Recently, a friend asked “What’s the deal with those DIY companies that advertise “How to get a website with everything your business needs for under $20 bucks a month?”. “How can they do that?” she said.

“First impressions are very deceiving!” I told her…let me share my past experience with you!

First of all… folks get excited by the low pricedon’t do their due dilligence and end up with buyers remorse when they get their credit card statement.

And for many reasons.

One, all that company is doing is creating cookie-cutter websites to niave, misguided folks who are impressed by all their “features”. Beleive me this is true, years agoI was one of them!

Let me tell you, the hosting company I use offers almost the exact same thing packaged differently and get this…for LESS THAN HALF THE PRICE!
1 year hosting, features, domain, bells-whistles, support, blah,blah,blah, etc,etc,etc..

“Their company”: 12mo/$203.76 yr (actual price taken from “Their” Website 5/30/05. Company name withheld, write me and I’ll tell you)

My hosting company: 12mo/$94 yr. Ya see that, LESS than HALF!

Two, folks who work hard and take the time to create one of these flim-flam websites usually find out in the end they wasted their time because their site isn’t pulling in the results they expected. Why? Cause their copy and over all site content stinks. (lets be honest!) They are so FRUSTRATED because no one ever explained the psychology of a web site to them in the first place!

What? Psychology?YES, PSYCHOLOGY! Who cares how flashy or pretty it is. When they create “instant” sites, people are so excited to “see their name in lights” they lose all rational thought and don’t even consider the purpose or copy content. (Remember, years agoI was drooling over my new web page too!)

Three, these same customers who thought they were getting such a great deal either abandon their website (that’s what I did) because “the internet won’t work for my business” (lack of proper marketing) or get smart and seek advice from an expert or coach (I found a coach later, wish I’d have done it sooner!).

Have you done this too? Do you have a site already, but don’t know what else to do with it??

Save yourself NOW! Find an web development coach so you can get back to business!

Copyright 2005 Donna Payne

Donna Payne is the Chief Web Goddess of The Web Coach.net and is known as the gal to call when you’re feeling overwhelmed by the internet. To spend some more time with Donna and to experience Web technology, Development and Marketing in the most SIMPLIFED way possible go to http://thewebcoach.net

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Everyone’s seen the commercials. The gradual, nonetheless impressively dramatic stages of weight loss the curvy sex kitten icon Anna Nicole Smith dropped purportedly from taking Trimspa - for a long while. Some naysayers argue that Ms. Smith had gastric bypass surgery, drastic liposuction or other plastic surgery to achieve such a huge weight loss in a short period without getting the sagging, loose skin that often goes with fast weight loss.

First, let me say, I have tried Trimspa a few times, and I generally like the way it cuts down my appetite and gives me an energy boost. But do I believe it can be solely responsible for such a drastic weight loss as Anna Nicole Smith, or any other individual who may be considered obese? I’m not so sure.

Now, couple a weight loss and appetite suppressant such as Trimspa with professional personal trainers and dietitians, or for us “normal” folks, just good old fashioned discipline and you’ve got yourself a winning weightloss combination. Anna Nicole was probably put on a strict diet and exercise regimen, along with Trimspa in order to shed so many pounds so fast.

Sure, Trimspa undoubtedly helped to suppress her appetite and give her an edge, but I don’t think anyone is naive enough to think Trimspa alone was responsible for her dramatic transformation.

So, What Ingredients Does Trimspa Contain?

1. Hoodia Gordonii - A native African cactus-like plant, which is now more widely advertised as a diet aid. Trimspa was actually the first to use this plant extract in a commercial weight loss formula. Hoodia Gordonii is most well known for it’s abilities to suppress the appetite.

2. Glucosamine - This natural compound is supposed to prolong the amount of time glucose remains in the blood stream. In other words, it helps stabilize blood sugar levels, which also stabilizes the appetite.

3. Green Tea Extract - Green Tea is supposed to have thermogenic (accelerated fat and calorie burning) capabilities, as well as sustain higher energy levels and help to eliminate free radicals.

4. Vanadium - Another natural compound which aids in appetite suppression.

5. Chromium - Another nutrient which helps stabilize blood sugar and control carb cravings.

6. Glucomannan - A natural root extract which purportedly helps to aid in feelings of fullness by acting essentially as a fiber “filler” in the stomach.

7. Citrus Naringen - Curbs appetite.

8. Theobromine - Acts as a mild diuretic (rids the body of excess water retention). Believe it or not, some different types of chocolate contain this organic compound also.

