Made Moon Blog

This article describes the type of stutter speech courses which are available. In general they are designed to help people who stutter to achieve fluency.

During the first couple of days of the course, this is where the stutter speech coach normally describes the techniques which are required to overcome the stutter.

The first day is normally the most important day. This is the client’s easy day, as the coach will do most of the talking, explaining in detail around half of the speech rules required to beat the stutter. They are likely to ask the client to talk about their history, including information about how their stutter started, about their family, about their interests, plus any other information they would like to disclose for example, where they work. The client will have at least one further speech task on this first day, which they will be asked to complete after they have heard the first set of rules.

On the second day the client becomes more involved, starting to put into practice what they have learnt from the previous day. The final speech rules are taught on this day.

The final three days are spent practising, enabling the rules to start becoming embedded as a natural part of the client’s speech.

Some of the areas included in the courses could be:

1. Why people stutter.

2. Telephone technique.

3. Interview technique.

4. Public speaking technique.

5. The speech rules:

The person who has a stutter should not worry about the contents of the stutter course. If there is an area of the course that they would rather not cover or do they simply do not normally have to do it.

Each course is unique, as every stutterer is different this is why courses are usually run on a one-to-one basis.

People are able to keep in contact after the course via e-mail and telephone which acts as a form of back up and continued support.

For people who are unable to attend a course there is the option of purchasing a self help dvd or ebook, however people who attend a course leave with a copy of these at no extra cost.

Stephen Hill runs a speech centre in Birmingham, England. He has a number of websites including:

stuttering
disability

stuttering help

stammering
therapy

Perhaps the most widely used air conditioners are the window air conditioners. They are quite popular for heating and cooling in both domestic and commercial premises. The basic advantage of a window air conditioner is that unlike the central air conditioners and the split air conditioners, it fits well in the window giving a good look and it does not occupy any space of the room at all.

Moreover, window air conditioners do not need to be shifted every now and then from one place to the other. However, like any other air conditioning equipment, it produces noise, the intensity of which differs with the type and size of the window air conditioners. Constant noise can indeed be very disturbing and distressing to the home and surrounding residents.

It is, therefore, advisable for the consumer to compare window air conditioners by checking the sound power level labels on the unit or in the literature specifications. The noise levels are often given in decibel ratings and the higher the decibel level, the louder the unit will be. The sound pressure increases by a factor of ten for every 10-decibel increase. For example, 60 Decibels is 10 times louder than 50 Decibels and 100 times louder than 40 Decibels.

The compressor and the fan are combined in a single unit and mounted in the window air conditioners and this is the source of all the noise in the air conditioner. The other causes of noise could be worn bearings, cabinet rattles, dirty or rusty fan blades, worn rubber mountings and compressor wear. Regular maintenance can reduce the noise to some extent but with the passing of time, there is bound to be an increase in the level of the noise.

You should check whether your window air conditioner is vibrating or producing a rattling noise and if so, then it is not a normal situation. The reason for this can be improper installation or loose side panels. If, however, you hear a scraping noise, you should either take the help of an authorized service provider or you can also try to find out the cause and repair it yourself.

The following steps can help you in tracking the fault and repairing it:

You should tighten the screws holding the front panel onto the unit.
You should check carefully the window all round the unit. You should then turn the window air conditioner on and press your hand against the sash. If you find that as you press your hand against the sash, the sound changes in pitch, then you should put some wooden shims in the gap between the window air conditioners frame and the sash. If, however, the pitch of the noise changes when you press your hand on the glass, you should use some insulating cellophane tape between the glass and the frame. You might have to use putty if that does not reduce the noise.

If you feel that the sound is originating from within the unit, you should take the unit out of the window and check to see if the fan blades are bent. If so, just bend them back so that they match the others.

Portable Air Conditioners Ensure Economy And Convenience

With the onset of the damp weather, it becomes difficult to survive without constant central air conditioning but that can prove to be quite expensive. The answer to this problem is a portable air conditioner as it has many advantages. It is easy to shift from one place in the home to another and that makes a portable air conditioner the ideal cooling system solution for your home, office or industrial site.

