Plant a Vegetable Garden

Living off the land is not just for flower power hippies and go green fanatics. Aside from being able to enjoy the fruit of your labor, literally, there is always the added advantage of saving a few bucks at the supermarket. Tending to a garden can be a little labor intensive but with the right equipment and some sound advice you'll have green thumbs in no time! Be warned this is a very simple guide to getting a garden started we will not get into the science of soil because it can get overwhelming and discouraging for the beginner. If you think that your soil is not able to grow a garden, ie your neighbors have tried with no success, take a sample to a local greenhouse or plant shop and have it tested you may need to adjust the pH level.

For everyone else: the first thing to consider when planting your garden is the type of soil you've got to work with. There are three general soil types, sand, loamy / silt, and clay. Not sure which one you have? Here's an easy way to find out. Go to your soon to be garden, pick up a small amount of soil, enough to make a ball the size of a ping pong ball and try to form it into a ball. If your soil is nowhere near making it into a ball you have sandy soil, if your soil seems to be going with the program but breaks apart once you stop trying to form it you have loamy soil, if it holds its form as a ball you have clay soil. No worries, you'll be able to plant no matter which type of soil you have, with the help of some top soil or compost.

First things first, figure out which types of vegetables you would like to plant, this is a fun process and will get you excited for the work to come. A good beginner garden includes tomatoes, lettuce, cucumbers and bell peppers etc., and do not forget the herbs, basil, cilantro and mint are great herb that you can use in many dishes. My best advice is to keep it simple. It easy to get excited about having all these fresh, organic, juicy veggies at your finger that you bite off more than you can chew. Choose about 4-5 vegetables that you eat most often and plant those but do not pass on the tomatoes you will not be sorry they are not much better than any supermarket. Follow the link at the end of this article to figure out when to plant the vegetables of your choice. It also tells you when to expect the veggies to come in (harvesting).

Once you've gotten your fabulous list of vegetables its time to prep your soon to be bountiful garden space. After the last frost of the season prepare your soil by mixing in topsoil or compost, both contain essential nutrients and are the perfect density to retain and drain water at the optimum rate. Pick a nice spot that gets a lot of sun and start tilling to turn up and expose the soil. Till the area the size and shape you would like your garden to be, remove two inches of soil evenly and put it to the side you will be replacing those two layers with top soil or compost.

Side note: If you do not want to remove any soil no problem, just go for a raised garden. Add two inches of top soil to your current level of soil once it has been prepared. If you're going to opt for a raised garden you should line it with short pieces of wood as boarders (2 x 4's will do) so roots do not become exposed once they start to grow.

Now back to the tilling. You shouldill about 6 inches deep into the earth. Once you've turned up all the soil add top soil or compost to it and till some more to mix it in. Add enough top soil to the mix to make your soil the consistency and density of loamy soil. If you already have loamy soil you should still add top soil to replenish any nutrients your current soil maybe lacking. I've found that a 50/50 mix works well for me. After that has been completed its time for the fertilizer, broadcast (see listing list) the fertilizer of your choice and use a rake to distribute it evenly across the top of your plot. If you are unsure about which type of fertilizer to buy ask a local merchant and be sure to mention you are using it for a vegetable garden.

Once you've done that its time to plant your plants. A good rule of thumb is to start your garden when the plants in your area begin to bud. Who better to tell you about nature than Mother Nature herself? You can also refer to the previous link for a more concrete calendar. If you plan to start with seeds get a modular tray that has squares of soil and start the germination process indoors to protect the fragile seed from the rough outdoors. Follow the link at the end of the article to watch a video on how to prepare your trays. Note: You can buy trains that come prepared with soil already in the cells at your local gardening store.

If you are starting with small plants from a local green house you can put them right into your plot, I recommend this method because it is much easier to care for the plants. To transplant them into your garden dig a hole about 6 inches deep depending on the size of the plant and put the plant with soil you bought it directly into the ground and pack some extra so around the roots to make it stable. Make sure to plant each plant a couple inches apart to leave space for them to grow. After you've transplanted all of your veggie plants water the garden to settle the roots.

Congratulations! You've planted your first garden. Now its time to tend to it!

