Chrome wire shelving is versatile and inexpensive. Wire shelves are better than the older-style flat metal shelves. They are less prone to rust or dent, and they are much stronger than any alternative type of metal shelving storage unit.
The list of ways you can use chrome wire shelving is virtually endless. Wire shelves make a great addition to pantries, dorm rooms, entryways and mudrooms, utility rooms, and garages. They are appropriate for home, commercial, or office use. Wire shelving storage units can be used to store, organize, or display almost anything.
There are many types of chrome wire shelving. Specialty wire closet organizers come in all shapes and sizes, each tailored for a specific item like belts, ties, dresses, or shoes. There are even chrome wire trays with suction cups attached for holding all your shampoos and bath accessories in the shower.
Shelving storage units usually come in one of two types. One style is the traditional-style 3, 4, or 5-shelf vertical unit, which is perfect for displaying collections, holding a large book or DVD collection, or even as a replacement for a bulky wooden entertainment center. The second style is a newer, more modern-looking set of interlocking “storage cubes.” Sets of six cubes snap together with plastic fasteners, and it’s up to you to create the arrangement. The funky, geometrical look of these shelving units make them ideal for kids, dorm rooms, or modern home decorators.
The shiny look of chrome adds a lot of spice to a room. It is clean, elegant, tasteful, and matches with just about anything. It’s a great way to add a modern touch to a home. Chrome wire shelving is a lot less expensive than traditional wood furniture, but that doesn’t mean it has to look like makeshift furniture. It’s possible for your chrome wire shelving to look nice for a long time, as long as you take care to select a shelving unit that is treated with some type of anti-scratch coating or epoxy.
Chrome wire shelving and shelving storage units are far more economical than traditional furniture. They are also far less bulky, and it’s easy to fit them in a small car trunk. They assemble quickly and easily. After they’re set up, it’s easy to transport them around or disassemble them for future moves. For these reasons, they are great for those who are short on funds, switch around their furniture often, move often
, or just love the look of chrome and the convenience of wire shelving.
Mold is one of the earliest organisms on this planet. It is ubiquitous; it can be found almost anywhere indoors and outdoors. Molds grow at different temperatures and humidity conditions.
However, many species of molds grow the best in humid climates and in areas of high humidity. Bathrooms are often considered breeding grounds fo mold because of the warm air and moistness often found there. Although, mold, unfortunately, can grow in frigid environments as well – case and point – moldy food in a refrigerator.
However, if mold is practically everywhere and has been around for forever, why then is the problem of toxic mold relatively new? Due to the energy crisis of the 1970s, building construction techniques changed. As toxic mold began to become more prevalent the construction of airtight buildings, homes, retail stores, schools, all so as to keep warm air from escaping out of windows and doors in the wintertime to decrease the risk of toxic mold growth. Building materials have also changed over time.
Also, avoid using building materials that utilize paper or cellulose, which offer food and an ideal environment for spore-producing mold to flourish.
These paper-based building materials can provide mold a perfect growing environment when they become wet or moist. This is why toxic mold can become such a problem when flooding occurs as is the case for those parts of the southern United States hit by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
There are an array of conditions that can lead to the growth of toxic mold in a home, for example, condensation, water leaks, excessive moisture, plumbing failures, potted plants leaking, etc.
Toxic Mold, the EPA, and the Melina Bill
There are no established guidelines for the quality of indoor air; although, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has created a strategic plan-”Healthy Buildings, Healthy People: A Vision for the 21st Century” which includes priorities aimed directly at protecting human health indoors. The EPA is focusing their efforts on outreach, education, and technical assistance for non-regulatory programs including toxic mold where geography and climate causes it to be an issue.
