Sealing a garage floor

The floor of your garage is exposed to intense corrosion
and deterioration due to road salt, oils and other auto fluids.
Sealing your garage floor reduces dust and makes
cleaning and sweeping easier. A clear acrylic concrete
sealer protects the concrete from damage and stains. Also
the same sealers can be used on concrete walks and
driveways or as a primer under acrylic or polyurethane
floor paints. You should take care when and where you
apply a sealer because they cannot be applied over paint or
other coatings.

In order to do the sealing yourself you need several
materials and tools: protective clothing, neoprene rubber
gloves, goggles, a stiff brush and a bucket, a paintbrush, a
cartridge-style respirator with organic-vapor and small-
particle filters, paint roller with extension handle and tray,
medium nap roller cover, a concrete degreaser and of
course some concrete sealer. Usually ½ gallon of sealer is
used for approximately 100 square feet.

Before sealing you have to clean the floor because it has to
be free of dirt, grease and oil. To do this you should use a
stiff scrub brush to apply the cleaner and concrete
degreaser according to the instructions. Allow the solution
to lay on the floor for 15 to 20 minutes more for stubborn
stains after scrubbing. After his you should rinse
thoroughly with clear water. You may need several
applications.  Many concrete sealers contain hazardous
chemicals that may be harmful to skin and eyes and the
vapors are not safe to breathe but the vast majority are
acrylic. The best way to avoid damages to your skin, eyes
and lungs is to wear the protective equipment made of
neoprene rubber gloves, goggles and a respirator with both
organic-vapor and solid-particle filter cartridges. During
the process of sealing the floor you should continuously
ventilate the garage by opening all doors and windows and
also using a fan would be a great idea.

After cleaning and drying the concrete, the sealer has to be
applied. The sealer should be tested in an inconspicuous
area before applying. Some uneven density in the concrete
may result in light/dark appearance that may be
objectionable. By using the medium-nap paint roller with
extension handle is the easiest way to apply the sealer. Start
in a rear corner continuing to work your way out of the
garage. Before doing anything else you should allow the
sealer to dry as indicated on the sealer bottle, usually for a
few hours. For a driveway the procedure is essentially the
same but it would be quicker to use a garden sprayer to
apply the sealer to a large driveway. You should act with
caution not to over spray on other material due to the high
risk of staining.

Backhoe Loader

Also referred to as a loader backhoe, the backhoe
loader is an engineering and excavation vehicle that
consists of a tractor, front shovel and bucket and
a small backhoe in the rear end.  Due to the small
size and versatility, backhoe loaders are common
with small construction projects and excavation type
work.

Originally invented in Burlington Iowa back in 1857,
the backhoe loader is the most common variation of
the classic farm tractor.  As the name implies, it
has a loader assembly on the front and a backhoe
attachment on the back.

Anytime the loader and backhoe are attached it is
never referred to as a tractor, as it is not normally
used for towing and doesn't normally have a PTO.
When the backhoe is permanently attached, the
machine will normally have a seat that can swivel
to the rear to face the backhoe controls.  Any type
of removable backhoe attachments will normally have
a seperate seat on the attachment itself.

Backhoe loaders are common and can be used for many
tasks, which include construction, light transportation
of materials, powering building equipment, digging
holes and excavating, breaking asphalt, and even
paving roads.

You can often replace the backhoe bucket with
other tools such as a breaker for breaking and
smashing concrete and rock.  There are some loader
buckets that offer a retractable bottom, which
enable it to empty the load more quickly and
efficiently.

The retractable bottom loader buckets are often
times used for grading and scratching off sand.
The front assembly on a backhoe may be either
removable or permanently attached.  Often times,
the bucket can be replaced with other tools or
devices.  In order to mount different attachments
to the loader, it must be equipped with a tool
coupler.  The coupler consists of two hydraulic
cylinders on the end of the arm assembly, which
can expand and retract to allow different tools to
be attached to the unit.

