Squidoo : Lenses by CleanerLife

How To: Easy To Install Wireless Backup Camera

Sat, 25 Jun 2011 13:30:01 -0600

Interested in installing a wireless rear view backup camera for your auto? It is very easy to do it yourself, I can give you an idea of what you have to do. A wireless backup camera for a car, truck, SUV, RV, van, or just about anything you are driving can help you see what you cannot see with your rear view mirrors. Not only will a backup camera help you avoid hitting another vehicle, but it is especially useful for seeing smaller things you'll never see with mirrors, or straining your neck like a parking curb, a pet, or a child. Installing a VR3 Wireless Backup Camera kit is very easy. The camera does need to connect to the electrical harness for power, but the connection between camera and the monitor, which can sit on your dash, is wireless so you don't need to worry about running a cable to connect the two.

How To Grow Your Own Supply Of Broccoli Sprouts In 6 Days

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 10:44:01 -0600

I've enjoyed sprouts for many years. They weren't something my family normally ate, so I probably first had them at one of those sandwich shops that promote healthier sandwiches made as wraps instead of rolls. I don't often eat wraps, but I did find alfalfa sprouts at my local grocery stores. Every so often, I would buy some sprouts and make a tasty addition to my salads. I also became aware of mung bean sprouts in the Chinese food I enjoy eating, and found that they were also available at the grocery store, so I would alternate between buying alfalfa and mung bean sprouts. Two different flavors, and I would often hear about the healthy benefits of eating both. I would also hear about the benefits of eating raw foods, and sprouts were often on the list of foods best eaten raw.

Hotel Pillows - The Same Pillows Found In Top Name Luxury Hotels

Mon, 30 May 2011 17:22:23 -0600

Ever have a great stay at a hotel with pillows so comfortable that you checked the tags to find out the brand name so you could buy your own the next time you went shopping? I have, and until now, I couldn't find actual hotel pillows for sale. Perhaps you are in a hotel right now searching for a place that sells hotel pillows online. If you are looking for luxury hotel bedding, you've come to the right place! Pacific Pillows� is the same brand found in top name luxury hotels around the world including Marriott�, Sheraton� and more.

Why You May Want To Try Hydrogen Peroxide Mouthwash For Yourself

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 19:24:35 -0600

Free of the man-made chemicals and artificial sweeteners found in most mouth rinses, Hydrogen Peroxide Mouthwash is a safe alternative to popular brands of antiseptic mouthwashes. Hydrogen Peroxide in low concentrations has many medical uses, and can work well as a mouthwash especially for small injuries within the mouth. Some people actually use the same 3% Hydrogen Peroxide solution sold for first aid use as a mouthwash. The Hydrogen Peroxide sold in drug and grocery stores contains chemical stabilizers that makes it unsafe to use as a mouthwash. It should be considered, and is usually labeled as for EXTERNAL USE ONLY - Do Not Ingest! H.P.M. from Heritage Products formulated from Food Grade Hydrogen Peroxide with cinnamon, menthol and clove oil added for flavoring. You still shouldn't swallow any Hydrogen Peroxide, but why would you want to use something in your mouth that's not food grade? I've used Hydrogen Peroxide Mouthwash to cleanse cuts inside my mouth, and I've successfully fought off gum infections by soaking cotton swabs with the H.P.M. and applying it directly to the infected area. I've also found it useful for those rare occasions when I have a cold since rinsing with H.P.M. will kill cold germs in my mouth, and gargling will help reduce the buildup of infectious germs in my throat. I firmly believe that my use of H.P.M. from the time one of my teeth broke, and the time until it was repaired with a root canal prevented me from getting a serious oral infection. Unfortunately, I also firmly believe that the use of conventional oral care products in my younger years lead me to that broken tooth and need for a root canal. For regular daily use, I prefer to use Jason Healthy Mouth Natural Mouthwash, but I always have a bottle of H.P.M. on hand, I also use it for first aide.

How To Remove Backgrounds From Images & Pictures

Fri, 15 Jan 2010 15:48:04 -0600

One of the hardest things to do with any photo editing tool seems to be separating objects within a picture from the image's background. At least from the solutions I've seen for the popular photo editing programs, it looks difficult. I'm not saying that the other, more complicated ways don't work, and GIMP's Color Select and Paths Tools can also be used instead of the Fuzzy Select Tool, but for me this solution is much easier, and much quicker. It is also much more fun!

What Everybody Ought to Know About All Natural Toothpaste

Mon, 27 Sep 2010 09:35:31 -0600

Nearly all toothpaste contains chemicals which are toxic when ingested, and most must be spat out after use. It can be a paste or gel which is normally applied with a toothbrush to clean and preserve the health of teeth and gums. Used to promote oral hygiene, toothpaste can help remove dental plaque and food from the teeth, aid in the elimination and/or covering of halitosis and deliver active ingredients such as fluoride or xylitol assist in the prevention of tooth and gum disease (gingivitis). The use of Toothpaste is encouraged after each meal, but how much do you really know about what potentially dangerous chemicals are in it? Did you know that there are brands that are made from all natural ingredients? (Image by adamci from Stock.XCHNG the leading FREE stock photo site!)

Using Spirulina - What Is Spirulina Good For?

Sat, 16 Jan 2010 17:29:11 -0600

A fresh water algae commonly known as Spirulina isn't actually Spirulina. The Spirulina with a long history of being used for food and commonly sold as supplements is actually Arthrospira. Both Spirulina and Arthrospira are cyanobacteria in the Oscillatoriales order and Arthrospira has been called Spirulina for so long, it continues to be used today. Arthrospira grows naturally in tropical and subtropical lakes with high pH and high concentrations of carbonate and bicarbonate. Arthrospira platensis is found naturally in Africa, Asia and South America, but Arthrospira maxima only grows naturally in Central America. As Spirulina, Arthrospira is cultivated world wide, and used by humans as a whole food and as a dietary supplement in tablet, flake, and powder form. It is also used as a feed supplement in the aquaculture, aquarium, and poultry industries.

The Best Clip-On Fans Ever

Wed, 18 Jan 2012 11:19:49 -0600

I've used fans in all kinds of places. I do not have air conditioning in my bedroom, and I don't have a lot of floor space or table space for other types of fans. I love clip-on fans because I can quickly mount them out of the way, yet close enough to do their job. When I was a service technician I always had at least one clip-on fan with me since I would often be required to spend long periods of time in rooms with little to no ventilation, air conditioning or air flow. Over the years I've owned clip-on fans by many different manufactures and the Holmes brand fans have lasted the longest.

How To Add A Hat To A Picture Using GIMP

Sat, 16 Jan 2010 09:18:16 -0600

Ever want to make your Avatar picture a little festive by adding a hat? Adding hats to images on popular Web 2.0 sites like Twitter is a fun way to celebrate the seasons and holidays. A Santa Hat for Christmas, a Leprechaun's hat for St. Patrick's Day, or a baseball cap for baseball season, if you can find an image of a hat, chances are you can add it to your picture using GIMP, the free graphic image manipulation program.

Gas Or Electric String Trimmers

Thu, 13 Oct 2011 11:31:33 -0600

Gas trimmers out sell electric models, but electric trimmers now come with rechargeable batteries so... Time To Go Cordless! Electric string trimmers, also known as grass or line trimmers, are cleaner, lighter and quieter than gas powered trimmers. Black and Decker Electric Trimmers eliminate the need for extension cords by using rechargeable batteries, making electric trimmers more versatile than ever. Updated: I've completed two seasons using my electric trimmer, and one of the best things about it is being able to enjoy the smell of fresh cut grass without having the stench of gasoline engine exhaust hanging around. I did find the original recharger that came with the electric trimmer to be inadequate for charging my batteries. I need 3 or 4 fully charged batteries to do my rather large yard (scroll down to see some pictures). I bought two replacement batteries, and one of Black & Decker's FSMVC 9.6-Volt to 18-Volt Slide Style Battery Chargers which charges the batteries much faster than the original charger. It also has an indicator light that lets me know when it has finished the charging cycle, something lacking from the original. Since I have quite a few Black & Decker cordless tools, this recharger has paid for itself in the time it saves me!

