The device uses a proprietary algorithm to extract “features” appropriate to that biometric from the enrollee’s samples. Templates are only a record of distinguishing features, sometimes called minutiae points, of a person’s biometric characteristic or trait. For example, templates are not an image or record of the actual fingerprint or voice. In basic terms, templates are numerical representations of key points taken from a person’s body. The template is usually small in terms of computer memory use, and this allows for quick processing, which is a hallmark of biometric authentication. The template must be stored somewhere so that subsequent templates, created when a user tries to access the system using a sensor, can be compared. Some biometric experts claim it is impossible to reverse-engineer, or recreate, a person’s print or image from the biometric template.

Matching

Matching is the comparison of two templates, the template produced at the time of enrollment (or at previous sessions, if there is continuous updating) with the one produced “on the spot” as a user tries to gain access by providing a biometric via a sensor. There are three ways a match can fail:

  • Failure to enroll.
  • False match.
  • False nonmatch.

Failure to enroll (or acquire) is the failure of the technology to extract distinguishing features appropriate to that technology. For example, a small percentage of the population fails to enroll in fingerprint-based biometric authentication systems. Two reasons account for this failure: the individual’s fingerprints are not distinctive enough to be picked up by the system, or the distinguishing characteristics of the individual’s fingerprints have been altered because of the individual’s age or occupation, e.g., an elderly bricklayer.

In addition, the possibility of a false match (FM) or a false nonmatch (FNM) exists. These two terms are frequently misnomered “false acceptance” and “false rejection,” respectively, but these terms are application-dependent in meaning. FM and FNM are application-neutral terms to describe the matching process between a live sample and a biometric template. A false match occurs when a sample is incorrectly matched to a template in the database (i.e., an imposter is accepted). A false non-match occurs when a sample is incorrectly not matched to a truly matching template in the database (i.e., a legitimate match is denied). Rates for FM and FNM are calculated and used to make tradeoffs between security and convenience. For example, a heavy security emphasis errs on the side of denying legitimate matches and does not tolerate acceptance of imposters. A heavy emphasis on user convenience results in little tolerance for denying legitimate matches but will tolerate some acceptance of imposters.

BIOMETRIC TECHNOLOGIES:

The function of a biometric technologies authentication system is to facilitate controlled access to applications, networks, personal computers (PCs), and physical facilities. A biometric authentication system is essentially a method of establishing a person’s identity by comparing the binary code of a uniquely specific biological or physical characteristic to the binary code of an electronically stored characteristic called a biometric. The defining factor for implementing a biometric authentication system is that it cannot fall prey to hackers; it can’t be shared, lost, or guessed. Simply put, a biometric authentication system is an efficient way to replace the traditional password based authentication system. While there are many possible biometrics, at least eight mainstream biometric authentication technologies have been deployed or pilot-tested in applications in the public and private sectors and are grouped into two as given,

  • Contact Biometric Technologies
    • fingerprint,
    • hand/finger geometry,
    • dynamic signature verification, and
    • keystroke dynamics
  • Contactless Biometric Technologies
    • facial recognition,
    • voice recognition
    • iris scan,
    • retinal scan,

CONTACT BIOMETRIC TECHNOLOGIES:

For the purpose of this study, a biometric technology that requires an individual to make direct contact with an electronic device (scanner) will be referred to as a contact biometric. Given that the very nature of a contact biometric is that a person desiring access is required to make direct contact with an electronic device in order to attain logical or physical access. Because of the inherent need of a person to make direct contact, many people have come to consider a contact biometric to be a technology that encroaches on personal space and to be intrusive to personal privacy.

Fingerprint

The fingerprint biometric is an automated digital version of the old ink-and-paper method used for more than a century for identification, primarily by law enforcement agencies. The biometric device involves users placing their finger on a platen for the print to be read. The minutiae are then extracted by the vendor’s algorithm, which also makes a fingerprint pattern analysis. Fingerprint template sizes are typically 50 to 1,000 bytes. Fingerprint biometrics currently have three main application arenas: large-scale Automated Finger Imaging Systems (AFIS) generally used for law enforcement purposes, fraud prevention in entitlement pro-grams, and physical and computer access.

