Legal

Ultimate Guide to Understanding Car Exhaust Laws in Australia

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So, here is it. We all want a car that sounds great and is always on top of its game. In fact, if you have an enthusiasm for automobiles or you are a frequent driver, the sound of an engine can be so exciting.

However, Australia has a complex set of laws regulating car exhaust. Whether you intend to modify a car or you’re just an average vehicle owner, it is critical that you understand these rules to ensure you’re on the right side of the law.

As a top player in the automotive industry providing outstanding service to Western Australians since 1981, Genie Exhaust knows how important it is to stay in line with the law. This is why we have written this comprehensive guide to provide much-needed insight into car exhaust laws in Australia.

The truth is that you don’t want to be found driving with an illegal exhaust. But that’s not even the real deal. The reality is that with six states and two territories – all with moderately different rules – the laws behind car exhaust in Australia can appear somewhat confusing.

But then, that’s why you have Genie Exhaust! So, let’s help you see how you can enjoy your ride while staying within the bounds of the law.

What are the Basics of Car Exhaust Regulations?
Here’s an important kick-starter for you as we go into regulation nitty-gritty. In Australia, car exhaust laws are a mix of federal and state regulations. Ordinarily, the federal government sets the general standards. However, each state and territory also has the power to implement and enforce its own specific rules.

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Garden

How a Fence Adds Security and Value to Your Home

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Fencing

My Fenced in World
When I bought my new house in a nice little community, I discovered what life was like with a wooden privacy fence…and the maintenance that comes with it.

My little backyard with its hardy trees and pretty flowerbeds was great for me and the butterflies that visited. But mowing the grass? Not really. But it’s nice being in my own little world that is what you get with having a privacy fence.

Why have a fence?
Sydney landscapers Intreeg Landscapes advise clients that the most practical reason is that it marks out the perimeter of your property. Your fence can also make your yard feel like an extension of your home. It’s provides a safe place for the kids and the dog to play, and when you have an event like a BBQ, you can show off your landscaping and gardening skills.

When deciding on a fence, the first thing to consider is the reason you want one installed, is it to add to your landscape design or for security purposes? Once you have found the reason, the next question is: How much are you wanting to spend on it? Costs vary, depending on the area that needs enclosing, and the materials on which you have decided. The beauty about fencing is the wide variety of materials and what best fits your budget, lifestyle and property.

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Parenting

How to Make a Bathroom Child-Friendly

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How to Make a Bathroom Child-Friendly

Even though you will ultimately be carrying out bathroom renovations for yourself, it’s worth factoring your family into the decision-making process. The more they are catered for, the more convenient your bathroom will be for everyone – including families with children who may purchase your property. So, what makes a bathroom child-friendly? Some of the following things just might.

Double Vanities
Two vanities or a Jack and Jill sink can add much convenience to the average family bathroom, especially if there is only one bathroom in your home.

Rather than have to wait for the kids to brush their teeth, you can brush yours at the same time. Sure, you now have two sinks to clean, but you now have double the functionality, which ultimately makes up for that minor inconvenience. 

Pullout Steps
Most bathroom vanities are not designed for young children – but we still want to encourage youngsters to wash their hands. Rather than storing bulky plastic stools in your bathroom, consider investing in custom vanities with pullout steps. These are tucked away in the kickboard area of the cabinet – out of sight. With one pull, they can become a functional and safe stool for kids to use. 

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Events

What will Your Bridesmaids Wear?

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Bridesmaids Wear

Most brides think about their wedding dress before making any decisions on what the bridesmaid’s will wear. But when you get to this question, don’t forget to think about the morning of the wedding day. If you can provide bridesmaid robes or personalised pjs for them to wear, it will certainly be a help for them to change into their outfits without damaging their hairstyles or makeup.

In addition, any before photos will look really wonderful if all the bridesmaids are wearing such robes or silky pjs, rather than their pj’s or jeans and shirt. Of course, the bridesmaid’s outfits should in some way reflect the choice of wedding dress so that the overall look becomes cohesive rather than piecemeal.

To do this, bridesmaids dresses can be styled in a similar way to the wedding gown, but they could be short frocks instead of long. Or they could have one feature on them the same as the wedding dress. For instance, if the wedding dress had a ruffled frill around the neckline, then the bridesmaids frocks could have that same feature, even if the skirts were different.

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Health

What Type of Treatment Methods Do Rehab Programs Use?

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Understanding the treatment methods used in rehab programs is crucial when embarking on the journey of recovery from addiction. At Seasons Bali, a residential drug rehab located in Bali, Indonesia, we pride ourselves on offering a wide array of treatment methodologies, each designed to address the multifaceted nature of addiction. Our comprehensive approach ensures that every aspect of an individual’s journey to recovery is supported and nurtured.

A Multi-Modal Approach to Treatment
Recovery from addiction is not a one-size-fits-all process. At Seasons Bali, we understand this and offer a variety of treatment methods to cater to our client’s individual needs. This multi-modal approach ensures that every client receives a personalized treatment plan.

Evidence-Based Therapies
One of the cornerstones of our treatment approach is the use of evidence-based therapies. These are treatment methods that have been scientifically researched and proven effective in treating addiction. They include:

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): Cognitive Behavioral Therapy helps clients understand and change the thought patterns and behaviors that contribute to their addiction.

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Food

A Question of Soy

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A Question of Soy

There are so many questions when it comes to soy. Do you believe the cardiac health benefits soy provides? Or do you avoid soy because of the phytates? Are you unsure about it? Most importantly, what are we talking about when we say the word ‘soy’?

Traditionally, soy was eaten as fermented foods but now nearly all the soy we see & eat is genetically modified (GM) & unfermented. 91% of soy grown in the US is GM. While this increases farming efficiency & provides cheaper soy, the downside is that your soy is loaded with toxic pesticides. (Think Monsanto) Current research indicates that GM soy is linked to an increase in allergies & even more frightening may have the potential to cause infertility in future generations.

For centuries, Asian people have been consuming fermented soy products such as miso, natto, tempeh, & tamari safely. After a long fermentation process, the anti-nutrient levels of soybeans are reduced. These antinutrients, called phytates, are compounds that interfere with the absorption of nutrients & are what can cause unpleasant tummy upsets.

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Health

What Are Probiotic Foods?

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What Are Probiotic Foods

A healthy gut has hundreds of different bacteria living their everyday life keeping you healthy, happy and safe from infections and illness. That is until poor diet and lifestyle, exposure to toxins such as pesticides, use of antibiotics as well as stress impact our gut bacteria causing dysbiosis.

Dysbiosis is when you have more bad bacteria than good bacteria in your gut which can cause bloating, gas, indigestion, diarrhoea or constipation. A healthy digestive system should have over 1.5kg of good bacteria in it so if you don’t have those good bacteria working hard to protect you from disease you are going to feel very unwell!

The good news is it’s relatively easy to fix! We can help our good gut bacteria to thrive by taking probiotics and prebiotics. We may assume that prebiotics and probiotics are the same things as they sound much alike but although they both help to keep your gut healthy, interestingly they aren’t the same. Confused? Let us explain!

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LifeStyle

Top 5 Bridal Party Activities While Wearing Robes

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Many brides-to-be decide to purchase bridesmaid robes because they are the most affordable, practical, and thoughtful bridesmaid gift idea. However, they can also be an ideal gift due to how desirable they are for bridal party activities.

If you’ve been thinking about fun activities to do in the lead-up to your big day as a ‘thank you’ for your bridal party, you can do many of them in bridal robes. We’ve included a few helpful ideas below.

Have a Slumber Party

When was the last time you had a slumber party? It was probably back in your childhood with a few of your closest friends. Before you enter a new world of married life, there’s no harm in trying to bring back some of that childhood fun with your bridal party.

You can all wear your robes and settle for a night in your living room. You can crack open a few bottles of wine, make some popcorn, and watch some of your favourite movies. Such an activity is made even easier in bridesmaid robes because no one has to worry about stopping the movie so that you can all get into your pyjamas.

Photo Sessions

As you get older, the harder it becomes to get all your nearest and dearest together for photos to cherish forever. Purchasing bridal robes gives you an excuse to do just that.

If everyone is wearing similar or the same robes, you can gather everyone for a photo. You can then look back on it in years to come as one of those special moments before you became a married woman.

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Travel

Facts You Must Understand Before Applying For A Parent Visa

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Facts You Must Understand Before Applying For A Parent Visa

Australia has many appeals for those who live overseas and who wish to live here. However, as with any other country, Australia, does have an open door policy allowing everyone and anyone to live, work or study here. Instead, several requirements and eligibility criteria must be met. This applies to all visa types, including Australian work visas and parent visas. If a parent visa is something you are considering, here are facts about them you must know.

Who A Parent Visa Is For

In simple terms, a parent visa is for parents who wish to join their children who already live in Australia. The children of a parent seeking a visa must meet one of three criteria: 1) Australian Citizen, 2) Permanent Resident of Australia, or 3) New Zealand Citizen.

Different Classifications Of Parent Visa

There are a range of parent visa types and subclasses depending on the individual’s circumstances, and whether they wish to stay permanently or not. Here are the details for each of them:

Subclass 884: Contributory Aged Parent Visa

This is a temporary parent visa that lasts for 2 years. The applicant’s age must be that of the Australian state pension age, currently in Australia, and not currently within the application process for the parent visa subclass 870.

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LifeStyle

Top Tips To Prepare Your Home For A Puppy

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Long before you take your puppy to its first day of puppy school at madamemas.com, there are many other tasks you need to undertake first to ensure their wellbeing. Examples include getting them jabbed at eight weeks, and there is the crucial matter of choosing a name for them, which we know has caused many a family argument.

Another series of tasks are for making your home ready and suitable for your puppy. There will be many aspects of your home which you currently take for granted but, when a puppy is introduced, some can become a danger to them which we are sure you do not want to see happen.

For those who have raised dogs before you may well be well-versed in how to prepare your home for a puppy although it may be several years since you did so. In case you have forgotten, and for those who have never had a puppy before, below are a few tips that will help you make your home a safe and welcoming place for your puppy to thrive.

Have A Meeting With Your Family

This applies whether you have young children, older children, or it is just you and your partner or spouse. Everyone needs to be prepared for the new puppy’s arrival, and they all must know what the ground rules are with regards to taking shares in the puppy being walked and letting them out to poo and pee. Everyone should also be aware of where the puppy is and is not allowed to go, and what dangers they should all look out for.