Saitek Eclipse Keyboard: The Best Backlit Keyboard Ever

Sat, 16 Jan 2010 18:26:44 -0600

The Saitek Eclipse Keyboard is only the second illuminated keyboard I've owned, but I'm certain it's the last brand I'll buy. That's because I love it so much! I've had many keyboards in the past, some cost me less than twenty dollars - talk about cheap! The first lighted keyboard I owned wasn't exactly cheap, I paid $99 plus shipping and handling for it, but it always had a cheap feel to it. It was like using one of those cheaper keyboards. My Saitek Eclipse Keyboard has a nice solid feel. The back light is softer than my former keyboard. It also has the key layout and spacing of a standard keyboard, my first illuminated keyboard had a non-standard key placement with no spacing, that caused plenty of typos! The only reason I wouldn't buy another Eclipse Keyboard just like it is because I want to try the newer Saitek Eclipse II Keyboard (PK02AU), or Saitek PK17U Cyborg Gaming Keyboard with Tri-Color Backlighting. With this one is holding up so well, even after a couple of years' of use, I won't actually need a new one any time soon.

Quick & Easy - My Favorite Iced Coffee Recipe

Fri, 15 Jan 2010 18:04:07 -0600

I especially love homemade iced coffee in the warm weather, and I'm not about to buy expensive (and what I often consider to be inferior) iced coffee at a coffee shop when I can make the best iced coffee at home. I like cream and sugar in my coffee, and you are free to substitute whatever you enjoy. The technique is the important part of this recipe, you are free to flavor your iced coffee to your own tastes, add or leave out whatever you want. I've also included some extra information about the possible health benefits about coffee and the ingredients I choose to use.

The Love Of Dragons: Dragons In Books And On Video

Fri, 15 Jan 2010 16:40:10 -0600

Around the world, through many ages and cultures, there have been stories of dragons. They may be described in slightly different ways in different areas and times, but are often depicted as being serpentine or reptilian. They usually hatch from eggs, having either feathered or scaled bodies. Many times dragons breath fire, and their blood is poisonous. They often live in or are associated with water. They can control the weather, especially causing storms, or disasters. Usually they can fly, even if they do not have wings. They often guard something of value, like knowledge or some type of treasure, and of course, they usually have magical or supernatural powers. Today, the most popular stories are either based on the Oriental Dragons, who are usually benevolent, and the European Dragons, who are malevolent. Of course, there are always exceptions to the rules. (Image: "Saint George and the Dragon" - Paolo Uccello c. 1470)

Cat Caught In An Illegal Steel Trap Or Animal Cruelty?

Tue, 19 Oct 2010 10:15:16 -0600

A bizarre sight, indeed. I found this poor cat hanging from a steel trap suspended in some vines adjoining a tree. How did it get there? Who set the trap? Why is the cat caught in such a way that he is resting on those vines, and not dangling in mid-air? If there is a trap in this tree, what about other nearby trees? Or perhaps even hidden under the brush on the ground? Should I worry about where I step as I walk back to the house?

King Crimson: A Tribute To One Of The Most Influential Progressive Rock Bands

Tue, 19 Oct 2010 10:00:18 -0600

Formed in the late 1960's, the British group King Crimson wasn't the first, but is often singled out as the first true Progressive Rock band. They are considered by many to be one of the most influential of the early Progressive Rock movement. Their debut album, In the Court of the Crimson King (an observation by King Crimson), is often cited as the album that defined the genre. Many Progressive Rock bands that existed before King Crimson made changes to the style of their music after the success of In the Court of the Crimson King (an observation by King Crimson). Originally, Robert Fripp joined drummer Michael Giles and his brother, bassist Peter Giles to form Giles, Giles and Fripp. Even though their first album didn't do well, they continued on, adding Ian McDonald, Peter Sinfield. Eventually, Greg Lake joined, becoming the lead singer, and replacing Peter Giles as bass player. King Crimson made their live debut on April 9, 1969 at a free concert staged by The Rolling Stones in Hyde Park, London. I had been a fan of King Crimson since the first time I heard In The Court of the Crimson King in the 80's, but because their songs are rarely played on commercial radio, I remained largely ignorant of most of their music and history. I don't recall hearing any of their music released after the first album, but I did hear Adrian Belew, and bought his album, Mr. Music Head, which was when I discovered that he was a member of the band, and that they had been releasing new material. I have King Crimson's debut album on CD, which I enjoy listening to very much. It stayed in the back of my mind for quite a while that I needed to get more of their music, but It wasn't until I finally bought Cirkus: The Young Person's Guide to King Crimson that I realized what I had been missing, and began to piece together the incredible history. A history that includes ties to some of my favorites artists, including Yes, Emerson, Lake & Palmer, Bad Company, Peter Gabriel, Alice Cooper, David Bowie, The Talking Heads, and Asia

How To Disable PHP Register Globals -- Drupal Status Report

Mon, 27 Sep 2010 09:33:29 -0600

So I'm comparing Drupal and Joomla on my test site. I want to learn both Content Management Systems (CMS), then decide which, if either, I'm going to use for my websites. I'm not much for sitting down and reading page after page of documentation before digging into a system. It doesn't matter if it's hardware, or software, I'll only look at the documentation after I run into a problem. Unfortunately, the problem with register globals is not actually something you can correct from within Drupal itself. If you need to disable register globals, you need to do it with your domain hosting files, or have your hosting company disable it for you. Before contacting my hosting company, I decided to try to disable it myself, and here's how it turned out. (Druplicon from Druplicon | drupal.org)

What Everybody Ought to Know About All Natural Mouthwash

Fri, 15 Jan 2010 18:13:06 -0600

Mouthwash or mouth rinse is normally used to maintain oral health and hygiene. It is commonly used after teeth brushing and is swished or gargled for roughly half a minute then spat out. Mouth rinse sold as antiseptic and anti-plaque claim to kill the bacterial plaque that causes tooth decay, gingivitis, and bad breath. They often use a large percentage of alcohol and that will actually aggravate dry mouth and bad breath. Anti-cavity mouth rinses use fluoride to protect against cavities. In general it is agreed that the use of mouthwash does not eliminate the need for both brushing and flossing. Healthy Mouth Natural Mouthwash from Jason does not have alcohol, fluoride, or saccharin. Instead, it relies on a healthy, natural and tasty blend of Aloe Vera, Cinnamon, Clove, and Tea Tree Oil to safely cleanse and protect your teeth and gums. It is the perfect compliment to Jason's Healthy Mouth Toothpaste. I do use a stronger antiseptic Hydrogen Peroxide Mouthwash that does contain about 5% grain alcohol. Not on a daily basis, but usually for cleaning small cuts in my mouth when I get them. I believe using it once when one of my teeth broke and needed to be repaired with a root canal prevented a serious infection from setting in.

How To Combine Pictures In GIMP

Sat, 16 Jan 2010 18:32:13 -0600

It is real easy to combine pictures using GIMP. It can be a way to show more pictures without having to load more image files, and you can even save space by resizing the combined image after you finish. After learning the basics for combining two pictures together, you can follow the same instructions to put even more images together. You could actually take a bunch of smaller images and put them together to form a contact sheet collection.

