Moving USA To France

July 1st, 2008

Bonjour mon ami. Comment allez vous? Bien merci, eh vous? Oui, Oui! That is all I remember from my high school French. I’m not even sure if the spelling is right. I’d better hit the old books because in two short months I’ll be ordering French cuisine from an authentic French restaurant with a view of the Eiffel Tower.

Yes, I’m moving across the ocean to Paris, France! I’m so excited I can hardly stand it!

This is something my husband and I have dreamed about for years. We worked hard, raised our family, invested wisely. And now our hair is the same color as our wedding anniversary - silver. Time to turn our dreams into reality.

I know exactly what to do. I may be in my retirement years but I’ve managed to stay abreast of technology. I Googled international moving company. After filling in USA as my residence on the form and France as my destination, a list of international moving companies came up. They promised to give me online quotes and actually competed with each other for my business.

My husband checked the ones that looked good on the Better Business Bureau and Epinion. We also wanted to make sure the international moving company could move our Aston Martin – no way were we going anywhere without our beloved car! And our boat! Our International moving company agent gave us comprehensive information on insurance procedures and even assisted us with the completion of required documentation specifically required by France. Awesome service!

Would you believe this international moving company even arranged for the safe transportation of our dog overseas? The agent told me where to find the requirements for moving our dog to France. They include: ID microchip, proof of up to date rabies vaccinations, and vaccinations against
•    Heartworm
•    Leishmaniasis
•    Babesiosis
•    Ehrichiosis
•    Tapeworm
•    Distemper
•    Hepatitis, etc.

I have to admit, I am a little nervous about taking our old, faithful family pet. We’d had her since she was a puppy, when the kids were little. But the international moving agent said she’d be comfortable and they do it all the time. I’ll get the vet to give her some meds to relax her and she’ll be good to go.

Well, all the arrangements have been made. There’s not much else to organize since the international moving company is doing it all. I’m taking a crash course in French online – it’s all coming back to me…slowly but surely.

The kids are excited for us. They’ve always known our plans and are looking forward to visiting us overseas. I gave them French books to study as well so they’ll be able to get around on their own in Paris. Of course I’ll miss them like crazy in between visits but…that’s life! Bon Voyage to us!!

International Moving 

Dealing With Storm and Water Damage

June 26th, 2008

Everyone who has had to evacuate during a storm is eager to get back to their home and to their belongings to assess the amount of damage done to their property, but being too eager to re-enter the home can be an error that can lead to serious injury or even death.  You may forget the proper safety procedures that you need to take before going back inside your home or even back into the neighborhood where you live if there is still standing water on the roads.  

Downed power lines pose a serious threat to your safety if they lie across the road, your driveway, or in your yard after a storm has passed.  If you see one of these, do not attempt to drive or step over it, especially if there is standing water.  You can be electrocuted extremely quickly and there is absolutely no way to tell if a line is electrified just by looking at it.  Not even a trained electrician can tell, so do not take your chances.  Wait until you are absolutely certain it is safe to return to your neighborhood.  The second thing that you need to make sure of is that the electricity to your house is completely turned off.  If your neighbors do not have power, you should not assume that your home has none.  If you have to, call the electric company and have them switch the power off to your home if you cannot get to the switch to do it yourself.

After you get back inside your home, you should get access to a video camera and record the damage that was done to each room of your home.  Note any valuable electronic equipment that may be irreparably damaged due to the storms and if there was any valuable information on something such as a hard drive, try to assess the value of that information, if possible.  Often the value of the information on cell phones, blackberries, and computer hard drives can be even more valuable than the cost of the electronic component itself. 

Never use artificial sources of heat to dry out your home, as you can do more damage than good.  Open windows, doors, and cabinets to try and let these items dry out naturally.

Anything that was wet should be set outside to dry, as long as no more rain is expected.  This includes things like couches and chairs.  If you suspect the flood water contained sewage, you may want to replace the furniture and file an insurance claim on it instead of trying to use it again.

Orlando Emergency Water Restoration

Penicillin and Your New Baby

June 24th, 2008

Ever since Penicillin was put into mass production back in the 1940’s, it has been noted that some people have experienced adverse reactions to the drug.  What is penicillin? 

