Hot Stove League for Bargain Hunters

As I write this article it is 28 degrees outside and winter's grip is fully upon us in the early days of this new year 2017. With that in mind I have for you today my version of baseball's Hot Stove League.

I'm not talking sport however, unless you consider the hunting of curiosities and antiquities to be sport - and many people do. In New England where I live, specifically on a 64 mile long sand bar called Cape Cod, antique and oddity hunting is great sport during the summer months.

In January all we bargain hunters can do is talk about past 'steals' and 'deals' that we've made while looking forward to May or June when yard sales, flea markets, and curiosity/antique shops will be as common as beach sand.
For veteran seekers of cast off treasures much of what follows will be old hat, but perhaps I'll give you a few new thoughts that might help you in next summer's transactions.

Many people have the misconception that antiques cost more than they can afford. Shopping for antiques is a great way to spend a free afternoon and you may be surprised at how many good bargains you come across. The hardest thing is many people don't know the true value of the particular item they are looking at in an antique shop.

It may have caught their attention because of the style of it or it brings back happy memories. You never really know if the shop owner is trying to up the price or if you are already getting a good deal. Since you can't quickly go to another store and compare the price you pretty much have to decide the maximum you are willing to pay for an item and then walk away if the negations don't work in your favor.

It is a good idea to do some checking into the reputation of a given antique dealer before you even step foot into their store. You will find you are able to get good deals on antiques when you get to know the owner of the store. If you are a frequent shopper in the store you can build a good relationship. Bringing in other customers to the store is something that will get noticed as well. The owners of the antique store will want to work with you on items so that you keep generating more business for them.

You will be able to negotiate the price for what you want if the antique shop is operated by the owner and not several different employees. Even though you will find more selection at antique malls, you won't be able to negotiate the prices as much. Small antique shops can generally offer you some history on the pieces you are the most interested in.

On Cape Cod and I expect just about everywhere else you will do much better at flea markets, garage sales, and in the shops with cash. Money talks - the folding kind - not the plastic variety. Cash does indeed speak and its voice is very loud.

Frequently you will get a far better price if you approach the seller with cash in hand, partly because the credit card fees cut into the vendor's profit. Many of antique stores, as well as the flea markets and yard sales people are hesitant to take personal checks, especially if you are from out of town. Showing that you do have the cash with you in an unobvious way is also helpful. For example, you can count it and then say, "will you take $50 for it? That's all I have with me today.

It is important to remember that you will be buying antiques in the condition they are in. Make sure you take the time to thoroughly examine what you are purchasing. You don't want to get home and discover what you thought was a great bargain is nothing but junk. Most antique dealers take pride in offering quality items but you still need to check. You will be disappointed if you think you are going to take home an antique in mint condition for a very low price though.

If you are looking for certain antiques, take a look around online to get a good idea of what the going price is for them. Try to negotiate something that is about 25% less than the rates you find online. Don't be afraid to ask the antique shop owner to cut you a better price. It helps if you say something along the lines of "would you accept $100 for this?" Instead of "can you lower the price"? It definitely helps you get what you want if you are assertive but not going overboard.

Do not be afraid to ask for a better price, especially at flea markets. On slow days at flea markets and swap meets some vendors don't even make enough sales to cover the cost of their space. If you happen to be the sale that will allow him to at least meet his rental fee, you may be able to negotiate a steep discount.

If you are planning to visit Cape Cod this summer you'll find more antique shops per square mile than just about any other place in New England. Another source for vintage and new items as well, are the sidewalks of the fifteen towns of the Cape. Many seasonal cottage owners frequently upgrade their furnishings. Instead of selling off the old items, they put them out on the sidewalks with a big "Free" sign on them. You can find everything from televisions, to couches, beds, bureaus, and even the kitchen sink! Beginning in May the sidewalks of the Cape could be paved with 'gold' for you.

Also in May, the new season starts at one of the best venues in New England- the Wellfleet Flea Market on Route Six, just over the Eastham line. There are hundreds of dealers and thousands of bargains every weekend from mid may to Columbus Day. When the sun goes down, the market takes off its salesman's apron and reveals its true identity as a delightful old time Drive-in Movie Theater. Every night, rain or clear, Wellfleet shows two first run feature films - an old fashioned double feature! They even still have the vintage drive-in food available from the snack bar. Sooner or later everyone who visits Cape Cod goes to Wellfleet for the flea and the show.


