A Look at Current Roofing Choices

Asphalt Shingles and Corrugated Sheets

Asphalt single roofing is far and away the most popular of all roofing materials used in the US. Asphalt shingles are now produced in a rainbow of colors and not just the traditional shades of gray.

Asphalt singles are easy to install, attaching to the roof with adhesive and roofing nails. You will have a broad choice of asphalt shingle styles and grades from which to make your choice, and the higher the number assigned to grade of shingle, the better its quality will be. Your budget will play a large part in your choice of asphalt shingle grades.

Fiberglass, fiber, and PVC are all used to make corrugated sheet roofing, which is almost always installed directly on an existing roof. Corrugated sheet roofing is ideal for home handymen who are up to handling n a DIY roofing installation project.

Wooden Shingles And Built-up Roofing

Using wooden shingles or shakes for a roof can give a home a very natural rustic appearance. While wooden shingles create a smooth, uniform texture on a roof, wooden shakes will provide a very rough, and even more rustic, look. There are some homeowners who pass on wooden roofs as fire hazards, but they do create a look which can't be matched by any other roofing materials.

While built-up roofing is seldom used in residences, it is popular on commercial structures with flat or nearly flat surfaces. Built-up roofing is composed of layers of asphalt treated fiberglass, combined with asphalt tar.

Metal. Tile, and Slate Roofing

The popularity of metal roofing declined after the end of World War II, but it has seen a resurgence in the past twenty years. Metal roofing is easy to install, low-maintenance, and nonflammable. Some metal roofing is guaranteed for fifty years.

Metal roofing is available in aluminum, steel and stainless steel, tin, copper, and copper alloys. Aluminum is both lightweight and resistant to rust and corrosion, while steel is exceptionally hard but will succumb to rust unless treated for an extra cost. Copper is very expensive, and scratched or dents easily, so copper alloys are often used as roofing because of their harder surfaces.

Slate and tile roofing has been around longer than almost any other roofing material, and will still outlast most of them. But both tile and slate are very expensive, require specialized installation techniques. They are also too heavy tow be suitable for many kinds of construction, and the buildings on which they are used must be reinforced to safely tolerate their extra weight.

Why Classical Fencing?

In recent years a number of fencing groups have emerged that specialize in classical fencing. Although the definition of classical fencing varies based on the group, there are several general characteristics. Fencing should be conducted in the style prevalent from the 1870s up to World War II. The 1870s and 1880s see the emergence of fencing as a sport while still constrained by the realities of the duel. The end of World War II marks the beginning of the introduction of modern training methods that developed fencers as high performance athletes.

Classical fencing is distinguished by an increased emphasis on blade work and eyes open actions, with a decreased emphasis on high speed footwork. Multipart blade actions were normal, and exchanges in phrases tended to be longer. Some footwork that is now accepted as normal either was not in general use (the pass is an example) or was of radically different form (the fleche, introduced in the 1920s-1930s is an example). The Classical strip is shorter (20 feet by 3 feet is a representative size found in early period rules books), allowing only limited movement by modern standards. And bouts use visual judges, not electrical scoring. These factors combine to make a very different game.

The social conventions of the sport were also different. For example, at times in the late 1800s retreating from an attack was considered somewhat dishonorable. In my salle we simulate this by holding what we call tea-tray matches, named after the practice of some fencing masters of giving lessons in which the student could not move from the outline of a tea tray. Fencers come on guard at lunging distance, and are not permitted to retreat.

One of the interesting things about classical fencing is that there was a broader section of weapons to teach and learn. Fencing masters taught the cane as a weapon up to the early 1900s; a relic of this is the inclusion of la canne as a weapon in Savate. The single stick was fenced as a version of saber with the whole body as target, no point thrusts, and no right of way through the first decade of the 1900s. Single stick was included in the fencing program at the 1906 Olympics. Its cousin, English country village single stick, persisted as late as 1950. Finally, the bayonet was widely fenced as a competitive sport in the armed services of many countries up to World War II. This variety makes the overall classical period quite interesting to the student of arms.

