Sunday, September 30, 2012

Benefits Of Using Synthetic Grass

The demand for synthetic grass is increasing quickly. The demand is primarily driven due to advancement in technologies and increased awareness amongst users regarding the economic and long term environmental benefits. Artificial grass was earlier limited to sports clubs but now you can see fake turf even in your neighbor's garden. With its popularity growing day by day, the future of artificial grass definitely looks bright.

The benefits of using synthetic lawns basically fall in three distinct categories:

1. Easy to use and lifestyle:
With our hectic lifestyles finding time to mow your lawn can become difficult. Mowing an average sized lawn can take between 2 to 3 hours per week. Artificial lawn needs very less maintenance and it can easily free lot of your time. This is particularly beneficial for older people and holiday home owners.

2. It is environment friendly:
As the weather becomes warmer, rationalizing water usage will become a priority. Natural lawns need abundant water supply to sustain but artificial turf will not get affected by these restrictions. Apart from minimizing water usage, fake lawns also help the environment as there are no carbon emissions form lawn mowers, they don't need fertilizers and consequently there is no pollution from chemicals being washed to the drains.

3. Miscellaneous benefits:
You would be surprised to know the miscellaneous benefits of Synthetic grass. A few are listed below:

a. It cannot be dug up and can be easily cleaned which makes it ideal for dog kennels.

b. Provides good ground cover in the splash back area of swimming pools. It does not allow mud and dirt to accumulate, the pool remains clean. No matter what the weather is, it always remains green.

c. Can be easily used in roof gardens as it is lightweight. If your rooftop is unable to support the weight of a normal garden then this is the best option.

d. Maintaining golf courses is one of the toughest jobs because of the contours and turns in the course however artificial golf greens make this task extremely easy. Similarly maintaining bowling greens becomes very easy with artificial grass.

e. Synthetic lawns are extensively used by event managers to plan for events which have many people.

f. Houses which have many children can benefit a great deal by using artificial lawns. Because of wear and tear, natural lawns start getting bald patches. But artificial turfs remain in perfect condition for a very long time.

Bhupesh Sharma is a content writer and like to write on many topics such as synthetic grass and artificial grass. To get more information Just visit- http://www.prograss.com.au/


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Saturday, September 29, 2012

How to Build Cornhole Boards

Everyone loves cornhole. It's difficult to find a place that sells anything related to cornhole. There is a way to make a cornhole board at home. All it takes is being good with your hands and being comfortable cutting wood. Of course you will need the proper safety equipment such as protective goggles and gloves. You're going to want a hefty sheet of 1/2-inch plywood for the quality of build. Plus, you don't want those bags bouncing off your boards. You'll also need wood screws, four 8-foot studs, a table saw, jig saw, drill and sandpaper. You will also need a workspace.

Use a measuring tape and the table saw to cut the studs up for the frame and leg of the cornhole board. Cut four pieces to a 4-foot length, four pieces to a 21-inch length and four pieces to a 16-inch length. Before you put the measuring tape and table saw away cut the board tops out of the plywood. Each piece should measure 2-feet by 4-feet. Throw the 16-inch legs away for now and assemble the frames on the floor. Slide the 21-inch pieces in between the feet of two parallel 4-foot pieces. This should create two frames.

With the help of a clamp or a friend screw the frames together. Then slide the cornhole board tops over the frames. Line up the edges and counter sink wood screws through the tops into the frames. Use a ruler to measure and mark 12 inches in from each edge of the boards and 9 inches down from the top. This is the center of the cornhole. Use a compass to trace a 6-inch diameter circle around the center point. Use a large diameter drill bit to score a starter hole on the edge of the circle and cut the hole out carefully with the jig saw.

Slide the 16-inch pieces inside the bottom of the cornhole boards at the joints on the top. With the help of a friend move the legs around until the back edge of the board sits 12 inches off the ground. Carefully screw the legs into place and make sure that the bottoms of the legs sit flush onto the ground for stability. Sand the whole project starting with thick grit paper and working toward a finer grit. Paint and lacquer the boards as you see fit or leave them bare for a natural look.

Just follow these simple instructions to make your own cornhole boards at home.