In addition, Congressman John Conyers, Jr., D-Michigan, has introduced a bill into the House of Representatives (H.R. 1268) to challenge and advise victims on the severe risks of toxic mold, entitled “The United States Toxic Mold Safety and Protection Act (also referred to as “The Melina Bill”). Major provisions of the bill include the following:
* Research and public education: scientifically examine the effects of different molds on human health; certification of mold inspectors and remediators; education of the public;
* Housing and real property provisions: requirement of inspections within multi-unit residential property and mold inspections for all property purchased or leased using funds allocated by the federal government; requirement for mold inspections in public housing; when possible, modification of building codes of local jurisdictions to minimize mold hazards in new construction;
* Indoor mold hazard assistance: grants for mold removal in public buildings;
* Tax provisions: tax credits for inspection and/or remediation of toxic mold;
* National toxic mold insurance program: insurance through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to protect against catastrophic losses due to toxic mold; and
* Health care provisions: offering toxic mold victims Medicaid.
Posted November 29th, 2009 by admin No Comments »Dr. Elizabeth Kubler-Ross identified five stages of grieving in her book “On Death and Dying.” When someone loses a loved one to death, they process through these five steps but I think that those same five steps apply to divorce as well as to dying. And it’s wise to help your child accomplish this processing with the wisdom of your guidance.
When an adult loses someone due to a death, they have the lifetime of experience behind them to help them cope with the loss of their dear one. And we all know adults who have suffered a long time trying to come to terms with this very painful kind of a loss. But when a parent is ripped out of the life of a little child who does not have much experience that would prepare him or her for such a loss, they have no tools to help them to process through the emotions surging inside them.
If you are the parent of such a child, I’m going to list Dr. Kubler- Ross’s Five Stages so that you can watch for them and help to coach your child through them toward acceptance and the regaining of some new semblance of order in his life. Children don’t always adapt to change readily but you can help them.
- Denial
- Anger
- Bargaining
- Depression
- Acceptance
When a child experiences denial, she may express it in some form of withdrawal or isolation. She won’t want to play. She might refuse to speak to you. Be patient and continue to talk to her. This stage might last for just a little while, or it might take a bit longer. She is processing her denial that this horrid divorce can have happened to her.
It won’t take you much at all to recognize when she hits this second stage. She’s somewhat accepted that her other parent won’t be living there any more, and she’s gone from denying that it happened at all, to figuring out why this happened to her, of all people. She could be mad at the parent she thinks she should blame and more so if you helped her to understand that it was not her fault.
If she begins to tell you that she’ll be a better girl; she’ll keep her room tidy; she’ll do her chores, you’ll know that Stage Three has arrived – bargaining. She won’t use this one very long, so enjoy having the rooms cleaner for as long as it lasts. And listen to what she’s praying for at night – she might be bargaining with God to bring mommy or daddy back into her life.
In the fourth stage, depression, she may get sulky or moody. It’s a reflection of what is happening inside her: she has given up caring what happens any more. In fact, she is more than likely numb inside as opposed to what it looks like on the outside.
Eventually, the anger, sadness, and yes even mourning is beginning to melt away and your child has wrapped him or herself around their loss. She is at the stage called acceptance and has become stronger because of her processing, so she is ready for what comes at her next.
If you continue to provide exposure to your children’s friends, a healthy diet, lots of exercise and the appropriate amount of rest, along with the most important thing – both your ears and a loving heart – then they won’t be scarred by this process but will be stronger for it.
Don’t encourage your child to look on the bright side. This will keep the grief inside. As their parent, help them to process their grief. Ask them how it feels when Daddy isn’t here to tuck them in at night? What does it feel like when Daddy is not sitting at his regular place at the table?
Keep asking questions about how they feel about your divorce and allow those words to come out without any judgment from you. Expressing themselves gets the emotions outside of themselves where they might just lay there and do damage when they aren’t expressed.
Posted November 28th, 2009 by admin No Comments »Mass produced furniture has become very common as furniture outlets, low quality manufacturers and super store outlets become more prevalent.??? Rarely can someone go to a superstore and expect the level of quality that would be expected from a piece of furniture that should be handed down as a family heirloom.??? Quality standards of pressboard and wood veneer are far less than hand made hardwood furniture. The life expectancy of pressboard furniture is five to seven years with the latter being exceptional. In some cases, low quality furniture sells for similar prices as quality hardwood furniture. Which really makes the money spent on quality baby furniture a smart investment.???