As you can see, Trimspa seems to have a pretty powerful combination of natural weight loss ingredients. And it does work well - for a while. But be warned, the effects do wear off after a while, and your appetite does return. I think the key to permanent weight loss and consistent weight maintenance lies in finding the right balance of foods that you enjoy which naturally lends themselves to a healthy weight.

So, did Anna Nicole really lose it all through hard work, determination and a financial incentive from the folks at Trimspa, or did she have some help from doctors? I’m afraid we’ll never know the real story, but it sure is fun to speculate!

Visit Dieting Magazine: Best Weight Loss Supplements for more information on different diet methods, supplements and technology. Danna Schneider is also the co founder of Diet Magazine Blog: Natural Weight Loss Tips, Diet Reviews.

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Whether you are disgruntled with the level of service your current web hosting provider, or you have discovered a provider that offers you better deal, or your online business has simply outgrown your present provider, any reason is as good as any for changing your web hosting provider. The only concern is how to switch your web site from a web host to another in the right way and no or as little aggravations as possible.

The very first step in changing web hosting providers is to find one that meets all your requirements. Although you should have some experience in finding one from your last search, let’s still review the main issues when choosing one. Take a good look at the disk space and bandwidth your future plan will provide you. As you web site’s bandwidth requirements may grow in time, purchase a little more than you need and take a good look at the costs of the bandwidth for exceeding your traffic quota. Also make sure that the new web hosting provider will offer you the same tools and installed software as your previous old one. Ask the technical support if the software or scripts in the offer are already installed and configured. It would be a bad experience to find out after you have completely migrated your web site that not everything is working properly just because the not all the software in the offer comes pre-installed and you should have requested its activation. All these are very important and ensure you don’t have to go through this whole procedure of changing web hosts real soon in the future.

Sign up for the new hosting plan. It sounds obvious, but the thing you should look after is sign up for the new one while still having about two weeks until your old hosting plan expires. This will give you time to react if anything goes wrong during the migration of your web site and will smoothen the transition for your visitors or customers, your business enjoying as much continuity as possible.

Update your backup copy of your web site - you do have backups don’t you? If not this is a very good place to start with. Best thing would be to have a backup copy of your web site burned onto a compact disk CD and store this CD into a safe location. Your backup will include the entire web site: files, images, directory structure, databases.

Upload your web site to the web servers of your new web hosting provider.

Now it is testing time. Most web hosting providers will offer you the possibility to preview your web site before it goes live. Use this feature to test if your web site looks good and its functionalities are all intact on your new web server.

Continue by configuring your existing e-mail accounts on the new web server. It would be a good idea to write down the new POP3 and SMTP you will be using soon.

If you haven’t changed your web site design with this move, it will be a good idea to put mark the web pages on your new web server just o differentiate from the old one. In this way you will be able to tell when your DNS information is updated, which is the next step of migrating your web site.

It’s time to change your name server. As anxious you might be to transfer, it would be a very good thing to announce your visitors and customers about the imminent change of web hosting providers you are making and to apologize for any possible inconveniences of downtime your web site might encounter. I don’t need to tell you how important this announcement is for the overall image of your web business.

Now you can announce your registrar to change your DNS information, or if you can change it yourself, go ahead and do it.

All you have to do now is wait for the DNS information to propagate across all the DNS servers. This entire process could take as much as 72 hours to complete, but it is possible to start seeing the first results after a couple of hours.

Final step would be to update the e-mail client you are using to match the new POP3 and SMTP settings.

You have successfully changed your web hosting provider. Good luck with the new one!

Calin Indre is editor at HostPinPin (http://www.hostpinpin.com
), a Cheap Web Hosting Directory. HostPinPin.com is a resource for webmasters and consumers looking to find a web hosting company. Providing web hosting articles, tips, web hosting reviews, compare web hosting plans, free web hosting guide, free hosting quote, web hosting glossary and more.

This article may be reprinted or published without the authors consent as long as the “About” and “weblinks” are kept intact.

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Recent statistics suggest that 40% of women (and that number is increasing) and 60% of men at one point indulge in extramarital affairs. Put those numbers together and it is estimated that 80% of the marriages will have one spouse at one point or another involved in marital infidelity.

That may seem like a very steep number. However after two decades plus of full time work as a marriage and family therapist, I don’t believe that number is off the charts. I worked with a great number of people involved in infidelity who were never discovered.

The possibility that someone close to you is or soon will be involved in an extramarital affair (any of the three parties) is extremely high.

