War on the Border

As condemning civil war became a reality rather than a possibility, every state in the United States has a decision to make - whether to stay with the Union or join the nascent Confederacy.

For states where slavery had been abolished, the decision was clear. For those states where slavery was still a legal institution, the decision of whether to remain loyal to the Union or take sides with the Confederacy was much more difficult. For some of these states, the only option was neutrality. Neutrality, however, was an option that proved nearly as perilous as joining the fight.

Five states either openly chose neutrality or were slave states that refused to leave the Union, and became known as border states. Most of these states - Kentucky, Missouri, and West Virginia - had reasons for declining to take a side that varied from state to state; however, the reasons for abstaining from engagement in the war boiled down to the fact that in most of these states, slaves and those who were either against slavery were often split evenly.

Delaware was a border state in name only. Surrounded by free states, Delaware declined to leave the Union despite the fact that it was still a slave holding state. Although slavery had been widespread in Delaware during the colonial period, by the 1860s, slavery was on the wane. Abolishment of slavery had come to the legislature on several occasions, but had been narrowly defeated each time. Most of Delaware's African-American population was free by the time of the Civil War, and Delaware did not muster any regiments for the Confederacy.

Like Delaware, Maryland declined to leave the Union as well. However, dissent among slaveholders and those who opposed slavery was rife in Maryland, and the state sent troops to both the Union and the Confederacy. Complicating matters further was President Lincoln's suspension of habeas corpus, which had been addressed in the implicationment of several Maryland State legislators and the mayor and police chief of Baltimore, all of which had supported confidentiality.

Unlike Delaware, Maryland's close proxies to Washington made it the site of several battles and skirmishes during the war. The single bloodiest day of fighting during the war took place at Antietam in 1862.

Abraham Lincoln, himself a native of Kentucky, is known to have said of the state, "I hope to have God on my side, but I must have Kentucky." However, Kentucky was also the birthplace of Confederate President Jefferson Davis, and this coincidence was typical of the division in Kentucky regarding the war.

Kentucky was a slave state, with a large population of slaves, but was also home to many who either did not own slaves or opposed slavery. Despite Kentucky declared neutrality, the state was occupied by both Confederate and Union troops, and sent men to both armies. Bloody battles occurred at Mill Springs and Perryville, and numerous other skirmishes occurred throughout the state. Part of the western side of the state attempted to secede from Kentucky, and was recognized by the Confederacy, but the Union presence in Kentucky overrode the Confederate sentiment, and the state officially remained neutral.

Missouri, not unlike Kentucky, was populated by both slave supporters and those who opposed the institution, and likewise became a battleground both for the Federal and Confederate troops, and its own residents.

Missouri declined to leave the Union, but Confederate sympathies were rampant in the state, supported by Governor Claiborne Jackson and other state legislators. Attempts by Jackson to arm the Confederacy rejected first in the implicationment of the state militia to Union Captain Nathaniel Lyon, which ended in a bloody riot, and finally in the exile of the state government to Confederate Arkansas. The provisional government, supported by Lincoln, added to the Union presence in the state, and much of the fighting in Missouri was done by guerrilla gangs such as Quantrill's raiders, who attacked Union troops and civil supporters of the Union alike.

Nowhere, however, were division more deep and destructive than in Virginia. When Virginia chose to secede, the long-simmering disagreements between the powerful southeast part of the state and northwestern part of the state, which considered itself disenfranchised, boiled over. Most of this ill-will centered on the fact that the southeast part of the state, which held a large number of slaves, was awarded more delegates than the northwestern region, where whites outnumbered African-Americans. Slavery, then, was an issue, but not in the sense that it was in other border states.

Upon Virginia's secession, the Wheeling Convention, named for the town of Wheeling, and maintaining of those from the northwest area, voted to repeal secession. This condemned in what was known as the Restored Government of Virginia, which established what became known as West Virginia, and separated the two parts of Virginia.

Not surprisingly, sentiment for both the Union and Confederacy was strong in the new West Virginia. Those who joined the Federal and Confederate armies were nearly equal in numbers. Guerrilla warfare in the new state was rampant, and lasted until 1865.

