Students Of Success

Have you ever thought about where your drinking water comes from? Most of us never give this question a thought. Yet, the sources of our water tell us a lot about its quality.

The Importance of Water Sources

Very early in the development of civilizations, people recognized the importance of finding reliable water sources. A clean, constant supply of safe drinking water is essential for every community. Consequently, the earliest civilizations developed near sources of clean water.

As time passed, people began to migrate and settle in areas many miles from a reliable water source. So they developed delivery systems that drew water from those distant sources. The Roman aqueducts are an excellent example of such a delivery system.

Today, people in large cities frequently depend on surface water sources, such as lakes, rivers, and reservoirs, for their drinking water. Sometimes these sources are close to the community. At other times, water suppliers get their water from sources many miles away.

In either case, when you think about the source of your drinking water, it’s important to consider the entire watershed in which the source is located. The watershed is the land area over which water flows into the river, lake, or reservoir.

In rural areas, people are more likely to drink ground water pumped from a well. These wells tap into aquifers or natural reservoirs under the earth’s surface. These aquifers may be only a few miles wide, or may span the borders of many states. As with surface water, remember that activities many miles away from you may affect the quality of ground water.

Both public and private water supplies can be drawn from a variety of sources. Different sources of raw water demand different treatment methods to render it fit for human consumption.

Deep Groundwater Sources

The water emerging from some deep groundwater sources may have fallen as rain many decades or even hundreds of years ago. Soil and rock layers will naturally filter the groundwater to a high degree of clarity. Deep groundwater may emerge as springs. In places where the water does not emerge as springs, water suppliers will often bore wells to extract it.

Usually, groundwater has a very high bacteriological quality. Because the water passed through layers of soil and rock, it may also be rich in dissolved solids including carbonates and Sulfates of Calcium and Magnesium.

Depending on the strata through which the water has flowed, other ions may also be present. These could include chloride and bicarbonates. Often, water from deep sources requires special treatment to remove its iron or manganese content to make it pleasant for drinking, cooking, and laundry.

Seepage of surface water recharges these deep groundwater sources. This seepage introduces industrial, chemical, animal and human contaminants into these underground aquifers. As these contaminants merge with natural elements in the water, health threats are introduced and disinfection is required.

Shallow Groundwater Sources

While deep groundwater lays far below ground level, shallow groundwater travels in streams within a few hundred feet of ground level. Access to shallow groundwater is usually through wells or boreholes.

The bacteriological quality of these shallow sources can vary depending on the nature of the underground reservoir. A variety of soluble materials may be present including potentially toxic metals such as copper or zinc. In some places, shallow ground water sources contain unacceptably high levels of Arsenic contamination.

Upland Lakes and Reservoirs

Typically, municipalities place upland reservoirs in the headwaters of river systems, above any human habitation. They often surround them by some form of protection zone to restrict the opportunities for contamination.

Bacterial and pathogen levels are usually low, but some bacteria, protozoa and algae will be present. Where uplands are forested or are peaty, humic acids can give the water a brown color. Many upland sources have low pH which requires adjustment before the water enters the supply.

Rivers, Canals and Low-Land Reservoirs

Lowland surface waters primarily come from rain runoff. As rainwater washes the streets of our cities and filters through landfills and farmlands, it picks up a significant bacterial load. It may also contain algae, suspended solids and a variety of dissolved elements.

Conclusions

All water sources contribute to water contamination. The source of your water determines the kind of contaminants it carries.

While water treatment facilities neutralize most of the contaminants, some escape and end up in your drinking water. Many of these contaminants are harmless and, at most, give the water a bad taste or odor. Other pose potential health threats.

To protect yourself and your family from these potential threats, we recommend the use of a home water filtration system to assure that your drinking water is clean.

Earl Calvert is a freelance writer. His writings include Bible study curriculum materials and articles for national business magazines. As an advocate for clean drinking water, Earl designed his website on drinking water to educate the public water quality issues.