The first couple of weeks after you have planted your plants your garden is going to need some serious TLC. That means you will have to water more often to keep the soil moist.

Watering should be done before dawn or at / after sunset. If watering is do not when the sun is in full force the beads of water in the leaves will be magnify the Sun and potentially burn plant leaves.

Be aware that there is a fine line between moist soil and over watered soil after you've watered your garden that soil should be moist enough for you to shape a small amount of dirt into a compacted ball. If a lot of water runs out without much force you have over watered (a small amount of water is fine). It is better to water a little, check the soil then water some more if needed. A good way to check if you have watered enough is to stick your finger in the soil. After watering, give the soil a couple of minutes to absorb the water. After about 20 min. has elapsed stick your pinky (or thumb!) as far into the ground as it can reach. Be sure to stay clear of plant roots you do not want to disturb them. If the soil is moist good job, great way to squirt that hose! If the soil is a little dry underneath add a little more water but be careful not to over water.

Now that we've gotten you excited to pick up that hoe keep these Do's and Don'ts in mind when planting your garden.

Do plant your garden in an area that gets the most sunlight about 5-6 hours a day.
Do not over water your garden
Do pull out as many weeds as possible when tilling and after your garden has begun to grow.
Do not dig plants up once you've laid them.
Do not water when the sun is in full force.
Do pick your vegetables once they are ripe or they will rot in your garden.
Do share the wealth. If you have more veggies than you can handle give some away.
Do have fun and enjoy the fruit, or in this case, vegetables of your labor.

Great, you've got all the info you need to start your garden but you can not call yourself a Green Thump Garden Newbie until you've learned some of the Lingo:

Broadcast = to distribute evenly across the plot
Aerate = to loosen soil by digging to allow air to pass freely. Used mostly on clay soil
Annual = plants that grow for only one season
Biennial = plants that grow for two seasons
Germination = when seeds have sprouted about the soil
Perennial = plants that grow every year if you take care of them of course
Hardening-off = gradually introducing plants or seeds to the great outdoors by putting them out each day to get used to the elements and increasing its outdoor time each day.

Whew, nice job, you've officially earned your green thumbs now go out and get some dirt under those nails!

Happy Planting Newbie!

Link to Free Info:
http://www.newbieneeds.com/id13.html

Tips For Cheap Hotel Reservations

Cheap hotel reservations and bookings are now as easy as 123 where you could make arrangements even from the comfort of your house. Simply browse the internet and search for several web sites that offer hotel deals and reservations. It saves you time and effort with these friendly booking sites which guarantee low hotel prices to suit your requirements. They have great selections of hotel deals worldwide and are trusted in booking cheap hotels. Compare their hotel bookings online at affordable prices as they offer a variety of hotel deals on three star accommodation and fantastic rates on luxury hotels on prime business locations and cozy retreat homes and beach resorts.

It's very necessary for travelers to book early to avail of discount hotel reservations. In this way while you arrive at the place of your destination, you would not have the inconvenience of wasting time looking for a place to stay in. Booking early permits you to choose the kind of room you would like and the amenities which would make your stay complete. Majority of the hotel room rates include breakfast and the utilization of bars, swimming pools, gyms, etc. You may also request for non-smoking room, high floor, mountain view, downtown view, or near the swimming pool, and / or tennis court. If you have kids, find out if you could request for additional bed in the room. Booking cheap hotels early may give you discount hotel reservations and avail of their special promotions.

To guide you on the hotel reservation process, here are some instructions for you to follow:

• Select the desired hotel on the place or very near your destination.
• Get to know the information about the conditions of your stay, payment and even cancellation of reservation.
• Choose the room size most suitable for you, and the price.
• Majority of the hotels offer free reservations and even their cancellation of bookings are free of charge.
• Check them all in the internet and forms are readily available for you to fill-up.
• Make sure that these hotel booking companies provide you the exact rates you're going to pay. Several people would provide you a very low hotel price but they do not tell you about the local taxes and various fees. You end up paying more than what you have already planned. Make a wise move by comparing not only the hotel rates but even the fees linked with the use of their booking service. You can find the best deals at Expedia, Hotels, Priceline, Orbitz, Travelocity, and Hotel Deal Site among others.