The portable air conditioners are easy and quick to install, as they do not involve any lifting or tearing up of windowsills. Moreover it can be shifted very easily from one place in the home to the other. For taking care of the hot spots in the central air conditioning, the portable air conditioners are far more convenient than window air conditioners. It is also ideal for window shapes, which present problems for installation. There is nothing like portable air conditioners for use as a spot cooler in the home.

A portable air conditioner is an excellent choice for saving money as just one unit needs to be purchased and it can be shifted easily to where you need it as it is mounted on castors and some can weigh only about 36 pounds. Moreover, as only one room is cooled at a time instead of the whole house, the total energy consumption is very low as compared to other air conditioning systems.

Another advantage of portable air conditioners is the energy efficiency that they provide. The average efficiency is in the 8 to 10 range although some are as high as 15, which is 50 percent better than most older central air conditioners. The small size of the portable air conditioners is very advantageous and as such it can fit in a corner or against a wall. It functions like an effective dehumidifier if you do not vent the warm exhaust air out through a window and its size is also the same as that of a room dehumidifier.

In order to reduce humidity and allergies, even the small ones remove 35 pints of moisture per day from the room air. The portable air conditioners also use the heat-exchange principle as the other air conditioners to cool and dehumidify the air. The operating principle is also similar to a window air conditioner as the room air circulates over cold evaporator coils to cool and dehumidify it inside the unit. The room air is exhausted outdoor after flowing over the hot condenser. There is no chance of already-cooled indoor air escaping outside as two ducts are now used.

Nowadays, you have electronic controls in most models and you can set the desired room temperature, blower speed, start and stop timer, and operation mode (cool, dehumidify, heat). The portable air conditioners also have hand-held remote control with which you can conveniently change all the settings as per your need.

The other features of portable air conditioners include a built-in air cleaner with an optional charcoal filter and oscillating louvers to distribute the cool air throughout the room. You can also switch off the louvers to direct the flow of air towards yourself, if you so desire.

Jamie is author of other Air Conditioners Tips located at Home Improvement Tips and
Air conditioning Articles. Please stop by and sign up for our free home improvement tip news letter.

Male menopause symptoms — the first question a man asks about male menopause is usually about declining sexual function. Can I continue to perform? Will I still enjoy sex? Will sex even matter to me in the future? Somewhere is his 40’s, maybe 50’s, a man may notice that things are not the same as they used to be in the bedroom and he begins to worry. While male menopause symptoms are not just about sex, concerns in this area are real and with reason.

In the United States alone, perhaps as many as 30 million men will at sometime suffer from erectile dysfunction, the most recognized male menopause symptom. And if the other symptoms of menopause are added in, it’s clear that tens of millions of men in their 40’s and older may need treatment.

Here are common male menopause symptoms (also called andropause):

• Declining Sex Drive – not only does the man have less interest in sex, he will also have sex less frequently. From an average of 3-4 times a week in his twenties, sexual frequency declines to about once a week or so in his fifties to 1-2 times a month in his late seventies. One of the related male menopause symptoms is that sex becomes less enjoyable for the man.

• Fatigue and Less Energy – once able to be on the go all day and into the night, now the male’s activity pace slows considerably. The same physical activity now takes longer with considerably more effort.

• Body Composition – if a man is sedentary, he will lose about 10% of his lean body mass every 10 years after age 30. Lean body mass loss means loss of muscle! This muscle loss is generally accompanied by an increase in fat mass and a tendency to become obese. And obesity is related to numerous health and wellness problems.

• Forgetfulness, Inability to Concentrate – although anyone can occasionally forget, there’s a noticeable change in the ability to remember in male menopause. And it becomes more difficult to focus, which ordinarily is one of the strengths of a man.

• Feelings of Anger, Anxiety, Depression, Irritability – events or actions of others that once were dealt with easily by the male now become more difficult to deal when having male menopause symptoms.

• Difficulties with Quality of Sleep – sleep, especially uninterrupted deep sleep, is the time when the body repairs itself and gets ready for another trip through the next day. In male menopause, the man can have difficulty in falling asleep, he may not sleep well, and he can have a restless time during the last part of sleep before awakening. Not getting enough quality sleep over time can have serious health consequences.

• Confusion, Indecision, Lower Self-Confidence – part of being a healthy male is the ability to solve problems, to be efficient, to be competent, to have power and to achieve. A consequence of experiencing male menopause is the erosion of these crucial aspects of being a man.

