Genetic Mutation

A genetic mutation is a change in a genomic sequence. They are the sudden and spontaneous changes in the cell. Most of the mutation has no effect on the organisms because of the large portion of the DNA. Only the small percentage of the mutation causes visible but non lethal changes in the phenotype. Genetic mutation can have various causes such as radiation, viruses, DNA replication, errors in meiosis and many more. A genetic mutation has a damaging effect for the body.

This is caused by several reasons; it can be by spontaneous 'or' induced. Spontaneous genetic mutation can be caused by the tautomerism (chemical reactions), 'or' deprivation (alternation of the DNA or the slipped strands misparing). The induced mutations can be caused by several chemicals such as hydroxylamine, base analogs, alkylating agents, and agents forming DNA, agents intercalating DNA, DNA cross linkers, oxidative damage, ultraviolet radiation, etc.

Genetic mutation is a serious problem and people who suffer from this usually have all sort of serious conditions and disease. A genetic mutation is an agent that can bring about a permanent alteration to be physical composition of a DNA gene such that a genetic message is changed. It occurs at a frequency of about one in every one billion pairs. Everybody has about 6 mutations in each cell in their body. Mutations are not always seen, they may be both beneficial and harmful. It is the source of genetic variations in a population increasing biodiversity.

How are mutations inherited?

They are inherited by the mutations in gametes (egg and sperms) are passed on to off-springs.

Mutations in the body cells only affect the organisms in which they occur and are not passed to the off springs.

TYPES OF GENETIC MUTATION

There are 3 types of genetic mutations. They are as follows:

Point Mutations

A point mutation is a type of mutation that causes the replacement of a single base nucleotide with another nucleotide of the genetic material, DNA 'or' RNA. Point mutation occurs when the base sequence of a codon is changed, for e.g.: GCA is changed to GAA. Sickle cell disease is the result of one nucleotide substitution which occurs in hemoglobin gene. There are three types of point mutations:

• Substitution point mutations. • Deletion point mutations. • Insertion point mutations.

Deletion point mutations and Insertion point mutations are also called as a Frame shift mutations

Substitution Point Mutations

It is a type of mutation in which a single nucleotide 'or' nitrogen base is substituted for another different nucleotide 'or' nitrogen base in a codon. It may or may not affect the amino acid or the protein.

Normal DNA: CGA-TGC-ATC Alanine - Threonine - stops Mutated DNA: CGA-TGC-TTC Alanine - Threonine - Lysine

Deletion Point Mutations

It is a type of mutation in which the nitrogen base is deleted or removed from the sequences. It causes the triplet "frames to shift". It always affects the amino acids and consequently the protein.

Normal DNA: CGA-TGC-ATC Alanine - Threonine - stops Mutated DNA: CGA-TGC-TC Alanine - Serine

Insertion point mutations

It is a type of mutation in which a nitrogen base is inserted or added to the sequences. It causes the triplet "frames to shift". It always affects the amino acids and consequently the protein.

Normal DNA: CGA-TGC-ATC Alanine - Threonine - stops Mutated DNA: CGA-TAG-CAT-C Alanine - Leucine -Valine

Mutations are caused by Radiation and certain chemical compounds which are known as "mutagens". Gene mutations are the permanent alterations in the ALLELE [Allele - any of the variations of a GENE that may occupy the same position (locus) on a CHROMOSOME]. Pairings on the gene or on the chromosomes' that pass on to the new cell and ultimately to the offspring's. Genetic mutation is a serious problem and people who suffer from this usually have all sort of serious conditions and disease for.eg. Cancer is caused by somatic mutations. Testing for mutagenicity by the "Ames test" is a key step is development of pharmaceutical drugs.

Buying and Selling With Wholesale Clothing - Starting Your Own Small Clothing Business

Are you tired of working for other people? Are you ready to start your own business? Consider operating your own clothing store. Clothing is a multi-billion dollar a year industry, and there are plenty of opportunities for entrepreneurs and small businesses. Buying wholesale clothing can help you establish your own business, develop your own business acumen and provide stylish clothing to a market hungry for quality fashions.

There are a number of options when it comes to looking for wholesale clothing suppliers. You can search for a local supplier or try to find one on the internet. There are pros and cons for both.

A local clothing wholesale company can provide you the opportunity to see the clothing before you buy it. You can inspect the clothes for quality and style so that you know what you are getting. You may also be able to save on shipping costs since the source is so close to your business.