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Friday, September 28, 2012

Choosing Binoculars For Stargazing - A Cheaper Alternative to Telescopes

I've been in the optics industry for a while now and have interacted with a good many clients who love gazing at the stars and moon at night. But they come to me, saying, 'I just want to appreciate the stars, and not have to fuss about setting up a telescope or figuring out how to polar align, locate objects'. So I tell them, in all honesty, there is really no wrong in that, and a simple solution might just be - binoculars! A pair of astronomy binoculars is a great way to save money, save space and is a great gear to pick up, put in the back of the trunk when you go camping. At night, when the sky is really dark, star-gazing with binoculars lets you view the stars a closer and fall in love with dark sky sites.

For the less technical, binoculars also eliminates the need to polar aligned your telescope or having to purchase filters and eyepieces for. They are also usually adaptable on a tripod and you probably want to get one with Astronomy Binoculars. I will explain a little bit more further down this article. For now, let's get to some basics.

The two important features you need to get comfortable with on Binoculars is their magnification and aperture. These are usually identified by the two numbers used to name the product. For example, the product named Saxon 25x100 Astronomy Binoculars features a magnification of 25 times, and an aperture of 100mm. The two numbers you always see in the product name of a binoculars almost always refers to magnification and aperture. Aperture also refers to the diameter of the lens (in millimetres)

For celestial viewing you need binoculars with a big aperture. The bigger the aperture, the more light is transmitted through the tube. You will notice most binoculars have an aperture ranging between 25 to 50mm. These binoculars usually fit easily into your hands and are great for general viewing. Astronomy binoculars, however, tend to be double or triple the size of normal binoculars because large aperture is required in such low light conditions to transmit more light. Look for something around the range of 80mm or 100mm in aperture, and you'll be fine.

Since these binoculars are going to be quite large and heavy (between 1.5 to 3kg), we recommend getting a pair that can sit on a tripod. Sometimes a tripod adapter needs to be purchase and other times it comes with it. It really depends on the brand and model you purchase. Because these binoculars are so heavy, get a tripod so that you can view with your hands free. A pair of binoculars fixed on a tripod also means your views are almost free of hand shake. Image trying to hold up a 2kg pair for a few hours - you are going to tire out eventually!

I hope these articles help you understand the most basic points about viewing the stars with Binoculars. Happy Stargazing!

To learn more about binoculars, check out our Binoculars Guide.


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Thursday, September 27, 2012

Flying Remote Control Planes Alone (Part 1)

Two basic options are relevant to the subject; the first is "Will you be flying alone or with a group of flight enthusiasts?". If you are flying alone, there are some basic considerations that must be taken into account. We will cover flying in groups later in a separate articles.

When flying alone, a few things to keep in mind are as follows:

a) Location: If there is a good runway without obstructions, high voltage lines, or lots of people then you are most likely safe and good to go. Let's explore this a little further. Obstructions must be flown around and if your skill level is not top notch, it is very likely that you will cause a catastrophic loss to your aircraft. High voltage line while easy to miss do pose a threat as they can interfere with your transmitter which again will create a likelihood that you will crash. Remember that people are obstructions and the more people the higher the possibility that you may crash your plane into a crowd causing injury and possible lawsuits. It is fun to have people watch your flight and many people will gravitate to the lure of flight; but, you need to be proficient. If you are just starting out, make sure you are alone or with trusted friends standing behind you.

b) Pre-Flight Checks: Just as pilots of full size aircraft complete a pre-flight check list, you must also do the same before taking flight. The reason is simple; mechanical and electrical devices are prone to failure. Ensure that the transmitter controls are in a neutral position. Example: do not have the throttle at full speed. Then place your plane on the ground and turn on the transmitter and connect the battery on the plane to the appropriate connection. Check your transmitter battery power level as weak batteries could bring your plane down. While your plane is on the ground, test out the controls on the transmitter to ensure they respond as expected. This applies to three, four, or even six channel controllers. Select a good take off runway and taxi your plane down the runway and back without actually getting enough speed to leave the runway. If everything seems to be operating as expected, go down the run way with a little more speed and gently lift off the ground and then land again. Do this several times. Things you want to look for when you lift off are shifts in your planes direction (left or right). Adjust any shifting issues with the trim controls on your controller. If this does not fix the problem, you may need to adjust the hard linkage to correct the problem.

Good luck (skill) to you and expect more to follow on this subject.


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Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Finding The Best Odds: As Important As Picking The Winner

Sports fans, we really do like to bet don't we?