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LifeStyle

7 Dog Grooming Myths You Should Dismiss

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People love their dogs passionately which is why whenever subjects like dog grooming are being discussed, their views and beliefs relating to them are often ingrained. Unfortunately, this often leads to dog owners accepting advice about dogs they have been told without checking its validity, presumably because they believe that the person relating this advice being a dog lover would surely know what they are talking about.

The problem that exists is some of the so-called advice about dogs, and particularly about dog grooming, is complete nonsense. Worse, if followed, that erroneous advice can lead to the health of the dog’s coat and skin, and potentially their overall health, being compromised. For that reason, we have decided to highlight 7 of the most common dog grooming myths in the hope that if you currently believe any of them to be true, you will subsequently know to ignore them.

Myth #1 – Short-Haired Dogs Do Not Need Grooming: Simply not true. Whilst they may not have some of the problems that longer-haired dogs have, short-haired dogs still need baths, they still need their nails trimmed, still need their ears cleaned and brushing a short-haired dog regularly is still beneficial to their coat. Having a short-haired dog might be simpler in terms of grooming them but it does not negate the need to groom them completely. You can have help with your grooming at professional places, so you know your dog is in great hands. 

Myth #2 – Dogs With Long Hair Always Shed More: Contrary to this myth, it is the type of coat that a dog has, rather the length of their coat that governs how much they shed. This is why some long-haired dogs shed very little, and some dogs with shorter coats shed considerably. The health of their skin and coat also play a significant role in shedding

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Parenting

10 Childhood Speech Error Patterns Speech Pathologists Can Help Resolve

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As a child’s speech and language skills develop, they can sometimes go astray in the sense that they start to display certain error patterns in their speech, and this is when a speech pathologist may be required to help them overcome these problems. It can be the case that a child displays just a single speech error pattern or several different ones.

Speech error patterns occur when a child uses different sounds than the ones they should. These are often associated with children replacing letters or sounds with other letters or sounds on all occasions. An example would be using “W” instead of “R”, so the phrase ” red rose” becomes “wed wose”. Outlined below are more details on this and nine other speech error problems a speech pathologist can treat.

#1 – Gliding: This is the example we just gave, and as well as the letter “R” being replaced by ‘W”, it can happen with the letter “L” too. This leads to phrases like “The little lady is looking at the large dog ” pronounced, “The wittle wady is wooking at the warge dog”.

#2 – Deaffrication: Affricate sounds occur when we ‘rub’ two individual sounds together such as “T” &”SH” becoming the “CH” sound in “chair” or “D”&”ZH” becoming the “J” sound in “jump”. If deaffrication occurs it means the child is omitting the first part of the speech sounds so “chair” is pronounced “shair” and “jump” is pronounced “zhump”

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Business

10 Reasons Retail Stores Should Use Professional Commercial Cleaning Services

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Jewellery

For anyone who owns or manages a retail store, the list of ways you can try to motivate your staff and to create the best possible shopping experiences for customers is a long one. In many cases, retailers often try to overcomplicate this and lose sight of the fact that often the simpler the solution the more effective it will be.

This certainly applies when it comes to the cleanliness of a retail store. Customers may overlook higher prices, or goods that do not meet their expectations exactly and still purchase if a store is welcoming, clean, and presentable. However, present them with a grubby store that does not look as if it has been cleaned in weeks, then you will struggle to even give your goods away, let alone sell them.

The best way to ensure your retail store is clean to the standards that customers expect to see and that staff deserve is to employ the services of a commercial cleaning company. They are experts in commercial cleaning, and many are specialists in cleaning retail stores. Here are ten more reasons why this is the best option for cleaning your retail store.

Protects The Health And Well-Being Of Staff: You may have staff with allergies, respiratory problems, or sensitive skin. For them, and every other employee, you must provide a safe working environment, and that starts by ensuring it is professionally cleaned.

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Legal

10 Common Myths About Separation And Divorce

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10 Common Myths About Separation And Divorce

Given that a divorce is something that most people will never experience, or if they do, it will be once, it is understandable that knowledge of family law relating to separation and divorce will be extremely limited. This is why the most sensible action for anyone going through a divorce is to seek the services of an experienced family lawyer.

It is also a reason why there are so many myths in circulation concerning divorce. To be fair, it may not just be due to ignorance of divorce law, as often divorce cases are depicted on TV and in movies as having more legal wrangling than most ever are in reality. So, to clear up some of the confusion, here are 10 myths relating to divorce and separation.

Assets Are Always Divided 50/50: The division of assets within a property settlement must be fair but that does mean that everything is given a value, and each party receives half. It should be based on fairness and future needs, including the care of any children.

Divorces Are Always Settled In Court: Whilst a court will grant the final divorce via consent orders, if the couple has agreed to all financial matters and those relating to their children, then the case is not heard in a courtroom.

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Health

5 Tips For Getting Over Dental Anxiety

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Dental Anxiety

Just the thought of visiting the dentist is enough to create feelings of fear and anxiety in people throughout the world. For some reason, dentists have a reputation for being cold, rough and uncaring. Unfortunately, this couldn’t be further from the truth. Sure, some dentists are probably a little bit rough, and they might be intimidating or scary – especially to young children – but in reality, the vast majority are highly skilled health professionals who are both gentle and careful.

Even if you accept this, you still may suffer from dental anxiety. Visiting the dentist may be a difficult, harrowing experience for you, and one which you continually put off. Our top 5 tips for overcoming dental anxiety include:

  1. Accept Your Fear

One of the first steps to overcoming any fear or phobia is accepting that you have a problem. If you suffer from fear of dentists or dental anxiety, you need to accept that you have a problem, think about why you have a problem and start working towards overcoming it.

  1. See A Psychologist

If you continue to suffer from dental anxiety, even after you have identified and accepted your problem, you may have deeper psychological problems. If your anxiety is preventing you from receiving the dental care and attention that you need, then you should consider seeing a psychologist to help you work through it.

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Health

Why Your Investment In Dental Implants Will Be Worth It

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Whenever someone starts looking at the option of dental implants as the solution to their missing or damaged teeth, they can often be surprised by the size of the initial investment which is necessary. Depending on the number of implants and the type chosen, it can be an outlay that runs to tens of thousands of dollars.

We are going to look at why that size of investment can be justified, with respect to what you get in return for it. This is not measured simply with respect to the actual implants themselves and the treatment, but also with regards to the benefits which dental implants offer you.

Lower Longer-Term Costs

One way in which an initially high investment often becomes lower is over a longer period of time. With regards to dental implants, the amount of care they require is minimal provided that you maintain good oral hygiene. This means there are no costly solutions that you need to buy in order to maintain them.

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Business

5 Tips For Marketing To Your Strengths

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Online Marketing

Online marketing for law firms and lawyers has become something of a topic of discussion among marketing consultants in recent years. Law firm marketing can be quite expensive, and this often prevents small or start-up firms from making the most of their marketing budgets.

Slinky Digital advise that instead of throwing money at digital marketing blindly, you should think carefully to make sure that you are getting the most value out of your efforts. You need to market to your strengths, and the following 5 tips should help you do just that:

  1. Employ Someone To Do The Things You Can’t

Instead of wasting a lot of time and money learning a new skill – such as coding or video editing – that you are going to use very rarely, be smart about it and pay someone to do the things that you can’t. Sure, you might be on a tight budget, but the time you would spend doing something you don’t know how to do would be much better spent elsewhere.

  1. Focus On The Things You Can Do Well

If you have experience in some aspects of digital marketing, focus on them for your law firm. Just because SEO, AdWords, and social media marketing exist – among others – doesn’t mean that you have to use them all. For example, if you’re good at and enjoy Financial Planning or writing, focus on content marketing, and share this content on your social media platforms.

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Legal

Why Relocating Your Children After Divorce Is Not Always Straightforward

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Why Relocating Your Children After Divorce Is Not Always Straightforward

When the parents of children divorce, or separate when in a de facto relationship, there are many aspects of the children’s lives that need to be agreed upon. This will often be done with the support and representation of expert family lawyers from www.robertsonhayles.com.au, and ultimately any agreement will be sanctioned by the family court.

If no agreement can be found however, the court, having heard from both parties, will decide the way forward. It does so via a family order which will normally relate to which parent they will live with, what the other parent’s visitation arrangements are, and assuming the court has no information which precludes it, it will rule that joint parental responsibility applies.

In any decision, the court will always have as its most important priority the welfare and best interests of the children. This applies regardless of whether or not the two parents are on speaking terms, or generally amicable to each other. In other words, the court is not concerned with how much either parent thinks the other should not have responsibility or visitation for example.

The court will also most likely be required when one of the parents, usually the one with whom the children live, wishes to relocate to another town, city, or state. Now, in some cases, they might just be doing this to spite the other parent, but this is rare.

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Business

How to Make Your Bed and Breakfast Business More User Friendly

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Bed and Breakfast Business

Providing breakfast in the garden is a unique way to make your B&B more user friendly. Outside furniture in a nook amongst the garden greenery is an ideal place to serve breakfast on a warm summer day.

Many people start up a bed & breakfast accommodation business when they have a nice home with plenty of spare bedrooms.  They get a website designed to show off their property. The smart ones will then get some SEO done on their website to get it ranking high on Google when potential guests search for accommodation online.

People often prefer to stay at a B&B because they can talk to the local person and get more personalised knowledge of the area they are passing through. They can often find out about hidden treasures that are not on any tourist map or advertised widely enough for everyone to know about them.

Some people arrive at such accommodation late in the evening, often after the evening meal eaten elsewhere and they go early in the morning after a quick breakfast. Others like to linger a little longer to enjoy the scenery or a chat with their hostess.  If you have a B&B business, you can make your guests’ stay more enjoyable by adding an outdoor setting to the garden for them to sit and relax, or even have their breakfast at.

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Health

Fitness Types for Wearing Your Waist Trainer 

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Fitness Types for Wearing Your Waist Trainer 

When you buy waist trainers designed for use while exercising, you might be wondering which exercises, sports, and fitness types are going to be suitable. After all, since they can restrict your movement, not all activities are going to be okay.

Read on to learn about the best exercise types to do while wearing your new, high-quality waist trainer.

Strength Training

A huge part of getting fit and losing weight is strength and resistance training. This form of exercise allows you to strengthen your muscles while burning fat at the same time. Typically, this type of activity is not one that makes you sweat a lot. However, if you wear a waist trainer designed for fitness use, then that problem is solved.

Thanks to the combination of latex, cotton, and spandex, you can turn a moderate workout into a high-intensity one that may even produce better results.

