First Things First in the Basement

Barbara Green was getting impatient with her husband. "Remember our New Year's resolution to remodel the basement?"

Bernie Green nodded, and tried to look apologetic. "I do. And I've been meaning to call John's contractor friend who has does some basement remodeling jobs."

"Well, what's keeping you?" Barbara asked.

Bernie sighed and looked up from his laptop. "You know we get some wet spots in the back corner of the basement, where the slab floor is cracked. I've noticed that the crack is getting a little bigger, and I'm worried about more water coming in during the wet weather this spring."

Barbara was undeterred. "Yes, I know about the crack," she replied. "But that's at the opposite end of the basement from where our new room will be.

Why can't we just get the contractor to patch the crack before he begins to build the new room?"

Discussions like this are fairly common, and could easily occur wherever basements are found. Many homeowners are interested in turning unfinished basement space into extra living space because they know it's a very cost-effective way to gain extra living space.

Unfortunately, many basements have water problems. And even if the problem is minimal and located in a remote corner of the basement -like at the Green's house?it's important to solve the water problem before beginning a basement finishing project.

In the Green's basement, a slab crack that changes size indicates more than a water problem.

It's a sign of unstable soil. Simply patching the crack, as Barbara Green suggests, will not stop the soil movement or subsequent foundation damage.

Unstable soil is surprisingly common. It can be due to natural conditions such as high clay content that causes soil to expand when wet and exert extreme pressure on foundation walls and slabs. It can be due to soil that wasn't properly compacted and stabilized before footings and slaps were poured. It can also be due to a high water table that puts pressure on foundation walls. The average home remodeling contractor often has the skills to fill cracks or seal damp foundation walls. But he won't be able to recognize soil problems or structural foundation problems and make permanent repairs using specialized products like wall anchors, helical piers and polymer injection. This work must be done by a foundation repair specialist.

The lesson here is that it's important to do first things first in the basement. Stabilize the soil in the area where the crack is located so that a permanent repair can be made to the foundation. Complete waterproofing work to ensure that the basement will stay dry. Then proceed to finish the basement.

To complete this sequence of work, you need the expertise and resources that are only available from a full-service foundation specialist like Basement Systems. Basement Systems and its sister company, Foundation SupportWorks, offer the advantages of specialized training, engineering support to solve foundation problems, and a wide range of products designed for foundation repair, soil stabilization, waterproofing and basement finishing.

?

Source: http://lifestyle.ezinemark.com/first-things-first-in-the-basement-7d33aa9a96f7.html

time person of the year sag nominations sag nominations derek jeter time magazine person of the year time magazine person of the year la clippers

Enjoy Your Weekend at Mill Pond Country Club | ArticleGoes - Free ...

How do you enjoy your weekends in New York? Do you plan on spending time with your family at the mall or do you want to unwind in some place more relaxing? Try Mill Pond country club in Long Island. The club provides many amenities you and your family will be able to enjoy.

Things you can do at Mill Pond country club:

-Pamper yourself with salon and spa services

Nothing compares to going to a spa to help calm your fatigued muscles and tired spirit. You will be able to actually relax, enjoy the treatments, and indulge your senses. This place is also perfect when you?re in need of a makeover. Services offered include hairstyling and other hair treatments, make-up application, seaweed wraps, special scrubs, facials, manicures and pedicures, and relaxing massages.

The staff is friendly and attentive. Should you have any special request about a certain hairstyle or treatment, just let them know and they?re going to cater to your needs. In addition, they know the latest trends in skin and hair care so you could ask them for some advice.

-Stay fit and healthy!

Mill Pond country club and spa have state-of-the-art fitness center that should motivate you to exercise. Try jogging on the treadmill or de-stress with available yoga classes. You may also make your own fitness program and work one on one with a trainer. Bring your spouse or a friend to make working out a more fun experience!

You may even enjoy swimming with the family in heated outdoor pools. You may enjoy laps, water aerobics, or just relax. Or go to the tennis courts for a fun game.

