America appears to once again be divided on an international issue, as a split over whether the talks with Iran have a positive or negative outlook proves to be a divisive issue. In this newest hot-button issue, the Iran talks were reported on by CNN with “optimism” from Switzerland in its report. “It is a good deal, a deal that meets our core objectives,” President Obama said from the White House Rose Garden. “This framework would cut off every pathway that Iran could take to develop a nuclear weapon.” On FOX News, the claims were that the U.S. negotiation team, lead by the Vice President, had “caved” on issues to keep the U.S. and the World safe. Popular right-wing pundit Sean Hannity repeated “A deal with the Devil” ad-nauseum on his television program. Diplomats from both sides of the meeting said that progress had been made, but admitted there was still little that had been fully resolved. Instead, there appears to have been bullet-points taken under strong consideration, and noted as the framework for what the deal would need to look like. According to CNN, Iran must reduce its stockpile of enriched uranium by 98 percent overall. In return, Europe and the U.S. would lift sanctions on the country. From http://usfinancepost.com/us-media-split-on-iran-talks-as-small-steps-are-made-24638.html
Services sector expands on back of finance, health and retail – Finance and insurance services was the dominant force driving growth, up 4 points to a booming 73.
The services sector expanded in March, albeit only just, as financial services, health and retail led the way. The Australian Industry Group’s Performance of Services Index declined by 1.5 points in March but, at 50.2, remained just above the key 50-point level that separates expansion from contraction. Finance and insurance services was the dominant force driving growth, up 4 points to a booming 73. Health and community eased slightly last month, but remains well in expansion at 57.5, while retail trade rose 2.9 points to 52.6 – the first time that sector has expanded in six months. Personal and recreational services also rose in March, ending three months of contraction, but hospitality contracted for a fifth straight month, while wholesale also continued declining, and communications slumped 9.5 points to 33.8 and has been contracting since December 2011. The sub-indices for sales, employment and new orders all expanded last month, but all three were only just above 50 points. Deliveries and stocks both fell. From http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-04-07/services-sector-expands-on-back-of-finance-health-and-retail/6374448
Natural Ways To Clean Your Home
Carpet Cleaning Services 3 Different Types of Carpets When it comes to choosing a carpet, you’ll want to be sure that you find one that’s reliable, durable and most importantly; looks great. With so many options to choose from, how can you be sure that you’ve chosen the carpet that’s right for you when it comes to cleaning? Well fortunately, you’ll be able to find some of the greatest carpet cleaning services in the phonebook or online and they’ll be able to take care of your carpet no matter what it’s made of. Here’s a look at the different types of carpets. Nylon Carpets These types of carpets provide some of the most reliable material around. They are very heavy duty, stain resistant, very soft and are considered some of the most affordable carpet types on the market. Cleaning is a straight forward process and your carpet cleaner will be in and out of your home in no time. One of the biggest benefits has to be nylon’s versatility as it can withstand high temperatures and can keep the warmth in during those colder months. Polyester Carpets If you’re looking for a vibrantly colored carpet that holds the color even as the years go by then polyester is the way to go. The material is very easy to dye and it will absorb most colors to create great patterns and designs. One of the biggest problems with a polyester carpet is that they are quite prone to staining as the material will absorb most liquids that drop on to the fibers. Fortunately there are specific carpet cleaning services that specialize in polyester treatments so that you can enjoy the best of both worlds. Polypropylene Carpets These types of carpets are as resistant to stains and dirt as nylon carpets and in many ways they provide a lot more options as the fibers are easy to dye and can remain in great condition if looked after properly. The fibers are much longer than with nylon carpets so one of the main problems is that dirt and crumbs can fall in to the recesses, but that’s where a good cleaning service comes in handy as they will have the equipment to lift away all traces of dirt. Wool Carpets Wool is the softest and most luxurious carpet material available and as a result it can be very expensive. Many people say that the negatives unbalance the positive aspects of a woolen carpet, but that doesn’t stop people from deciding on their soft fibers to look great around their home. One of the main concerns with wool is that it will absorb colors very well so woolen carpets are very prone to staining, but if you prefer style over functionality then there’s really no competition. If you’d like to have your woolen or any material carpet treated by a professional carpet cleaning service then don’t hesitate to do so as they can really keep your carpet looking its best all year round.