You can use your own bodyweight as a form of resistance, or you can rely on weights. If you’re not sure what type of strength training is right for you, talk to a trained fitness instructor.

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Business

Nets and Their Many Uses

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If you were to ask 100 people to name a type of net, given that recently we seem to be living much of our lives online, we are sure a large percentage would say the internet! Joking aside, it is likely that even if they were told we meant the type of nets you can get from specialist netting suppliers, many would struggle to go beyond ‘fishing’ and we dare say some might even say ‘curtains’.

The fact is, if you were to sit down and list every type of net you could think of you would likely end up with quite a long list, and that list would extend further if you were to include all the ways in which a net can be used. This is due to the fact that whilst a net might have been produced for a specific use, the versatility that is inherent in a net means it could be used for other reasons.

We are sure that netting which was designed for use as a pet enclosure has been used to secure the items in the back of a pickup, and also many a discarded fishing net, has been commandeered and strung up in a garden for children to climb and play on. Not that there is anything wrong with either of these changes in use nor indeed using any net for a different purpose than its original one, provided that it is done safely.

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Travel

Things to do on Holidays

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Ok so you have worked hard all year at the web design studio and it’s time for a holiday – but what do you do on the holiday? Well, there are many things to entertain and amuse you while on holidays and it can be fun to cram in all the activities you can – especially if you have kids.

Many people love to swim and surf, but there are also other things to see and do and it would be a shame to visit another country without seeing at least some of the sights. Before you go on your trip, Google the area to see what it is famous for. Just like Bali is famous for its beaches, luxury villas, beautiful beachside hotels etc. Schedule all those things that interest you into your trip so you don’t miss them.

So what can you do? Here are some tips to make the most of your holidays.

  • Visit museums, art galleries, theatres, and wildlife parks/zoos.
  • Take a tour to visit natural sites such as waterfalls, cliffs, geysers, rivers and other beauty spots.
  • Ride on a tram, a helicopter, an elephant, an emu, a horse and buggy or go in a hot-air balloon. See all the city offers.
  • On the beach you can sunbake, but also swim, ride a jet ski or go in a jet boat with others, go on a ferry or boat tour, snorkel to see the fish or coral.
  • If you are young, strong and adventurous you may want to try some of those way-out activities such as dune surfing, wind surfing, abseiling, caving or climbing.
  • Go shopping, but don’t get ripped off. And remember you have to carry it home or pay freight to have it sent.

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Legal

Suspended Sentences And What They Mean For The Offender

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Suspended Sentences And What They Mean For The Offender

Whenever someone has been convicted of a crime, one of the primary questions they will have for their criminal lawyer at Perth Criminal Lawyers, is what punishment they are likely to receive. Obviously, this will depend on a number of factors such as the severity of the crime and their previous criminal record if they have one.

The most commonly known penalties are fines, community orders, and imprisonment, but there are others, and these fall under the category of suspended sentences.

The correct term for them is ‘Suspended Imprisonment Order’, and they basically mean that the offender has been given an imprisonment sentence for their crime, but do not actually have to go to prison. It should be noted that in many Australian states, suspended sentences are not used, however, in Western Australia, they do still exist.

The law is clear when, and when not, it might be appropriate for a suspended sentence to be issued. Should the crime have occurred whilst the offender was already serving a prison sentence, or where they were on parole or other early release order, a suspended sentence cannot be issued.

If the offence would normally mean a prison sentence of fewer than 5 years, or where it is deemed that imprisoning the offender would not be appropriate, a suspended sentence can be considered.

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Events

7 Reasons Why Axe Throwing Is A Fun Activity

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7 Reasons Why Axe Throwing Is A Fun Activity

If you have never heard of axe throwing and we were to tell you that it is a fun activity we imagine you would think we have gone mad. But we have not, and today, axe throwing is not only a hugely popular fun pastime, but it is also a sport that has its own world championships.

At this stage, you might not in the slightest bit interested in becoming a world champion, but surely the fact that it offers so much fun for many appeals to you. To convince you further, here are seven fun reasons why you should try axe throwing at Axe Throwing Sydney.

  1. Meet New People

Unless your friends, family or colleagues have been talking about axe throwing, when you go to your local axe throwing centre, you are unlikely to know anyone. This is great as you will be meeting new people, some of whom will be beginners like you, and others who are experts, but willing to pass on tips and advice. Either way, it is a great way to make new friends.

  1. Family And Friends Day Out

You be thinking that axe throwing is not the sort of thing your family and friends will enjoy, but they will love it. Be assured that every axe throwing centre adheres to strict safety protocols so everyone in your party will be safe, even if it is their first time. Axe throwing provides an opportunity for a fun day out, and it appeals to all ages, although there are likely to be age restrictions with regards to younger children.

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Garden

Simple Steps To Environmentally Friendly Landscaping

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Environmentally Friendly Landscaping

There is no escaping the fact that everything we do these days is often measured with regards to how environmentally friendly it is, and Lone Pine Landscapes told us that applies as much to landscaping as any other activity.

Now, you might think that landscaping being so closely related to the natural world that everything about it would be environmentally friendly, but that is not the case.

We need to consider the use of materials in the creation of certain features, how the water and drainage system is configured, and to what extent any landscaping design is sustainable without the need for an excessive amount of chemicals. Landscape Designers Perth say there are these, and plenty of other aspects of our landscaping design where we may or may not be doing what is best for the environment.

Whilst we cannot cover every single aspect of landscaping with regards to being environmentally friendly (that would take a whole book), we can give you pointers to some easy wins. These can be included in a new landscaping project or added to one which already exists to make it ‘greener’, and that is not a reference to what colour your plants are.

The first way you can improve your landscape garden’s green credentials is with regards to the plants you actually include. You may not be aware of this but using plants that are native to the area you live in means less threat of other species of plants causing an infestation. This also reduces the need for chemicals such as fertilizers and pesticides, which is always welcome.

You can also choose plants that are more conducive to soil retention due to the fact that they require less water, and actually promote water filtration. This leads to the soil within your landscaped area being healthier, it retaining a higher level of organic material, and thus the plants that grow there will be healthier too.

When it comes to the environment, there are few more precious resources than water, and where we can conserve water, regardless of which part of the world we are in, makes a difference.

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Property

Do I Need a Security Alarm at Home?

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Security Alarm at Home

In Australia, just 30% of people use some sort of security alarm to protect their property against burglars and other intruders. In many cases, this is because of the restrictive cost of installing a security system. However, in other cases, people simply don’t feel that they need any sort of home security.

In the rest of this article, we’ve explored the pros and cons of having a security system in an attempt to help you decide whether or not you need one. If not used correctly, security systems can be useless. For some people, they are too expensive, and for others, simply not necessary.

What Are the Benefits of Installing a Home Security System?

The benefits of installing and using a home security system are vast. Although they cost upwards of $300-$400 for even the most basic system, it’s often worth paying this money if you can afford it. Some of the main benefits include:

  • They will help you secure your home against burglars and other intruders, protecting you, your family and any valuable belongings you have.
  • They will help you rest easier with the knowledge that you will be notified if someone enters your property unexpectedly.
  • In many cases, they can lower your insurance premiums, which in itself can make it worth installing some form of security system.

As you can imagine, these are just the main benefits.

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Health

Are There Any Disadvantages of LASIK Laser Eye Surgery?

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Laser Eye Surgery

Although generally a very safe procedure, there are a few potential disadvantages associated with LASIK laser eye surgery. These can be caused by the surgery itself, by poor eye care after the surgery or by underlying problems which can complicate recovery.

Before we jump into the disadvantages, it’s important to define exactly what LASIK (laser assisted in-situ keratomileusis) is. Basically, it involves a two step process designed to correct short-sightedness, long-sightedness, or astigmatism.

First, a flap of the cornea (front of the eye) is peeled back to reveal the tissue underneath. Using a laser especially made for laser eye surgery – the surgeon will then remove some of this tissue to correct your vision problems. Results are usually immediate, and recovery is fast.

But as we’ve said, there are a few disadvantages you should be aware of. These include:

Cornea Flap Complications

Since LASIK surgery involves peeling back a flap of your cornea, there are a few risks of problems occurring. This is mainly due to the fact that the flap is extremely delicate, and any of the following can happen: (more…)

Health

Benefits of Getting Dentures

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Benefits of Getting Dentures

No one ever sets out to lose their natural teeth. However, through gum disease, poor oral care techniques, infrequent visits to your dentist, accidents, and trauma, millions of people no longer have theirs. What’s more, by 2020, there will be over 37 million people with full sets of dentures.

There has to be a reason why so many people would choose partial or full denture sets over keeping their few remaining teeth or trying other options. Dental Implants or Dentures are one of many possibilities, but they have a significant number of benefits which may be enough to sway you. Here are a few of those below.

Eat the Food You Love

Many people think they’re getting along just fine with no teeth left – or only a few. However, it’s not until they try to eat the food they previously could with teeth that they realise it’s not easy. Without teeth, you can say goodbye to eating hard foods, and there’s also no chance of being able to chew meat sufficiently too. However, if you see your dentist about dentures, you will find out that dentures come with few limitations.

You can bite and chew with far more efficacy than only having a few natural teeth, and there are not that many things you wouldn’t be able to eat with false teeth either. (more…)

LifeStyle

Choosing The Right Mechanic For Your Next Vehicle Service

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Right Mechanic

If you own a luxury vehicle, then you need to make sure that you’re getting it serviced by a highly skilled, qualified mechanic. Most mechanics claim to have the skills they need to perform things like a Mercedes Benz service, but the simple truth is that most of them don’t.

Using a mechanic without experience working with and servicing luxury cars can lead to a range of problems, including a poorly done job which can negatively impact your vehicle’s performance. It’s therefore very important to think carefully about the mechanic that you’re going to choose for your car’s next service. Consider the following:

Find A Mechanic That Specialises In Your Type Of Car

Different cars are very different. Most mechanics will claim to be able to work on any vehicle, and they probably will be able to. However, finding someone who’s familiar with the intricacies of vehicles like yours will help make sure that your next service is completed to the highest quality standards.

If you’ve got a luxury vehicle like a Mercedes or a BMW, you should look for a mechanic that specialises in luxury vehicles. Sure, you might have to pay a little bit more for their expertise, but it’ll be worth it – trust me.

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Health

Home Remedies for an Itchy Scalp

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Home Remedies for an Itchy Scalp

An itchy scalp is an all-too-common occurrence, with many people screaming out for treatment options and natural hair care products to be of assistance. All manner of things can cause an itchy scalp. You may have an autoimmune condition, a fungal infection, an allergic reaction, eczema, stress, head lice, or even shingles.