B Vitamins Play an Essential Role in Metabolism

B vitamins were once thought of as a single vitamin called Vitamin B. After much research, we discovered there are actually 8 distinct vitamins. Further research has also concluded that B vitamins are water soluble, which means that they are easily excreted out of the body and therefore must be consistently consumed through our diet. B Vitamins have often been the talk of supplementation over the years because of the essential role it plays in the metabolic process. B Vitamins are essential in functions such as increasing the rate of metabolism, maintaining healthy skin and muscle tone, enhancing immune and nervous system functions and promoting cell growth and division. Each B Vitamin has a specific function within the metabolic process.  

Vitamin B1 -  Vitamin B1 is also known as Thiamine. Thiamine is essential in healthy brain function and as well as metabolism of carbohydrates. Thiamine deficiencies can cause a disease called Beriberi, which is a disease of the nerve and heart. Symptoms of this disease is weight loss, emotionally unstable, weakness, pain in the arms and legs, impaired sensory perception, irregular heartbeat and in sever conditions death can occur. Thiamine can be found in a variety of foods, in low concentrations. Yeast and pork have the highest concentration of Thiamine but you can also find it in foods like whole grain cereals, wheat flour, oatmeal, flax, sunflower seeds, brown rice, kale, potatoes, oranges, liver and eggs.

Vitamin B2 - Vitamin B2 is also known as Riboflavin. Riboflavin is required for many cellular processes within the body including the metabolism of energy, fats, carbohydrates, proteins and ketone bodies. Riboflavin deficiencies can cause Ariboflavinosis, which is protein- energy malnutrition. Symptoms may include cracks in the hips, sensitivity to sunlight, and inflammation of the tongue.   Riboflavin can be found in a variety of foods like milk, cheese, leafy green vegetables, liver, kidneys, legumes, yeast, mushrooms, and almonds.    

Vitamin B3  - Vitamin B3 is also known as Niacin. Niacin is an essential nutrient that plays an role in metabolic process. Niacin is involved in both DNA repair, and the production of steroid hormones in the adrenal gland. Niacin deficiencies along with deficiencies in tryptophan are called Pellagra. Symptoms of Pellagra include aggression, inflammation of the skin, insomnia, mental confusion and diarrhea. Niacin can be found in a variety of foods such as salmon, avocados, broccoli, nuts, seeds, whole grains, carrots and mushrooms, and animal products such as steak, chicken and pork.  

Vitamin B5 - Vitamin B5 is also known as Pantothenic Acid. Pantothenic is an essential nutrient to sustain life. It plays a key role in the metabolism and synthesis of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats.   Deficiencies in Pantothenic can cause acne and in severe cases can cause Paresthesia, numbness of the skin.   Panthothenic Acid can be found in many foods, but whole grain cereals, legumes, meat, eggs, and royal jelly containing the highest amounts.  

Vitamin B6 - Vitamin B6 is also known as Pyridoxine.  Pyridoxine assists in the balancing of sodium and potassium as well as promoting red blood cell production. Pyridoxine has also been linked to cardiovascular health by decreasing the levels of Homocysteine , which has been linked to cardiovascular disease. Deficiencies in Pyridoxine may lead to anemia, high blood pressure, water retention, depression and dermatitis.   Pyridoxine can be found in various grains, green leafy vegetables, liver, eggs, and meat.   

Vitamin B7 - Vitamin B7 is also known as Biotin.   Biotin is a co-factor in the metabolism of fatty acids and leucine, and it plays a role in regulating the glucose levels in your blood.   Deficiency in adults usually does not cause any symptoms; however, in infants it can cause impaired growth and neurological disorders. Biotin can be found in a large variety of foods such as liver, legumes, soybeans, milk, in small amounts, but larger concentrations can be found in royal jelly and brewer's yeast.  





   





Vitamin B9 - Vitamin b9 is also known as Folic Acid.  Folic Acid is essential for many biological functions such as playing a key role in the metabolism process to producing healthy red blood cells and preventing  Anemia to decreasing Homocysteine levels and cardiovascular disease.   Some research has also shown evidence that Folic Acid can slow the effects of age on the brain. Folic Acid is especially important during pregnancies as a deficiency in pregnant women can lead to birth defects, which is why supplementation during pregnancy is often recommended.   Folic Acid can be found in large quantities in leafy vegetables, beans, peas, sunflower seeds, liver and baker's yeast.  