Searching for clothing wholesale companies on the internet allows you to search nationally, even internationally, for different styles, fashions, cultural clothing and perhaps even lower prices. While the shipping costs may be higher, you may find that the lower wholesale prices more than make up for it.

Regardless of whether you use a local wholesaler or one in Hong Kong over the internet, you need to be aware of any deals that they are offering, as well as the services and quality of the products that they are selling. Finally, you need to be aware of pricing issues throughout the clothing industry so that you do not price yourself out of business.

Fashion is an ever-changing industry. You need to keep up on the latest trends, styles, name brands and prices. Wholesale clothing suppliers can provide a wide range of clothing based on your business needs, including everything from classic jeans to vintage clothing, corporate suites to the hippest in urban clothing.

It may behoove you to start by offering clothing to a small segment of the market. For example, you may start by offering women's shirts and skirts, then expanding into dresses or suits. Start small. Get established. Then expand and grow.

Outside the Box

Every time I hear someone talking about thinking outside the box, I wonder about the body that's being held prisoner inside the box.

If this were a case of astral traveling, astral projection, or bilocation, it would be understandable because we know that while the mind can be in one place, the body can be in another place.

There have been numerous documented cases of people undergoing surgery who have seen themselves on the ceiling looking down at their body on the table, watching everything that was being done to them and hearing everything that was being said.

While some of these astral projections are often brought about when a person is under anesthesia, there are numerous documented cases of people who are able to be in two places at one time during sleep or during meditation.

Have you ever had the experience of being asleep and feeling that you were falling and then your body jerks you awake? Your heart may be beating hard and there may be a feeling of disorientation. This has been described as a hard landing when the astral body comes back into your physical body as you're waking up.

It is not uncommon for a person deep in sleep to travel to other places. You see everything and hear everything and when you wake up, there is a vivid memory of it. I remember one such experience.

I had been corresponding with a prisoner as part of an outreach program called Over the Wall, through the Association for Research and Enlightenment (A.R.E.). Their mission is to help people change their lives for the better through the ideas and information found in the Edgar Cayce readings. (Cayce was the foremost psychic and medical clairvoyant of the twentieth century and his legacy lives on in over 14,000 readings on file at the A.R.E.).

One morning, just as I was waking up, but still in a dream state, I saw the boy I had been corresponding with. He was sleeping on a cot in a small cell with metal bars on the one small window and I heard the penetrating sound of metal clanging and banging against metal and a lot of loud voices. My heart was beating very fast and I woke up with a sudden start.

I looked at the clock, noted the time, and immediately wrote him a letter asking him about the occurrence. He wrote back saying that was breakfast being brought to the inmates' cells and the sounds I heard were the sounds he hears every morning.

I wrote another letter describing the boy sleeping on the cot and he told me that I had actually seen him because that's what he looks like. This was long before computers, emails, and Google so there were no pictures to download and only snail mail to verify what I had seen.

There is a correlation between thinking outside the box and the metaphysical occurrences I just described. Both of them call on the creativity of the mind, one during sleep and one during waking hours.

When you leave your mind open, in its receptive state, you are capable of thinking outside the box and getting answers to complex problems while you are awake or when you are sleeping or meditating. This means that you are also capable of being in two places at the same time because you are operating on different planes of consciousness in both instances.

Thinking outside the box actually requires you to suspend the thought process long enough for the answers to come into your mind. Most people are so busy thinking that they don't allow their minds to be quiet enough to receive the answers.

People who meditate have the advantage because they have learned how to quiet the mind. They have also discovered that while you can't meditate and think at the same time, you can meditate and be somewhere else at the same time. This allows you to find solutions to problems from a higher plane of consciousness, otherwise known as thinking outside the box.

Fear of Spiders Hypnosis

Hypnosis is an extremely effective treatment for arachnophobia. If you suffer arachnophobia you already know what it is. For those who do not, arachnophobia is the fear of spiders. Hypnotherapy works wonders when it comes to phobias but with a specific phobia such as this one, it is very successful and usually helps the sufferer overcome the fear quite quickly.

While it is healthy to fear some bugs because they are deadly, a generic fear of spiders is unreasonable. If a spider cannot hurt you, why fear it? The deadly spiders are easily recognizable. And yet, some people go into panic mode at the very thought of spiders. It might not seem like a big deal to those who are fine with spiders but to a person with a spider phobia, this is anything but funny.

The overwhelming fear may come from the historic view of these tiny creatures. They were blamed for many illnesses including the Bubonic Plague (which was in the 1300's). Even before that spiders were considered carriers of disease. With this kind of reputation being passed down over the centuries, it is not surprising that there is a natural apprehension about the 8-legged creatures.

