http://www.artwoo.com Returned search results for times square new year Copyright 2008 Sat, 22 Nov 2008 07:52:11 +0000 http://www.artwoo.com/rss/times+square+new+year http://www.artwoo.com/article/the-disneyfication-of-times-square-in-nyc http://www.artwoo.com/article/the-disneyfication-of-times-square-in-nyc#comments Wed, 05 Sep 2007 03:20:01 +0000 times square new yorkmore than thirty yearsgaiety theatreestablishmentsporn shopsdisney namecrime rate http://www.artwoo.com/article/the-disneyfication-of-times-square-in-nyc
Times Square, New York at one time was littered with sex clubs and porn shops. One of the most notorious establishments in Times Square could be considered the Gaiety Theatre. This was a male strip club that operated in Times Square for more than thirty years. When they officially closed their doors recently, the Disneyfication of Times Square was considered to be nearly complete.

The decline of Times Square began with the Great Depression, however the original opening of The Gaiety Theatre ushered in hustlers, tourists and individuals of the gay variety. With them, sex clubs opened up and porn movies became popular in this section of New York. Once these establishments took hold in Times Square, the crime rate skyrocketed and people began to avoid this area. After a bit, it began to be considered one of the seedier places to be in New York.

This was presenting a very bad image for New York. With the newly formed Giuliani administration, they swooped in and began enforcing laws that encouraged a higher quality of life for people. By doing this they were able to begin shutting down many of the sex themed establishments. They worked to drive out the people who encouraged sex solicitation and shops. The only drawback was that in people's minds, it still had a reputation of being a place to avoid. So the biggest hurdle New York had was to show the world that Times Square had indeed changed for the better. Police worked to clean up the streets and brought the crime rate down dramatically.

It wasn't until the Amsterdam Theatre was closed and transformed into the Disney Theatre that Times Square began to share the Disney name synonymously, then people started to associate Times Square with the "family oriented theme park" kind of mentality. With that association they began to feel that Times Square would also be subject to the Disney type of regulations as they have in their parks.

With the gradual closings of the gay clubs, porn shops and sex establishments, Time Square began to build up a more wholesome image but it took time. These shops weren't eliminated immediately, it took time and a lot of effort on the parts of many individuals. The upgrading of Times Square was considered a complete success once the last remaining establishment that had such a stronghold on this New York crossroads was officially closed. Johnny Moon recommends using http://www.NewYorkHotelDeals.us for all of your NYC hotel reservation needs. ]]> http://www.artwoo.com/article/times-square-new-york-city http://www.artwoo.com/article/times-square-new-york-city#comments Wed, 20 Jun 2007 16:34:53 +0000 times square new yearcoincidentallynew york timesx rated moviesbroadway7th avenueslow decline http://www.artwoo.com/article/times-square-new-york-city Broadway and 27th Street and from West 42nd Street to West 47th Street. It occupies the blocks between 6th and 8th Avenues from east to west, and West 40th and West 53rd Streets from north to south. Times Square was "christened" in 1904; not coincidentally, so were neon lights and the city's first subway line. New Yorkers wasted no time in starting the Times Square New Year's Eve celebration tradition: they began ringing in the new year at Times Square in 1904 as well.

Previously, the area that has been called "Times Square" for over 100 years was known as The Longacre. On April 8, 1904, the name was changed to Times Square to commemorate the official opening of the brand new New York Times Building located on the triangle of land at the intersection of Broadway, 42nd Street, and 7th Avenue. The building was the tallest in Manhattan at the time. In 1913, the New York Times moved to a larger facility across Broadway and the New York Times Building was renamed the Allied Chemical Building. Today, it is known simply as One Times Square.

During the First World War, Broadway became known as one of the world's premier theatre districts. The Great Depression hit New York City hard, and many theatres had to close or offer less discriminating fare to attract more theatre-goers. Thus began a slow decline that reached its lowest point in the 1960s and 1970s. At this time, Times Square had become (in)famous for erotic bookstores, live nude shows, X-rated movies, and other adult fare. By 1975, many people considered Times Square to be the epitome of urban and moral decay.

In the 1980s and early 1990s, city and state officials began serious efforts to reverse the decline of Times Square. Today, Times Square has been restored to its former glory and boasts over 27,000 residents and over 26 million visitors each year, and makes a serious contribution to New York City's economy=97the annual total output is comparable to the economies of Bolivia and Panama, and far exceeds that of small countries.

New Year's Eve at Times Square is now a global tradition. Approximately 1 million people gather there each year; additionally, millions across the United States and about 1 billion people all over the world tune into the New Year's Eve celebration. The famous ball (currently made of Waterford Crystal) drops from One Times Square, a tradition that began on December 31, 1907 and has continued ever since, except during World War Two when a moment of silence was observed followed by the tolling of church bells, as the blackout restrictions prevented excessive New Year's Eve festivities.

Times Square has cemented its place in American popular culture. It has been featured in movies such as Vanilla Sky, King Kong, and Spider-Man. ABC's Good Morning America and MTV's Total Request Live are broadcast live from their studios at Times Square. Additionally, many exclusive, popular, and specialty retailers and restaurants have locations at Times Square, such as the Hard Rock Caf=E9, Virgin Records, Toys R Us, ESPN Zone, Sketchers, Planet Hollywood, Bubba Gump Shrimp Co, Ruby Foo's, and Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum. Today's Times Square is a perfect family destination. Johnny Moon recommends http://www.NewYorkHotelDeals.us for all of your NYC hotel reservation needs. ]]> http://www.artwoo.com/article/enjoy-a-cheap-holiday-destination http://www.artwoo.com/article/enjoy-a-cheap-holiday-destination#comments Sun, 06 Apr 2008 11:20:01 +0000 greek isles cruisearea in athensspectacular cruiseconstitution squarevenice italyathens greecespectacular place http://www.artwoo.com/article/enjoy-a-cheap-holiday-destination spectacular cruise with stops in Venice, Bari, Dubrovnik, Corfu, Athens, Katakolon and Santorini. Plan an eight-day cruise around a holiday and see what an amazing cheap holiday it will be for you and someone special. The Greek Isles are so beautiful any time of year, but if you go around Easter or Memorial Day, you can have a cheap holiday.

When you dock in Venice, Italy, you are going to need to see St Marks Square where the entire city is build around. It is a fascinating and spectacular place to spend the day. After you see St Marks Square, you can take a Venetian boat ride in the Grand Canal. It will be a fantastic day spent in Venice.

When you stop at Athens, Greece, you will want to enjoy a day looking at the Acropolis and then the Constitution Square also known as Syntagma Square. It is the largest open area in Athens where they have many different holiday events. You will have a great time in Athens before returning to the cruise ship.

Your cheap holiday destination vacation will be a memorable time that will leave you wanting to do it again. Because of the affordable price for the Greek Isles cruise, you can go back every year and visit a new area every time. The best thing is you never have to look for a hotel, you are all set on the ship. All you have left to do is enjoy yourself.