 By Bill Russo


Article Source: Hot Stove League for Bargain Hunters

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Seven Earth-Size Worlds Inhabit The Family Of A Distant Star

"Curioser and curioser," said Alice as she explored the weirdness of a Wonderland world, and like her we search the Wonderland of a starlit sky above our planet in an effort to understand who we are by searching for that which is beyond ourselves. By asking the profound question of whether or not we are alone in an unimaginably vast Universe--that we have barely begun to explore--we are really trying to understand who we are in the mysterious cosmic scheme of things. The quest to discover life on other worlds has long been the Holy Grail of curious planet-hunters, and the treasure trove of exoplanets that have been discovered over the past generation, has certainly tickled our imaginations by presenting us with a cosmic Wonderland filled with weird worlds--as well as worlds that are eerily like the familiar planets of our Solar System, inhabiting the family of our own Sun. In February 2017, astronomers using NASA's infrared Spitzer Space Telescope, announced that they have discovered the first known system around a solitary star, that hosts seven Earth-size exoplanets. A trio of these planetary Wonderlands are firmly situated in the comfortable habitable zone around their parent stars, where life-loving liquid water may exist. Life as we know it depends on the presence of liquid water.

This remarkable discovery sets a new record for the greatest number of habitable zone exoplanets detected in the family of a solitary, distant star beyond our Sun. All seven of these alien planets could have liquid water under the right atmospheric conditions. However, the chances of this are highest with the trio of worlds in the habitable zone.

"This discovery could be a significant piece in the puzzle of finding habitable environments, places that are conducive to life. Answering the question 'are we alone' is a top science priority and finding so many planets like these for the first time in the habitable zone is a remarkable step forward toward that goal," commented Dr. Thomas Zurbuchen in a February 22, 2017 NASA Press Release. Dr. Zurbuchen is an associate administrator of NASA's Science Mission Directorate in Washington.

The Quest

Historically, the quest to discover distant planets, dwelling within the alien families of stars beyond our own Sun, proved to be difficult. The discovery of the first batch of exoplanets a generation ago clearly represents one of humanity's greatest achievements. Detecting a giant planet, such as our Solar System's gaseous behemoth, Jupiter, has been compared to observing light skipping off a small moth flying near the 1,000-watt light bulb of a shining street lamp--when the observer is miles away.

The original technique used by astronomers back in 1995--the Doppler Shift method--favored the discovery of giant planets orbiting around their parent-stars in close, roasting orbits. However, as time passed, technology improved to the point that ever smaller and smaller exoplanets have been detected. Many astronomers think that Earth-size alien planets are probably common inhabitants of our Galactic neighborhood.

The smaller the exoplanet, the more difficult it is to detect. For example, if an alien astronomer, belonging to an advanced technological civilization, went on the hunt for other worlds in distant regions of our Milky Way Galaxy, it would have a hard time spotting our dim, rocky, little blue planet. Our Earth would appear only as a faint and insignificant speck lost in space. In fact, our planet is very well-hidden from prying alien vision because the brilliant glare of our much larger Star, the Sun, overwhelms it.

The first scientific discovery of an exoplanet was in 1988--but the first confirmed detection came in 1992 with the discovery of some very weird and inhospitable worlds in orbit around a dense stellar relic called a pulsar--the lingering remains of a massive star that lost its "life" in the violent fireworks of a supernova blast, that tore the original progenitor star to pieces. Astronomers detected the first exoplanet in orbit around a still "living" star, like our own Sun, in 1995. As of March 1, 2017, 3,586 exoplanets, inhabiting 2,691 planetary systems, have been discovered--and 603 multiple planetary systems have also been confirmed.

Since 2004, the European Southern Observatory's (ESO's) High Accuracy Radial velocity Planet Searcher (HARPS) 3.6 meter telescope, has successfully spotted approximately 100 alien worlds, and since 2009, NASA's Kepler Space Telescope has discovered more than two thousand. Kepler has also spotted a few thousand candidate planets, of which only about 11% may prove to be false-positives. Planet-hunting astronomers think that about 1 in 5 stars similar to our Sun are circled by an "Earth-sized" planet situated comfortably in the habitable zone of their stellar parent. If there are 200 billion stars dancing around in our Milky Way, it may be that there are 11 billion potentially habitable Earth-sized planets in our Galaxy. This already impressive number could rise even further if planets orbiting the numerous red dwarf stars are included in the count. Red dwarf stars are the smallest, as well as the most abundant, true stars inhabiting our Galaxy. Red dwarfs are even smaller than our small Sun, and they can potentially "live" for trillions of years on the hydrogen-burning main-sequence of the Hertzsprung-Russell Diagram of Stellar Evolution.