Hand/Finger Geometry

Hand or finger geometry is an automated measurement of many dimensions of the hand and fingers. Neither of these methods takes actual prints of the palm or fingers. Only the spatial geometry is examined as the user puts his hand on the sensor’s surface and uses guiding poles between the fingers to properly place the hand and initiate the reading. Hand geometry templates are typically 9 bytes, and finger geometry templates are 20 to 25 bytes. Finger geometry usually measures two or three fingers. Hand geometry is a well-developed technology that has been thoroughly field-tested and is easily accepted by users.

Dynamic Signature Verification

Dynamic signature verification is an automated method of examining an individual’s signature. This technology examines such dynamics as speed, direction, and pressure of writing; the time that the stylus is in and out of contact with the “paper”; the total time taken to make the signature; and where the stylus is raised from and lowered onto the “paper.” Dynamic signature verification templates are typically 50 to 300 bytes.

Keystroke Dynamics

Keystroke dynamics is an automated method of examining an individual’s keystrokes on a keyboard. This technology examines such dynamics as speed and pressure, the total time of typing a particular password, and the time a user takes between hitting certain keys. This technology’s algorithms are still being developed to improve robustness and distinctiveness. One potentially useful application that may emerge is computer access, where this biometric could be used to verify the computer user’s identity continuously.

CONTACTLESS BIOMETRIC TECHNOLOGIES:

A contactless biometric can either come in the form of a passive (biometric device continuously monitors for the correct activation frequency) or active (user initiates activation at will) biometric. In either event, authentication of the user biometric should not take place until the user voluntarily agrees to present the biometric for sampling. A contactless biometric can be used to verify a persons identity and offers at least two dimension that contact biometric technologies cannot match. A contactless biometric is one that does not require undesirable contact in order to extract the required data sample of the biological characteristic and in that respect a contactless biometric is most adaptable to people of variable ability levels.

Facial Recognition

Facial recognition records the spatial geometry of distinguishing features of the face. Different vendors use different methods of facial recognition, however, all focus on measures of key features. Facial recognition templates are typically 83 to 1,000 bytes. Facial recognition technologies can encounter performance problems stemming from such factors as no cooperative behavior of the user, lighting, and other environmental variables. Facial recognition has been used in projects to identify card counters in casinos, shoplifters in stores, criminals in targeted urban areas, and terrorists overseas.

Voice Recognition

Voice or speaker recognition uses vocal characteristics to identify individuals using a pass-phrase. Voice recognition can be affected by such environmental factors as background noise. Additionally it is unclear whether the technologies actually recognize the voice or just the pronunciation of the pass-phrase (password) used. This technology has been the focus of considerable efforts on the part of the telecommunications industry and NSA, which continue to work on

improving reliability. A telephone or microphone can serve as a sensor, which makes it a relatively cheap and easily deployable technology.

Iris Scan

Iris scanning measures the iris pattern in the colored part of the eye, although the iris color has nothing to do with the biometric. Iris patterns are formed randomly. As a result, the iris patterns in your left and right eyes are different, and so are the iris patterns of identical-cal twins. Iris scan templates are typically around 256 bytes. Iris scanning can be used quickly for both identification and verification

Applications because of its large number of degrees of freedom. Current pilot programs and applications include ATMs (“Eye-TMs”), grocery stores (for checking out), and the few International Airports (physical access).

Retinal Scan

Retinal scans measure the blood vessel patterns in the back of the eye. Retinal scan templates are typically 40 to 96 bytes. Because users perceive the technology to be somewhat intrusive, retinal scanning has not gained popularity with end-users. The device involves a light source shined into the eye of a user who must be standing very still within inches of the device. Because the retina can change with certain medical conditions, such as pregnancy, high blood pressure, and AIDS, this biometric might have the potential to reveal more information than just an individual’s identity.

Emerging biometric technologies:

Many inventors, companies, and universities continue to search the frontier for the next biometric that shows potential of becoming the best. Emerging biometric is a biometric that is in the infancy stages of proven technological maturation. Once proven, an emerging biometric will evolve in to that of an established biometric. Such types of emerging technologies are the following:

  • Brainwave Biometric
  • DNA Identification
  • Vascular Pattern Recognition
  • Body Odor Recognition
  • Fingernail Bed Recognition
  • Gait Recognition
  • Handgrip Recognition
  • Ear Pattern Recognition
  • Body Salinity Identification
  • Infrared Fingertip Imaging & Pattern Recognition

SECURITY ISSUES:

The most common standardized encryption method used to secure a company’s infrastructure is the Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) approach. This approach consists of two keys with a binary string ranging in size from 1024-bits to 2048-bits, the first key is a public key (widely known) and the second key is a private key (only known by the owner). However, the PKI must also be stored and inherently it too can fall prey to the same authentication limitation of a password, PIN, or token. It too can be guessed, lost, stolen, shared, hacked, or circumvented; this is even further justification for a biometric authentication system. Because of the structure of the technology industry, making biometric security a feature of embedded systems, such as cellular phones, may be simpler than adding similar features to PCs. Unlike the personal computer, the cell phone is a fixed-purpose device. To successfully incorporate Biometrics, cell-phone developers need not gather support from nearly as many groups as PC-application developers must.