Apparently we're happy to stake our money on anything from bullock racing to a bullfight. The consulting firm H2 Gambling Capital released statistics recently which reveal that the average UK adult or the US adult will lose around US$400 gambling each year. But they're nowhere near the Australians (the most prolific bettors) who will lose more than $1,400 for every adult this year.

All these losses add up and popular sports betting markets like English Premier League soccer, NFL football, NBA basketball, NHL hockey, and MLB baseball turn over billions of dollars each year. And, as in other billion dollar industries, the competition for your custom is fierce. Online bookmaking operations today are slick, sophisticated, and making a killing. They employ expert staff to set appropriate starting prices and use complex statistical models to manage their risk in real time.

However, all this effort from the bookmakers is nothing in comparison to the time expended by punters themselves. Consider the time you spend turning a bet over in your mind before you place it and then multiply that by the number of bets placed each day. Hundreds of thousands of man-hours are spent trying to predict the outcome of sporting events every day.

But could this effort be better utilised?

There are only two things which determine the expected payout of a bet. The first is the likelihood of the predicted result and the second is the odds accepted for that result. Improving on either one of these factors improves the expected return of the bet. Yet, for all the effort expended attempting to predict the right result, it seems that proportionately very little effort is expended securing the best possible odds.

This is hardly logical. It is not possible to anticipate the result of a sporting event with any meaningful confidence and even guessing at the likelihood of a particular result is extremely hard. At least some of the time spent trying to predict the outcome of a sporting event would be better spent comparing the odds offered by the various bookmakers and selecting the bookmaker which offers the best return on this particular bet. It's quick and easy to shop around the many online sportsbooks, compare odds, and find a better offer. There are even plenty of services out there that will do it for you for free.

Professional gamblers often have accounts with multiple bookmakers, pay close attention to the odds offered by each, and seek out the best odds before they place a bet. But the average punter tends to mindlessly accept the odds offered by his usual bookmaker. This is a large oversight and a costly missed opportunity.

Bookmakers often post noticeably different odds for the same event and it's common to find mismatches of up to 10% from one bookmaker to another. This percentage is there for the taking and it mystifies me that more people aren't shopping around for better odds.

Tim Crisp is the founder of Mashbet, a free online service that allows bettors to compare odds across multiple online bookmakers. Find the best odds with Mashbet and secure the best possible return on your bet.


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Monday, September 24, 2012

Golf Swing Lessons To Help You Break Eighty Shots

Once you are bitten by the golf bug, you will be looking out for tips that will help you to play better golf. As the game of golf involves many different aspects to it, it is not an easy game to pick up quickly. It does get a hold of you and soon you will be looking for golf swing lessons that will help you to break that magical barrier of eighty shots in a round.

Here are four quick tips to help you reduce your handicap.

Have you noticed how focused the professionals become when playing their golf. Those who become really good at it seem to be able to control their emotions. Whether you get frustrated or excited, these emotions can drain you of energy and act as a distraction from that all important concentration that is so vital on the golf course. Have you observed how serene some of the players become? Their faces are actually quite boring and expressionless! Try to emulate these players and you will find you are better able to keep your focus at all times.

Even if you are playing well there may come a time when you need to hole a difficult putt to save par. If you are struggling to read the putt you need to make, take a look behind the hole, and often you will be able to see it better.

Before an important match or competition, take some time to set up your game plan. Get a course planner and figure out what you can do where and when to score. If you get off to a good start, remember to stick to your game plan - don't start playing too cautiously because you are trying to keep that score. Similarly if you are driving the ball well don't decide that this gives you licence to attack each flag disregarding the risk attached to it. Always stick to your game plan that you set up before which would have taken into account the pin position, the wind direction and the overall difficulty of the hole.

A round of golf can take on average four hours to complete so it is important to guard against mental and physical fatigue. Drink plenty of fluids throughout your round, and try to take breaks between shots but remembering to refocus before each shot.

So, there are four tips you can implement to help you break the eighty barrier and play your best round of golf yet.

Now I invite you to sign up for your complimentary copy of "17 Audio Golf Swing Lessons" by visiting Golf Swing Videos Play the audios over and over again while practising until you master them.