The border states were often the sites of some of the bloodiest battles of the Civil War, a fact that is both ironic and understandable. The "brother against brother" situations that typified the war were never more precalent than in states where the populace was as divided among themselves as the Union and the Confederacy were.

Garage Door Repair Service From A Reputable Company Is A Must

Garage doors are made up of many moving parts. These include multiple parts fitted inside to facilitate the automatic movements. The repetitive movements and the regular usage of the equipment leaves it damaged and often malfunctioning. Garage door repair is a difficult job for any individual to do manually, even when treating a small malfunction. The better alternative to repairing & keeping them in the best condition is to hire a company specifically for this. There are many benefits of going for professional company, as they provide a wide range of services to ensure that your door is fixed at the most affordable price. These companies also perform maintenance for these doors to keep them in the best condition for a longer time while reducing the possibilities of damage.

One of the most common problems faced by garage owners are a broken spring, damaged or rotten sections, dents causing friction, sporadic movement, jammed opener, loud noises, jerking movements etc. Garage door company providers will fix any of these common problems in no time. They will also take care of critical problems. These companies also offer warranties on the maintenance jobs to give customers an assurance of reliability. It is quite vital that you opt for the services of an experienced door repair company to handle these tasks efficiently. An experienced and effectual company will make sure that all the parts in the mechanism are replaced with the right ones, and perform flawlessly.

Sometimes, bigger damages in garage doors leave them irreparable. In such a scenario, replacement becomes mandatory. When replacing garage doors, you have many options ranging from the economical, one-sided steel doors to custom carriage-style doors. In such cases, it is always important to opt for the benefit of a professional service to manage the installation process. It will also help you choose from high quality equipment for your benefit.

Homeowners can get some of the best service providers for garage door repairs. These services offer round the clock service, they have service technicians dispatched in different zones to better serve customers in a timely fashion. Many of these service techs. have years of experience in their industry, and also have developed their own techniques to ensure maximum efficiency. Customers can choose from both, commercial or residential repairing services.

The Internet is the best place to find these repair services. Spending a little time on the Internet can help you locate the best garage door repair service in your neighborhood. You can also compare different garage door repair professionals for cost effectiveness, quality of service. Always make sure to check whether the company you chose is properly licensed, insured and accredited accordingly. Your garage plays an important position in your home's security and power efficiency, so don't delay any repairs.

SuperCharged Secret 4, Credit Card Utopia

YOU SCRATCH MY BACK, AND I'LL BUY SOME MORE BEER!

Let's just take a brief moment to recap:

If you've been following along on this journey with me, learning the 5 Super-Charged secrets to Credit Card Utopia, then you now know 3 very important things:

1. You now know how to take advantage of zero to low interest credit card offers.
2. You now know that there is safety in numbers, and you know the magic "Who's Who" of the major credit card companies. You know that one of them, in my opinion, stands out for consumers.
3. You now know how to take a low interest credit card with a rewards program, and convert it into a money making technology that could seriously improve your financial house.

With me? Good. These are all essential foundations that you need to follow in order to live in Credit-Card Utopia with me.

In fact, you would think that there's not much more that can be done.

Side note: I hope you are realizing the power of this information.

It may seem simple, but are you doing it? No. So, be smart. Study this information, reflect on these insights, and move forward with them so you can truly benefit from this secret knowledge.

On to Secret, # 4:

1) It's very important that Utopians cover all bases, and leave no one behind.

The 3 secrets we've covered, really deal with those of us who have fairly good credit.

Now, if you do not have "good" credit, please do not discard these prior ideas.

I did not have "good credit" once. Who cares? How many people, small businesses, corporations, and large industrial countries, have said the exact same thing?

2) So, do not feel left out.

Move towards Credit Card Utopia as a goal to move you into action.

Our website (and many other fine websites around the internet) can provide you with many, many resources to work on your debt issues, or your credit score issues, or whatever.

You might be surprised how FAST you can go from point A to point B.