Maybe you will know. You will see telltale signs. You will notice changes in the person’s habits and behavioral patterns as well as a detachment, lack of focus and reduced productivity. Maybe you will sense something “out of character” but be unable to pinpoint what it is.

It is not a given that he/she will tell you. Those hiding the affair will continue to hide. The “victim” of the extramarital affair often, at least initially, is racked with anger, hurt, embarrassment and thoughts of failing that preclude divulging the crisis.

It might be important to confront the person with your observations, depending on the status of your relationship with the person.

It is important to understand that extramarital affairs are different and serve different purposes.

Out of my study and experience with hundreds of couples I’ve identified 7 different kinds of infidelity.

Briefly, some extramarital affairs are reactivity to a perceived lack of intimacy in the marriage. Others arise out of addictive tendencies or a history of sexual confusion or trauma.

Some in our culture play out issues of entitlement and power by becoming “trophy chasers.” This “boys will be boys” mentality is subtly encouraged in some contexts. Some become involved in marital infidelity because of a high need for drama and excitement and are enthralled with the idea of “being in love” and having that “loving feeling.”

An extramarital affair might be for revenge either because the spouse did or did not do something. Or the revenge may stem from rage. Although revenge is the motive for both, they look and feel very different.

Another form of infidelity serves the purpose of affirming personal desirability. A nagging question of being “OK” may lead to usually a short-term and one-person affair. And finally, some affairs are a dance that attempts to balance needs for distance and intimacy in the marriage, often with collusion from the spouse.

The prognosis for survivability of the marriage is different for each. Some affairs are the best thing that happens to a marriage. Others serve a death knell. As well, different extramarital affairs demand different strategies on the part of the spouse or others. Some demand toughness and movement. Others demand patience and understanding.

The emotional impact of the discovery of infidelity is usually profound. Days and weeks of sleeplessness, rumination, fantasies (many sexual) and unproductivity follow. It typically takes 2 - 4 years to “work through” the implications. A good coach or therapist can accelerate and mollify the process. I don’t recommend “marriage” counseling, at least initially.

The devastating emotional impact results from a couple powerful dynamics. Trust is shattered - of one’s ability to discern the truth. The most important step is NOT to learn to trust the other person, but to learn to trust one’s self. Another is the power that a secret plays in relationships. THE secret exacts an emotional and sometimes physical toll that needs to be acknowledged and dealt with.

How can you help?

Those in the midst of their affair crisis told me they need this from you:

1. Sometimes I want to vent, get it out without censor. I know sometimes I will say what I shouldn’t be saying. It may not be nice, pretty or mild. Please know that I know better, but I need to get it off my chest.

2. Every so often I want to hear something like, “This too shall pass.” Remind me that this is not forever.

3. I want to be validated. I want to know that I am OK. You can best do that by nodding acceptance when I talk about the pain or confusion.

4. I want to hear sometimes, “What are you learning? What are you doing to take care of yourself?” I may need that little jolt that moves me beyond my pain to see the larger picture.

5. I may want space. I may want you to be quiet and patient as I attempt to sort through and express my thoughts and feelings. Give me some time to stammer, stutter and stumble my way through this.

6. I want someone to point out some new options or different roads that I might take. But before you do this, make sure I am first heard and validated.

7. When they pop into your mind, recommend books or other resources that you think I might find helpful.

8. I want to hear every so often, “How’s it going?” And, I may want this to be more than an informal greeting. Give me time and space to let you know exactly how it IS going.

9. I want you to understand and welcome the ambivalent feelings and desires. I would like you to be fairly comfortable with the gray areas and the contradictions about how I feel and what I may want.

10. I want you to be predictable. I want to be able to count on you to be there, listen and speak consistently or let me know when you are unable to do that. I will honor that.

Extramarital affairs are powerful. Affairs are costly. They affect family, friends, colleagues and employers. Infidelity is also an opportunity - to redesign one’s life and love relationships in ways that create honor, joy and true intimacy.

Dr. Robert Huizenga, The Infidelity Coach, has helped hundreds of couples over the past two decades heal from the agony of extramarital affairs and survive infidelity. Visit his website at: http://www.break-free-from-the-affair.com

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* Can I develop my own photographs?

Yes, you can. By having your own darkroom, it is possible that you can develop your own photos. You first need to set up your own darkroom and buy darkroom equipment.

* What equipment and supplies do I need in a darkroom?

A darkroom requires many kinds of equipment to get you started in developing your photos. It is expensive, so you should prepare a sufficient amount of money to get into this hobby.