The least massive alien world known is Draugr (PSR B1257+12 A or PSR B1257+12 B), which is clearly the runt of the known exoplanet litter, at only twice the mass of Earth's Moon. In dramatic contrast, the most massive known planet listed on the NASA Exoplanet Archive is dubbed DENIS-P J082303.11-491201 b, and it is approximately 29 times the mass of Jupiter. However, according to some definitions of a planet, this hefty distant world is too massive to be a planet and may really be a type of stellar failure called a brown dwarf. Brown dwarfs are objects that are probably born the same way as their true stellar kin--from the collapse of a dense blob embedded within a giant, cold, dark molecular cloud--but have not managed to reach the necessary mass to ignite their nuclear-fusing furnaces.

There are exoplanets that hug their parent-star in such tight, roasting orbits that they take only a few hours to circle it--and there are others that are so far away from their stellar parent that they take thousands of years to make a single orbit. Indeed, some exoplanets are so far from their host star that it is difficult for astronomers to determine whether they really are gravitationally tied to it. Almost all of the remote worlds, that belong to the families of stars beyond our Sun, are denizens of our own Milky Way--but there have also been detections of a few intriguing potential extragalactic exoplanets. The closest exoplanet to Earth is Proxima Centauri b, which is a "mere" 4.2 light-years away from our planet, and is in orbit around Proxima Centauri, the closest neighboring star to our Sun.

Of course, the discovery of such an abundant treasure trove of distant exoplanets has triggered significant scientific interest in the search for life beyond our own planet--with a special focus on planets that circle their star within its habitable zone. However, the search for life beyond Earth also must take into consideration a wide range of additional factors in determining the suitability of a planet for hosting life as we know it.

In addition, there are also so-called rogue planets, which do not orbit any star at all, but roam lost and alone through interstellar space without a stellar family to call their own. Astronomers tend to consider these solitary worlds separately, particularly if they are gas giant planets like our own Solar System's Jupiter and Saturn, in which case they are often classified as sub-brown dwarfs. The rogue planets that roam our Galaxy possibly number in the billions--or even more!

Seven Earth-Size Worlds Inhabit The Family Of A Distant Star

At approximately 40 light-years (235 trillion miles) from our planet, the newly discovered seven worlds are considered to be relatively close neighbors of our Solar System.

This richly-endowed exoplanet system is named TRAPPIST-1, for The Transiting Planets and Planetesimals Small Telescope (TRAPPIST) in Chile. In May 2016, astronomers using TRAPPIST announced their discovery of a trio of planets in the system. Assisted by several ground-based telescopes, including the ESO's Very Large Telescope (VLT), Spitzer confirmed the existence of two of the trio, and also went on to discover five additional planets. This increased the number of known planets in this system to seven.

Using new data derived from Spitzer, the team of astronomers made a precise measurement of the sizes of the seven exoplanets, and went on to develop the first estimates of the masses of six of them. This enabled the team to estimate their density.

Based on their densities, all of the TRAPPIST-1 alien worlds are considered to be rocky--like our Earth. Additional observations will help astronomers determine whether they are rich in water--and possibly also show if any of them could potentially have liquid water streaming on their surfaces. The mass of the seventh and most distant exoplanet has not yet been estimated. However, the astronomers think that it could be an icy, "snowball-like" world--but further observations are necessary.

Dr. Michael Gillon noted in the February 22, 2017 NASA Press Release that "The seven wonders of TRAPPIST-1 are the first Earth-size planets that have been found orbiting this kind of star. It is also the best target yet for studying the atmospheres of potentially habitable, Earth-size worlds." Dr. Gillon is lead author of the paper, describing the new discovery, published in the February 22, 2017 issue of the journal Nature. Dr. Gillon is also the principal investigator of the TRAPPIST Exoplanet Survey at the University of Liege, in Belgium.

