When most of us think of summer and hot days, the first thing that comes to mind is a swimming pool. A swimming pool provides relief from hot summer days and gives us a chance to simply relax, enjoy ourselves, and take in some exercise. Although they are most common with hot summer days, swimming pools are also great indoors as well, providing year-round swimming.
Indoor swimming pools have become very popular over the years, especially in gyms and other facilities such as the YMCA. At a gym or YMCA, indoor swimming pools are a great way to cool down after weight lifting or a great way to get in some cardio exercise. Unlike outdoor swimming pools, you can use an indoor pool year round - without having to worry about the weather.
If you don’t like to join gyms or if you find the locations of indoor swimming pools to be crowded, you may be interested in having an indoor pool at home. This is very possible these days, due to indoor pools being more affordable than ever. The first thing you’ll need to do before you can get one though is making room for it. If you don’t have the space to store a pool inside, you may need to add a room to your home to put the pool in.
If you have the money to spare, an in the ground indoor swimming pool will provide you with plenty of room to swim laps and have a lot of friends over with plenty of room to spare. This may cost a lot of money though, which rules it out for many of us. You’ll also need a big room for this type of pool as well, as it can cover a lot of space.
If you don’t have a lot of money to spare, you can use an above ground pool instead. You’ll still need to room to store it, or you can again add on to your home. Adding on to your home will help to raise the overall value of your property, which will be a major plus later on down the road if you decide to sell your home. Indoor swimming pools hold a lot of value, especially if you have it constructed yourself.
When you have your swimming pool set up indoors, you’ll need to have a professional do everything. Although you may think you can do everything yourself, it will prove to be a bit more complicated than you may think. Professionals know exactly what they are doing, and won’t have any problems at all. They will also do all of the work for you, and contact the necessary officials to make sure that your indoor pool conforms with state and local laws.
In more ways than one, an indoor swimming pool can provide you with a lot of fun and excitement year round. Indoor pools have a lot of benefits, also providing to be great for those who have back trouble or other medical ailments. Even though the pool is indoors, you can also invest in a heater for your swimming pool and keep the water a certain temperature whenever you decide to jump in and take a swim.
You can find everything you need for an indoor swimming pool online or through your local swimming pool supply store. If you need to add on to your home first, you may want to contact a carpenter first. Once you have everything you need and you get your indoor pool finished, you’ll be amazed by the results. You’ll be able to go swimming anytime you like, day or night - in the privacy of your own home.
A marathon is an ultimate dream for many runners. People who have been running for years and some that have never run a day in their life love the idea of finishing a marathon. There seems to be something magical about the concept of a marathon, almost as if it seems super-human to compete in one or even to complete one.
Have you been pondering the idea of running a marathon for fun or for competition? If so, you must know that it takes months of hard and consistent preparation before the dream can become a reality because a marathon is no walk in the park.
One of the best strategies for making the dream of a marathon possible for you is to find a partner. Talk to your friends and find someone who is willing to begin the journey of marathon training with you. Figure out a way to mesh your schedules so that you can train together, at least on your long runs. You've heard it said that 'no man is an island,' and that concept is certainly true when it comes to preparing for your first marathon. Most people last a few weeks at best when they have no one to train with and no one to hold them accountable as the training schedule becomes more intense.
Once you've found the perfect marathon partner you should also take time to research the best training schedule for your time, needs and running goals. Getting on a specific schedule for marathon training will prevent you from overworking yourself or underworking yourself. It is no easy thing to get your body in shape for a twenty-six-mile run, so make it a priority to find a schedule and then stick to it.
Talk to your physician about your dream of running a marathon. It is never a bad idea to check with a healthcare professional for any warnings or advice. See if your physician has any suggestions for ways to supplement your training with adjustments to your eating or sleeping habits. Proper eating and sleeping will only benefit the physical training you do to prepare for the marathon.
Running a marathon is something that many people dream about but far fewer people actually accomplish it. With some careful planning and a lot of dedication, you can be one of the few that makes the dream of running a marathon a reality.
The Lancaster is probably the most famous of all the bombers of the second world war. According to Capt. Donald Macintosh (ex-second world war bomber pilot, and author) it was a lot smoother to fly than the Wellington; the experience of which was close to that of a fighter plane (with no payload, of course).
Survival rates on bombers.
The life of a second world war bomber pilot was probably the most dangerous of all the armed forces of the second world war. Less than 50% survived their tour; each tour consisted of roughly 25 operations or raids with the chances of survival for each raid being 96%. That is what the commanders always told the crew before a raid to keep up morale. But if you compound 96% over 25 times, the survival rate was closer to 50%. When Donald looked at his Florida academy group photograph after the war, he counted around half of those still alive.