The darkroom necessities are:

• Enlarger
• Negative carrier
• Lens Board
• Lens
• Safelight
• Print trays
• Timer
• Thermometer
• Funnel
• Chemical jugs
• Developer, stop, fixer
• Printing paper
• Mixing rod
• Print squeegee
• Dust brush
• Graduates
• Negative Storage
• Dark Bag/ Dark room
• Film tank
• Film reels
• Film

Above is the equipment you need for a darkroom. However, you still need additional equipment to set up a complete darkroom above and beyond the former, which includes:

• Paper cutter
• Color print drum
• Motor base for print drum or rotary processor
• Color head or filters
• Color printing paper
• Color chemicals
• Jugs and graduates for color chemistry
• Color print viewing filter kit
• Light table
• Dry mount press
• Mounting tissue
• Bulk film loader
• Film cassettes
• Darkroom sink
• Water board
• Film drier
• Print drier
• Toners
• Jugs for toners
• Exposure/color analyzer
• Repeating printing timer
• Photo Oils/pencils
• Print tongs
• Hypo clear, photo-flow
• Easel
• Polycontrast Filters
• Film clips
• Print washer
• Blotter book
• Projection scale
• Antistaticum
• Canned air
• Loupe
• Cropping guide
• Film washer
• Cotton gloves
• Spotting dyes
• Spotting brush
• Contact printer
• Grain focuser

* What makes a good darkroom?

A good darkroom should be light-proof, spacious, have dry and wet areas, have ventilation, have bench space, be organized, have a safe light, and be comfortable to work in. Since you will be working with chemicals, it is important that you have enough space to maneuver to avoid tripping over dangerous chemicals.

Travis Partrige is a regular contributor to photographer guides and photography-related sites such as Photography Question and Answer. Website: www.PhotographyQA.com

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Pregnancy - It has been said that a woman is at her most beautiful when pregnant. Well I am about to burst your bubble and tell you that there are women out there who beg to differ - especially for those saying goodbye to their 36 -26-36 figure for the next 9 months. Well ladies have I got news for you, this is just one of the many changes you can expect throughout your pregnancy.

Carrying a baby and all that extra weight can take its toll - proving very stressful for some women who tend to feel ugly about them selves at this time, why? When in the world of fashion you have designers who focus purely on the pregnant woman.

In the world of cosmetics we call it a make over and in the world of pregnant women it is called a cover up. This only apply`s to the woman who is still trying to come to terms with her new look similar to that of a sumo wrestler.

Pregnancy is a wonderful experience and even more special when holding your new born baby in your arms. If this is your first pregnancy then you may need a little more understanding on the baby`s development within. At first you may not even be aware of any baby movement like the odd flutter all because the whole process is new to you

It is around 18 to 20 weeks into your pregnancy when you may experience your first sensational sensation. Don`t expect your baby to constantly kick because there will be times baby needs to rest.
From as early as 20 to 24 weeks the activity inside the womb will gradually increase and from then onwards over approximately the next ten weeks, your baby will be in overtime mode with kicks and turns.

From 24 to 28 weeks baby can develop hiccups, which will explain any jolts you may feel occasionally throughout this period. It is at this time the amniotic sac will now contain up to 750ml (26floz) of fluid which permits the infant in the womb to move around freely. Into the 29th week your baby will start to make smaller but more distinct movements because of the limited space - in other words hard to manoeuvre inside a cramped uterus.

Positioning time for baby is classed as normal around the of 36th week where the infant is now in the head-down position, Expect baby`s activities at this time to feel like prodding jabs from the feet and arms followed by a couple of uncomfortable rib kicking episodes.

From 36 to 40 weeks the baby inside the womb will be of a good size therefore less action. Activity on the inside is a lot less frequent now and even more so during the last two weeks of your pregnancy. The infant now waiting to make his/her appearance will have their growth rate slowed down slightly. This is nothing to worry about as it is completely normal.

For all those pregnant women who still feel the need to cover up then go and fashion your self up from head to toe with all the latest trendy designer gear in maternity wear but what you have to remember is, that you can never cover up the end result - can you MUM

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How to cope with your abuser?

Sometimes it looks hopeless. Needless to add that all these
activities have to be pursued legally, preferably through the
good services of law offices and in broad daylight. If done in
the wrong way - they might constitute extortion or blackmail,
harassment and a host of other criminal offences.

(1d) Lure Him

Offer him continued Narcissistic Supply. You can make a
narcissist do anything by offering, withholding, or threatening
to withhold Narcissistic Supply (adulation, admiration,
attention, sex, awe, subservience, etc.).