In March 2017, astronomers using NASA's planet-hunting Kepler Space Telescope, reported that they have also been observing the TRAPPIST-1 system since December 2016.

During the period of December 15, 2016 to March 4, 2017, the highly successful Kepler spacecraft, currently operating as the K2 mission, gathered data on the ultracool dwarf star's minuscule alterations in brightness as a result of transiting planets. Transiting events occur when a planet floats in front of the glaring face of its parent-star, thus causing a small dip in its apparent brightness.

These additional observations are expected to help astronomers refine the earlier measurements of six of the planets, determine more precisely the orbital period and mass of the more elusive seventh, and learn more about the magnetic activity of the small, cool parent-star.

The observation period, known as K2 Campaign 12, provides 74 days of monitoring the TRAPPIST-1 system. This is the longest, nearly continuous set of observations of this system yet, and it provides astronomers with an opportunity to further observe the gravitational dance of the seven Wonderland worlds--and also hunt for distant exoplanets that may have remained undiscovered in this very fertile system.

Dr. Michael Haas noted in a March 8, 2017 NASA Press Release that "We were lucky that the K2 mission was able to observe TRAPPIST-1. The observing field for Campaign 12 was set when the discovery of the first planets orbiting TRAPPIST-1 was announced, and the science community had already submitted proposals for specific targets of interest in that field. The unexpected opportunity to further study the TRAPPIST-1 system was quickly recognized and the agility of the K2 team and science community prevailed once again." Dr. Haas is science office director for the Kepler and K2 missions at NASA's Ames Research Center in California.

The additional refinements to the earlier measurements of the known planets, and any additional planets that may be spotted in the K2 data, will help astronomers plan for follow-up studies of the TRAPPIST-1 Wonderland worlds using NASA's upcoming James Webb Space Telescope.

Judith E. Braffman-Miller is a writer and astronomer whose articles have been published since 1981 in various magazines, journals, and newspapers. Although she has written on a variety of topics, she particularly loves writing about astronomy because it gives her the opportunity to communicate to others the many wonders of her field. Her first book, "Wisps, Ashes, and Smoke," will be published soon.



 By Judith E Braffman-Miller



Article Source: Seven Earth-Size Worlds Inhabit The Family Of A Distant Star

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Multi Cultural Beliefs

In the spiritual or mystical objectives of our multi cultural belief systems throughout history we see that everything in the Universe and everything in the forces of nature on Earth has been observed with an upmost sense of a Divine presence.

These forces are distinguished by their different characteristics for example in Greek mythology Zeus was worshiped as a god and associated with thunder and lightning. In Santeria the god of lightning and fire is known as one of the Orishas, Chango. The term Orisha represents a spirit that is the manifestation of the Supreme Divinity.

In our 21st century, a new understanding of these ancient teachings has begun to emerge. In terms of the mysterious interconnections of energy dynamics of the physical and non physical dimensions. We are now opening to a full range of exploration as more evidence from the Large Hadron Collider prove that portals have opened. We are becoming aware that we are spiritual beings from a spiritual reality in a physical reality on earth.

Of the many different religions of the world, all are said to exist in the spiritual world and to the spiritual world we would return. Many of the Orishas have found their way into modern times by way of religious practices such as in Santeria, Lukumi, Regia de Ocha which many historians believe Santeria began in the years of 1780 - 1850 during the slave trades transported to Cuba. Incorporating Catholic Saints into their religion, Santeria is a major religion of Cuba. Originating from the Yoruba religion found primarily in southwestern Nigeria and parts of Benin, Togo, and is known as Yoruba land.

There are 401 Orishas in the Yoruba tradition and there are those that suggest there are over a thousand. Based on the polarities such as positive and negative, male, female in the East it is called "Chi" and in the Western world known as "Energy" among New Age thinkers. Practitioners in Santeria strive to find the perfect vibration frequency for each and every life form. It is believed that every individual has a patron Orisha. A beautiful religion geared toward empowerment, beauty, love, and happiness.

To some extent these ancient religions represent stability in this era of massive corporate corruption of governments, out of control polluted environments and despicable poverty and crime. More and more of us are caught up between frustration and desperation as terrorists and anti-government activists carry out their demented activities.