Security has always been a major concern for company executives and information technology professionals of all entities. A biometric authentication system that is correctly implemented can provide unparalleled security, enhanced convenience, heightened accountability, superior fraud detection, and is extremely effective in discouraging fraud. Controlling access to logical and physical assets of a company is not the only concern that must be addressed. Companies, executives, and security managers must also take into account security of the biometric data (template). There are many urban biometric legends about cutting off someone finger or removing a body part for the purpose of gain access. This is not true for once the blood supply of a body part is taken away, the unique details of that body part starts to deteriorate within minutes. Hence the unique details of the severed body part(s) is no longer in any condition to function as an acceptable input for scanners.

The best overall way to secure an enterprise infrastructure, whether it be small or large is to use a smart card. A smart card is a portable device with an embedded central processing unit (CPU). The smart card can either be fashioned to resemble a credit card, identification card, radio frequency identification (RFID), or a Personal Computer Memory Card International Association (PCMCIA) card. The smart card can be used to store data of all types, but it is commonly used to store encrypted data, human resources data, medical data, financial data, and biometric data (template). The smart card can be access via a card reader, PCMCIA slot, or proximity reader. In most biometric-security applications, the system itself determines the identity of the person who presents himself to the system. Usually, the identity is supplied to the system, often by presenting a machine-readable ID card, and then the system asked to confirm. This problem is “one-to- one matching.” Today’s PCs can conduct a one-to-one match in, at most, a few seconds. One-to-one matching differs significantly from one-to-many matching. In a system that stores a million sets of prints, a one-to-many match requires comparing the presented fingerprint with 10 million prints (1 million sets times 10 prints/set). A smart card is a must when implementing a biometric authentication system; only by the using a smart card can an organization satisfy all security and legal requirements. Smart cards possess the basic elements of a computer (interface, processor, and storage), and are therefore very capable of performing authentication functions right on the card.

The function of performing authentication within the confines of the card is known as ‘Matching on the Card (MOC)’. From a security prospective MOC is ideal as the biometric template, biometric sampling and associated algorithms never leave the card and as such cannot be intercepted or spoofed by others (Smart Card Alliance). The problem with smart cards is the public-key infrastructure certificates built into card does not solve the problem of someone stealing the card or creating one. A TTP (Trusted Third Party) can be used to verify the authenticity of a card via an encrypted MAC (Media Access Control).

CULTURAL BARRIERS/PERCEPTIONS:

People as diverse as those of variable abilities are subject to many barriers, theories, concepts, and practices that stem from the relative culture (i.e. stigma, dignity or heritage) and perceptions (i.e. religion or philosophical) of the international community. These factors are so great that they could encompass a study of their own. To that end, it is also theorized that to a certain degree that the application of diversity factors from current theories, concepts, and practices may be capable of providing a sturdy framework to the management of employees with disabilities. Moreover, it has been implied that the term diversity is a synonymous reflection of the initiatives and objectives of affirmative action policies. The concept of diversity in the workplace actually refers to the differences embodied by the workforce members at large. The differences between all employees in the workforce can be equated to those employees of different or diverse ethnic origin, racial descent, gender, sexual orientation, chronological maturity, and ability; in effect minorities.

ADVANTAGES OF BIOMETRIC TECHNOLOGIES:

Biometric technologies can be applied to areas requiring logical access solutions, and it can be used to access applications, personal computers, networks, financial accounts, human resource records, the telephone system, and invoke customized profiles to enhance the mobility of the disabled. In a business-to-business scenario, the biometric authentication system can be linked to the business processes of a company to increase accountability of financial systems, vendors, and supplier transactions; the results can be extremely beneficial.