If your doctor has ruled out any severe conditions, then it might be time to consider some natural hair care ingredients for some much-needed alleviation. Here’s what to add to your shopping trolley.

Apple Cider Vinegar

If dry skin is the cause of your itchy scalp, then apple cider vinegar may be of assistance. Apple cider vinegar is an anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, and organic natural hair care remedy to take care of all manner of problems. Dilute it in warm water and use it after shampooing your hair.

Meditation

While meditation is not something you can buy in the supermarket, it’s an often-effective natural hair care solution that won’t cost you a cent. Instead, it helps you to reduce stress which, in turn, reduces the instance of an itchy scalp. Meditation is also an excellent coping mechanism, helping you to think of anything else, rather than your itchy scalp.

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Health

Benefits of CXWorx Fitness Group Classes

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CXWorx Fitness

If you have decided that you want to make a beneficial change in your life, then you may be looking for a group fitness activity to take up. However, because there are so many options available, it’s all too easy to put it into the “too hard” basket and give up altogether. Finding a fun exercise to do with friends that suits your needs is actually easier than you think, and CXWorx could be the answer. Here’s why.

It Caters to Busy People

Do you always feel like there is more to do in a day, than hours available? Then you may think it’s impossible to join a group fitness activity such as CXWorx. However, you will be pleased to know that because of the length of these classes, it’s entirely possible. All you need to do is set aside 30 minutes a day, and you can see benefits in your body and health over time. There are also several timetable sessions you can attend, all of which are 30 minutes.

It’s Beneficial for the Body

There is no denying that a run around the block is going to do your body some good, but don’t you want to take part in an activity that will provide your body with as much good as possible? That’s why so many people prefer CXWorx. Over time, you will notice changes in your torso, increased strength, lean muscle, and a tighter tummy and butt. You may also find you have better functional strength and feel, overall, far stronger and more in control than you did before.

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Health

3 Dental Myths People Still Believe

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Dental Myths

Despite their essential work and the great job that they do, dentists continue to have something of a strange reputation in the modern world. A lot of people are scared of visiting the dentist, and this leads to things like dental anxiety and high levels of stress.

Unfortunately, these problems aren’t helped by the large number of outdated dental myths which continue to be thrown around in the modern world, despite the fact that they have been proven false numerous times. 3 of the biggest dental myths that people still believe include:

  1. All Dental Care Products Are The Same

This is extremely untrue, and causes problems throughout the world. Starting with toothbrushes, everything is not the same. Generally, more expensive toothbrushes are better designed to look after your mouth and to clean your teeth better. Toothbrushes with softer bristles are better for your teeth than those with tougher ones, and cause less damage to your gums.

Toothpastes also come in a range of shapes and sizes. Most toothpastes claim to be the best at doing something, but the reality is that some are simply better than the rest. If you have a sensitive mouth or are prone to irritation from chemicals, you should consider using a specially formulated toothpaste which is designed for people with sensitive mouths.

  1. Bleeding Gums Isn’t Serious

In fact, the exact opposite is true. If your gums are bleeding, or if they bleed regularly – a condition known as gingivitis – you should be worried. Often, bleeding gums are a sign of underlying infections, degenerative tooth loss, or other oral health problems.

Although a lot of people suffer from these problems, it doesn’t make them any less serious. They cause huge amounts of oral health issues in people throughout the world. If you have bleeding gums, then you need to consult with your dentist regularly. Don’t ignore them, and book an appointment ASAP.

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Parenting

Shared Custody After Divorce – A Growing Trend

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Shared Custody

As our society evolves more and more parents are adopting a new policy when it comes to fighting for child custody after they divorce: collaboration.  The old model of the weekend dad born from generations of rising divorce rates is giving way to a more thoughtful, and healthy form of parenting.  Family lawyers are also jumping on board with these new ideas.

Even lawmakers are getting in on this trend.  In many jurisdictions, the legislatures are considering bills that would encourage shared parenting or even make it the legal presumption in divorces.

One particular law this year made joint physical custody and equal parenting time standard for temporary orders while a divorce was finalized.  One governing body passed a law mandating equal time for parents in custody plans.  Others are considering laws requiring equal parenting time as a starting point when considering parent arrangements.

As lawmakers respond to the appeal of gender equality the legal push for equal time among parents is gaining strength.  Fathers say that without equality they become alienated from their children and overburdened with disproportionate support obligations.  There is a new constituency of men emboldened by the argument that they are being shortchanged.

(more…)

DIY

Health Issues and Faulty Plumbing

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Faulty Plumbing

Plumbing problems can cause more than structural or physical damage to your house. They can pose a major threat to your overall health. That means everybody in the household from you, your children and your pets. You have a leaky pipe? You better call the plumber, but you may need to call your doctor as well. There can be severe to minor health concerns associated with a bad pipe. Let’s take a look at some of the potential hazards and familiarise yourself with them.

Leaking Pipes

Leaking pipes go hand in hand with mould. Water damage to your walls, ceilings, floors, under your sink, and other areas are perfect breeding grounds for mould. Mould can grow in two days if there is sufficient moisture for it to breed. That’s not a long time.

Murderous Mould

If you live in a humid environment, you should know that mould is prone to grow if the humidity level gets too high. Condensation forming on your windows is the most obvious way to tell if the humidity inside is too high.

How does mould adversely affect your health? For starters, mould can make your allergies or asthma worse. Symptoms can include coughing, congestion, eye irritation, rashes on your skin, itchiness, a runny nose and asthma attacks. Mould can cause infections and these can lead to other respiratory diseases.

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Business

What Should I Look For When Choosing A Bookkeeper For My Business?

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Choosing A Bookkeeper

If you run a medium sized business with a few employees, then at some point you will probably need to employ a specialised bookkeeper. It can be hard to find someone with relevant book keeping experience, especially if you don’t have a lot of work or if you can’t afford to pay high wages.

However, it is very important to be selective when it comes to choosing the right bookkeeper as well as financial advisor for your business. After all, they will end up being in charge of everything from payments to other staff members to keeping records of business income and expenses. Their records will essentially form the basis for your tax returns, which means that a bad bookkeeper can lead to a lot of problems with the Australian Tax Office (ATO). Consider the following things when looking for a new bookkeeper:

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Business

Get Your Struggling Business Back On Track With Financial Planning

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Financial Planning

Trying to save a struggling business can be a very draining process. This is especially true if you know your a have proven product and a market for it but just can’t seem to catch a break. Employing the services of a financial planner might prove the kiss of life that your business needs.

One of the most common reasons for a business to struggle is lack of a roadmap or a plan and this is especially true if there is no financial planning in place. With no financial plan, revenues seem too infrequent, bills come too often, cash flow is limited, and the business seems to be in constant state of playing catch up.

It is tragic when any business fails but it is especially so, when a viable business with a great product goes to the wall, not because they have no customers, but because their finances are in disarray. It could be so much different with a financial planner in place, to assess, advise on and structure the business’s finances in such a way that rather than struggling, the business thrives.

So, what can a financial planner do for your struggling business?

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Health

5 Reasons Why Fire Extinguisher Training Is Essential For Workplace Fire Safety

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Workplace Fire Safety

Although workplace fires are relatively rare, and most people will never experience one in their life, it is still very important to make sure that your workplace is prepared just in case one does happen. If a workplace fire occurs in an unprepared building full of people who don’t know how to act, the chances of serious injury or death are very high. Integral Fire Protection advises that one of the best ways that you can make sure that your workplace is well prepared for a fire is to implement compulsory fire extinguisher training.

Doing this will help ensure that at least some of the people on site will know what to do in the case of a workplace fire. Below are our top 5 reasons why fire extinguisher training is essential for workplace fire safety:

  1. It will teach people what extinguishers to use:

Fire extinguishers come in a number of different forms, each of which is designed for different types of fires. Using the wrong fire extinguisher on the wrong sort of fire can result in a range of problems, including the extinguisher actually fueling the fire. High quality fire extinguisher training will teach people what sort of extinguishers are appropriate for different fires.

  1. It will teach people how to use fire extinguishers right:

There is a right way and a wrong way to use any fire extinguisher. Unfortunately, a lot of people don’t know what the right way is, and this often reduces their effectiveness when it comes to fighting a small office fire. Training can help people learn how to hold and use their extinguishers right, saving vital seconds in the case of a fire.

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Property

Removalist Challenges

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Removalist Challenges

If moving is stressful for humans, think just how hard it might be on other things that live in your home. There is a lot to think about and plan when you are relocating to a new home. How much time it will take to pack, the cost, the removalist you hire,  and how it will affect the rest of the family and pets.

Difficult Items to Move

Your home has been you treasure chest for possibly years, and some of the items that you have accumulated will include some that are difficult to move. If you don’t plan properly, these items can sneak in under your guard and be forgotten until the last moment…moving day.

Some of the things you need to consider when planning to move these items are:

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Food

Pie to Die For

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Winter is the time to relish a warm pie of some kind for dessert. Peach, apple, blueberry – or gramma! Gramma pie is an old-fashioned recipe that some people may never have heard of. Like many of the old-style recipes, it has been superseded by newer trends in cooking. However, if you’ve never tasted gramma pie you are in for a treat.

There are different types of gramma available in most supermarkets and restaurant. Often you’ll see the big round one that looks something like a pumpkin only it is lighter in colour and sometimes has paler splotches of colour on the skin.  You can easily make a gramma pie out of this, but if you can get the trombone gramma it is even better. This gramma is shaped after its namesake, with a long neck that sometimes curls around a bit. On smaller grammas, the neck remains straight.

If you’ve ever tried to cut a whole pumpkin, you might think cutting up a gramma would be hard work. It’s not; the gramma skin and flesh is very soft compared to pumpkin. You can even cut it with a short vegetable knife, though a long one is fine too. If you buy a whole gramma, cut off the neck and start with that. It will usually be enough for one pie, because there are no seeds in the neck; it is all solid flesh.

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Garden

Different Kinds Of Garden To Suit Your Lifestyle

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Cottage Garden

When you have a beautiful home you also need a beautiful garden to go with it, but not everyone likes or has time for landscaping.  However, you can still have a garden that will both enhance your lifestyle and add value and beauty to your home. It’s just a matter of choosing which kind of garden will suit you and your home. Here are some different types to consider.

  • A nationally themed garden. Many people enjoy overseas holidays and come home with lots of ideas to incorporate into their garden. You can have an Japanese garden, a Balinese garden or mimic a garden from almost any other country. Be careful to choose plants that are suited to your climate and soil though, otherwise they’ll die. Choose lookalike plants if you can’t get the overseas ones and add hardware items such as statues, furniture and water features from the overseas country of your choice.