In our connected spiritual and physical dimensions of existence, we have the capabilities to communicate our inner divine guidance, translated through telepathic thought. We are capable of doing away repeated behavioral prototypes by breaking free to find our own individual drive to manifest our future regardless of our present circumstances and situations. In the Quantum mechanics or the study of the micro-world, it teaches us of our connectedness to one and other and everything. We can and will change our present reality to hold a new world image that we can each live successfully in our own individual beliefs and perceptions.



 By Barbara Garcia


Article Source: Multi Cultural Beliefs

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Dancing With the Winds of Change

After all the harsh Mars aspects of late February, (Mars square Pluto Feb 22; conjunct Uranus Feb 26; and opposing Jupiter Feb 27) surely this month also fulfills the signature of 'coming in like a 'lion' the question is: does March go out like a lamb? We are still dealing with the Winds of Change!

Those harsh aspects in late February left me with something totally unexpected - a painful sprained ankle! These things can be easily seen with astrology, and through hindsight, avoided (I should have just stayed home... etc., etc.)

Next, the eclipse season ripens though the Great American Solar Eclipse on August 21st which travels across the heartland of the US. This eclipse predicts that the landscape of America will look different by March of 2018 - 6 months after the event.

Overall, the planetary teachers are looking kinder for the month of March. Dynamic, yes - but not as wild. There are several events this month. First and foremost, Venus stations retrograde on Saturday, March 4th.

Venus retrograde signals a time to get clear on your values; to examine what you really want for your personal relationships and even your business. With both Jupiter and Venus retrograde now, consider this a time to fertilize your field.

Plus, Mercury stations retrograde (April 9 - May 3), clearly signaling that March and April are your time to refine, review, and prepare. Also, the North Node changes signs on May 11th, moving from Virgo into Leo. Have patience over these next few months.

Think of it as a gigantic earth moving machine doing some excavation in your front yard. Things will look different, and you'll likely even be pleased with the results, but it might be messy getting there.

Remember that major decisions made during a retrograde are often reversed because what you want often changes as the planets begin to move direct.

One of the major aspects for this month is Jupiter square Pluto on March 30th; another aspect of repair and restoration.

Also, The Virgo full moon of March delivers a dynamic Mercury square Saturn - an aspect of judgement. We humans are supposed to be 'kind' and not judge others, but the planets, especially Mercury, are not bound by such moral obligations.

Mercury square Saturn highlights imperfections - what is wrong rather than what is right. And, the Virgo full moon surely illuminates everything for the world to see.

In March, look for opportunities to revitalize aspects of your life. Maybe you want to polish up old projects - this is the perfect time.

Or, perhaps you are ready to deal with an old, longstanding but troubling issue - take it on!

Life never stops, and neither should you. But, the wisdom of astrology offers up some good advice for this time period.

Wishing you peace the vision of a kinder and gentler world,


 By Maya White



Article Source: Dancing With the Winds of Change

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Cowboys Kick Dirt

My oldest son is a soldier. He arrived in this life, the day before my 34th birthday, kicking and screaming like a banchee, and to be honest, he hasn't stopped. He'll take a good battle over the easy road any day of the week, but he gets things done.

As a toddler, his big plan for life was to grow up and be a cowboy. He loved to walk around in his Daddy's boots, and even though Daddy complained about it, Sean did it anyway. I remember telling him once that those were big boots to fill, and he said, "My feet are going to be bigger."

At the time, I laughed it off, didn't think much about it, and I spent a good amount of time helping him find ways to learn, grow, and become the independent young man that he is today.

He learned that choices have consequences.

When he was about seven we dug a pond in our front yard, and after it had been dug, he and his friends filled it full of rocks. The friends went home, and the next morning, his job was to take all the rocks out of the pond and stack them on the side so we could put the liner in the pond. Two days later, when his friends came back to visit, he shared his experience with them, and convinced them that since he had to clear out the pond by himself, they should help clean out the chicken coop. Choices have consequences.

Reading wasn't his strong suit, but he found alternatives.

He loved to learn, but he hated to read. He would beg his sisters to read to him, and listened intently anytime anyone read a book. He could memorize details faster than anyone I've ever known, and his memory of historical facts is second to none. He loved History, so he would find documentaries about history, and listen or watch those, then he'd spend hours studying up on the details of the documentary. Studying, researching was more interesting than just reading about it, and he was able to answer a lot of his own questions. Education became a game of challenge, research, and learn more.

Working to learn, learning from work.