WHAT KILLED BOMBER CREWS?
Training
Enemy fighter planes
Lack of rear radar (called Monica: only introduced later in the war)
An incompetent navigator
An incompetent rear gunner
Flak
Poor attitude
Bad luck
TRAINING - Rushed training caused a few deaths. President Roosevelt wanted to train pilots within 2 years which would be woefully short in peacetime, but due to the high chop rate, they had no choice. Donald sometimes saw burnt-out bombers on the runway from fatal mistakes made by cadets. A fairly experienced New Zealand pilot and his crew died in a ball of flames in the air during training. They speculated it was because one of the crew members had smoked during the flight.
Also, the bombers used in training were not maintained properly, if at all. All the good maintenance staff were looking after the bombers flying real operations. This could cause engines to fail, which killed a few crew members.
In fact, Donald had several very near misses himself in just such scenarios. The excerpt: "The Landing" from his book is just one example of inexperience nearly killing him. "Russian Mechanics" is another; the Russians didn't have the competence or equipment to maintain planes as Donald found out.
ENEMY FIGHTER PLANES - Fighter planes out-gunned and could out-manoeuvre bombers. The typical fighter tactic was to dive under the bomber and swing around and up, shooting up at the undercarriage. This wasn't without total risk to the fighter, as the explosion of the payload could also destroy the fighter if he was too close. Donald experienced a Focke Wulf 190 first-hand using just this tactic.
The best defence was the cork-screw dive. This meant diving 45 degrees to the left, then 45 degrees to the right and then fly back upwards 45 degrees left. The odds though were still against you. At night time, if an enemy fighter was detected soon enough, the cork-screw dive was very effective at shaking them off.
LACK OF REAR RADAR - Rear radar, or Monica as it was called, saved countless bomber crew's lives. This enabled the crew to detect an enemy fighter sneaking up behind very early. The cork-screw dive manoeuvre was then quite effective. Using Monica, during night-time raids especially, allowed the bombers to easily shake off enemy fighter planes. Monica saved Donald's life when it was introduced. It was a pity that his Squadron Leader also didn't have it when he battled a German ace. See "Squadron Leader" for this story.
AN INCOMPETENT NAVIGATOR - According to Donald, the navigator was absolutely crucial to survival. If you got lost over enemy territory, you had had it. Not only could you accidentally fly over enemy fighter bases or flak installations, but your fuel would run out. Donald's bomber crew experienced their fuel running out twice, once in training and once over Russia.
AN INCOMPETENT REAR GUNNER - Although the rear gunner was not as important as the navigator, he needed to be very alert for detecting enemy fighter planes coming in from behind. He would call out the ranges and shout out the exact time when the pilot should cork-screw. The actual gunfire was usually inadequate to bring down the fighters; it distracted them more than anything else.
FLAK - At the end of the war flak was largely ineffective. This was because the German flak crews were the old men or inexperienced young boys who weren't trained well enough to operate them properly. Of course, you could be exceedingly unlucky. If a professional flak crew was shooting at you, then you would be in trouble. When Donald was carrying out a raid over Holland, he flew over German Naval Gunners who shot down the plane three behind him, killing all but three of her crew.
POOR ATTITUDE - Those pilots and crew who didn't put everything into it, who didn't really want to be there, were often the ones who got what they wished for. Donald tells of an Australian pilot Tyrell, who had an apathetic attitude always asking when his leave was etc. He died on his first mission over Stuttgart.
Another important factor was teamwork amongst the crew members. Some crews couldn't get along with each other. They constantly argued, even disobeying orders. Unsurprisingly, this raised the probability of not making it over a raid.
Nervous disorders were a common problem with crew members who were nearing the end of their active duty. In fact, according to Donald, at this stage of their careers just about everybody had some sort of nervous disorder, whether it was a nervous tic or the handshaking when lifting up a glass or teacup. It was far worse with bomb-aimers. They saw everything below: flak exploding just beneath them etc. Bomb aimers were usually relieved earlier of their duties than most since after a while they would crack up. "The Mad Gunner" is a short story of a bomb-aimer who had done around 70 raids and had completely lost it. He was allowed to continue because he loved doing it and also the fact that he was very good at his job.