We are fortunate that the masters of this period left behind an extensive array of books that describe the techniques they taught and their application in detail. Classical technique is different from modern technique, and going to the original sources (or their reprints or the small number of accurate teaching guides) is very important. Contrary to what some say, classical fencers did not have perfect form, some of them behaved as badly as some athletes do today, and people cheated and manipulated just like they do today. But the game is a demanding one, and develops blade skills to a high level. It could make an interesting addition to the program of your fencing club or salle.

Identity Theft - Who Would Want Mine?

With all my bills who would possibly want my credit? Let them steal my identity and pay my bills! Unfortunately, that's not the way it works. Many of us mistakenly believe that identity thieves hit only the wealthy. Nothing could be farther from the truth. The average person is often more vulnerable that those we consider wealthy?

When someone steals your identity, they probably won't touch your existing accounts and they certainly aren't going to use your address. That would alert you to the problem. Last year the Identity Theft Resource Center reported that 73 percent of identity thieves will open new lines of credit in your name with a new address. Sixty three percent will take out loans in your name. Thirty seven percent will have cell phones or phone service in your name. Fifteen percent will even lease a car or apartment in your name. And guess what? They aren't going to pay the bills!

The Federal Trade Commission reported that in the last five years 27 million identities were stolen. That's one in every 8 adults. That's more than 1,100 thefts per hour, three times the number of household burglaries. It's definitely the fastest growing crime in America.

How will you learn your identity has been stolen? Eighty- five percent learn the hard way. They apply for credit and it's denied. The collection agency calls trying to collect on past due bills for things they didn't buy. Only fifteen percent are lucky enough to have a business alert them through verifying an application or an address change.

How does your identity get stolen? The number one way is by stealing your purse or wallet. That gives them your name, birth date, and often your social security number. That's all they need to establish credit in your name. Your mailbox is also a prime target. If you receive checks or pre-approved credit offers in the mail you are at risk. Some will steal directly from your mailbox. Others will send in a change of address form and let the Post Office bring it to them. Then there is the "dumpster diver" who goes through the trash at homes or businesses to find the needed information.

You can't stop identity theft from happening. But you can reduce your risk! Remove unnecessary information from your purse or wallet. You need your social security card when you start a new job but you don't need to carry it the rest of the time. Is your social security number on your driver's license? Request a different number from the from the state motor vehicle department. Keep those credit card offers out of your mailbox. Have your name taken off the marketing list of the three major credit reporting bureaus (Equifax, Experian, and Trans Union). Drop your bills off at the post office instead of putting the flag up on your mailbox. Never give an unsolicited caller your social security number, credit card number, or other personal information over the phone. If someone calls representing your financial institution or a creditor get their name, location, telephone number, and the reason they are calling. Then call them back at the phone number printed on your billing statement, not the number they gave you.

Routinely check your credit report for accuracy or even better; subscribe to a monitoring service. It's an easy and cost effective way to protect your family's name and finances. A professional credit analysis yields valuable information. They'll give you specific instructions to reduce your chances of becoming an identity theft victim. Daily monitoring gives you the earliest possible detection. Early detection keeps personal and business losses to a minimum. Businesses are hit hard by identity theft. Remember they pass those costs on to you, the consumer.

You don't have to become an overnight identity theft expert. Letting a professional resolve the situation for you makes an otherwise costly, frustrating, and unpleasant experience easier to bear. You'll have the peace of mind of knowing that someone is always there watching your back for you.

Flagstone Adds Value and Elegance to Any Surface

Flagstone adds value and elegance to any surface.

If your concrete patio is old and cracked and is in need of repair of replacement flagstone could be an option for you.

Tearing out and disposal of an existing concrete patio can be a costly undertaking. A better idea might be to " re laminate " over an existing surface with flagstone.

Over time root growth from trees often grow under a slab or patio causing it to lift causing cracks. Cracks can rise up and cause dangerous conditions to people who trip and fall over the uneven surface. Simply grinding down the surface crack can eliminate the danger and the liability, but at the cost of making the surface look unsightly at best.

Puddles can be formed as a result of root growth causing the concretes pitch for drainage to be altered. Usually concrete has a pitch of 1/8 inch per foot, or one inch of drop per 8 feet. Water always is drained away from the house to keep it from seeping into the walls, however, when roots grow under a concrete surface over years the pitch can be reversed and allow water to rest up against the house from the home and off to where it was meant.