The global reach of the Internet has made the services and products of a company available 24/7, provided the consumer has a user name and password to login. In many cases the consumer may have forgotten his/her user name, password, or both. The consumer must then take steps to retrieve or reset his/her lost or forgotten login information. By implementing a biometric authentication system consumers can opt to register their biometric trait or smart card with a company’s business-to-consumer e-commerce environment, which will allow a consumer to access their account and pay for goods and services (e-commerce). The benefit is that a consumer will never lose or forget his/her user name or password, and will be able to conduct business at their convenience. A biometric authentications system can be applied to areas requiring physical access solutions, such as entry into a building, a room, a safe or it may be used to start a motorized vehicle. Additionally, a biometric authentication system can easily be linked to a computer-based application used to monitor time and attendance of employees as they enter and leave company facilities. In short, contactless biometrics can and do lend themselves to people of all ability levels.

DISADVANTAGES OF BIOMETRIC TECHNOLOGIES:

Some people, especially those with disabilities may have problems with contact biometrics. Not because they do not want to use it, but because they endure a disability that either prevents them from maneuvering into a position that will allow them to make use the biometric or because the biometric authentication system (solution) is not adaptable to the user. For example, if the user is blind a voice biometric may be more appropriate.

BIOMETRIC APPLICATIONS:

Most biometric applications fall into one of nine general categories:

  • Financial services (e.g., ATMs and kiosks).
  • Immigration and border control (e.g., points of entry, precleared frequent travelers, passport and visa issuance, asylum cases).
  • Social services (e.g., fraud prevention in entitlement programs).
  • Health care (e.g., security measure for privacy of medical records).
  • Physical access control (e.g., institutional, government, and residential).
  • Time and attendance (e.g., replacement of time punch card).
  • Computer security (e.g., personal computer access, network access, Internet use, e-commerce, e-mail, encryption).
  • Telecommunications (e.g., mobile phones, call center technology, phone cards, televised shopping).
  • Law enforcement (e.g., criminal investigation, national ID, driver’s license, correctional institutions/prisons, home confinement, smart gun).

CONCLUSION:

Currently, there exist a gap between the number of feasible biometric projects and knowledgeable experts in the field of biometric technologies. The post September 11 th, 2002 attack (a.k.a. 9-11) on the World Trade Center has given rise to the knowledge gap. Post 9-11 many nations have recognized the need for increased security and identification protocols of both domestic and international fronts. This is however, changing as studies and curriculum associated to biometric technologies are starting to be offered at more colleges and universities. A method of closing the biometric knowledge gap is for knowledge seekers of biometric technologies to participate in biometric discussion groups and biometric standards committees.

The solutions only needs the user to possess a minimum of require user knowledge and effort. A biometric solution with minimum user knowledge and effort would be very welcomed to both the purchase and the end user. But, keep in mind that at the end of the day all that the end users care about is that their computer is functioning correctly and that the interface is friendly, for users of all ability levels. Alternative methods of authenticating a person’s identity are not only a good practice for making biometric systems accessible to people of variable ability level. But it will also serve as a viable alternative method of dealing with authentication and enrollment errors.

Auditing processes and procedures on a regular basis during and after installation is an excellent method of ensuring that the solution is functioning within normal parameters. A well-orchestrated biometric authentication solution should not only prevent and detect an impostor in instantaneous, but it should also keep a secure log of the transaction activities for prosecution of impostors. This is especially important, because a great deal of ID theft and fraud involves employees and a secure log of the transaction activities will provide the means for prosecution or quick resolution of altercations.

REFERENCES:

  • Pankanti S, Bolle R & Jain A, Biometrics:The Future of Identification
  • Nalwa V, Automatic on-line signature verification
  • Biometric Consortium homepage, http://WWW.biometrics.org

[ad_2]

Source by Murali Kiruba

/ By edd / spiral-freezers/ / 0 Comments

Focus on Green Homes – Landscaping to Save Energy

[ad_1]

Landscaping a home in green manner is an important part of planning and building your green home. Landscaping consumes a lot of water and maintaining your yard can produce a large amount of carbon monoxide. Green landscaping means selecting plants that reduce the amount of water used to keep them alive.

For the lawn, plant grass that grows very slowly and requires very little water to survive. By planting this type of grass, your lawn would not need to be mowed every week, but maybe only a few times a summer, reducing the amount of exhaust from your mowing activities. Also since water bills are usually calculated by consumption, the less water the yard requires, the lower the water bill.