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Sunday, September 23, 2012

Learn Skills Of White Water Rafting

The Olympics in London 2012 provided us with an outstanding display of what athletes are capable of and no more so than in the world of the water and canoeing. Imagine going to a world class centre with top facilities, where Olympic canoeists train, and experiencing the amazing thrill of white water rafting.

You may not be an Olympic athlete but you can tell your friends and family that you went out there and achieved your own gold standard, even if it was not quite an Olympic medal. White water rafting may be termed an extreme sport and you might be tempted to think it is only for the extremely courageous or dare devil types. However, with a little prior know how and learning you can become competent enough to have a go and truly enjoy yourself. At a good world class centre, such as exists in the North East of England, you can soon begin to gain experience. Safety aspects are important and with professionals at the venue, and a strong reputation, this should not put fear in your way.

As a novice, it may be a good idea to take a closer look at some of the techniques before starting out as this will help to raise confidence levels. As with a lot of sports there is terminology and jargon that is specific to the activity. Once you have mastered some of these, your confidence will automatically rise as you feel more comfortable with the scene.

The first 'stroke' to learn is what is known as the push stroke which will propel the raft forward. To achieve this, you have to place the blades in the water in front of you, and then position your hands near to your chest. You then stretch your arms in a forward movement. If you want to move backwards, you simply place the blades in the water behind you and then you stretch your arms forward, followed by pulling your hands toward you. This is not as difficult as it sounds and a good instructor will take you through the routine until you manage by yourself.

To turn the raft around, you need to begin with both blades in the water, and then you push on one oar while pulling on the other. If you do this at the same time, the raft will turn towards the direction of the oar that is stroking backwards. Have a go and enjoy the learning.

Zoe Robinson is an enthusiastic writer in the subject matter of white water rafting.. Find more information about white water rafting today.


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Saturday, September 22, 2012

Flying Remote Controlled Planes (Part II)

Welcome back to part 2 of this series.

Part 1 covered location and pre-flight check lists. This article will focus on additional information that you will need to know as a beginner flying RC planes.

You have an established location and your plane and controls have checked out, so what do you need to know now?

Resources: Do you know someone that is already in this hobby that you can call upon to assist you with learning to fly? If not and you have not flown before, it is very likely that you will need glue and tape to repair your crashed airplane. Yes, If you have not crashed yet, you will at some point. Having someone to guide you is invaluable. These little aircraft can cost you hundreds of dollars and they will not always survive. They essentially are just small scale versions of the real thing. Would you get behind the controls of a F-16 without a little training? If you don't have an experienced co-pilot, then network to see if you can find someone to help you. A good way to network is to ask people if they know someone with the skill set you require. Another good way is to use the internet to find local flying clubs that you can go visit and get to know someone there.

DO NOT attempt to fly your plane in a group yet. You will need additional knowledge on the rules and etiquette of flying in groups. Your goal is to find someone to help you one on one. Most everyone you meet will be happy to help you. The highest form of flattery that someone can get is to be asked for their advise and expertise. Remember that they will be helping you so you must adapt to their schedules and locations. Offer to pay them for their time but they won't take any money usually; but it does express your sincerity and interest level. Keep in mind that they know more than you do and no question is dumb except the one you don't ask. If you come off with a know it all attitude trying to impress them, they will be turned off and you may not get the help you need. They have the answers, you have to have the right questions and be coachable.

Part III in the series will focus on Take offs and Landings.

Good luck (skill) to you and expect more to follow on this subject.


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Thursday, September 20, 2012

Which Countries Play Cricket?

You probably have heard about cricket in past years. If you reside in a country where the sport is played often, it is likely you have engaged in some cricket matches yourself. Cricket enthusiasts thoroughly enjoy playing the game, and spectators have a blast watching the game being played. Few people actually know the facts about cricket. The game of cricket has a long history, and it has evolved many times before it has become what it is today.

A Brief History on Cricket

There is debate about who actually invented cricket. Some say that Prince Edward, who was the son of Edward I, played a variation of cricket called creag at Newenden, Kent in 1301. However, there is no real evidence that creed and cricket are the same. As a matter of fact, little was recorded about that particular creed account. Definite evidence of cricket can be traced back to a write-up that makes reference to the game being played in 1598.