• Osteoporosis, Increased Risk of Bone Fractures – even though a male begins to lose bone mass considerably later in life than a woman on the average, bone loss will happen and can be considered another of the male menopause symptoms. Women often begin losing bone mass as early as in their thirties, whereas bone loss begins later in life for a man.

Having male menopause symptoms and losing one’s sexuality are related to factors that include hormonal, mental and physiological problems. Declining hormone levels, especially testosterone, will definitely create havoc in a male’s sex life. Other factors that can cause a loss of interest in sex or sexual activity include stress, obesity, alcohol and tobacco abuse, physical inactivity, illness and prescription drugs side effects.

Do men in their 40’s and older just have to accept these kinds of male menopause symptoms as “what do you expect – you’re getting older”? NO WAY! There ARE steps men over 40 can take that can help them stay healthy, full of energy and active — including sexually active — for decades to come.

Copyright 2005 InfoSearch Publishing

Read about improving men’s health and vitality at Male Menopause to learn more. David Buster is a webmaster of http://www.safemenopausesolutions.com and VP of InfoSearch Publishing – visit the website and learn more about physician-recommended natural treatments for a variety of health problems.

The French press style of coffee making produces very rich, aromatic and tasty coffee. It uses very coarsely ground coffee that basically steeps in the brewing water for several minutes allowing all the flavours to fully extract from the coffee grinds. Because of the filtering system there is always some sediment which some people don’t like.

A French press coffee maker has two parts: a straight-sided container usually made of glass, and a filter-plunger that pushes through the water to filter out the coffee after it has steeped. This plunger also serves as the lid. There are some models of French Press that are insulated which is good for keeping things hot while it steeps.

To brew coffee with a French Press, you should pre-heat the carafe while you boil your water. When ready, empty the carafe, add your coffee, and then add your brewing water. You may wish to stir the coffee grinds around to be sure all of them are in contact with water. You should now put the plunger/lid on the pot to help retain heat. DO NOT press it down yet, it needs to steep for about four minutes (a little more or less depending the coarseness of the grind).

Once you feel the coffee has brewed enough, slowly depress the plunger trapping the grounds on the bottom. Do not force the plunger. If it doesn’t want to go down, simply lift the plunger up slightly and try again. The filter can jam on grinds that are too fine. Just take your time and it will work.

Despite what some may say, it is usually best to decant the coffee into an insulated serving pot. If you leave the coffee in the French Press it will remain in contact with the grinds and keep brewing. This will quickly ruin your coffee. The other main reason to pour your coffee off is to keep it warm. French Press pots are not well insulated and coffee cools off very quickly.

Play with the brewing time and grind coarseness until you get the taste that you like best. Once you’ve done that you will have some of the most tasty coffee anywhere.

Lynne Birch writes on home improvement http://www.my-kitchen-appliance.com selection of articles and reviews of kitchen appliances is growing daily. Updated coffee maker reviews.

Many of the world’s most driven and successful people sleep only 4 to 5 hours per day. Do you really need to sleep 8 or more hours? No, you don’t. No one does. Reduce sleep and increase your energy? Have you ever thought of reprogramming your inner sleep clock as a time management tool? Imagine what you’d do with an extra 21 hours in your week!

A “sleep scientist” has come up with some easy to implement techniques for sleeping less, a means of programming your inner time clock for a more energized sleep, so you need less time in bed. Feel more rested, more alert and more energized than you would with the number of hours you’re currently sleeping. Yes, you really can increase your energy by decreasing your sleep! Reducing your sleep by 3 hours a night (21 hours a week) is the goal. And it is definitely achievable.

What times of day you feel tired, and how long you sleep, is determined by a number of factors, and some of these factors can be influenced by you to decrease the need for sleep. Once you understand efficient sleeping, these techniques can be utilised to increase the quality of your sleep and at the same time reduce your time spent sleeping.

Are you aware that your body temperature rises and falls during the day and night according to your body clock? Synchronising these temperature changes with your sleeping habits can and does produce remarkable results.

Jet lag is the result of these temperature fluctuations getting out of sync with your sleeping pattern. That’s why it takes so long to “readjust” to the new time zone. These revolutionary techniques can even help you beat jet lag!