On the job training became part of his process of learning, and he loved travel. He would grab any opportunity to travel and learn more. Apprenticeships are difficult to come by, but he found three ways to get apprenticeships, and learn as he worked. Farm jobs were plentiful, and he loved working in the country. Political training, jobs, and working with political leaders became a strong second alternative way to learn history. He would spend hours pouring over historical journals and documents.

Cowboys do life better.

When he came home after a long political journey one night, wearing a pair of leather cowboy boots, I knew he had found his niche.

Blogging your experiences is one great way to market your business - let's talk - visit Jan at http://janverhoeff.com for more information.


 By Jan Verhoeff


Article Source: Cowboys Kick Dirt

Find the Best Place to Relax Yourself

They are looking for a way to get away from the loud hustle bustle of the city and being served instead of serving others. They want to be pampered and feel relaxed at the holiday destination because that is the whole purpose of it; Relaxation of the mind and body.

One such way in which you can pamper yourself is by getting a place where you can have all the facilities that are available at your house. Nothing is better than home that is why getting a comfortable accommodation such as your home can prove to be just that.

Many top vacation rental websites provide the facility of fulfilling all the needs of a person while on holiday. They provide transport services right from picking you up at the airport to touring the city for your desired places. Also, booking of air tickets and getting discounts on them is one of their most important facilities. Of Course, reservation of hotel rooms and vacation homes, according to requirement, can also be done through these websites. These sites take care of the extra provisions that a traveller may require.

For people travelling with families or large group of friends it is always preferable to choose an apartment or bungalow, depending on their budget, as it is more spacious and can prove to be less expensive. Many holiday homes have in-house facility of a chef, butcher, 24*7 cleaners, babysitters. They provide transport services right from picking you up at the airport to touring the city for your desired places.

They go an extra mile to give the customer what they want by fulfilling their extra needs as well like the availability of cribs and strollers for children, a fireplace or even a mini bar if a person requests for one.

The top vacation rental websites that are listed amongst the top 10 according to NBC news are:

1) Airbnb: This website tops the chart in every list as they have their services in almost all the locations of the world. The specialty of their services is that they hold the payment for hotel rooms for 24 hour in order to make sure that the customer is satisfied with the hotel room.

2) Couchsurfing: They also offer almost all services starting from ticket booking to hotel reservation.

3)  FlipKey. It is a website owned by TripAdvisor.com.

With the help of their expertise one can be sure to feel at home even when away from home.

Brad Haddin is the author of this article. To Know More about top vacation rental websites please visit our website.



By Brad Haddin


Article Source: Find the Best Place to Relax Yourself

Travel By Cruise Ship

Traveling by any means can be exciting, depending on a person's state of mind. To diminish the stress of your trip, a person needs to think ahead. A wise start would be to start packing at least two weeks before your departure. Some people begin packing as early as a month before they travel!

You need to think of everything that you would need to bring on your trip, making sure not to over-pack! You know, the stuff that you just engage temporarily if for only a moment? That would be like taking your medication, what about taking care of your personal effects, like shaving or waxing cream, (if that's your preference). Hair appliances, curling irons or rollers, scarves to tie your hair up at night, if you so choose. Be mindful of what you are able to take on a plane, liquids must be measured,.3 ozs. These rules need to be looked up on your flight information.

Are you going to get Dressed-to-the-Nines for the up-coming Captain's Dinner? Oh wait! Depending on how long you will be cruising, you may need an extra formal set of attire. A five-day cruise, you need only one form of formal wear. Plan on being gone longer? A seven-day cruise may require two formal nights of dining, where as a three-week cruise you may need to dress formally three or more times. The first night would be dinner with the captain. Dining with the Captain is a great honor.

Perhaps you're not interested in all of that fan fare. There are other restaurants that you may enjoy. There can be an international restaurant, or any of the specialty restaurants throughout the ship. There are also casual dining areas, such as buffets. What ever suits your taste!

Did you know that there is a spa treatment area right there on the ship? It's usually on the highest floor. If you look at the ships. there are plenty of levels. At least 13 floors! The Spa treatment area is usually on the ninth floor. There is so much to see! Yes, they do have the little shops that sell jewelry; clothes and other small trinkets and keepsakes for you to purchase if you want.

Any more, there is also a gaming area for adults who like to have fun gambling. If you are adventurous enough to play and win, you can collect your winnings up to a day before your cruise adventure is over. There is also Karaoke bar where people can sing like they just won an Oscar, somewhere!