Over the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, cricket went through a number of developments. At first, the game was played like hockey and sticks were used. As cricket evolved, it was played similarly to bowling, as players pitched the balls to the batting men. Later on in the eighteenth century, the hockey stick was replaced by a sort of club. Now, the game is played almost like baseball in that actual straight bats are used, and the game is played in innings. Some elements of bowling still remain, as the ones who pitch the balls are still called bowlers.

Object of the Game

The object of the game is quite simple. In order for a team to win, that team must get more runs than the other team. The opposition has to be dismissed as well. When these criteria have been met, the team is a winner.

The number of innings played varies on the match at hand. Two umpires regulate the game, and the scorers keep score by watching for hand signals given by the umpires. Examples of signals to watch for are that the umpires will raise a forefinger if a batter has been dismissed and put both arms above his head if the batter has hit a ball for six runs. The laws of cricket dictate that the scorers must keep record of all runs in the game.

Where is cricket played?

Cricket is not actually an Olympic sport, though; it is played between nations where the game is popular. The first international cricket match was played between Canada and the United States; however, neither nation was ever considered a test playing nation. The first actual test matches took place between Australia and England. Nations that were later included were India, New Zealand, West Indies, Sri Lanka, Pakistan,, South Africa and Bangladesh. South Africa ended up being banned from 1970 to 1992 due to enacting an apartheid policy. Cricket is not quite as popular in most other countries, though; groups of people may opt to play the sport for fun.

Cricket can also be played online. For those sports enthusiasts who would prefer to stay at home in comfortable chair I suggest to try to play some online cricket match on cricketgames247.com. We got some popular titles like Smashtastic cricket, Hit and run, World Cup 2011, and more, or check out best rated games directly.


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Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Grading Sports Card Collectibles

One of the most important considerations in calculating the value of a sports card is its condition. Depending on what kind of shape your sports card is in you may find the appraised value fluctuate drastically. Grading is the term used for defining a cards condition based on a standardized set of criteria. This criteria is based purely off the physical characteristics of the card and does not take age of the card into account.

Grading services can be provided by 3rd party companies. Although you can come up with your own grade, having a professionally assigned card grade ensures an unbiased view of the card's condition. This in turn gives buyers and sellers more confidence in the card's valuation. Some of the more popular 3rd party sports card grading companies are: Professional Sports Authenticator (PSA), Global Authentication Inc. (GAI), Sportscard Gaurentee (SCG), and Beckett Grading Sevice (BGS). Professional graders usually seal the card in a tamper-proof package and provide a serial number to the card. The serial number is kept in the company records and can later be used to verify the authenticity of the sports card and its grade.

Most grading guidelines use a scale of 1 to 10 to indicate a cards condition. Sometimes the value is assigned in half point increments to give more granular, well-defined grades (ie. 3.5, 8.5). Most card values quoted in price guides apply to a card in "Near Mint" condition. Perfect cards in GEM Mint condition can often receive a 200% premium on most quoted price guides. Sports cards with a lower than "Near Mint" grading can suffer a reduced price compared to what is provided in most sports card price guides. The below list shows the standard grading values assigned by the various card grading systems along with a rough price multiplier based on the grade:

Gem Mint
Abbreviation: GEM-MT
Numeric Rating: 9.5 - 10
Price guide offset: 200%

The card must be in virtually perfect condition. Card must be completely free of any blemishes such as stains or scratches. All four corners must be perfectly sharp. Any manufacturer printing imperfections must be slight without impairing the card appearance. The centered ratio on front must be 60/40 or better and 75/25 or better on back. (see Footnote 1 at bottom of page)

Mint
Abbreviation: MINT
Numerical rating: 9
Price guide offset: 150%

The card must be in excellent condition with a maximum of one of the following flaws:

minor manufacturer printing imperfectionoff-white card bordersslight wax stain on back

Centering must be 60/40 or better on the front and 90/10 or better on the back.

Near Mint-Mint

Abbreviation: NM-MT, Nrmt-Mt
Numeric Rating: 8
Price guide offset: 125%

The card must be in superb overall condition. The condition can be downgraded from Mint to Near mint if the card has more than one of the following imperfections:

slight fraying of 1 or 2 card cornersoff white bordersmanufacturer printing imperfections

Centering must be 70/30 or better on the front and 90/10 or better on the back.