Flagstone can be laid atop an existing surface and create a new proper pitch to drain the water away properly.

Flagstone is not expensive and comes in all colors and thicknesses to meet the taste of any homeowner. Flagstone is a permanent fix that lasts forever. Cracks that can reappear over time in flagstone can easily be repaired and re grouted as if no repair was performed.

Using different colored grouts to compliment the color of a flagstone patio can enhance the beauty significantly. Adding a masonry sealant or lacquer can give that stone you choose " the wet look" adding the finishing touch creating elegance and charm.

Using a licensed general contractor can save time and money by doing the job right the first time. Take three to five estimates and pick the right contractor for your project. After three or four contractor estimate your project, pick the one you feel knows what he or she is doing, not just the cheapest bid!

The History of the Kansas City Chiefs Jerseys

The Kansas City Chiefs play in the American Football Conference Western Division. The team is based out of Kansas City in the state of Missouri. Originally they were known as the Dallas Texans and were charter members of the AFL in 1960. It was three years later that the team moved to Missouri and was renamed accordingly. If you are a fan then you should get your hands on the latest Kansas City Chiefs jerseys to proudly wear at home as well as when out and about.

So far the Chiefs have been victorious in three league championships and have an all time record of 92 - 50 - 5. The club were only the second ever AFL team to defeat a National Football League team in the Super Bowl. This was against the Minnesota Vikings way back in Super Bowl Four. Sadly, this has been the franchises last win up until today.

The 2008 season was not one of the best for the Kansas City Chiefs. In fact it was the club's worst ever year with a poor 2 - 14 record. This can mainly be put down to the club fielding the youngest team in all the National Football League; the average age of their starting squad was only twenty five. As these players gain experience it is believed that the club will be able to regain their past glory. In 2009 the squad was bolstered with the addition on linebacker Mike Vrabel and quarterback Matt Cassel.

The team's colors have been red and gold for nearly fifty years. Originally the helmet featured a logo of the state of Texas with a bright yellow star highlighting Dallas; this had to be replaced in 1963 when the time shifted their base to Kansas City. The old Texan state logo was changed into an arrow head design which incorporated the letters KC.

The team use red helmets and white pants. These stay the same whether the matches are held in Missouri or out of the state. Usually, the jersey worn at home is white, while at away games they wear a red design.

There have only been slight changes and tweaks to the design of their jersey over the years. For example in 2007 a patch was added to honour the AFL and Lamar Hunt. This consists of the original AFL logo from back in the sixties as well as Hunt's initials. This became a permanent feature on the jerseys in the 2008 season.

During the 2009 campaign, throwback kits were all the rage to commemorate the American Football League's fiftieth anniversary. The Chiefs occasionally use this vintage design for special selected games.

The Kansas City Chiefs are well known in the NFL as having one of the most loyal and largest fan bases. Although they may not get so much media attention they still are able to generate the second highest ticket sales in the competition. On average there have been 77,000 attendees at each match since 1996. It is therefore no surprise to discover the jerseys are such hot items. Isn't it about time you started wearing the latest design?

Notable Sussex Women

Think of some famous women who worked in Sussex in the 19th or early 20th centuries. I bet you're thinking about someone like Virginia Woolf, or Catherine Cookson. Can you name the Gaiety Girl who became an MP? The white woman who led a protest march of 20 000 black Africans? The heiress who gave away £12m? The rally driver who beat Stirling Moss? Thought not.

In 19th Century England, there were women working in most walks of life. Working class women did whatever they could to raise the money to feed their families and were paid scandalously little for their efforts. Middle and upper class women were involved in a far wider range of occupations but it was not 'nice' for them to accept payment and they rarely got the credit or respect a man doing the same work would have expected.

We tend to forget what a long way women have come in a short time. Although there are quite a few famous women whose deeds date from before the 20th century, there are far more who were the 'movers and shakers' of their time and yet have been forgotten.

This is not the first book Helena Wojtczak has written on this subject and she says that, when she was researching her previous books ('Women of Victorian Sussex' - a social history, and 'Railway Women') it struck her that town monuments and records offices all had their lists of local worthies displayed proudly, and that there were remarkably few women on those lists. This realisation was, at least in part, the inspiration for 'Notable Sussex Women'. By unearthing and recording details of some of these forgotten women, and giving them a well-deserved place amongst the more famous names of their era, Helena Wojtczak has gone a good way towards redressing the balance.