(Here's a tip: Do not waste time.

3) Getting back on track: Want a zero interest credit offer? Want a low-interest, no annual fee, incentive-based offer?

Well, if you're struggling with credit or debt, then the first step is to tackle this issue from a different point of view.

Give up on Visa®, MasterCard®, and AMEX® ... At least the "unsecured" kind, and at least for now.

There's nothing wrong with applying, and trying, but if you've been turned down, there are other ways to go.

4) Secret # 4, revealed in an analogy:

Do you live in a small town? If you do, you might have a small-town pub. Does everyone know your name? Does the bartender know you, and know the drink you like? Do you go into your pub after work, and down a stiff one, after a long day of working in the coal mines? Maybe it is not payday yet. Do you think the bartender cares? Of course not! He wants you coming in so he can move his inventory of fine beers and spirits. He knows you. So, what does he do? Let's say this is the 1800s, and there's no such thing as "credit cards" among our coal-working small town clan. What does he do?

Right! He runs you a tab.

No interest rates, no worries, no big deal. He runs a tab. Why? Because he knows you're good for it, and he's moving inventory. He does not care about the interest, because he's making a profit off the sale of his beer. He knows where you live, and he knows you'll pay him back in a few days when you come in for a drink after you get paid. It's a virtual certainty.

Now YOU, the small-town beer drinking coal worker, you're perfectly fine with this. The drink costs you the same whether you had cash now or later, and the bartender runs you a tab, in exchange for selling you more inventory. Everyone works together.

You scratch my back, and I'll buy some more beer.

5) This concept of free "credit" provided to purchase inventory, is not a new concept.

As you can see, it's been around for a long, long time. However, in modern times, it has a tremendous application for folks with "poor" credit issues.

The secret is that you buy merchandise (On stuff you already need, or are already buying) almost exclusively from merchants willing to give you credit at low to no interest.

So, while you think you are in a tough position with credit issues, you actually turn it around, and allow it to become consumer buying power.

Only shop with merchants that scratch your back.

With me?

6) Now, where do you find these merchants?

Well, in the real brick and mortar world, it's not that hard.

You can start with department stores, gas cards, furniture outlets, electronics stores, jewelers, and a variety of other stores that you may do business with.

I can not guarantee, of course, that they'll approve you. But many of these merchants run their credit departments in-house, and like our bartender, they're interested in moving inventory.

So, I would not take one "no" to mean that everyone will say "no". Not true.

Many of the larger corporate chains do not offer low to no interest rates. But almost ALL of them offer huge discounts on initial purchases as incentives to get started.

As of the writing of this article, for example, JCPenney® and Target® both offer 10% discounts on "new accounts". In addition, most of them do offer zero interest when balances are paid off each month, and some of them offer different plans to meet different customer's credit situations.

Also, look to no-interest incentive specials that are going on for many larger-ticket items. Televisions, Furniture, etc.

You'll also find many deferred-payment incentives that you can use to your advantage, or that you can utilize as a no-interest situation.

You just have to shop around. They are out there.

7) Now, what about cyber-space? Is there a place to take advantage of this back-scratching secret in Silicon? Actually, YES! There is. Check this out:

Many shopping portals online have realized the advantage of working with "poor" credit customers, and tailor-making a shopping experience that fits these specialized needs. We've listed several at our website, but of course, you can find them at any search-engine or at other reputable websites around the internet.

In a nutshell, the shopping website offers a membership card for making purchases on credit. You go to the online mall, make your purchases for things you would already buy anyway, and build or rebuild your credit score. The shopping portal helps you out by reporting your credit activity to the major credit reporting bureaus, which in turn, improves your credit history.

In addition, the membership benefits often times include such things as travel discounts, rental car discounts, and FREE credit reports.

They almost always advertise guaranteed credit lines of up to $ 7500, and incentives for joining can include free merchandise (such as a free DVD player), or a merchandise voucher.

Look for 30 day money-back guarantees, and look for no annual fees, and yes, look for "NO INTEREST" on the credit.