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LifeStyle

How to Measure for Jewellery

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Jewellery

A local jeweller such as Diamonds and Pearls know a lot about jewellery, including styles, metals, stones, and recommended retail pricing. What they don’t know, however, is your significant other’s ring size, or how the particular sizing of necklaces, bracelets, earrings, and rings works with your body shape and size.

Even if you plan on seeing jewellers in secret, so your partner doesn’t know you’re surprising them or you are planning wedding gift, you need to be aware of sizing. If you don’t, you may find it more challenging to pick something out they’ll like or will fit them perfectly.

Of course, when you do visit a jeweller’s store and pick out something, you can return it if it doesn’t fit or you want to resize it. However, if you can get it right the first time, you can avoid that hassle, and you or your loved one can wear that piece forever. Measuring for jewellery is easier than you think.

Necklaces

Even if you’re shopping for yourself, you may find it challenging to buy a necklace that works on your body shape. Often, it can also seem like more hassle than it’s worth to try on every single necklace you like. So, rather than pay attention to measurements, many people buy a necklace from their local jewellers then put up with the fact it doesn’t suit them.

A 400-410mm necklace is going to sit more like a choker chain with minimal give, whereas something between 430mm to 490mm will sit on the lines of your collarbone. If you prefer something a little longer, a necklace over 550mm will hang around the neckline, while over 600mm will be below it. Specific necklace styles suit different clothing and body shapes, so keep this in mind. Anything below 420mm can limit how many outings the necklace will get with apparel.

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Garden

Patios, Paths and Putting Greens

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Landscape Design

If you want the best result from your landscape design, then paying attention to detail will help you achieve that goal. Especially if you are to be working with stonework.

Paths to Nowhere
It’s all about imagination and design to have a beautifully constructed stone walkway meandering through your backyard, joining your home to your beautiful patio, a place where you host amazing outdoor dinner parties. Think about the durability of well-constructed stone steps that descend from your home to the back lawn. If you have a beautiful garden, build elegant paths in the backyard so you can stroll through the garden any time to relax.
Add some kerb appeal to your home with a paved driveway and/or path that leads to your front door.

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Events

Tips for Arranging Your Wedding

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wedding

Being engaged is a fun, romantic and exciting time, especially when you st art to arrange the wedding. But not everyone is good at wedding organisation or, especially if they have never done it before. There is a lot to manage, including arranging wedding gifts and everything else to go along with it and it may become overwhelming at times, so here are some tips to help you.

  • When choosing dates for the wedding, consult your calendar to ensure you don’t choose a date that is a public holiday, or when there is a large charity event on in your local area. These things will mean hotels and venues get booked up well ahead of time – and some of your potential guests may not make the wedding if they are involved.
  • If you are planning a marquee reception, don’t choose the hottest or coldest months for the wedding. You and your guests need to feel comfortable, not sweaty or shivering.
  • If you are on a strict budget, you can save by cutting the guest list. Most of the reception costs go on wining and dining guests. You can also invite single friends without adding in a partner whom you may not have met. But make sure they can sit with someone they know.
  • Before you sign the contract with the venue is the best time to ask for more time. They will be eager to get the contract signed so may agree. Once it is a done deal, this is not so likely. You also need to ask if there are any restrictions in place.

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DIY

How to Clean Your Pool with Minimum Effort

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clean-your-pool

Many people love their swimming pools and enjoy the lifestyle they have created by installing it. Swimming is a healthy exercise, but what is in the water is not necessarily good for your health. Pool cleaners don’t have to be chemicals that can be bad for your health. For instance, robotic pool cleaners quietly get on with the job and don’t put any kind of chemical into the water. You can clean your pool with minimum effort using automatic pool cleaners.

It’s bad enough that most pools contain chlorine to combat the bacteria that grows there.Chlorine  has been used for many years in pools, yet it is a suspected carcinogen and it has been proven by studies done in Belgium that many children exposed to the chlorine in swimming pools developed asthma, rashes and other allergies.

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DIY

How to Choose Carpet Cleaners for the Home or Work Premises

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carpet-cleaners

When your carpet starts to look a bit grubby you know it is time to call in someone like brilliance cleaning. However, it will pay you to choose them carefully, just as you would take care in choosing a builder for your home. You want the cleaners who do the best job, but there are several other criteria to be aware of when making your choice.

  • Not all professional carpet cleaners use non-toxic, environmentally friendly cleaning products. Why is this important? It is an easy way to do your bit to save the environment, but in fact, it also saves your health. Many chemicals emit toxic fumes or cause allergies when your skin contacts the carpet.

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DIY

Renovating Your Kitchen

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Tired of your shabby old kitchen and thinking about renovating it? Kitchens are the centre of the home and these days is expected to look just as amazing as the rest of your home while still being totally functional. You may think that a quick DIY renovation will improve it, but when you come to think about it, what will new cupboard doors and a granite counter add? It will still be the same kitchen and all the things that annoyed you about it will still be there.

Advantages of getting a professional kitchen renovation

The best way to get an amazing kitchen is to have professional kitchen designers come in and suggest real changes that will upgrade your kitchen and make it more functional as well as changing how it looks. To simplify the job, choose kitchen designers that will not only do the design, but provide the materials and install it all for you. That way you won’t have to chase three different companies.

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Food

Wine with Your Pizza

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Why wait for a special celebration or meal to enjoy a glass of wine? You can have wine with fast food such as pizza and the kind you choose will depend on what topping your pizza has. For instance, because it has a savoury flavour, Chianti is ideal to drink with pizza that has a salty meat such as prosciutto or even a peppery green topping – or combination of both.

A rule of thumb

If you are not sure which wines to pair with what foods, a good rule of thumb is to choose a delicate flavoured wine with the kind of meal that is delicately flavoured, otherwise the wine will overpower the meal. If you have a meal with a robust flavour, then you can choose a strongly flavoured wine to go with it, knowing that the two will hold their own and one will not overpower the other.

However, while similar flavours attract, there is also an attraction with opposing flavours. But it is best to keep the food flavours simple when you want to serve wine with your meal. Otherwise, a complex tasting meal will overshadow even the finest tasting wine. In this case, use a cheaper wine and save the best for a meal it will truly complement.

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Travel

Things to do in Bali

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In spite of some negative press in years past, Bali remains one of the most popular tourist destinations for many people, not just Australians looking for a great holiday either backpacking or relaxation in a beautiful Bali villa. However, the cheap air fares and accommodation guarantee that it will remain a popular holiday spot for many Aussie tourists. Once you decide to check out Bali you will find so many things to do and see there that you may have to extend your holiday.

The island of Bali itself has many attractions and the culture is a unique one that gives rise to sites of interest such as the many temples. When these are explored you will find them unlike most other temples due to the distinct ecosystem, with monkeys from the nearby jungle in residence at some.

However, the wildlife parks must have a large spot on your holiday agenda because they, too are distinctive. Even though there are many such places in other countries, they are not quite like the Balinese parks. For instance, you can ride on the elephants or camels at the Bali Safari and Marine Park, one of the islands largest parks. There is also an elephant talent show with these elephants being retired working elephants that are extremely tame.

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Travel

Tips to Make Travelling Overseas Safer

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Travelling-Overseas

Travelling overseas is a favorite way to have a holiday for many people, young and old alike. Especially people from Australia love Bali and Asian destination for their holidays. However, when you go overseas there can be hidden dangers that can cause illness or injury, or somehow spoil your holiday. Here are some must-dos before you travel to make your overseas holiday safer.

  • Take out travel insurance. While it seems like just another way to spend money, it can also save a lot if you should get ill or be injured. You can also insure for loss of clothing and equipment such as phone or tablet, and additional accommodation, should something go wrong with your plans.
  • Plan your trip carefully. Make sure your travel agent chooses accommodation that is in the ‘good’ part of any city and works with overseas agencies for tours or tour guides that can be trusted. Besides, comfortable accommodation will make your stay more pleasant.
  • Choose the planes that are considered to have the best safety record. The extra cost is worth it.
  • Drink only bottled water and make sure you have enough. Make sure you stay hydrated, It is easy to get dehydrated and not realise it, when you are travelling.

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DIY

3 Ways to Make Moving into Your New Home Easier

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Moving into Your New Home Easier

People often think that moving out of their home to another location is the biggest hassle ever, what with all the packing and arrangements that have to be made. But when they go through the move they realise that moving into a new home is almost as bad as moving out of the old one.

One of the reasons for this is that there is no time limit. When moving out you set a day and have to work towards getting everything done by then. But once you have moved in you tend to relax and put off unpacking – and that means you live in a mess for weeks, not knowing where vital belongings got to and tripping over half-unpacked boxes. Here are 3 ways to make moving in easier

The best way to label moving boxes

Label the boxes with numbers or letters, then write the exact contents of each into a writing pad or exercise book. Or you can just write something like, “Contents of laundry cupboard” or whatever. It is best not to describe in detail what is in each box on the carton itself. For a start, it’s hard to see when the cartons are stored together, and it becomes easier for potential burglars to pick out which ones to steal.

Keeping essentials together by room

Another way to make unpacking easier is to write the room on each box and get your professional home removalists to take the boxes into the rooms they belong to. That way, everything you need will at least be in the right room and your back will not ache so much when you don’t have to drag boxes around. (more…)

Property

Bali Villa Accommodation Options

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Bali-Villa

Tourists frequently stay in one of the many luxurious hotels in Bali when they holiday in this lovely island. However, there are other accommodation options that can be just as pleasant and offer something a little different. In fact, if you are holidaying with a family or a group of friends, a villa will offer much more space to relax in than a hotel room.

Villas include a private pool and from 1-9 bedrooms, perfect for travelling solo or with all your friends. There is housekeeping staff, a chef and a chauffeur driven car that can be booked for trips. Villa accommodation in Bali is popular for honeymoons or holidays where more privacy is preferred. Each villa contains everything you need for gracious living and many of them are situated just a step or two away from restaurants, shops and nightlife venues, giving you the best of both worlds.

For more privacy, you can also get villas that are right on the beach or situated in a forest high on the cliff top. All villas are fully staffed and some of them offer free massage, fruit platters and many other benefits for those looking for a little more luxury than a normal holiday would provide. They are ideal for a very special honeymoon treat or a romantic holiday where you want to be pampered.