You can have some great times on the cruise as well. They have entertainment and some activities for everyone to do. You might even enjoy a day on deck with a warm sea breeze softly blowing across your face. Do not wait for the next cheap holiday vacation package, you will enjoy the Greek Isles so much and never regret your time spent touring the area. Are You looking for cheap holidays? then please visit http://www.cheapholidayspider.co.uk or http://www.lastminutespider.co.uk ]]> http://www.artwoo.com/article/real-estate-news-from-austin-texas http://www.artwoo.com/article/real-estate-news-from-austin-texas#comments Sat, 03 Nov 2007 14:30:00 +0000 grubb ellissub prime mortgage marketsquare feetmedian pricesmedian pricevacancy ratessecond quarter http://www.artwoo.com/article/real-estate-news-from-austin-texas
In June 2007, over 9,000 homes were on the market. This represents an 8% rise over the same time last year. This number of homes on the market is the largest in a number of years. It looks as though the market is moving to a buyer's market, although median prices continue to increase, at least so far. In June 2007, the median price for homes in the area was $191,050 in June, which is a 7% rise over the same time last year.

In other market news, Grubb and Ellis' second quarter Industrial Market Trends survey is out and is showing that the net absorption in Austin's industrial rental market during the second quarter of 2007 was over 2.6 million square feet. Entrepreneurs and investors take note. Vacancy rates in the industrial sector were the lowest in seven years after dropping 90 basis points. The 68.4 million-square-foot sector is now at 7.3% and over 1.4 million square feet are still being constructed currently.

According to Grubb and Ellis' second quarter Industrial Market Trends survey, Austin has a low vacancy rate of only 3.7%, which is in the standard industrial product. The standard industrial product led all sectors in growth, with 1.8 million square feet. At the same time, rents increased $1.38 PSF compared to the same time last year. Asking rents rose from $0.66 to $7.75 triple-net per-square-foot-per-year (NNN PSF/YR). The survey reports that part of the growth comes from Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., which opened a 30 mm NAND flash memory wafer plant in the northeast. The 1.6 million-square-foot facility is one of the biggest such facilities in the country.

The Grubb and Ellis' second quarter Office Market Trends report further described the office leasing market in the city. According to the report, the market grew for the sixth consecutive quarter in the second part of 2007. The over 39.2 million square feet office leasing market now has an absorption level of 600,811 square feet. However, the vacancy rate overall in the city grew 20 basis points higher to 11.5 % by the end of the quarter. The highest vacancy rate was among Class-B office spaces, which had a 12.7% rate. Class-A office space had an 11.4 % vacancy rate. Class-C office spaces had a 6.8 % rate of vacancy. According to the report, rents rose from $1.25 to $25.88 per-square-foot-per-year as landlords increased rents over the previous records set in 2000." Kinan Beck is the Broker and co-owner of One Source Realty in Austin Texas. Visit Kinan's http://www.onesourceaustin.com Guide, visit his http://www.ericbramlett.com/ website. ]]> http://www.artwoo.com/article/the-math-hidden-in-your-living-room http://www.artwoo.com/article/the-math-hidden-in-your-living-room#comments Wed, 17 Sep 2008 22:08:26 +0000 pi timeslaying carpetroom statisticslength times widthmath studentsgeodesic domeremodeling project http://www.artwoo.com/article/the-math-hidden-in-your-living-room math students and teachers alike - "How does this apply to the rest of my life?" - turns out to have some surprising answers. Geometry in the living room? Statistics in your ledger? Yes, and yes.

One place where math affects almost everyone, of course, is the pocketbook. Anyone who has undertaken a home decorating or remodeling project knows just how much our plans are constrained (and sometimes inspired) by the need to stay within budget! What many people don't know is that a little knowledge of geometry can help you do exactly that.

Laying carpet is one of the basic home-decorating tasks, and it becomes immensely easier when you keep in mind the formula we all learned in sophomore geometry: A = L x W (area equals length times width). By measuring the length and width of your floor, then multiplying them against each other, you find out exactly how much carpet you need.

But wait! What if you live in a geodesic dome? (Well, it could happen.) Or, more likely, what if you have a circular alcove at the end of one room? Most of us learned the formula for figuring a circle in high school (and many of us then, having taken the test, promptly forgot it), but here it comes to the rescue: A = (pi) X r2 (area equals pi times the radius squared). "Radius" is half the circle's diameter (its length at its widest part), and "squared" simply means multiplying a number by itself.

Pi, meanwhile, is a number with its own fascinating history, but all you need to know is that it's more or less equal to 3.14159. (If I were to write out all the numbers that follow the decimal point, we'd be here for awhile: mathematicians using computers have plotted out pi to millions of digits, and they're not done yet.)

Let's say you have a home office with a rounded alcove at the end. To figure out how much carpet you'll need here, first of all, figure out the carpet needed for the rest of the room as if the alcove weren't there: measure length and width up to the point where the semicircle begins, and figure out the area of the rest of the room as described above.

Let's say your room is 18 feet wide by 10 feet long, leaving out the alcove - you need, then, 18 times 10 feet worth of carpet, or 180 square feet. Keep this figure in mind.

Now, to measure the semicircular part of the room, you need, first of all, to know the diameter of the circle involved (so you can figure out the radius). "Diameter" is the width of the circle at its widest point, which in this case is the base from which the circle bulges outward - the length of your living room, in other words. Measure the length of your living room, then halve that to get the radius (the r2 in the formula mentioned above).

If your living room is 18 feet wide, r will then be nine feet. "Square" that which means, multiply it by itself: 9 X 9 gives you 81. The area of the circle, then, is pi - 3.14159 - times 81. Plugging in the numbers, we get about 254 feet. (Actually, we get 254.46879 - but for our purposes it's perfectly OK to round up or down to get ride of the numbers after the decimal point.)

Now, that number "254" would be the amount of carpet you needed if you had a whole circle to carpet. (So if you are living in that geodesic dome, you can go order 254 square feet of carpet now.) But for our example, we had only a semicircle - a little bulging alcove at the end of an otherwise-square room. So you'll only need half of this, because you only have a half circle. Half of 254 is 127 square feet - so that's how much carpet you'll need just for this alcove at the edge of the room. Add this much to the amount of carpet you need 180 square feet, in this example. 180 plus 127 is 307 square feet.Math Made Easy provides Math help for Algebra help, Geometry help, math homework help using math online tutorial services and math tutorial cd so you can watch your math scores soar.]]> http://www.artwoo.com/article/san-francisco-union-square-hotels http://www.artwoo.com/article/san-francisco-union-square-hotels#comments Thu, 06 Dec 2007 01:20:02 +0000 san francisco chroniclesan francisco peninsulagolden gate bridgeherb caencosmopolitan placegreat architecturemesmerizing http://www.artwoo.com/article/san-francisco-union-square-hotels great architecture which is engulfed by beautiful fog. San Francisco is located on the west coast of the U.S. at the tip of the San Francisco Peninsula and includes significant stretches of the Pacific Ocean and San Francisco Bay within its boundaries. Several islands are part of the city, notably Alcatraz, Treasure Island, and the adjacent Yerba Buena Island. It is also well known for the mesmerizing architecture the Golden Gate Bridge.

This particular city is all about life. This city has got it all and is well depicted by the words of Herb Caen, columnist for the San Francisco Chronicle, "One day if I do go to heaven...I'll look around and say, 'It ain't bad, but it ain't San Francisco.'" This is the city for you. The city has its roots in its rich traditional culture and with that it is finding its future with the gigantic growth in terms of business and commerce and other such areas.

While in the city you will never think of what to do. With so much attractions like the Alcatraz, the Golden Gate bridge, Almo Square. Te Bay Bridge, beautiful beaches, fisherman' wharf and the never ending nightlife and events in the city will keep you well occupied throughout the day. If that's not all, you can stroll through the famous union square doing nothing.