You may have heard of “power napping”. This is one part of the strategy used in this powerful sleep technique. But it’s essential to use the power nap correctly. Sleep too long during your power nap, and you’ll actually cause damage to your sleep system. But power nap at the right time of the day, and learn how to speed up your body temperature rise afterwards, and you can boost your energy levels and reduce your sleep time dramatically.

This important Powerful Sleep package is available here: www.PowerfulSleep.BrigitteRecommends.com
You can even review the first 2 chapters for free.

A University of California study, completed in 2002, established that people who sleep less than 8 hours per day actually live longer than those who sleep 8 hours or more. The study was carried out using over 1 million participants, and over a period of some 6 years, and its results are now accepted without question.

Insomnia is a significant problem in the industrialised world. And hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of people are treated for insomnia with drugs. What you won’t be told by the drug companies is that these drugs are producing a very inefficient sleep, so you end up needing more.

This is why you’ll wake up feeling groggy, every time you take a sleeping pill, no matter how long you sleep for. Well, guess what? You’ll never need another sleeping pill when you understand how to have an energized sleep, and you’ll spend less time sleeping as well.

So if you’re interested in lengthening your life, exploding your energy, having an extra 21 hours in your week, eliminating insomnia, and beating jetlag, you can! And you can do it by learning how to sleep less and by optimizing your body clock.

(c) 2005, Brigitte Smith

Brigitte Smith has several websites relating to health – both people health and pet health.

The scientifically designed powerful sleep program described in this article has helped thousands of ordinary people and can help you too.

Access further information here: http://www.PowerfulSleep.BrigitteRecommends.com

If you are one of millions of women going through menopause, chances are you are asking what to do. Since symptoms of menopause can be devastating for many women, you obviously need some type of relief, allowing you to live as normal of a life as possible. The big question of menopause, and what to do, is generally based on prescription versus natural remedy. This decision is typically something you want to work with your doctor on since each woman is unique during this change of life. In other words, while one woman may do very well with prescription medication, other women will find far better relief using natural products.

For years when it came to menopause and what to do, women would turn to Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT). At first, the results were incredible but over time and through numerous studies, it has been identified that HRT can actually lead to certain types of cancers. In fact, new research is suggesting that women going through menopause should completely avoid HRT since long-term use creates high risks. Remember, if you prefer to go the prescription route, you have many other options.

For starters, when it comes to menopause, and what to do for incontinence, or leakage of the bladder, anticholinergic or antispasmodic drugs can help. During menopausal years, it is common for women going through this change of life to experience various types of urinary conditions. In addition to incontinence, caused from exercise, laughter, coughing, sneezing, or lifting objects, many women also experience higher levels of urinary tract infections.

As far as menopause, and what to do for things like hot flashes, doctors are now finding that antihypertensive drugs used to control blood pressure are actually moderately helpful in relieving symptoms. Of course, by having high blood pressure, you are placed at greater risk for heart attack and/or stroke. Therefore, by controlling your levels of blood pressure while going through menopause, you are getting two benefits, relief from the dreaded hot flash and a reduced risk of heart disease.

If you are going through menopause, chances are you are dealing with some level of depression, a very common symptom. When it comes to menopause and what to do for depression and anxiety, you will find a number of excellent drugs on the market. These drugs, known as serotonin reuptake inhibitors, work on the brain’s neurotransmitters. When the brain’s serotonin level becomes too low, it can lead to depression, anxiety, and terrible mood swings. By increasing these levels, the symptoms are not nearly as difficult.

As mentioned, for menopause, your question of what to do may be geared toward an answer of a natural approach. Take osteoporosis, which is a common problem associated with the change of life. By increasing your calcium intake, whether through dairy products or calcium supplements, you can strengthen the bones, which cuts back the risk of osteoporosis or osteoarthritis. Today, a number of all-natural products are available helping you with menopause symptoms and showing you exactly what to do to make this phase of life easier to deal with.

Let’s start with some of the more common supplements that can prevent, lessen, and in some cases, reverse the effects of both peri-menopause and menopause. Most of these mentioned work by increasing progesterone levels. Since the body is not producing adequate levels of estrogen during menopause, this helps relieves many of the unwanted symptoms. Therefore, we wanted to provide you with some options that have been tested and proven to work.