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Travel

8 Tips for a Happy Holiday in Bali

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Holiday-in-Bali

Bali is often considered the go-to destination for Australians who want to go overseas and have fun, either staying in nice hotels or a villa from Easy Bali Villas – or spending time in homestays on a budget. In fact, many may become so entranced at all on offer that they forget all about the budget. After all, if you are going to have a great holiday, why not spend a little more to make it even more fun?

There are so many things to do and see in Bali that you may not know quite where to start. Here are ten tips to help you make the most of your holiday.

  1. If you are not big on crowds, you will find that Bali has hosts of people because it is such a popular tourist destination. That doesn’t mean you should stay home. You can organise your holiday to take in less popular areas such as the mountains in the central part of Bali or the north and west coasts, where there are fewer people.
  1. Choose a base to suit your preferred lifestyle. Remember the weather will be hot and humid so getting air-conditioned accommodation is a must if you are not used to that climate. If you don’t like chaotic traffic, then choose accommodation on the outskirts of the city. If you are after fine food restaurants, book accommodation near to them.

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Wine

The Smell of Wine and What it Means

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The Smell of Wine and What it Means-min

If you are a wine drinker you will probably have enjoyed many different kinds of wine. You can have wine with meals, after meals, in between meals or on its own; it is all up to you and your personal preference and lifestyle. Serving wine adds a touch of elegance to your meal and helps guests to chat and mingle more easily.

However, while red and white wine have a distinctive taste and flavour, it should always be pleasant. If the odour of the wine is different from what you expect, it pays to know whether you should go ahead and drink it. Some wine should be thrown out, so here are some tips to buy wines and what different types of odours can mean in your wine.

  • If the wine odour reminds you of a musty attic, suspect that something went wrong with the bottling process. This wine is best thrown down the sink; that is all its good for now.
  • How about burnt matches? In fact, wine often gives off such an odour just after the bottle is opened. There is nothing to worry about; the smell will soon go off and your wine will taste fine.

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Food

Do You Neglect Your Diet & Nutrition?

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Diet-&-Nutrition

Without a healthy diet that gives your body all the nutrition in needs, you cannot be healthy. But what is the best diet? How can we be sure our loved ones are getting the kind of nutrition they need? There are many fad diets out there and many people fall into the trap of dieting in an attempt to become healthier at some stage of their lives. It could be that they are overweight, in which case a diet may be necessary, but unless that diet provides all the nutrition your body needs to function properly – and unless you love it – it won’t be long before you throw it all over and return to your favourite foods, be they ever so unhealthy.

Healthy is happy

In actual fact, you can lose weight while still supplying your body with nutrition, without ever consulting a book on diets. Making sure you eat plenty of fresh vegetables and fruit, and cut back on sugary desserts and fatty meats is usually enough to give you nutrition, keep you feeling full and give you energy as well. The more energy you have, the more exercise you will do, whether in the form of housework, gardening or taking up a sport.

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DIY

The Advantages of Limestone Paving

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Limestone paving has always been perceived as a natural and calming choice for a home. This may be utilized in various ways. Gone are the days when limestone was only limited to flooring. That is not the sole case these days. Limestone being the beauty that it is has undergone many years prior to forming on the surface of the earth. This would not occur if it was not for a remarkable pressure on it. This is responsible for the unique features seen in the said stone. This makes it a famous choice for any landscaping and construction projects.

Paving with the use of limestone turned out to be a great option for homeowners whether you are doing it yourself, utilizing the services of a experienced handyman or going all out and employing a professional paving company. This is perfect for outdoor fixtures including terraces and pool surroundings. Do not get this wrong because this may also work well with indoor environments. This may feature corridors and bathrooms which are normally seen in homes and offices. Tiles made of limestone are also the right option when it comes to wet areas. They are ideal because they can provide slipping. Absorption of water will also not be an issue. It is just that limestone pavers may vary in appearance. This is why an exceptional look may be attained.

The Advantages

Limestone is a durable and heavy natural stone. This is enjoyed well by the building industry and this has been happening for so many years now. This limestone is common when it comes to architectural and landscaping applications. Paving through this may be applied in areas such as driveway, pool area, walkaway, patio, pathway, courtyard, stepping stones, landscaping and even verandas.

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DIY

3 Advantages of Moving Offices

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Moving-Offices

Business owners whose business is conducted in offices will realise that it is not always advantageous to remain where you started up. Often, a start-up office has been chosen with budget constraints in mind and will therefore be out of the main CBD. But once the business has become established you will find that a better location will have many advantages.

  1. For a start, you may need more room to expand as you increase staff or if your business takes a different turn, such as adding a partner or taking on peripheral work. With such expansion comes the need for more office space to house the added equipment and staff. Your first office may have only contained yourself and your computer so more is required.
  2. Certain locations will be easier for your demographic to find. Most people go to the CBD to find what they need when it comes to business. Such central locations often have easier access, for instance, an elevator instead of stairs, and better parking facilities for your clients.
  3. There is a certain amount of prestige associated with locations in the CBD. The decor of the offices there will reflect this and it is part of what draws in more clientele. Once your business is set up in such an office it reassures people that you are a bone fide, trustworthy person to do business with.

That brings us to the problem of having to physically move the office.  Office equipment must be handled with care as computers,  printers and other components can be easily damaged. Then there are all those connections that have to be pulled apart and reconnected in the new offices. You don’t let just anyone do this kind of removal.

Why professional removalists are best

Professional removalists have the training needed to ensure all your office equipment is packed up carefully and reconnected properly in your new offices. They offer special packing and wrapping services that ensure nothing can come loose and fall off and that all the cords remain with the equipment they belong to. (more…)

Health

4 Reasons Why Fitness is Important

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Fitness

Fitness is an important part of our overall health for many reasons, but what exactly is fitness? It doesn’t mean that you can lift really heavy weights or even run a marathon, although people who can do that are certainly fit. For the average person, fitness at a group fitness facility helps us to live life to the fullest and encompasses the three important parts of our being; physical, mental and emotional health.

Doctors are increasingly aware that the three aspects of a person as above all play a part in the state of our physical health. For instance, if someone is under a lot of emotional or mental strain, it can cause them to become ill. Such stress can cause ulcers, heart attacks, strokes, digestive problems and more. But if the body is fit, the person will be in better health overall and able to ward off many physical ailments.

However, when we think of fitness, or being fit, we are usually referring to physical fitness and it is important for several reasons. (more…)

Parenting

6 Steps to Effective Parenting

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Parenting-06

It is usually a rude shock to parents when their toddler learns to say the dreaded ‘no’ word. Suddenly they feel out of control as their two year old throws tantrums about every second thing that happens in their life. They may think that this is all their fault, and turn to parenting books in desperation. What have they done to make their toddler behave so abominably? Usually, nothing. The terrible twos is a well-known phrase in your child’s development.

However, most parents could do with some tips on effective parenting so if you are not happy with the way your child behaves, read on for some child care tips to help you.

  1. You have more power than you think over the way your child will develop now and into the future. It is important to increase their self esteem if you want them to be well-adjusted and confident as they grow up. It is a simple thing to praise them for doing or attempting to do anything that is good. But comparing them with others to their detriment will certainly prevent them from trying and can have devastating consequences on their future emotional development.

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DIY

12 Tips to Protect Your Carpet from Pets

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Many households have one or more pets they allow into the house, especially in the town or a city, where there are no wide open spaces for them to play safely. Dogs, cats and other pets often become a part of the family and can add a great deal to your enjoyment of life. But when they mess on the carpet your joy will be dimmed, especially if it is a new one. So how can you protect your carpet from your pets and avoid endless home carpet cleaning bills? Here are some tips to help you: –

  • If your pet sleeps inside, make sure they have their own bedding rather than sleeping on the carpet. This can be placed in the family room until everyone goes to bed, then removed to the bathroom or laundry and the door shut to prevent your pet wandering around the house during the night and possibly leaving an oopsie behind.
  • Have a mat at each door entrance that the pet uses so that when they come in from outside, a lot of dirt from their paws will be left behind on the mat. One with some pile will help to rub dirt off from under their claws and between their pads.

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Health

Celebrities Discuss Addiction and Recovery

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When it comes to drug addiction, no one is above the risk.  According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA’s) National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 23.5 million people aged 12 or older needed treatment for an illicit drug or alcohol abuse problem in 2009. Drug and alcohol abuse is an epidemic in the United States, and even celebrities have had their share of addictions. One of the biggest draws of AA, NA, and other addiction treatment programs, is hearing the stories of others. Here are a few celebrities who have fought to maintain sobriety:

On getting help:

“I’m very, very good at manipulating people, and that was something that I did in my disease, I would manipulate everyone around me. Weakness is living in denial. Only the strongest people ask for help.” –Demi Lovato, sober since 2012.

“The things I was putting in my body, my tolerance got so high. I got to the point where I couldn’t even count how many pills I was taking… I had overdosed in 2007, like right around Christmas in 2007… Pretty much almost died… I scared myself, like, ‘Yo! I need to, I need help. Like I can’t beat this on my own. I think that was my biggest problem… I mean, I’m sure that anybody with addiction—the biggest problem is admitting that you have a problem. Nobody wants to admit that they’re not in control of something.” – Eminem

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Garden

Gardening Ideas for City Living

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Gardening

Do you live in the city with a tiny courtyard and envy people who have a large enough yard to grow plenty of flowers or vegetables in? Not everyone in the suburbs makes full use of their gardening space, especially if both work all day and raise children as well. That is enough to take up all your time and energy whether you live in the city or the country.

However, many people with small courtyards really want to allow their inner gardener to express some creativity. It is not as hard as it may seem. Courtyards have one advantage and that is shelter from wind. The high fences or buildings give plants protection from wind and very often also from frost that can damage many plants. So city sister, get out those gardening gloves and let’s get to work.

First look down

Look down to see what is underfoot. If your courtyard is concrete or pavers that you don’t want to dig out, you will need to have most of your plants in pots. This is okay, because the pots will add even more colour and shape to your small area. Make sure you get designer garden pots that are visually appealing, not just black plastic cheapos. (more…)

Food

Main Meal Soup for Winter Evenings

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Main Meal Soup for Winter Evenings

Canned or packet soups are freely available it every supermarket and popular with busy housewives or those who want a quick, hot meal on a cold day. While most of them taste good, the list of ingredients include many things such as flavouring and colourings that would not be in a home-cooked soup. These ingredients are added to make the soup more palatable and attractive.

Bought soup comes in handy at times, but it does not have a great many healthy ingredients in it. You might find a few tiny pieces of carrot or other vegetables that you may or may not be able to identify, but when you make main meal soup for the family it will be filled with many nutritious vegetables and grains that are missing from bought soup.