-For Men only: card room and sports bar

If there are two things men love, that would be card games and sports. Mill Pond country club has a variety of card games like Canasta, Gin Rummy, Bridge, and good old fashioned Texas Hold ?em poker. They could choose to play a hand for fun or participate in a tournament.

After a friendly card game, they could relax at the sports bar and lounge. They?ll definitely enjoy talking about sports over cocktails. Here is the perfect place to cheer for your favorite baseball or basketball team if there?s a huge game coming up.

-Play golf and more!

Hone your game skills to perfection at Mill Pond golf course. The sport is also a kind of exercise, as walking for the whole 18-hole game is the same as walking three to four miles. This gets the golfer?s heart going and blood pumping. Golfers who play three or four times a week are getting quite a bit of exercise.

It also improves concentration. Golfers figure out how to focus on their shot and swing. Playing golf helps a person concentrate and focus on the task at hand.

You and your family could enjoy a game of golf at Mill Pond country club. Or you can enjoy a social round with friends and fellow weekenders.

The club is also a perfect choice of venue for events, parties or weddings. Their packages are comprised of catering services. You can treat your guests to a round of golf before or after the event, this will make your party truly unforgettable.

Brooke Wyatt is a businesswoman who frequently goes to mill pond golf course and mill pond country club to wind down during weekends.

Source: http://articlegoes.com/enjoy-your-weekend-at-mill-pond-country-club.html

paul simon hyundai equus nissan leaf entourage entourage empire state of mind lyrics rex grossman

Higher oil prices boost Exxon 4Q profit 2 percent (AP)

NEW YORK ? Exxon Mobil's fourth-quarter profit rose 2 percent as higher oil prices offset a drop in production.

The world's largest publicly traded oil company said Tuesday that it sold crude between October and December for 27 percent more than one year ago. Natural gas prices also jumped 27 percent outside the United States.

Higher prices pushed net income to $9.4 billion, or $1.97 per share, in the fourth quarter, matching Wall Street expectations. It made $9.25 billion, or $1.85 per share, a year earlier.

Revenue rose 15.6 percent to $121.6 billion in the latest quarter.

Exxon, based in Irving, Texas, said that production declined nearly 9 percent in the quarter, even

after spending a record $36.8 billion last year in search of new sources of crude and natural gas.

Exploration projects can take years to yield new production. And some of Exxon's biggest investments recently have been in U.S. natural gas fields, which so far haven't paid off because prices have dropped to their lowest level in a decade.

Crude production declined as some of its fields matured and produced less. And many contracts in foreign countries limit the amount of oil that Exxon can sell as prices rise. And natural gas demand fell in Europe as well.

Overall, earnings in Exxon's exploration and production business rose 18 percent offsetting a 63 percent drop in income from the company's refining business.

The company's refineries, which produce gasoline, diesel and other fuels, have struggled to pass on the higher cost of their primary input, which is crude. Exxon announced Sunday that it is selling its Japanese refining and marketing business to partner TonenGeneral Sekiyu K.K. for $3.9 billion following an extended slide in Japanese fuel demand.

Exxon's chemicals business also saw profits decline 49 percent.

For the full year, Exxon's net income rose 34.8 percent while revenue rose 26.9 percent.

Last week, Chevron Corp. said profits slipped 3.2 percent. ConocoPhillips reported a 66-percent increase in quarterly earnings, though much of that came from the sale of a pipeline and other assets. Royal Dutch Shell expects to report its financial results later this week.

Shares of Exxon Mobil Corp. fell 91 cents to $84.58 in early trading.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/business/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120131/ap_on_bi_ge/us_earns_exxon_mobil

dreamhouse pan am whats your number whats your number melissa gorga melissa gorga pueblo co

Fiat 2011 earnings double as Chrysler sales rise (AP)

MILAN ? Fiat Group SpA, the Italian automaker which controls Chrysler, on Wednesday reported that full-year earnings more than doubled ? beating expectations ? as Chrysler posted its first profit since 1997.