There are many pieces of furniture that can classify as family heirlooms but baby furniture stands out as an obvious choice given the fact that it connects a family in a very intimate way.??? From a first-born child to grand children, a bassinet can be a beautiful reminder of a child??s first few months of life. When that child grows up and has a child of their own their old bassinet will serve as a warm reminder of the love that they experienced in those precious first days of life.??? If that bassinet is made of quality hardwood and craftsmanship it??s easy to see why passing it from generation to generation would be a great way to build a family tradition.
A baby??s crib and a baby??s first bed are also great family heirlooms because a person??s memories of those pieces of furniture will be newer and there is a great possibility that family member who grew up with these pieces of furniture will have fond memories of growing up using them. This will translate when they are the parent and their child is growing up.??? Every time a parent goes into a baby??s room that furniture will surely remind them of fond memories from when they were a child and using the furniture.
Not only does quality baby furniture serve as excellent items to pass down, they usually have quality standards that far surpass that of mass-produced items.??? Hardwood furniture does not get brittle with age and can stand up to years of abuse because they can continually be refinished and polished to look new again. These are all benefits over garden-variety superstore brand baby furniture.
Quality furniture is an excellent cost effective choice for anyone who is about to or already has a child because it will pay for itself over several generations. You can guarantee that you will not have to buy replacement furniture due to premature wear. When you add quality into the equations, high quality hardwood baby furniture will stand the test of time as a family heirloom.
Have you ever gone to a baby shower wishing you had something original or unique to share with the new mom instead of the same old nursery clothes and baby blankets? Thanks to these finds, now you can!
BaBa Belt
Hey Mom and Dad! Tired of holding that baby bottle every time your little one is hungry? Too afraid to prop a bottle up with a pillow and walk away? I don??t blame you!
Thanks to a new invention, you can feed your precious buddle of joy and still have a free hand.
Each Baba Belt is designed with an adjustable strap and an elastic sleeve to hold different bottles at just the right angle for feeding, so you don??t have to worry about your little one getting too much air and not enough formula.
And parent of twins, guess what! With an extra hand, you can feed both babies at the same time. How? One hand holds baby number one while the Baba Belt is nestled securely around your neck to act like an extra pair of hands. The second hand is now free to hold bottle number two. Just prop baby number two up on the couch, sit on the floor next to your baby, and hold bottle number two in baby??s mouth. Two hands, two babies, two simultaneous feedings.
Why no one thought of this years ago, I??ll never know. I would have loved to be able to hold my children, now 15 and 10 years old, in one arm and be able to work on the computer, talk on the phone without a crink in my neck from trying to hold the phone with my shoulder, clean the house, or hold the other child??s hand while strolling in the park and still be able to feed my fussing baby.
Smart Mom Jewelry
As a young mom, I refused to wear jewelry. I was always so afraid that my babies would tug hard enough that a piece would get launched inside their throats. And, I hated pacifers. That, of course, meant lots of long days and nights during their teething months. So when I heard about Smart Mom’s jewelry line designed to solve the whole teething problem, I had to check them out. And boy am I glad I did!
While my kids are much too old for teething rings, I have many babies in the family, with more popping up all the time. Now, I can give out pretty gifts for “mamma” and still stick to my guns about not jewelry around babies.
The Teething Bling???, as the jewelry has been named, was actually designed to be handled, chewed, slobbered on, and yes, even tugged. And the best part is that it is made from the same material that teething toys are made from: non-toxic, phthalate/BPA/PVC free, federally approved, dishwasher safe, silicone!
And the best part is that they??re so affordable. At just under $20, you can have an elegant gift for mommy and baby. There are many styles to choose from too, from heart-shaped pendants to donut-shaped pendants to matching bangles.
Stowers Swaddlers
Ah, the precious birth of a newborn baby: the sweet smell, the tiny hands, and that beautiful smile, all wanting to be held and loved. Who can resist buying at least one cute and cuddly infant blanket for the newborn in her life???? I know I can’t.??? But wait…believe it or not, I’ve found something better!
Not only are Stowers Swaddler blankets soft, cute, and cuddly, they make wrapping babies a cinch.??? There??s no more worries about loose or tangled feet and arms, there??s no more frustration over which part gets folded first: the bottom, the left or the right, and there??s no more worrying about the baby rolling over on his/her side and suffocating. With a Stowers Swaddler, parents can wrap their babies like the professionals, while keeping their baby??s bodies snug and warm??until they decide to remove the blankets.