For the plants and bushes around the home, select hardy plants. Hardy plants are less susceptible to diseases and damaging pests, allowing you to forego or eliminate pesticides and fertilizers. The less of these chemicals that are used the better it is for the environment, reducing the amount of chemicals that run-off of plants during a rainstorm and soak into the ground. This type of run-off of pesticides and fertilizers has the potential to contaminate ground water and drinking water.

Another major consideration with green landscaping is the heat island effect. The heat island effect is heat from the home, from man-made surfaces around the home, and from the lack of appropriate landscaping. The combined heat from these sources can increase the temperature in a community noticeably. Heat islands can cause increased use of air conditioning, increased air pollution and greenhouse gas production, and lower water quality.

For your green home, this effect can make your heating and cooling systems less effective. The right types of landscaping can help prevent the heat island effect. For example, planting our hardy trees, shrubs and plants at least 24 inches away from the house can break up the heat transfer mechanism. In addition, planting deciduous trees on the west side of your green home or along driveways and walkways can be very effective for cooling the house and yard. Plan ahead, though. Trees and bushes growth over time can interfere with the effectiveness of any solar panels that are installed.

When planning your landscaping, plan to install a rain barrel as well. Why not store some of the run-off rainwater for eco-friendly, free water for watering the lawn, plants, scrubs, and trees? In addition to a rain barrel, the ground can be shaped to direct water coming from the roof and the ground during a rainstorm to collect around the plants, shrubs, and trees in the yard. This allows the earth to do your work for you. As the water from the storm drains into the ground, the last part of the ground to dry out is the part of the lawn that received the most water, reducing the amount of tap water needed.

By taking the extra time to address these issues during the design of your green home, you can achieve a beautiful, very low maintenance and environmental-friendly landscaped yard.

[ad_2]

Source by Kimberley Ward

/ By edd / spiral-freezers/ / 0 Comments

How Do I Repair My Mayan Hammock?

[ad_1]

OK! It happened. In spite of your best intentions you wore buttons or belt loops into your hammock, and broke one or more of the strings. What do you do now? In this article we will cover the repairs of three of the most common mishaps that can befall the Mayan hammock.

  • Mishap number one, and the most common, is the breaking of one or two string because they snagged something on your clothing. The repair is pretty simple. Take both ends of the string and tie a single weaver’s knot. What is that? Make a U shape in one of the strings. Then bring the end of the other string up through the back of the U, around the back, and then under itself. Pull tight. Trim the edge; and work the string back into the weave. Repeat for any other broken strings.
  • Mishap number two starts out like mishap number one except you have nylon or mercerized cotton strings that don’t break easily. In this case you end up with a long loop pulled out of the weave. In this case you will carefully pull the string from each side of the loop so the loop almost disappears, and you have two smaller loops, one on each side. Then pull the string from the far side of each loop making further smaller loops. Keep doing this, tracing the string through the length of the hammock until you have only a series of small loops along the hammock. Then take the end of the hammock and shake it vigorously. If necessary, you can gently tug and spread the weave around the subject string until the weave looks good.
  • Mishap number three is the bad one. It can happen when your teenagers have their friends over; and no one quite knows how almost a third of the hammock was sliced open! Trying to retie and weave this mess together would make a grown man cry. So don’t try. Get some fishing line or other thin but strong string. Go just past one end of the wound and tie the weave tightly shut with a strong knot. Then evenly and carefully spiral stitch along the full length of the wound, making sure to get at least a couple of strands of good hammock cord on either side of the tear. Continue past the end of the tear and tie another tight knot. You can trim off all the string beards hanging down, and you are done. This is not a beautiful repair, but it will last for years.

The beauty of these repairs is that even when they don’t look so great, the comfort of the hammock is generally not affected at all.

[ad_2]

Source by Tom Sloane

/ By edd / spiral-freezers/ / 0 Comments

Dangers of Ice Skating

[ad_1]

Ice skating is not all glamor and grace. There are also inherent dangers, and all ice skaters, especially the beginners, should be aware of these. In the year 2007 alone, 4,500 skaters were injured in Austria, requiring hospital care. Wrist and head injuries topped the list.

The Fall

Falling on ice is the first danger to be considered, whether skating indoors or outdoors. It not only depends on the skills of the ice skater, but also on the quality of the ice surface, as well the ice skates used. Serious and fatal injuries are very rare, though, but there are isolated cases of paralysis after falling on ice. The skate blades also present one potential cause of danger, as it is very sharp it can slice skin and cause injuries. This emphasizes the need to wear protective gear, especially helmets, for avoidance of head trauma or other similar injuries caused by falling on a skates metal blades.