Hotel Bedding Sets | Bedding Featured in Many Hilton® Hotels

Sat, 16 Jan 2010 17:19:35 -0600

Looking for Hotel Bedding Sets like those featured in the world's finest hotels and resorts like Hilton® Hotels? Ever have a great stay at a hotel with bedding so comfortable that you checked the tags to find out the brand name so you can buy the same for yourself the next you go shopping? I have, and until now, I couldn't find the right place to buy hotel bedding. Maybe you are in a hotel right now searching for a place to buy hotel bedding online. If you are looking for the same quality, comfort and luxury hotel bedding found in world class hotels and resorts, you've come to the right place! Bedding Featured in Many Hilton® Hotels Around The World

Why I Love The GIMP For Photo Editing

Fri, 14 Oct 2011 10:05:34 -0600

A powerful image editing tool, The GIMP has been developed to primarily be used on UNIX platforms, but it also runs on MS Windows and Mac OS X. Use it as a simple paint program, for doing expert quality photo retouching, online batch processing, for mass production image rendering, or just to convert image formats for free! GIMP can be expanded and use a variety of optional extensions. By augmenting it with plug-ins and extensions you can use it to do just about anything with your pictures and graphics. The simplest task to the most complex image manipulation procedures, can be easily performed with the help of the advanced scripting interface. I had never tried any program like it before, so I was overwhelmed at first, but after spending a little time with it I started to learn how it works. I now use it on pretty much all my custom images and can't imagine using anything else.

Portable Space Heaters: What's The Best Electric Space Heater?

Fri, 15 Jan 2010 14:47:30 -0600

A few years ago I bought a rather cheap Portable Electric Heater by Holmes. I didn't expect much, it was the cheapest heater in the store and I needed something right away since my room in the basement is not connected to the home heating system so it can get quite cold in the winter. Over the years I've tried many different brands of portable electric heaters, and most were serious disappointments. The heater I had used the year before wasn't working anymore, and the cold weather was on the way. I honestly thought I was just buying some cheap heater to get me by until I could afford to shop around for one of those more expensive Portable Electric Heaters everyone was telling me I should be using. I never expected it to last for several seasons.

All Natural Herbal Cough Syrup

Sat, 16 Jan 2010 18:15:03 -0600

For several reasons many years ago I had decided to cut my usage of over the counter medicines. While looking for natural remedies and alternative medicines I came across Mother Earth's Syrup. A popular formula from the readings of Edgar Cayce, Mother Earth's Herbal Cough Syrup is an all natural remedy consisting of horehound, wild cherry bark, rhubarb, and elixir of wild ginger preserved with grain alcohol in a honey and cane sugar syrup base. This tonic worked so well for me when I first tried it that when I do have problems with sore throat or coughing, this is the only cough syrup I'll consider using. I try to keep at least one bottle on hand throughout the cold and flu season each year, just in case.

Robert Fripp - The Man Behind King Crimson

Tue, 03 Jan 2012 11:52:06 -0600

Best know as the guitarist and co-founder, and only constant member of the progressive group, King Crimson, Robert Fripp has also left his mark as an innovative musician by working with artists like Peter Gabriel, Brian Eno, David Bowie and David Byrne. Fripp began playing guitar at the age of eleven, and says he was tone deaf with no sense of rhythm when he started. "Music so wishes to be heard that it sometimes calls on unlikely characters to give it voice," he said. Fripp is married to Toyah Willcox. and was ranked 42nd on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the "100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time" (published August 2003).

Easy To Make - Ants On A Log Are A Healthy Snack Kids Love

Tue, 01 Mar 2011 11:41:47 -0600

Ants On A Log is a healthy snack that's great for kids of all ages. It's pretty simple, some celery, peanut butter and raisins. Except for people who don't like peanut butter, or are allergic to peanuts, it's a pretty delicious treat! Along with toast, it was one of the first things I learned to make for myself, and it's just as easy. It's also pretty fun, especially for kids, to pretend that you are eating a line of ants marching along a log!

What You Should Know About Cash Gifting: Don't Get Scammed!

Tue, 04 May 2010 12:03:42 -0600

A scam by any other name is still a scam. Cash Gifting, Cash Leveraging, Giving and similar programs are just pyramid schemes in disguise. They appear credible with an easy to explain money-making method, but actually rely on greed to exploit the ignorant. In reality they can never be sustained. No matter how many people join, approximately 88% of all involved will lose their investment before it collapses. Despite stories of charity and the spirit of giving, such schemes exploit greed and gullibility. They are illegal in many countries, and everyone who participates could face fines and criminal charges if caught. They often do not involve the sales of real products or services and enhance credibility with fake referrals, testimonials and information. In the end the money just travels up the chain, the person who started the pyramid and a very few at the top are the only ones who get a payout. (Image by compose from Stock.XCHNG the leading FREE stock photo site!)

Tips And Ideas For Designing A Successful Website

Fri, 22 Jan 2010 20:13:51 -0600

Even if you are not running an online business, if you've bothered to make your own website, you want people to enjoy it, make frequent visits, and tell their friends. This is even more important if you want a successful business website. This following mainly focuses on website design for business, but much of this can be adapted for blogs, social networks, and anything online that allows you to redesign and personalize your content.

GIMP Quick Tips: Matching Colors In Images

Sun, 17 Jan 2010 16:19:51 -0600

Adding elements to an image is easy using GIMP, but sometimes you can come across problems simply because a little bit of the background from one image doesn't match the image it is being added to. The Fuzzy Select Tool can be used with the Color Picker Tool, or the Blend Tool to help you correct mismatched colors. With the following little tricks, it's not half as complicated as you might imagine!

Cayenne Pepper Supplements & Ointment

Sun, 17 Jan 2010 16:02:07 -0600

The Cayenne is a red, hot chili pepper, generally speaking any of a number of peppers are called cayenne. A member of the nightshade family, it is used in cooking to flavor dishes, and for medicinal purposes. The fruits can be dried and ground, or pulped and baked into cakes, which are then ground and sifted to make the powdered spice known as cayenne pepper. Cayenne is used in cooking spicy hot dishes, as a powder or in its whole form (such as in Szechuan cuisine) or in a thin, vinegar-based sauce. It is generally rated at 30,000 to 50,000 Scoville Units. It is also used as an herbal supplement, and was mentioned by Nicholas Culpeper in his book Complete Herbal.

Logitech Cordless Optical TrackMan: The Best Trackball Ever

Sat, 16 Jan 2010 20:48:13 -0600

The Logitech Cordless Optical TrackMan® is my first wireless Trackball, and I found this trackball to be the most natural feeling pointing device I've ever used with a computer. It is the first trackball I've had that has the ball located more to the right of the device, the mouse wheel is between the left click buttons and the trackball making it very easy to switch my index finger from controlling the trackball to scrolling with the mouse wheel. This also has some fast scrolling buttons that can be used instead of the mouse wheel. I can easily use the left-click buttons with my thumb, which also seems very natural for me, and the right click button is easily accessed by either my middle or ring finger as I steady the whole device with my palm and pinky.

Affordable Rear View Backup Cameras & Car Safety Products

Fri, 15 Jan 2010 13:34:56 -0600

VR3 Wireless Rear View Backup Cameras are a simple, affordable way to see what is behind you as you back up your vehicle. Each system includes a full color LCD display that can be easily connected to the 12 volt electrical system and an adjustable camera that easily mounts to the rear license plate and backup lights. These rear view backup cameras are easy enough to install yourself.