Sleep Huggers
A sleeping bag with arm slots??just for baby!
My sister-in-law just had twins and I can??t think of a better gift than a Sleep Huggers??? Baby Sleeping Bag. I received a beautiful, pink one for review a few months ago and haven??t had time to actually try it out until now. It??s such a great idea!
Designed to take the place of covering baby with blankets that get kicked off during the night, the Sleep Huggers??? stays put. There??s no more waking in the middle of the night worrying that baby has once again kicked off her blankets and is cold because this little blanket zips right up and there are slots for baby??s arms so your baby won??t feel restricted and can move about freely.
I really wish these were around when my children were little. They were always kicking their covers off, getting cold, and crying out. And you know what happens when babies get cold don??t you? They pee! So not only was I getting up to replace the covers, but I was getting up to change diapers. Plus, not having loose covers in the crib would have eased my mind. I was always getting up checking to make sure they were breathing and that they didn??t somehow get tangled up in their blankets.
Yes, the Sleep Hugger??? would have saved me from many sleepless nights. But you want to know what is really cool? The Sleep Huggers??? comes in sizes large enough for children up to 6 years of age!
Now, you and I both know that as we work towards getting our children to sleep in their own ??big beds?? they discover ways to come into mom??s room and ask to ??please, please, let me sleep with you??. Now, instead of pulling out that dreaded sleeping bag or tons of blankets, all you have to do is bring up your child??s pillow and take your warmly wrapped Sleep Huggers??? toddler and lay her down on the floor right next to your bed. It??s a great way to help your child feel safe sleeping on her own, until she can spend an entire night in her ??big girl bed??.
I really liked the quality and design of the Sleep Huggers??? sleeping bag and feel that once you give it a try, you won??t want to go back to traditional blankets. Now if they??d only make them for lazy pre-teens who refuse to sleep under their covers because it would mean making the bed in the morning, I??d be in heaven!
Growing up as a young Jewish child, did you ever feel left out during the holiday Christmas festivities that ran abundant during the month of December every year???? Not too long ago, the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah was quickly grazed over as a passing topic of discussion in school and pushed aside to make way for talk of Santa Claus, elves and Christmas trees.??? Today, along with many other combined celebrations of other religions, Hanukkah is becoming a more talked about and celebrated topic among school aged children.???
Hanukkah is accompanied by many traditions during this Jewish holiday.??? The most important to a child of course, making them the envy of all of their classmates in school, is the fact that they get holiday gifts for eight consecutive days in a row, making their measly one day of Santa gifts on Christmas morning seem like a rip off!??? The tradition of the eight day gift giving is to signify the lighting each night of one candle of the menorah.??? It is tradition that no work be done once the Hanukkah candles have been lit.??? It is also forbidden to use the light of the Hanukkah candles for reading or working, they are solely for the celebration of Hanukkah.
The Jewish holiday dreidel is a traditional toy that has garnered the joy and attention of Jewish celebrants for generations.?????? A dreidel is a wooden spinning top with four words written in Yiddish; Nun – nisht – “nothing” – nothing happens and the next player spins; Gimel – gants – “all” – the player takes the entire pot; Hey – halb – “half” – the player takes half of the pot, rounding up if there is an odd number; Shin – shtel ayn – “put in” – the player puts one marker in the pot.??? Any number of people can play.??? Hanukkah gelt (Yiddish for “money”) is often distributed to children to enhance their enjoyment of the holiday. The amount is usually in small coins, although grandparents or other relatives may give larger sums as an official Hanukkah gift.
Holidays keep the memory of significant and special events, and traditions help us continue the practice of cherished values every year.??? Hanukkah is a time preserved for family and friends, celebration and joy, and also a time for remembering why we celebrate.??? The light of the Hanukkah candles is a reminder of miracles from the past, and hope for the future with the continuing pursuit of peaceful Jewish ideals.
America??s Homeless Children : More Than One Million Homeless Children
?? At least 1.35 million children are homeless during a year??s time.