Skating Outdoors

Moving and gliding on frozen waterways is still an observable fact. As natural ice is unpredictable in terms of strength and structure, there is a potential danger of falling into freezing water whenever the ice breaks. The fact that the ice conditions cannot be controlled should hinder skaters from trying to skate on frozen bodies of water. Once they fall, it will be very hard, if not impossible, to get back onto the ice or out of the water, as the ice tend to break in a continuous manner. This becomes even more hazardous when the skater has no company while skating on naturally-occurring rinks. In the depths of the freezing water, it will be very difficult to swim because of the skates and heavy winter clothing, so there is a big chance for the skater to drown or suffer from shock and hypothermia.

When skating outdoors, one has to remember that the ice is thinner, and therefore weaker, in areas near river or pond edges because of vegetation and higher temperature. Ice is also weak under bridges and areas with most sunlight exposure, also because of warmer temperature.

Because of these ice skating dangers, people need to be educated about wearing appropriate protective gear and, if possible, staying out of frozen waterways when skating, or, if they really want to, they need to know the thickness of the ice first before putting their skates on and starting to move on ice.

[ad_2]

Source by Drew Mers

/ By edd / spiral-freezers/ / 0 Comments

Eczema Diet – Seven Chinese Food Secrets That Will Change Your Life

[ad_1]

Eczema can make life a misery for children as well as adults with red, dry, thick and scaly skin that is constantly itching. For many people, eczema is triggered off by an allergic reaction to specific foods and avoiding these foods can relieve the symptoms. Chinese dietary therapy is a holistic system of treatment, part of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), which looks at diet in a completely different way from our western diets. Here I will give you my Seven Chinese Foods secrets that will help your eczema and change your life.

1. Avoid cow’s milk

Often eczema can be triggered off by cow’s milk which is a common food fed to children. Cow’s milk is very damp in nature and if your child’s digestive system is compromised can cause itchy skin, rashes and oozing and weeping lesions. Milk is not a common ingredient in a Chinese diet and is used sparingly. However, in the West we tend to over consume milk which is why more and more people are experiencing an allergic reaction to it. If your baby is suffering with eczema then you really should look for an alternative. Possible replacements are soy or goat’s milk which are less damp forming.

2. Avoid damp forming foods

Not only is cow’s milk damp forming, but other foods can be extremely damp forming as well. Interestingly, some of these foods are common triggers for eczema such as wheat and peanuts. Other damp forming foods include orange juice, bananas, sugar, cheese and other dairy products.

3. Stop the greasy food

Fried, greasy foods are extremely damp forming and warm in nature. Eczema is Yang (warm) in nature which means that if there is an excess of heat in the body it will cause symptoms such as redness, inflammation and thirst. Cooking methods such as roasting, grilling, baking, deep frying, stir frying and sautéing are all yang cooking methods. It’s preferable to boil, simmer, stew, braise or steam your food as these cooking methods are more yin in nature. Foods cooked in this way are cooler in nature and more nourishing to the body and skin.

4. Eat more cooling and nourishing foods

To treat eczema, you need to reduce redness, inflammation and itching of the skin by clearing heat. As well you should moisten dryness and strengthen the qi (vital energy) and blood. Cooling and moistening foods include grapefruit, lettuce, seaweed, watermelon, cucumber, celery, barley, beancurd (tofu), pears, strawberry, broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini and tomatoes.

Excellent foods to strengthen qi and blood are dark, leafy green vegetables, dark red fruits and vegetables such as beetroot, kidney, aduki beans and blueberries. Meats such as liver, kidneys and chicken are all qi and blood strengtheners. A fantastic start to the day would be to have a bowl of oat porridge sprinkled with a few dates.

5. Avoid raw and ice cold foods

Too many raw and chilled foods (as opposed to cooling foods) can damage the digestive system. The digestive system requires warmth or digestive fire to function and a prolonged and excessive use of raw or ice-cold foods will eventually weaken this digestive fire. You may have noticed that the Chinese do not eat many raw or ice-cold foods for this reason.

6. Balance your flavors

We have often heard that too much of one thing is bad for you and this is true in a Chinese diet. In most Chinese recipes you will find a balance of flavors – salty, sour, bitter, sweet and pungent. For example, salty foods (seaweed, pork, fish) regulate moisture balance, drain excess moisture and stimulate digestion. Too much salt, however, will dehydrate the body and cause dryness. Sweet foods (sugar, bananas, milk), mildly stimulate the circulation of qi and blood, moistening and benefiting dryness. However, eating an excess of sweet foods will lead to the formation of damp and heat which can cause eczema. Therefore, a balanced diet including all the flavors is beneficial. You can increase or decrease a particular flavor according to your needs.