There are several types of backhoe loader brands,
including New Holland, John Deere, and Case.  Some
will offer you cabs, while others won't.  The
newer types of backhoe loaders even offer you air
conditioning, radios, and other accessories that
make you feel like you are working with luxury.

Common with excavating jobs, the backhoe can serve
many purposes.  It can haul equipment and supplies
in the loader bucket.  Another great use is to cover
up dirt when filling in trench lines or covering
up pipe that was just put in the ground.  The
backhoe attachment at the rear is ideal for digging
water pipes and sewer pipes.

The best thing about the backhoe loader is the
fact that they are easy to operate.  You don't
need to be a rocket scientist to fully operate this
nifty piece of equipment.

Porsche 968

Porsche 968 is basically the successor of the Porsche 944.
It has a low nose and wide wheel arches that helps accentuating
the beautiful lines of this classic shape that in a Porsche Guards
Red is a real head turner.  It has also the classic GT front engine,
rear wheel drive layout with the added advantage of a rear transaxle
giving almost perfect weight distribution.

Instead of the hidden headlights of the 944, the 968 has visible
pop up headlights, similar to the Porsche 928. This brings the
look of the car inline with the new Porsche 997-911. This change
has also a practical advantage: the headlights can be washed
along with the rest of the car instead of having to pop them up to
wash them.

As for the interior, it remains the same as produced in the 944,
keeping the famous “oval dash”. The designers used the same
robust materials which have given all Porsche owners many years
of trouble free motoring.

The exterior has a few differences: the door mirrors have
been streamlined with the tear drop effect and the wheels
have 5 spoke Cup design alloys. The rear bumper is more
blended and with integral rear light clusters, making it almost
indistinguishable from the bodywork. All these bodywork changes
made the 968 look a lot like the 928, and added the engine heritage,
some people have referred to it as “the daughter of 928”.

The engine is a version of the one first used on the 944 S2: it is a
4 cylinder, 3 liter, 16 valve unit. And they added VarioCam for
optimum power throughout the speed range. It has 240 HP
at 6200 rpm and a torque of 305 Nm at 4100 rpm, given by the
improved combustion chamber and inlet manifold design.  At the
time of production, it was a remarkable engine, having the highest
displacement per cylinder of any car engine and also the highest
torque output of any unblown 3 liter engine. Clearly, the result of
Porsches investment in this engine paid off.

The rear-mounted gearbox is a 6-speed manual or 4 speed tiptronic.
It is the first ever mounted on a production car. The chassis has
almost perfect weight distribution and very stiff characteristics.

Usually, most cars start to fail when it comes to breaks and the
reason is that it doesn’t matter how fast the car is in a straight
line if you can’t take a bend (turn) at the right safe speed. But Porsche
brakes have always been the envy of most road sports car
manufacturers. You will notice little or no or no discernable fatigue
even under harsh use of Porsche 968. ABS adds even more
safety to the already excellent braking system. Also, what makes
the brakes so effective is that the wheels themselves are designed
to prevent the tire from coming off the rim in the event of a sudden pressure
loss.

Operating A Backhoe Safely

A skid steer loader with backhoe attachment or a backhoe
loader in general can be very productive if it is
operated safely and efficiently.  The best way to
get the job done safely and efficiently is to know
yourself, the job site, and your equipment.

Even though the models of backhoes will vary, there
are safety features with all of them that include
steps and grab handles for getting on and off of
the machine.  Backhoes also feature frame lock levers
and attaching levers to keep the backhoe securely
fastened to the loader frame during operation as well
as transporting.

In addition to these standard safety features, there
are some backhoes that provide a safety chain.  The
safety chain will prevent the backhoe mounting
frame from rotating backwards and unexpectedly
trapping the operator, which can result in serious
injury or death.  Therefore, it is always important
to know and check all of the mounting and attachment
points and the safety chain before you operate the
backhoe.