With this fear, a child may be preconditioned by his or her parents to fear bugs. If something happens and the parents overreact, the child picks up on this terror. Any number of things can happen that allow the early fear to become a full-blown phobia.

There are treatments such as systematic desensitization where a therapist will guide the person through a series of encounters with spiders until the person is able to accept spiders as harmless. Sometimes this may even involve a virtual reality of sorts, where the person can experience the feel of spiders walking on their arm or hand without being exposed to spiders.

While this may work, it is a stressful experience. Fear of spiders hypnotherapy can achieve positive results without the stress. It is no longer necessary for the client to have to struggle with desensitization when hypnotherapy is available.

In dealing with this fear, hypnosis can work in an as little as an hour. With that said, one should expect results in on average 3 sessions. Because this is such a specific phobia, the hypnotist can guide you into the recesses of your mind and change your perception so that all the terror of spiders is removed. The early buried memories and beliefs about spiders will be reframed so that they no longer instill a paralyzing fear in your mind.

If you have a fear of bugs, you owe it to yourself to learn more about how hypnosis can help.

Whitewater Rafting

White water rafting is a one of my favorite sports; I love to go out for this adventurous sport every summer as you know in India it's very hot in summer so it's better to go for such outing trip. My favorite places for water rafting are Rishikesh, Kulu - Manali, Spiti because they are all nearer to Delhi where I am staying as I am working here in a Software Development Company as a Search Engine Optimizer.

Rishikesh is nearer to Haridwar it's almost 5 to 6 hour journey from Delhi and that's why I use to go there every summer. The Ganga River which is very popular in India is flowing there which is very popular river in Hindu religion. There is very long story which I will share with you other day or you can find about that on Wikipedia. This river is one of the best places for white water rafting. If you like to go there then you will enjoy both things there spiritual and adventure life that's my promise.

Kulu - Manali is also nearer to Delhi it takes only 14 to 15 hour to reach there by bus. I spent my childhood there from my 6th class to 10th class that's why I love that place at that time I haven't seen white water rafting there but now when I went there last summer then I saw a complete change there as you know there is Bias River which is one of the major rivers in India I think its flow of water is more than other rivers in Himachal Pradesh.

Spiti River I haven't visit there yet but I am planning for next summer to visit there as I have a friend who is white water rafting guide from Canada who provide rafting and trekking tours in Spiti, Brahamputra, Zankar, Subansari River in North East. So I am excited to go there.

Choosing Kitchen Cabinets to Fit Your Theme

Planning to redesign your kitchen? Planning to replace the cabinets? If the answer is yes, you will want to consider the style of cabinet you choose. It should be one that fits into the overall theme you have planned for in your kitchen redesign and they should also fit your budget.

When you consider the decor of your home and your overall kitchen redesign, you can select cabinets that range from traditional to modern. You can find cabinets that fit a country theme, a French country theme, and English country theme, or a modern, contemporary theme. Once the style has been selected, it will be easier to select the finish, stain, door style, and cabinet hardware.

Your choice of cabinet style will be a matter of taste. The cabinets you select do not have to reflect the overall theme. This is mainly done by the wall coloring, paint color, and other accessories you will use in your kitchen. You should focus on the quality of the construction of the cabinets you select.

There are a number of trends in kitchen redesign. If you like to mix and match items and want your personality to show through, your design will be eclectic. If you want your kitchen redesign to reflect the decor of your home, you should at the way the other rooms are furnished.

Is your home filled with antiques? Does it reflect a certain period? Does it reflect a certain worldly style such as French country, English country, Italian, Asian? Are your furnishings simple with clean lines and no ornamentation?

You may want to extend this decor into your kitchen redesign. If you and your family are comfortable in the other rooms of your home, your kitchen will also be comfortable and be a gathering place.

To find the style of cabinets you may want to use in your kitchen redesign, look through magazines and visit design showrooms. Pay special attention to the flow of traffic through your kitchen. You may want to expand the room or create a different entrance. You may want to place your cabinets where you can get the maximum use from them as you prepare and serve your meals.

Cabinets cover most of the wall space in your kitchen. When considering your redesign, you will want to look at the lighting. If you do not have a window or very little light from a window, you may want to consider having white or very light wood grain cabinets.

The key to choosing the appropriate cabinets is to browse before you buy. Look at the quality of the construction and the various styles. Think about how they will fit into your kitchen redesign. Do not forget your budget. Cabinets can be an expensive item in a kitchen redesign.