Near Mint
Abbreviation: NM, Nrmt
Numerical Rating: 7
Price guide offset: 100% (most guides are based on Near Mint condition)

The card may have the following flaws:

slight fraying of the cornersslight wearing of the card surfacefront may be slightly out of focusminor manufacturer printing flawswax stains (back only)

Some original manufacture gloss must still be present. There must be be 70/30 or better centering on the front and 90/10 or better on the back.

Excellent-Mint
Abbreviation: EX-MT
Numerical Rating: 6
Price guide offset: 75%

A slight scratch may be visible. The card surface may show visible wearing or a manufacturer printing defect. Slight fraying of the corners can be evident. Off-white borders are present. front may be slightly out of focus. Slight fraying or notching of card edges. Centering must be 80/20 or better on front and 90/10 or better on the back.

Excellent
Abbreviation: EX
Numeric Rating: 5
Price guide offset: 50%

Notches or chipping are evident on the edges. Rounding of the card corners is visible. Light scrapes or scratches are visible. front may be slightly out of focus. Off-white borders may be present. Centering must be 85/15 or better on the front and 90/10 or better on the back.

Very Good-Excellent
Abbreviation: VG-EX
Numeric Rating: 4
Price guide offset: 33%

Light creasing of the card may be evident. Notches or chipping are evident on the card edges. Rounding of the card corners is visible. Light scrapes or scratches are visible. front can be slightly out of focus. Off-white borders can be present. Centering must be 85/15 or better on the front and 90/10 or better on the back.

Very Good
Abbreviation: VG
Numeric Rating: 3
Price guide offset: 30%

Manufacturer printing defects may exist. Borders may be yellow or discolored. Wax stain may appear on front with more severe stains appearing on back. Light creasing of the card may be evident. Notches or chipping are evident on the card edges. Rounding of the card corners is visible. Light scrapes or scratches are visible. front may be out of focus. Centering must be 85/15 or better on the front and 90/10 or better on the back.

Good
Abbreviation: GOOD
Numeric Rating: 2
Price guide offset: 20%

Scratches, scrapes, stains and chips may all be visible. There can be light to moderate surface wear. Corners may be very rounded and slightly layered. Multiple creases can be present. No glossiness remains from original manufacturer. Discolorations may be present. 90/10 or better centering on front and back.

Poor to Fair
Abbreviation: PR-FR
Numeric Rating: 1
Price guide offset: 10%

Card may exhibit an extremely worn appearance. Scratches, pitting, scrapes, stains and chips may all be visible. Borders may be extremely discolored. Picture may be completely out of focus. Heavy creases can be present. Small parts of the card may even be missing. Warping may be present. 90/10 or better centering on front and back.

Footnote 1: The center values represent the percentage of the border that can appear on one side of the card. For example 50/50 would be a perfectly centered card where 50% of the border appears on one side of the card & 50% on the other. 90/10 would indicate that 90% of the border can be on one side of the card with a minimum of at least 10% on the other. This can apply to both the top-bottom centering and left-right centering.

Michael Smith is an avid baseball card collector and maintains the site http://rookiestars.com/. This website is a great resource for free baseball card prices


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Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Practical Approach to Preserving Medals and Trophies

Trophies, medals, and other forms of award items are a reminder of an individual's achievements and are meant to be cherished and treasured forever. Regardless of what your award items are made of, you should find a way to preserve them if they are to stay in your possession for generations. Basically, award items can be considered as investments, especially since you worked hard to achieve them. Because of this, it is only right that you protect them from getting damaged by sunlight, moisture, and other external factors. Here are three common ways to preserve award items you have at home:

Frame Your Medals

Medals are among the most common achievement awards found at home. They can come in the form of bronze, gold, or silver. Preserving medals isn't really that complicated, unless you have thousands in your possession. The most basic way athletes preserve their medals is by framing them. Keeping medals inside frames will prevent them from being exposed to elements that can easily damage them such as dust, sunlight, and fluids. Now, it's up to you whether you want to create your own DIY frame or purchase commercially made ones. Obviously, the main advantage of framing medals yourself is that it allows you to save lots of money, especially if you have more than a dozen medals to preserve.

Store Trophies in Glass Display Cabinets

For trophies, you would want to keep them in a glass display cabinet. If you don't already have one at home, you might need to invest in one. Trophies are usually made of wood and can get easily damaged when exposed to too much sunlight or moisture. By keeping them in display cabinets, you will not only protect them from these elements, but from children as well. Today, display cabinets come in various innovative styles. But if you want to preserve the quality of your trophies, you would want to see to it that you also invest in a display cabinet that's made of material that can last long and won't have any effect on the store items.