Let's go back to the spa center. A passenger can get a facial; mani/pedi (Manicure/Pedicure); and there is also a beauty salon. Then, there is an option for full body treatment that could take up a few hours. This is a great time to pass the time away on the days where the ship is sailing toward a planned destination.

How about family time, where there are performances for children and adults alike? Do you like comedy? What about plays? There is so much to do, it's hard to get them all in, unless you are that traveller that can plan things to a T, going strictly by the time schedule you've allotted for your vacation.

Everyday, when you wake up, get dressed, and attend your adventure on the ship. Each cabin or suite has a steward that tends to your every need, makes sure your bed is made, the room is cleaned, with a towel animal left behind on your bed. After being away for a while, you may be tired, and want to take a rest for a moment to soak in the moment of your surroundings, realizing that you are actually where you are!

A well thought out vacation can be great if things turn out to be a success, but what happens to those time that don't go over so well? For a person who refuses to find any fault in their vacation, they will always have a follow-up just in case things go awry. When you as a traveller returns home, you will reflect on your cruise and say, "Wow! That was fun! I want to do that again!" OR you can be the one who could have had more fun, saying, "Next time, I'll do it differently." With a look of disappointment on your face.

I find it hard to believe that ANYONE would go on a cruise and say they had a bad time. One footnote to keep in mind, is that the ship is on a tight schedule. There is an itinerary that they do follow. Remember when I mentioned people who are very strict about keeping their schedule to they can squeeze as much activity as they could? This cruise schedule would probably work our perfectly for that person! These are not the best instructions on taking a problem-free cruise, but it's a start!

Previous cruise experience. For the first time ever, my family of four took a cruise. It was fun, but I was planning scared, because I didn't think we'd the money. I'm in need for a "prescription re-fill! We're planning another one this summer, taking all of the tours that we can afford!


 By Brigitte M Hinton



Article Source: Travel By Cruise Ship

The Basics of the Calvin Cycle

The Calvin Cycle-or also known as the C3c cycle, Calvin-Benson Bassham (CBB) cycle, dark reaction, or reductive pentose phosphate cycle- was discovered by Melvin Calvin, James Bassham, and Andrew Benson in the year of 1950. This cycle does not directly require light making it a light independent reaction of photosynthesis.

The Calvin Cycle starts out with carbon dioxide entering a plant through its leaves that contain pores called the stomata. The reactions that occur are called light-independent reactions because of their lack of use of light. Carbon atoms-which are provided by the carbon dioxide- are then incorporated into organic molecules and used to build glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate(G3P). Such process uses the help of ATP and NADPH from light reactions. Different from the light reactions, which occur in the thylakoid membrane, the cycle happens in the stroma. Then, the G3P is used as the starting point to make glucose, cellulose, starch, and other organic compounds that the plant might need

To simplify, the Calvin Cycle can be filtered down to 4 simple steps. In step one, carbon is changed. The enzyme rubisco combines a carbon dioxide molecule with the a 5-carbon sugar ribulose bisphosphate. This unstable result causes the molecule to split into 2 molecules of 3-carbon phosphoglyceric acid. The end result of this are 6 molecules of 3 carbon 3-PGA. The second step is reduction of 3-PGA molecules. Energy from the 6 molecules of ATP is used to react NADPH TO NADP+. From there, the product is six molecules of energy-rich 3-carbon sugar G3P. The third step is the releasing of a molecule of the G3P.

This leaves the remaining 5 molecules to continue the process. The final step of this cycle is to renew the RuBP. This is done through a series of chemical reactions that uses the energy of ATP to rearrange the atoms of the 5 G3P molecules, (15 carbon molecules), which forms 3 RuBP molecules (15 total carbon molecules). The end result of the last step ends with three molecules of five carbon RuBP. This is only one turn of the Calvin Cycle. This whole process will cycle again repeatedly.

To summarize, the equation of the Calvin Cycle is 3 O2+9ATP+6 NADPH+ 5H20-> glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate (G3P) + 2H+6+NADPH+9 ADP+ 8 Pi. Pi is the same as inorganic phosphate. The main reactant of the Calvin Cycle is C02, and the main product is glucose.