7. Chew slowly and enjoy your food

Quite often eczema is caused by emotional stress. When we are stressed we tend overeat, under-eat or not enjoy what we are eating. Do not eat when angry because this affects the movement of qi and can cause it to stagnate. Qi stagnation over time can cause a build up of heat which can manifest as skin rashes and inflammation.

The Chinese know the benefit of chewing slowly and with concentration, so forget the television or reading while you’re eating – just focus on your food. Every mouthful should be chewed thoroughly since this helps our digestive system to work more efficiently.

[ad_2]

Source by Vicky Massey

/ By edd / spiral-freezers/ / 0 Comments

The Manufacturing Process of Gold Bars

[ad_1]

Cast gold bars are usually produced directly from melted gold. However, the way in which melted gold is used to manufacture these bars can vary. The three main types of gold bars being manufactured are:

(1) Large cast bars with approximate weights.

(2) Small cast bars (1000 g or less) with specific weights.

(3) Long flat cast bars, notably for the manufacture of minted bars.

Large Cast Bars:

Large cast gold bars are usually manufactured to an approximate weight, so the refined gold at the required purity is directly poured into the casts

Induction furnaces are usually used to melt gold. Gold is melted in bulks in large holding crucibles. Gold crucibles are then tilted, and a relatively small amount is poured into pre-heated transfer crucible. At this stage, using vacuum tubes, small samples of gold are tested. Melted gold in the transfer crucible is then shifted to pre-heated, dressed bar moulds (generally cast-iron) of the required size. During pouring process, the mould sits on a balance. When the balance records the required weight of gold, the pouring is stopped. A few seconds after pouring process, the bar is dropped into a tank of water for cooling. Alternatively, the mould can be allowed to cool gradually. This cooling procedure is called “quenching”. The bar is then cleaned to remove stains of any kind and then weighed.

Small Cast Bars:

Small cast bars, having specific weight, are produced using refined gold, which has been tested for the required impurity. Refined gold is usually available in two basic forms: granules and small cut pieces. The choice of basic form depends on the method of manufacturing.

First of all, the required form of gold is balanced and the required amount is weighed. Usually, gold is weighed slightly more than the weight of the bar, in order to cater for manufacture losses.

Traditional method: In traditional small cast bar manufacture method, melted gold is poured into moulds; this method is still used by many manufacturers. Gold is first placed in a crucible of appropriate volume and is then melted in a furnace at a controlled temperature of 1200C. Care should be taken to avoid contamination of gold. The melted gold is then poured into a pre-heated bar mould, which has been dressed with carbon smoke or graphite. After that, the mould is cooled and the bar is cleaned and weighed.

Modern method: Using modern methods, a lot of small cast bars can be manufactured simultaneously. The gold is poured into bar moulds of the required size. A number of moulds are simultaneously fed into induction furnace for melting at controlled temperature of 1200C. Melted gold is then pushed into a “Cooling Tunnel”. When it comes out, the bars are removed from casts, cleaned and then carefully weighed.

Long Flat Cast Bars:

Long flat cast bars can be manufactured either from cast iron moulds in a pack or from a continuous casting machine.

Traditional Method: A number of cast iron blocks of required width, thickness and length are clamped together vertically, so that the flat base of one mould forms the side of the other mould. These moulds are filled with melted gold and then cooled. When the gold has solidified, the moulds are unclamped and the bars are removed.

Modern Method: Continuous casting machine

The modern methods of manufacturing use casting machines to produce bar stock of required width and thickness on a continuous basis.

[ad_2]

Source by Jack Wogan

/ By edd / spiral-freezers/ / 0 Comments

Reduce Your Home Ventilation Bill With These Handy Tips

[ad_1]

Handy Tips To Reduce Home Ventilation Energy Costs

Have you recently installed a home ventilation system and feel like you are up to your neck in energy bills? Did you know that there are a few simple tips you can use that can cut your costs by half?

Why Your Energy Bills Are High

Below are common culprits that cause your home ventilation energy bills to escalate.