?? One any given day 800,000 people are homeless in the United States, including 200,000 children in homeless
families.
?? Families with children are among the fastest growing segment of the homeless population.
?? Most children living with homeless parents are very young (42% are under the age of 6 years).
?? Family homelessness is increasing. Requests for emergency shelter by families have increased every
year since 1985, with an average increase of 20% in 2002.
(Burt, 2001; Burt, Aron, Douglas, et al., 1999; National Coalition for the Homeless, 2002; U.S. Conference of Mayors, 2002)
Homelessness Hurts Children
Homelessness Makes Children Sick
?? Homeless children get sick twice as often as other children. They have:
- Twice as many ear infections.
- Four times as many asthma attacks.
- Five times more stomach problems.
- Six times as many speech problems.
- Twice as many hospitalizations.
?? Homeless children go hungry twice as often as other children and 25% of homeless children report eating less
after becoming homeless.
(National Center on Family Homelessness, 1999; Sandel, Sharfstein, and Shaw, 1999; Institute for Children and Poverty,
1999)
Homelessness Wounds Children
?? Every day, homeless children are confronted with stressful, traumatic events. Within a single year:
- 97% of homeless children move, many up to three times.
- 22% are separated from their families to be put in foster care or to live with relatives.
- 25% have witnessed acts of violence within their family.
?? Homeless children have many more mental health problems than other children.
- More than 20% of homeless preschoolers have emotional problems serious enough to require
professional care.
- 47% of homeless school age children have problems such as anxiety, depression, or
withdrawal, compared to 18% of other children.
(National Center on Family Homelessness, 1999; Institute for Children and Poverty, 1999)
Homeless Children Struggle In School
?? Approximately 87% of school-age homeless children and youth are enrolled in school, although only about
77% attend school regularly. Some schools don??t allow homeless children to register without school and
medical records. Others will not enroll children without a home address and there is often no transportation
available to get children from shelters to school. The vast majority of homeless children and youth live in
shelters, doubled up with friends or relatives, or in situations such as motels and campgrounds.
?? Homeless children who are able to attend school have more problems learning in school. Compared with
other children, homeless children are:
- Four times as likely to have developmental delays.
- Twice as likely to have learning disabilities.
- Twice as likely to repeat a grade, most often due to frequent absences and moves to new
schools (28% of homeless children go to three or more schools in a single year).
(U.S. Department of Education, 2000; National Center on Family Homelessness, 1999)
Homeless Children Are Not Receiving The Services They Need
?? Despite their multiple and complex needs, homeless children are not receiving the services they need. For
example:
- Nearly 20% of homeless children lack a regular source of medical care and 15% rely solely on
hospital emergency rooms.
- Less than 1/3 of homeless children who need help for their emotional problems are receiving it.
- Only 50-60% of homeless families are enrolled in Medicaid, although most are eligible.
- Only 71% of homeless families receive Food Stamps or WIC, although most are eligible.
- Only 37% of homeless children receive services that help them with enrollment,
attendance, and success in school.
- Only 15% of homeless children are in preschool programs, less than half the rate
of all children nationally.
(National Center on Family Homelessness, 1999; Institute for Children and Poverty, 1999; Burt, Aron, Douglas, et al., 1999;
National Coalition for the Homeless, 1999; U.S. Department of Education, 1999)
The Causes of Family Homelessness: Poverty Amidst Plenty
Housing is Not Affordable for Many Low-Income Families
?? The U.S. economy has caused rents to soar, putting housing out of reach for the poorest Americans.
- Nearly 28 million households- one in four- reported spending more than 30% of their income on
housing.
-Renter??s households in forty of the fifty states face a Housing Wage (the wage a full time worker must
earn to afford fair market rent) of more than twice the prevailing minimum wage. In these states, a
household is unable to afford a two bedroom home at Fair Market Rent even with two minimum wage
earners working 40 hours a week, 52 weeks a year.
?? The supply of affordable housing is declining while the demand remains high.
- 66% of Metropolitan Statistical Areas have Housing Wages of at least twice the prevailing minimum
wage.
- The number of rental units affordable to families with extremely low incomes declined by over
370,000 units between 1991 and 1997.