Greg Lake, Not Just One Third Of Emerson, Lake & Palmer

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 09:24:07 -0600

For over four decades, Greg Lake has been a popular and innovative musician who has combined sophisticated pop and rock with the influence of Europe's golden age of classical music. He burst on to the international music scene in the late 1960s as bass player, and lead singer of the progressive rock group, King Crimson, then dominated the 1970s wave of progressive rock as one third of Emerson, Lake & Palmer. Known for writing songs such as "Lucky Man", which he wrote while still in school (included to fill space on ELPs debut album, it became their first hit), and ELPs best selling single "From the Beginning". He is also well know for his solo hit, "I Believe in Father Christmas", co-written with Peter Sinfield, it has been one of the most played radio songs during the holiday season since it's release in 1975 when it reached number two on the UK Singles Chart, despite often being misinterpreted as an anti-religious song.

Alice Cooper's Welcome to My Nightmare

Fri, 26 Nov 2010 09:43:38 -0600

After a record breaking tour in 1973 following a string of hits like "School's Out", "Elected" and "No More Mr Nice Guy", Alice Cooper, the band, released Muscle of Love, their seventh studio album. When Muscle of Love didn't do as well as they had expected, the band began to have disagreements over the future direction of the group. Singer Vincent Furnier, a.k.a Alice Cooper, wanted to continue with the elaborate stage show they had developed, while the other members of the band wanted to tone down the act and get more serious with the music. The band broke up, and Alice Cooper, the singer, songwriter and musician, decided to return to the studio, after a brief break from music, without his former band mates.

How To Resize Pictures Using GIMP's Scale Image Tool

Sun, 17 Jan 2010 16:08:13 -0600

GIMP is one of the easiest ways I've found to resize images and pictures, especially when I need them to fit into predefined spaces on website pages. I can actually resize the picture or get the proper dimensions from GIMP's Scale Image Tool to resize the image on a website page without distorting the image.

Hotel Bedding Sets | Bedding Featured in Many Marriott® and Ritz-Carlton® Hotels

Fri, 15 Jan 2010 19:12:57 -0600

Looking for Hotel Bedding Sets like those featured in the world's finest hotels and resorts such as Marriott� or Ritz-Carlton� Hotels? Ever have a great stay at a hotel with bedding so comfortable that you checked the tags to find out the brand name so you can buy the hotel bedding for yourself the next you go shopping? I have, and until now, I couldn't find hotel brand bedding for sale. Maybe you are in a hotel right now looking to buy hotel bedding online. If you are looking for the same comfort and luxury by purchasing the same hotel bedding collections found in world class hotels and resorts, you've come to the right place!

GIMP Quick Tricks: The Fuzzy Select Tool

Sun, 17 Jan 2010 17:49:56 -0600

If you are new to GIMP, and wondering what the Fuzzy Select Tool is, it is like the Magic Wand in Photoshop. With it, you can select similar areas of a layer or image base on color. It is best suited for solid color areas, depending on the threshold setting, it can actually skip over small gaps in your image and select areas that aren't touching each other. It can be a fun tool to use, how well it works depends on which part of the image you click, if your first selection doesn't look right, undo it and try clicking a different spot. It can also get frustrating trying to get it to select every part you want without selecting extra bits you didn't want, experienced users tend to work more with the Path Select and Color Select tools.

How To Clean Water - Home Drinking Water Filtration

Sat, 16 Jan 2010 17:55:21 -0600

In the United States, where tap water is some of the cleanest drinking water available, many people still pay for bottled water expecting to get something even cleaner than what is available from their own home faucets. Even the US public water supply isn't totally free from possible contaminates. For as clean as the water is, there are still things in it that we do not want to drink, but they may also be in the water you buy at the store. The best option is to filter the water yourself. Contaminated drinking water from my own home faucets became a major concern in 2001 when it was publicly revealed that my town's water supply had been contaminated with the gasoline additive, methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE) from leaking underground tanks at a local service station. After the crisis, the town drinking water being pumped in from a neighboring municipality seemed to have more of a chlorine taste to me than it did when it came from our own town wells. The whole issue opened my eyes to just how fragile even the most sophisticated water supplies are, and spending just a relatively small amount of money to add an extra purification process to my drinking water is worth it. While I in no way expect that these filters can protect me from another contamination like MTBE, they do give me peace of mind that I'm drinking water that is cleaner than it would be without the filters - I can taste the difference. I also know that should there be another serious contamination of the local water supply, I either won't be affected, or my exposure will certainly be a lot less than if I wasn't filtering my own water!

GIMP Tips Tricks & Tutorials

Sun, 17 Jan 2010 18:54:53 -0600

For a free program, GIMP sure delivers on features, functions, and just all around usefulness. It may seem like learning another language at first, but once you start working with it, it gets easier to understand things. I find it is easier to explain things to people by showing step-by-step instructions with pictures and images mixed in to show what I'm doing. After all, they say that a picture is worth a thousand, I can't image how many words the following collection of tips, tricks and tutorials has in them. I just hope you find something that will make your work easier!

Gimp Tutorial: Making Borders For Banners & Graphics

Sun, 17 Jan 2010 18:22:14 -0600

You can add borders to existing images using GIMP, but you can also make up borders ahead of time. Think of them like picture frames that you can add your graphics to later. Pre-made borders can be something you use to make sure images maintain a similar look or feel on the same page or over the life of your project. At the very least, following these instructions can help you figure out how to use borders with just about any GIMP project you work on.

Alice In Chains Music Bank

Sun, 17 Jan 2010 20:16:41 -0600

Out of all the bands to have been part of the "Grunge" movement of the 1990's, Alice in Chains (AiC) is my favorite. I already had all their albums on CD & cassette, except for their EP, We Die Young, which was never released on CD, and somehow I never managed to get a cassette copy. AiC often provides a dark and dirty glimpse into a world and lifestyle that is totally foreign to me, having never used drugs. Yet I find that I can enjoy the music and relate to some of the basic feelings expressed in the songs. When the band's Box Set, Music Bank, was released, there were no questions, I had to get it, the sampler Nothing Safe: Best of the Box and the related DVD, Music Bank - The Videos! After years of setbacks due mainly to lead singer Layne Staley's struggles with drug addiction, Alice in Chains returned to the studios in 1998 to record two new songs to be included with their box set collection, Music Bank. Music Bank isn't exactly a greatest hits compilation, it is more of an overview of their music including most of their biggest songs along with demos, rarities, remixes and previously unreleased songs.

Art Garfunkel - Singer, Actor, Reader, Walker, Writer

Wed, 17 Mar 2010 18:21:16 -0600

Art Garfunkel's voice is his instrument and one of his most recognizable features. "Art Garfunkel is one of those great, rare voices," James Taylor wrote in Rolling Stone Magazine. "I would know it anywhere at the drop of a hat, in half a bar." "To sing with Art Garfunkel is a very intimidating experience, because his voice is a wonderful gift and I always considered that my job was to surround it with some harmony and let it shine." - Paul Simon. Singer, Actor, Reader, Walker, Writer -- Art Garfunkel has certainly left his mark in history.

Quick Editing Tips Using Firefox & FoxReplace

Mon, 18 Jan 2010 10:43:31 -0600

Whether you are writing a blog post, building a webpage or just filling out web forms, FoxReplace, the Add-on for Firefox can really be a time saver when you need to correct little mistakes. Firefox comes with a built in tool to find characters on a page, but FoxReplace allows you to substitute a new character, or strings of characters for those you find.

How To Write Creative And Interesting Articles

Sat, 11 Feb 2012 22:51:54 -0600

Often when it comes to writing articles, the result can be fairly boring. Most of the time, there should be nothing that prevents you from having some creativity in your articles. Here are some pointers that will help you to become more creative with your article writing. By being aware of these helpful tips, you can be helping to make your articles more interesting and much more powerful.