Clean Award Items Regularly

It is crucial that you clean your medals and trophies prior to storage. Aside from this, you should also make it a habit of cleaning them every once in a while. Most frames are designed with a removable back so that you it would be easier for you to remove and replace your medals when it's time to clean them. This is not an issue with display cabinets since they usually come with sliding glass doors.

By keeping these three things in mind, you can rest assured that the quality of your trophies and medals will be preserved and that they will be enjoyed by the generations to come after you.

Aside from proper storage, you also need to make sure that your award items are made of high-quality materials if they are to last long. And what better place to find quality trophies and medals than the World Wide Web? Whether it's a rugby trophy or a netball gold medal you are looking for, expect to find what you need in this website.


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Monday, September 17, 2012

Beginner Golf Lessons - Fundamentals Of The Correct Golf Swing

If you have recently caught the golf bug then you may be looking for some beginner golf lessons that will teach you how to play better golf. It can be so frustrating investing time practicing only to find yourself blowing up on one hole when you get on the course. While watching coverage of the many golf tournaments screened live on the television, it has struck me how many different swings you will find amongst the professionals.

To the untrained eyes of the week-end, social golfer it may appear that each professional has his own peculiar swing. However, once you have had a few beginner golf lessons, you will come to realize that there are some core fundamentals which make up the correct golf swing. If you look again at the star golfers it becomes clear that a successful drive comes from a swing that has certain key fundamentals in it.

So then you might ask what are these key fundamental concepts of a good golf swing?

The manner in which the swing is executed is immaterial as long as the club face impacts the ball correctly. Aligning yourself in the direction you want the ball to go. Turn your body on the back swing and execute the swing with a smooth tempo. So, before you desperately try to implement the latest new technique, remember that good golf is based on these unchanging fundamentals. Remember that how you get to the impact position is not nearly as important as the square position at impact.

So, when you are studying your beginner golf lessons do not be too concerned about what your swing shape is as long as you have the correct position at impact. If you can achieve this position at impact then you are well on your way to a good golf swing.

Another key point to bear in mind, as you take your beginner golf lessons is that the supposed correct golf swing cannot be repeated so as to make an exact copy each time. This is one of the best features about the game of golf - that it is so inconstant.

There are two main methods that will achieve this fundamental correct position at impact

Open-To-Closed Clubface Movement

This movement is achieved when the clubface begins square to the ball, then opens by turning clockwise with the backward movement of the club on the backswing. As the clubface comes down again, it moves in an anticlockwise direction and so it closes until it impacts the ball square once again.

The movement of the clubface as described here happens naturally when the club is taken back, the body turns and the arms swing freely along with the cocking of the wrists.

Closed-To-Open Clubface Movement

This movement is the opposite of the first action described above. The clubfaces closes as it is taken backwards and then opens on the downswing, but again impacts the ball squarely.

So, as you can see there are two main fundamental movements of the clubface to achieve the correct position at impact. In your beginner golf lessons take notice of getting the correct position at impact rather than concerning yourself too much with other details.

Discover more beginner golf lessons tips by visiting Golf Swing Videos & Tips where you will be able to sign up for your complimentary copy of "17 Audio Golf Lessons"


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Sunday, September 16, 2012

How Do You Start a Book Club?

Book clubs have been proven to improve your mental health, social skills and finances in a variety of ways. These groups have been shown to consistently benefit members both mentally and physically over time. Members benefit from a total of five ways from book club environments: physically, reduce stress levels, protect member's hearts and reduce the risk of Alzheimer's disease; mentally, book clubs increase serotonin and connections in the brain.

According to recent research, joining a group that meets once a month can produce the same happiness gain as doubling your income.There are also social benefits--what can be greater than talking about a book that captivated you with a group of friends? Nothing beats that!

If you want to find a club, go local to your library or nearby bookstore. If you don't live near those places, then it's time to start a group of your own. Here's how you can start a book club in six easy steps:

1. Find 2-3 people for your core group of your club. If you know two or three people who like to read the same books as you, tell them that you are starting an official book club. If the people that you know are not interested in joining the club, ask if they have friends that may be interested instead.