BAD LUCK - A lucky flak shot or something critical overlooked in maintenance was what usually happened. When Donald had to choose his bomb-aimer, he had a choice between Pete or his friend, George. They flipped a coin and Pete became his bomb-aimer and lived; George, however, never made it to the end of the war.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Capt. Donald Macintosh flew over 40 raids from D day until May 1945, including:
3 attacks on battleship “Tirpitz” (sunk) including the flight to Russia;
1 destroyer, Gdynia harbour, night; prob sunk;
2 heavy gun emplacements;
3 dams;
2 oil refineries;
4 viaducts;
3 bridges;
3 submarine pens;
1 ammo dump;
2 flying bomb sites;
2 cities;
Finally, Hitler’s home at Berchtesgaden, April 25th.
After the war, he flew for another 30 years in civil flying some of which was almost as lethal as wartime. Based in the Bahamas, he flew Yorks and Lancastrians for British South American Airways and then went on to fly the world’s first passenger jet, Comet 1, to Africa and the Far East.
A photo of a cup of coffee. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Coffee is probably one of the most popular beverages consumed by adults, yet many do not know coffee history very well. Understanding coffee history will make you appreciate that rich aroma you love so much. According to Arabic legend, an Arabian goat herder was going about his daily activities when all of a sudden his flock of goats began dancing around a green leafy plant. The plant appeared to have cherries growing from it, the goat herder decided to give this fruitful plant a try.
He noticed that he was experiencing a stimulating effect that allowed him to stay awake for hours. Once he let others in on his secret, they began using coffee for the same reason. It is said that once introduced to a priest, he began promoting coffee and its effects throughout the monastery for continued prayer sessions. Low and behold, we had an eye-opening beverage that would soon become a frequent pick me up favorite.
Coffee History Begins in Ethiopia
Although many believe the goat herding legend as to be true in discovering coffees history, others need a more evidence than this to believe in when it came to discussing the history of coffee. Scientists have discovered botanical evidence that proves that coffee Arabica began in Ethiopia and then was somehow taken to Yemen, where it was then served up in the Mecca in one of the very first coffee houses in history since the 6th century. It became more of a personal favorite used for enjoyment, rather than putting it to use for its stimulating effects.
America Loves It
Wherever it originated, coffee is a popular choice for hot beverages. The number of coffee houses open for business now is amazing. There is one on every corner in America and is served in a variety of different ways. You can know get coffee drinks hot or cold, with or without flavoring and it is made to order. Many prefer instant coffee when serving coffee in their homes. This shows just how far coffee has come since its history began.
Coffee, Coffee, and More Coffee
Now it seems as though we are obsessed with coffee, you can find it everywhere. Coffee candy, coffee ice cream, coffee syrup, coffee creamers and the list will continue to grow. With coffee being such a favorite, did you ever stop to think that we had an Arabian goat herder to think for this rich-tasting drink we all enjoy so much?
As athletes work to prepare for competitions and tournaments, it is very important that nutritional needs be met. This includes both in eating habits, what is consumed, and when it is eaten. The old saying that you should not eat before swimming is a very real concern for athletes regardless of which sport they are involved in.
In order to allow the body to fully convert the good foods that you are eating into energy, it needs time. The amount of time it needs varies depending on the exact foods that you are eating but the process is certainly not instant. In order to achieve the best results, it is ideal if you break up your eating habits before competitions and try to limit the amount of food that you are eating right before engaging in sports. For example, if you are going to be running track at 10a.m. you should not eat anything after 9:30a.m. unless it is an emergency. This allows your stomach time to start converting the food you consumed into energy.
While it is necessary to drink liquids during a work out it is also essential to know what foods are safe before a workout. In order to ensure that your athletic experience goes as smoothly as possible, you should always consult your sports medicine doctor for specifics based upon your body type, athletic activity and any other variables that are specific to you. In the meantime, there are some general guidelines that are acceptable to use and can assist in helping you ensure that you are ready to go.
Before you exercise, you should look at eating about 4 hours before your exercise. This means a real meal with components from all of the food groups. This does not mean simply snacking on an energy bar or even an apple. Instead, it should be a complete meal, this may require you to adjust your workout schedule to better coordinate with your eating habits, or if your schedule handles it better adjust our eating habits around your workout schedule. Either way, it is important to eat a full meal 4 hours before your work out.
Once you are finished eating it is a good idea to eat a snack or even an energy drink that is loaded with carbohydrates. This gives your body an extra burst. It is best to look into this high carbohydrate snack about 2 hours before your workout. Remember, worrying about the calories you are consuming is not as important as ensuring that you are giving your body the fuel that it needs to function. In addition, about one hour before your workout looking into a sports drink is a really good idea. Following this schedule should have your body well stocked with plenty of energy to handle the rigors of your workout.