Union Square is the central shopping, hotel and theatre district in this city of California. Its name is derived from the one-block park situated between Post, Geary, Powell and Stockton Streets, but its importance as the largest collection of large department stores, swank boutiques, tourist trinket shops and salons in the Western United States continues to make Union Square a major visitor draw and downtown San Francisco a vital, cosmopolitan place. Grand hotels and small inns, and repertory, off-Broadway and single-act theaters contribute to the area's dynamic, 24-hour character.

If you are a visitor and want to stay in the Union Square then make prior reservations as this place is having a large number of Grand Hotels and small Inns but they are always flooded with tourists and finding a place at the last minute might be a problem.

The famous hotels in Union Square are Hotel Union Square, Inn at Union Square, Handlery Union Square Hotel, Chancellor Hotel On Union Square, Union Square Plaza Hotel, Union Square Association: Clift Hotel, Hotel Palomar, Maxwell Hotel, Cartwright Hotel, Villa Florence Hotel etc. Apart from the luxury hotels in Union Square you can find a small number of inns which can suit every budget.

The hotels here provide excellent service with delicious food. You can always count on its rich sea food apart from the world's delicacies which the restaurants here serve. Stay in any hotel in the city would be greatly comfortable and pleasant and the hotels here provide numerous services like airport pickup and drop facilities, swimming pools, spas, health clubs, fine restaurants, and air conditioned rooms. With the mesmerizing city in the background, the hotels here definitely cerate an impression that is equally fascinating. For more informatio visit our website http://www.sanfrancisco-hotels.org ]]> http://www.artwoo.com/article/tips-when-buying-an-air-purifier http://www.artwoo.com/article/tips-when-buying-an-air-purifier#comments Sat, 15 Apr 2006 16:50:04 +0000 air ionizerair purifierair purifiersfilter modelshepa filterpollutantspet dander http://www.artwoo.com/article/tips-when-buying-an-air-purifier air purifiers are growing in popularity. However, there are so many models available. How do you make sure that you are buying the right air purifier for your home? These air purifier buying tips should help you successfully choose the right model for you.

One of the most important things you should do when you are buying an air purifier is to figure out the square footage of the room or rooms where you will be using it. Don't take a wild guess. This is really an important measurement. A purifier that is designed for a smaller room won't adequately clean a room that is too big for it. To figure out the square footage of a room, measure the length of one side of the room and the width of another side. Multiply the two numbers together. This is the square footage. Once you know this number, you can look at the purifier's information to be sure it is supposed to clean a room that is at least as big as your room, if not larger.

Next, check to see whether the air purifier you are considering is designed to clean the pollutants that are in your home. Not all purifiers clean tobacco, pollen, dust, or pet dander. If your home has all of these pollutants, you will need to look for an air ionizer or a combination HEPA filter/air ionizer in your purifier.

Another important consideration for most people shopping for an air purifier is the loudness of different models. Usually, ionizer models are much quieter than HEPA filter models.

However, ionizers must be used in conjunction with a vacuum cleaner to be effective, since they do not actually remove dust and other pollutants from the room. Ionizers simply make all of the pollutants so heavy that they fall from the air and drop to the ground.

Before you make a final decision, you should also consider the life of the filter in the air purifier. Replacement filters can be quite expensive. Ionizers do not need any filters, but they do need to be cleaned quite often.

Finally, you should take a look at how often air is circulated through the air purifier and back into the room. The best purifiers circulate the room's air at least 5 times an hour. To find out how many times the model you are considering circulates air, look for the ACH rating, which stands for air changes per hour. Gray Rollins is a featured writer for AirPurifiersHelp. To learn more about air purifiers, visit us at http://www.airpurifiershelp.com/ and http://www.airpurifiershelp.com/bestairpurifier/ ]]> http://www.artwoo.com/article/wholesaling-real-estateproperty-locators http://www.artwoo.com/article/wholesaling-real-estateproperty-locators#comments Tue, 21 Nov 2006 18:27:02 +0000 real estate wholesalingreal estate investmentsold real estatebuying real estatewholesalerquotinvestors http://www.artwoo.com/article/wholesaling-real-estateproperty-locators Real Estate Wholesaling Overview What is a Property Locator? Determining After Repair Value (ARV)

Real Estate Wholesaling Overview

The Wholesale Real Estate business has been around as long as people have bought and sold real estate. In good times and in bad, there is always money to be made buying real estate at a discount and selling it for more than what it's paid for.

A true Real Estate Wholesaler purchases real estate as low as possible and resells it at a higher price to other investors. Typically, the investors that purchase from a wholesaler are in either the retail or rental business. This means that once the investor purchases the property from the wholesaler, they will make necessary improvements to the property and then either rent it out, or sell to those who wish to live in it.

Most Wholesale Investment companies hire what's known as a Property Locator to identify, locate, evaluate, and secure discounted real estate. Once the Property Locator secures a deal that meets the investors buying criteria, the investor quickly purchases and resells the property for more than what he/she paid.

Commissions are generally paid in one of two ways. The Property Locator is paid a flat commission when the wholesale investor purchases the property, or the Property Locator gets paid a percentage of profit based on the resell of the property.

Whether you're a Property Locator or a Real Estate Wholesaler, there's a lot of money to be made in the real estate investment industry.

What Is A Property Locator?

A Property Locator identifies, locates, evaluates, negotiates and secures discounted real estate for an investor to purchase. Property Locators use the following three factors to evaluate a piece of property.

After Repair Value (ARV) Cost of Repairs Wholesale Property Price

All properties are evaluated and offers made based on the above factors. A property is only a andquot;good dealandquot; if it can be bought for the andquot;right price.andquot; Successful property locators know how to arrive at the right price for a property by determining its

After Repair Value, estimating the Cost of Repairs, and using these two figures in a simple formula to derive the Wholesale Property Price.

Determining After Repair Value (ARV)

The method commonly used by real estate agents and appraisers to determine the market value of a property is called Comparable Market Analysis, or CMA, the appraisal being more complicated and detailed. We use here the simpler method preferred by agents. Comparable Market Analysis is based on the assumption that houses in the same area of similar size, number of rooms and other features will have similar market values.

When the comparable properties are all the same size, finding the ARV is easy. The more alike the comparable properties are the better. When the andquot;compsandquot; are not identical to those of the subject property, there is a method for determining the approximate After Repair Value based upon the average price per square foot of the comparables.

To calculate the average price per square foot of your comparables, divide the selling price of each comparable property by its square footage to derive the price per square foot. Add the prices per square foot of all your comparables together and divide by six (the number of comparables) to get the average square footage of your comparables Although the average price per square foot method of estimating the ARV is not as accurate as a good appraisal, it is reliable enough for our purposes.

Note: The approximate square footage can be calculated by measuring the length of the outside of the house by its width. Tax records can also be checked to find out the square footage, although they must be verified to be correct, since tax records do not always reflect remodeling and additions that have take place over the years. Do not count unheated spaces such as attics and porches.