Different Levels of Fire Resistance
Different Levels of Fire Resistance Whether you run a successful manufacturing factory, or if you’re just starting out in your industry, one of your priorities should be to protect your machinery from fire damage. Fire protection equipment for factories can be the difference between avoiding severe damage to your machinery, or losing out and being lumped with a huge bill for repairs. So what do you need to know about the different types of fire protection equipment? Well the first thing to bear in mind is that fire resistant products have 3 categories. These categories are known as Class 100, Class 150 and Class 350, but further categories exist in between. The numbers ‘100, 150 and 350’ refer to the level of heat that the object can repel. This method of rating refers to the level of fire resistance a particular product has, so let’s get to know what each class means and what they are capable of when it comes to protecting from fire damage. First up we have Class 100. This rating applies to standard pieces of equipment such as building structures and data/ storage safes and implies that the materials that comprise the structure of the object can withstand temperatures of up to 125 degrees Fahrenheit, or 52 degrees Celsius internally, or 2000 degrees Fahrenheit/ 1090 degrees Celsius externally. Although these temperatures are extremely high, this is often necessary as data safes and storage facilities will contain a range of valuable information or equipment and will need to be able to repel heat for a certain amount of time. The next official class is 150 and can do all of the above, but instead of operating below 125 degrees Fahrenheit, this rating implies that the contents must be kept below 150 degrees Fahrenheit, or 65.5 degrees Celsius. The external resistance will remain the same as with other heat classes, meaning that the contents will remain below the class of temperature, while the external material of the container or material withstands temperatures reaching 2000 degrees Fahrenheit/ 1090 degrees Celsius. The final class is the most extensive of the 3 and can withstand internal temperatures of 350 degrees Celsius. This temperature is incredibly hot and is more than capable of melting certain types of metals. This class is most often used to protect paper documents which are most prone to catching fire. As you’ll notice, the higher the temperature class, the weaker the contents contained within, or in this case; the more prone to fire damage. If you’re keen to protect your factory equipment, then it’s important to house your machinery within materials in the above classes. For machinery and electrical components, Class 150 should suffice, whereas paperwork and documentation will require a much higher level of protection and so Class 350 protective gear is recommended.
The Guitar Man
Learning to Play the Guitar Whether you’re an aspiring rock star, or an avid guitar enthusiast; learning to play the guitar correctly can mean the difference between falling short of the mark, and reaching obtaining new skills to impress the masses. So what can you expect when it comes to learning the guitar? How difficult will it be and are you prepared for the journey? Here’s a look at what you can expect from guitar lessons. First of all, you’ll want to make sure that you have the right equipment. Although guitars vary in price, they’ll all do the same thing, even if some models do have more functions and features than others do. If you’ve chosen an acoustic guitar for example, then you’ll most likely find that your guitar is best suited for solo playing, whereas if you’ve opted for an electric guitar you’ll be able to plug your instrument in to an amplifier and let the whole street hear your chords. Once you’ve decided on the type of guitar that you want to play, you’ll need to decide on whether or not you’ll be using a set of guitar picks, or if you prefer to use your fingers. Picks provide a little bit more accuracy when it comes to playing, but there’s something quite soulful about using your fingers to create the melody for a song. Once you’ve got your gear in order, the next thing you’ll want to do is to book a few guitar lessons. Even the most experienced guitar players will have had to learn from somewhere, so unless you intend to be self taught, it’s a good idea to book a lesson or two with a good guitar teacher so that you really learn to play like a professional. During your lessons, you’ll be introduced to each chord and finger position, as well as learning how to create certain notes and string effects. Although the string effects are better suited to intermediate to experienced guitar players, you can still try your hand at them while you’re learning. A good guitar instructor will understand your pace and skill level and they’ll encourage you to try harder each time. Once you’ve mastered the chords and notes, you’ll be ready to move on to more advanced methods of guitar playing, all of which your teacher can help you to fully understand and practice. One of the most common problems that new guitar players encounter is the way to position their hands. Left-handed players will mirror their right hand equivalents and there are a great range of left-handed guitars too so you won’t have to miss out if you fall in to this category. Just remember that your hands should remain fluid, manoeuvrable and ready to reposition in a split second. The more that you play, the easier these positions will come, so just keep practicing and you’ll get there soon enough.
Clean Air Lawn Care is giving away a franchise
Uncategorized | Tuesday 2 November 2010 No Comments » Clean Air Lawn Care is giving away a franchise with Opportunity 2011 Opportunity 2010 was so successful that they are doing it again! Opportunity 2011 is a rare opportunity to start your own Clean Air Lawn Care business with tools provided for you to succeed. Opportunity 2011 is a contest designed to give a 2nd chance to someone that deserves it to win a Clean Air Lawn Care franchise. Why Opportunity 2011? Our country is emerging from challenging economic times. There are many hard-working Americans who are currently recovering from unexpected events. At the same time, we are undergoing a climate crisis and a need to re-examine our values as a nation toward living and working sustainably. Opportunity 2011 is designed to give a 2nd chance to someone who has the skills, passion and determination to be successful and do something positive for themselves and their environment, but who doesn’t have the means. Who is the Ideal Candidate? The ideal candidate will be business-savvy, environmentally minded, and passionate about improving his/her life and the environment in their community. AND This candidate would have had a financially challenging year in 2010 (complete financial screening will be performed after submission before choosing semi-finalists). How Will Candidates Be Chosen The candidates will be chosen based on an online submission process which will culminate with a public vote among 5 finalists. The winner will be notified on New Year’s Day (January 1st) 2011. What Will Winner of Opportunity 2011 Receive? The winner of Opportunity 2011 will receive a Clean Air Lawn Care franchise and start-up package worth $35k +. Submissions are being taken now at: http://www.cleanairlawncare.com/opp2011.html. If you know anyone that would be perfect for this opportunity, please spread the word!