The net profit of euro1.3 billion ($1.71 billion) compared with euro520 million a year earlier, while revenue rose 66 percent to euro59.5 billion.

The results exceeded the company's guidance. The trading profit ? or earnings before interest, taxes and one-time items ? was euro2.3 billion ($3.03 billion), compared with the target of more than euro2.1 billion ($2.77 billion).

Shares in the company rose 6 percent to euro4.86 in Milan after the publication of the results.

Fiat said the results reflected higher Chrysler sales, resilient Fiat Group Auto revenues despite declining European sales and double-digit growth at the Ferrari and Alfa Romeo luxury and performance brands.

Fiat, which controls 58.5 percent of Chrysler LLC, has consolidated results with the U.S. automaker since June. Without Chrysler, Fiat said it broke even for the year.

Chrysler sales grew 22 percent to 1.85 million vehicles, thanks to higher sales of Jeeps and revamped model lines under the Fiat partnership.

Fiat is counting on Chrysler's continued strength. It forecast 2012 revenues of euro77 billion and net profit of euro1.2 to euro1.5 billion.

In the fourth quarter, Fiat's overall net profit was euro43 million, down from euro139 million a year earlier, reflecting its less-than-full control of Chrysler and Ferrari, at 90 percent.

Quarterly revenue more than doubled to euro19.6 billion, but was flat without Chrysler's contribution.

Fiat Group Autos, which comprises the Fiat, Lancia and Alfa Romeo brands, saw annual vehicle shipments slip 2.4 percent to 2 million.

An increase of light commercial vehicle volumes failed to offset lower passenger car shipments, which declined 4.6 percent to 1.6 million, as demand in Fiat's domestic Italian market shrank significantly. Demand grew in Brazil, however, by 1.5 percent to 772,700 vehicles.

Ferrari, meanwhile, hit a record volume of 7,195 vehicles, a 10 percent increase over 2011, driven by sales of 12-cylinder models. Revenues at Ferrari rose 17 percent to euro2.25 billion, while Maserati revenues hit euro588 million on volumes of 6,159 vehicles.

Net industrial debt, which stood at euro5.5 billion at the end of 2011, is forecast to remain flat or grow to euro6 billion.

Fiat has proposed a dividend to preference and savings classes of shareholders, not to ordinary shareholders.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/europe/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120201/ap_on_bi_ge/eu_italy_earns_fiat

sharia law ron paul new hampshire primary results amanda bynes molly sims golden state warriors hostess brands

Pythons pose rising threat in Everglades

A burgeoning population of huge pythons ? many of them pets that were turned loose by their owners when they got too big ? appears to be wiping out large numbers of raccoons, opossums, bobcats and other mammals in the Everglades, a study says.

The study, published Monday in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, found that sightings of medium-size mammals are down dramatically ? as much as 99 percent, in some cases ? in areas where pythons and other large, non-native constrictor snakes are known to be lurking.

Scientists fear the pythons could disrupt the food chain and upset the Everglades' environmental balance in ways difficult to predict.

"The effects of declining mammal populations on the overall Everglades ecosystem, which extends well beyond the national park boundaries, are likely profound," said John Willson, a research scientist at Virginia Tech University and co-author of the study.

Tens of thousands of Burmese pythons, which are native to Southeast Asia, are believed to be living in the Everglades, where they thrive in the warm, humid climate. While many were apparently released by their owners, others may have escaped from pet shops during Hurricane Andrew in 1992 and have been reproducing ever since.

Can swallow alligators
Burmese pythons can grow to be 26 feet long and more than 200 pounds, and they have been known to swallow animals as large as alligators. They and other constrictor snakes kill their prey by coiling around it and suffocating it.

The National Park Service has counted 1,825 Burmese pythons that have been caught in and around Everglades National Park since 2000. Among the largest so far was a 156-pound, 16.4-foot snake captured earlier this month.

For the study, researchers drove 39,000 miles along Everglades-area roads from 2003 through 2011, counting wildlife spotted along the way and comparing the results with surveys conducted on the same routes in 1996 and 1997.