Penicillin is an antibiotic that has been used for the past 70 years or so to treat different kinds of illnesses and infections.  It comes from the mold penicillin notatum, which is a blue-green kind of mold sometimes found growing on food.  Before the invention of this drug, infections and diseases that are only minor to us could very well be fatal.  Because it is made from mold and reproduces quickly, it’s not very difficult to manufacture at all and therefore it is the most popular antibiotic in use worldwide today.

If you are allergic to penicillin or know someone who is, you might know a bit about what to expect if your new baby is allergic.  If not, you should know that an allergic reaction to penicillin, especially at such a young age, can be fatal.  These reactions can be anything from a simple skin rash all the way to breathing difficulties that can be life-threatening.  If you go to a doctor regularly, you should have had to answer a question on a form that asked if you were allergic to penicillin.  This is so they know whether or not they can administer the drug if you are admitted to the hospital because it is the most frequently occurring drug allergy in existence today. 

Even though penicillin is a drug made from mold designed to help us fight infections, you can be allergic to it like any other mold.  The medical industry is unsure why some people have reactions to penicillin and some do not, but knowing if you are allergic is very important.  Some only have minor symptoms when exposed to the drug and some can be put near death by it.  The only treatment for being allergic to the drug is simply not to use it.  There are other antibiotics that can be used to fight infections besides penicillin.

The symptoms of a penicillin allergy include swollen lips, tongue, and face or sometimes rashes or hives that can cover a large area of the body.  The most life-threatening reaction to the drug is when the bronchial airway becomes extremely swollen and it causes difficulty breathing.  This can be followed by a drop in your blood pressure and will cause lightheadedness.  This kind of reaction can be fatal and if you experience any of these symptoms after receiving a dose of penicillin, you should tell your doctor as soon as you can.  If you are allergic, it’s possible that your newborn will be allergic as well, so your child’s doctor needs to know this before giving them a dose of the drug.

Water Removal Service 

Gray Fruit Mold

June 19th, 2008

One of the most frequent and serious causes of fruit rot in strawberries, blackberries, and raspberries is gray mold. This can affect not only the fruit itself, but also the petals, fruit caps, and flower stalks. There is not another disease as serious as this one during a wet, warm growing season. This is the most extreme during the years that have a prolonged cloudy and rainy period during the fruit’s blooming season or harvest.

Young fruit blossoms are typically the most susceptible to the infection and they usually start to show infection in a cluster of fruit. Blossoms generally show the fruit infection as a soft, light brown, and quickly growing spot on the fruit. If it is let to remain attached to the plant, it will shrink, dry up, and become covered in a powdery, gray substance. This is where the disease gets the name of gray mold.

Fruit that are the most commonly affected are located toward the middle of the plant where the leaves and branches cause the humidity to be high and air circulation to be low. When strawberries rest upon the soil or when one strawberry touches an infected one or just a dead leaf, the fruit rot will begin.

Mature fruits are also susceptible after they are picked, but the younger green fruits may become just as infected; however, the disease isn’t usually detected until later when the fruit is ready to be harvested. Mature fruits are likely to be infected because of bruising or the breaking of the skin and if the conditions for the disease are favorable, mature fruits can become completely rotted as little as 48 hours after being picked.

To prevent gray mold from growing on your fruit, you should select a site to plant your fruit that has a good amount of soil drainage and air circulation. They should also be exposed to direct sunlight.

A good amount of straw mulch should be put between the plants to reduce the amount of contact the healthy fruit has with the soil.

Keep your fruit garden weeded, since it will slow the air movement in the canopy of the plant. Fruits need to be dry to reduce the chance of infection.

Remove any berries that have become diseased, but do not leave them in your garden. Take them away and make sure they do not come into contact with anything else you are growing.

Water Damage

Want The Same Action Stevie Ray Had?

June 9th, 2008

We all want the same action Stevie Ray Vaughan had. I mean guitar action, string height, neck relief, fret level. I’m talking the way the ‘action’ on his guitar is set up. Why would someone want a guitar ’setup’ like Stevie Ray’s? Well for one thing, he is one of the best blues guitar players that ever lived. A relatively close second to Jimi Hendrix.