If you've attached the backhoe to the loader, you
should take a moment to inspect it and perform any
necessary maintenance.  Check for broken or
damaged parts, also making sure to check for leaks,
cracks, excessive wear, and check the control
levers.

The warning and safety signs and instructional
decals are very important and will help you to
avoid injury.  You should always take them seriously
and replace any damaged or missing decals.

Every 8 hours or so, you should grease all of the
zerk fittings, and check the hydraulic fluid
and oil and a daily basis.  If the fluid is low,
the backhoe will not operate.  Therefore, you
should always take the time to check your machine.

Anytime you have to leave the operator seat of the
backhoe, you should lower the bucket or attachment
to the ground, turn the engine off, remove the
ignition key, then exit the machine.

When the time comes to drive to the next job site,
you should always make sure that you have fully
raised both the front and rear stabilizers and
make sure you've put the backhoe seat into the
"down" position for better visibility.  Before
you drive off, make sure that you've installed the
transport locking pin.

Here are some other things to keep in mind:
-  Always select the right size bucket for
the job.
-  Stake out the work area that is going to
be excavated and use flags to mark the area.
-  Never work in areas that have inadequate
overhead clearances.

Always make sure that you keep bystanders or other
workers out of the swing area.  If anyone gets in
the way of the boom swinging, they can very easily
get injured.  The machine has no feelings,
therefore you should always be aware of who is
around you and where they are standing.

A Hobby Greenhouse Will Get You Growing!

For people who would like to do more gardening but live in a short growing season area, a hobby greenhouse is the answer.  A hobby greenhouse is not large enough to produce vegetables or flowers on a commercial basis.  It will, however, give you a place for a tomato plant or two and some fresh greens even if you live in the northern regions.  Greenhouse enthusiasts even have their own association, called the Hobby Greenhouse Association, which publishes a quarterly magazine.  The organization also sponsers events and helps individuals connect to get help with the aspect of gardening that they are interested in, whether it's growing cacti or saving seeds.

If you are in the market for a hobby greenhouse, there are several types on the market.  The smallest type is not large enough to walk into and must be accessed from the outside.  It resembles an old-fashioned phone booth made all of glass and outfitted with shelves.  This type is designed to fit as many plants as possible in as small a place as possible.  The shelves are made of glass to allow as much light as possible to reach plants on the lower shelves.  Another inexpensive version of this sort of hobby greenhouse is shelving covered with a zippered tent of clear plastic.  This sort of arrangement is great for the small-scale hobby gardener wanting a place to keep her flowers or houseplant starts.

There are a variety of designs of hobby greenhouse that are large enough to walk into but made entirely of clear glass or plastic.  They are often about the same size as a small storage building.  Some independent builders have started making these to sell locally.  Among national brands, one of the nicest is called the "Solar Prism."  It is called this because of it's unique construction.  This hobby greenhouse is made of a single piece of durable clear plastic which is designed to work like tiny prisms side by side.  They trap the rays of the sun and shoot them back into the greenhouse at all angles.  For this reason, these little  greenhouses are said to glow when the weather is cloudy.

Better hobby greenhouses are equipped with automatic sensors that open vents which allow ventilation and keep the interior temperatures from getting too high.  These are a great labor saver, but can get expensive.  Another benefit sometimes found in nicer greenhouses is a built in irrigation or misting system.  Members of the Hobby Greenhouse Association, or HGA, have invented many interesting designs of greenhouses.

If gardening is your hobby, greenhouse growing will interest you.  With a greenhouse, you can have the earliest tomatoes and salad greens all year.  You can also start seedlings for the main garden early in the spring when outdoor temperatures would kill them.  A hobby greenhouse can be a good investment.

Who is involved in Legal services?

When you subscribe to a pre-paid legal service, you are likely to deal
with an attorney and a number of other individuals and organisations who
are involved in one way or another with the service. It’s important to
understand the role of each participating party in a legal service plan,
particularly when you’re unhappy with the service or when fee disputes or
any other litigation with your provider arises.