The researchers found staggering declines in animal sightings: a drop of 99.3 percent among raccoons, 98.9 percent for opossums, 94.1 percent for white-tailed deer and 87.5 percent for bobcats. Along roads where python populations are believed to be smaller, declines were lower but still notable.

Rabbits and foxes, which were commonly spotted in 1996 and 1997, were not seen at all in the later counts. Researchers noted slight increases in coyotes, Florida panthers, rodents and other mammals, but discounted that finding because so few were spotted overall.

  1. More science news from msnbc.com

    1. Ocean motion could?provide 9 percent of U.S. electricity

      Next-generation technologies that harvest electricity from ocean waves and tides sloshing along the U.S. coasts could provide about 9 percent of the nation's demand by 2030, according to a pair of recent studies.

    2. Pythons pose rising threat in Everglades
    3. Volcanoes may have sparked Little Ice Age
    4. From mouse to elephant in 24 million generations

"The magnitude of these declines underscores the apparent incredible density of pythons in Everglades National Park," said Michael Dorcas, a professor at Davidson College in North Carolina and lead author of the study.

Prime suspect
Although scientists cannot definitively say the pythons are killing off the mammals, the snakes are the prime suspect. The increase in pythons coincides with the mammals' decrease, and the decline appears to grow in magnitude with the size of the snakes' population in an area. A single disease appears unlikely to be the cause since several species were affected.

The report says the effect on the overall ecosystem is hard to predict. Declines among bobcats and foxes, which eat rabbits, could be linked to pythons' feasting on rabbits. On the flip side, declines among raccoons, which eat eggs, may help some turtles, crocodiles and birds.

Scientists point with concern to what happened in Guam, where the invasive brown tree snake has killed off birds, bats and lizards that pollinated trees and flowers and dispersed seeds. That has led to declines in native trees, fish-eating birds and certain plants.

In 2010, Florida banned private ownership of Burmese pythons. Earlier this month, U.S. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar announced a federal ban on the import of Burmese pythons and three other snakes.

Salazar said Monday that the study shows why such restrictions were needed.

"This study paints a stark picture of the real damage that Burmese pythons are causing to native wildlife and the Florida economy," he said.

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/46194981/ns/technology_and_science-science/

tim howard west virginia rob roy gaslight justin timberlake michael dyer meteor shower

Pentagon prepares for new military talks with Iraq (AP)

WASHINGTON ? The Obama administration is preparing to begin talks with Iraq on defining a long-term defense relationship that may include expanded U.S. training help, according to Defense Secretary Leon Panetta's chief policy aide.

Michele Flournoy, who is leaving her Pentagon post on Friday to return to private life, said in an interview with a small group of reporters that the administration is open to Iraqi suggestions about the scope and depth of defense ties.

"One of the things we're looking forward to doing is sitting down with the Iraqis in the coming month or two to start thinking about how they want to work with" the U.S. military to develop a program of exercises, training and other forms of security cooperation, Flournoy said.

The U.S. military completed its withdrawal from Iraq in December after nearly nine years of war. Both sides had considered keeping at least several thousand U.S. troops there to provide comprehensive field training for Iraqi security forces, but they failed to strike a deal before the expiration of a 2008 agreement that required all American troops to leave.

As a result, training is limited to a group of American service members and contractors in Baghdad who will help Iraqis learn to operate newly acquired weapons systems. They are part of the Office of Security Cooperation, based in the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad and headed by Army Lt. Gen. Robert Caslen.

Additional and more comprehensive training is a major issue because Iraq's army and police are mainly equipped and trained to counter an internal insurgency, rather than deter and defend against external threats. Iraq, for example, currently cannot defend its own air sovereignty. It is buying ? but has not yet received ? U.S.-made F-16 fighter jets.

In a new report on conditions in Iraq, a U.S. government watchdog agency said the Iraqi army is giving so much attention to fighting the insurgents that it has had too little time to train for conventional combat.