Best regards,

Peter Vekselman

P.S. To get started as a Property Locator with The Real Estate Arena, follow the link below: Peter Vekselman has been involved in over 700 successful real estate deals in his 10 year career in real estate. He now teaches hundreds of individuals throughout the US on how to put real estate deals together (http://www.LocateForProfit.com). ]]> http://www.artwoo.com/article/down-year-for-sacramento-real-estate http://www.artwoo.com/article/down-year-for-sacramento-real-estate#comments Sun, 28 Jan 2007 04:27:03 +0000 lyon real estatedataquicksacramento beemichael lyonsacramento real estatesacramento countythree counties http://www.artwoo.com/article/down-year-for-sacramento-real-estate DataQuick. As reported in a Sacramento Bee story, "'06 housing stats tell a scary tale," the inventory of available homes has dropped from August 2006 highs but still ended up with just about 11,000 homes on the market in the four county area.

The slowdown or market adjustment in the Sacramento real estate market during the year also brought lower prices and an end to the red hot market that we experienced during the three previous years. Median sales prices were down 7 percent in Sacramento County, 16.9 percent in Placer County and there was a 14.1 percent decline in Yolo County. According to the Bee article some of the price decline can be attributed to new home builders slashing prices to clear inventory.



According to Michael Lyon the president of Trendgraphix, the statistics arm of Lyon Real Estate, "2006 was a great year for buyers and, at the same time, a reality-check for sellers. Overall, prices dropped a minimum of 10% last year and days on the market for homes that have sold now averages above 70 days," As part of the latest Trendgraphix press release he went on to say, "Sellers on average have to discount 4% below the last sold to make a sale.

Trendgraphix reported sales volume was down 2 percent in December for Sacramento, Placer and El Dorado counties and 25 percent lower than December 2005. In addition the number of pending sales decreased 6 percent in December compared to November. December inventory is reported to be 10,317 for the three counties, up 28 percent from last year but still down from the July 2006 high of 14,547. Trendgraphix reports the average price per square foot of homes sold in the three counties was $225, a 9 percent drop from last December.

In Sacramento County December sales decreased 4 percent from November and inventory decreased by 13 percent. Pending sales decreased by 4 percent from 942 pending sales in November to 907 pending sales in December. The average price paid per square foot in Sacramento decreased by 1 percent during the month of December to $224.

Placer County decreases in December from November were 5 percent in sales and 14 percent in inventory. Pending sales also dropped 5 percent. The average price paid per square foot in Placer County decreased by 3 percent during the month to $223.

In El Dorado County sales were off 21 percent, inventory declined by 14 percent and

pending sales were down 17 percent.

The average price per square foot remained the same during the month of December to $231.

Overall the Sacramento real estate market in 2006 will be remembered. Some will call it the crash of '06 or the year the bubble burst and others will remember it as the year of the slowdown or market adjustment. What you call it and how you feel about it really depends on how it impacted you. Julie Jalone is an experienced professional Realtor® serving the need of buyers and sellers of residential real estate in the Greater Sacramento area including Placer, El Dorado, Yolo and Yuba counties. Some of the communities served by Julie include Sacramento, Roseville, Rocklin, Lincoln and Granite Bay. Julie is a wife and mother living in Rocklin. For more information see her website, http://www.jalone.com, which includes listings, home search, news, resources for buyers and sellers and her daily weblog, "Keep it Real in Sacramento." ]]> http://www.artwoo.com/article/so-you-think-you-cant-do-mental-arithmetic http://www.artwoo.com/article/so-you-think-you-cant-do-mental-arithmetic#comments Wed, 06 Dec 2006 10:27:09 +0000 mental arithmeticarithmetic calculationscongratulationsi don t knowtake heartsecond dividei believed http://www.artwoo.com/article/so-you-think-you-cant-do-mental-arithmetic mental arithmetic'?

Perhaps it is something that you have said yourself many times .. . . I know I have!

The problem, I have found, is not 'I can't do mental arithmetic' but 'I don't know how to do mental arithmetic'.

This certainly was the case for me.

Let me show you what i mean.

If I were to ask you to multiply 43 x 11. Would you be able to do it? How long would it take you to do it?

If you asked me that 1 year ago, I would have said 'I can do it but it will take me a while'. You see, like many people, I believed that I couldn't do mental arithmetic.

Now, let me show you how to do 43 x 11 in your head in less than 1 second (it will take you less than 1 second once you know how to do it).

1. separate the 4 and the 3 thus: 4 __ 3 (because we are going to put a number in between the 4 and the 3),

2. add 4 + 3 to get: 4 + 3 = 7,

3. place the 7 between the 4 and the 3 to get: 4 7 3,

That is your answer: 43 x 11 = 473

How easy is that?

Practice on the following and see how quickly you can do them in your mind:

- 23 x 11 =







(23 x 11 = 253)

- 18 x 11 =







(18 x 11 = 198)

- 71 x 11 =







(71 x 11 = 781)

If I were to ask you now, what is 27 x 11? You would be able to work it out in your head in less than 1 second and tell me: 297. Congratulations! You have gone from 'I can't do mental arithmetic' to 'Gee, that was easy!'.

The thing about mental arithmetic is: the problem is not 'I can't do mental arithmetic' but 'I don't know how to do mental arithmetic'.

There are many such tricks to doing mental arithmetic and once you know them, you will be amazed at the type of mental arithmetic calculations you will be able to do in you head in less than 1 second:

- divide by 5 eg. 42 / 5 = ?

- multiply by 5 eg. 68 x 5 = ?

- square a number that ends in 5 eg. 45 x 45 = ?

- and so on . . .

So, take heart! You are not as 'dumb' as you think. You can't do mental arithmetic simply because you were never shown how to do it . . . and not because you can't!

Serge M Botans Serge M Botans is the CEO of the web site http://www.mental-workout.com and has taught Maths/Science for 14 years in a High School. http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=smbotans ]]> http://www.artwoo.com/article/deck-hot-tubs-plan-ahead http://www.artwoo.com/article/deck-hot-tubs-plan-ahead#comments Sat, 05 Jul 2008 17:08:14 +0000 cedar hot tubsloose soilspirit levelfoot boardscant movediagonalsfoot square http://www.artwoo.com/article/deck-hot-tubs-plan-ahead Cedar hot tubs yourself.

1. Choose your location. This needs to be a square, 8 foot by 8 foot. It is easier if this is a flat area. Dig stakes into each corner, and measure the diagonals, corner to corner. Both diagonals should be equal size -- about 11 foot 3 inches.

2. Use a string to join up each stake, and join up the diagonals, making an 'X' shape. Where the X crosses, this will mark out the center -- put a stake in this position.

3. Pound in four more stakes, in the center of each side of the square. Also pound stakes in between the center and these four posts, 32 inches from the center.

4. Now you need to put in four more stakes, by measuring 32" up and across from two of the last stakes you put in. This will mean you have a total of nine stakes within the square.

5. Where each of the stakes are, you need to dig a 15 inch by 15 inch square, and fill each of these newly dug holes with 2 to 3 inches of sand.

6. Use a shovel to level out the sand in each of these holes.

7. Place the footing of your deck on top of the sand, and wiggle it around until it is level in both directions. Use a spirit level to make sure it is perfectly level. Do the same for each of the nine holes that have the footing in.

8. Next, you need to tamp any loose soil into the gaps around the footings, so that they are solidly in place and can't move.

9. Now you'll have nine completed footings inside the middle of your 8 foot square. The next thing to do is to nail two 8 foot boards that are 2 inch by 6 inch, together. Do this three times, which will leave you with 3 beams, 4" by 6".