 By Alondra Jimenez



Article Source: The Basics of the Calvin Cycle

Time to Get Over the "Yuck Factor"

Potable water has traditionally been perceived as an unlimited resource-something that would always be available in endless supply. As a result, water conservation has often been viewed as unnecessary. But California has been in a drought since 2009; it persists despite last winter's rainy season and reservoir levels that are approaching normalcy.

Households consume 40% of California's potable water through toilet use. Since toilets are plumbed with the same water that runs to kitchen sinks, toilet water is fine for drinking. Yet after only one use it is promptly returned to Waste Water Treatment plants. Recycled water from sinks and showers, defined as "Grey Water," can be used for non-potable uses such as washing cars or watering plants. This recycled water, better known as water that comes from the purple pipe, is treated to a purity level only slightly lower than potable water standards.

Hopefully, after years of drought messaging the average person is aware that water conservation is something that we all need to think about.

The question is," What stops people from recycling Grey Water to bring it up to drinking standards?" The answer is not technology-based, since reverse osmosis systems provide the technology to remove any particle, virus or contaminant in water that might be harmful to people if it is consumed.

The answer is marketing. The overriding perception is that drinking recycled water is the same as water that is flushed down the toilet. This is simply not true. Orlando, Florida and Orange County, California have both used recycled water in this way since recycled water systems became required by law in 1986.

Examples of places where water is recycled to drinking level include Singapore, where cleanliness standards are more stringent than average, and Windhoek, Naimbia, the first city in the world to use recycled water to address its drinking water requirements.

Converting previously used water to drinking standards, the true definition of "Toilet-to-Tap," is also cheaper and creates a smaller carbon footprint when it is purified locally than when it is pumped to purification plants that may be hundreds of miles away.

In the state of California, these facts are difficult to avoid. Scientists predict that climate change will result in lower amounts of snowfall in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. The spring snowmelt from this mountain range comprises much of California's water supply. The population growth trajectory indicates that the state's population will be over 50 million by 2050 and, of course, all residents will require water.

An alternate source of water that has been suggested is desalinated ocean water. Desalination, however, is an energy-intensive process that currently has only niche applications. This leaves us asking: Where will our drinking water come from?

During their drought the Australians considered converting the water used recycled well enough to wash coal directly to drinking water with some added purification. Charles Fishman illustrated in his book "The Big Thirst", Toomba Australia's Director of Water and Waste Water services Kevin Flanagan came up with the idea based if water could be used to wash coal then why not clean it to a level where people could drink it. Once the politicians in opposition implemented a marketing campaign utilizing fear tactics they were able to affect public opinion and derail the project.

The people of Australia failed to understand the term toilet-to-tap means the water that was in your toilet is processed before being made available for drinking. Every drop of water has been recycled at some point in the earth's history.

Water is naturally filtered by the ground, through the soil, through the zone where both water and air fill spaces between soil particles above the area where water alone fills the pore spaces. Larger particles, such as silt, leaves, and twigs are filtered out because they can't fit through the small pore spaces. Smaller particles such as suspended clay and microorganisms become adsorbed to the soil particles. Some microorganisms are eaten by other organisms. And some dissolved chemicals such as nitrates and pesticides are consumed up by bacteria which live underground.

Our lakes and streams, provide filtering through the actions of plants and bottom-dwelling animals (like freshwater clams and mussels) which take in water, remove nutrients, and return the purified water to the environment.

Water which evaporates from the ocean due the heat provided by sunlight eventually condenses as water droplets in clouds. If the cloud grows large enough, the droplets coalesce and fall typically as rain sometimes as snow or ice. A majority of the water evaporated into the atmosphere falls as precipitation on the ocean, mostly in the tropics.

Some cities have so little clean natural water that treated sewage is reused by filtering it through the ground. Why not utilized a process used by nature for millions of years and use current technology to increase the speed and efficiency of the process?

We need to get over "the yuck factor" and take advantage of every possible resource to ensure that there is ample drinking water for everyone. I shudder to think of the ramifications if we do not.

Tony Green is a speaker/consultant and the founder of Speaking Green Communications which was founded to be voice for the adoption of sustainability and the adoption of alternative energy technologies including water conservation. More about how I can help you or your organization conserve water can be found either at my website at the link below: http://www.speakinggreencommunications.com


 By Tony Green



Article Source: Time to Get Over the "Yuck Factor"