So, who is involved in your pre-paid legal arrangement?

Your Lawyer

You get to choose your attorney from a pool of attorneys in the network.
Your lawyer is your point of contact for any phone advice or office
consultation. He is the one who furnishes other legal services specified
in your written agreement with your provider: he drafts your will, reviews
simple contracts for you, writes letters on your behalf and makes phone
calls to adverse third parties.
If you are unsatisfied with the quality of work you are getting from your
current attorney in the network then you have the choice of choosing
alternate attorneys. You can also make a complaint to your provider’s
in-house charge of complaints.

If you benefit from legal services under a group plan scheme then there are
a number of parties who are involved in this scheme.
First the contracted firm, just as is the case with an individual plan, is
the one which provides all the legal help through its network of attorneys.
There are also two parties involved in the deal: a plan administrator and a
plan sponsor.

A plan sponsor is the organisation you are member of, which sponsors your
legal plan. Your sponsor can either choose to provide the legal services as
a fringe-benefit, as is the case with most employers, pre-charge for the
service  - universities usually charge for any legal service as part of
tuition fees – or charge low-costs, as do trade unions under a
group-bargaining scheme.

Your plan administrator is the person appointed by your sponsor to arrange
for the panel of lawyers from the contracted firm to provide services,
collects all the fees paid into a pre-paid plan, publicizes the plan and
handles enrolment and marketing. The administrator may be a an employee of
the sponsor, an insurance company or an outside firm.

Regulating Authority

Authorities that regulate pre-paid plans provide you with an outline of how
pre-paid legal services are managed and also an outlet in case there are
any complaints.
Individual pre-paid legal plans are generally regulated by your state
department of consumer affairs.
If you are an employee participating in a group plan funded by your
employer, then the legal services are covered and regulated under the
deferral Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA).

After school activity for the hyperactive child

ADHD refers to attention-deficit-hyperactivity-disorder. Most children who
suffer from this disorder suffer from attention problems as well as hyperactivity. Parents of such children are well aware that inattention and hyperactivity continue throughout the day. Keeping such children busy after school hours can be as difficult as keeping them safe during the school day.

The first step while choosing the right after school activity for your child is to understand how ADHD affects him. Is your child interested in sports? Is he put off by the fierce competitiveness, or does he find it hard to get along with teammates? Does your child vocalize his feelings, or is communication a problem?

For a child suffering from ADHD, physical exercise is always beneficial. Exercise takes up the extra energy and helps to stimulate the brain. Team activities teach social skills and discipline. But, if your child shies away from team sports, you may want to look at activities like dancing, cycling, swimming or gymnastics. Martial arts not only teach techniques of self-defense but also teach self-control and patience.

If your child shows aversion to sport and shows inclination towards the fine arts, you may need to look at some other options. Acting classes are a wonderful form of creative exercise. It also provides the child with ample opportunity to develop his social skills. Music, art or dance can  help the child to keep himself busy and entertained.

In case the child is not interested in any of the above, you may want him to join a Boy Scouts club or other community oriented clubs that take up social work. Cleaning a park, putting on a show, helping out in an old age home are various activities that may pique your child's interest.

Whatever form of activity you choose, make sure that you monitor your child's progress periodically. If you feel that there is no progress, you may need to change the activity. Anything that increases your child's self-esteem is good. You may enlist the help of the coach or teacher to assess your child's development.

There are certain activities that are detrimental to a child suffering from ADHD. Computer and video games are a definite NO. Since these games need no interaction, children will feel all the more isolated. These children also find it difficult to distinguish between the good and the bad messages. They may therefore show an inclination to stick to messages that are not needed. Games that need the child to sit and wait for his turn patiently tax his patience and will not be a success.

Although you would want these children to be as near to normal as possible, understanding their needs and limits will help you select the right after school activity - one that is fulfilling, tiring as well as challenging.