10. Set the post in the center first. The posts need to be whatever height you want your deck. Make sure all posts are the same height.

11. Place 'post to beam' ties on each of the posts, using the holes provided to nail them through. Place the beam over the outside posts, and do this at the other side. Fill in the nail patterns for each beam.

12. Nail a joist, 2" by 6" to each end of the beams. To the ends of each of these joists, nail a rim joist.

13. Mark the joists on the outside every 6.35 inches. You need to nail the decking boards so that they cover the rim joist.

Following these steps should leave you with a perfect deck platform to put your hot tub!Sam Spade writes articles for http://www.a1hottub.com are you in the market for a hot tub? If so check out A1 hot tub we have all of the latest hot tubs including Cedar hot tubs, Redwood hot tubs, gazebos and even a portable hot tub. Even if you're just looking for some hot tubs accessories, replacement hot tub covers or chemicals for your Jacuzzi or whirlpool spa hot tub in your home stop.]]> http://www.artwoo.com/article/how-to-play-soccer-dribbling http://www.artwoo.com/article/how-to-play-soccer-dribbling#comments Sun, 19 Oct 2008 18:15:20 +0000 dribbling skillsfundamental thingsfoot racefeintinstepdribblewrong way http://www.artwoo.com/article/how-to-play-soccer-dribbling dribble and attack defenders, feinting one way and then the next, or performing a series of stops and starts is one of the most exciting parts about watching soccer and developing great dribbling skills is one of the mandatory skills required of anyone that is learning how to play soccer

Basically, dribbling basically running with the ball, although there are a few fundamental things that you need to know.

Firstly

The best technique when dribbling is to use the outside of the foot where ever possible. This enables you to run normally, and so more efficiently and faster. Of course if you change direction or make a feint, then you will use the inside of your foot or the instep (the top of your foot), but practising running and dribbling with the outside of your foot is the way to go!

Secondly

You need to keep the ball as close to you as possible, so that the opposition cannot get the ball. How close is that? Well it depends on where the opposition is and how fast they are. If they area is congested and there are lots of defenders, then you will need to keep the ball within touching distance at all times, that is about a foot or so away. If there is a lot of space, and you want to get forward very quickly, then keeping the ball about 5 yards away whilst running fast allow you to run faster. There are times when you are not really dribbling but running with the ball, and there will be times when it is to you advantage to "knock" the ball past the defender and chase it, especially if you are confronted with the last defender and there is a lot of space behind the defender. Can you guess what the advantages are? The knock and run turns the challenge into a foot race, so if you are faster, then you will probably have a chance to shoot. If the defender gets there first, you still have an advantage because he is facing the wrong way and you will get the chance to put pressure on him while he is facing the wrong way, and may get a throw in or even better, a corner.

Thirdly

When dribbling, particularly when close control is needed, it is far better to keep as low as possible, by bending the knees a little. By doing this it is easier to deceive your opponents and change direction. Being lower to the ground will give you more agility with your legs, and you will be more flexible.

How should you practice?

If you are by yourself, then there is little option but to dribble around stationary objects like cones, but try and make it game like and ensure that there is enough intensity in what you are doing to put pressure on yourself. Simply going through the motions just wont cut it!

If there are two of you, then a game of 1v1 where there are two goals set 20yards apart and you can score in either goal. You start by both of you having your back to the goals and one player tossing the ball over their head into the playing area and the other player saying "GO". Having two goals that either player can score in will encourage turning and faking, a much needed skill in dribbling.

If you have a whole team at training, the using the dribbling square is a fantastic drill.

Mark out a square of 20by20yards and have equal numbers of players on each side, with all players facing inwards to the other side of the square, and each player has a ball. On your command the players dribble across the square to the other side and then back again. The traffic and sheer number of players in the square forces players to look up to avoid collisions and to look for space to explode into, much like a game. This drill is so much better that dribbling through cones.Nigel Reed has been involved in soccer during the 60's, 70's and 80's as a player and has been coaching youth soccer in Australia since 2000. Nigels main soccer webite has detailed information on How to play soccer as well as a number of Free Soccer Drills Good luck with your coaching]]> http://www.artwoo.com/article/short-walk-in-florence-piazza-santa-croce http://www.artwoo.com/article/short-walk-in-florence-piazza-santa-croce#comments Thu, 07 Feb 2008 10:25:01 +0000 santa maria novellapiazza santa crocepiazza della signoriafranciscan friarscalcio storicorenaissance timesbaroque fountain http://www.artwoo.com/article/short-walk-in-florence-piazza-santa-croce Piazza Santa Croce, one of the most beautiful square of Florence. The square is in the historical center, not far from the Duomo (15 minutes walking), passing through Piazza della Signoria and Borgo dei Greci. Although a map of the city is available, for free, in all of the hotels halls of the centre of Florence. If your accommodation is not so close to the centre many services are available to reach the centre: taxi, driven car rentals, buses and train for who arrive from the suburbs.

Piazza Santa Croce is placed in front of the church of Santa Croce, in the centre of Florence, and take its name from it, that square was built in medieval times to host the great number of people that attended to the religius ceremonies. In Renaissance times the square was also used to the fun activities of Florence, as festivals, shows, rides and games like the Calcio storico (Historical Football). This game, more similar to the Rugby than to the modern football, was played the day of San Giovanni (24 of June) in 3 matches within 4 teams, one team for each of the historical quarter of Florence ("white" team for Santo Spirito, "blue" team for Santa Croce, "red" team for Santa Maria Novella and "greeen" team for San Giovanni).

Overlooking the square is the church of Santa Croce, that was built from the Franciscan Friars between the 13th and 14th century, with a facade built only in the 19th century in neogothical style, that have on its left the monumental statue of Dante Alighieri. Dated from the same period of the facade and of the Dante's statue of the square, on the opposite side of the church, there is a baroque fountain, originally realised by Pietro Maria Bardi and remaed in the 19th century by Roberto Manetti. Entering the church from the main door, walking along the main aisle, is noticeable immediately the austerity and the vastenss of the enviroments, and on the perimeter many chapels (some of them frescoed by Giotto, Maso di Banco etc..) destinated to the bury of the noble of Florence (Peruzzi, Bardi, Baroncelli, Pulci.Bardi) that paid, with their donations, the built of the church. Santa Croce is famous in the world also to be the burial of many very important people of the policy, of the history and of the litterture of Italy, here there are the burial of Ugo Foscolo, Michelangelo, Galileo Galilei, Gioacchino Rossini, Leon Battista Alberti, Vittorio Alfieri.

Next to the church there is one of the major convent of Florence, today home of one beautiful museum, where are exposed the ancient treasures of the church, like the crufix of Cimabue.

Over Piazza Santa Croce are overlooking many palaces too, some of them especially beautiful. For example Palazzo dell'Antella thet have a long facade decored, in the first years of the 17th century, with frescoes representing themes of wisdoms and divinity. http://www.hotelsempione.info http://www.hotelmachiavelli.it http://www.parishotel.it http://www.apmhotels.com http://www.blucarservice.it ]]> http://www.artwoo.com/article/cheap-holidays-in-amsterdam-for-new-years-eve http://www.artwoo.com/article/cheap-holidays-in-amsterdam-for-new-years-eve#comments Wed, 12 Dec 2007 01:25:01 +0000 beautiful christmas lightscheap holidays in amsterdamcheap holidays to amsterdamholidays in amsterdamscience and technology museumnew years evefireworks displays http://www.artwoo.com/article/cheap-holidays-in-amsterdam-for-new-years-eve cheap holidays in Amsterdam for New Years Eve. You will have the time of your life. It is better than going to the Big Apple. You will have dancing, food, drinks, fireworks and entire day leading up to and after of nothing more than fun. Dam Square is one place you will find many people laughing and celebrating the coming of the New Year. All you need to do is be there for the excitement. Another popular area is the neighborhood of Jordan and the Western Canal Ring. Do not forget your bottle of Champagne to walk the streets and toss everyone you meet.