There really isn’t a huge debate on this subject, but there are some differences of opinion. This article looks at some of the differing opinions related to pigtails hairstyle definition, attempts to find some middle ground (perhaps unsuccessfully), and closes with this author’s own definition and description of the ideal pigtails.

A ponytail is when the hair is tied together into a bunch and hanging from the back of the head. Most would agree on that. But if that ponytail is braided, is it still a ponytail? Some say it is, others say that this is called a braid. The same question applies to pigtails, the most common term for the gathering of the hair into twin ponytails (one on either side of the head). Can pigtails be braided and still be called pigtails? Do the terms “braided pigtails” and “unbraided pigtails” make sense? Some argue that “braided pigtails” are just “braids” and not pigtails at all!

The Random House College Dictionary defines “pigtail” as “a braid of hair hanging down the back of the head.” Huh? It refers to ONE pigtail hangs down the back of the head, and calls it a braid? Hmm, there’s no mention of TWO pigtails at all! Something doesn’t seem right here. The dictionary entry for “ponytail” matches the definition I gave above. So what’s up with all this? Is the dictionary wrong? Are there multiple dialectal or regional terms for twin ponytails, hence the difficulty for a dictionary to properly address the word’s definition? Has the definition been too fluid over time for the dictionary to pin it down? And why doesn’t the definition include the phrase “the cutest hairstyle ever?”

The word pigtail is also a wire cabling term that applies to a particular method for terminating an electrical cable’s braided shield. (There’s that word “braid” again!) Another technical, and even more contemporary, use of the word pigtail is for some sort of wireless accessories for radios or cell phones, or something like that - I haven’t completely figured this one out yet.

A few years ago, a survey was done in a college classroom regarding the term pigtails. The students pretty much agreed that pigtails are two ponytails, one on each side of the head, and that they cannot be braided. If they were braided, they were called braids. The class instructor, being of a different generation, had a different definition. He believed that pigtails specifically meant two braids and that two unbraided ponytails should actually be called doggie tails. My personal analysis of this “experiment” is simply this: The instructor must have been elderly, or nearly so, and possibly losing his memory, so who knows what his generation really called “twin ponytails.” And doggie tails? There is no way I could ever adapt to using such a term. The word dog, or anything like it, can never be used to describe a woman with the playfulness, boldness, and/or superior self-esteem to wear her hair in pigtails. The students clearly had a much better handle on what pigtails are all about.

So, where does this leave us? There appears to be generational differences and possibly regional or dialectal differences contributing to the debate (if you’d call it that). So, I’ll put it this way: Pigtails are two gatherings of hair hanging on the left and right sides of the head. They may be braided or unbraided. But I’ll add my preferences here as well, because the way I see it, there’s one right kind of pigtail. Pigtails are far more attractive when unbraided. They should be located on the sides of the head, maybe a little behind and above the ears. Pigtails that are too high on the head, too low, or too far around in back, just don’t possess the true spirit of pigtails. And pigtails without this true spirit are simply unable to work their undeniable magic on the wearer and those around her.

Bob Decker is a pigtails hairstyle aficionado and one of the webmasters at http://www.PigtailDreams.com. The website tastefully honors “the cutest hairstyle ever.”

If aluminum general circuit single strand wiring exists keep in mind it has been linked to an increased risk of house fires. The house fires are caused by overheating at connection points.

Further inspection and evaluation by an electrical contractor familiar with aluminum wiring must be conducted prior to expiration of your inspection contingency to determine what upgrades are necessary or desirable. All connections must be checked for signs of damage or overheating. Expect it to be diffcult job that few electrical contractors around “want to do”.

The connection points can experience overheating or become loose due to the properties of aluminum wiring. Upon fitting the wiring with special connectors and outlets, the wiring is considered to be safer. Contact the home owners insurance company you intend to use to determine if coverage will be impacted. Please point your browser to http://www.cpsc.gov/CPSCPUB/PUBS/516.pdf for more detailed information!

Even if you as a buyer do not care about the aluminum wiring you can rest assured that the person who buys the home from you when you sell it may very well ask you to pay to cure the hazard.