As well as 580 biographical sketches, there are some fabulous photos in this book. It is a rewarding book to own as a coffee-table book for Sunday morning browsing as well as being a candidate for local historians' reference shelves. But for me personally, what makes it irresistible is the collection of quotes, poems and polemics by women from the last two centuries who knew a woman's place all to well and had a fair deal to say about it. Here are some choice ones...

The philosophers seem to know that hard work never unsexes a woman: only wages can do that - Mrs Swisshelm

Anonymous was a woman. - Virginia Woolf

A blank wall of social and professional antagonism faces the woman physician that forms a situation of singular and painful loneliness, leaving her without support, respect or professional counsel. - Dr Elizabeth Blackwell.

And, just in case you are too young to know what they are fretting about, here are a couple of quotes from some very well known male-type people:

When a woman becomes a scholar there is usually something wrong with her sexual organs. - Nietzche

I consider that women who are authors, lawyers, and politicians are monsters. - Renoir

You bring up your girls as if they were meant for sideboard ornaments and the complain of their frivolity - Ruskin

And, to sum up:

I think, therefore I am single. - Lizz Winstead

Baked Chicken Slices And Kidney Bean Soup

Baked Chicken Slices

¾ cup of mayonnaise or salad dressing

1¼ cups of buttermilk baking mix

2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese (8 ounces)

1 egg

¼ cup of sliced green onions or scallions (with tops)

1 can of mushroom stems and pieces (4 ounces), drained

1 cup of cut-up cooked chicken

¼ teaspoon of salt

½ pound loaf of French bread, cut lengthwise into halves, or 6 slices of bread

Dash of pepper

Heat oven to 450 degrees. Mix egg, baking mix and mayonnaise. Stir in remaining ingredients except French bread or plain bread. Spread about 1½ cups of the mixture evenly on cut sides of French bread, or spread about ½ cup of the mixture on each slice of plain bread. Bake on ungreased cookie sheet until golden brown and puffy for about 10 to 15 minutes. Cut each half of French bread crosswise into thirds. Serve immediately.

To Make Baked Frankfurter Slices: Substitute process cheese spread for the Cheddar cheese. Omit the green onions, cut-up cooked chicken, mushrooms and salt. Stir in 4 frankfurters, cut into ¼-inch slices, ½ cup of sweet pickle relish and 1 tablespoon of prepared mustard into mayonnaise mixture.

To Make Baked Chilli Slices: Substitute Monterey Jack cheese for the Cheddar cheese. Omit the green onions or scallions, cut-up cooked chicken, mushrooms and salt. Stir in 1 tablespoon of chilli powder, 1 can (4 ounces) of chopped green chillies, drained; ½ cup of chopped onion and 1 medium tomato, chopped (about 1 cup) into the mayonnaise mixture.

To Make Baked Tuna Slices: Omit the green onions or scallions, salt, cut-up cooked chicken and mushrooms. Stir in 1 can (6½ ounces) of tuna, drained, ¼ cup of sliced celery, ¼ cup of chopped onion and 3 tablespoons of lemon juice into the mayonnaise mixture.

To Make Baked Vegetable Slices: Substitute Swiss cheese for the Cheddar cheese. Omit the green onions or scallions, cut-up cooked chicken and mushrooms. Stir in ½ cup of alfalfa sprouts, 1 medium tomato, chopped (about 1 cup) and ½ medium cucumber, coarsely chopped; into mayonnaise mixture.

Kidney Bean Soup

4 ounces of dried kidney beans (½ cup)

3 cups of water

½ teaspoon of salt

1 ham bone or 1 pound ham shank or smoked pork hocks or smoked turkey necks

1 small bay leaf

1 clove of garlic, finely chopped

1 medium carrot, sliced (about ½ cup)

¼ teaspoon of crushed dried chilli pepper

1 medium onion, chopped (about ½ cup)

1 medium stalk of celery, chopped

3 lemon slices, cut into halves

3 hard-cooked eggs, finely chopped

2 tablespoons of chopped red onions

Heat water and beans to boiling in Dutch oven. Boil 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Cover and let stand for 1 hour.