What you can expect is many fireworks starting at dusk and continuing to the New Year. Three areas have fireworks displays such as Rembrandtplein, Nieuwmarkt and Dam Square. These are the areas where the fireworks are organized. The other areas are mostly kids and adults lighting firecrackers and other types of fireworks in an unorganized way. When you want to get away from the crowds, watch the fireworks from the bridges. You can see the fireworks while drinking your Champagne without being right in the mist of things. This is a special time for everyone who plans his or her cheap holidays to Amsterdam for New Years Eve.



The bars and clubs around Amsterdam are hopping and everyone is gearing up for when the clock strikes midnight. If you are taking the kids along, they might enjoy the Nemo Science and Technology Museum, where you can see all the excitement all over the area instead of just one place. Although New Years is a blast in Amsterdam, December and January are the most spectacular months to visit the area. Although December is the rainy month in Amsterdam, you can still see the beautiful Christmas lights and enjoy the celebrations of the holidays.



No matter what time you visit, Amsterdam is always a place of excitement and things to do. The days of January are shorter, but you still have so many different things to do. The shopping, the restaurants and the festivities are the best reason to plan your cheap holidays to Amsterdam. The museums and walking tours are fantastic to see and do, while every month has a different reason to travel to Amsterdam, you will find that you will have fun no matter what time of year or when you visit.



Amsterdam and cheap holidays just seem to go together for everyone. You will find that having fun and good times are what everyone in Amsterdam loves to do. You will find excitement during the summer, fall, winter and spring. If you are big into history or even festivals, you will want to plan a trip to Amsterdam and enjoy what the area has to offer you. You can always visit the Amsterdam Tourism office for a list of different festivals and celebrations going on in the area, so you can choose the best time to find your cheap holiday's package for Amsterdam. Want to have a fantastic cheap holiday to Amsterdam with your family? We provide cheap holidays at http://www.cheapholidayspider.co.uk . Also we recommend the scandinavian site called restpladser at http://www.justgo.dk ]]> http://www.artwoo.com/article/trivia-teaser-online-free-online-trivia-game http://www.artwoo.com/article/trivia-teaser-online-free-online-trivia-game#comments Thu, 23 Aug 2007 09:15:01 +0000 trivia questionwater triviaminute triviacontinental drift theoryturkey buzzardsturkey buzzardmesozoic era http://www.artwoo.com/article/trivia-teaser-online-free-online-trivia-game Trivia Question: How far does human blood travel during one day?

Trivia Answer: 12,000 miles

Trivia Teaser: On average the blood fully circulates in the human body some seven to eight times per minute.

Trivia Question: What bird is the longest lived?

Trivia Answer: Turkey buzzard

Trivia Teaser: Turkey buzzards have a long life span compared to most other birds; they can live up to 30 years in captivity.

Trivia Question: What continent has the most countries?

Trivia Answer: Africa

Trivia Teaser: Africa is home to 53 independent countries, representing more than 25 percent of the countries of the world. There are 47 countries on mainland Africa and six nearby island countries.

Trivia Question: What mammal is the longest lived?

Trivia Answer: Human

Trivia Teaser: The mammal with the longest recorded life is man. Some human beings live more than 110 years. After humans, the Asiatic elephant lives the longest; one elephant lived to be 78 years old.

Trivia Question: What is the largest continent on earth?

Trivia Answer: Asia

Trivia Teaser: Currently, Asia is Earth's largest continent at approximately 17,300,000 square miles (44,806,812 square kilometers). Africa comes in second at about 11,700,000 square miles (30,300,000 square kilometers). However, Continental Drift Theory suggests that the continents have moved over the years through the process of plate tectonics. Many geologists believe that, during the Mesozoic era, all of the continents combined to form a supercontinent known as Pangaea which would have dwarfed the largest continent today. It is believed that Pangaea began to break up about 200 million years ago.

Trivia Question: What percentage of the earth is covered by water?

Trivia Answer: 70 percent

Trivia Teaser: Seventy percent of the Earth's surface is covered by water. The remaining 30 percent is covered by mountains, volcanoes, deserts, plains, and valleys. Only 3 percent of that water is fresh or drinking water. Earth is the only planet that can have water in liquid form on the surface. If you enjoy a Free Online Trivia Game you should visit the Trivia Teaser Online Contest at http://TriviaTeaserOnline.com ]]> http://www.artwoo.com/article/amazing-widescreen-tv-sets http://www.artwoo.com/article/amazing-widescreen-tv-sets#comments Fri, 07 Nov 2008 11:08:27 +0000 film projectionsvivid colorstv screensstandard tvtv setsaspect ratiodigital images http://www.artwoo.com/article/amazing-widescreen-tv-sets TV sets have become so popular today that its application is seen not just in homes but in other life activities as well. The wider they are the better viewing there is. The same application is seen in monitors and digital images.

It used to be that a "widescreen" TV set meant screens measuring 24 inches and up. Today, they cover a fourth, half, and even a whole wall of a house. These are flat widescreen TV sets free standing, hanging, or built-in into walls for space saving considerations. With these TV sets watching becomes more realistic as images are magnified many times over showing more vivid colors and details. It's like viewing the real thing up close.

A Problem with Standard TV Sets

Sometimes, no matter how wide screens of standard TV sets are, there seems to be an imagery problem especially with regards to the effective TV screen area. Especially when watching movies on a standard TV, people often encounter black portions on top and at the bottom of the screen so that images are a bit compressed, distorted at times, and cropped. It's because of the incompatible "aspect ratio" between images on regular TV sets and those projected from films. And this is what widescreen TV sets remedy.

Aspect Ratio

Aspect ratio is the relation of an image's width to its height. Regular TV sets have an aspect ratio of 4:3--simply put, the width is 4 units and the height is 3 units. This means the width of images seen on TV is merely one unit bigger in width than in height. Such ratio is more a square or a "box" than it is a rectangle. That's why a regular TV set is also called an idiot box. This may be okay with regular TV programs, but when viewing movies on TV there sometimes is a problem.

Movies projected from films have an aspect ratio of 16:9. The width is about double the length of the height. Rather than a square, film projections are rectangular in nature. Thus, when fitted on standard square TV sets, people see the annoying black areas on top and at the bottom of their TV screens. And this is what widescreen TV sets solve.

Aspect Ratio of Widescreen TV Sets

Widescreen TV sets have an aspect ratio of 16:9. Thus, when movies are shown on widescreen TV sets watchers get a satisfying image proportion on screen, no black areas, more realistic and un-cropped scenes, plus more details with colors and picture elements. Whole details are captured on screen and it's like being there right where the film was shot.

Even in real life, the eyes see things in a panoramic scope. People have the tendency to view everything from left to right, rather than just see a square patch of the scene in front of them. Try to close one eye when looking at something and that's what one is bound to see--a patch of a scene in front.