(1e) Play on his Fear of Abandonment

If nothing else works, explicitly threaten to abandon him.

You can condition the threat (”If you don’t do something or if
you do it - I will desert you”).

The narcissists perceives the following as threats of
abandonment, even if they are not meant as such:

Confrontation, fundamental disagreement, and protracted
criticism When completely ignored When you insist on respect for
your boundaries, needs, emotions, choices, preferences When you
retaliate (for instance, shout back at him). II. I can’t Take It
Any Longer - I Have Decided to Leave Him

(IIa) Fight Him in Court

Here are a few of the things the narcissist finds devastating,
especially in a court of law, for instance during a deposition:

Any statement or fact, which seems to contradict his inflated
perception of his grandiose self. Any criticism, disagreement,
exposure of fake achievements, belittling of “talents and
skills” which the narcissist fantasizes that he possesses, any
hint that he is subordinated, subjugated, controlled, owned or
dependent upon a third party. Any description of the narcissist
as average and common, indistinguishable from many others. Any
hint that the narcissist is weak, needy, dependent, deficient,
slow, not intelligent, naive, gullible, susceptible, not in the
know, manipulated, a victim.

The narcissist is likely to react with rage to all these and, in
an effort to re-establish his fantastic grandiosity, he is
likely to expose facts and stratagems he had no conscious
intention of exposing.

The narcissist reacts with narcissistic rage, hatred,
aggression, or violence to an infringement of what he perceives
to be his entitlement. Any insinuation, hint, intimation, or
direct declaration that the narcissist is not special at all,
that he is average, common, not even sufficiently idiosyncratic
to warrant a fleeting interest will inflame the narcissist.

Tell the narcissist that he does not deserve the best treatment,
that his needs are not everyone’s priority, that he is boring,
that his needs can be catered to by an average practitioner
(medical doctor, accountant, lawyer, psychiatrist), that he and
his motives are transparent and can be easily gauged, that he
will do what he is told, that his temper tantrums will not be
tolerated, that no special concessions will be made to
accommodate his inflated sense of self, that he is subject to
court procedures, etc. - and the narcissist will lose control.

Contradict, expose, humiliate, and berate the narcissist (”You
are not as intelligent as you think you are”, “Who is really
behind all this? It takes sophistication which you don’t seem to
have”, “So, you have no formal education”, “you are (mistake his
age, make him much older) … sorry, you are … old”, “What did
you do in your life? Did you study? Do you have a degree? Did
you ever establish or run a business? Would you define yourself
as a success?”, “Would your children share your view that you
are a good father?”, “You were last seen with a Ms. … who is
(suppressed grin) a cleaning lady (in demeaning disbelief)”.

Be equipped with absolutely unequivocal, first rate, thoroughly
authenticated and vouched for information.

(IIb) If You Have Common Children

I described in “The Guilt of the Abused - Pathologizing the
Victim” how the system is biased and titled against the victim.
Regrettably, mental health professionals and practitioners -
marital and couple therapists, counselors - are conditioned, by
years of indoctrinating and dogmatic education, to respond
favorably to specific verbal cues.

The paradigm is that abuse is rarely one sided - in other
words, that it is invariably “triggered” either by the victim or
by the mental health problems of the abuser. Another common lie
is that all mental health problems can be successfully treated
one way (talk therapy) or another (medication). This shifts the
responsibility from the offender to his prey. The abused must
have done something to bring about their own maltreatment - or
simply were emotionally “unavailable” to help the abuser with
his problems. Healing is guaranteed if only the victim were
willing to participate in a treatment plan and communicate with
the abuser. So goes the orthodoxy. Refusal to do so - in other
words, refusal to risk further abuse - is harshly judged by the
therapist. The victim is labeled uncooperative, resistant, or
even abusive! The key is, therefore, feigned acquiescence and
collaboration with the therapist’s scheme, acceptance of his/her
interpretation of the events, and the use of key phrases such
as: “I wish to communicate/work with (the abuser)”, “trauma”,
“relationship”, “healing process”, “inner child”, “the good of
the children”, “the importance of fathering”, “significant
other” and other psycho-babble. Learn the jargon, use it
intelligently and you are bound to win the therapist’s sympathy.
Above all - do not be assertive, or aggressive and do not
overtly criticize the therapist or disagree with him/her. I make
the therapist sound like yet another potential abuser - because
in many cases, he/she becomes one as they inadvertently collude
with the abuser, invalidate the abuse experiences, and
pathologize the victim. (IIc) Refuse All Contact

Be sure to maintain as much contact with your abuser as the
courts, counsellors, mediators, guardians, or law enforcement
officials mandate.