- The average waiting period for a public housing unit rose from 10 to 11 months between 1996
and 1998.
(National Low Income Housing Coalition 2001; Bipartisan Millennial Housing Commission, 2002; National Low Income
Housing Coalition, 2003; Daskal, 1998; U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, 2000; U.S. Department of
Housing and Urban Development, 1999)
Extreme Poverty Among Families and Children Continues to Grow
?? 17% of children under 18 years were living below the poverty level. 10% of all families and 18% of families
with a female householder and no husband present had incomes below the poverty level. Moreover, there has
been an increase in the number of children living in extreme poverty (below one-half the poverty line).
?? The number of families living in poverty went up by more than 300,000 in 2002 to 7 million from 6.1 million
in 2001. The number of children in poverty rose by more than 600,000 during the same period to 12.2
million.
?? From the late 1970s to the late 1990s, the average income of the lowest-income families fell by over 6% after
adjustment for inflation.
(U.S. Census Bureau, 1999; U.S. Census Bureau, 2002; Children??s Defense Fund, 1999; Bernstein, McNichol, Mishel, and
Zahradnik, 2000)
Other Key Factors Contributing to Family Homelessness
?? The number of people without health care insurance rose by 1.4 million to 41.2 million, putting them at
extreme risk of homelessness. An injury or serious illness can quickly wipe out a family’s income causing
them to lose their housing and become homeless.
?? Many mothers and children become homeless when they are forced to flee their homes to escape domestic
violence.
- 18% of homeless parents who had previously lived in their own apartments reported they left
their residence because of domestic violence.
- 32% of homeless mothers report that their current or most recent partner was abusive.
(Mills, 2001; U.S. Census Bureau, 1999; Institute for Children and Poverty, 1999; Browne and Bassuk, 1997
Posted November 26th, 2009
by admin
No Comments »
For a lot of people, a dining table pad
may be considered superfluous, even unnecessary until you consider its uses and
applications which may then make it clear why table pads may be necessary
additions to dining tables.
???
Under certain circumstances, a table
pad may become quite necessary for your dining
room table, such as if direct sunlight falls on the table, which
will, over time cause the surface to suffer some damage in terms of fading
and/or warping. Plus a lot of things that come into contact with the dining
table??s surface will scratch and mar the finish; a table pad will protect
against spills, dents and scratches. ???A
table pad protects not only the table; it also protects what you place on the
table, such as your fine china and precious glassware.
???
Furthermore your dining table pad
provides protection against heat, by absorbing heat of containers placed on it,
and not permitting the heat to harm the table??s surface. They can provide up to
550?? degree protection from accidental heat. Table
pads also aid in absorbing noise and reducing shock and vibrations, since
items placed on the table do not come into direct contact with the surface. They
ensure that dining tables will continue to look as good and as new as when they
were bought, even with regular use. A table pad also can act as a great writing
surface.
???
You can customize the dining table pad
to your requirement, in terms of size, shape, material used and thickness. Alternatively,
you can also consider using a custom tablecloth. They can be used on
any kind of surface; such as wood, stone top, glass top, or lacquer tables. A
dining table pad can be made from several different materials, such as vinyl,
plastic, cloth, felt etc.
???
Table pads can be made in an all in one
piece or in sections which interlock making it easy to use all or part of the
table pad at any given time. A locking mechanism keeps these different segments
of the table pad together preventing slipping and sliding. Certain magnetic
locking systems are also used for keeping the different segments of the table
pad in place, in a way that no part of the locking mechanism comes into contact
with the surface of the table, causing any accidental scratches etc. Alternatively
you have the option of a dining table pad with hinges between its sections so
that you can fold away a portion that you may not require at the time.
???
What a dining table pad also does is,
it offers you some variety or a change; in the sense that suppose you have a
glass topped table, covering it with a table pad will completely alter its
appearance, while offering protection for the glass surface as well.??? Then when you are entertaining or if you just
want a change from this look, you simply remove the table pad and instantly
find underneath it a well protected and clean surface that makes a delightful
change!
So for all the reasons set out above,
it is worth considering whether a dining table pad is a correct choice for you.