2. There are book clubs everywhere, of all different sizes and types, making it important for groups to differentiate their club from others. What kinds of books do you want to read with your group? Bestsellers? Classic science fiction? Independent erotic novellas? You get the point. Narrow down the theme before you start the club so that you attract the readers who may be interested in your book club. Find a hook that separates your book clubs from others and drives the right people to your club. When you're done defining the group's theme, work with other members to create a starting list of ten books that you want covered by the club.

3. This step involves finding a location that is both convenient to members of the group, and is also safe and clean. Many small clubs across the country meet in more intimate settings, such as the home of one of the group members. Hosting a club in the home of a member depends how comfortable members and leaders are with home settings. However, home settings will not work for those who want to host large book clubs. Instead, it might be easier to go to safe public places, like local libraries, high schools and colleges (for meetings after school hours) and bookstores.

4. Decide who will lead the book club discussion, and how the club will be structured for every meeting. Many groups host their meetings in the following order: icebreaker games (optional for small groups), book discussion and club "member updates." Members can share good news items or announce upcoming personal and professional projects during the "member updates" portion of the discussion.

5. Advertise the first meeting in places where your future book club members may frequent. Advertising your group can be done in three ways: online, print and via word of mouth. Tell everyone you know about the group! When you're done, list your group online by using social websites, such as Wrightspeak and Meetup. If you are hosting the club at a library or bookstore, have an establishment representative list your group on their website. You can also ask to advertise your group by posting flyers about the club at libraries and bookstores.

6. One of the main benefits of reading in groups is that they help strangers make new friends. Once your club has started, make plans for your group to host social events after the book discussion ends. Lead your group to an author talk, go to a wine tasting event or go out for pizza. Work with your group to find fun ways to hang out as a group.

To learn more about clubs, or to find clubs across the country, go to http://wrightspeak.com/2012/09/six-steps-to-starting-your-very-first-book-club/

Find national book clubs and book resource information on http://www.wrightspeak.com/.


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Friday, September 14, 2012

Advantages of an Inflatable Stand Up Paddle Board

Stand up paddle boarding has quickly gained popularity over the last decade, partly because it's easy to learn and appropriate for all ages. This low-impact paddle sport allows you to explore lakes, rivers and other bodies of water nearby, connect with nature and get a great workout. You can either take it easy and have a nice paddle around the lake or get an extreme upper body workout. If you're just getting started with paddle sports, you may want to choose an inflatable stand up paddle board, or iSUP, to begin with. Here's a look at the benefits of an inflatable board over a regular SUP board.

Advantages of an Inflatable SUP Board
The main advantage of the iSUP is fairly obvious: it can quickly be deflated for easy transportation and storage. Inflatable stand up paddle boards can be transported by car or plan, as they fit inside of a small backpack when deflated. There's also no need to spend the money on a car rack to take your board to the water; just throw it in the trunk and inflate it by the water. As transporting your board is easier, you're much more likely to actually get out on the water on a regular basis.

If you live in an apartment or simply don't have a lot of space to store a full-size 12-foot board, you'll also find an inflatable SUP board is much more convenient. After you're done on the water, dry off your board and roll it up to get the air out. Most iSUP boards include a storage case so you can store your board in a closet or a car trunk.

If you're just getting started with paddling, an inflatable may be a better choice as well because the boards tend to be more stable on the water. They're usually thicker than a regular rigid board and not as streamlined, which makes them slower but easier to learn on. Some also have textured tops that help you grip the board, which is a big help if you're new to paddle boards or surfing.

Brands that Sell Inflatable Stand Up Boards
There are a few brands that offer inflatable stand up paddle boards, including C4 Waterman. They offer one of the largest selection of inflatable stand up boards, including smaller sizes designed to help kids get started with the sport. Their boards are made from the same high-grade materials used to create military and commercial inflatable boats and rafts. Sevylor also produces inflatable SUP boards, most notably the Samoa. Sevylor is known for their range of inflatable boats, kayaks and canoes, and their Samoa stand up board is the latest addition to the line. The Samoa is one of the most affordable iSUPs on the market and offers good tracking.

Walk on Water is your source for paddle boards, inflatable kayaks, I-Mats, apparel, paddles and accessories for the most fun on the water. Walk on Water also offers paddle board rentals in Miami, rent to own services and paddle parties.


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