High Quality Audio, Video & Navigation For Your Car, Truck, RV or SUV

Mon, 03 Aug 2009 23:00:00 -0600

I've spent a lot of time traveling as a service technician, and don't think I could have lasted with out High Tech devices in my vehicle to make life easier. I still remember searching for strong stations on analog radios by hand, and only being able to listen to cassette tape when I couldn't find something I wanted to listen to. Now radios are digital with digital tuners that will find strong local signals for you and most are also available with CD/DVD players and memory slots to play MP3's from digital memory cards. My first MP3 player (which I still own, and use regularly) had to be connected to the car radio using a wireless FM transmitter. Now you can get radios with allow you to direct connect an MP3 payer. I also remember trying to find my way around New England with just paper maps. My first GPS was loaded on an iPaq Pocket PC. Now the self-contained GPS units have more features than the one I first used, and some car radios now have them built right in. I used to have to use public pay phones while on the road because car phones were something few people could could afford, now there are car radios that will connect to your phone and allow you to make and receive hands-free calls while driving. Technologies advance every year, and there's always new and exciting options to make time spent as a slave to the road more bearable.

John Wetton - Singer, Songwriter, Guitarist

Tue, 01 Mar 2011 11:40:19 -0600

Singer, songwriter, and guitarist, John Wetton had worked mostly as a bass player, sometimes as a singer/ bassist with some of the most famous progressive rock bands of the 1970's such as Family, King Crimson, Roxy Music, Uriah Heep, U.K. and Wishbone Ash. He helped to start a new movement in progressive rock by founding the supergroup Asia in the early 1980's with drummer Carl Palmer (Atomic Rooster & Emerson, Lake and Palmer), keyboardist Geoff Downes (The Buggles & Yes), and guitarist Steve Howe (Yes). A look at his career shows that he's certainly worked hard to earned his place in Rock 'n Roll history, and has indeed led "An Extraordinary Life!" "Go, seize the day Wake up and say This is an extraordinary life, oh Enjoy today Come what may This is an extraordinary" - "An Extraordinary Life" Performed by Asia From Phoenix

Sennheiser: The Best Noise Canceling Earphones?

Fri, 15 Jan 2010 15:39:50 -0600

After years of using earbuds from various manufacturers, and learning to get use to the sub-standard audio quality, I finally came across a brand that challenges even the best full-sized headphones I've had in the past. In truth, these are not actual earbuds, but in-ear headphones, or canalphones, which fit right in the ear canals which helps to cut out background noise and require less over-all audio output than earphones, or even a lot of headphones. After using these light-weight earphones, I no longer miss my old full-sized headphones! I'm now convinced that Sennheiser makes the best earphones!

VR3 Bluetooth Hands Free Cell Phone Adapters

Sun, 17 Jan 2010 15:45:10 -0600

It's not a good idea to use a cell phone while driving, but at least it's a little safer to use a hands free adapter with your phone while driving. These adapters connect to your phone using the wireless communications protocol known as "Bluetooth" which is low powered and short ranged. If you don't already have a way to use your bluetooth compatible cell phone hands-free while driving, and you aren't in the market for a New Radio with built in bluetooth hands-free capabilities, these handy little gadgets from Roadmaster/VR3 may be what you need. VR3's Hands Free Cell Phone Adapters are affordable and easy to install. They are portable, perfect for anyone who drives more than one vehicle. Just unplug it, and take it with you.

Organic Cold Season Herbal Tea

Wed, 22 Jun 2011 11:02:03 -0600

Cold Season Tea is a soothing tea specially formulated with ginger, cardamom, cinnamon and clove, the warming herbs of Ayurveda, also known as "heating herbs" that support nasal and bronchial function. The blend also contains basil, eucalyptus, and peppermint, herbs that have been used traditionally to help with breathing, as well as lemongrass, one of the most effective herbs for sustaining a healthy sinus. When referring to tea, most think of a beverage made from hot or boiling water and leaves or leaf buds of Camellia sinensis. The most common of these teas are black tea, oolong tea, green tea, white tea, and pu-erh tea which normally contain caffeine. Yogi Organic Cold Season Herbal Tea is an herbal tea which does not contain Camellia sinensis, nor caffeine. I drink at least one cup of Yogi Organic Cold Season Herbal Tea each day during the cold weather, and if I do start feeling a little illness coming on, I'll drink two to four cups a day until I feel better. It's not just for the cold weather, but any time you feel yourself coming down with a cold!

Tony Levin - A Legendary Musician

Sun, 16 Aug 2009 22:11:28 -0600

Tony Levin is a musician from the United States best know for his work with British progressive rock artists Peter Gabriel and King Crimson, but he's also worked with a virtual who's who in popular music. Levin has played on albums by such diverse legends as Cher, Judy Collins, Alice Cooper, David Bowie, John Lennon, Pink Floyd, Paul Simon and Yes. He has been credited with popularizing the musical instrument known as the Chapman Stick, which is basically a fretboard with 8, 10 or 12 strings which is played using a free hand tapping method with fingers from both hands tapping the frets rather than one hand fretting while the other plucks as done with typical guitar playing. Levin began using the Chapman Stick while with Peter Gabriel in the late 1970's, then went from just using the instrument for the bass parts to playing both bass and melody with King Crimson in the early '80s. I first noticed Levin in Peter Gabriel's concert film, Secret World Live (the double CD remains one of my prized possessions, and stays in constant rotation on my MP3 player), but it wasn't until I started to learn more about King Crimson (thanks to Cirkus: The Young Person's Guide to King Crimson - Live, another prized CD which isn't as old, but is also in constant rotation on my MP3 player) that I began to appreciate Tony Levin's talent, and his incredible contributions to the world of music. (Photo credit: Ian Muttoo)

Hotel Comforters And Feather Beds

Sat, 23 Jan 2010 18:41:22 -0600

Ever have a great stay at a hotel with a feather bed or comforter nice enough that you checked the tags to find out the brand name so you could buy your own the next time you went shopping? I have, and until now, I couldn't find them. Maybe you are in a hotel right now searching for a place to buy luxury comforters and feather beds online. If so, I can help you out! You've come to the right place!

Old Fashioned Christmas

Fri, 15 Jan 2010 16:56:19 -0600

For many people, Christmas and the Holiday season brings back memories of times past. Many things, such as food or decorations are based on the traditions of our parents, and their parents. Sometimes these are based not on our own experiences, but on stories we've been told since our youth. When looking to prepare for the season, many look for items that are not necessarily old, but have an "Old Fashion" feel to them. The Holiday Season is about atmosphere, and that can be set by the music we listen to, things we use to decorate, the stories we tell and even the movies we watch. Who knows, we may be setting up the memories and traditions for many years to come! (Image by bosela from Stock.XCHNG the leading FREE stock photo site!)

Noise Canceling Earmuff: Hearing Protection By Peltor

Thu, 24 Sep 2009 19:32:58 -0600

I've seen many of my relatives develop hearing problems, and I can't help but wonder if something as simple as a set of Noise Canceling Earmuffs could have prevented it. I recently began helping my dad do his yard work, and was surprised at how loud the lawnmower is. I had mowed the lawn every week of every summer when I was younger and do not remember the one we had back then being that loud. Now that I'm getting older, and don't feel quite as indestructible as I did back then, perhaps my ears are more sensitive to the destructive elements of loud noises. I'm more concerned now about not being able to hear things as well as I do now when I get to an even older age, than I was when I was a teenager. One of the easiest ways to protect my hearing is to wear hearing protection whenever I am using any loud tools. The more comfortable, the better!