Learn How To Build Credit The Right Way

Building credit for the first time isn't as hard at it seems. When people think of their first credit card, they think they have to apply for a million cards before a card with a high interest rate approves them. These are the people that don't do their research and pay in the long run. Getting your first card and building your credit for the first time couldn't be any easier! I'm going to show you today on how you can start building credit for the first time. By the time you read this article, you'll feel like you're an expert in charge.

Start at the bank first - The first thing you're going to want to do is look over on how you store your money. Do you store it in a shoebox? Do you store it at a bank? Or do you save at all? Credit card companies love people who have checking and savings accounts. The first thing you're going to want to do is go to your local bank branch and apply for a savings and checking account. Most of the times, it only takes a few dollars just to open up. IT's not a hassle at all! Once you do this, you'll want to proceed to step 2.

Let's look at our demographic - I want you to ask yourself this question, "Am I a college student?"

If you answered yes, that's great!

If you answered no, you're going to have a little bit more work to do.

If you're a college student, the credit card process is going to be a lot easier. Credit card companies issue cards out to college students only. These cards are built for the person looking to build credit for the first time. Credit card companies look at students as a great way to build up an everlasting relationship. They are hoping that when you do apply and get accepted that you will use their card from here on out.

If you're not a college student, that's fine as well. People generally looking for their first card that's not going to college will want to apply for a department credit card. These credit cards are usually found at places like JC Penny or Sears. These cards are generally easier to get and will report to your credit bureau. This is a great way to build up your credit as well.

Building your credit isn't hard at all. I just gave you the two biggest steps you need to take. Step one is completely optional but if you proceed and do sign up for a bank account, make sure that you tell the credit card companies on your application. This will increase your odds of being approved. If you don't want to do it, still apply and if you don't get accepted, make sure that you sign up for a savings account and try again. When it's time to look for that card, make sure you do your research so that you don't make the mistake of applying for a card you don't need!

How to Protect Your Pot Bellied Pig With Exotic Pet Insurance

The typical pet owner has a cat or couple of dogs and getting them health care is usually a phone call to the local vet. Usually the costs are contained because the pet is well known to the vet and their staff, as they see hundreds of dog or cats every week. Common insurance can help with vet bills and supplement care based on monthly premiums.

Common pet insurance can easily be obtained for the standard dog or cat, but exotic pet insurance may a bit more challenging to find of you have an unusual pet like a pot bellied pig. Exotic pets can be more difficult to cover but not impossible. Avian or other pet plans can cover the following types of animals:

Parrots/Cockatoos Amphibians (Frogs, Lizards and Geckos) Chameleons Chinchillas and Ferrets Rodents like (Gerbils/Hamsters and Guinea Pigs) Goats / Hedgehogs Iguanas/Snakes Potbellied pigs Snakes/Tortoises and Turtles

Many responsible pet owners will move heaven and earth to help their family pet through health issues but surgeries, medications and boarding costs can be in the thousands of dollars for serious injuries or treatments. Exotic pet care can even be more expensive since the veterinarian care may need to be more specialized. With that in mind, many owners are managing their financial risk by taking out low cost pet insurance for their animals.

When looking for a particular provider, you may want to consider the following:

Can I take my pig to any vet - Some companies will require you go to their network of veterinarians, others will allow you to visit any vet you choose. Some plans will also allow you to visit specialists for the best care. Are wellness visits covered - Some plans will include wellness visits into your policy. This option could increase your premium, but can be worth it over time. What does each incident mean when it pertains to my deductible - A single occurrence of an accident or illness is typically what is defined by the term "incident".

In summary, there are insurers available who will provide exotic pet insurance to cover major medical and surgical procedures, boarding and other associated costs when your pot bellied pig is feeling under the weather.

Why Pay an Exorbitant Estate Tax?

Wealthy American families have been passing their fortunes down through the generations, and continue to do so. The government is getting a bite from these estates, but probably not as much as it hopes to get. Why not? Because the lawyers and tax experts these families hire are very well versed at how not to allow their client's fortune from being crushed by estate taxes. All this information is there for you as well, as you consider how to plan your estate.

Read and learn as much as you can about estate transference and estate taxes as they apply to your estate transference. You want to be sure to protect your assets from the government so you can have them dispersed as you see fit. Don't trust this to happen if you do nothing at all. If you do not at least have a will, the government will raid your holdings and all your hard work to amass what you have now will go for nothing.

You must do your due diligence in research and consider that your assets may be subjected to taxes based upon what your physical holdings include. Do you own a lot of real estate? Do you own a business? Are you heavily invested in stocks? Is your wealth managed through mutual bonds?

