Running Music

It can be a major problem trying to think of a present for a loved one . The last resort gifts like gift tokens or his and her shaving sets , might be ok for distant friends or relatives, but if you like the person well enough to know that they are in to DJ’ing , then you feel a certain urge to assist them to develop their musical talent .

The UK Channel 5 TV series the Gadget Show, with the delightful Suzi Perry, did a musical technology round-up this month . They featured several things , but the users choice picked the Korg Kaoscillator as their overall winner.

Great you think. They probably won’t have one if these weird little things already! But then you find Korg have no stock, possibly for 3 months. A bit of a late present that one.

But fear not because the Internet has a virtual alternative. I found out about the Chaos Wave Synth by accident as a video on the Web Video Widget network. It isn’t a copy of, but an inspiration based upon the Korg. None the less, it is still yellow, hmm that will remind them of you every day, and it certainly seems to make the same sort of “noises”. It’s called the Chaos Wave Synth and you can watch the video at their website. If you have enough laptops, you could even form the first chaos orchestra.

I say noises, but actually, with a little practice in the right hands and it seems to be quite a stonking musical instrument, with a wide range of tones and playing possibilities.

If you’re as old as I am, the XY pad (a sort of touch pad) seems a little reminiscent of the Dubrek Stylophone, infamised by Rolf De Harris, or the theremin, that wand like instrument featured heavily in 1950’s sci-fi B movies and in the Beach Boys record.

It certainly seems capable of producing those sort of tones as well, but have a sneaking feeling it will be the drum beats and bas lines that those young generation will get absorbed in to.

Being software it does need a computer, but that can be a laptop. Either way, there should be a way of getting headphones on it, to prevent aunt Mildred from being sucked up in to the Drum N Bass at the gathering.

Giving musical instruments as presents, is always a bit of an issue in my book. Give a 5 year old a drum kit, and he will play (bang) it all day, much to everyone elses shragrala. So as this can be on headphones, it’s a much safer bet in my book.

It’s available as a download, so there’s no queuing at the shops to get it either and it should still be open, even on the day itself. So if the thought of traipsing around the shops gets too mind numbing for you, you may want to buy yourself a copy too. Even without any musical skill, it can be pretty entertaining.

Aah the gift of presents. It just fills you, doesn’t it? But I’m buying one for myself too. Don’t see why the youngsters should have all the fun

Happy days.

Sabrina

Before buying a wooden porch swing, it’s important to make sure that the swing you are buying meets a number of important criteria. Here is a list of what you should look for in a swing, along with some reasons why it’s important.

Hand Made – A hand made swing is certainly a must when buying a porch swing. This is because each piece is individually crafted, ensuring better cuts and a smoother finish.

Cypress – Cypress has been called the “eternal wood” because of its ability to stand up to the elements. A cypress swing is as durable as teak, while being as little as one-tenth the price! Don’t buy a swing made from exotic woods only to watch it rot on your porch.

Size – Be sure that the porch swing you choose is the correct size to fit on your porch, and to fit the number of people you expect to be swinging on it.

Accessories – Would you like your swing to have a cup holder? An interesting question, perhaps, but certainly something to think about. What will you want with you while on your porch swing? Keep that in mind when looking at what’s available.

The Porch Swings I Love Most

Of course, I have a very strong preference in porch swings. There is one particular artisan who builds beautiful, durable porch swings from Cypress. His name is Ted Leger (pronounced Lay-shay), and he’s based in Louisiana (where a lot of cypress trees grow). All of his swings are hand made, and he can ship anywhere in the USA.

Visit our blog for more information on patio swings.

Medicare is a governmental program which provides medical insurance coverage for retired persons over age 65 or for others who meet certain medical conditions, such as having a disability.

Medicare was signed into legislation in 1965 as an amendment to the Social Security program and is administered by the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) under the Department of Human Services.

Medicare provides medical insurance coverage for over 43 million Americans, many of whom would have no medical insurance. While not perfect, the Medicare program offers these millions of people relatively low cost basic insurance, but not much in the way of preventative care. For instance, Medicare does not pay for an annual physical, vision care or dental care.

Medicare is paid for through payroll tax deductions (FICA) equal to 2.9% of wages; the employee pays half and the employer pays half.