Super Antioxidant Green Tea

Wed, 05 Aug 2009 16:34:34 -0600

Quick and Easy S'more Brownie Recipe

Wed, 23 Sep 2009 10:30:19 -0600

If you love S'mores and brownies, not much could be better than combining the two! Imagine all the great taste and fun of S'mores without the mess! They are extremely easy to make, it takes just a little modification to your favorite brownie recipe, or do like my dad, and use your favorite brownie mix!

Haunted Halloween: 13 Spooky Fun Party Songs

Fri, 02 Oct 2009 19:09:11 -0600

Here's a collection of party songs for a spooky, yet more fun than scary, Halloween activity. They offer a lighter side to the celebration that allows us to stand up to our fears and brush them away with a hearty laugh. Monsters, ghouls, ghosts, or things that go bump in the night can't hurt us when we celebrate with fun and games while these musical treats fill the air! Photo used under Creative Commons from celine's original graphics

Advanced HTML For Borders & Backgrounds On Squidoo

Sun, 17 Jan 2010 19:09:07 -0600

While looking at various Lenses, I noticed many Lensmasters were having the same problems I have getting the custom borders they make match up with their Lens photos. This is most noticeable when there aren't enough words in an Intro or Text module to fill the same amount of vertical space the image uses. An added problem is that they often look good in the Workshop, but not after they are published. Many people love to jazz up their Lenses to make them stand out, but haven't figured out how to go the extra step to manipulate that custom border or background into just the right size to match their Lens photos. The solution is a bit more advanced than simply copying code from one place to another. There are different spacing elements that can be adjusted, and just because you've figured it out for one module, or Lens, doesn't mean that the exact same solution will work in all your modules on all of your Lenses. Even more frustrating is that just adding more content to a Lens may change your custom spacing, and maybe even make it unnecessary. Every change you make needs to be tested after you publish, what may look good in one browser could quite possibly look horrible in another!

Easy GIMP Tips: Making Quick Image Borders

Sun, 17 Jan 2010 19:00:19 -0600

Here's an easy way to add a little pizazz to just about any image using The GIMP, that free image manipulation program that can help just about anyone look like a professional graphical artist. With this little trick, you can quickly give your images a bit of eye-catching decoration, once you see how it's done. you'll find all sorts of reasons to use it!

John Wetton: 1980s - Present

Wed, 17 Mar 2010 18:55:11 -0600

After working in the music business since the mid-1960s, John Wetton had mostly been a bass player, sometimes a singer/ bassist, with some of the most famous progressive rock bands of the 1970's including Family, King Crimson, Roxy Music, Uriah Heep, and U.K. (see John Wetton - Singer, Songwriter, Guitarist). He had met with varying degrees of success, then the 1980s brought new opportunities for him as a chance to retry the supergroup formula that had almost worked with U.K. resulted in the formation of Asia. Although Asia's success seemed short lived, Wetton continued to build on the experience until fate reunited him with the band for their 25th anniversary reunion. The title of resulting album, Phoenix, almost seems like a fitting description for John Wetton's long career. "Go, seize the day Wake up and say This is an extraordinary life, oh Enjoy today Come what may This is an extraordinary" - "An Extraordinary Life" Performed by Asia From Phoenix (Photo used under Creative Commons from jomelia)

How To Promote Your Content: Getting More Out of Zimbio

Fri, 09 Jul 2010 10:23:03 -0600

I joined Zimbio to get backlinks for my blog posts and Squidoo Lenses. I did intend to learn more about it, but was content to just add my RSS feeds and give "Kudos" to people I knew until one of my articles posted to Zimbio began to outrank the original Lens on Google. At that point I began to take a more serious look at my content on Zimbio and decided that I was doing myself a disservice by not managing it better. Here's some simple tips for making your articles more worth reading on Zimbio.

Quick Vista Tips: How To Change The Desktop Wallpaper

Sat, 18 Jun 2011 10:37:22 -0600

It's happened to me, I am very use to how to change themes and desktop background wallpaper in Windows XP, but still get a little confused trying to find things in Vista. I'm documenting this for myself as much as anyone else, but hopefully, if you are stuck, this can help you, too.

Natural Hair Products - Shampoo & Conditioner

Mon, 28 Sep 2009 20:20:08 -0600

I originally began buying natural hair products simply because I was already buying other natural personal care and household cleaning products. As the years went by, I began learning more about what is in shampoo and other hair care products, and the more I knew, the more I was glad I had switched, or had I? I also discovered that some natural hair care products still contain ingredients that I do not want in my hair. Now I exclusively use hair care products from EO that do not contain anything I am concerned with having in my hair. You may wonder what the big deal is, but when you learn what some of these ingredients are, and what they may do to you, you may also want to stay away from them. These ingredients don't just pose the risk of slowly being absorbed through the skin of your scalp, but can get directly into your ears, eyes, nose and mouth.

DeWalt - The Best Cordless Drill

Sun, 17 Jan 2010 16:15:03 -0600

As far as I'm concerned, the DeWalt Cordless Power Drill is the "Must Have" power tool for the home handy-man and do-it-yourselfer. I don't even do a lot of drilling, but I do use it for screws often enough. It may be heavier than a screwdriver, but it's lighter than other heavy duty cordless power drills. That and the convenience of not having to twist a screwdriver, makes the best choice for many jobs. The DeWalt Cordless Power Drill has 2 speeds and an adjustable torque control that allows you to adjust the power for the size screw you are using, and the material you are screwing into.

Haunted Halloween: 13 Scary Party Songs

Fri, 02 Oct 2009 18:58:02 -0600

Here's a collection of scary, and sometimes downright creepy party songs perfect for a darker Halloween setting. They offer a more spine-chilling side to the celebration that will unnerve the bravest of us. Monsters, ghouls, ghosts, or things that go bump in the night can't hurt us since they aren't real, right? Listen to these songs too long, and you will believe! I promise, this won't be a pleasant experience!

How To Add A Custom 'Contact Me' Button To Your Squidoo Lens

Sun, 20 Sep 2009 21:01:14 -0600

Some Lensmasters don't even have "Contact Me" enabled on their Lensmaster Page, but for most who do, that's enough. Some want more. If you want to encourage email feedback from your readers on one, or all of your Lenses without having them go to your profile to find the link, it's actually very easy.

How To Link Squidoo Modules

Tue, 18 Aug 2009 23:36:32 -0600

Many web pages are easy to navigate due to in-page links. With Squidoo, it's easy to link to locations on your Lens using the modules. If you use the Lens Workshop Addon (with either Firefox or Google Chrome) you can easily make these links from with your Workshop. You can keep people on your page longer and limit the amount of outbound links from your Lens by placing the outbound links in specific modules, then linking to them with in-page links whenever you mention that link - like I just did in the above paragraph with the link to the Lens Workshop Addon.

Peter Frampton - Do You Feel Like We Do

Sun, 17 Jan 2010 20:22:14 -0600

The song "Do You Feel Like We Do" had become a popular part of Peter Frampton's live show before it was released as a single. During the song, Frampton would play extended guitar solos, including one of his most famous solos which involves using an effects pedal, a tube strapped to the microphone and his own mouth to make his guitar sound as if it was talking. "Do You Feel Like We Do" is one of the longest songs to ever reach the top 10 of the US pop charts, even though the version that charted was almost half as long as the album version. "Do You Feel Like We Do" was only included on the album Frampton Comes Alive after a decision was made to made it a double length album. Frampton Comes Alive was the biggest selling live album in history until 1998, and remains one of the biggest selling live and biggest selling double length albums in the world.