All of these forms of wealth, individually, may require particular, strategic planning as part of your overall holdings. You will want to know how each of these assets will affect the entire estate, and what planning you can due to reduce the tax liability of these assets.

You will want to carefully consider who to appoint executor and/or co-executor of your estate. This should be a person you trust completely and who will have some knowledge of the intricacies of your wealth. Usually, you will want to appoint a family member or trusted friend.

You will want to determine how you wish to distribute your assets upon your passing. How much will be left to your spouse, your favorite charitable organizations, your church, and your family members? What percentage of your holdings is best left to charity for tax purposes? How much inheritance tax, if any, will your loved ones have to pay against whatever you bequeath?

These are all issues related to avoiding high taxes against what you leave behind. It is never too early to begin framing your plans for your estate.

Employment Discrimination - 5 Tips For Effectively Presenting a Claim

Discrimination in the workplace is a serious problem for today's workers. Unlawful employment discrimination creates a work environment in which the workers suffering discrimination are faced with an unpleasant and possibly illegal work situation. At its worst, the workers who are subjected to such  illegal actions may lose their jobs and even become unemployable.

The only "good news" is that workers subjected to employment discrimination can protect themselves because such discrimination often is illegal. If an employee or job applicant thinks that he or she has been subjected to job discrimination, here are five tips that the worker should employ to make sure that his or her discrimination claim is given proper attention.

1. The worker needs to know and understand the employer's rules and procedures that apply when employment discrimination or harassment is alleged.

If the worker wants his or her claims to be taken seriously by the employer, the worker has to properly bring an employment discrimination or harassment claim to the employer's attention. If the worker follows the company's rules, then he or she is in a better position to insist that the employer follow those same rules -- including timetables for resolving the claims -- as well.

2. Make sure that the employer knows about any existing or potential employment discrimination.

An employer can't take action until it knows about a worker's discrimination claims.

3. Keep a record of claims and the steps taken to resolve the problems.

An employer is unlikely to believe that there has been employment discrimination in its business unless it is confronted by believable claims with adequate proof. Accordingly, the worker must keep a detailed record of the alleged incidents. These records should include the names of the parties involved, when the alleged incidents took place, the names of any witnesses, and where the incidents took place. The employee or job applicant should also keep a detailed record of his or her actions taken to resolve the problems, including the details of conversations with company representatives.

By taking these steps, the worker can show that he or she is taking this problem seriously and expects the company to reply in kind.

4. If the worker has preserved any evidence of the alleged harassment or discrimination, he or she should keep it. Such evidence might include offensive objects or pictures.

Evidence such as this will be helpful in authenticating and resolving the claims.

5. Consider asking for the help of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), which is the federal agency that deals with employment discrimination, or the state equal employment agency.

It may be a good idea for an employee or job applicant to take their claims to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), if they don't think that the employer will pay proper attention to their complaint. The EEOC will then either investigate the claims itself, or ask the appropriate state agency to investigate. A worker can get EEOC help without obtaining an attorney, so he or she will not be faced with attorney fees at this stage. An employer may be willing to compromise with the worker if the EEOC concludes that the employer may have harassed or discriminated against the worker. However, if it does not appear that there will be a settlement, then the worker should retain an attorney to help with administrative hearings or judicial proceedings. An attorney will help the worker to get through administrative or judicial proceedings.

If worker follows these tips, he or she will have presented their claim in the best way possible and  will have done their best to make sure that justice is done.

How to Choose a Pond Pump

The pond pump is truly the "heart" of your pond. They are needed for a variety of functions - from general circulation to powering water features. The good news is there are a wide variety of pond pumps available from very reputable manufacturers. For just about any use, there will be multiple products available to choose from. The bad news is selecting the right pump for your needs can be a very daunting task. In this article we will provide you with a solid foundation to select the right pump for your pond application.

Types of Pond Pumps

Submersible Pumps: Submersible Pond Pumps are installed completely underwater, typically in the deepest part of the pond. This class of pump is generally suited for smaller ponds, or for water features requiring less that 4,000 GPH. The main benefit of a submersible pumps is that they are visually unobtrusive and run very quietly. They are also very easy to install, just make sure the cord length is sufficient for your needs. The downsides to a submersible pond pump is that they must be frequently removed from the pond for cleaning and maintenance. They also generally cost more to operate than an external pond pump, although there have been some significant improvements recently in submersible pump energy efficiency.