Vitamin B12 - Vitamin B12 is sometimes referred to as Cobalamin. Vitamin B12 have been a popular supplement in energy drinks because its vital role in the normal functioning of the nervous system and the brain. Along with Folic Acid, Vitamin B12 helps to produce healthy red blood cells. Vitamin B12 also plays a part in the metabolism of the cells in the body, including their regulation and synthesis, as well as the synthesis and energy production of fatty acids. Deficiency of Vitamin B12 can result in anemia, the inability of DNA to synthesize in red blood cell production, memory loss, increase chances of cardiovascular diseases and other cognitive defects. Because Vitamin B12 is only found in meat, eggs, milk and other animal products vegans must supplement their diet with Vitamin B12 or purchase plant based foods that have Vitamin B12 added to them.    

B Vitamins are the 2nd most important supplement you can take, besides a multi-vitamin for a healthy body. B Vitamins are an essential part of getting the most nutrients out of your diet and helping your body stay energized and healthy. It is very difficult to consume the optimum amounts of each B Vitamin individually so it is much easier and cheaper to take a B Vitamin complex. Even if you are not sure if you're getting too much of a specific B Vitamin, you cannot overdose because it is easily excreted out of the body. Also with a complex you are using the synergistic effect of all the B Vitamins, which means better digestion and absorption of fats, proteins and carbs. B Vitamins should be taken after a meal but do not take it at the same meal you take your multi-vitamin.  

Molescum - Molluscum Contagiosum

Molescum - also known as Molluscum Contagiosum, or simply Mollescum - is a viral infection of the skin. Molescum is actually pretty much harmless but poses a significant inconvenience for anybody who becomes infected with the virus. Molluscum Contagiosum in children is where it is most commonly seen. However, adults can and do become infected. Persons with compromised immune systems are most likely to be easily infected. Even healthy persons, however, are vulnerable to molescum because it is such a highly contagious virus.

Molescum spreads easily through skin to skin contact, contact with infected materials such as towels and clothing and often through sexual contact. The actual condition Molescum causes is a patch of Molluscum Contagiosum warts that are nothing more than pimples to the eye. They don't hurt or itch but they can take very long to go away. In fact, Molescum resolves itself naturally in a healthy human but the amount of time it takes (up to a year!) causes many people to seek treatment.

Molluscum contagiosum treatment usually involves topical creams, surgical extraction of the molluscum lesions and even something as far-out as using the juice from a particular type of beetle to dissipate the warts. Surgical removal is generally quick and easy and if done well, leaves no scarring. This is a fantastic option because while creams can work in time, molescum spreads very easily to healthy skin on the same person. Molescum spreads especially well on wet skin. The main reason to get rid of Molescum is to prevent spreading it to others and also for cosmetic reasons. The molluscum warts are rather unsightly, particularly if they occur around or on the face or genitals.

Another treatment option for molescum sufferers is to have their molluscum warts frozen off. This process is only slightly painful and sees decent results. Children, in particular, should be treated as soon as a molescum diagnosis is confirmed because of their gregarious nature. Spreading mollescum to others is almost guaranteed among kids! For individual molluscum warts, you can remove them yourself at home. All you need to do is sterilize a needle and pierce the skin on top of the pimple.

Then you will need to widen the opening and squeeze out the little white ball. The white ball is actually the virus, which is hidden in this ball in such an ingenious way, that it takes the human immune system such a long time to indentify and combat it. Once you've removed the virus ball, apply antiseptic to the small wound and allow it to heal. Voila!

For more involved cases of molescum consulting with a dermatologist is wise.

Learn How to Manage Your Debt!

Debt is the subject of talk shows, news items and even jokes. The reality TV series "Until debt do us part," has even been a hit. However, debt is the cause of many marriage breakups, job losses and suicides as well.

Being in debt is not necessarily an evil thing, in spite of what many religious leaders have warned over the centuries. Indeed, there can be such a thing as "good" or "creative" debt, such as borrowing money against your home, and then investing it wisely and thoughtfully, while "writing off" the interest on the borrowed sum on your income taxes. We will discuss this strategy later.