1. Leaks in your house. It doesn’t matter if you have invested in a top notch ventilation system, if you have several leaks around your house, it could cause the system to be ineffective. Such leaks tend to bring in cold air during winter, and hot air during summer, which in turn causes your ventilation system to work extra hard to create a balance. The extra hard work costs you more in terms of bills.

2. Faulty or poor choice of a ventilation system. You may either have installed a ventilation system that is subpar, or you may be working with one that is simply faulty. This could lead to situations where one part of the house is heated or cooled properly with the other parts being either too hot or too cold. This ineffective heating or cooling of your house means that you are racking up energy bills for nothing.

Tips For Reducing Home Ventilation Energy Bills

Now that you know what may be causing an increase in your energy bills, here are some tips that will help:

1. Seal of cracks underneath doors and windows. These are popular places where air escapes into and out of the house. Once you seal these spots, your ventilation system will not have to work too hard to balance the air out, which of course means a reduction in your energy bill.

2. Get your condenser unit professionally cleaned. If it is clogged with debris and dirt, your air conditioner will be forced to work extra hard.

3. Ensure that there is free flow of air around the exhaust fans. Any debris blocking the fans will cause your system to work overtime.

4. Schedule regular system checks by a professional. It is better to have your system checked for needed repairs or upgrades periodically, instead of waiting for it to malfunction in a major way that will be more costly to repair or replace.

5. All your air vents should be clean and should not be blocked by furniture or any other home appliance.

6. Ensure your furnace filter is kept clean at all times. A dirty furnace makes it harder for air to circulate, which in turn leads to higher energy costs.

7. Do not always rely on your ventilation system. You can let in cool air in the early mornings or at night and give your system a break.

8. If your ventilation system is old, you are better off purchasing a new one. Newer models on the market have more efficient ways of using energy, as opposed to older models.

[ad_2]

Source by Matt Reardon

/ By edd / spiral-freezers/ / 0 Comments

How to Fix Your Refrigerator When It’s Not Cooling

[ad_1]

If your fridge is not cooling for some unknown reason, you can follow this step-by-step guide to detect the problem and fix it yourself. The process is quite simple and can be done using a few simple tools.

Required Tools

  • Ratchet/socket set
  • Write cutter/stripper

Required Materials

  • Condenser/Evaporator Fan

Problem:

When a fridge fails to keep your ice cream frozen or milk cold, know that there can be different causes. Before you follow advanced techniques, we suggest that you try a few easy fixes first.

• Make sure that the unit is plugged in and the light turns on upon opening the door

• Check the fridge thermostat to ensure it’s working

• The backside vents should not be clogged with frozen veggies or ice cream boxes.

• Use a vacuum cleaner to vacuum the coils as clogged coils may be the culprit

• The condenser fan should spin freely and shouldn’t be stuck. All you need to do is unplug the appliance and pull the condenser out. Also, clean the blades of the fan and rotate it by hand to see if it’s operational. Put it back, turn on the fridge and see if it runs fine.

How to Replace the Evaporator Fan

Follow the steps given below:

Remove the Cover

First, take off the cover to take a look at the evaporator and get access to the evaporator fan.

Remove the Fan Cover

If there is a fan cover, you can remove the screws to get access to the fan.

Remove the Evaporator Fan

If you are sure that the fan doesn’t spin or makes noise, you should replace it. First, power off the fridge and remove the screws.

Replace the Fan

Put a new fan in place of the old one. Use the mounting bracket of the damaged fan on the new one. Unplug the wires and attach them to the brand new fan. Lastly, replace the cover.

Replace the Condenser Fan

Unplug the fridge and remove the panel on its back. Now, you can reach the condenser and compressor fan. Your next move is to turn on the fridge and wait for a few seconds to let the compressor turn on.

Make sure the fan is also working. if the compressor works but the fan fails, get a new fan. Now, if none of the things work and compressor seems too hot, power off the unit and point a pedestal fan at the compressor.

Now, wait for a few minutes to let the compressor cool down and make an attempt. If the fan doesn’t work, you need to replace it. If neither the fan nor the compressor runs, you need to get a new compressor relay. In this case, you need to get in touch with a technician.

When should you Replace the Condenser Fan

You can replace it if it won’t run or makes a lot of noise. You may need to remove the bracket to take off the fan.

Install the Brand New Fan

Near the old fan, you will see a few wires. Cut them and connect the brand new fan using quality wire connectors. Attach the new fan and check again.

So, if your fridge is not cooling, you can try out these tips to fix it.

[ad_2]

Source by Shalini M