Permanent Link to 1-800-Recycling.com and El Quintero Announce Partnership
Wednesday 18 August 2010 1-800-Recycling.com Partners with GenGreen Los Angeles (August 17, 2010) – It was announced today that 1-800-Recycling.com, an interactive nationwide company dedicated to simplifying and enhancing the consumer recycling experience, has partnered with GenGreenLife.com, a leading online resource for people looking to live a locally-focused, environmentally conscious lifestyle. The two organizations have agreed to pool their resources and exchange recycling location listings from their respective databases. Via its mobile App, online resource and phone service, 1-800-Recycling provides information about recycling services and facilities to anyone, anywhere by zip code. Designed to make the recycling process easy and more accessible, 1-800-Recycling.com will now also be recommending GenGreen approved recyclers as responsible locations for the deposit of recycling materials. GenGreen created and maintains the largest database of accredited green businesses and organizations in North America, with a growing group of almost 75,000 companies currently in their system, covering everything from farmers markets to solar panel companies. Of the partnership, Charisse McAuliffe, Founder and CEO of GenGreen said, “We are very pleased to be working with 1-800-Recycling. At GenGreen, we recognize that we are not in this alone, creating partnerships with like-minded groups, such as 1-800-Recycing, we can do our part in helping spread their important message”. “We are extremely proud to be partnering with a consumer friendly and passionately green resource such as GenGreen,” said John Shegerian, Chairman and CEO of Electronic Recyclers International, the nation’s leading recycler of electronics and e-waste, and parent company of 1-800-Recycling.com. “1-800-Recycling shares a common mission with GenGreen – to provide users with information that helps them live a greener life. By pooling our expansive nationwide databases together, we will now be able to further increase our geographic resource footprint – helping more people in more places to recycle responsibly. We are extremely proud of this collaboration and what we will be able to accomplish together!” 1-800-Recycling.com provides users with nationwide outreach to help users find recycling locations nearest to them (every zip code in the country is covered) for whatever it is they wish to recycle. For more information on recycling needs, visit www.electronicrecyclers.com, http://1800recycling.comor www.urbanmining.org. # # # 1-800-Recycling.com provides users with nationwide outreach to help users find recycling locations nearest to them (every zip code in the country is covered) for whatever it is they wish to recycle. Through its iPod App, 1-800-Recycling.com website and 1-800-Recycling phone service, users are directed to responsible recyclers of electronics, tires, oil, paint, glass, plastic, wood, mattresses, carpet, junk – almost anything that can be recycled. Electronic Recyclers International (ERI), the nation’s leading recycler of electronics and e- waste, is the parent company of 1-800-Recycling.com. GenGreen has assembled the largest database of environmental and healthy living businesses in North America. There are over 75,000 approved business members listed on GenGreenLife.com as of August 2010. GenGreen helps these businesses by guiding them in their green practices, and promoting their goods and services to the environmentally conscious consumer through their website GenGreenLife.com and their mobile applications “Find… Continue reading Permanent Link to 1-800-Recycling.com and El Quintero Announce Partnership
Facts About LED Lights
| Tuesday 10 August 2010 This Little Light of Mine…Lasts 25 Years! Remember earlier this year when you had to climb up a ladder, and screw in all those light bulbs one by one? It’s kind of tedious and a bit annoying knowing that you will need to do this again as each light bulb, inevitably, burns out. Now, imagine if you never had to go up there and do that again. No more changing the light bulbs every 3 months or having part of your hallway lit for a week because you just do not feel like going to the store and buying one light bulb that you know will need to be replaced again before the year is over. With the Light-emitting diodes (LED) bulbs, not only do you save massive amounts of energy, but it is also the “set it and forget it” of household lighting. An LED bulb can replace any of your typical light bulbs in your home or office. For example, your typical 60 watt light bulb would be replaced with an LED bulb that uses only 6 watts of energy. It will fit in all of your standard household lighting fixtures and is constructed out of recycled materials. If you feel like setting the mood, many LED lights are also dimmable. Compact Fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) are on the market as an energy efficient alternative and were the most common method of replacement. However, CFLs do have their downside. The type of light produced from a CFL bulb can cause some individuals to feel queasy if around them for an extended period of time and they have low durability. Also, CFLs have enough mercury in them to contaminate 6000 gallons of fresh water if they are broken. On the other hand, LED light bulbs are free from ultraviolet, mercury, and lead contaminants. With typical household usage, an LED bulb lasts 25 years! Which means once you put one of these lights in, the bulb will most likely never have to be changed again. Quick LED Fact – If every American household switched just one 60W light bulb to a 6W LED light, $1.4 Billion in electricity costs would be saved annually. This Blog was contributed by one of our users at GenGreenLife.com