There are four “parts” to Medicare: Part A is hospital coverage, Part B is medical insurance, Part C is supplemental coverage and Part D is prescription insurance. Parts C and D are at an added cost and are not required. Neither Part A nor B pays 100% of medical costs; there is usually a premium, co-pay and a deductible. Some low-income people quality for Medicaid, which assists in paying part of or all of the out-of-pocket costs.

Because more people are retiring and become eligible for Medicare at a faster rate than people are paying into the system, it has been predicted that the system will run out of money by 2018. Health care costs have risen dramatically, which adds to the financial woes of Medicare and the system has bee plagued by fraud over the years.

No one seems to have a viable solution to save this system that saves many people throughout the country.

Remember to always seek Professional Medical care and guidence before following any medical advice.

The cost of the UK driving test is not particularly cheap so you will want to be as prepared for it as you can. If you are not ready for your driving test the examiner may decide, in the interests of their own and public safety, to abandon the test. The examiner will leave you on the side of the road and walk back to the test centre.

It is important therefore to be ready for your driving test so it is highly recommended that you seek driving lessons / crash course from a local driving school with qualified driving instructors before taking the test.

The Practical Driving Test lasts about 40 minutes and is conducted by a Driving Standards Agency examiner from your local Driving Test Centre. It is up to you which test centre to use. It can be booked online using the DSA website or by telephone.

You will be tested on the following:

-Eyesight (The distance requirement for the old-style number plate is 20.5 metres. The distance requirement for the number plates that were introduced on 1 September 2001 are 20 metres.)
-Vehicle Safety Checks (Show Me / Tell Me)
-Control
-Moving Off
-Use of mirrors
-Signals
-Response to signs and signals
-Progress and use of speed
-Junctions
-Judgement
-Separation Distances/ Clearance to obstructions
-Pedestrian Crossings
-Parking
-Road Positioning
-Awareness and planning
-Ancillary controls

In addition to the above checks, you will also be tested on any two of the following manoeuvres:

-Turn in the road
-Left Corner Reverse (Right Corner Reverse for vehicles with obscured rear vision e.g. vans)
-Reverse Parallel Park
-Reverse Bay Park (dependent on your local driving test centre’s facilities – this could be at the start or end of your test)

Some tests (normally 1 out of every 3 tests) will additionally be asked to complete the emergency stop exercise.

If you complete the test with a maximum of 15 driver errors (no serious or dangerous faults) you will be the proud owner of a UK driving licence.

If you are unsuccessful, you will have to wait a minimum of 10 clear working days between your original test and any future retest. Whilst you will no doubt be eager to take your test, thorough preparation will undoubtedly help you achieve a pass far quicker than rushing to take it.

Chocolate gifts are one of the most popular gifts given to anyone. It is the most loved gift by anyone and can go with any special occasion. You can give a chocolate gift to your loved one as a token of love or to your friend as a good luck treat. Regardless of the occasion, chocolate gifts are appreciated by all and bring a smile on the receiver’s face.

The simplest form of giving a chocolate gift would be to give a couple of chocolates wrapped and tied together with a piece of ribbon, together with a bunch of flowers or a card. Ready-made chocolate gifts are also available in the market.

Another popular gift is the chocolate gift basket. Chocolate gifts baskets contain a variety of chocolates. The basket is decorated with unique and stylish design to give it an attractive look. A chocolate lover would definitely love the variety included in the basket: milk, nuts, almonds, macadamia, Belgian chocolates, dark and caramel flavored chocolate. It will surely bring a smile on the recipient’s face.

Some interesting chocolate facts that you might want to know:
•    Switzerland consumes the most chocolate per capita – more than 24 pounds per person per year.
•    The livelihood of half of Ivory Coast’s people is directly or indirectly tied to cacao production.
•    The Netherlands processes the most cacao. However they consume a bit less, per capita, than the U.S.A.
•    On Valentine’s Day Americans spend about $1 billion on chocolate candies.
•    Theobromine, a substance found in cacao, is used to treat high blood pressure. It dilates the arteries.
•    Cacao seeds traded on the world market today are called cocoa.
•    Cacao grows best, under the shade of taller, canopy trees.