First, when it comes to menopause and what to do for mood swings and insomnia try Mellow Pause. This natural product is a combination of ingredients that help balance hormone levels. Flaxseed oil is another natural product that is great for treating mood swings and depression, as well as fatigue. Next, evening primrose can alleviate things like cramping, headaches, water retention, and irritability. Vitamin B6 increases progesterone levels, Vitamin E is a mild hormone replacement, and Vitamin C, particularly Ester, is great for maintaining a healthy immune system.

Other things you can try for menopause, answering the question of what to do, include calcium citrate coupled with magnesium. These supplements are great for overall symptom relief. Then, coral calcium, which comes from Sango Reefs, work extremely well for repairing, damaged cells. Other natural products and supplements to try include Fulvic Acid and Shilajit, bee pollen, and zinc. Remember, whether choosing to treat your menopause symptoms with prescription medication or natural remedies, you have many excellent options. In other words, as bad as symptoms can be you do not have to simply live with them.

Author’s Note: You are free to utilize this article on your site, provided the resource box below remains intact with all links live. Failure to maintain the resource box with live links will result in a DMCA complaint.

Author Dawn M. Olsen takes the subject of
menopause relief to the next level
through education, diet, and the latest in alternative remedies in her new eBook
“Menopause A to Z – A Definitive Guide to Modern Menopause”, available online
now at http://www.menopauseatoz.com

It’s easy to forget other home hazards with all the attention paid to mold in the last year. But homebuyers and sellers should keep other hazards such as radon on their radar. Radon is a radioactive (uranium) gas that occurs naturally in soil, bedrock and water. It poses a health problem when it enters the air in homes. It can seep from the soil into basements and living spaces on concrete slab foundations. If you have water supplied by a well, radon can also be present in your drinking water. One out of every fifteen homes in the United States is estimated to have elevated radon levels.

Lung cancer is the primary health hazard from radon. Two factors play a role in how high your risk level is. One is the amount of time you spend in your home and the second is if you are a smoker or have ever smoked. Mark Nash author of 1001 Tips for Buying and Selling a Home shares important information on radon. Readers should remember that radon levels are easy to manage in homes.

-Any home can have a high radon level. Old homes, new construction homes. well built or drafty ones and those with or without a basement.

-Condominiums and cooperatives above the second floor are very unlikely to have a radon problem. Radon concentrations diminish quickly as you move away from the ground level.

-Testing for radon utilize either passive or active devices. You can’t see, smell or taste radon. So you need to determine if you need passive testing devices such as charcoal canisters or alpha-track detectors available at your local home supply store. Active devices such as continuous radon monitors and continuous working level monitors require trained professionals to operate accurately.

-Testing equipment should be placed in the lowest level of a home that is used as living space, this includes unfinished basements. Testing devices should be placed at least twenty inches off the floor. Care should be taken to not disturb the testing devices and it should be kept away from drafts, high heat and humidity and exterior walls. Close windows and doors half a day before beginning a test. Short term tests run four to seven days. Long term tests can run more than ninety days.

-The EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) recommends that you should mitigate (decrease) radon levels that are 4 pCi/L or higher.

-If you need a professional testing contractor, locate one that is listed by the EPA’s Radon Contractor Proficiency (RCP) Program. RCP’s must adhere to strict standards and follow RCP Mitigation Standards.

-Costs to mitigate radon in homes can vary widely. Test kits that can be purchased at home supply stores are under fifty dollars. Professional mitigation can run from $750-$3,000 depending on where you live and how severe your radon problem is.

Online Resources:
General Information: http://www.epa.gov/radon
Citizen’s Guide to Radon: http://www.epa.gov/radon/pubs/citguide.html

National Radon Safety Board: http://www.nrsb.org/

Mark Nash’s fourth real estate book, “1001 Tips for Buying and Selling a Home” (2005), and working as a real estate broker in Chicago are the foundation for his consumer-centric real estate perspective which has been featured on ABC-TV, CBS The Early Show, Bloomberg TV, CNN-TV, Chicago Sun Times & Tribune, Fidelity Investor’s Weekly, Dow Jones Market Watch, MSNBC.com, The New York Times, Realty Times, Universal Press Syndicate and USA Today.