Still, falling into debt is no laughing matter. Many people end up trapped in a cycle of "bad" debt, borrowing money all the time to purchase things that will only drop in value, or depreciate, such as an automobile or big screen television. I am personally alarmed by the gigantic debts being run up by university students, often thanks to credit card companies handing out credit cards like candy.

Let's face it, most kids who go away to school at the age of 18 or 19 have had their parents doing their laundry and buying and paying for their groceries - not to mention making their beds. Over the previous two decades they were never taught how to budget or even pay bills which quickly add up to large debts. Most of these young people should never use credit cards in the first place, however, once they do, they quickly find themselves straddled with 12%, 18% or even 26% interest and fees on their monthly bills.

Ask yourself these questions?

• Do you find that you are constantly concerned about your financial situation?






• Are you always paying your bills late?






• Have you started to get calls from creditors about "unpaid bills"?






• Have you "maxed-out" your credit cards, and begun to carry large amounts forward each month, paying only "the minimum amount due?"






• Is a larger and larger amount of your net income going to cover merely the interest on the debts you owe, without even touching the ever growing principal?

Here is a simple strategy you can implement to get out of debt:

Establish a budget and track all your income and expenses

There is usually one person in the relationship who handles the money and pays the bills. When I ask if they follow a budget, the answer is usually "no"; however, they feel they know where the money is being spent. I personally am very specific when it comes to my budget. I review and allocate every expense so I know where my money comes from and how it is being spent.

The process is relatively simple. I just take one of the envelopes that my bills come in and write the current month on it. Anything I buy gets logged on a monthly sheet and the receipt placed in the envelope for that month.

Tracing Cell Phone - Step by Step Method For Tracing Any Cell Phone

If you need to trace cell phone to find out more information about the possessor of any cellphone number, you have to follow 3 simple steps to complete your search.

Find The Right Kind Of Service

First of all you have to find a good quality service. This will be the website where you go to access information on any individual. You can use good search engines like Google to come up with a list of such sites.

Entering the Cell Phone Number in The Search Field

Once you find a quality site, enter the cellphone number in their search box which will be there on the homepage of their website. You will need to enter the area code along with the 7-digit number. In a matter of seconds, the site will search their database and then let you know if information is available.

Pay a Small Registration Fee

If you wish to see the full details on that number, you will have to register with them by paying a small one time registration free. You will have one more registration option, but that will be limited to one number info only. When you opt for a one time registration, you can run searches on multiple numbers for a period of one year. This option will ensure you do not have to pay each time you want to look for information on a new number. You will receive some invaluable information like name, address, age, marital status, carrier info, background history amongst other details.

Collectible Screen Plays - Film Scripts Worth a Fortune

In the world of ephemera looks can be deceiving. To an untrained eye a scruffy pile of paper may actually be the building blocks of a Hollywood blockbuster like Quentin Tarantino's star studded Pulp Fiction - a document worth $ 950.

Movie scripts or screenplays can become very valuable and highly watched after in the collector markets, while many others can be bought reliably cheaply. Like book collecting, there are key factors in knowing if you have a treasure on your hands.

To learn more about film scripts we talked to Dan Gregory, a bookselling expert from Between the Covers in Merchantville, New Jersey. Between the Covers is one of the leading sellers of screenplays and film ephemera in North America.

Screenplays appeal to all of those who love cinema, but also to bookish types too. "Book collectors who also love movies often find film scripts and screenplays interesting additions to their collections," says Dan. Although the exact reason for collecting can differ from collector to collector or even script to script. "For some they [the scripts] are an artifact which recalls the experience of watching a classic movie. For others, they show the inner workings of the filmmaking process and the decisions which went into the making of the movie. to you as a collector, filmscripts can be pleasant addendums to your book collection, or the starting point for a comprehensive collection of film material. "

Many aspects of collecting screenplays and collecting books are similar, but there are some key differences one must be aware of when acquiring screenplays.