Do NOT contravene the decisions of the system. Work from the
inside to change judgments, evaluations, or rulings - but NEVER
rebel against them or ignore them. You will only turn the system
against you and your interests.

But with the exception of the minimum mandated by the courts -
decline any and all gratuitous contact with the narcissist.

Do not respond to his pleading, romantic, nostalgic, flattering,
or threatening e-mail messages.

Return all gifts he sends you.

Refuse him entry to your premises. Do not even respond to the
intercom.

Do not talk to him on the phone. Hang up the minute you hear his
voice while making clear to him, in a single, polite but firm,
sentence, that you are determined not to talk to him.

Do not answer his letters.

Do not visit him on special occasions, or in emergencies.

Do not respond to questions, requests, or pleas forwarded to you
through third parties.

Disconnect from third parties whom you know are spying on you at
his behest.

Do not discuss him with your children.

Do not gossip about him.

Do not ask him for anything, even if you are in dire need.

When you are forced to meet him, do not discuss your personal
affairs - or his.

Relegate any inevitable contact with him - when and where
possible - to professionals: your lawyer, or your accountant.

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Nearly every log home is a custom design, whether you are altering a stock plan or starting from scratch. By their very nature, custom floor plans open up a large number of untested challenges - especially if you are trying to design the house yourself. With almost all log home manufacturers, an in-house architect will take your design and turn it into a set of drawings that conform to their building system. Your home will be structurally sound. However, don’t necessary expect them to point out every inconvenience or snafu in your design. This is a hands-on business, and in the end, your house design is on you… and you’ll have to live with it. Here are a few pointers I can suggest to make your design more efficient.

MECHANICALS: Open floor plans are the essence of the modern log home. They make a home feel larger, and keep the cook from feeling isolated. However, if you have a second floor you need to consider how you are going to get the plumbing, the electric and the ductwork (both supply and return) to the upstairs rooms. You won’t be using the exterior walls for that, so you need to create enough interior walls downstairs to fit all the mechanicals. Each object in all likelihood will take its own space between the 2×4s. Even if you use radiant-floor heating, you’ll need ductwork for the air conditioning. There are some systems that use high-pressure ductwork much smaller in diameter than conventional ducts, so there are other possibilities if you are pressed for space. But the best solution is to think ahead. If you’re tempted to use an interior full-log wall (or none at all), you may be sacrificing an opportunity to get more ductwork upstairs.

PLUMBING: The wisest floor plans are the ones that try to keep the bathrooms together (either back-to-back or one directly above the other) and the shortest runs on the plumbing. This can’t always be done, but when placing the upstairs bathroom, try to line it up with an interior downstairs wall. This way the plumbing doesn’t have to snake all over the place.

CLOSETS: I would venture to guess that log homes are usually notoriously short on closet space. I know my home is. First of all, it would be a terrible waste to put a closet against an exterior log wall. Why hide your beautiful logs? And because we try to keep the square footage down to a minimum, it almost seems a crime to waste precious space on closets. However, there’s more than one reason to include them. Not only do we seem to collect more stuff as we get older, but by law in several states the closet determines whether a room is a bedroom or an office. This could affect the resale (or refinancing) of your house. Here is a suggestion: put two closets side-by-side on the wall separating two rooms; the closets may not be huge, but it doesn’t change the shape of the rooms. Try to include a coat closet near your front door.

WINDOWS: As I’m sure you’ve already read many times, you can’t have too many windows in a log home. The wood sucks up the light like a sponge. If you have a large empty wall, the insertion of a window near the peak not only lets in more light, it adds character. Some people add windows along either side of a shed dormer. In my case, I had to move the roof line to increase the size of my bedroom window, because by code it needed to be 6′ square for egress. In any upstairs bedroom you’ll need your windows to be large enough to climb out in case of fire. Also remember that too many direct-set windows will decrease the amount of air flow to your upstairs. In my house I added an awning (a small hinged window) to the bottom of stationery windows in my dormers. This helped let air in, but even so the rooms can be stuffy. A ceiling fan helps, but ultimately I may need to add a skylight to create a draft.

KITCHEN VENT: One of the more difficult decisions we made concerned how to vent the range hood. If you don’t want your stove to be on an exterior wall, you are going to have an interesting puzzle. Will you run the exhaust duct between the floor joists to the exterior? Will the run be so long you’ll have to add another fan? I gave in and moved my stove to the exterior wall, but then we had to cut a hole in the logs for the vent. Horrors! How do you hide that? My builder built a little cedar box around the hole and we were lucky enough to have a porch roof underneath, so you can’t see it from every direction. Still, this ugly vent is on the front of the house, and had I thought of it, I may have moved the kitchen to the back of the house.