‘Lenny’, was one of Stevie Ray’s favorite guitars. Because I do some setup work and understand the specs Stevie Ray used for this particular guitar, I wanted to share the specifications with you. I reviewed a ‘Lenny’ guitar, and boy oh boy is it setup nice. Briefly, I love to do setup work, it’s very mechanical and precise and I enjoy setting up guitars for people and then hearing them say “it never played like this before.” I am not a guitar maker though, I am a setup artist.

Stevie Ray’s ‘Lenny’ Setup specs:

Scale length 25-1/2″ with a compounded 7-1/4″ to 12″ compound radius.

Frets are huge, .110″ x .055″ new.

Strings are GHS Nickel Rockers, super large guage .013″to .058″. Must have had giant super human strength in his hands!

Nut action is .o20″ on low E at nut and 3.5/32″ at 17th fret. On the high E the action is .012″ at nut and 5/64″ at 17th fret.

Simply put, these are the most critical points of adjustment. Not the only ones, but combine the different adjustments in the proper order and you have a guitar set up like Stevie Ray. Realistically speaking, if you have the specs, than it can be setup up your way or to your favorite guitarists specs.

Personally I like an even lower action, or string height over the frets. As low as I can get it without fretting out. I came up with my own strategy from reading and trying setup adjustments from many players, such as Jeff Beck and Eric Johnson, to name a few. I also craft a bone nut as a replacement nut for all of my guitars.

With that being said, I don’t recommend doing your own setup work. Especially if you have never done a setup or don’t have the correct tools. I would like to suggest trying it on a cheap guitar the first time. If not, for a perfect setup or guitar upgrades find a competent luthier and give him the setup specs that you want.

Got any questions? Fell free to ask Guitar Players Center via our comment area. I will attempt to answer all questions. If you like the vibe, please share it with others. Enjoy.

The recipe for form + function

June 3rd, 2008

Italian design brings a lot to mind: Caravaggio, Michaelangelo, Da Vinci; Armani, Versace, Dolce; Ferrari and Lamborghini. In all Italian design an artistic element is to be found – one that elevates function beyond function and into a new kind of utility as an object serves not only a first-order function but also conforms to a new imperative to be beautiful as well. Where for Germans design intersects with engineering and precision, Italians design with art and beauty top of mind.

Nowhere is this as evident than in the modern Italian kitchen. Designers of these kitchens merge beauty with function in truly exciting ways. Sleek cabinets, shiny materials, bright colors, and long horizontal lines are the signature of the Italian kitchen. The result is a space that is a piece of art by itself, but which, when used, takes on the roll of a frame for the chef, for the food, for the scene. Thus a whole universe of frames and works are produced as the house frames the kitchen, the kitchen frames the chef, the chef frames the plate, the plate frames the food, and food frames the flavor.

In this way, the modern Italian kitchen is a celebration of art and of life; specifically, it takes into account the way that art produces vitality and vibrancy, and the way life – the pinnacle of vitality and vibrancy – produces art. This subtle interplay is indeed the foundation for the appeal of the aesthetic, which is at once captivating and exciting while it is serene and minimalist. A properly design modern Italian kitchen seems to beg to be looked at while it does also beg to be used.

Finding someone to design a proper Italian kitchen in New York was no problem for me and it is only after having remodeled mine have I truly discovered what is the essence of Italian design: the careful entangling of life and of art.

Avoid Rollover Mistakes

May 22nd, 2008

Rolling your IRA funds from one financial institution to another is an important process. When you make that decision, there are certain considerations that need to be made to avoid making costly mistakes.

1. The One Year Rule. When you rollover your IRA into another one, you cannot rollover funds from that IRA into another account for one year. Certain exceptions are made, but generally speaking, this is the case.

2. The 60-Day Rule. When you receive funds from your Traditional IRA to rollover into another account, you have sixty days to complete the process. If you do not do this, you will pay taxes on those funds to the IRS. To avoid paying these taxes, move those funds as quickly as possible into the new IRA.

