Keep Your Batteries Cool

You know that battery operated tools are the greatest and give you mobility wherever you are working - unless the battery is dead. You can prevent alot of battery problems by following these hints. The first thing you should remember is that heat is your battery's number one enemy. It not only takes out its strength but is shortens their life as well. You should always store cordless tools in a cool place. Don't leave them laying out in the sun or keep them in a hot car or truck or trunk of the car.If your battery gets heavy use and run down, let it cool off first before recharging it. Did you know that the chargers generate heat. Also wait until the battery runs completely down before recharging. Partial charges just create problems. So-called "quick chargers" don't always bring the cells up to full power. If you use this method, then after 10 quick charges, charge your battery to full capacity. They do run down even if they are not used often so if you know you have a job ahead, make sure and get a good charge on your tools beforehand. And remember, keep them cool as much as you can.

Real Estate Information a Mouse-Click Away

One city has developed a Website that allows anyone to find the information they need on any piece of real estate anywhere in Iowa. This could be online by September. Several realtors already have gone online with their listings and you can walk thru the houses right online without ever going there. In that way you can decide ahead of time whether it is a waste of your time or not. This Website is going to be designed for use by the general publis, as well as,professional users such as bankers or abstractors. You will be able to type in a street address, city, and/or county where the real estate is located and find out the names of the property owners, assessments and if there are any tax payments due. Should save alot of time for alot of people.

Heart Surgery or Pills?

If you could choose between having heart surgery and maybe taking some pills, what would you choose. I bet you would choose the pills. Well there is a study underway between open heart surgery and angioplasty, where they thread a small balloon into an artery and open up an artery. A study last week found patients who once decided to take medicine and have angioplasty, didn't fare any better than those who took the drugs instead. This is an important finding because 1 million Americans every year are implanted with stents. However, each patient musts be evaluated separately to be sure they and their doctors make the right informed decisions. Angioplasty can cost tens of thousands of dollars. Most drugs are generic, so if this proves true, huge savings could be made.

Coal - A Vital Fuel Source for Electricity

Electricity generated from coal is one of the most affordable and reliable sources of energy in this country. It is a vital component in a thriving economy. Coal-based generation has beome increasingly clean over the past 35 years, the result of tremendous progress in technology. Clean coal technology promises to greatly reduce or even eliminate causes that have been tied to global warmng. Did you know that 85 percent of the electricity in Iowa comes from coal? At least 25 other states rely on coal to supply at least 50 percent of their energy needs. Without a doubt renewable energy sources such as solar, biomass and wind will create job opportunities here and there. But they are not capable of meeting base-load requirements. Clean, affordable and abundant coal remains the most viable fuel source in the U. S. for electric generation.

Where is Everyone Traveling To?

The world is wide open when seeking a place to get away with the girls. One travel agent reported she had women on their way back from Australia and that Vegas is always a hot spot. New York City is another popular destination for your professional women. But still another travel agent said Las Vegas is a "top Spot" with young women. Long weekends in Chicago are also popular because alot of the hotels offer spas. Phoenix and Scottsdale, Arizona are the big spa destinations. A local travel agent is preparing a vacation cruise for a group of young women friends. A bus trip to a dinner theater is attractive to many women too. Trips to Galena, Illinois, the Mall of America, weekend camping trips or taking part in the Sister-friend weekend are also popular. A salon manager said young women frequently book spa parties at her salon. They get a massage, manicures, pedicures, facials, a little bit of everything. The parties can be scheduled day or evening and often the women bring their own snacks and beverages.

New Mexico's Spaceport

Billionaire Richard Branson has looked out at the bleak and featureless expanse of the New Mexico desert. What he sees is the perfect spot on which to build the future. He plans to build a $198 million launch complex that would blast paying tourists into space. What do you think of that? Time will tell whether other people around there share his vision or not. It would be called Spaceport America and would be funded by the state, local, and federal money. He hopes to have the first rocket flights in 2009 and would initially be suborbital trips that would offer five minutes of weightlessness at about $200,000 per person. Eventually they plan to offer trips into orbit and beyond. Southern New Mexico is poor ranching country and some say they have no intention of paying for some rich people's thrills.
The 27-square-mile site, near White Sands Missile Range, where the U.S. launched its first rocket after World War II, would include a 10,000 foot runway with adjoining terminals and hangars. This big runway would be able to handle the kinds of planes that take spaceships up to 60,000 feet, where they could then be launched. Time will tell if this materializes.

April 11, 2007

It is April 11, 2007 and we have 2-3 inches of fresh new snow on the ground and more coming down. We are in a Winter Storm Warning until 7 tonight. Is this Spring or What? The tulips must think it is winter again. The Robins are wishing they had waited to come north. All the bird feeders are empty. The birds must be hiding out. Had to sweep the snow off the satellite dishes so we could get a picture this morning. It looks like a very heavy wet snow with wind but it shouldn't blow. All the kids are out of school so we should see snowmen popping up anytime now.