Main meal soup will ‘keep you going’ for much longer that packaged soup, because the nutritional value is there. It’s not full of artificial flavour, colouring or sugar. It has no corn starch or flour to thicken it. You can serve it up for a main meal and it will be enough on its own or with some toast to keep you feeling happy for the night. Or you can heat it up for a midday meal and you will not feel the need to snack on high fat goodies afterwards.

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Health

Using Meditation To Help Your Recovery Process

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Millions of people are plagued by alcohol and drug addiction every year. Once you’ve completed your rehabilitation, the road to recovery never ends; you are constantly enhancing and rebuilding your road, finding better ways to cope and succeed. Meditation is one practice that serves as a vital source of added support during the recovery process. In fact, many treatment centers have adopted meditation as a part of their overall treatment program.

Understanding Meditation

Meditation is a powerful practice that has been used for thousands of years to lead the meditator towards enlightenment and spiritual connection. You don’t have to be religious or consider practicing meditation, as it is first and foremost about the self, and being one with your mind.

While there is no set time frame for practicing meditation, it is most effective when sticking to a routine. Like any sport, the more you practice, the better you get. Setting aside even just 20 minutes per morning to meditate before beginning your day will yield long term benefits. Meditation not only connects you to your mind and body, but is proven to be stress-reducing.

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Health

How Botox Injections Treat Migraines

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Many people think of Botox only in conjunction with removing wrinkles, but there are far more conditions that can be treated than cosmetic ones. Migraine affects many people, causing them to lose work time and become bedridden for several days in the worst cases. Botox treatment for migraines can bring amazing relief to the sufferer.

In fact, it was discovered that Botox can help chronic migraine sufferers by the patients themselves as they had Botox injections for wrinkle treatment. When Allergen, the company that makes Botox, found this out they were able to present the case for using Botox especially for migraines and have it approved for this use.

Why does Botox work for migraines?

It is not fully understood why Botox is good for helping migraine, but since it works to paralyse the nerves and muscles of the face, it is likely that these same nerves and muscles play a big part in causing migraine or are affected by the migraine and cause pain. When the muscles are paralysed by the Botox injections, there is much less pain.

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Health

11 Tips to Wear and Care for Your Dentures

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Care o Dentures

Over 50% of Australians over the age of 65 wear false teeth. Anyone who has dentures will know they need to be cared for properly. This might seem to be a nuisance, but it is necessary, and once you form the habit of doing it, it will simply become part of your evening routine. Here are some tips for looking after your dentures.

  • If you are new to wearing dentures, ensure you get proper instructions from your dentist not only in caring for them but in how to insert and remove them properly, since this varies according to the type of dentures you have.
  • Take time to get used to your new teeth. It is something of a learning curve, and taking it slow will help prevent damage to your mouth as well as your false teeth.
  • Daily cleaning with a soft brush and special denture paste is essential, but sometimes they still get stained. If so, soak them in a vinegar solution for a few hours. If that doesn’t work, take them to the dentist.

  • (more…)

LifeStyle

8 Tips to Enjoy Outdoor Living

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Outdoor-Living

Most of Australia is lucky in that the warm, temperate climate makes outdoor living very pleasant and to be enjoyed for nine months of the year or more, depending on where you live. Since it is something that most people enjoy whether for entertaining or just relaxing after the evening meal, here are some tips to help you enjoy it more.

  1. If you and your family enjoy dining outdoors, create a space that does not cause a lot of work taking chairs, tables and lighting outside – not to mention food – then bringing it all back in after the meal is over. For instance, an outdoor kitchen on the deck will contain everything you need for a meal and you can even cook outdoors instead of being stuck inside tending to the meal while everyone else enjoys themselves in the cool of the evening.
  1. If the barbeque area is down the backyard, make it more usable and pleasant by adding a shade-cloth, a wind-break if wind is a problem in your area, and pavers or another flooring option to keep your feet dry and clean. That way mud and wet grass won’t be tracked back inside at the end of the meal.

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DIY

How to Have a Really Cool Basement

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If you have a basement you are one of the lucky ones. Not only do you have a spare room for storage, it is usually large enough to be remodelled into anything you want, all without losing storage space. The main thing to remember is that being under the house, it’s likely to be naturally dim, so good lighting will be essential. A qualified electrician can install both lighting and power points for your new basement room, once you’ve decided what you want to do with it. (more…)

Garden

5 Backyard Landscaping Ideas

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Not everyone has the time or ability to landscape their backyard, but when you take care to make the most of it, your property will suddenly be worth a great deal more. Besides, landscaping your property gives it street appeal and makes you proud of the place you call home. If you don’t have much creativity when it comes to landscape design, here are 5 simple ideas to help you out.

  • Got an awkward corner that is difficult to mow? Convert it into a garden. Dig out the grass or poison it, then add shrubs and plants, making sure you plant the largest ones at the back. Cover the soil in between with organic mulch such as lawn clippings or wood chips to keep the weeds out. While mature plants will give you an instant garden, using those that are still young will most likely give you more success as they adapt to being transplanted more easily. Landscapers Sydney suggest you choose a variety of leaf shapes such as long thin ones and round or wide ones to give visual appeal.
  • Enclose the garden with an attractive edging – there are many on the market these days. This helps to keep the lawn grass from growing into the garden area. You can also make a living border with edging plants that grow in thick clumps or mounds. You can even have an edging of annuals so there will be a different look for each season. Mounding petunias or pansies will look fantastic.

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Property

Top Tips to Make Your Pool Sparkle

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If you are lucky enough to have a pool, you will indeed be able to enjoy the hot weather by lazing – or swimming – in the cool water whenever you feel like it. You can also relax poolside while you watch the children enjoy the fresh air and sunshine jumping in and out of the pool all the while.

However, once you’ve build a pool from one of the best pool builders and with the delights of a pool come the responsibility of keeping it clean so it will be a healthy environment for you and the children to play in. Water that is static will always be a breeding ground for bacteria, which is why those pool chemical have to be used. But even these can have a difficult job to keep your pool water sparkling because of the variable conditions.

Weather

Wind and rain can both have an effect on your pool water. The run-off from rain can dilute the chemicals in the water so it is no longer enough to eliminate bacteria. The wind can blow debris such as dust, leaves, sticks and dirt into the pool. These organic products begin to decay immediately, changing the PH of the water. (more…)

Health

The True Feelings of Ice Addiction

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ice-addiction

I have never used meth, it was not my drug of choice, but it is for so many others. Truthfully it scares me. I’ve lost friends to its power and for those that don’t seek professional drug rehab or enter into some sort of self addiction recovery I have watched helplessly as it destroys the lives of those I know and care for.

Most people who use meth, I have found, really don’t want to at all, but the sway that it holds over those who use it is extraordinary.

When I found the poem below, “I am meth,” it blew me away, I’ve never used it, but I understand it, and I’m in awe of the way the writer has captured the truth of what happens with their words.

About a year ago, I found myself in a house with quite a few meth users, all teenagers, and all having a great time. I read the poem “I am meth,” and was amazed at the reaction. I killed the party. I began reading it to one person, but everyone ended up listening. The silence spread as if I was giving a presidential speech, and the noise did not come back. Everyone understood the truth of what they were doing and what they were feeling, quite a few young girls cried, and many people got angry. But everyone understood it, and knew they were trapped that it had stolen their souls, and that they were powerless.

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DIY

Get Your Laundry Basics Correct

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Laundry Basics

It’s an essential room in every home and if you manage your laundry basics well, then the chore of doing the weekly washing and ironing becomes much more enjoyable. A mess in any room looks bad and leaves you feeling overwhelmed, which is all the more reason to have your laundry designed with practicality, this will help you maintain a well organised space. Here are some laundry basics to help you get your laundry back into shape:

Make space for folding: Install a countertop so you have a place to fold clothes as they come out of the dryer. Ideally, it should be right above the dryer, if space is limited then have a fold out table nearby so that you can bring it into the laundry when needed.

Create a space for hanging: Every laundry room needs a place to hang clothes fresh from the dryer or delicate items you prefer to air-dry. Installing a hanging rod either under your cabinets or next to them is one of the laundry basics.

Laundry organisation: Have a cabinet with shelves and spaces which can handle all your detergents, powders and pegs. You could also install a drying cabinet for air drying delicate clothes and a storage cabinet to put washed clothes in before ironing.

Convenient ironing: A wall-mounted ironing board which can fold in or out is a great space saver and makes ironing less of a chore. When planning your inbuilt ironing board make sure a power point is close at hand.

Plan it out: If you’re starting from scratch in designing your laundry and toilet, think of your plumbing. Place appliances where the outlets are placed. If you have a front-loading washer you can use the top for other things.

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DIY

Kid-Friendly Bathrooms

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Kid-Friendly Bathrooms-img

There are many things to consider when designing a bathroom, especially when you have kids. With a little human in the home, life is a little different, which creates the need for Kid-friendly bathrooms. First think about storage. Kids have their own towels, toys and things for bath time. If you can include a colourful toy box or cabinet just for storing your child’s belongings, it’ll be easier to encourage putting things away.

Then there is the all-important toilet in Kid-friendly bathrooms. From potty to normal toilet is a big step for a small child so a transition toilet is a great idea. And don’t forget the sound of your toilet seat. Little humans tend to let them drop so a seat with a silencer or at least the appropriate padding is a great idea.

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Food

Easiest Creamy Dessert for a Cold Winter’s Evening

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Many years ago high school students who took ‘Home Economics’ were taught to cook commonsense meals that were both easy, nutritional and budget-friendly. But that changed to a much more complicated version of cooking where students learned all about meals from other countries and cooked fancy meals that were more suitable for a celebration rather than a staple family meal.

There are now a few generations of people who didn’t ever learn the art of cooking wholesome family meals that could be done without having to read a cookbook or learn a whole new language. The rise of fast foods was helped by this lack, as people just want to get something to eat quickly and easily. And they didn’t really know how to do it without going to a lot of trouble to find out.

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Garden

How to Retain the Romance of Bali

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Romance of Bali

Travelling overseas for a holiday is an exciting time. Many places such as Bali are very popular holiday destinations for Australian tourists, because it is fairly close and we love the friendly Indonesian culture. But rather than forgetting all about it once you return home, why not retain the romance of the region by keeping something of it in your home or garden?