3. Unnecessary Rollovers. If you don’t need to use the funds in the meantime, and just want to move the IRA to a different institution, consider doing an IRA transfer, rather than an IRA rollover. If you live in Sonoma, and you want to move your IRA to an institution in Sacramento, simply because you feel it is a better plan, then you can transfer the money. With transfers, you do not have to report it, there are fewer limitations, and thus there are not as many errors.

These are just a few things to consider when executing an IRA rollover. Talk with your financial institution or a financial planner about other considerations

One Month To Go

April 16th, 2008

At one month out, you should consider booking your van. This is important because the longer you leave your bookings, the harder it may be to get an affordable moving company. This also goes for moving, if you’re allowing a firm to pack and move you.

Packing firms may also need plenty of warning to be booked, so ensure you investigate this fully before committing to booking them with a month of time. You may need to book them sooner., or may have a little leeway. Booking at one month in advance (or more) also means its easier to collect and decide, impartially on the quotes you collected in the previous weeks. These quotes may have seemed a long way off, but at 30 or so days until you move, it may seem like a long way off, but depending on the size of your house it may be no time at all.

If you’re moving house and booking a firm to help you, you may also want to consider booking a cleaning company to come in and clean behind you. They can clean your house, after your belongings are packed and have professional methods for removing stains, marks and other tricky marks on walls, doors and carpets. Even if you’re moving yourself, you may need to hire a professional cleaning firm to fulfill your contract with your landlord.

At one month to go you should also start investigating utilities and other things that will transfer with you - moving is a good time to take advantage of any offers that you might get with your phone, electricity, Internet or gas. Taking advantage of this now may not make sense, but in the long run it means you can investigate your options and make an educated decision on your utilities and other billables.

Article By International Shipping - International Auto Transport 

Perdido Key

March 27th, 2008

Perdido Key is a beautiful area of protected beaches between Orange Beach and Pensacola, near gulf Shores, Alabama. Located near historic Pensacola, America’s first settlement, Perdido Key offers a unique blend of traditional beach pastimes like angling, deep sea fishing, and water sports along and shopping, golf, and historic and artistic flavor. Perdido Key is an ideal place for a family vacation because there is something for everyone of all ages. Below is just a sampling of the eclectic offerings available.

Perdido Key Watersports

Perido Key offers common watersports like surfing, deep sea and pier fishing, diving and SCUBA. For an interesting military twist, consider diving the USS Oriskany CV/CVA 34, the largest vessel ever sunk as an artificial reef. The ship is 911 feet long, 157 feet wide and over 150 feet tall.  If this type of exertion doesn’t fall into your vacation style, try chartering a Perdido Key cruise that offers reduced rates for sunbathers, swimmers and wildlife aficionados. Your fishing family members will love the thrill of the chase, while the rest of you relax, walk the decks, and spot sea turtles, dolphins and other ocean fauna. Also, considering visiting the longest pier in the Gulf of Mexico for sightseeing and fishing action.

Perdido Key Art and History

Perido Key has a multitude of local museums, and your whole family will love the excitement of visiting the home of the Blue Angels and learning about naval aviation. If art is more your style, you can visit local studios, or stop by the Pensacola Museum of Art, which offers everything from wine tasting classes to Saturday Art “Ed-ventures” which include tours of the museum and hands-on creative activities for children. Perdido Key visitors in the fall can also enjoy the Great Gulf Arts Festival, where hundreds of local artists come together to celebrate their creative endeavors.

Perdido Key Kids

Perdido Key kids parks range in size and type from the Big Lagoon State Park and wildlife sanctuary, which offers everything from beaches and water activities to playgrounds, canoeing and camping, to local water parks and entertainment arenas. Many of these parks are located within or near shopping and dining, so that after a hard day of play the whole family can relax.

Perdido Key Shopping and Dining

Perdido Key seafood is so famous that they have an annual seafood festival, generally held each September. All year round, however, Perdido Key offers fine dining at both popular chains and local hangouts filled with local flavor and the finest seafood dishes.

Article By Pleasure Island Condos