Aluminum single strand wiring is all Romex type (non-metalic) I have never heard or seen any single BX type wiring.

This question most gamblers ask themselves when they begin to realize gambling has affected their lives.

Most gamblers intent is not to lose all their money, but rather to win big and buy all those materialist items they have always dreamed of. Gamblers are not selfish people; in fact they enjoy buying things for their family and friends.

Compulsive gamblers live their lives to just place one more bet. It doesn’t matter if a compulsive gambler is up five thousand dollars, they will still gamble until they lost all the money they came with. This is reality for a compulsive gambler. At the time they finally win, their ego’s sore like a bird in flight. For that very instant they feel like their on top of the world. For them there is no other way they can get that euphoric feeling. This is what keeps a compulsive gambler from really wanting to stop gambling.

When a compulsive gambler realizes that they are always losing there money reality sets in. They then question themselves. “Do I really want to stop gambling? They decide yes I want to stop gambling. They are feeling good about there decision. They finally made the decision to stop. The next day comes and goes. The compulsive gambler is feeling good about them selves. All of sudden they get a call from a friend. Next thing you know you’re in the car headed to meet them at the gambling establishment. You now realize you didn’t stop gambling. You then play games with your mind, telling yourself “just one more time and I will stop.” On the way to the gambling establishment you start thinking about the big win and how you are going to spend the money. You finally arrive and place your first bet. As the night goes on you realize you’re ahead, you’re on top of the world and then everything begins to crumble. You only have twenty dollars left in your wallet. What do you do now? You reach for your wallet and realized you have a credit card you can get three hundred dollars off of. You head directly to the credit card cashing area and look for the shortest line. You start wondering why this line is moving so slowly. When in reality it’s only been a few minutes. You finally get the money and you begin to gamble again. Before you know it you lost that money too. You finally decide to leave and head home. In less then one minute after leaving you begin to ask yourself “Why didn’t I leave when I was up? How could I go and take three hundred dollars off my credit card. How could I lose all my money again? What am I going to tell my wife? How could I do this again?
They finally arrive back at home and have to face the music. Once again they ask them selves: How could I do this again? They then decide it’s time to stop. The next day arrives and they ask themselves “Do I really want to stop gambling?” The logical answer is yes but the reality is no.

Once a compulsive gambler no longer has any resources to gamble with, reality sets in and they are willing to admit they have a gambling problem. I have met a person who attended a gambler’s anonymous meeting and convinced themselves that their problems were minimal compared to the people at the table. Once a compulsive gambler no longer has any resources to gamble with, reality sets in and they are willing to admit they have a gambling problem. I have met a person who attended a gambler’s anonymous meeting and convinced themselves that their problems were minimal compared to the people at the table. A year passed and this same person went back to same Gamblers Anonymous group and their situation is now worse then the people he met at the first meeting. Don’t let this happen to you or a loved one. There is a site called I Stopped Gambling So Can You http://www.istoppedgambling.com/ that has informational resources related to stop gambling addiction.

Knowing you have a problem gambling and doing something about it can have an everlasting effect on your life. It’s time to take one day at a time.

Mr. Howard Keith has an extensive background in dealing with compulsive gamblers, relatives and friends of gamblers and teenage gamblers.
Mr. Keith believes there are many alternatives to aid in the recovery of a gambling addiction verses a twelve step program. A large percentage of his emails were from compulsive gamblers looking for an alternative to Gamblers Anonymous and twelve step programs. Gamblers Anonymous also helps a significant number of people each year but there is a large percentage that does not stay. These are the people Mr. Keith is hoping to reach.

Marketing your Book cover, Spine and Information.

Whether you’ve written your book or are just starting out, having an eye catching cover is a must. Did you know that customers may be looking over your book for 10 seconds or less? A good book cover entices the customer to want to read more information and to result in a purchase. To accomplish this, you need to know what catches a customers eyes. A good place to start is your friends and family. Ones that you trust. Ask their opinions. If you’re uncomfortable with asking your inner circle or would like your book’s cover to be a surprise, look to the net. You can post your book’s cover idea and receive feedback. Only post your idea on the net if you trust it won’t be stolen. When deciding to create my book cover for Mysterious Chills and Thrills for Kids, I looked at many other ones in the children’s field. I kept in mind which book covers attracted me and for the ones that didn’t, why it didn’t. Keep in mind that not everyone is going to agree with your taste.