CRAWL SPACE vs. BASEMENT: There are many reasons to opt for a crawl space rather than a basement - none of them particularly comfortable. Aside from the obvious disadvantages of a crawl space, there are a few things we didn’t think of. I, in my blissful ignorance, didn’t give any thought to the ugly electrical panel. Of course, I knew we’d have meters and a panel, but I didn’t think of where they were going. What I didn’t know was that by code, we couldn’t put the panel in the crawl space. Since we don’t have a garage, the electrical panel was installed in one of our rooms on the log wall. Isn’t that lovely? Another disadvantage of the crawl space: you’ll need a short water heater if that’s where it is going, and you may need to purchase a horizontal-mount furnace. Because our water quality was poor, we had to install a purification system. This 54″ unit must be mounted upright, and our crawl space is 48″ tall. We had to punch a hole through the concrete floor to make room for the unit.

GUTTERS: Yes, you want to get the water away from your log home at all costs. There can be challenges; we have an alpine-style home with a vaulted ceiling. However, the roof comes to a deep V on the corners that create a magnificent rain chute. This is not necessarily wonderful when it dumps onto your deck! Because of the generous overhang that comes with a log home, the end of that V projects far from the walls and doesn’t make a logical angle from which to hang a downspout. On one corner I satisfied myself with an old-fashioned rain barrel, and on the deck side we had to divert the water to the pergola we built against the house, and ran a gutter along the edge of the pergola.

OVERHANGS: You should have at least a 1′ foot and preferably a 2′ overhang to protect your logs. This overhang needs to be taken into consideration when designing your roof line. If you have overlapping angles, make sure you are not creating a water trap or a snow trap. There are times your overhang might bump into another angle of the roof. You may actually have to raise part of the roof a little to make clearance.

DOOR SWINGS: This can be one of the most annoying errors you can make and not catch until too late. Think of what your door is covering when opened all the way. Is it covering another doorway? Will two doors bang together? If you are in a tight space, will it open all the way at all? When we installed our bathroom vanity, we didn’t think about the door swing until the plumbing was already hooked up. The door cleared the vanity by one whole inch; it could have been worse. You can compensate by swinging the other way (before it’s already hung, or your hinges will be on the wrong side). Or, in the design phase you can use a narrower door. Or get a smaller vanity.

ELECTRICAL: The electrical and plumbing layout will not come from your log home architectural drawings. The manufacturer is not concerned about where you put your outlets. Once the plans are firmed up, the time will come for you to sit down with the electrician and mark exactly where you want your outlets, switches and light fixtures. Local code will determine the minimum distance between outlets, but anyone will tell you to put in more than you need; eventually you will probably use them anyway. Even if you don’t need it, put your cable and telephone into every room; it’s so much easier and cheaper to do it up front. Also remember, you can’t ever have too many lights in a log home. Plan ahead for those fixtures - especially the ones in the ceiling. They will not be pretty to add later on.

DEAD SPACE: If you are building a huge log home, you’ve got so much space it doesn’t really matter. But for most of the rest of us, every inch counts. There are some approaches that might maximize your floor space. First of all, do you really need hallways? Some space-saving designs arrange the rooms so they all open into a small hallway. I prefer none at all. Also, consider that every closet door creates dead space. If you can arrange your floor plan so that closet door swings into a place which is already dead (for instance, another closet door or a foyer), you might open up the room a bit. Does your loft serve a purpose or is it merely an open hallway from room to room? Can you put a piece of furniture on it? If not, perhaps it would serve to give it an angle and make your “open to below” space a little smaller.

Hopefully I’ve helped a little bit. I learned many of these tips the hard way, and I’m sure there are plenty more I haven’t bumped into yet. After all, a custom home is one giant learning curve.

Mercedes Hayes is a Hiawatha Log Home dealer and also a Realtor in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. She designed her own log home which was featured in the 2004 Floor Plan Guide of Log Home Living magazine. You can learn more about log homes by visiting http://www.JerseyLogHomes.com.

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As the saying goes: “Buyer Beware”. If you see ads claiming you
qualify to receive a “free grant” for education, to start a home
business or to payoff unpaid bills, be wary. Scam artists will claim your grant application is guaranteed to be accepted and approved, and you never have to repay the money. But the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) warns that these grant offers are often a scam. The grant isn’t free, nor is it guaranteed, nor is a refund.