External Pumps: As their name implies, External Pond Pumps are designed to be installed outside of the pond, or "in-line". External pond pumps are a better choice for medium to larger ponds. They can handle greater water flows (4,000 to 10,000 GPH) and are less costly to operate. Other benefits of an external pump include ease of maintenance, longer average life, and the ability to replace parts as external pumps are not encased in resin like a submersible pump. On the downside, an external pump takes more time and effort to install, they must be camouflaged from view, and they are generally more expensive than submersible pond pumps.

Direct Drive Pumps: Direct Drive Pond Pumps are more common to external pumps as they have the ability to draw water toward them. Direct drive pumps are appropriate for applications which require a significant amount of head height - such as pumping water upslope for a waterfall. They are generally more costly to operate than a magnetic drive pond pump, but in many cases they are the only choice when a substantial amount of water flow is needed. If you are purchasing a submersible direct drive pump, be sure that it is oil free, as leaking oil can harm pond fish and aquatic plants. Magnetic Drive Pumps: Magnetic Dive Pond Pumps (or Mag Drive Pumps) are usually designed as submersible pumps as most are unable to draw water into the pump. The power is created through an electromagnetic field which turns the impeller. Their main benefit is energy efficiency and a longer useful life. In addition, Mag Drive pond pumps are easy to repair as typically all that is needed is a magnetic shaft and impeller (the only moving parts). The downsides are they cannot provide sufficient water flow for high head applications, and they are slightly more expensive than direct drive pond pumps. In general, if you do not have a high head requirement and are looking for a submersible pump, the magnetic drive pond pump is the best choice.

Air Pumps: Air Pond Pumps do not provide any water flow. They draw air into the pump then diffuse it into small bubbles. Air pumps are most commonly used for pond winterization as they provide oxygenation and gas exchange without providing water flow.

Choosing the Right Size Pond Pump

To choose the right size pond pump, first determine the proper application category: 1) Filtration and Recirculation; or 2) Water Features.

Filtration and Recirculation: The general rule of thumb for filtration and recirculation applications is the pump should turn the pond water over a minimum of once every two hours, and ideally once an hour. For example, if your pond is 3,000 gallons the ideal pump size is 3,000 GPH, but not less than 1,500 GPH. My personal preference is to always err on the high end of the range. A pump's flow can always be slightly restricted, but never increased. Also, make sure your pump is the right size for your pond filter's specifications.

Water Features: Choosing the correct pump size for a water feature is a bit more involved. The first step is to determine how much water flow you need at the discharge point of the water feature itself. Let's use a waterfall as an example as this is the most common water feature. For each inch of waterfall width you need 100 to 150 GPH. So, if you have a 14" wide waterfall weir you will need 1,400 GPH to 2,100 GPH of water flow over the lip of the weir.

The next step is to calculate the head height. Head height refers to the approximation of the vertical and horizontal distance the water must travel from the pump to the top of the waterfall. Horizontal distance is calculated at a 10:1 ratio, while vertical distance is calculated at a 1:1 ratio. For example, if the horizontal distance from the pond pump to the waterfall is 30', this equates to 3' of head height. If the vertical distance from the pump to the top of the waterfall is 7', this equates to 7' of head height. Therefore, the total head height for this application is 10'.

The last step is to review the manufacturer's power curve for the type of pump you have selected to determine the appropriate pump size. Let's use the Cal Pump Mag Drive as an example. The PWM3900 model is rated at 4,100 GPH of water flow at the pump discharge, but is rated at 2,280 GPH of water flow at a 10' head height. This would be a good choice for this particular example. Remember, it is always better to err on the high end of the GPH range as this will put less strain on the pump.

Financial Planning Explained

Did you realised today, when you go to the bank, unit trust or insurance company, financial planning seems to be the new buzzword amongst clients and individuals in the investment and banking field?

But, what IS financial planning, actually? Is it only for the rich or individuals who possess cash to invest? Or is it for those who desire to buy insurance and unit trusts? Or is it somthing that we layman can achieve?

The truth is that whoever has financial strength will meet their financial goals. However, in spite of of how much cash you are making, financial planning will assist you fulfil both greater wealth and financial security. Insufficient or poor financial supervision can certainly show the way to unthinkable financial disasters. Even the rich can become a pauper due to poor financial planning.

For instance, an uninsured loss can clear out all your accumulated riches. Insufficient savings for retirement can cause one into a lower quality of living or even worse, the postpone of retirement and numerous other fiscal catastrophes that are far too depressing to be named!

You wouldn't want to be in this situation! All these can be avoided by proper financial planning!