The same applies to your back cover information about your book. If the book is fiction, you’ll need to ensure the customer that their entertainment dollars are worth purchasing your book. If your book is non-fiction, show the customer the benefits of purchasing. Can it help solve a problem? Many customers want to know that they are buying something that in some form can benefit them. You’ll also need to show how your book is better than then next one in it’s category.

Don’t forget the spine and price. If your book is spine out, it’ll need to attract the customer’s eyes. When they pull out your book, the price can turn a purchase away. Look at other books in the field and price accordingly. Much lower prices than your competition may appear to sell more but may give the idea that your work isn’t as good.

Self publishing, Small Press or a Large Publishing company, either way your book is competing against others out there. Make it count!

About the Author

Content Producer and Children’s Author of Mysterious Chills and Thrills for Kids.
http://www.laurahickey.com

I’m an outgoing person - too outgoing - and share personal information easily. Being friendly is one thing, but I don’t want to be foolish about identity theft. Recently I heard a Crime Prevention Specialist talk about the way thieves steal our identity. What an education!

After his talk I purged my wallet. Since the talk I’ve gotten a lot smarter about protecting myself, especially when I travel. Airports are busy, crowded places and I can be easily distracted. Now I know I should be on constant alert. How can you protect yourself from identity theft?

1. It’s OK to talk to strangers, but don’t give then personal information about yourself.

2. Refrain from talking about financial things (investments, large purchases, home improvements, etc.) in public places.

3. Leave your check book and check register at home.

4. Delete personal information, such as your bank account number, Social Security number, and alarm code, from your laptop computer.

5. NEVER carry your Social Security card or number with you. Memorize the number instead.

6. Bring only two credit cards with you. Leave the rest at home in a secure place.

7. Use the two credit cards equally. Avoid a high total on one card that might attract attention.

8. Always have a credit card 800 emergency number with you in case your card is stolen.

9. Remove everything personal from your wallet, even your library card. Don’t stick receipts in your wallet or leave them in a rental car. Store receipts in a safe.

10. To dispose of documents you no longer need, soak them in warm water until they turn to pulp, and throw the pulp away.

11. Avoid ATM machines. If you must use one, cover the card with your hand so the number can’t be photographed from a distance.

12. Memorize your hotel room number.

13. Don’t put anything personal (letters with return addresses, etc.) in the trash.

14. Always put outgoing mail on a locked box.

These tips don’t guarantee that you won’t be a victim of identity theft, but they make it harder for the thieves to be successful. Check your wallet and coat pockets again before you leave. As the Boy Scout motto says, “Be prepared.”

Copyright 2006 by Harriet Hodgson

http://www.harriethodgson.com

Harriet Hodgson has been a nonfiction writer for 27 years and is a member of the Association of Health Care Journalists. Her 24th book, “Smiling Through Your Tears: Anticipating Grief,” written with Lois Krahn, MD is available from http://www.amazon.com A five-star review is also posted on Amazon. You’ll find another review on The American Hospice Foundation website under the “School Corner” heading.

Spring is the perfect time to plant a garden with your child.
It’s educational, good exercise, a great bonding activity, and
great for self-esteem.

PROPER TOOLS

Little hands need the right sized tools or they’ll be
frustrated, and “toys” are not sturdy enough. Child’s garden
gloves are available here:
www.mybackyard.com/acatalog/.mybackyard_Shop_Child_s_Garden_Glove
s_110.html. Gardens4Kids ( http://gardens4kids.com ) offers a
package: a set of 3 children’s hand gardening tools, 1 set of
children’s gardening gloves, and a child’s watering can.