According to the FTC, some scam artists market “free grants” in
classified ads and even provide a toll free phone number. Here’s an example of what happens when you call:

A company representative asks non-threatening, simple questions to supposedly determine if you qualify to receive a grant. The representative then acts as if he/she is checking your eligibility, and then congratulates you as being eligible. But for you to get the grant information from them, they will charge
you a processing fee. Although they will promise you that the grant is guaranteed or you can get your money back, the truth is far different.

They will tell you that the processing fee is for finding a grant source and sending you the appropriate application package in the mail. But you won’t receive an application or a source. Instead they send you a list of agencies and foundations which you must write and request an application. In order to get
your refund, you must apply to; and be rejected by, all these agencies within 90 days.

Most grantors don’t award grants to individuals for personal needs. Generally grants are to serve mankind and communities as a whole, such as job expansion, training under-employed youth, preserving history, funding charities, art museums, or for researching medical issues. So, even if you’re in a financial
hardship, or you may be an unwed mother, a single parent, a minority, etc, you’re not likely to approved. And you may as well forget about getting a refund from the grant “broker” because the conditions for a refund are nearly impossible, requiring you to apply at every grantor on the list they
provided to you and be denied by each resource within 90 days. If even one resource doesn’t reject you within the first 90 days, you won’t get your refund, nor will you get it back if the rejections are past the 90 day requirement.

If you’re thinking about applying for a grant, remember that the applications are available to you for free and that anyone who guarantees you a grant is likely to be interested in their own financial gain, not yours. If you think you may have been a victim of a grant scam, file a complaint with the FTC by
visiting www.ftc.gov or call toll-free, 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357); TTY: 1-866-653-4261.

Don’t fall for grant scams. Use the free resources available to you at public libraries, on the internet, and at www.creditfederal.com/government-grant.html

Article provided by Toni Phelps of Credit
Federal. You can access grant resources 100% free at http://www.CreditFederal.com

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Each year, thousands of people around the world fall victim to
identity theft… the assumption of their identity by others in
an attempt to empty their bank accounts, establish fake lines of
credit in their name, or to take advantage of current lines of
credit and max out any credit cards that they might currently
have.

Luckily, there are some simple steps that you can take that will
help you to avoid identity thieves and keep your personal and
financial information private.

The tips provided below are designed to help you to protect your
identifying information, though in the end the implementation of
them is up to you.

Lock Up Your Records

One easy way to keep your financial information out of the wrong
hands is to purchase a lock box in which to keep your personal
and financial records until they are out of date. Though the
lock box doesn’t have to be expensive, it’s important to buy a
sturdy one with a good lock on it in the event of a break-in or
if someone should be in your house looking for financial
information. Buying a fireproof lock box can also have the
benefit of protecting your financial and personal information in
the event if a fire or other natural disaster.

Buy a Shredder

When it comes time to get rid of old records, unused credit card
applications, and other identifying information, a personal
shredder is one of the best investments that you can make. It’s
generally best to purchase a cross-cut shredder, which cuts
paper at opposite angles and makes it virtually impossible to
reconstruct at a later date. These shredders can usually be
bought for not a lot of money, and can more than make up the
cost in the peace of mind that they can bring.

Be Careful with Your Information Before giving out any personal
or financial information, you should make sure that the person
that you’re giving it to is legitimate. Avoid giving any
identifying information to anyone over the phone unless you know
for sure who you’re talking to and that it’s alright to do so,
and don’t submit personal information over the internet unless
it’s via an encrypted and automated system.

You should also avoid replying to requests for passwords for
websites that claim to come from administrators… almost all
major websites have automated password generation features, so
administrators would not have any need for your password.

Report Suspicious E-mail

If you receive an e-mail that claims to be from a company that
you do business with but is asking for financial or personal
information, don’t believe it. Don’t reply to it, and don’t
click any links contained within… instead, manually type in
the main URL of the website, log in, and report the e-mail to
the company to verify whether it’s legitimate or not.

Watch Your Credit and Accounts

In order to stay on top of identity theft, you should
periodically check your credit report and go over all account
statements and account transactions via online bank account
access. Verify that all charges and debits are legitimate, and
report any that appear without your authorization. Look for
accounts or listings on your credit report that you didn’t open,
and contact the issuer should you find any.

By taking a little time to stay on top of your bank accounts and
your credit report, you can usually discover attempts at
identity theft while something can still be done to stop it…
and might just catch the person in the act.

You may freely reprint this article provided the following
author’s biography (including the live URL link) remains intact:

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