Organic Bedtime Tea

Wed, 02 Sep 2009 21:00:47 -0600

Sleep is an important part of good health, and Yogi Bedtime® Tea, made from certified organic ingredients that are backed by centuries of traditional medicinal use, is a natural way to help relax for good night's rest. When referring to tea, most think of a beverage made from hot or boiling water and leaves or leaf buds of Camellia sinensis. The most common of these are black tea, oolong tea, green tea, white tea, and pu-erh tea which normally contain caffeine. Yogi Bedtime® Tea is an herbal tea which contains neither Camellia sinensis, nor caffeine. Instead, herbs that have long been considered natural sedatives and relaxants, Chamomile, Passion Flower, Skullcap, St. John's Wort and Valerian Root are combined with Licorice, Cardamom and Cinnamon to create delicious, warming flavor just right for drinking before bedtime.

In The Court Of The Crimson King Video Showcase

Wed, 17 Mar 2010 18:59:35 -0600

The 1969 debut album by King Crimson, In the Court of the Crimson King (an observation by King Crimson) reached #3 on the British charts and was certified gold in the United States in 1977. Called "an uncanny masterpiece" by Pete Townsend of The Who, the album was the band's most successful, and is generally viewed as one of the strongest of the progressive rock genre, combining blues-oriented rock with jazz and European symphonic musical styles.

Dad's Recipe For Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins

Tue, 22 Sep 2009 16:32:33 -0600

My dad was looking for a different banana bread recipe than the one he normally uses. He decided to combine and modify the best looking ones he found, then went one step further by making banana muffins instead. Banana muffins with chocolate chips, actually. My dad isn't the only one who makes banana bread around here, either my mom or youngest sister will also help by making a treat out of the old bananas that are often left over by the end of the week. This time, my dad decided that muffins would be a better choice. Fine by me, anything to avoid left over bananas. If I can't eat them while they still have some green on them, then I'd rather have them as an ingredient in some sweet recipe!

Eco-Friendly Gifts For Him

Sat, 16 Jan 2010 19:30:48 -0600

Christmas, Father's day, birthdays or any other special occasion, when looking for a gift for a man it's a good idea to get something that's green and eco-friendly. From all natural shaving supplies to products made from recycled or renewable resources, the choices get bigger every day guaranteeing something for every taste or style.

Kombucha Green Tea

Thu, 24 Sep 2009 21:38:13 -0600

The use of green tea goes back about 4000 years and has been used as traditional medicine in China, Japan, India and Thailand to help everything from bleeding control and wound healing to regulating body temperature, blood sugar and promoting digestion. Regular use of green tea has been encouraged as a great way to help maintain physical and mental well-being. It has been associated with reduced risk of heart disease and cancer. It is also believed to have beneficial impact on bone density, cognitive function, dental caries, and kidney stones. Kombucha is a cultured drink normally made from a bacterium and three or four yeasts grown in black, green or even oolong tea which has been long valued for aiding with digestion and supporting the immune system Just imagine what Green Tea Kombucha -- green tea combined with a concentrated, purified extract of kombucha can do!

Amazon Tips For Squidoo Lensmasters

Fri, 18 Sep 2009 08:01:50 -0600

Lensmasters can promote a large variety of products from the Internet's largest online retailer without belonging to the Amazon Associates program, and earn 50% of Squidoo's commission for any items that are purchased from the Amazon Modules on their Lenses! There are six Amazon modules on Squidoo, the Amazon Spotlight module is my favorite, but they can all be used effectively if you take a little time to work on them. Here's my suggestions for using each one, hopefully you'll get some ideas of your own, and find ways to use them that you hadn't thought of before.

Anne McCaffrey's The Dragonriders Of Pern

Sat, 12 Sep 2009 10:43:02 -0600

In October, 1967, Analog magazine brought us a whole new type of dragon story when they published Anne McCaffrey's Weyr Search which started her very popular and long running Dragonriders of Pern series. (Weyr Search and the second story, Dragonrider, were latter released together as the series' first full novel, Dragonflight). In 1968, Weyr Search tied with Philip José Farmer's Riders of the Purple Wage for Best Novella (Hugo Awards). In the same year, Dragonrider received a Nebula Award for Best Novella. Dragonriders of Pern novels to be nominated for a Hugo Award for Best Novel, but didn't win were Dragonquest in 1972, The White Dragon in 1979, Moreta: Dragonlady of Pern in 1984 and All the Weyrs of Pern in 1992. Spanning 19 books, with more expected, the Dragon Riders of Pern stories take place over various periods of the fictional planet's history. Many overlapping events are retold by the views of different characters. First time readers are recommended to start reading the series in the order they were written, while people who have already read all of the books may want to read them in the chronological order in which the stories take place.

HTML Cheats: Quick Bulleted Lists Using Blogs

Sun, 17 Jan 2010 19:21:20 -0600

Lists of bullet points are eye catching. They are a great way to break up your text and draw the reader's eyes to important information. The big problem for Internet writers is all the extra typing that needs to be done behind the scenes to get them to look right on the page. It's no wonder that many people just skip over it completely, but I can show you a quick way to jazz up your content with Bullet Lists with less typing, and less chance of making mistakes.

Correcting Problems With Special HTML Characters On Squidoo Lenses

Tue, 04 Aug 2009 18:43:07 -0600

Some modules on Squidoo have a problem showing special HTML characters, they may look okay when you work on them, but the next time you open that module to edit it, you'll see white question marks in black diamonds in place of your special characters. This is known as the Unicode Replacement Glyphs, and if you close the editor you'll see "%uFFFD" in place of them. Here's a couple of ways to work through this problem.

Amazon MP3 Module Tips

Thu, 14 Jul 2011 06:48:12 -0600

The Amazon MP3 Module is a great way to showcase your favorite music, and your readers may even be compelled to purchase some. One of the best parts of this is that you don't have to worry about shady "free" download sites. If it is available, it's easy to find, and easy to set it up for people to preview the songs without even leaving your Lens. I'll show you how to make this module look better, and an easy work-around for a rather frustrating problem I've come across while using it on my own Lenses.

Amazon Module Tips

Fri, 18 Sep 2009 08:18:10 -0600

The main Amazon Module can feature up to five items at once, it is also able to use a search function to automatically update the featured products based on a word or phrase. Like anything, the more you put into it, the more you'll get out of it.

Natural Gifts And Holiday Decorations For All Seasons

Sat, 16 Jan 2010 19:38:29 -0600

Give gifts and decorate with products made from natural materials. Better for the environment, organic materials don't contain potentially harmful chemicals, and can be easily recycled when they've out lived their usefulness. Natural materials aren't usually associated with the large quantities of chemical pollutants produced from the manufacturing of artificial materials. Natural materials have a beauty unmatched by artificial materials. Gifts and decorations made from natural, eco-friendly and sustainable products handcrafted by passionate designers and artisans will brighten anyone's day all year long. (Photo from the Public Domain Images collection on Karen's Whimsy)

Swedish Apple Pie

Tue, 22 Sep 2009 16:14:12 -0600

My sister really likes to make this version of apple pie. According to the hand written recipe in her recipe book, this is a Swedish Apple Pie. It is more like a cobbler to me since it has no bottom crust. Whatever you call it, it can't be denied that this is an absolutely delicious treat that's not to hard to make. Want to make a quick apple pie? Try this for a little change of pace!

Amazon Recommendations Module Tips

Fri, 18 Sep 2009 07:58:32 -0600

This Amazon Module takes your product suggestion, and recommends similar items that the reader may also enjoy. Add this module to your Lens, and you may see something you never thought of that you'd like to get for yourself! To me, this one works best in conjunction with one of the other modules, and may catch a sale from someone who already has the product you are recommending, but sees something related that they'd also want.