They also offer a gardening kit with tips for planting with
children. It contains: seed packages with instructions written
for new gardeners and/or children; materials and materials
needed checklist; a planting map; a harvest guide activity
worksheet and calendar for predicting harvest dates; plant
labels; a waterproof pencil; and 20 grid markers.
(http://gardens4kids.com )

THEMATIC

Try planting a small plot around a theme - A Pizza Garden with
tomatoes and herbs. A Salsa Garden with hot peppers, onions and
tomatoes. A Butterfly garden with bright flowers and butterfly
‘food’ (see below).

MAKE A GRASS SNAKE OR SCARECROW

To make a grass snake, fill a sock with dirt and grass seed,
place it in the sun and keep it damp. In 7-14 days, the ’snake’
will have ‘hair’!

To make a scarecrow, take a large piece of cardboard and let the
child lie down and get in a funny pose. Trace around the child
and then cut the scarecrow out. Decorate him or her with yarn,
waterproof markers, googily eyes, old pieces of clothing -
whatever you have on hand. You can mount it on a stake.

TEE PEE

A bean tee pee brings great results and is easy to so. Use
stakes, poles or bamboo poles 12′ long. Arrange them teepee
style in a 5′ circle, leaving room for a small entrance and
pushing the ends into the ground. Tie the tops together with
heavy twine or masking tape. Plant different kinds of string
bean seeds (something that’ll grow in your region) at the base
of the teepee, and in a couple of months, the teepee will be
covered with beans, leaves and vines.

BUTTERFLY FEEDER

This is exactly what you’ll see in botanical gardens. Take a
plastic pot saucer, sand and about 1 T. of cow or horse manure
and an overripe piece of banana, apple or pear. Place sand and
manure in saucer with small amount of water and add fruit.
Voila! Butterflies will come!

SIMPLE BIRD BATH OR BIRD FEEDER

Here’s an idea for a simple and inexpensive bird bath or feeder.
Use a tomato cage, anchoring it firmly in the ground. Put one
plastic plan saucer inside the top ring of the cage. Plant
vining plants such as nasturtiums or morning glory around the
bottom. Fill the saucer with water for the birds, of poke a few
holes in it for drainage and fill it with birdseed.

EDUCATIONAL

·Use a digital or throwaway camera to record progress in the
garden and learn more about nature and photography. Put the
photos in a scrapbook for memories!

·Place a rain gauge in the garden.

·Study the insects that come and what they do.

· Read about vegetables, fruits and flowers on the Internet.

·Be sure and don’t take “the sun” for granted. Water and sun and
good soil are what gardening is all about.

·The garden will need to be tended and this teaches
responsibility. It needs to be watered, fertilized and weeded.
Establish a regular schedule for tending the garden.

CELEBRATE THE HARVEST with flowers on the table, or a pizza, or
hot sauce, or whatever the garden harvest has brought. Be sure
and take more photos for the scrapbook.

For years you have dreamed of a quiet place to rest and
meditate. A place that is beautiful and calm, where you hear the
soothing sounds of fish gliding to and fro in the water. You
have finally built the fish pond of your dreams and now you need
a fish pond bridge. When choosing fish pond bridges you will
need to make sure the size is appropriate for the pond. Fish
pond bridges need to be long enough to span the pond but they do
not need to be much longer than the pond. If you built the pond
yourself and plan to build the fish pond bridge also, make sure
you have all the materials you need. There are many places to
find fish pond bridges information and kits. A really good place
to start is online. Check out the sites that feature landscaping
bridges. You will discover that there are all kinds of choices
when it comes to fish pond bridges. There are many styles and
fish pond bridges can be made from cedar, pine or redwood. There
are also fish pond bridges that are made from galvanized
materials. Many fish pond bridges come in kits that even the
beginner will be able to put together. Some of these fish pond
bridges do not require footings or foundations. They can be
bolted together for easy installation. You will be able to find
fish pond bridges in varied price ranges. If you want to pay
less, check out several online sites and compare prices. Take
shipping costs into consideration too, because some companies
offer free shipping. Put a fish pond bridge over your untroubled
waters!