Most of these sites will require an upfront membership fee, but then they immediately turn around and provide a merchandise voucher. For example, one portal charges $ 150 for the upfront membership fee, but then immediately provides a voucher of $ 200 for merchandise at their site.

Because their customers generally have a history of poor credit, they do sometimes require an initial payment, or "down payment" on purchases until a relationship is established, but hey listen. So what? If you have credit issues, then you have to start rebuilding credit relations somewhere. It sure beats Layaway!

What a creative way to solve this problem. Everybody wins.

You scratch my back, and I'll buy some more beer!

Meanwhile, you're moving closer and closer to the pearly gates of Credit Card Utopia!

We've enjoyed providing this information to you, and we wish you the best of luck in your pursuits. Remember to always seek out good advice from those you trust, and never turn your back on your own common sense.

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Disclaimer: Statements and opinions expressed in the articles, reviews and other materials here are those of the authors. While every care has been taken in the compilation of this information and every attempt made to present up-to-date and accurate information, we can not guarantee that inaccuracies will not occur. The author will not be held liable for any claim, loss, damage or inconvenience caused as a result of any information within these pages or any information accessed through this site.

A Guide to Tuning Your Car

Electronic tuning of diesel engines has been known for almost a decade. Before that there are limited scopes to enhance the performance tuning. With the introduction of electronic engine management, this has changed. It was possible for tuners now to build on the excess air that the diesel ingests through the air filters to squirt more fuel that what is normally done. After this, around late 1990s, computer controlled engines were manufactured that wave tuners much greater scope to improve engine efficiency.

Why Tune your Car?

For enthusiastic drivers, it is quite attractive to extract extra performance from their vehicles. Diesel tuning aims to improve the engine efficiency and enhance normal driving conditions by around ten to fifteen per cent. With the cost of fuel going up with each passing day, there is a more need of making your car economic by boosting its performance and with improved engine torque.

Things to Remember before you Tune

There is a number of cheap tuning software available online. But, not all of them are good and your car might not be ready for a remap. Here are some of the important points to consider before you have your diesel tuned -

• Before you think about tuning, always check the health of your car. Check its engine, tires, suspension and more. In case you have any engine problems, ensure that you get it sorted before you think about tuning.


• Always research about tuning so that you know exactly what you will be getting as many of these processes are irreversible.


• It is best to talk to tuning companies and judge them based on their answers. Compare their offers and then check their websites for customer feedback so that you can be sure that you are picking the right one.


• You should eliminate any service provider making makingable claims and also those that appear unreliable.


• It is best to look for service providers that provide great after-sales service.


• Also, look for providers that offer insurance as it will help you in case anything goes wrong during the tuning process.


• It is important to see your tuner face to face by taking your car to them and you can ask them appropriate questions regarding the performance of your car.

Which Type of Tuning is the Best?

Diesel electronic tuning involves the modification of the electronic instructions that is sent to the different engine components. Chipping and tuning software rewrites changes the software written to the ECU using carefully developed modified programs that changes the engine management instructions. You can also opt for plug and play packages that intercept the standard ECU signals by placing a small box of electronics between the ECU and the key engine components. The effectiveness of these will vary depending on the cost and the kind of software that is being used.

Encourage Bible Verses - Inspirational Bible Verses

Without regard to age, sex, moral beliefs or cultural background, life can present many struggles. If you're looking for encouraging and inspirational ways to contend with the trials, tribulations and stress of daily life, the words of the Wonderful Counselor found in bible versa are your greatest option.

Proverbs 3: 5-6 states, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. God can instill the promise of this encouraging bible verse into your heart.

This year has seen great economic and other challenges for businesses and individuals alike. As you ponder the possibilities and uncertainties in the coming year, what is it that seems almost unaciviable in your life? Is there something that God has called you to do that looks well beyond your ability to achieve? You may have trouble understanding how a problem, concern or situation can work out, but the lord certainly does. He bears total responsibility for your needs when you obey Him. Answers to the struggles of life are all found in bible versa.