"The Iraqi army, while capable of conducting counterterrorism and counterinsurgency operations, possesses limited ability to defend the nation against foreign threats," said the report submitted to Congress Monday by the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction, Stuart W. Bowen, Jr.

In an introductory note, Bowen wrote that while Iraq's young democracy is buoyed by increasing oil production, it "remains imperiled by roiling ethno-sectarian tensions and their consequent security threats."

Iraq has seen an upswing in violence since the last U.S. troop left, but senior U.S. officials have remained in touch in hopes of nudging the Iraqis toward a political accommodation that can avert a slide into civil war.

Vice President Joe Biden spoke by phone on Saturday with Osama Nujaifi, speaker of the Council of Representatives. And Biden spoke on Friday with a key opposition figure, Ayad Allawi, a former interim prime minister and a secular Shiite leader of the Iraqiya political bloc. Allawi has said Iraq needs to replace its prime minister, Nouri al-Maliki, or hold new elections to prevent the country from fracturing along sectarian lines.

In a positive sign, Iraq's Sunni leaders announced on Sunday that they will end their boycott of parliament. That may have paved the way for the political leadership to hold a national conference led by President Jalal Talabani to seek reconciliation and to end a sectarian political crisis.

George Little, the Pentagon press secretary, said Sunday that Panetta remains optimistic about the outlook in Iraq despite worsening violence.

"The secretary believes that the Iraqi people have a genuine opportunity to create a future of greater security for themselves, and that senseless acts of violence will not deter them from pursuing that goal," Little said. "The United States remains committed to a strong security relationship with Iraq."

U.S. officials have said they aim to establish broad defense ties to Iraq, similar to American relationships with other nations in the Gulf, including Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Oman and Bahrain.

Flournoy, 51, is stepping down from her position as undersecretary of defense for policy on Friday after three years in the job. She is the first woman to hold that post. Her chief deputy, Jim Miller, has been picked to succeed her.

In the interview last week, Flournoy reiterated that she is leaving government to focus more on her family. She and her husband, W. Scott Gould, have three children aged 14, 12 and nine.

She came to the Pentagon in February 2009 from the Center for a New American Security, where she was the think tank's first president. She had served in the Pentagon in the 1990s as a strategist.

Flournoy said in an Associated Press interview in December when she announced her decision to quit that she intends to play an informal role this year in supporting President Barack Obama's re-election effort. She was a member of his transition team after the November 2008 election.

___

Robert Burns can be reached on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/robertburnsAP

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/iraq/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120130/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/us_us_iraq

how to get ios 5 eric holder eric holder avengers trailer the avengers trailer the avengers trailer minka kelly

Nicki Minaj Confirms On Twitter That She Will Appear On Stage At The Super Bowl

Nicki Minaj hasn’t been able to keep quiet any longer, it seems that the ‘Superbass’ star WILL be appearing on stage with Madonna when the Queen of Pop takes to the pitch during next weekend’s Super Bowl half-time show. Speculation has been rife, ever since it was announced that Madge would be following the likes [...]

Source: http://www.celebritymound.com/nicki-minaj-confirms-on-twitter-that-she-will-appear-on-stage-at-the-super-bowl/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=nicki-minaj-confirms-on-twitter-that-she-will-appear-on-stage-at-the-super-bowl

baby lisa irwin pearl jam 20 martha marcy may marlene lacuna lacuna paranormal activity 3 trailer paranormal activity 3 trailer

Bulletproof skin stops a speeding gunshot

Caitlin Stier, video intern

What if your skin could resist a speeding bullet? Now a new futuristic tissue designed by artist Jalila Essa?di, which reinforces human skin cells with spider silk, can stop a whizzing projectile without being pierced. Although its threads may look fragile, a spider-silk weave is four times stronger than Kevlar, the material used in bulletproof vests.

In the first clip, the bioengineered skin cushions a bullet fired at half speed. But its resistance has its limits: when shot at a full speed of 329 m/s, the bullet pierces the material and travels through it. The same tests were also performed with piglet skin, human skin and human skin fused with regular silkworm silk, which were all penetrated by bullets of both speeds.