In the time immediately before a workout or even a competition of any type, it is best to stick to small foods that are healthy and offer high amounts of carbohydrates. Examples include fruits, fruit juice, vegetable juices, and even sports drinks are all healthy choices that keep your energy levels full. They are also light enough that they will not cause any problems with your stomach while you are engaged in your athletic activity.
In addition to eating the healthy foods, sports medicine doctors also recommend consuming something sugary approximately 45 minutes before any highly strenuous activities. This includes candy bars, energy bars, and even some soft drinks. Keeping your energy levels up is not always a simple task but if you focus more on your energy levels and less on the calorie intake that you are consuming your body will appreciate it once you are moving and using the stores of energy.
Remember, limiting the amount of sugar that you consume is best since it only gives you energy for the initial start to the activity. The carbohydrates that you consumed before will provide you with the long-term energy that you need to be successful. With some careful planning, it is possible to work with your sports medicine doctor and coach and decide exactly what your best eating routine is to keep you in top-notch shape.
There are many types of stun guns on the market today. Which one you choose depends on what you feel comfortable with and which one best suits you.
Standard stun guns are fairly simple. They are about the size of a flashlight and work on a single 9-volt battery. This type of stun gun gets its electric supply from the battery and it is distributed to the various electrical components. The standard type of stun gun has small electrodes at the end where the current is released.
Cattle prods are similar to stun guns. They use an electrical current that works off the two electrodes on the end. But the cattle prod serves a different function.
A cattle prod only causes pain, the charge not meant to disrupt the nervous system but to get the person or the animal moving. The main difference is in voltage. The voltage in a cattle prod is lower, only meaning to shock instead of stun.
Another variation is the taser gun. It still basically works the same way, but instead, the electrodes are not permanently joined to the housing. They are positioned at the end of conductive wires.
Pulling the trigger releases the electrode, shooting at a distance into the target, the wires still attached to the housing. The electrodes have small barbs, which grip on an attackers clothes. The current travels down the wire and into the attacker, stunning him the same way. The main advantage to this is that the attacker can be kept at a distance, anywhere from 15-20 feet.
The beauty of astronomy is that anybody can do it. From the tiniest baby to the most advanced astrophysicist, there is something for anyone who wants to enjoy astronomy. In fact, it is a science that is so accessible that virtually anybody can do it virtually anywhere they are. All they have to know how to do is to look up.
It really is amazing when you think about it that just by looking up on any given night, you could see virtually hundreds of thousands of stars, star systems, planets, moons, asteroids, comets and maybe an even an occasional space shuttle might wander by. It is even more breathtaking when you realize that the sky you are looking up at is for all intents and purposes the exact same sky that our ancestor's hundreds and thousands of years ago enjoyed when they just looked up.
There is something timeless about the cosmos. The fact that the planets and the moon and the stars beyond them have been there for ages does something to our sense of our place in the universe. In fact, many of the stars we “see” with our naked eye are actually light that came from that star hundreds of thousands of years ago. That light is just now reaching the earth. So in a very real way, looking up is like time travel.
Everybody knows how to look up. Children first discover the amazing light show on display for free every clear night by just looking up. You can probably remember that very first time you noticed that explosion of stars above you when you were a child. Now it is time to foster that same love of astronomy in your own children. You have to teach them how to look up.
While anyone can look up and fall in love with the stars at any time, the fun of astronomy is learning how to become more and more skilled and equipped in star gazing that you see and understand more and more each time you look up. Here are some steps you can take to make the moments you can devote to your hobby of astronomy much more enjoyable.
*Get out of town. The furthermost you can get from the lights of the city, the more you will see in the night sky.
*Know what you are looking at. It is great fun to start learning the constellations, how to navigate the night sky and find the planets and the famous stars. There are websites and books galore to guide you.
*Get some history. Learning the background to the great discoveries in astronomy will make your moments stargazing more meaningful. It is one of the oldest sciences on earth to find out the greats of history who have looked at these stars before you.
*Get a geek. Astronomy clubs are lively places full of knowledgeable amateurs who love to share their knowledge with you. For the price of a coke and snacks, they will go stargazing with you and overwhelm you with trivia and great knowledge.
*Know when to look. Not only knowing the weather will make sure your star gazing is rewarding but if you learn when the big meteor showers and other big astronomy events will happen will make the excitement of astronomy come alive for you.
And when all is said and done, get equipped. Your quest for newer and better telescopes will be a lifelong one. Let yourself get addicted to astronomy and the experience will enrich every aspect of life. It will be an addiction you never want to break.