Widescreen TV sets are so satisfying and enjoyable because they give us a picture of what may be seen with two eyes open. They are the future and expect the old standard TV set to disappear soon.Peter Garant is writing articles about Widescreen and Widescreen TVs for a site about tech news.]]> http://www.artwoo.com/article/madrid-a-guide-to-the-key-sites-and-monuments http://www.artwoo.com/article/madrid-a-guide-to-the-key-sites-and-monuments#comments Thu, 17 Aug 2006 04:27:12 +0000 palacio real madridbarcelona madridhapsburg dynastycheap flightshostsfestivalspuerto del sol http://www.artwoo.com/article/madrid-a-guide-to-the-key-sites-and-monuments cheap flights has made more and more European cities accessible to weekend travellers. Often overshadowed by the Catalan capital, Barcelona , Madrid is now showing what it has to offer and, more importantly, sharing it with foreign visitors.

"Los Austrias" is as good a place as any to start; the oldest part of the city and still bearing the stamp of the Hapsburg dynasty that had such a dominating influence on Madrid until 1700. The "Plaza Mayor" is the focal point of the area; built by Phillip III between 1617 and 1619, it's an elegant square with a rich and varied history. This is where the great festivals and celebrations of imperial Madrid took place. Visitors these days won't see quite so much excitement but the square hosts a coin and stamp collectors market on Sundays and hosts live bands and performers during festivals. Expect to pay through the nose in the cafés and restaurants which line the square; some however, will be willing to part with a little extra cash just to be able to soak up the atmosphere of one of Madrid's most famous sites.

Next stop is the "Palacio Real"; Madrid 's royal palace is a monument to the classical Italian baroque style. Charles III was the first king to take residence here in 1714. The grand building has a, seemingly absurd, count of 3,000 rooms. The most famous of these is the Throne Room with its sumptuous decorations. Visitors should also pay heed to the gardens, in particular the "Jardine de Sabatini", which was added to the Palace complex in the 1930's and can provide a bit of peaceful seclusion away from the bustle of the city centre.

Another one of the city's most celebrated landmarks is the "Puerto Del Sol" -- originally the location for one of the gates marking the eastern entrance to the city. The gate is reported to have been erected around 1440 to control the comings and goings of merchandise in the Spanish capital. These days the gate is long gone but the square behind it has taken on the name. It's a lively place, equivalent to Times Square and Trafalgar Square in the US and England respectively, as on new year's eve Madrilenos come here in their thousands to hear the clock chime midnight and see in the new year. It is also the centre point of Spain , kilometre zero is in the centre of the square and the six main highways of Spain radiate from this point.

For a bit of greenery and a shaded stroll then there's no better place than the magnificent "Parque del Buen Retiro"; Madrid's most central park. This verdant expanse covers 350 acres and includes formal gardens, fountains, playgrounds and cafes. There is even a lake where locals and tourists can clash oars on the water. All in all, the perfect place for a picnic or for the kids to let off some steam -- bear in mind that the park closes at 10.30pm every evening.

The "Panteon de Goya" is a small chapel that serves as the final resting place to the celebrated artist. The man himself decorated the intricate dome and cupola depicting the miracles of St Anthony and it is certainly one of the city's lesser known attractions that is well worth a visit.

One final stop on our tour takes us a little way out of Madrid 's centre to the home of one of the world's most famous football teams. The Santiago Bernabeu stadium has been home to Real Madrid CF since 1947 and the 80,000 seater stadium is an impressive site whether you're a fan of football or not. The stadium houses and excellent museum and is open most days for tours where you get the chance to see the stadium from the main stand and entrance into the playing tunnel and even the changing rooms. Mike McDougall has been commissioned by Babylon Idiomas to write a number of articles about Spanish culture. Babylon Idiomas is a Spanish language institute with schools in Spain [Barcelona, Madrid, Sevilla, Valencia], Argentina [Buenos Aires] and Costa Rica. Visit http://www.babylon-idiomas.com to learn more about Spanish courses. ]]> http://www.artwoo.com/article/woodworking-made-much-easier-with-good-tools http://www.artwoo.com/article/woodworking-made-much-easier-with-good-tools#comments Sat, 17 Feb 2007 20:27:13 +0000 woodworking toolsrocklercorded drillswoodworking projectschiselbasicallyvariable speed controls http://www.artwoo.com/article/woodworking-made-much-easier-with-good-tools woodworking tools. However you won't need to spend an arm and a leg to get going. One great way to save is to buy used tools, and then shopping around for deals on tools that will help you start your collection little by little, project by project.

One tool that you'll love having is a quality chisel set. You'll put them to great use. An affordable type is the Rockler chisel. Go ahead and get a few different sizes that you'll need, basically from about inch to 2 inches wide. When you use the chisel you can either use your hand or a wood mallet.

In order keep things sturdy and in place while you glue them together for instance are wood clamps. These will be one of your most useful tools in your collection. The great thing is that they're not that expensive at all, and many times you find them in good condition when you buy them used. As you see them offered cheap, pick them up, you'll thank yourself for it.

Squares are vital for accurate measuring. You'll need a carpenter square or a framing square. A try square is usually used when making furniture. They come in various sizes from 3 to 12 inches. Find squares that are marked in inches and metric. A combination square has two pieces: a head and a steel blade. It's a great tool for measuring forty-five or ninety degree angles.

Next you'll need drills. They come both corded and cordless. Corded drills work better and are less expensive. You'll want to look for drills that include reverse, variable speed controls and attachments for a drill press as added features. If you'd rather have a cordless drill for the freedom to roam, look for high voltage batteries to be sure it will have sufficient power. Find a model with two batteries, therefore one can be charging while you're working with the other. You'll need a variety of bits for your woodworking projects.

Hand planes are constructed of wood or steel and are used for a variety of purposes. You'll use the jackplane for rough shaping. These come in 12 to 15 inch sizes. For trimming you'll need a block plane. Use Smoothing planes for finer cuts -- these are about 8 or 9 inches long.

One thought you'd want to consider is that you shouldn't just rush out and buy the cheapest tools that are out there. Be patient and wait for higher quality tools to be discounted. You'll thank yourself down the road when you're grandchildren are using the same tools that you used to create their woodworking masterpieces.

A quality set will still be around for years, unlike cheap tools, which you'll have to replace many times over the same time period.

The Internet is a great place to look for discounts on woodworking tools. As with anything buying the better known brand names that have a good warranty, which with tools can be rather outstanding. You may never have to purchase the same tool ever again through your lifetime if you're smart about your purchase. Focusing recent findings in hand tools, Leroy Calstard writes at large for http://www.insidewoodworking.com . With his detailed writings such as http://www.insidewoodworking.com ,the writer proofed his know-how on subjects relating to woodworking tools. ]]> http://www.artwoo.com/article/how-a-pressure-washer-works http://www.artwoo.com/article/how-a-pressure-washer-works#comments Wed, 13 Dec 2006 20:27:08 +0000 electric pressure washerselectric pressure washerpressure washer pumpsmonsterpatio furnituregarden hosedebris http://www.artwoo.com/article/how-a-pressure-washer-works debris on the surfaces of their houses sidewalks and driveways. In addition, their automobiles are caked with the results of road salt, mud and oil. The simplest pressure washers just transform an ordinary garden hose into a monster which blasts away dirt, oil and debris.