With the claims way of life increasing all over the globe, owning public liability insurance is turning out to be ever more & more important. If you don’t at present have professionally indemnity insurance integrated into your building insurance, then now is possibly the time to look at obtaining suitable insurance. Here is some suggestions about why you need insurance, and what to watch out for.

What is public liability insurance: Professional Indemnity cover is an insurance agreement that shields you from claims that 3rd party’s may well make against you in the likelihood of an accident. If somebody damages their possessions or harms themselves in or around your property or business then the public liability insurance will shelter you for any costs that could possibly happen. Cover can range from two hundred and fifty pounds up to one million pounds. Get a public liability insurance quote online.

What are you covered for: Insurance will insure protect against accidents or loss that other people could experience in or around your home or company site. You are covered from claims from thief’s on top of injury that might well happen to a person from falling items or workers carrying out repairs. If a mishap takes place on your property and somebody claims against you, your insurance policy will support you to pay any compensation.

What’s included Lots of contents or property insurance policies enclose in-built liability insurance. You would be recommended to check with your insurance firm whether this is the case, and if so what degree of protection you have. Even if the insurance is already included, you must check that you are properly covered for any form of accidents that may well come about.

Payment: The payments that you are expected to have to pay depend on the specific type of protection you need. If you simply insure your home, then the costs are extremely likely to be not as much as than if you are protecting a business. However, payments are fairly cheap inexpensive the level of cover that you have to pay for, & its therefore essential for anybody running a company.

Making home improvements, home remodeling, adding onto a home and debt consolidation are some of the most popular reasons people cash out on their home equity. But the question is, which should you choose, mortgage refinancing or a home equity line of credit (HELOC)?

A mortgage refinance loan is when you replace your current mortgage with a new loan. People refinance their mortgages for a variety of reasons including, refinancing from adjustable rate mortgages (ARMs) to fixed interest rate ones, liquidating equity into cash (cash-out refinance) or to reduce monthly payments and extend the loan term. A mortgage refinance has the same costs as a mortgage, such as loan application fees, loan origination fees, and appraisal fees.

A variable rate HELOC, where the interest rate and annual percentage rate (APR) can move up or down, depending on the Prime Rate published daily in the Wall Street Journal, is one of two popular second mortgage options, with the other being a home equity installment loan (HEIL). HELOC second mortgages provide you with the flexibility of borrowing all or part of your equity and you only pay interest on what you use unlike a HEIL or refinance. Because HELOCs work like credit cards, you can pay down your balance and borrow again without having to apply for a new loan. And, according to ehow.com, there are no closing costs for second mortgages, as there are with refinancing.

If you have an adjustable rate or high interest rate mortgage that you want to refinance into a lower fixed rate while cashing out on equity for home improvements or other purposes, a mortgage refinance may work the best for you. However, according to ERATE.com, if the rate on your existing first mortgage is substantially lower than that of current market rates and if you have been making payments on your mortgage for a period of five years or more, then a second mortgage may be a more sensible financial solution than starting over with a new first loan.

Parents today complain that their children like hamburgers and French fries. So, let them have them, however, make them yourself. Use lean hamburger meat or turkey meat. You can make up patties and freeze them. You can buy prepared lettuce if you don’t want to buy a whole head and have to clean it. They also have mixed bags with carrots, peppers, celery. Invest in a George Forman grill.

It is a great way to cook hamburgers and steaks and get rid of a lot of the fat. By the way, they also still taste great. As an avid steak and hamburger lover believe me when I say they do. My mom used to make her own French fries and as a big lover of French fries, they were better than any of the fast food fries. She would cut up whole potatoes and then put seasoning and a bit of olive oil in a baggie, shake them up and Presto, delicious home cooked fries.

So make your kitchen the place where your children get “healthy fast food”! I am sure there are a number of other fast food meals you can do the same thing with. Give it a try!

Copyright 2005, DeFiore Enterprises

Introducing Keep Kids Fit: A How To Guide For Setting Up And Running Your Own Business In One Year Or Less! Solutions for parents who want healthy children in body and mind! Our motto, “Eat Healthy, Live Healthy, Help Keep Kids Fit” Keep Kids Fit asks the question: Do You Want To Help Foster A Healthy Lifestyle For Your Child! If you answered yes, then visit our web blog at: http://hbsblogs.typepad.com/keepkidsfit/ and visit our website today at: http://www.keepkidsfit.com