Much outdoor furniture reflects the culture of other countries. While you are in Bali take note of all the wonderful furniture – not in the hotels, but in the Bali villas and other similar accommodations that more truly reflect the Bali lifestyle. Then when you get back home you’ll be able to find similar styles or imports from that country for your own home.

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DIY

10 Kitchen Trends

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Let’s face it, the kitchen is the heart of your home and the kitchen is one room which reveals your personality and your style. With the year about to end, let’s look back at the top kitchen trends for 2013. According to the design experts at the lifestyle channel, here are the top 10 Australian kitchen trends:

High-Tech: If you like to keep up with the latest kitchen trends in design, gadgets and style then your cooking HQ will almost certainly have LED lighting and the latest in hidden hi-tech gadgets. Pop-up range hoods and dishwashers hidden behind kitchen cabinetry are all common design elements in new and upcoming kitchens.

Retro: Of course modern kitchen trends can include older styles in the ‘everything old is new again’ situation. There’s nothing like a touch of retro to show how modern you really are.

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Parenting

Tips for Car Travel with Children

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Tips for Car Travel with Children-min

Travelling long distances in the car with children can be less than pleasant because kids love to move around rather than sit for long hours. They get bored and restless sitting in their car seats so it is up to the parents to find some way of entertaining them. This is easier to do these days with the technology that is available.

Older children can listen to their music or watch a DVD, but there are other things they can do when they get sick of that. Games such as counting certain coloured cars or writing down place or river names are interesting to older children. Puzzle books or colouring in can also be a good choice so long as the road is bitumen and not a bumpy, dirt road.

But if your children are still toddlers it can be difficult to amuse them. Here are some tips to keep them happy in the car: –

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DIY

Big Ideas for Tiny Bathrooms

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Big Ideas for Tiny Bathrooms-img

There is nothing more frustrating than having tiny bathrooms that feel cramped and has little to no storage. However there are ways to turn an uninspiring and small bathroom into a stylish and practical space. These ideas are simple, can often be DIY and are inexpensive. Bathrooms are essential and so too are the many implements and products we store there. But where to store is often the taxing question.

One brilliant solution is to install a medicine cabinet on the walls of tiny bathrooms; these cabinets are slim but capable of holding a variety of products safely. White such cabinets look great and when attached to a wall in your bathroom gives you storage without much if any hindrance. The ideal spot is over the toilet but because of the shallow size of the cabinet, there is little or no chance of banging your head. Just keep the toilet lid down before opening the cabinet!

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Garden

Why Colorbond Roofing is Better Than Tiles for Your Home Design

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What you choose for your home design depends on several things; personal preferences, budget, availability and even what the council may or may not allow in your suburb. Two of the most common materials for the roofs of homes today are tiles and Colorbond roofing. Most of the cheaper tiles are made from concrete, although you can get slate and terracotta tiles. Whether you are building a new home or doing a roof restoration, there are a few things to consider.

Colorbond roofing is often considered better than tiles for your home design for several reasons: –

  • It is much lighter at only 10% the weight of concrete tiles. This has several advantages such as a lighter roof framework with rafters further apart.
  • Colorbond roofing does not absorb water like tiles do, so it remains lightweight even in wet weather. Tiles become even heavier as they absorb the water and so all engineering specifications have to take this into consideration. The framework and rafters of the home need to be much stronger and heavier to bear the weight.
  • Since steel roofing does not absorb moisture, if you want to harvest the rainwater from your roof, you will get much more from Colorbond. In addition, the water will be cleaner because debris and dust tend to blow straight off, rather than stick to it like it does to tiles.

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LifeStyle

Finding a Place to Really Relax

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outdoor relaxation area

If you have ever been on a luxury yacht, especially one like Amara, designed by Sam Sorgiovanni, you will have seen just how many relaxation and entertainment areas there are.  All are a little different and many areas are designed especially for other cultures where chairs and lounges are not so important, but piles of cushions on the floor or on a large, raised, padded platform provide comfort to anyone wanting to use them.

While many furnishing trends travel from home to ship, sometimes that is reversed, with up-market homes following trends that are seen in luxury yachts, especially the really big ones where opulence is key. Almost any home can be improved with more relaxation areas that offer the ultimate in comfort, whatever that may be to the owners. If you are feeling stressed out and tired, it could be that there is no truly welcoming and comfortable space in your home that calls you in to relax.

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Food

SUGAR! Delicious and Deadly

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More than 30 years ago I noticed that eating sugared foods made me extremely tired in the mornings. A little sugar in the water to boil carrots gave me “sugar eyes” – that’s what I called the sense of glue in the morning as I tried to open my eyes. A cup of coffee and a donut would literally keep me from getting out of bed – I was habitually late for work. I did not realize it was the sugar until I stopped putting sugar in my coffee and replaced donuts with hot unsweetened cereal. After three days of this new regime, I got up early and I had clear eyes – no sugar eyes! I was alert and awake! What a discovery!

Feeling well is a great incentive. After that experience I pretty much cut out refined sugar from my diet. Every so often I’d stray, but the fatigue and the “sugar eyes” kept reminding me. What I also noticed is that my moods changed dramatically once I quit eating sugar. From my usual slight malaise, a vague sensation of sadness or minor depression, I went to feeling normal and OK pretty much most of the time. What surprised me was that such experiences were dismissed by the mainstream nutritionists, and other parents were horrified when I mentioned that I gave my children no sugared cookies, ice cream, or candy – ever. (If they got it themselves, that was not my problem; they just didn’t get it in the house from me.) That was because I had found, early on, as do many parents, that the kids often go crazy when they get sugar.

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Health

Preventing Childhood Obesity

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There have been a number of articles about obesity and children, and frequently there are words used such as “surge,” “epidemic,” and “growing problem.” Let’s take a look at what the issues are.

Obesity has a popular meaning (just plain fat – we know it when we see it) and a technical meaning. Overweight (chubby) is the same. And here comes the interesting thing: official technical meanings of these two words have changed. They deal with the body mass index, or BMI, which is the ratio of weight to height, and is arrived at by the following method: multiply the weight in pounds by 703, then multiply the height in inches by height in inches, then divide the first number by the second. If using the metric system, the numbers are weight in kg divided by the square of height in meters.

Before 1998, a BMI of 27 or more was considered overweight. But in June 1998, new cut-off weights were implemented. The BMI for overweight became 25 to 30, and anything over 30 became obese. Thus, overnight a lot of people became overweight who were considered normal the day before.

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Health

Dealing with Childhood Fevers

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We have nothing to fear of fever but our own fear. Fever is a very sensible, rational activity of the body when it is faced with certain types of stress. It is the activation of the body’s garbage incinerator, burning up debris and toxic matter that are of no use to the body’s normal functioning. These may be bacteria, virus, breakdown products of the body’s metabolism, or other extraneous proteins in the bloodstream.

In the case of children, fever can serve a very good purpose. Children are continuously rebuilding and remodeling their bodies as they grow. As with any renovation project, debris results. In Anthroposophic medicine, the theory is that childhood illnesses are simply a way of disposing of unwanted cells and tissues. Hence, colds, skin eruptions and fevers are normal expressions of a normal process. Parents sometimes get excessively concerned. According to Jane Brody, in her New York Times column “Too Many Parents are Afflicted with Fever Phobia,” the pediatric literature points out that “undue attention to a child’s temperature and mishandling of fevers generate a great deal of unwarranted parental anxiety, avoidable medical complications, and countless calls and costly visits to doctors, clinics, and emergency rooms.”

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Events

How to Hire a Great DJ

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hire-a-great-dj

DJ hire may be a simple matter for a person who goes to a lot of parties. They would soon get to know who the best DJ was. They could then take the details of the one they liked best and contact them whenever they were organising a party or event that needed the services of the DJ. But what about a person who had not gone to many parties and didn’t know who to hire? Here are some tips for you if you are in that category.

  • Ask friends and family if they know of a good DJ and why they liked them.

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Parenting

Carrying Baby

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Riding the subways and buses of New York City, I have often encountered people with children in large baby carriages. These carriages are at times quite elaborate, with beautiful padding, a sun roof, lots of toys — obviously the parents are doing all they can to express their love for their child. The child, on the other hand, may not notice or appreciate the effort: it’s back is to the pretty padding, and it can only look out, without seeing the one pushing the carriage. In essence, the baby is alone in that carriage, wheeled about with no sense of connection to the adults. Sometimes I see children that look like they’re three, four, and maybe more years old, wheeled about still, not walking. What are these kids learning? When faced with stress, will they become crippled before their time, so as to recreate their infancy and be wheeled about by someone else? Will they too grow into couch potatoes, overweight people who do not exercise, people who are reluctant to do something for themselves because they’re so used to having someone else do it for them?

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Food

New Concepts: The Zone and the Blood Type

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Books on how to eat are a dime a dozen. Many of them contradict each other: raw food or cooked? Vegetarian or high protein? Food combining or everything in balance? Consumers try to navigate without a compass among all these systems, and often, in despair and confusion, give up trying to eat healthfully.

As readers of this column know, my viewpoint is that our main dietary choices should be always whole, fresh, natural, real, and organically grown foods whenever possible. That said, there are many possible permutations of such a diet, and I have experimented with many: lacto-ovo vegetarian (7 years), vegan (1 ½ years), macrobiotic (15 years), food combining (2 weeks), and the Atkins diet (1 month). Each time I learned something interesting. It’s been a long time since I think of myself as being “on a diet,” but rather of eating mostly “health-supportive whole foods.”

In the past two years I have run into three new books about diet, and each of them has taught me one or more useful concepts. That is more than I found in the ten years prior! You have probably heard about these books as well. Let’s look at all three, and what I found useful about them.

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Food

Aspartame: The Real Story

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Aspartame: The Real Story

Sugar is bad for you, right? It has calories and makes you fat. Therefore, anything that tastes sweet and doesn’t have calories is preferable, because it won’t make you fat. Right? That is the thinking that supports the widespread use of artificial sweeteners. Millions of people guzzle soft drinks sweetened with aspartame, the compound sold under the trade names Nutrasweet and Equal. This ingredient is found in all kinds of diet foods, in toothpaste, and sprinkled out of small packets into coffee and tea. It is sold worldwide. It is also associated with thousands of reports of adverse effects. Most of the information that follows was taken from the Aspartame Consumer Safety Network Fact Sheet, written by Lendon Smith, MD, former Network Physician at NBC-TV and well-known author and pediatrician.

Aspartame (the technical name is L-aspartyl-L-phenylalanyl-methyl-ester) is considered to be about 200 times sweeter than sugar. It is virtually calorie free. When ingested and metabolized, it breaks down into three substances:

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