First, the condition of a screenplay is less of an issue for most collectors. "Condition, one factor which is usually critical for book values, is less important for film scripts because of their limited and fragile productions, and because all copies were intended for daily use. much more limited than for a book. "

The value of a script, like that of a book or most other commodities, depends on supply and demand. "A script for a classic movie loved by millions is always going to cost more than a script for a little known picture watched only by film historians and aficionados." In other words a copy of the 1943 Ernst Lubitsch-directed classic Heaven Can Wait ($ 1200) about a would-be sinner (Don Ameche) not quite bad enough to get into Hell, which was nominated for three Oscars will understandably garner a higher price then the 1981 Tom Cruise and Sean Penn film Taps ($ 200) where a group of military cadets seize their campus to prevent a land developer from turning it into condos.

However just because a film is only remembered by aficionados does not mean it's worthless because Dan says "many of the people who collect scripts ARE film aficionados." Sometimes any scripts from a popular director or actor will be worth a handsome sum even if the film is not very known or popular. "This is particularly true because of the foreseeable availability of film scripts, a collector trying to buy a well known book can usually find a copy if he or she is a patient. copy, no matter how long they wait or how much they are willing to spend. " A good example might be with Alfred Hitchcock's The Paradine Case (a courtroom drama where a woman is accused of poisoning her older, blind husband). Usually not considered one of Hitchcock's best films yet it still fetches a high price at $ 6000 because of the director's notoriety.

Signatures can also effect the value of screenplays but there is greater room for variance in the screenplay market. With a book the only signatures that usually appear are that of the author and possibly illustrator. With a film, however, there are many more people visibly involved in the production (ie: writer, director and an entire cast). "Right now we have the script [at Between the Covers] for the 1938 film Man About Town ($ 8500), it's not a famous film; script is signed by many of the actors including Jack Benny, Dorothy Lamour, Betty Grable, and others. That collection of autographs from well-remembered Hollywood legends turns a not particularly desirable script into a very desirable one. "

Sometimes you do not even need the signature to make the script valuable, "scripts sometimes have the name of the actor, screenwriter, or production person that copy was intended for either printed or written on them, and this too can add both to the provenance and the value. " This copy of The Highlander has the price tag of $ 750 because it was believed to have belonged to Sean Connery. And then sometimes it's not who signed it or who it was for but what was done to it that makes the script valuable. "Notations by someone involved in the production, not unlike notifications in an uncorrected proof of a book, can also enhance the value."

With screenplays, it is not always the first edition which will fetch the highest price. "The number [of copies] can vary from a few dozen to several dozen (of the same film but in various states), depending on the needs of the production." These different states can be worth different amounts depending on how many of that specific state were produced, such as with these two copies of "The Shop around the Corner." The James Stewart and Margaret Sullivan film which was remade in 1998 by Nora Ephron as You've Got Mail with Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan. Depending on which version you have it could go for $ 2000 to $ 2500. It all comes back to the number of copies that were produced, or more importantly on the market demand. "Screen treatments or screenplays which do not get produced, or are in their very early drafts, often exist in only a handful of copies since only a few individuals need to read them." You do not always know how many copies of each script are out there but sometimes studio's letter or number their scripts so you will know the exact number produced such as Marlon Brando's personal copy of the Viva Zapata! (for a whopping $ 12,500), however numbered or not you have a very rare item with a screenplay.

With filmscripts, as with books, you do not always need to spend a lot to get something interesting, but if you're willing to spend top dollar the sky is the limit for what you can find.

On the lower end of the scale you can buy in a copy of Universal Pictures turkey of a film Howard the Duck for $ 75 or the George Romero zombie "classic" Night of the Living Dead for about $ 30.

Stepping it up a notch you can have the pair of cult classics Gremlins I & II for $ 400, the Anthony Hopkins and Jodie Foster psychological Thriller Silence of the Lambs for $ 150, or arguably the best Star Trek film to have been made Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan for $ 600.

And if you are willing to put up a bit more money you can get your hands on a piece of history: Oliver Stone's JFK ($ 1250), possibly Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey (priced at $ 2001 of course) or Francis Ford Coppola's The Godfather ($ 12,500)

Of course we had to ask Gregory what the most valuable script he had ever sold was?
He said it was Gone with the Wind which sold for $ 9500.