An ordinary pressure washer can put up to 20 times more pressure onto a surface than the garden variety hose.

When you are searching for a good choice in a pressure washer, you need to consider water pressure. A pressure washer surface cleaner in a light pressure model will be more effective than a garden hose, but you shouldn't expect it to do heavy jobs effectively. A typical garden hose will emit 40 pounds per square inch of water pressure, while light duty pressure washers will be rated at around 1300 to 2000 pounds per square inch. A light duty pressure washer surface cleaner is suitable for cleaning cars, awnings and patio furniture. Pressure washers rated at 2000 to 2600 pounds per square inch are great for concrete cleaning, including mild stains, grease and grimes on larger surfaces. Heavy duty pressure washers emit 2700 to 4000 pounds per square inch and work well if you have stubborn grease or stains on concrete, or if you need to remove flakes, dirt and debris from surfaces in preparation for painting or sealing.

Electric pressure washers

Electric pressure washers are made in all three levels of pounds per square inch--light duty, medium duty and heavy duty. Ratings by one of the major online sellers of pressure washer parts, pressure washer pumps and pressure washer equipment don't show a preference between an electric pressure washer and a gas pressure washer. The ratings distinguish only good, better and best within size categories. An electric pressure washer can be found to do any of the residential jobs which the average homeowner is likely to need. The disadvantage of the electric pressure washer if any is the problem of electrical outlets available to the job which needs to be completed.

Gas pressure washers

Gas pressure washers are more portable, but they are also noisier and may emit more noxious fumes while operating. There is also the inconvenience of having to store gasoline fuel when the equipment is needed. These pressure washers also are available in light, medium and heavy duty models, as well as an even heavier and more powerful contractors' model. Honda pressure washers rate high among the gas pressure washers, with better and best ratings for both mid-sized and large sized capacity washers and Honda pressure washers captured all three categories in the contractor's model. A Ryobi pressure washer is another favorite of residential users. It's heavy duty range (3000 pounds per square inch is quite affordable) and will do most jobs with a vengeance. The Ryobi pressure washer is available at Home Depot stores, which is another plus factor in its favor.

Hot water pressure washer

Another even more exciting innovation in pressure washers is the new hot water pressure washer. This tool would be perfect for those really difficult jobs where nothing else will cut through the dirt. Heated pressure washers are more difficult to find, but Honda makes portable oil-fired hot water pressure washers at the high capacity end of the scale. Mi-T-M makes electrically heated hot water pressure washers, also at the high end of the capacity scale.

Whichever type of residential pressure system you choose, you should be sure that the merchant also carries a full line of pressure washer parts and pressure washer pumps. It can be really frustrating to be in the middle of spring or fall cleaning and have to wait for replacement of a part or a pump. Samantha Clark heads consumer reviews at http://www.dealsdepot.com.au One of the web's most popular Online Shopping sites. ]]> http://www.artwoo.com/article/edenpure-portable-heater-likes-and-dislikes http://www.artwoo.com/article/edenpure-portable-heater-likes-and-dislikes#comments Mon, 17 Dec 2007 03:30:01 +0000 edenpure quartz infrared heaterquartz sheathquartz infrared heateredenpure heaterions in the atmospheredrying floorresistance wire http://www.artwoo.com/article/edenpure-portable-heater-likes-and-dislikes Edenpure quartz infrared heater, I'd like to spend a minute telling you what I do like, and explain how it works.

How the EdenPure Works At the heart of these infrared heaters are the quartz bulbs.

Similar to incandescent lamps, quartz bulbs are formed by enclosing a tungsten resistance wire within a high purity quartz sheath.

They provide even, non drying floor to ceiling heat and, according to the manufacturer, reduce positive ions in the atmosphere responsible for many respiratory problems.

The bulbs are rated to last 5 =96 7,000 hours, or 3 =96 5 years, and cost around $10 each to replace.

The Edenpure/SunTwin (I can't tell the difference) heaters are offered in 3 sizes: 500, 1,000, and 1,500 watt and the unit model numbers coincide with the heat output in watts. So a SunTwin 1500 Elite produces 1,500 watts.

The heaters are thermostatically controlled, equipped with a circuit breaker, and have a 1 year warranty.

What I Do Like About the EdenPure Quartz Infrared Heater It has a cool to the touch exterior and, unlike some other heaters, doesn't have glowing red wires or an exposed fan. This is a big plus if you have kids and/or pets.

Despite the complaints some consumers have with the EdenPure, I haven't found one that is health or safety related.

What's Not to Like The #1 complaint of consumers who have actually purchased the EdenPure heater comes down to this: Too little heat for too much money.

Putting aside the cost factor for a moment, I'll address the "too little heat" complaint first.

Too Little Heat The results you get from a 1,500 watt heater, EdenPure or otherwise, depends on how it's being used. Bear in mind, a 1,500 watt heater is the equivalent of only 450 Btus. This is minuscule compared to a typical 65,000 btu oil or gas fired furnace.

If you're depending on a 1,500 watt heater as your only heat source, it will heat only 150 - 200 square feet depending on how well your home is insulated, obstructions to the flow of heat, such as walls, and the outside temperature.

Here's the basic "rule of thumb" formula for calculating space heater capacity: Watts/10 = heated space in square feet. Or: 1,500/10 = 150.

However, if you use a space heater to supplement your existing heating system by turning back the thermostat and letting the space heater pick up the slack, you could increase the effective heating range of a 1,500 watt heater to around 600 square feet.

Too Much Money I chalk this up to what I call the "furniture factor." You can either buy a space heater that looks like a space heater, or one that doubles as an end table.

An even better example of the "furniture factor" is the electric fireplace. No matter which electric fireplace you look at, they all have the same 1,500 watt heater. Yet, depending on the design of the mantel piece, you could easily spend 2 or 3 times more for an electric fireplace than an EdenPure portable heater.

The difference is, people who buy an electric fireplace are looking for furniture - people who buy an EdenPure quartz heater are looking for heat.

What an Actual EdenPure Owner Has to Say I recently received the following unsolicited comment from a Mr. J. Hendon. He is an actual EdenPure user and here, with his permission, are his unedited comments:

"Hi Sam, a good article and accurate as can be. I don't even find the one lone complaint to be valid, I bought one recently (I got the Edenpure The only difference is the SunTwin has a beautiful wooden case) but I've had enough experience with space heaters to know you cannot heat much space with a 1500 watt unit. So I wasn't expecting miracles. But frankly, it heats much more than I had thought it would and I am grateful. It is the smoothest, best feeling heat, I've ever seen and they are right, it heats all over, not just in front of it. I plan to buy another, maybe even two more. We have been heating our home with a gas furnace until recently and natural gas prices go out of sight in the cold months. I had additional insulation installed overhead, new storm windows, etc. and started using electric heat last year. I have a number of 1500 watt conventional electric heaters and one 220 volt 3000 watt.

But so far this winter with my Edenpure, I have only had to turn the big one on a few times to supplement the Edenpure. Our kitchen, dining and living areas are all together and total about 650 square feet. I still have the furnace in the event of bitter cold.

Understand, we live in east central Alabama which has only been down into the mid 20's thus far this winter, but our average winters usually only get down to about 15 a few times." Need help finding the right space heater for your home? Visit http://www.alternative-heating-info.com/Small_Space_Heaters.html ]]>