The Cheerful Insanity of Giles, Giles and Fripp

Wed, 17 Mar 2010 19:02:21 -0600

Released in 1968, The Cheerful Insanity of Giles, Giles and Fripp was the first album by Giles, Giles and Fripp, the band that would become the progressive rock group King Crimson before the release of it's second album. The songs that comprise "The Saga of Rodney Toady" were on the first side of the original vinyl album and the "Just George" songs were on the second side. The names of the parts came from the titles of spoken word pieces recited by members of the band linking the music together. The album mixes various styles such as folk, classical, pop, psychedelic rock and sacred music.

Eco-Friendly Christmas Gifts, Presents and Decorations

Sun, 17 Jan 2010 15:54:22 -0600

Whether you are looking for ornaments or decorations for yourself, or to give as gifts, eco-friendly items make the best choice. Buying gifts made from materials saved from filling up landfills, or fashioned from natural, renewable resources, you can rest easy knowing you are contributing to the well being of our environment. You can support skilled artisans by keeping used materials from filling landfills as you give them new life and purpose. You can help make a better world by encouraging the continued use of renewable materials as beautiful handcrafted designs brighten your home or the homes of your friends and family. (Image by Henkster from Stock.XCHNG the leading FREE stock photo site!)

Rock N' Roll Holidays | Celebrate The Holidays With Rock Music

Sat, 19 Dec 2009 16:31:02 -0600

For the most part, the Winter Holiday Season is late November through December, and pretty much ends January first in the United States. The biggest part of this season is Christmas, and much of the popular music that celebrates the season revolves around Christmas. So much so, that even many non-Christmas songs traditionally heard during the Holiday Season are commonly referred to as Christmas Songs. Christmas and Rock music are two of my favorite types of music, so I really enjoy when Rock and Pop artists record and perform Christmas songs. All of the videos are collected in a voting Plexo near the end, please vote for your favorite, and you can use the links in the voting Plexo to watch them at YouTube, hope you enjoy it!

Amazon Spotlight Module Tips

Fri, 18 Sep 2009 08:21:55 -0600

The Amazon Spotlight Module has become my favorite Amazon Module on Squidoo. It features a single product at a time, and has a larger product picture than the other modules, except for the MP3 module. With all that space, hopefully you can come up with enough of a description to make people interested enough to click on it.

Get Ready! Go Back To School With The Best Bedding!

Mon, 13 Jul 2009 20:05:44 -0600

An often overlooked aspect of college life is getting plenty of sleep, and you can't get a good night's sleep if you don't have comfortable bedding. Students, especially those going away to school, need to make sure they have high quality bedding, not the low end merchandise that usually finds it's way on to campuses everywhere. Students headed for dorm life are often faced with the last minute challenge of finding good bedding for non-standard sized beds. It may be an expense they weren't planning for, and they probably do not have the time to track down the best quality products available to them. Don't go off to school unprepared for a good night's rest! Invest in Your Sleep Along With Your Education

Lensbuilding Blues

Sun, 19 Jun 2011 11:14:16 -0600

Seems I've got me the Lensbuilding Blues. A mean case of Lensmaster writer's block. After only 99 Lenses, how can this be? It's not that I've run out of ideas, I've just run out of ideas that I want to work on right now. After months of Lensbuilding, I'm feeling a bit burned out. Like I've lost some of my creativity. Have I come this far just to stop one step from my goal?

HTML Cheats - Make Quick Links Using Blogs

Sat, 18 Jun 2011 10:37:47 -0600

Making links can mean a lot of typing. Depending on which platform you are trying to make your links for, it can mean a lot of extra typing. Learning to make links, is like learning a whole new language, but some platforms, like WordPress, will make links for you, and have built in tools to help you add the extras, like titles. You can use these platforms to make your links, then cut and paste them over to other platforms, like a Squidoo module.

Best of Flickr on Twitter

Sat, 18 Jun 2011 10:34:17 -0600

If you have photos you want to use on the Internet, the are a lot of choices, and you've probably heard of Flickr. From sharing with your friends, to having a place to host images for blogs and websites, Flickr can certainly fit the bill. Flickr even hosts videos now - can they even hope to compete with YouTube? Twitter "Birdie" picture based on designs by IconEden freely distributed by Smashing Magazine

Indie Music Scene

Sat, 18 Jun 2011 10:30:49 -0600

The Indie Music Scene is thriving even while the major music labels complain about declining product sales as well as huge monetary losses. Indie Music which has been around for a long time, is really benefiting from the Internet as online excitement regarding Independent and Unsigned music artists becomes stronger each and every day! (Image by Web Design Blog)

Lawn And Garden Plants Transplanting: A Personal Adventure In Plant Relocation

Fri, 21 Aug 2009 17:11:47 -0600

People often need to transplant when they start seedlings inside, or when they purchase plants from a store or greenhouse. Sometimes they take plants from outside of their yard and move them to the lawn or garden for decorative purposes. This Spring, we came across some wild plants growing in the lawn that looked like they'd be nice as ornamental plants in my mom's flower garden. Before the lawn mower was repaired, my mom moved several Wild violets from the back yard to her garden. First I came across some of plants that I was unfamiliar with and wanted to let grow to see what they were. I ended up transplanting one group from the lawn to the garden. Later, I collected some buttercups and transplanted them to the garden, also.

A Greener Diet For A Healthier Lifestyle

Sat, 18 Jun 2011 10:36:52 -0600

When we talk about "green" we usually mean "natural" or some may say "in tune with nature". Nature usually balances itself out, where organisms leave waste, other organisms use that waste to survive. Man is part of this process, but in or efforts to bypass the natural process we've developed waste that isn't as easy to clean up. "Going green" or "green living" is an attempt to get back to that process, or change our ways to fit back into nature. We can still live very well and use technology, we just need to be more aware of our choices, and how they affect us and our environment then choose the things that put us back in to that natural balance. Where does the healthy part come in? As it turns out, natural products are healthier for us. The food we eat, what we use on our body, what we use around our home, and the energy we use.

Observations about Back to School Fashion

Tue, 06 Jan 2009 16:30:12 -0600

We use various ways to present ourselves. We use words and symbols to communicate. We have signals and gestures to help articulate ourselves. We use fashion to tell the world what we want to say. Whether we think about it, or not, when we put on our clothes for the day, we're setting our image for the day. This is why it is so interesting to observe people's back to school fashion preferences. Back to school fashion preference may show someone's personality for the whole term. (Image by Free-StockPhotos.com )

Squidoo Tips From CleanerLife

Wed, 16 Feb 2011 21:25:22 -0600

Squidoo is great for sharing, much of what I've learned since joining has been from other members of Squidoo. Some Lensmasters are great for giving ideas on how to write better, others explain how to be more artistic. I've received a lot of inspiration by Lensmasters who reveal tricks, and how-to's related to the behind the scenes aspect of Lens and website building like editing images, adding borders around text and promotional strategies. In the true spirit of Squidoo's tradition of sharing, and helping others, I've come up with some of my own tips. These are things I actually do, or have gone through for myself, and I thought that others may find this information useful. Here I've collected my own set of Squidoo Tips to make it easier to find them all in one place.

CleanerLife's Lenses

Wed, 01 Dec 2010 09:18:24 -0600

When I started on Squidoo back in July 2008, I was looking for a way to promote my online business. Little did I know that Squidoo would end up taking up almost all of my time. Building my pages, which we call "Lenses", has been a lot of fun, and I enjoy the freedom Squidoo offers to explore diverse interests. This Lens is an attempt to organize my pages in what is known as a Lensography that will make it easier to sort through them. I can only imagine that this Lens will grow as I add more to Squidoo. If you haven't joined Squidoo, maybe you should. Click here to sign up now!