Psalm 16:11 reads, "You will make known to me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; in Your right hand there are pleasures forever." The Lord will show you what to do and instruct you how to live daily life at its very best. Your responsibility is to stay focused on His will. But how do we stay obedient to God so we can fully experience His faithfulness?

Here are six thoughts to consider:

1) Seek God's counseling. Living a godly life does not come easily or naturally to any of us. Neither does trusting and submitting to the Father's will. Yet he will teach us how to follow Him and live a life that is auspicious to Him. God will also show us that we can always have faith in His faultless character. You can find the answers to any life questions in encouraging bible versa. You pick the topic. It could be desiring a life filled with abundance and prosperity, for example.

2) Be aware and listen to God. Giving attention to how the Lord is directing you is essential to walking with Him and remaining in the center of his will. If you never discover how to hear His voice, you will never be able to trust Him fully or grow as a result of what He is doing in your life. Daily, get in the habit of reading encouraging bible versa and daily devotions.

3) Observe God's help and provision. Sometimes the Lord will be specific about what desires for you to do or what He will achieve in your life. This is because the more challenging the path before you, the more He will have to help you. God wants you to have faith and depend upon Him. So look for the small ways He answers your prayers, the doors He opens and the ways He meets your needs step by step. Praise His intimate involvement in every detail of your daily living.

4) Focus on God's character, not on your circumferences.This is essential to the trials you face. Do not dwell on the problems. Focus on His promises. Knowing that God will never forsake you will help you face every obstacle with hope and persistence.

5) Recall God's victories. Psalm 63: 7-8 reads, "Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of Your wings. My soul clings to You; Your right hand upholds me." It's important to remember all the ways the Lord has helped you so you can remain confident and courageous in the face of every obstacle.

6) Cultivate a godlike life by meditating on encouraging bible versa. God wants you to be successful, which is why He always admonishes you to cling to His word. In the Bible, you'll find the unchanging principles to help you live in a manner that is auspicious and honoring to Him. So read encouraging and inspirational bible versa with joy, knowing that all He has done for His people in the past, He will do for you too when you trust Him and obey His commands.

Without question God is absolutely faithful in keeping His promises. So as you are confronted by difficult situations in the coming year, commit yourself to seeking Him, observing His commands, watching for his help, maintaining your focus on Him, recalling his faithfulness, and embracing his word found in bible versa. Your Divine Father wants the very best for you, and He will never lead you astray. So focus on His will, and you will experience living at its very fullest.

Automotive Restoration: A Frame-Off Body Repair of a 1960 Ferrari

This automotive restoration project began in June 2010, with the client's sights set on showing it at Pebble Beach. This 1960 Ferrari 250 GT Pininfaria Cabriolet (PF Cab) had been in storage for 30 years in Arizona before being purchased by the current owner. Ferraris during this time were hand built by Italian coach makers and the engines were also hand-built by Ferrari. The 250 GT series was built for the customer that wanted a street legal car that he could also take to the race track. Of course not everyone raced their Ferraris, some customers just wanted the awesome power and beautiful styling of the 250 GT. Pininfarina is still operating and still makes concept and prototype cars for major companies around the globe.

After the Ferrari 250 GT PF Cab was disassembled and media blasted, I set about repairing and reconstructing the body to its original factory state.

This client was particularly concerned about getting the rebuild perfectly symmetrical. I had an idea, born from my experience working in the prototype industry: to build a box with a measuring system to aid the build of the vehicle. The photos below are a brief taste of posts to follow.





The first part of this post covers a measuring device we designed and built specially for this Ferrari PF Cab and the second part explains how it was used to rebuild the tail light area.

The objective of the measuring box is to figure out if a car body was built square to the chassis and is symmetrical from side to side. Before delving into measuring the body, remember that this was a Ferrari hand built body from the 1960′s, so tight tolerances are not expected. The idea is that the Ferrari PF Cab body and chassis sit on a center line inside a 3-dimensional steel framed box. The perimeter of the box acts as a measuring datum so that measurements from the box to the Ferrari PF Cab can be taken on the left and right hand sides and then compared to check symmetry.