Add ham bone or ham shank or smoked pork hock or smoked turkey necks to beans. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat. Cover and simmer until beans are tender, about 2 hours (do not boil or beans will burst). Stir in bay leaf, salt, garlic, celery, chilli pepper, ½ cup of onion and carrots. Cover and simmer for 1 hour.

Remove ham bone or ham shank or smoked pork hock or smoked turkey necks and bay leaf. (Place soup in blender container. Cover and blend until uniform consistency, if desired.) Trim meat from the bone and stir into the soup. Serve with eggs, red onion and lemon slices.

What Does Abundance Have to Do With EFT?

EFT is a revolutionary technique that has helped thousands of people to heal emotionally and physically. This incredible technique has been created by performance coach Gary Craig and adopted by other coaches, therapists, and psychotherapy specialists.

Emotional freedom technique works on the "energy vibrations" in the body. The goal is to get rid of the clogged energy that prevents the healthy flow of body energy. In order to do this we have to locate the energy points of the body and tap them with our fingertips. Just like acupuncture releases the pain or pressures through the needles; tapping releases clogged energy from the body through energy points.

As we tap, we also vocalize what the problem is, and what the result would be, once the problem is gone. While tapping these specific areas of the body one after the other, blocked energy is released, and the healing process is on the way.

One of the key factors that EFT teaches first and foremost is self acceptance. Self acceptance is the first step. This is especially the case in practicing this technique to improve the abundance level in our live. Why is this so important? It is important because people who don't love and accept themselves have a very low self esteem which prevents them to succeed in life.

How can EFT help you bring more abundance into your life?

When there is a disturbance of the energy flow in the body, it can cause different problems. One of them for many people, happens to be lack of abundance or lack of success. You desire wealth, you desire abundance, and you desire success, but bad energy flow in your body can prevent you from accomplishing your goals in many different ways. It could be frustration, guilt, resentment, anger and many other negative emotions.

This revolutionary technique will help you get rid of all those negative feelings and emotions that are blocking the natural flow of energy in your body.

Each session, no matter what you issues may be, will give you relief until the symptoms are gone. It is not uncommon to feel instant relief after the first session. Since EFT is very practical with no need of any tool, you can have a session at any needed time of the day or night, and you can do it on your own. Once you have learned the technique you won't need any help to do your sessions. All you will need is a bit of privacy.

Motor Mouth Written By Janet Evanovich

Motor Mouth is a humorous and enticing story about NASCAR racing and the adventures of a few teams that chose to find trouble, both with NASCAR and other racing teams. Included in this story are spotters that work from rooftops telling their drivers when to move, mechanics that maintain not only the cars but all the equipment needed to transport the cars and equipment, and the drivers themselves and their interaction with all of the aforementioned.

Alex is known as "Motor Mouth" being driver Sam Hooker's spotter. She loves adventure and fun while engaged in any racing activity as well as any wild activity apart from racing. During the last race of the season while giving Sam instructions via radio, a terrible wreck occurs on the racetrack. Among serious conversation along with humor, the happenings and interaction due to the wreck were described leading up to the restart of the race. Beans, a huge Saint Bernard dog belonging to Hooker becomes a big part of the humorous parts of the book. No matter how serious things got, Beans would always do something to take attention away from the seriousness of anything disastrous.

Hooker and Alex suspected some foul play from the owners and team of the winning car as some strange racing car movements occurred that were far from normal. They suspected 'traction control' that would tend to make a car perform oddly even though they could not imagine how that could be transmitted to a car. This starts a private investigation by Alex, Hooker, and of course, Beans that lead to breaking and entering, stealing vehicles, running from the law, finding dead bodies in very unexpected areas, and finding a way to dispose of the bodies some place distant and getting to that area without being followed by any of the racers or the law. Most of this book takes place in south Florida and includes the families and friends of Alex and Hooker. Believe me, you will meet some REAL characters that will say and do most anything. That's what makes this book so funny and interesting at the same time.

I am not a NASCAR fan so I started this book without much hope that I would enjoy it. I was completely wrong. I have enjoyed many of Janet Evanovich's books and this one is no exception-by far! This book is for you if you need a faster read that contains all of the above.