To Roth Or Not To Roth
| Monday 9 August 2010 To Roth or not to Roth – Many people are familiar with a Roth IRA. Put money away, after taxes are paid on those earnings, let the money grow tax differed in the IRA, then take tax-free distributions of the earnings. Not a bad deal, lets go through it again. Earn $40,000. Pay taxes on all $40,000. Put $5000 into Roth IRA, after tax. $5000 grows to $75,000 over your lifetime. Take original $5000 out of taxes were paid when that money was earned. Take $70,000 tax-free. Nothing due on earnings. In a regular IRA you put $5000, before taxes, from earnings into same investments in IRA, grows to same $75,000 over time. Then pay taxes on all $75,000 when taking it out of IRA. Pay taxes now on $5,000 and nothing later, $70,000 distribution tax-free. Or, Pay no taxes now on $5000 and pay taxes on full $75,000 taxable distribution. Seems fairly straight forward, especially if you think taxes will be the same or possibly higher when you retire. Here is where it gets interesting. A Roth IRA has earnings limitations. If you earn over $120,000 as a single person, or over $177,000 as a married person, you can not make a Roth contribution. Tough luck. But wait.. Making an employee contribution into a Roth bucket in your 401(k) has no earnings limitation. You can put full employee contribution into the Roth bucket not just $5,000. If you earn $200,000, are over age 50, you can put $22,000 into the Roth 401(k) at work. In 25 years that $22,000, earning 6% grows to $94421.16. The $22,000 had taxes paid when earned, but the growth $72,421.16 is never subject to taxes. I’d call that the best kept secret out there. This is an example and anyone interested in further information should contact a registered financial advisor, or ask about a Social(k) 401(k) / 403(b) at work. This Blog was written by our partners at Social K a GenGreen Certified Business
Busting the Green vs Clean Mentality
| Saturday 7 August 2010 So I have this dear friend who just won’t give up the bottled water habit. I have told her about the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, about the fact that it takes 700 years for a plastic bottle to begin to decompose, and yet, when I was visiting with her recently, she and her family went through bottle after plastic bottle of water. Since I was a guest in her house, I felt it was not my place to question her or lecture her for the millionth time. I know she cares deeply about the planet’s future, so why the disconnect? We were sitting outside in the hot sun, and my friend mentioned she was thirsty. I asked her if she wanted some water and she said she did. I pulled out my reusable stainless steel water bottle filled with ice cold tap water and she looked at it and politely declined. Another friend pulled out a store bought bottled water and she immediately accepted that offer and rushed to quench her thirst. I’m pretty sure she thought my water bottle was not clean – not to mention what she thought of the tap water inside. I’m wondering how many people have not given up some of their most wasteful habits not because of the small inconveniences involved, but because they like things nice and new and clean. I know I had to suppress many of my obsessive compulsive tendencies when I began my journey to go green. So I’ve put together a Green vs. Clean list with some myth busters: 1) Bottled Water vs. Tap Water. Myth: Bottled water is better for you. Fact: Bottled water is less regulated than tap water, and in a 2008 study by the Environmental Working Group, 38 contaminants were found in 10 of the top brands of bottled water. Also, plastic bottles leach harmful chemicals into the water. Finally, if you like things clean, then why add to the huge amount of plastic that exists in our oceans and landfills? That stuff is not going anywhere, and eventually it will show up on your beach and in your backyard. That’s pretty gross. 2) The Disinfection Obsession. Myth: Green cleaning products aren’t as effective as antibacterials. Fact: Unless you are a surgeon requiring a sterile environment, good old soap and water or even home made concoctions like vinegar and baking soda are just as effective cleaning agents as antibacterials – sans the side effects of toxic chemicals, indoor air pollution, and water pollution. These don’t sound so very clean to me. 3) Use and Toss. Myth: Single use products are more hygienic than reusable ones. Actually, you can get a better clean from cloth towel than a paper towel, without the paper waste and mess. Cloth towels are more absorbent and stronger and therefore are more effective at getting the grime out of your kitchen. Use and wash is still better than use and toss, and if your… Continue reading Busting the Green vs Clean Mentality