So in a nutshell, financial planning involves engaging a broad view of one's financial affairs looking over many areas of wealth supervision and then running through a step-by-step process to solve financial problems and achieve financial goals.

Financial planning is also about making financial choices. What are they? Some of the decisions will include things like:

- Should I spend all my takings today? Or should I preserve a segment of it for rainly days?

- Should I clear all my debts right now? Or should I enlarge my savings for retirement instead?

- Should I layout for my child's education? Or should I let him look for his own education applications and apply for a student's loan?

These are the decisions that can make or break your personal bank.

So, what is included in Financial Planning? If you were to wonder what areas wealth management would cover the following:

- Cash flow management: The ability to manage the liquidity of your cash

- Investment planning: The decision of making more money with the extra cash you have on hand.

- Insurance planning: Planning for the unexpected situations

- Retirement planning: Knowing how much you can have when you stop working

- Estate planning: Knowing and managing the ultimate value of your property.

All in all, an ideal financial plan does not focus on one angle or product exclusively. One should not look at just one aspect of the planning. It involves looking at all areas of planning, putting them together in perspective and finally the careful consideration when making financial decisions.

Your Parents Revenge, Your Teenager - How to Care for Your Adolescent

Okay so, you were once young too, and if you were a somewhat problematic teen for your parents, then you shouldn't be all that surprised to find your offspring similar in that regard. Call it; your parent's revenge. After all, you gave your parents quite a hard time raising you through those teenage years, and now they get to watch you deal with the same thing. Do you think they are smiling right now? Perhaps, it's time to ask them and perhaps ask them for some advice.

Teenagers will often say; "but Mom [or Dad] you don't understand," but of course you do, as it really wasn't all that long ago you were where they were and feeling the rush of emotion, energy, and puberty all at the same time. Yes, those were interesting times, fun too, well most of the time, remember! Well, these memories will help you cope with your timid, wild, or simply stubborn teen, perhaps all of those things all mixed into one at times.

They say tough love is the best, but that isn't always as easy as it sounds with a teen, as you know. Psychologists tell us the most important thing for a teen is sense of self and self-esteem, which is developing as they find themselves, find what they are good at, and gain a little self-confidence, as they are only a hop, skip and a jump from adulthood. Some things which seem silly to you feel like life and death to your teen.

Often they want to fit in, and a certain type of shoes, clothes, and Smart Phone are as important as their pictures and number of friends on Facebook. It's about validation and a statement of self, a belonging to their peer group, at an age when teens act like first graders in a sand box, only must more Machiavellian in their associations, gossip, and on-ups-man-ship episodes. It can be an emotional battlespace at times. And whether you as a parent realize it or not, you are part of that game.

Indeed, your teen's emotion is as important as their health, and what you feed them, as a depressed teen's problems can often trigger health issues, even suicide, and if your teen's emotions are at issue, it means they are going through exactly what you did, and you are going to need to treat them as you'd have wanted your parents to treat you at the time, remember that? I bet your parents do, so please consider all this.

Throwing Stones at Wax Houses

Last Sunday, I took my son and five of his buddies to celebrate his birthday at Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum located right in the heart of the theater district in New York's Times Square.

We drove over in my Taurus station wagon. That's right, six normal sized 12-year old boys and me. For you super sized SUV owners who might envision my car as a four-wheeled version of a '50s phone booth stuffing stunt, it may surprise you to know that the little Taurus has room for eight - alright seven if you prefer securely storing a drink somewhere other than on top of the roof.

I have never been to a wax museum before and knew nothing about Madam Tussaud's outside of the fact that like all tourist attractions, its bylaws entitled me to leave the museum exhausted, penniless and with the vague but insistent notion that the employees snickered at me whenever my back was turned.

In an attempt to forestall the snickering until we at least entered the exhibit, my wife scoured the Internet for discounts and found one where I could purchase two adult tickets at $25 and receive one child ticket free. According to her calculations, the total cost should have been $119, but the cashier charged me $144. I don't know why, I only know the line behind me was growing longer and more cantankerous as the exasperated cashier puzzled over the promotion for more than twenty minutes until finally coming up with a magic number of $144. The transaction took so long, I can only assume the additional $25 charge was for lodging.

We were finally inside after strolling past a twelve-foot wax replica of The Hulk, which to me was an odd choice to start off with considering there is no real life equivalent of The Hulk. What can you say? "Wow! He looks exactly like... that cartoon character in the comic book. Alright, let's see what else they have."