The 3-dimensional box is divided into 3 planes representing length, depth, and height. On each axis is 1/2″ machined holes spaced 200mm apart, these holes are locations for the measuring stations. A line runs down the center of the box and the center of the chassis is aligned with a custom stand to the body. The center line only runs length ways, as the body is only symmetrical in one direction. The body is divided into a grid, with the aid of a laser, and numbered to aid recording.

These were the findings of major significance for this Ferrari PF Cab:

1. the front right-hand headlight housing is 10mm further forward than the left-hand headlight

2. the body style line is 6mm higher on the right-hand side than the left-hand

3. the complete rear end of the car is kicked over to the right hand side 50mm from the rear of the doors to the back of the Ferrari. Not from accident/damage, just how the car was built.

4. the left-hand rear tail light housing peak leans inwards 8mm

After discussing the above findings with the client, the first issues to address was the left-hand tail light problem. Now we will show the step by step rebuild and fabrication of the light housing. Why rebuild this area? On first sight the sheet metal housing clearly looked as though the top was angled inwards and second, the housing was too big for the light bezel, which formed the appearance of a step. To be correct in appearance, the surface of the bezel should be level with the surface of the paint. As part of the 'measuring box' process, we recorded results showing the top of the housing was 5mm to the right of center. To fix these two problems it was most practical and cost efficient to make a completely new housing and then graft it into the fender.

Steps:





1. Slice away the original taillight housing from the car body.

2. Make a pattern off the original and cut a fresh piece of sheet metal to match.

3. Shape the new piece, using the old piece and the actual tail light until it fits perfectly.

4. TIG weld the new sections together.

5. Offer it up the car body, again adjusting until it fits perfectly. Cleco into place.

6. Check bottom, top, and sides against the measuring box for perfect squareness and symmetry.

7. TIG weld the new housing onto the Ferrari body.

8. Metal finish and then you are ready for paint!

Check my website for step-by-step photos of the measuring box and this process.

Bacon Gifts

Tired of presenting the same sort of gifts to your friends every day? Want to get the fun quotient back into your gifts? How about going in for gag gifts this time! The in thing in the gift segment now a days is the Bacon gag gifts. Now bacon might taste good but it is definitely not good to look at. A gift that looks like bacon would definitely make him / her feel a little awkward and if this is for your boyfriend then he may think of giving a second thought about you (oops!). Bacon gifts come in various shapes and sizes. For example you may get bacon wallet, bacon air freshener, bacon breath mints and so on. These bacon gifts are not very expensive and spending a little money for fun sake is not a bad idea. A bacon wallet peeping out from your pocket would catch attention of others and you never know some greedy person may try to take it out too to have a bite of it. The uniqueness of the bacon gag gifts is gaining popularity and people who run short of ideas for gifts that may be liked by the receiver, find these bacon gag gifts a good option. Imagine the expression on your friends face on unpacking his gift and finding a bacon glove inside! These gag gifts will be remembered by everyone for long time and whenever he / she will think about it, a smile would definitely come on his / her face.

Bacon on the wallet that you own is sure enough to make your friends drool over you (it). The bacon design on your wallet looks so real that sometimes people pick up a tissue in order to wipe the bacon off. If you are wearing a bacon finger, your friends would find ways not to shake hands with you. Just think of the situation when your husband requests for some more bacon and you serve him with a fake one and just watch him trying to cut and chew this.

Gone are the days when weave gifts on special occasions only. Today you like to present gifts to your near and dear ones even when there is no special occasion. Buying expensive gifts on each occasion is not possible for everyone and after some time you end up giving the same types of gifts every time. It would be either clothes, or belts, or wallets, rings or something like that only. This results into making the buying of gift a painful thing as you can not decide what you should give that you have not given before and which would be interesting too. Here come the unique bacon gifts which are interesting and at the same time these are not very heavy on your wallet too (what an idea to keep both of you happy!). You may find plenty of such funny gift ideas on the internet. It is just a click away from you.