An international team worked together to create the new material. First, transgenic goats and silkworms equipped to produce spider-silk proteins spun out the raw material in the synthetic biology lab at Utah State University. The cocoons were then shipped to South Korea, where they were reeled into thread, before being woven into fabric in Germany. The modified silk was then wedged between bioengineered skin cells developed by biochemist Abdoelwaheb El Ghalbzouri at the Leiden University Medical Center in the Netherlands. After five weeks of incubation, the hybrid skin was ready for target practice.

In addition to exploring the material artistically, Essa?di is also looking into practical uses, such as skin transplants. Spider silk is already being developed by other teams for high-tech applications, which range from artificial corneas to brain implants.

For more about spider silk spin-offs, check out our full-length feature: "Stretching spider silk to its high-tech limits". Or you might also like to find out about the science behind a lavish golden spider-silk cape, currently on display at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.

Subscribe to New Scientist Magazine

Source: http://feeds.newscientist.com/c/749/f/10897/s/1c40d9e1/l/0L0Snewscientist0N0Cblogs0Cnstv0C20A120C0A10Cstronger0Ethan0Esteel0Espider0Esilk0Eskin0Etakes0Ea0Ebullet0Bhtml0DDCMP0FOTC0Erss0Gnsref0Fonline0Enews/story01.htm

us news and world report college rankings dishnetwork bill monroe nike pro combat nike pro combat gardasil gardasil

Some Reactions After the Challenger Explosion (ContributorNetwork)

The space shuttle Challenger explosion on Jan. 28, 1986, with its seven-member crew was the most traumatic disaster of its type in history. It occurred before a live audience, broadcast around the world in real time.

While the causes of the disaster have been covered ad infinitum, there were some little noted reactions that bear touching on.

President Ronald Reagan Addresses the Nation

On the day the Challenger was destroyed, President Reagan was putting the finishing touches on the State of the Union speech. It had been hoped he would be able to mention the space shuttle mission, which would have been in orbit at the time, with Christa McAuliffe, the teacher in space.

Instead, Reagan gave another speech, in a televised address to the nation recorded at the Teaching American History page. The speech, one of the most moving of his presidency, had everything a memorial speech should have. It touched on the sacrifices of the crew and the importance of the space program. It had a historical reference to Francis Drake, who died at sea. It ended with a quote from "High Flight," the greatest aviation poem ever written. He said that the Challenger crew had "slipped the surly bonds of Earth" to "touch the face of God."

Three days later, Reagan journeyed to the Johnson Spaceflight Center in Houston to give another comforting speech, this time to the bereaved space workers who felt keenly the devastating loss. He had something fitting to say about each of the fallen Challengers. He gave the requisite vow to continue the space program and to not give up exploration in the face of tragedy.

The Challenger Center

In an attempt to turn tragedy into something positive, the families of the Challenger crew, particularly June Scobee (now June Scobee-Rogers), herself a teacher, created the Challenger Center for Space Flight Education. There are Challenger Centers across the U.S., in Canada, Great Britain and South Korea. The mission of the Challenger Center is to further science education through a variety of programs, including training teachers in the art of teaching science.

Challenger Memorials

There are a number of Challenger Memorials, including one at Arlington National Cemetery and a Space Shuttle Memorial Park near the Johnson Spaceflight Center. The film "Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home" contained a tribute, "The cast and crew of Star Trek wish to dedicate this film to the men and women of the spaceship Challenger whose courageous spirit shall live to the 23rd century and beyond..." Seven asteroids were named for each of the Challenger crew. According to NASA, craters on the moon have also been named after the Challenger Seven.

Mark R. Whittington is the author of Children of Apollo and The Last Moonwalker . He has written on space subjects for a variety of periodicals, including The Houston Chronicle, The Washington Post, USA Today, the L.A. Times, and The Weekly Standard.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/space/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ac/20120129/us_ac/10899887_some_reactions_after_the_challenger_explosion

the ides of march yankees espn magazine espn magazine anywhere but here wall street protesters att