Next we entered the Opening Night Party exhibit, where anyone who is anyone and attached to the floor with bolts was in attendance. We saw Woody Allen, Bette Midler, Nicolas Cage, Hugh Grant, Oprah, even a wax version of Jennifer Lopez, who rumor has it was briefly engaged to a wax version of Harrison Ford.

The likeness, and attention to detail is incredible and even though the figures are made of wax, I didn't see even a hint of a wick protruding from anyone's head.

After the party we waited in an excruciatingly slow line for the Chamber of Horrors, an exhibit which cost an additional $3. As we stood in place for more than fifteen minutes listening to endless audio loops of actor Hugh Jackman's fruitless pitch for his poorly received movie "Van Helsing", I overheard my son Jack mutter to his friends that they should have called the attraction the Chamber of Waiting,

I wish I could tell you what we experienced in the Chamber of Horrors. It was dark, there were real people dressed liked ghouls who mumbled incoherently like Popeye, occasionally I noticed sacks of something hanging from the ceilings, and then less than a minute and a half after we entered, we were propelled into a brightly lit room like moles suddenly exposed to the sun and when our pupils finished dilating, the first thing we saw was a wax replica of NBC Today's Al Roker, prompting my son's friend Ben to say, "Now it's really getting scary."

There were dozens of other famous wax figures from the world of sports, politics and entertainment but after a while it started to feel less like a museum and more like a department store to me. Also as a public service announcement to avoid the sort of heart breaking disappointment I witnessed in a family of apple growers who had driven all the way from Canada -- there is not and I repeat not -- a single exhibit featuring wax fruit.

For me the most impressive site of all was the figure of the black clad, diminutive wax mogul Madame Tussaud herself. If made to scale, she was a very tiny woman, and could have made one heck of a living as a jockey. But she turned a job making wax replicas from the heads of France's countless victims of the guillotine during the 18th Century into one of the most popular tourist attractions in the world. As we turned for the door, I gave the old Madame a little pat on the back to acknowledge her entrepreneurial spirit, and at that very instant I heard this spine tingling, high pitched cackle.

Does anyone know what a snicker sounds like in French?

Sales Managers - Save Gas, Reduce Cost of Travel With Computerized Mapping and GPS

With companies looking to slash costs wherever they can, sales managers need to squeeze every bit of savings possible out of their travel expenses. At the same time, they must increase sales in a slower economy. Computerized mapping and GPS helps do both.

With today's high cost of sales travel and reduced travel budgets - planning efficient trips is more critical than ever before. Efficient travel means grouping sales calls that are close together in the same trip, calculating the most cost effective travel route, and reducing wasted miles travelled 'out of route' searching for the common business services needed while travelling on the road.

When trying to reduce the relentless increase in the cost of sales travel, it's like the old adage says: "Fail to plan, plan to fail". Today's computerized mapping software programs let sales reps import their customer and prospect lists into a detailed map right on their laptop, plotting individual accounts down to the street level. Because reps can assign unique pushpins to each class of prospect, they instantly see the quality of the prospect and it's location in relation to others in the area.

Reducing travel costs begins in the office, before the sales rep steps foot in a car or plane. With prospects plotted on a map, the rep can now make their calls and set up their sales travel so that they see as many prospects as possible in the same area. They use map analysis tools to find nearby prospects and schedule meetings that are close together, maximizing their time in front of prospects selling, instead of behind the windshield driving.

Knowing where key business services that sales reps rely on are on the road is also a cost saving benefit of laptop mapping. Reps can search for hotels, restaurants, copy centers and other sales travel oasis' that are on their route of travel between sales calls. Knowing where everything is before hand helps reduce wasted travel miles, and makes sales travel just a little bit easier.

Some mapping software applications allow for a GPS receiver to be plugged in to the laptop, providing turn by turn spoken directions that guide the rep right to their sales meeting. Having all prospects on the map, and being guided to their door helps the rep arrive on time, and relaxed - ready for the meeting.

Using laptop mapping and GPS to plan and execute more efficient trips, sales reps travel fewer miles, and may even save a return air or car trip to the sales area because they missed an opportunity while there. And of course, sales is about numbers - right? Using mapping tools to maximize the number of prospects seen on the trip means you can see more prospects - which results in more sales.

Because they reduce the cost of sales travel, and help increase sales, today's mapping software is a must have for every sales professional who covers a territory and calls on customers and prospects. There are several mapping software products available on the market today including Microsoft Streets & Trips 2008 (this is the one I train on), DeLorme's Street Atlas 2008 and ESRI's BusinessMAP 4.5. Check them out and increase your sales while reducing your cost of travel!